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May 2014 Volume 19 Issue 5

WIN tickets to Sherborne Castle Country Fair

and Yeovilton International Air Day

Dear Readers...

Welcome back and just when you’ve finished the Easter eggs, it’s already talk of half term and even, summer holidays. This month, we’re bringing you details of some of the best loved country shows: Sherborne Castle Country Fair and The Royal Bath & West, see p3. Let’s hope they get glorious sunshine! If you want to find out about how fascinating our weather is, we’ve got some great facts on our Book Bag pages and some fun experiments to do at home eg make a tornado in a jar or your very own cloud in a glass – see p9. As you would expect, there’s quite a bit of talk about holiday clubs this month with everything on offer from archery to zip wires with ballet and streetdance along the way and if you’re still looking for adventure, why not sign up for a picnic to celebrate The Gruffalo’s 15th anniversary. You can download recipes for mouse droppings and roast fox rolls – delicious! See p12 for details.

Best wishes

TamsinEditor

Editor Tamsin Humphreys Advertising Juliet YoungProduction Sarah HarmerJune deadline 28th May 2014To guarantee receiving your copy of Parent Talk every month why not take out a subscription for just £17 a year and it will be sent to your door?

contentsFamily Pages p2Out & About p3-6Book Bag News p7-10More Out & About p11Information, Education p12-14Classified p15

competitionsSherborne Castle County Fair p3Yeovilton Air Day p10

Parent Talk PO Box 889, Taunton TA1 9HU Tel: 01458 241318 email: sales@parenttalk.org.ukDisclaimer: The editorial and advertising content of this publication does not imply endorse-ment of them by Parent Talk. Nor can Parent Talk be held responsible for any actions or consequences arising from contact between reader and advertiser. Readers are therefore advised to check carefully, any references, professional qualifications and stated membership of professional bodies before entering into contracts or making arrangements to use a service featured herein.

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01458 241318

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Tel: 0207 692 0893

BRIDGE LAW Legal AdvisersThe affordable low cost alternative to Solicitors

Providing high quality low-cost fixed-fee advice and services in legal matters, including divorce,

and representation in court.Local representation in Taunton: Stephen David, Barrister.

Mobile: 0774 078 6232 Email: stephendavid@bridgelaw.co.ukBridge Law www.bridgelaylaw.co.uk

Family Farm HolidaysIn Glorious Devon

welcoming comfortable cottagesin an idylic setting

Join us on the farm, watch and help feed the animals. Large gardens, play room, games room. Lots of play space.

Outdoor heated swimming pool.

Providing very special child friendly relaxing holidays for over 25 years. Highly recommended. ‘VisitBritain 3 & 4 star’

Torridge House CottagesLittle Torrington, Devon

01805 622542 www.torridgehouse.co.uk

Torridge House Cottages is a well established family holiday destination but has for a long time been a well kept secret. Now though they are on TripAdvisor and readers can see the 5-star reviews which give a great insight to this self-catering holiday with a difference.

Families can enjoy watching or helping look after a wide variety of animals; rabbits – oh so many of them big ones and babies too, chicks, hens, ducks, piggies, guinea pigs, kittens, fancy mice and TigerLily the pony.

“Brilliant Family Holiday”Big, big gardens with plenty

of toddler toys and more in the playroom; table tennis and pool in the games room; highly recommended locally cooked ready meals from the freezer, outdoor heated pool, free wifi, games, dvds. Cottages and facilities all amazingly well equipped for young families.

The 9 cottages are in an idyllic setting in beautiful north Devon, within easy reach of wonderful beaches, market towns, fishing villages, country walks, cycle ways, horse riding, excellent attractions,

country pubs and all the things you can think of that you might want for a family holiday.

Expert pampering and healing massages can be arranged as well as throwing and/or painting pots, even skittles in the village hall. There is so much to do and to see, and yet it is so easy to enjoy doing nothing.

“It was the personal touches that really made it such a wonderful experience and we would not hesitate to book again.”

www.torridgehouse.co.uk or 01805 622542 for more details about Torridge House Cottages.

The high cost of using solicitors often adds to the severe stress of a divorce or separation. Usually, solicitors charge up to £200 or more per hour and their fees can reduce family assets at an alarming rate. In addition, the mere act of going to a solicitor, and the adversarial process then followed, draw otherwise sensible people into protracted and expensive disputes.

One problem arises because solicitors can only act for their client; the husband or wife. This means that they cannot work with both parties together in order to seek a sensible settlement. Instead, solicitors talk to “the other side’s” solicitor, immediately doubling the cost. The process usually becomes contentious as each solicitor has to “win” something in order to justify his or her fees.

This process seems designed to promote ill-will

The cost of Divorce and Family Break-upbetween husband and wife. Whatever good qualities they saw in each other that drew them together in the first place are gradually forgotten. They are urged to emphasise the worst aspects of their once life time partner in order to improve the eventual settlement.

Finally, any eventual settlement reached (usually years after they had started) is diminished hideously by legal costs. In other legal cases, there is another party to help bear the costs; in family law cases, the same family bears the costs for both sets of solicitors.

Probably the most important result of the current adversarial process is that not only the financial security of children is put at risk but also their emotional security. While it may be impossible to shield children from all the effects of their parents separating,

it makes it much worse if the separation becomes a legal dispute with each party seeking a victory over the other.

On the other hand, while many people would prefer not to face the problems caused by using a solicitor, they find it too daunting to handle a divorce and related matters on their own.

There is another way to seek legal help with divorce and related matters – Bridge Law. As a consequence of the way we operate, we can offer low rates and fixed costs. This is partly because we do not carry the high overheads of firms of solicitors and partly because the client carries out much of the work involved directly, only assisted and supported by us when necessary. The partner involved, Stephen David, is a barrister with direct Public Access Accreditation and so can accept instructions

without the need of a solicitor. Stephen is regulated by the Bar Council and has full professional indemnity insurance.

Bridge Law provides an affordable alternative to high street solicitors; an alternative that provides high and personal client care with very considerable savings in legal fees. Stephen is based in Taunton and can be contacted on stephendavid@bridgelaw.co.uk or 07740 786232

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY2 Parent Talk May 2014

Parent

TalkParent

Bank Holiday Monday 26th May 2014

Sands Resort hotelSophie Furse, WrantageLongleatRachel Sorrentino, Marston MagnaEzri Thompson, StreetKerry Roach, Bridgwater Galt trampolineChristian Blackmore-Wynn, Ashill

Competition winners

If you’ve got a little time to spare and are craving for a new, exciting adventure then why not be part of the stimulating new contemporary art gallery project at Hestercombe House which opens on May 24th?

The gallery will showcase the work of leading artists bringing together a provocative mix of sound and film pieces, sculpture, art and digital works. The Hestercombe Gardens Trust is urgently seeking volunteer enthusiasts to work in the gallery in a range of capacities including as invigilators and guides who will welcome visitors and talk to them about the art.

Arty knowledge is not required as all necessary training will be given through

Try your hand at Hestercombe: volunteers needed! special Volunteer Training Days to be held at the end of April. A desire to stretch the brain, keenness and a few free hours are all that are required! This may potentially suit Mums or Dads with some spare time after dropping the children at school, those recently retired or anyone wanting a fresh new interest. Meeting new people and being part of an active team will all be part of the fun!

There was an excellent response to the first call for volunteers to work on preparing the house, which has not opened to the public regularly since the eighteenth century and this is the next call to arms as head of marketing Stephanie Holley explains:

‘We’ve already got a wealth of volunteering talent working in other parts of Hestercombe,

especially outside in the gardens and they all really enjoy it, but this is something completely different. I am sure there are people out there who would love to be part of this innovative project at Hestercombe from the very beginning. And the idea of being immersed in invigorating art may just appeal!’

The Trust is also looking for volunteers to work in the new second hand bookshop in the house and would be delighted to hear from anyone that might offer carpentry skills to help finish the transformation of the house ready for the gallery opening on May 24th.

Anyone interested please contact Hestercombe Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton on: 01823 413923 info@hestercombe.comwww.hestercombe.com

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“Brilliant Family Holiday”

The cost of Divorce and Family Break-up

The countdown is on for the 151st Royal Bath and West Show which features two British awards plus a host of new attractions to wow the crowds.

This year it takes place from May 28 to 31 in half term and show manager Alan Lyons says it will be a showstopper.

“There really is something for the whole family from daredevil displays in the main ring to the country’s top livestock on show,” he said.

“Our Farming for the Family section will have a range of displays and demonstrations

Parent Talk May 2014 3 OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

WWW.BATHANDWEST.COM

Save ££’s when you book advance tickets

TEL 0844 776 6777

...there really is something for

everyone!

4 Champion days out...

WED 28 • THU 29 • FRI 30 • SAT 31 MAY

93x136 What's On Somerset BW:Layout 1 08/02/2014 10:48 Page 1

competitionWin tickets to Sherborne Castle Country Fair

WIN

Parent Talk have 2 family tickets to give away. For your chance to win, answer the question below and visit

www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter.Closing date for entries: 16th May 2014.

What date is Sherborne Castle Country Fair?

