BBC OCT 2017

58,000 copies for families of 

Primary School Children 

in Birmingham & 

Black Country 

BRADLEY 

WALSH 

MARTIN 

KEMP 

WORLD’S BIGGEST PANTO SUPPORTS 

20 – 24 DECEMBER 2017 

OCTOBER ISSUE 

9 OCT – 26 Nov 2017

with 

Birmingham 

Community 

Leisure Trust 

23rd - 27th 

October 

October Holiday Activities 

Join us this October for a huge range of fun activities! 

• Superstars Holiday Club 

• Gymnastics Crash Courses 

• Fun Splash Sessions 

• Mini/Tiny Tennis Camps 

• Intensive Swim Courses 

• Inflatable Sessions 

• Snorkelling Courses 

• Aqua Challenge Splash 

Sessions 

• Strikes Football Camps 

• Playdays 

+ much more! 

Beeches Pool & Fitness Centre 

Tel: 0121 516 5638 

BeechesPool 

Billesley Tennis & Fitness Centre 

Tel: 0121 796 2221 

BillesleyIndoorTennisCentre 

Erdington Leisure Centre 

Tel: 0121 516 5650 

ErdingtonPool 

Fox Hollies Leisure Centre 

Tel: 0121 796 2330 

FoxHolliesLC 

Wyndley Leisure Centre 

Gym: 0121 516 5659 

Pool: 0121 516 5652 

WyndleyLeisure 

2 

Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre 

Tel: 0121 516 5641 

CMWLC 

www.birminghamleisure.com 

Stechford Cascades Leisure Centre 

Tel: 0121 796 2331 

StechfordCascades 

Primary Times OCTOBER HALF TERM 2017 | www.primarytimes.net/birmingham



9 OCT – 26 NOv 2017 

Welcome to our October issue. 

We are delighted to bring you this issue which is full of fun and exciting 

events and activities, including holiday heroes with Birmingham 

Community Leisure Trust and spooky science week at thinktank! 

In our WOW section we have a fantastic selection of events for you to 

choose from that are taking place across the region including a wildlife 

survival school at Dudmaston Estate, Quatt and the exciting ‘Brick 

live’ Lego event at the NEC! We have even more events on our website 

www.primarytimes.net/birmingham if you need extra inspiration when 

planning activities with your children. 

Panto season is now upon us – check out our Box Office section for child 

friendly productions appearing in a theatre near you. It is always such 

a thrill to watch children as they become engrossed in panto mayhem! 

Book now to save disappointment. 

We have some fabulous competitions for you to enter on page 21, and 

don’t forget that there is still time to design the Primary Times Christmas 

card, see page 22 for details. 

As always, we love to hear your news so please email marion@ 

schoolspublishing.co.uk if you have something to celebrate. 

4 WOW – What’s On Where 

17 Box office 

19 Bonfires and Broomsticks 

20 Pinboard 

21 Competitions 

Calling all pupils, 

teachers & parents 

Please don’t forget to 

send in your news for our news pages. 

We would love to hear from you! 

Don’t forget to check us out online 

www.primarytimes.net 

/birmingham 

http://www.facebook.com/ 

PrimaryTimesWM 

The Primary Times Team 

Editor: 

Marion McAdam 

marion@schoolspublishing.co.uk 


9 OCT – 26 NOV 

58,000 COpIES fOR famIlIES Of 

pRImaRy SChOOl ChIldREN 

breaking barriers unlocking potential creating flourishing communities 

breaking barriers unlocking potential creating flourishing communities 

in Birmingham & 

Black Country 

Sales: 

Vanessa Allan 

ptwestmids@schoolspublishing.co.uk 

Design: 

Stuart Cameron 

Primary Times in Birmingham & 

Black Country 

Schools Publishing Limited 

Unit 1A 

Thamesview Industrial Estate 

Newtown Road 

Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

T: 01491 411848 

F: 01491 411416 

www.primarytimes.net/birmingham 

BRADLEY 

WALSH 


MARTIN 

KEMP 

The UK’s biggest free ‘what’s on’ 

magazine for parents! Primary 

Times in Birmingham and Black 

Country distributes 58,000 copies 

seven times a year, and is part of a 

national network distributing more 

than 2.7 million copies in 

59 regions across the UK 

and Ireland 

Primary Times is independently published and distributed free through national primary schools in Birmingham & Black 

Country. It aims to inform families and children about current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses, attractions 

and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or by 

joining in the competitions. It is NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically based material whatsoever. 

