Happy Easter - some great ideas to keep the kids entertained this half term!

Easter is now here and whilst we welcome the long break to spend more quality time with our families, the unpredictable British weather can leave us stuck inside and feeling a little stir crazy.

Online care provider Care.com resident Nanny expert Rosemary Albone knows only too well how challenging it can sometimes be to keep the little ones entertained. Here, Rosemary offers some top tips for activities you can do with your children over the Easter holiday to keep them happy, learning and creative and that won’t break the bank!

1)     Have an ‘Indoor Holiday’, a Staycation in Your Own Lounge!
Set up a (small!) pop up tent, or create a den under the table, or get creative and build your own structure. Encourage the children to pack what they need and move in, at least for an afternoon. You can teach children all about the great outdoors without setting foot outside!

2)     Plan an Easter Show
Plan with egg related jokes and stories about the Easter Bunny - great fun for getting children to think about words and stories and get creative. Perhaps you can write a story script together, asking the child to make decisions on the storyline and ending and act it out for the rest of the family.

3)     Decorate Your Own Eggs
We all know that painting and decorating eggs (real or cardboard) can be a fun activity to do together; tune into everyone’s creative side and use interesting materials as decorations. Set your children the challenge of finding things around your home and in the garden to use as decoration. Find a small tree branch that can be safely cut and brought inside to hang your decorated eggs on to make an Easter tree.

4)     Plan a Walk- Whatever the Weather
Physical exercise is good for everyone and safe exposure to sunlight enables the body to make vitamin D. Let your children:
-         Plan the route, drawing it out on a homemade map with significant local points located on it (schools, shops, the library, friends’ homes etc)
-         Photograph interesting things on the route, then make a storyboard or story book with the photos when you get back home
-         Set a challenge to achieve on the walk, such as finding 5 specific things (stones, signposts, numbers on front doors, sticks, fallen leaves, something red and so on)
-         Choose and create a picnic to enjoy on the walk to get them engaged in selecting and making the meal too

5)     Have a Tea Party
As a family, think about inviting a neighbour or occasional acquaintance to tea. We know that the long bank holiday can feel a long lonely time for some people; help your children understand that kindness is easy. They could even make an invitation and help with deciding what to have and making the food.

6)     Seek an egg-stra pair of hands
Spending time with your family is a wonderful part of the Easter holidays, but you may have other things you need to get done – such as preparing an Easter lunch or even tackling some home repairs that need done while you have time off work.  https://uk.care.com/ offers short term care solution from baby sitters to cleaners who can provide some extra support.

WhaleFest 2012: A Whale of a Time! Hilton Brighton Metropole, 27-28 Oct

 

WhaleFest returns to Brighton this month with a wild weekend of whale and dolphin inspired activities from 27-28 October.

Following the huge success of last year’s event which was attended by over 2,500 people, WhaleFest 2012 will be the largest celebration of wild whales and dolphins in the world and this year’s event will be spectacular.

A shoal of ocean inspired enjoyment, WhaleFest will be jam packed with exciting activities for visitors of all ages including:

·         35 life size whales and dolphins, not to mention sharks, seals and turtles!

·         The chance to try scuba diving in the crystal waters of the dive pool

·         A guided tour of a Sperm Whale belly

·         Get splashed on a real-time virtual whale watching trip

·         ‘Cinema of the Seas’ showing new and exclusive marine conservation films

·         ‘Ocean Storytelling’ by acclaimed authors including Lauren St John, Nicola Davis and Gill Lewis

·         A sandy beach to relax on while experiencing the sights and sounds of the deep blue ocean.

Whalefest will see conservationists, divers, whale and dolphin experts and celebrities from across the globe sharing their passion for whales and dolphins with members of the public. Bill Oddie, renowned conservationist and television presenter, Doug Allan, BBC Frozen Planet cameraman, Mark Carwardine from ‘Last Chance to See’ with Stephen Fry, and Ingrid Visser, from the BBC documentary ‘The Woman Who Swims with Killer Whales’, are amongst those well known supporters who will be attending and speaking at the event.

WhaleFest is the culmination of a whole week of WhaleFest Fringe activities in Brighton offering a host of music, arts and cultural events themed around whales and dolphins, backed by Visit Britain and Visit Brighton.  It will also feature jewellery, artwork, photography, books and DVDs all inspired by whales and dolphins, alongside exhibitors including whale watch tour companies and conservation charities. 

WhaleFest 2012 also has a serious message to share.  Held at The Hilton Brighton Metropole hotel, the event marks the 30^th anniversary of the world’s governments vote to suspend the hunting of whales, which was announced outside the hotel in 1982. 

Thirty years later, Planet Whale will be inviting the public to support its new campaign - Save The Whales: Reloaded. The campaign aims for the first time ever, to bring people across the globe together to help identify the next generation of Marine Protected Areas. 

Visitors to WhaleFest will be encouraged to get involved by using an innovative free online tool to map out areas of the oceans which they would like to see ring fenced for the protection of wild whale and dolphin communities.  These will be combined with maps drawn by people across the globe to ensure members of the public, governments, charities and stakeholders all have a say in the future protection of the oceans.

Advance tickets to WhaleFest are now available from £9 per adult at www.whale-fest.com.  FREE entry for children under 16 all weekend.

IF you are looking to have a spooktacular time this Halloween, Kidspace is the only place to be!

Come and join in our activities which include make your own witches hat and Halloween biscuits, and create your own cards and trick or treat bags at our daily workshop for 2-5 year olds.

These take place between Monday October 22^nd and Friday October 26^th between 12pm and 1pm. Sessions are limited to 8 children per session. Tickets cost £2.50. Adults free and must stay with children.

For our older visitors aged 6-12 activities include facepainting, mask and biscuit making, design your own  cards and decorations, and make trick or treat bags.

Sessions take place from Monday October 22 to Thursday October 25 between 4pm and 6pm.

From Monday October 29 to Wednesday October 31 they will run from 12pm-2pm and then 4pm-6pm.

Sessions limited to 12 children. Tickets cost £5 and must be pre-booked. Adults free.

And our ‘Spooky Spectacular’ takes place on Friday October 26th between 6pm and 8.30pm. Tickets cost £12 in advance (£10 for passholders) or £14 on the door and includes a pizza buffet, entertainment and prize for the best fancy dress outfit. Adults free.

Call now to reserve your place – 0208 686 0040.