Sherborne Castle Country Fair 2014 incorporating Rare Breeds Show

Monday 26th May Spring Bank Holiday

Visit our website: www.sherbornecountryfair.com

for more information and to purchase advance tickets now.

Countdown to Royal Bath and West Show

which show the route from field to fork with an extended butchery and cookery demonstrations, not forgetting our new artisan food marquee, will mean it’s a must-visit for all food lovers.”

In the main ring will be The Devil’s Horsemen – one of Europe’s leading teams of Horsemasters, Stuntmen and Stunt Co-ordinators which has featured in film and TV productions such as The King’s Speech, The Eagle and The Duchess.

Jamie Squibb will be bringing Squibbfreestyle motocross

arena stunt show to the main ring with a team of riders performing breath taking jumps and stunts mid-air.

Alan said: “We will, of course, also have the best of British livestock and equine at the Show, which is afterall how it started back in the 19th century.

Advance saver tickets are on sale from April 1 to May 26 at £19 for an adult, £5 for a child or £48 for a family. Gate prices are £22 adult, £7 child and £55 for adult.

For more information visit www.bathandwest.com

Attractions include:◆ The Rare Breeds Show◆ Dorset Farmers’ Market Cookery Theatre◆ The Gundog Team Challenges

◆ The Main Ring◆ The Sheep Show◆ Silent AuctionTent◆ Wilderness Survival Skills◆ The Companion Dog Show

A brilliant

day out for all the family

Raising funds for Children’s Charities. The Fair is organised by volunteers.

The Sherborne Castle Country Fair presents a rich and fun programme of events, country activities, stands and entertainment including one of the largest Rare Breed Shows in the country. For one day every summer, one of the country’s finest settings is transformed into a fun-filled day out to suit all ages.

The Fair was started by a small group of volunteers, in 1996, with the aim of raising money for local charities, especially those working with children. To date the committee, still

Sherborne Castle Country Fair and Rare Breeds ShowBank Holiday Monday 26th May 2014

run by volunteers, has given £911,777 thousand to local children’s charities and youth support groups.

The show has become a firm favourite in local families’ diaries and features a spectacular lakeside event of Dragon Boat Racing major sponsor AgustaWestland and a Circus where you can just watch the interactive fun of

Visit our website: www.sherbornecountryfair.com

for more information and to purchase advance tickets now:You can make savings of 15%

Hotline 01749 813 899 or visiting Sherborne and Yeovil TIC offices,

The Abbey Pharmacy in Sherborne or website www.sherbornecountryfair.com

clowns delivering an ecological message or try your hand at stilt walking, plates twirling and juggling.

A brilliant day out for all the family, the fair provides a particularly wide range of activities for children of all ages, funfair rides and stalls, bouncy castle with slides, donkey rides, climbing wall, water balls, Punch and Judy and Marionette

puppet shows, outdoor toys, Gore Farm stand offers children the opportunity to handle young animals and birds, birds of prey displays, goats in harness, young gymnasts displaying their amazing routines, Sherborne Youth Band, traditional Irish dancing, steel band, Yeovilton Military Wives Choir and the Wessex Highlanders are back together with ‘have a go’ at archery and laser clay Pigeon shooting, land train…. and much, much more.

Try your hand at Hestercombe: volunteers needed!

. MARKETS . THEATRES . FAIRS . FETES . SHOWS . EXHIBITIONS .

events Got an event to share? Like us on

and tell us all about it./parenttalkswParent

TalkParent

9th - 10th May: Rubbish. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Imagine a world that celebrates its rubbish, where at the touch of a puppeteer’s hand, the contents of a bin bag can transform before your eyes. Rubbish is a visually stunning and playful production exploring the unexpected value of discarded objects. Rubbish opens with a large pile of over-filled bin bags. The audience meet the cast, four excavators, each searching through piles of rubbish. Out of these bags they discover discarded and unloved rubbish and from each an animated figure is born. Age: 5+. 01225 82340911th May: Spellbound. The Playhouse, Weston super Mare. Captivate your imagination and suspend your disbelief as you witness international magicians amaze you with world class magic. No camera tricks and the chance to see magic of the mind, comedy magic and fast paced illusions. An evening of wonder… you won’t believe your eyes. 01934 64554411th May: Baby & Children’s Market, Strode College Sports Centre. 2-4pm. Over 20 stalls bursting with excellent quality pre-loved and new baby and chidlren’s items. Great brands at bargain prices! Activities for children and a raffle in aid of The Alzheimer’s Society. 07787 56768411th May: Taunton Vintage Bus Display & Running Day. Castle Green, Taunton TA1 4AD. 10.30- 4.30pm. Free bus rides throughout the day- relive the days of double deckers with conductors, enjoy a vintage coach trip into the countryside, open top bus tours. Stalls selling books, models and memorabilia. Programme and

timetable available on the day. For further information:- http://www.tauntonrunningday.wordpress.com/ or e-mail tauntonrunningday@yahoo.co.uk15th - 17th May: The Jungle Book. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Rudyard Kipling’s magical tale of ‘man-cub’ Mowgli’s adventures in the jungle are brought to life in this all-singing, all-dancing production by graduating Acting and Theatre Production students from Bath Spa University. Age: 6+. 01225 82340918th May: Family Boot Camp. West Somerset Leisure Centre. 10am -11.30am. Come along and spend some quality time with the family and enjoy team challenges as well as getting the children outside and enjoying our natural environment. 01643 708815 19th – 31st May: Textile Expressions. Ilminster Arts Centre at The Meetig House, East Street Ilminster. Group exhibition by textile artists who work in a wide variety of media and techniques including books, batik, basketry, quilts, felt and 3D pieces, which may be stitched, slashed, painted and often incorporate collaged layers of paper, fabric, natural materials and found objects. Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm. Saturday 9.30am - 2.30pm. Free. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.20th May: Geminus presented by Compagnie Ubi. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, Taunton. Geminus is a visually and musically stimulating show, tailor made for Early Years. This beautiful piece touches on themes of identity and reflection within its very young audience, through intuition,

curiosity, awkwardness, vitality and wonder. Dance, rhythm and object manipulation are at the heart of Geminus, combining gestures, sounds and mirrors to create a playful and intriguing dance piece. 01823 41414120th – 24th May: Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. Bristol Hippodrome. Firmly crowned as a modern day classic, Matthew Bourne’s powerful, provocative and totally original interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake turned upside down and took the dance world by storm, dazzling audiences in the West End and Broadway, and across Europe, Asia and Australia. Boldly shattering the traditional concept of swans in tutus and blending dance, humour and spectacle with extravagant award-winning designs, Matthew Bourne has created a passionate and contemporary Swan Lake for our times. 21st May: Geminus presented by Compagnie Ubi. Main Hall, Yeovil College, Yeovil – see above. www.takeart.org 22nd May: The Little Mermaid. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, Taunton. Join Ballet Theatre UK for this dramatic re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s all-time favourite story of The Little Mermaid, who falls in love with a human Prince and gives up everything to win his love. 01823 41414123rd - 24th May: A Boy and His Box. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. The show delights with live drawing, projection, several quirky tunes and some brilliantly ridiculous sound effects. Most of all, it celebrates the amazing world that is a child’s imagination and reminds grown ups that an adventure can

begin with the stroke of a pen. Age: 4+ 01225 82340923rd – 24th May: The Gruffalo. The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil. Hit monster family show, direct from a West End season! Meet a wheeler-dealer Fox, an eccentric old Owl and a maraca-shaking, party-mad Snake! Mouse can scare these hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face to face with the very creature he imagined? The Gruffalo is the perfect family treat with plenty of songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3+ and their grown ups. 01935 42288423rd – 25th May: Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre, East Huntspill. 10am – 4pm. It’s baby boom time when lots of orphans are being cared for at the centre. Staff will be on hand to show you their babies. They’ll tell you how they wean fox and badger cubs ready for their release. Half hourly animal talks throughout the day, including feeding the resident foxes, ferret racing and more. Refreshments available. 01278 78325024th May: Old MacDonald had a Farm. The Playhouse, Weston super Mare. Old MacDonald’s animals have gone missing. Can you help a friendly scientist and his amazing time machine get them back for him? Written especially for parents to enjoy with their children, this fun filled farmyard tale brings to life all the best loved characters from the original nursery rhyme along with a magical medley of games, giggles and sing along songs. Come and relive the delights of this most charming of tales, told with a captivating combination of

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The ideal place for children aged 4 - 18,with an interest in performing arts to learn about

POP SINGING, STREET DANCE, DRAMA & MIME,MUSICAL THEATRE SONG & DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE!

Come along and join in the funat Yeovil and Street!

The ideal place for children aged 4 - 18,with an interest in performing arts to learn about

POP SINGING, STREET DANCE, DRAMA & MIME,MUSICAL THEATRE SONG & DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE!

Come along and join in the funat Yeovil and Street!

For more information call Claire on 01935 411128 or 07856 273166email: yeovil@razzamataz.co.uk or street@razzamataz.co.uk www.razzamataz.co.uk

Ballet Tap Irish Dancing Streetdance Parties Chasamba Gymnastics

www.just-dance-studio.co.uk

JUST DANCE STUDIO & ACTIVITY CENTRE

07901 553602

Just Dance has had a great 6 months in their new studio. As well as the already established classes: Ballet, Tap and Streetdance, some new classes have started. If you like Strictly, then you’ll love Chasamba! Chasamba fitness

This summer: Razz…is the Word!Razzamataz Yeovil & Street is on hand with the perfect solution to school holiday fatigue. Our holiday summer schools are fun-packed performing arts workshops

Just Dance and a party to remember!combines Ballroom and Latin dance in to a fantastic andfun class. Irish dance classes are proving very popular. With obesity in children on the rise, Irish dancing is a great way of getting a cardiovascular workout while building on stamina, rhythm and memory skills. There are opportunities to display dances for public events and to enter competitions gaining recognition for effort and performance. It’s available for girls, boys and adults. Just Dance have added Gymnastic

classes to the timetable this year. Toddler gym will include lots of climbing and tumbling. Pre-school and age 4+ gym classes will follow the Winstrada syllabus, with children learning to roll, jump, etc. New things for the summer term include, a Vege Patch Club. Children will plant seeds and tend their vegetables as they grow, pick them and take them home. It was a great way of getting

children outside and learning new things.

Just Dance Parties will provide a party to remember! With dance parties and themed parties, we are also able to provide all thefood, birthday cake and party bags, as well as the fun and games! Our face painters also add to the occasion and with our own premises, we can cater for a huge variety of themes with props and scenery.

www.just-dance-studios.co.uk www.just-dance-parties.co.ukFacebook – Just Dance Wincanton

No need to be bored in the summer holidays that bring out your child’s star qualities! With the help of our experienced teaching staff, students can gain new skills and build their confidence.

Students spend their time putting together a short presentation that is performed

at the end of the week for parents and friends. The week includes singing, dancing and drama classes as well as other activities vital to putting on a show.

All students receive a certificate. You do not need to attend Razzamataz classes to join in the fun! Our summer schools are a great chance to come and get a taste of what we’re all about.

This year’s Summer School for Razzamataz Yeovil and Street will be at The Gateway, Addlewell Lane, Yeovil, BA20

1QN from Monday 4th to Friday 8th August.

The course runs 10am to 4pm daily for 8-16 year olds, with a 10am to 1pm option for 4-7 year olds. Prices are £100 for the full day and £60 for Under 8s. Book before May 31st to receive a 10% discount. An early 9am drop-off is available on request for an additional charge.

Places are limited, so contact Claire on 01935 411128 or 07856 273166. Alternatively email yeovil@razzamataz.co.uk for a booking form.

Follow us at facebook.com/razzyeovil to keep up-to-date with our latest news, or see our schools pages at

www.razzamataz.co.uk for more information.

live action, puppetry and animation. 01934 64554424th May: Gallery Opening, Hestercombe Gallery, Hestercombe House Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton. Hestercombe House opens to the public with an exciting contemporary art exhibition. With funding from Arts Council England. 01823 41392324th May: Burnham on Sea Food & Drink festival. Free one-day festival with something for the whole family. 07973 37873525th -26th May Bank Holiday BBQ at Hestercombe House and Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton. Enjoy freshly cooked BBQ food in the Courtyard. 01823 41392326th May: Sherborne Castle Country Fair, Sherborne. Great day out for all the family. See p3 for details and chance to win free tickets. 26th May: Blast Off! the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. Kid Carpet and The Noisy Animals – THE biggest band in the world – are back! They are about to blast off into outer space on a mission to find their brand new sound for their latest hit album. In a super-duper, really, really fast adventure around a rock ‘n’ roll musical universe, our friends encounter noisy planets, cheesed-off nursery rhyme characters and shooting stars. BLAST OFF! involves some very lo-fi technological wizardry, turning ordinary toys into magical superstars with the aid of a video camera, silliness and live music. Age: 4+. 01225 82340926th – 27th May: Cello Babies. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. An opportunity for babies to play and be enchanted by the sounds around them. Age: 0-2 years. 01225 823409

28th – 29th May: The Boat and the Moon. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. “There was a boat, sailing at sea, but on the moon it wanted to be…” This is the tale of a boat and its dream. It dances with a fish, talks to the stars, plays with a pelican, listens to a whale…It would love to know how to leave the sea and sail to the moon – but the moon is so far away and the boat can’t fly. It tries, and tries, and tries again. In the end, the moon leaves the skies to bathe in the sea. Age: 1-5. 01225 82340928th – 31st May: Royal Bath & West Show. The Showground, Shepton Mallet. See p3 for further details. 30th – 31st May: Jack and the Beanstalk. the egg, Theatre Royal Bath. A show for everyone, with enormous shoes, tiny houses, showers of silver and gold and a big, leafy explosion! Age: 3+. 01225 82340930th May: Willow head dress and wands at Yeovil Country Park. Make your own willow wand or head dress and decorate it with woodland finds, ribbon and lace. Cost £3.50 per child. An adult must accompany all children under 8. Booking essential tel. 01935 422884.30th May: Charity Golf Day for Wedmore School held at Wedmore Golf Club. Entry £100 per team (£25 each) and lots of prizes. For further details p.bird@thedrurypartnership.com or call 01934 712305.31st May: BABE – the sheep pig, presented by Oasis theatre. A tale of humble beginnings and courageous triumphs; of how a piglet became the world famous ‘sheep-pig’. When Babe is won by Farmer Hogget at the village fair an extraordinary friendship develops. 01643 706430

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Parent Talk May 2014 5 OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

PARENTS from Somerset who would like ideas for crafty projects they can start with their youngsters during the May half-term holidays are invited to a garden centre in the county.

People visiting the Craft Centre at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton will be able get free expert advice and tips on all things craft related.

Julia Langley, Craft Centre Advisor at the independent, family-run garden centre, explained: “Our expert staff are always on-hand to help and advise people whatever their crafting needs.

“With the half-term holiday at the end of the May we know many parents will be looking to start projects with their children. We have a number of simple project sheets, which are suitable for youngsters to join in with, such as decopatch.

“We also have a huge range of craft books covering topics from quilling to how to make pipe cleaner dogs. We have a variety of quick sew patterns and fabrics for anyone looking to start a sewing project too.”

Get crafty ideas from garden centre

People who would like to find out more can call the Craft Centre at Monkton

Elm Garden & Pet Centre on 01823 412 381 or email crafts@monkton-elm.co.uk.

Julia Langley, Craft Centre Advisor at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre.

For more information about the garden centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield between

Bridgwater and Taunton, please call the number above, visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk, log on to

www.facebook.com/Monktonelm or follow the company on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/Monktonelm

Just Dance and a party to remember!

Paignton Zoo is the place for cute baby animals right now. Among the youngsters you might see are two orang utans, a giraffe and a spider monkey. Bornean orang utan Tatau was born in April 2013 to mother Mali and father Demo. Paignton Zoo Director of Operations and Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said: “She is doing well. Her progress is fairly typical for a one-year old orang.” At first the tiny baby was only seen clinging to mum, but now her climbing skills are slowly beginning to develop. “She explores, but still does not venture far from mum. Mali is proving to be a very good mother.” Tatau’s little half-sister Natalia was born just before Christmas to mother Chinta and father Demo.

A female Rothschild’s giraffe was born to mother Sangha and father Yoda on the afternoon of Saturday 25th January. She was born during the day, which is unusual, as giraffes mostly give birth overnight. At birth the calf stood at nearly six feet tall! Finally, there’s one year old brown spider monkey Paru who, with her long, gripping tail, seems to have five limbs.

If you are looking for something a little less cute,

Baby animals at Paignton Zoo

the Zoo’s new Investigate exhibit is home to scorpions,

stick insects, leaf cutter ants, beetles and large spiders…

KiNg Zoos� EXPLORE THE BIG WILD WORLD

With more animals than anyone else in the South West you’re in for a really wild time.

Scan our QR code to book your tickets

paigntonzoo.org.uk 0844 474 2222

KiNg

Brown spider monkey by Ray Wiltshire

6 Parent Talk May 2014 OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT

Residential & day

www.millonthebrue.co.uk 01749 812 307

Summer camps at Mill on the Brue – amazing!

PROOF living it

Dunster Castle and Gardens Civil War weekend 3 & 4 May

Meet the housekeeper & Edwardian manners 31 May, 1, 7, 8 June

Invasion 1588 14 & 15 June

01643 823041 nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle

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Photograph courtesy of Seamus Rogers.

For a whole day of things to see and do, visit Dunster Castle and Gardens.

Step inside the Crypt and experience our interactive exhibition. Learn all about our rare resident bats and have the chance to spy on them through the bat cam. Find out about the Castle’s hidden history with our ‘Life through a lens’, or be spooked by ghostly stories.

Why not get active on our log

Summer fun at Dunsterplay area complete with a giant outdoor xylophone.

Take our new ‘Chapters’ tour and discover tales of Castle life across the ages. Visit the Dunster watermill which is now included as part of our Castle and Garden admission for 2014. The watermill is fully operational and you can see We’ve got lots of exciting events for the May bank holiday and school half term. Our

“Meet the Housekeeper and Edwardian Manners” event on 31st May, 1st, 7th and 8th June will provide you with the opportunity to master the art of Edwardian manners and learn how to be an Edwardian Gentleman or Lady. Have-a-go archery and pistol shooting will also be running throughout the season. Join Heuristics and get involved in authentic Victorian games and technology on 21st May and 1st June.

The Summer holidays may seem far off but they’ll be here as soon as saying ‘summer half term’.

Mill on the Brue is the best holiday idea yet for children (8 – 15 years). They can come on their own during the summer holidays, staying for a week or daily. We don’t have large numbers (only 60 residential

Mill on the Brue Outdoor Centre in Bruton, Somerset – heaven for kids!

every week); Sunday morning welcome, placed in age groups, maximum of 12 in each group, introduced to their two instructors who stay with them all week, and off they go!

At least 6 activities a day, as most are in our own beautiful 25 acres of fields, woods, and river valley, interspersed with delicious, filling meals, home cooked with many of our own organic vegetables and fruit. The kids sleep in bunk bedded rooms, again with their own age, supervised by night staff who ensure they wash and clean their teeth!

The exciting, fun, activities, games and tasks are ‘awesome’ –from canoeing to high ropes, archery to slacklining, assault course, rafting, climbing, tunnelling, crossing the river, zip wire, camping, clay oven cooking, water slide, animal feeding, concert, disco…. the list is endless and the days packed. TV? Computer games? No way!

Over 50% of children return year after year as it becomes their own summer tradition.

The West Somerset Railway is holding its annual “Day Out With Thomas” weekends on July 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th and whilst the famous blue engine is giving trips in and out of Minehead station his “friends” the bigger engines are working the trains between Bishops Lydeard (near Taunton) and Minehead.

Also at the seaside station the Fat Controller will be trying to keep order, there will be vintage bus rides around the town and entertainment.

For more information please see www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or call

Famous faces at West Somerset Railway

01643 704996. Advanced train tickets for journeys from Bishops Lydeard can be booked from both.

Apart from Thomas other children’s events in 2014 include “Meet and Greet” Days with the Octonauts, Peppa Pig and George and Fireman Sam and a new idea is a medieval encampment at Stogumber Station on July 26th and 27th where Bowlore will involve visitors of all ages in the craft of knights of old. Once again much more information (even about Christmas trains) can be seen at the website or by giving the Railway a call.

12 May, 1820 Birth of

They also make great friends, become more independent, confident, – returning home

grubby, tired and very happy. www.mi l lonthebrue .co .uk 01749 812307

Our free* guided tours of the Victorian kitchen also take place daily at 11am and 2.30pm throughout the season.

The Castle and Gardens are open daily between 8th March and 2nd November, 11am-5pm.*Normal admission applies, free entry for National Trust members.Call for more information: 01643 821314.

Book Bag NEWSNEWS section

bringing you world events, job tasters, boredom busters, interesting facts and everything topical...

to your welcome

With thanks to The Florence Nightingale Museum www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

Her greatest achievement was to transform nursing into a respectable profession for women and in 1860, she established the first professional training school for nurses, the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas’ Hospital.

She campaigned tirelessly to improve health standards, publishing over 200 books, reports and pamphlets on hospital planning and organisation which are still widely read and respected today, including her most famous work “Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not”.

Florence’s influence on today’s nursing, ranges from her ward designs (known as Nightingale Wards) which were developed in response to her realisation that hospital buildings themselves could affect the health and recovery of patients, through to pioneering infection control measures and the championing of a healthy diet as a key factor for recovery. Florence also believed in the need for specialist midwifery nurses and established a School of Midwifery nursing at King’s College Hospital which became a model for the country.

Florence is also credited with inventing the pie chart and was the first woman to be elected to the Royal Statistical Society. She was also the first woman to be awarded the Freedom of the City of London, which she received in 1909.

She inspired the founding of the International Red Cross which still awards the Florence Nightingale Medal for nurses who have given exceptional care to the sick and wounded in war or peace.

EARLY YEARSBorn in an era when middle-class women were expected to simply make a good marriage and raise a family, Florence sensed a ‘calling’ from God at an early age and believed she was destined to do something greater with her life. As a child, she was very academic and particularly interested in mathematics. Her religion gave her a strong sense of moral duty to help the poor and, over time, she held a growing belief that nursing was her God-given vocation. She was also perhaps set to follow the family tradition of reform mindedness, such as the example set by her maternal grandfather who was an anti-slavery campaigner.

Paid nursing suffered a reputation as a job for poor, often elderly women, and the popular image was one of drunkenness, bad language and a casual attitude to patients.

Famous for being the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ who organised the nursing of sick and wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale’s far-sighted ideas and reforms have influenced the very nature of modern healthcare.

Despite parental concern, she persisted in her ambition, reading anything she could about health and hospitals. Eventually she persuaded them to allow her to take three months nursing training at an inspirational hospital and school in Dusseldorf. Aged 33, she then became superintendent of a hospital for ‘gentlewomen’ in Harley Street, London.

THE CRIMEAN WARIn March 1854, reports flooded in about the dreadful conditions and lack of medical supplies suffered by injured soldiers fighting the Crimean War. The Minister at War, a social acquaintance, invited Florence to oversee the introduction of female nurses into the military hospitals in Turkey. With a party of 38 nurses, Florence arrived in Scutari that November and set about organising the hospitals to improve supplies of food, blankets and beds, as well as the general conditions and cleanliness. The comforting sight of her checking all was well at night earned her the name “Lady of the Lamp”, along with the undying respect of the British soldiers.

REFORMING SPIRITThe introduction of female nurses to the military hospitals was deemed an outstanding success, Florence returned to Britain a heroine and donations poured in to the Nightingale Fund. The money collected enabled Florence to continue her reform of nursing in the civil hospitals of Britain after the war. Determined that the medical mistakes of the two-year long war were never repeated, she vividly communicated the needs for medical reform using statistical charts which showed that more men had died from disease than from their wounds. She then instigated a Royal Commission into the health of the army which led to a large number of improvements and saved the lives of many.

Her attention later turned to the health of the British army in India and she demonstrated that bad drainage, contaminated water, overcrowding

12 May, 1820 Birth ofFlorence Nightingale

and poor ventilation were causing the high death rate. She concluded that the health of the army and the people of India had to go hand in hand and so campaigned to improve the sanitary conditions of the country as a whole.

The Nightingale Training School was established in 1860 using donations from the Nightingale Fund. Its reputation soon spread and Nightingale nurses were requested to start new schools all over the world, including Australia, America and Africa.

Despite often being confined to her sick bed, by what we now believe was a bacterial infection known as brucellosis, Florence continued as a driving force behind the scenes, writing some 13000 letters as part of her campaigns. She met Queen Victoria on many occasions and exchanged correspondence for over thirty years. Florence was awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1883. Then in 1907 she was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit, Britain’s highest civilian decoration.

Florence died aged 90, on 13 August 1910, and was buried with her family in East Wellow, Hampshire.

Book Bag NEWS

did you know that...A bolt of lightning can travel at up to 136,000mph and reach temperatures of 30,000 °Celsius — hotter than the surface of the Sun!

A hailstone almost the size of a bowling ball fell in Nebraska, in the USA, on 22 June 2003. Measuring 17.8cm in diameter, it is the largest hailstone ever recorded.

There are weather records for this country dating back to 26 August, 55BC.Ice in the Antarctic is more than 2.5 miles thick in places.

There are some special aeroplanes which have been designed to fly directly into hurricanes. These planes are packed with equipment to gather information on the hurricane. Weather forecasters then use the information to predict where the storm will go, giving people early warnings of the danger.

If 10cm of snow melts in a glass it would produce only about 1cm of water.

Very cold winters hit the UK in the 17th and 18th century, a period known as the Little Ice Age. This led to the River Thames freezing over in London on several occasions. When the ice was thick enough, giant carnivals called ‘frost fairs’ were held on the river.

Weather stations are all over the world. The highest one on land is on Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. Sitting 26,000ft (nearly five miles) up the mountain, the equipment measures temperature, wind speed and air pressure.

There is an old saying that ‘lightning never strikes twice’, but it’s not true! Although it is quite rare, lightning can strike the same place more than once.Sprites, Blue Jets and Elves are all types of lightning which occur high in the sky.

Thunder is one of nature’s loudest sounds. A roll of thunder can be up to 120 decibels, which is louder than a train speeding past.

The world’s biggest snowflake was 38cm wide and 20cm thick and fell in Montana in the USA on January 28, 1887.

Snowflakes can take as long as one hour to fall to the ground.

Fifteen million trees were blown down on 15 and 16 October, 1987, when the worst storm ever hit parts of south-eastern Britain.

Sometimes two rainbows will form at the same time. When this happens, there will be a normal rainbow and outside it will be a larger, more faint rainbow. The second, bigger rainbow, will also have its colours in reverse.

The Met Office uses a supercomputer — one of the fastest in the world — to help make its weather forecasts. Its newest machine has as much computing power as 20,000 normal PCs.

Every minute of the day, around 900 million tonnes of rain falls on the Earth.

Our fascinating weather...

Book Bag NEWS

Please make sure you always have an adult with you when trying out these experiments.

Here are some fun weather experiments that you can do at home.

Weather Experiments

For more information visit www.metoffice.gov.uk

What is a Tornado? What is Lightning? and Satellites

Weather and Climate are all posters that can be

downloaded from www.metoffice.gov.uk

WEATHER FRONTSWe get different sorts of weather because of the way warm air and cold air move around us in the atmosphere.WHAT YOU WILL NEED:A large, clear tank (an empty fish tank would be ideal) Warm and cold water Two plastic cups Small stones (pebbles) Food colouringWHAT TO DO:☛ Fill the tank with normal water and leave this for a few hours to come to room temperature. ☛ Place a few small pebbles in each of the two cups to act as weights. ☛ Pour some hot water and a few drops of red food colouring in one of the cups. ☛ Fill the other cup with very cold water and add some blue food colouring. ☛ Place the two cups into the water at the same time, one at either end of the tank - the pebbles should hold the cups at the bottom. ☛ Carefully watch how the two different coloured waters move. You should see that the warmer red water should rise to the top, and the cooler blue water should sink to the bottom. ● Warm air (shown by your warm red water) is less dense than cold air (cold blue water), so warm air rises and pushes down with less pressure than cold air. As air cools, it becomes denser, so it sinks and also pushes down with greater pressure.

MAKE A CLOUD IN A GLASSClouds in the real world form in warm, moist air. You can make something similar happen using things you can find around your home.WHAT YOU WILL NEED:A clear glass or similar see-through container Warm water Ice Metal or foil dishWHAT TO DO:☛ Place the ice into the metal dish. ☛ Pour a small amount of warm water into the bottom of the glass. ☛ Wait until the dish is really cold. Then place it on top of the glass. ☛ Watch the inside carefully. You should see a ‘cloud’ form near the top of the glass.

● In the real world, clouds form when warm, moist air, like that in your glass, is cooled (your ice). When it is cooled it condenses into tiny water droplets, which appear as clouds.

MAKE A TORNADO IN A JARA tornado is air which is spinning very fast. It is made by a special type of thunderstorm called a supercell.WHAT YOU WILL NEED:A clear jam jar or similar see-through container with a screw-on lid Washing-up liquid or liquid soap Food colouringWHAT TO DO:☛ Fill up the container with water then add a few drops of the washing-up liquid and a few drops of the food colouring. ☛ Tightly screw on the lid. ☛ Swirl the container around in a circle lots of times and then stop. Inside you should see what looks like a tornado. It will slowly disappear as it reaches the top of the container.

● Tornadoes in the real world are made in a similar way, when cold and warm air combine and spin.

Book Bag NEWS

WIN

2 family ticketsfor the Yeovilton

International Air Day

The intensity, drama and spectacle on offer at the RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day in Somerset on Saturday

26 July is an experience not to be missed. The award winning airshow is one of the Southwest’s largest one day events,

attracting over 30,000 visitors, and will return this summer with an action-packed day out for all the family.

The Air Station is one of the UK’s busiest military airfields and is notably home to the Lynx Wildcat Maritime Force,

Commando Helicopter Force, Aviation Reconnaissance Force and the Royal Navy Historic Flight with its rare collection of naval aircraft. All the resident units will perform spectacular

role demonstrations with plenty of bangs and flashes!

Confirmed participants include world class military aerobatic teams such as the Royal Jordanian Falcons. Undoubtedly,

the stars of the show for many will be the fast jet displays from the Swiss Air Force F/A18 Hornet, Belgian Air Force

F16 and a flypast from a RAF Typhoon representing the cutting edge of modern global fighter technology. Amongst the helicopter displays will be the Royal Navy and Army’s

latest aircraft - the Wildcat, and the RAF Chinook will demonstrate its unbelievable agility. On the historic front, the

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane appearance will be a fitting tribute as the nation

commemorates the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. The iconic Vulcan bomber XH558 will also be firing up her

four mighty engines for another majestic performance over the Somerset skies.

Throughout the day there will be plenty of family attractions including military bands, a fairground, vehicle exhibition,

service demonstrations, field gun competition, picnic areas, helicopter pleasure flights, simulator rides, trade stands and

much, much more.

Parent Talk have 2 family tickets (2 adults and 2 children under 16) to give away. For your chance to win, look at the question below and visit www.parenttalk.org.uk to enter.

Closing date for entries: 28th May 2014.

When is the RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day 2014?

Further information and discounted advance tickets are available from www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday

or by calling 08445 781 781.

If bread is a loaf in London, what are windows in Birmingham?Glass!

Where will you always find gold?In the dictionary!

Why is the letter A like pollen?Because a B comes after it!

There are eleven letters in ‘deteriorate’. Can you explain what it means with only two letters?D.K. (decay)

Can you write a composition using two letters only?S.A. (essay)

Why should you be careful about telling secrets on a farm?Because the corn has ears, the potatoes have eyes and the beans talk (bean stalk)!

Take away one letter, take away two letters, take away all my letters and I still remain what I was. What am I?A postman!

Some riddles have been handed down for centuries. Take a look at the ones below and see if you can work them out. Visit our website www.parenttalk.org.uk for the answers. The date given is believed to be the first date they were printed.

Two brothers we are, great burdens we bearBy which we are heavily pressed;The truth is to say, we are full all the day, And empty when we go to rest. (1600)As I was going to St Ives, I met a man who had seven wives.Each wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Each cat had seven kits.Kits, cats, sacks and wives, How many were going to St Ives? (1730)

I am black and much admired, Many seek me till they’re tired;I weary horse and I weary man.Solve this riddle if you can. (1817)

Riddles

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT OUT & ABOUT Parent Talk May 2014 11

the natural place

30th MAY KIDS GO FREE! CAMP WILD DAY FREE ENTRY for all children to Escot! Plus come and check-out Yurt Village and all that happens at Camp Wild. We’ll have storytelling by the fire, toasted marshmallows, Camp Wild games, pond-dipping, shelter building, bushcraft fun and a swamp walk! A little taste of a Camp Wild summer - for free!

For details contact: Escot, Ottery St. Mary, Devon. EX11 1LU www.escot-devon.co.uk 01404 822188

Camp Wild

Summer Camp

NOW booking! C

all 01404

822188 or vis

it

www.escotc

ampwild

.co.uk

Action packed May half term at EscotWe have some fantastic events happening at Escot during May half term. Here are the highlights:

Bush craft Week and the Brilliant Things you can do with Sticks!24 May to 01 June Release the spirit of adventure in your children and let them discover and explore the natural world around them. This half term week children can take part in bush craft skills - fire making, shelter building, campfire cooking, whittling, arts and crafts and of course toasting marshmallows over the campfire! There is also “the brilliance of sticks” workshop - it doesn’t get better than this!

Kids Go Free – Camp Wild Day30 May 2014FREE ENTRY for all children to Escot! Plus come and check-out Yurt Village and all that happens at Camp Wild. We’ll have storytelling by the fire, toasted marshmallows, Camp Wild games, pond-dipping, shelter building, bush craft fun and a swamp walk! A little taste of a Camp Wild summer - for free!

NOW BOOKING – ESCOT’S SUMMER CAMP WILD!Escot’s Camp Wild is a residential and day summer camp that is truly unique. Imagine staying in yurts and having all of Escot park as your personal playground! As well as feeding the animals, children get to discover the natural world around them through bush craft, woodland expeditions, raft-making, river fun, rock pooling and beach games. There’s evening campfires, outdoor cooking and games. The only problem

For details on these and other events at Escot visit www.escot-devon.co.uk or call 01404 822188

ORCHARD PARTIESHire the orchard and play on our climbing frames, swings, wendy houses & trampolines.

www.toy-barn.co.uk

PARTIESat The Toy Barn...

The Toy BarnBlackmarsh Farm

Sherborne DT9 4JX

01935 815040

MAKE IT A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER AT THE TOY BARN

ORCHARD PARTIES

GO KART PARTIESChildren race around the track and against each other in our pedal-powered karts.

Come and see the Toy Barn this summer. It is the best outdoor toy shop in the South West. There are lots of climbing frames and trampolines to see and try out. We have a wealth of experience at building and supplying all types of climbing frames and are keen to help you achieve something special within your budget. We manufacture swings and play houses and supply a

Birthday parties at The Toy Barn

Visit us on line at www.toy-barn.co.uk or call us on 01935 815040 to see the best in toys & outdoor play. Find us on the A30 outside Sherborne at Blackmarsh Farm DT9 4JX

WIN

wider range of frames.Why not have your birthday

party at the Toy Barn this year? Parties here are easy and fun. Hire the orchard to play on the play equipment, or hire the cool carts for those budding racing drivers. The pedal go-karts have a minimum age of 5yrs to adult. You can bring your own food or hire our BBQ. Parties start from £5.00 per child per hour.

is they won’t want to come home! For details of the Summer

Camp Wild call 01404 822188 or visit www.escotcampwild.co.uk.

nurseryNURSERY DIRECTORY NURSERY12 Parent Talk May 2014

DIRECTORYALBY’S CHILDCARE, Albermarle Centre, Albermarle Road, Taunton. Providing safe, high quality care and learning opportunities for children aged 2-4 years. Open 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday. T: 01823 448926 E: albys@albermarle-centre.co.ukBRIDGWATER COLLEGE CHILDCARE CENTRE was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2012, in all areas! The Centre is open to the general public and children of students, for children from four months to five years. There is also a Holiday Play Scheme for children up to eight years old. T: 01278 441270 or E: childcare@bridgwater.ac.uk. www.bridgwater.ac.ukBRIGHT STARS CHILDCARE LTD, Green Lane, Frome BA11 4JW. New setting, caring for children from 3 mnths to 5 yrs. Lots of new and exciting activities and learning opportunities for all. T: 01373 451619 or E: childcare@brightstars.org.uk www.brightstars.org.ukHAZLEGROVE NURSERY AND PRE-PREP, SPARKFORD Hazlegrove’s innovative Pre-Prep curriculum is outstandingly successful, evident in the increased confidence and ability levels as children move up to the Prep School. The children benefit from experienced staff, specialist teaching and outstanding facilities including an indoor swimming pool and woods for Forest School. “Hazlegrove children are happy children” says Headmaster Richard Fenwick, “we simply want to provide the very best education we can for the pupils in our care”. For more information, contact Fiona O’Neill on 01963 442606 JABBERWOCKY CHILDCARE CENTRE, where children “make excellent progress… in a calm & vibrant environment”, Ofsted 2012. We are a unique and fun, purpose built nursery in

Street. We offer childcare from three months to school age, from 7.30am to 6pm, 5 days a week. Children can also take part in weekly yoga and football sessions and Forest School at the local arboretum and in our outdoor classroom. We also have a before and after school club, a holiday club for 5 – 11 year olds, and offer a walking bus to local schools.T: 01458 446999 E: alison@jabberwockynursery.com www.jabberwockynursery.comKING’S HALL NURSERY. King’s Hall is a wonderfully traditional yet progressive school set in the rolling Somerset countryside just outside Taunton. Although the Nursery shares the Preparatory school’s superb facilities, it is self contained and operates in a secure and peaceful environment. Log cabin classrooms, vast on-site Forest School and highly experienced, dedicated staff make King’s Hall Nursery the natural choice for children 3 to 5 years. And from January 2014 King’s Hall are offering places for 2 year olds. T: 01823 285921 www.kingshalltaunton.co.ukLADYBIRDS PRE-SCHOOL, Lydeard St Lawrence. We are a small, friendly, rural pre-school overlooking the Quantock hills. We welcome children aged 2½ onwards. Open term time only: Mon-Thurs 8.45am-2.45pm. Toddler group Fri 9.30-11.30am. T: Ali on 01984 667342LEWESTON NURSERY AND PRE-PREP, Sherborne. Excellent facilities and extensive grounds with space for adventure, discovery and freedom. On Thursday mornings Parent and Toddler Group. Excellent Ofsted Report. To find out more about our friendly atmosphere T: 01963 211010 www.leweston.co.uk

LITTLE BOOTS DAY NURSERY. (Ages 2-5, 8am-6pm) Come and visit us on Pottery Farm! Our idyllic setting offers fantastic opportunities for enhanced outdoor learning; we work with a maximum of 16 children a day ensuring each child gets the individual attention they need. Contact Cleo Wilson for more information. T 07936 555 676 littlebootsdaynursery.co.ukInsert MiniaturesMILLFIELD PRE-PREP SCHOOL (Ages 2 - 7), situated in the beautiful Prep campus in Glastonbury. Our aim is to encourage a love of learning through a combination of classroom and outdoor activities, using a wide range of exciting and stimulating teaching methods. Small class sizes and excellent facilities, like our on–site Forest School and indoor swimming pool, support this. Over 20 free after school activities as well as an Early Birds and Late Club. To arrange a visit or a taster session please contact: Hannah Cox in Admissions on 01458 837524PERROTT HILL MONTESSORI NURSERY AND PRE-PREP. Given ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the Montessori Nursery is situated in the attractive, safe courtyard of the manor house. The Nursery children, aged 3-4 years, have the use of the extensive grounds and facilities of the school as well as having their own outdoor adventure play area. The staff are warm and friendly. Free after school care is available. T: 01460 72051www.perrotthill.com

PILTON PRESCHOOL We believe that each and every child is unique, special and full of potential. Therefore we strive to inspire in all a sense of: confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, character and community. Open Mon-Fri 9.00am - 3.30pm term time, various sessions available. Breakfast club & after school club soon to be offered. Please contact us for further information or to arrange a visit. T: 01749 899147 www.piltonpreschool.orginfo@piltonpreschool.orgQUEEN’S COLLEGE offers individual learning. AN INDIVIDUAL focus on learning is keeping Queen’s College Pre-Prep and Nursery at the top of the tree. With small class sizes of 12-16 children, specialist teachers can cater for each individual child’s needs. Rated as outstanding Queen’s College nursery and reception classes are not to be missed. To visit contact admissions@queenscollege.org.uk T: 01823 340830 SMARTEES DAY CARE NURSERY. Offering professional, quality childcare with state of the art security system. Located just 5 minutes walking distance from Yeovil town centre, near Westlands and the Police Station. Open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm for children aged 3 months – 5 years. 2 Beer Street, Yeovil. T. 01935 411777TAUNTON NURSERY SCHOOL, for children from 0 years. Flexible Nursery Education, 8am - 5.45pm Highly qualified teachers. Spectacular grounds and facilities used by all. Children can attend a combination of

01458 241318To book our Nursery Directory, please call

morning, afternoon and late club sessions. T: 01823 703303 www.tauntonschool.co.ukTHE SECRET GARDEN PRE-SCHOOL AND NURSERY for children from 5 months – 5 years, 51 weeks, 8am-6pm. Creative and outside play, in a nurturing, fun environment. Forest school. You are welcome to visit us any time. Early years funding and 2 year old funding available. Find us at: The Barns, Brinsea Road, Congresbury, BS49 5JL T: Stefanie or Emma on 01934 853350 www.secretgardennursery.co.ukWELLINGTON JUNIOR SCHOOL NURSERY. Attractive, purpose built building. Talented teachers. Cheerful children. Proud parents. All this can be yours at Wellington Junior School Nursery and Pre-Nursery. EYFS can be used against our reasonable fees. Please enjoy our website www.wellington-school.org.uk or call Alison Jones to arrange a visit. T: 01823 668710 LITTLE WELLIES Term Time Toddler group. Open

Families across England are invited to gather in their local forest this summer to celebrate The Gruffalo’s

Get ready for The Gruffalo’s big birthday forest picnic

15th anniversary with a big birthday forest picnic.

On Saturday 7 June the Forestry Commission are inviting families to celebrate the popular character’s special year and host their own birthday party picnic at a deep dark wood near their home.

An exciting party pack of forest activities and Gruffalo inspired picnic ideas is free for those who have signed up to find out more at www.forestry.gov.uk/gruffalo.

The top five recipe ideas include a Gruffalo crumble, mouse droppings that taste very much like raisins, roast

fox rolls, mouse’s favourite cheese sandwiches and scrambled snake quiche.

The party packs also include blank Gruffalo invitations so visitors can invite their family and friends, recommended party games such as ‘Pin the wart on the Gruffalo,’ and ‘What’s the time Mr Gruffalo,’ as well as five different activity sheets to keep children inspired during their time in the forest.

The big birthday picnic is part of a range of activities happening in forests across England this year. The Gruffalo activity trails started in April and will run

until September 2014. The trails show activities and crafts for families to try out on their walk around the woods as they explore Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning tale.

In time for the birthday picnic, 15 giant wooden sculptures of one of the world’s best loved monsters himself will be hidden in forests across England (one sculpture in each selected forest), for families to track down. Standing 7ft tall and all different, the Gruffalos are being individually-carved in a secret woodland location out

of three-ton pieces of timber, each carefully-selected from Forestry Commission sites.

In October, The Gruffalo’s Child activity trails take over and will stay in forests right through the winter until February 2015.

to all pre-school children every Thursday morning 9.15-11.15 am, Wellington Junior School Hall. £3 per child and £1 per additional child weekly charge. Contact Maria Kerr for more details – 01823 668700 office@wellington-junior.somerset.sch.ukWOODLANDS PRE-SCHOOL, RUISHTON, Taunton. At Woodlands we offer a wide range of indoor & outdoor activities including a Forest School Curriculum. We accept children from 2 years old. Our purpose built setting enables and nurtures children, encouraging them to grow and experience life with confidence. For more information T: 01823 444302

Gruffalo im

ages © Forestry C

omm

ission

Sign up online at www.forestr y .gov .uk/gru f fa lo to find out more about the exciting year of forest celebrations and to receive a free forest birthday picnic party pack (available from May).

INFORMATION EDUCATION INFORMATION Parent Talk May 2014 13

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

01458 241318“If Hazlegrove is a child’s first ever experience of school life,

then all we can say is ‘Lucky child’” Tatler Schools Guide 2013

Hazlegrove ...making the most of childhood

Hazlegrove, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JA Visitors are assured of a warm welcome - just call 01963 442606

• Inspiring education for boys & girls aged 21/2 to 13 • Children regularly exceed our and their own expectations• Outstanding Pre-Prep with innovative and hugely successful curriculum

Open Mornings 10, 15 & 17 May at 11am

There was great excitement recently amongst the pupils at Hazlegrove as they watched a giant extendable crane lower the roof panels into place on the new Teaching and Learning Centre. Increased pupil numbers and the school’s determination to make sure academic endeavour lies at the heart of the school led to this exciting and innovative project. Pupils worked with the young architects from Feilden Fowles, explaining what they thought the building should be like and staff were determined to create a future-proofed building, one that reflected contemporary educational thinking. Natural light, open

Hazlegrove investing for the future

spaces and glass dominate the design, facilitating independent learning and individual study. English, History and Geography, as well as Learning Support will be based in the building which will become the academic hub of the school.

“It’s a risk,” States Headmaster, Richard Fenwick, “to have so much glass, but we wanted to maximise lines of sight so that groups of pupils or individuals could pursue their own avenues of work whilst still being monitored

and supported by teaching staff.” Classrooms will be equipped with large interactive touch screens and a robust wireless network will support the school’s iPad programme.

Hazlegrove has not stood still over the last few years. Whilst many organisations have focused on survival during the economic downturn, this school has been planning for the future, investing rather than cutting back, building rather than consolidating. They have a clear vision and it is becoming reality.

Play is what children do for a living. Through play, our children explore and make sense of their world. They interact with others and with their environment. They learn to make plans, focus on tasks, take turns, solve problems, and express ideas. They communicate, collaborate, and connect with their peers. Play is one of the few activities during which children control their own environment. For each child’s development, happiness and learning, play is vital.

While there might be a tendency to see this approach to children’s development as ‘soft’ or ‘woolly’, in a good nursery with close supervision and interaction, nothing could be further from the truth. Play is the natural way of learning for pre-school children.

Imaginative play is essential to cognitive development, but it is becoming endangered by our busy lives. Children whose time is overly structured or spent watching television or other forms of media are not engaging in imaginative play and are at risk of not developing the language and reasoning skills that are so critical to early childhood development.

As adults, play is seen as any activity that is fun, pleasurable or enjoyable. But in the child’s world, play is much more than that. Important cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic,

and physical skills are developed through children’s play.

Creative play encourages self-expression by enabling children to interact with their environment to manipulate objects and construct things that express their ideas, developing both gross and fine motor skills as well as divergent thinking.

Physical play contributes to health and development by burning energy and building muscle strength. The fantasy and role-playing activities of imaginative play generate self-expression, abstract thinking, and social skills. All contribute to the development of self-regulation.

Imaginative play develops symbolic, abstract thought, an important precursor to reading. For example, when children begin to use one object to represent another, such as pretending a big box is a spaceship, they are developing the concept of symbolism, an important concept in a world of print, where ideas are symbolized by letters and words.

Free play involves choice, spontaneous decision making, and self-regulation.

Structured play tends to be adult-guided or rule-governed, still requiring an element of engagement and fun on the part of the “players.”

Often these forms of play are happening simultaneously

and in any good nursery there should be scope for all of these.

Play supports the development of the whole child, especially his or her ability to communicate, collaborate, negotiate, ask and answer questions, give and act on commands, and otherwise connect and interact with others.

The role of the teacher, parent or nursery assistant is critical. Simply giving children an opportunity to play will not guarantee that vast benefits can result. Play-based learning is not simply a case of the teacher being little more than a babysitter. Instead, it is carefully balanced with explicit and purposeful instruction and practice in essential skills and new learning. The effective teacher will be constantly observing, demonstrating, supporting and collaborating to ensure that all children are developing knowledge and self-regulation.

So the next time you see your child playing, perhaps it is worth pausing to think about all the learning that is taking place at the same time. For all our children, play should be a serious business!Authors:Jane Hester, Head of Nursery, Wellington Prep School, SomersetNickie Reed, Head of Infants, Welington Prep School, Somerset

Learning through play

14 Parent Talk May 2014 INFORMATION EDUCATION INFORMATION

Editor’s choice

These books are available at Waterstones Bookshop in Taunton

Reviewed by Corinne MarbrowW

Sponsored by Waterstones

bookreview

The ‘Go To’ website for kids to discover British museums and galleries to launch in Maywww.Show.Me.Uk

Did you know that Henry VIII enjoyed a kick-about with his mates, back when football was a game of ‘beastly fury and extreme violence’? Or that with a quick rummage around your kitchen cupboards, under the guidance of museum scientists, you’ll find all you need to make an erupting volcano? Did you know there’s a huge stuffed walrus with its own Twitter account living in a museum in London?

Show Me, set to become the ‘go to’ website for children and young people looking to discover and learn about the weird and wonderful world of museums, galleries and archives across the UK, will be launched on Monday, May 19th. The siteshowcases a fascinating range of stories, artworks, objects, games, films, apps and days out listings to inspire and ignite young imaginations.

Show Me is excited to be working in partnership with the Bafta-winning Culture Street team who specialise in making

short films and interactives for and with children and young people. Culture Street brings a selection of the collection objects featured on Show Me to life in a brand new series of short films about collection objects chosen by children on museum visits. The children take viewers with them around the museum, asking curators the questions we’d all like to ask.

Show Me is also a guide to the best family-friendly museums across the UK, featuring information on the latest events and exhibitions for family days out. www.Show.Me.Uk will feature:●Hundreds of museum games and learning resources●Zoomable, high quality pictures of collection objects from a range of museums●Culture Street’s films and interactives on key collection objects●‘Make & Do’ guides – from volcanoes to Roman togas and wartime carrot fudge●Behind-the-scenes info and stories from the world of museums●What’s on guide – venue &

listings info on family-friendly UK museums and galleries●Homework help for kids and supporting resources for teachers.

Find Culture Street’s films and interactives on www.culturestreet.org.uk as well as on Show Me.

Show Me is edited by Anra Kennedy, Content and Partnership Director at Culture24 and a trustee of both campaigning charity Kids in Museums – www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk - and GEM, the Group for Education in Museums – www.gem.org.uk.

Anra Kennedy says, “It’s so exciting to be opening up museum and gallery collections to a new generation of children and young people on Show Me. There are so many wonderful stories and treasures in museums and galleries but they’re very difficult to find online, especially for kids and their time-pressed parents and teachers. The site will keep growing and developing with more collections, games, stories, museums and listings being added all the time, I’m hoping checking out what’s

new on Show Me will become a habit for many children and young people.”

Annie Devitt, Head of Learning at the National Media Museum who worked with Culture Street on the films around their collection says, “We were given a brilliant opportunity to work with Culture Street and their young filmmakers to uncover some of our hidden collection objects. They have managed to bring the history and science behind our treasures to a much wider audience.”

Show Me is supported by Arts Council England.

John Orna-Ornstein, Director of Museums, Arts Council England, said: “The Arts Council is pleased to be supporting Show Me, an initiative that promotes museum collections in an original, relevant and engaging manner. Stories are at the heart of every good museum and Show Me will help to bring collections to life for a wide audience.”

To explore museum content for children and young people please visit www.show.me.uk and www.culturestreet.org.uk .

Show Me

Our Spoons Came From WoolworthsBy Barbara ComynsVirago Press Ltd

This classic, though largely unknown novel, was written in 1950. It is wonderfully narrated by a wispy, naive and utterly charming young woman called Sophia and tells the story of her marriage to a feckless artist, whose life amongst the bohemian set of the 1930’s leaves him ill-equipped to deal with the harsher realities of providing for a family and bringing in a steady income. Through the eyes of a free-spirit, we follow Sophia’s early experiences of womanhood as she struggles to care for her children as a single parent.

Teenagers translated - How to raise happy teensBy Janey Downshire and Naellla GrewPublished by VermilionThe teenage years are acknowledged to be the most testing stage of parenting – when well-mannered and obedient children can transform into rude and rebellious teens. However, parenting a teen doesn’t have to be a battle, and counsellors Janey Downshire and Naella Grew have developed a programme to help parents get the best out of the teenage years. Their approach is positive and straightforward, providing simple strategies for nurturing better behaviour and providing a happy, supportive home environment.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue SeaBy April G. TucholkePublished by Faber & FaberAge: 14+ Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who likes coffee and who kisses you in a cemetery… The Odd Squad: Zero

ToleranceBy Michael FryPublished by Faber & FaberThe Odd Squad returns basking in Safety Patrol glory after taming the school’s biggest bully…

But the glory of Bully beating doesn’t last forever, especially in middle school. Nick, Molly and Karl are left with helping sixth graders cross the hall and reminding everyone that Jell-o meat stains.

This is the second in the ‘Odd Squad’ series. Full of laugh out loud moments, the defeat of some true bullies and hilarious illustrations, this is the perfect book for readers who enjoy the ‘loser kids’ books of ‘Wimpy Kid’ and ‘Dork Diaries’.

Where the Poppies Now GrowBy Hilary Robinson and Martin ImpeyPublished by Strauss HouseTo mark the centenary of the start of the First World War one of the UK’s top creative teams have combined their talents in a beautiful story of devoted friendship which is tested, but survives the tragedy of war. In tribute to the war poets of the time, Hilary’s work of fiction is written in rhyme, and is set in a bygone age. Martin, who previously illustrated War Horse for OUP, has with illustrious artwork captured the very essence of the time, the innocence of childhood and the courage of those in battle.

The Pursuit of LoveBy Nancy MitfordPenguin Books Ltd

First published in 1945 and written by a member of the notorious Bright young Things of the 1920’s, Nancy Mitford’s novel is a wry, mischievous and enchanting novel about bohemia and growing up in the upper classes. It both satirises and nostalgically depicts a world in the inter-war years, as social classes collide and traditional life finds itself buffeted against an emerging new world of modernity and socialism. Simultaneously tragic and comic, the lightness of the narration masks a quiet, poignant undertone of

I Capture the CastleBy Dodie SmithBodley Head Children’s Books

I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.... So begins one of the most enigmatic opening lines in an English novel. A seventeen year old girl called Cassandra begins a diary documenting her coming-of-age experiences, living with her eccentric and bohemian family in a remote corner of the English countryside in the 1930’s. The voice of the narrator is as fresh as a May morning, full of wit, naive wisdom and tender

This is a novel of celebration, the excitement and folly of youth and most of all, a testament to a writer, writing about female characters far ahead of their time.

depictions of what it means to live awkwardly, artistically and with a heart full of hope and love no matter what the present throws at you.

life beyond the confines of aristocracy and security, satirizing both sides with a lightness of touch, making this novel so fresh even today.

Parent Talk May 2014 15 CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS

MARCH is-sue copy deadline

19th Febru-ary 2014 Book your space now! Call 01458 241318

follow us on twitter @parenttalksw visit us at www.parenttalk.org.uk

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T: 01460 65515 E: samdunning6@hotmail.com Sam’s Funky Fun, Mistletoe Farm Bed & Breakfast, Chard

Sam Dunning might only be 10 years old but he belies his age. With one successful business, ‘Sam’s Funky Fowls’, already under his belt, he is now branching out with ‘Sam’s Funky Fun’.

A few years ago when Sam was 4years old, his Mum took him to a local farm sale; 4 ex battery hens caught his eye and he wanted to buy them. He had some pocket money saved and he paid 50p each for them. Over the following months they laid some lovely eggs and much to Mum’s horror, Sam would bring his new friends in the kitchen to have a chat! He became increasingly fascinated by them and managed to con his parents out of a couple more chickens for his birthday (slightly more ‘up market’ varieties). He started a breeding programme with several rare breeds and as

Funky Fowls and Funky Fun

Learning to ride is a balancing act – teach your child how to balance and they will be safely on their bikes before you know it.

The days of wobbly stabilisers have long gone replaced by balance bikes – a cycle without pedals – aimed at getting 2 to 11-year-olds on two wheels for the start of a lifelong love of biking.

With one out of ten children never learning to ride a bike, Cycle Experience is encouraging cycling as part of UK Road Safety Week.

“Learning to balance and ride a bike is one of those memorable moments for children and parents alike. Once mastered it opens up a whole new world of opportunity for fun, exercise, health and mobility,” said Nick Moon, of Cycle Experience, which runs bike courses for all ages across the UK.

London mum Sonal Mistry whose daughter Ishi recently learned to ride, said: “The cycling course is one of the best types of courses I have attended. The method, structure, along with the wooden bikes and other bikes are a brilliant tool.

“Ishi learned brilliantly with Dave, from Cycle Experience, in the first two sessions and she was very receptive to his clear and precise teachings.”

Although a new way of teaching children to ride minus scraped knees and tears, balance bikes are not a new phenomenon and have been available in Continental Europe particularly Germany for some years. Now the wooden bikes are all the craze in the UK as well where children as young as 18 months learn to “scoot” along with their feet safely on the ground. Once they have learned to balance, kids are taught how to safely “glide” with their feet off the floor.

Cycling courses for children are also fun as they play the traffic light game, musical and circuit cycling as they learn to stop, turn, glide and “scoot” so they can soon ride a pedal bike solo, safely and confidently.

Nick Moon says it is good to get very young children “in the habit” of scooting as early as possible.

his flock grew, took over his parents horse paddocks to accommodate them all!

Waterfowl and aviary birds also appeared, so his Dad hired a digger and watched on, while Sam dug them a pond. His parents knew nothing about feathered friends, but supported him the best they could. They figured it was a far healthier life than most kids lead these days - in front of computers & tellies.

Sam started to show some of his birds and by 2012 he was winning major classes at agricultural and county shows. Last year he was virtually unbeaten, taking champion Juvenile at North Somerset, Devon County and Bath & West, to name but a few; culminating with Juvenile Champion and the ‘Prince of Wales Gold Star Award’ at the National Poultry Show .This was an amazing feat,

particularly in view of the fact that his parents lacked the knowledge to advise, guide or help him; also he was competing in classes for children up to 16years of age.

A year ago Sam set up his own business, ‘Sam’s Funky Fowls’ to promote sales and he even dragged his Dad to a garden sale to sell some. His Dad thought it would be a total waste of time, but as it was a nice sunny day he took along his deck chair to relax in. Sam set up his cages with about 50 birds and, much to his Dad’s amazement, was completely sold out within a couple of hours!

Sam goes to Chard School and whilst he is extremely bright, he does not have a great deal of time for homework! His parents believe there is more to life than academic achievements and Sam clearly has entrepreneurial skills to go far.

Sam is now launching his second business, ‘Sam’s Funky Fun’. With the money he has earned from Sam’s Funky Fowls’ and a little bit extra from a trust fund his Gran left him, Sam has bought 2 Bouncy Castles, a Gladiator Duel and adults & children’s Sumo Suits. His Dad has been employed as a taxi service and Sam aims to hire out the inflatables, and with the help of his parents, also host parties at their home.

Who knows what will come next, but at this rate, it won’t be long before Sam’s gives Richard Branson a run for his money!

“You can go on a decent walk and take them with you. It is good exercise at an early age.”

“It doesn’t have to be a balance bike as you can just remove the pedals from a small bike and you have all you need to get them gliding,” added Nick.

Balance and Ride sessions where bikes are provided are available in a number of areas across the UK. Group sizes are kept small with the emphasis on having fun, as well as skill development. Bikeability sessions are also available for older children and adults.

Full details can be found at www.CycleExperience.com

The balance bike learn to ride programme includes level 1 aimed at children in reception class and Years 1 and 2. Fundamental movement patterns, gross motor skills and dynamic balance are incorporated along with an introduction to the balance bike. Children learn how to pick up, manoeuvre, mount and dismount their bikes and then learn the skills to ride a balance bike safely. The aim of Level 1 is to create the confidence to glide a balance bike with their feet off the ground and be able to stop in a controlled manner.

Level 2 continues the development of gross motor skills, dynamic balance and co-ordination. The main goal is to improve the child’s gliding, stopping, braking and turning skills to enable them to ride solo on a pedal bike safely and confidently.

“The art of riding a bicycle is dependent upon a good understanding and experience of balance and control and bringing all the new skills together,” added Nick.

If there is nothing happening in your area you would like to organise something please do email us at info@CycleExperience.com with details of what you might be looking for and contact details and we will get back to you.

UK Road Safety Week 2014 runs from June 9 to15 with a “Be safe out there” theme aimed at pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and young drivers.

Learn to ride on a Balance Bike

About

The aim of the National Children’s Day UK is to get as many people as possible to create events and activities that highlight and celebrate the Rights and Freedoms of Children. In 2014 we are looking at how important nature is to children and how a lack of contact with nature is impacting on child well-being.

This is a day that is all about the importance of children and how they have special rights and freedoms that help them to grow into happy, healthy adults. Children’s Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1954 as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It is now recognised on various days in many places around the world. The UK had never established a Children’s Day though so we thought it about time that this happened!Many other countries celebrate the rights of children on the 20th of November - the United Nations nominated day. However, we think that it is really important that British children should be able to get outside on Children’s Day, into their neighbourhoods and nature, so we have chosen to hold it at the beginning of the summer.

Aims and objectives

Join us on twitter @NCDUK2014 – retweet us if you like what you see.

Like us on facebook

Follow us on pinterest

We’re endeavouring to reach as many people as possible with our message of children’s need to re-connect with nature, and so we’d like to ask you to join in as many of the following activities as you can:

How you can join in See our activities page.

E-mail us your plans for National Children’s Day UK at sandra@nationalchildrensdayuk.com. We will add your planned activities to the Mediasection of our website and invite journalists to promote your event locally and / or nationally.

Register to take part in one or more of our three exciting competitions Prizes include £1,000 in equipment from Community Playthings, outdoor play kit from Muddy Faces Jojo Maman Bebe voucher and Siren Films DVDs, amongst others. Post your competition entry / entries on our facebook page

www.nationalchildrensdayuk.com