We also undertake not to carry any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young families or harmful to 

the best interests of young children. Primary Times would like to thank all the schools in Birmingham & Black Country for 

their assistance in distributing the magazine and for their contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the 

advertisers who have supported this publication and therefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when 

and where you can. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains 

with Primary Times or with the relevant contributor. Primary Times is currently publishing over 2 million copies per issue 

under franchise licences throughout Britain. 

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Newman University, Genners Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3NT 

www.primarytimes.net/birmingham | OCTOBER HALF TERM 2017 Primary Times 3

what's on where 

If you are looking for more inspiration, there 

are over 350 events on our website 

www.primarytimes.net/birmingham 

Until 29 Oct 

Spooky Spectacular 

West Midland Safari Park DY12 1LF 

www.wmsp.co.uk 

10:00am-5:30pm Follow a trail of tricky clues 

around the Park to find the gingerbread house 

and its owner – the trick or treat witch! Watch 

the immersive puppet show and help some 

creepy critters save the ‘beautiful’ princess! 

Booking recommended 

T: 01299 404888 

14 – 15 Oct 

Potato and Sweetcorn 

Shindig 

Hatton Adventure World CV35 8XA 

hattonworld.com 

10:00am-5:30pm Help your children learn 

where their food comes from by harvesting 

potatoes and sweetcorn and then take them 

home to cook something delicious for tea! 

Subject to crop availability. T: 01926 843411 

14 – 29 Oct 

Spooky Space 

The National Space Centre LE4 5NS 

spacecentre.co.uk 

The Spooky Science team have taken over and 

everyone has gone slightly batty! Discover The 

School of Science Magic, make your very own 

slime to take home. Make your own 

stained glass rocket and follow 

the Life in Space Sticker Trail. 

Booking recommended 

T: 0116 261 0261 

15 Oct 

Autumn Tunnel Teds 

Dudley Canal Tunnel and 

Limestone Mines DY1 4SB 

dudleycanaltrust.org.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm Bring your furry friend 

along for a ted-tastic day of bear-themed fun 

on and around the canal! Get hands-on with 

bear and autumn themed craft activities. 

Special 20 minute under-7s boat trips. Ideal 

for ages 7 and under. Child £6 – two adults 

are free with each paying child. Booking 

essential T: 0121 557 6265 

Orchard Day 

Dudmaston Estate Brewhouse Courtyard 

WV15 6QN 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

11:30am-5:00pm Watch as apples are pressed 

and take some fresh juice home. Apples in 

your garden? Bring them along and they can 

be juiced for you. Local produce stalls will 

Don’t forget to 

say you saw it in 

Primary Times! 

We check 

listings carefully but 

event details and prices 

may be subject to change. 

Please always check 

with the venue. 

tempt your taste buds Free event, normal 

admission charges apply. T: 01746 782832 

21 – 22 Oct 

If You Go Down To The Woods Today 

Moseley Old Hall WV10 7HY 


11:00am-4:00pm Come and hunt for bugs 

and watch the snail races. Try some minibeast 

themed craft. Child £1.50, normal 

admission charges apply. 

T: 01902 782808 

21 – 29 Oct 

Pumpkin Week 



10:00am-5:30pm Ghosts, ghouls, cobwebs… 

and pumpkins! Pick your own pumpkin, 

brave the Terrifying Terror Maze and create a 

wonderful carving. To book T: 01926 843411 

Splash Session 

Cocks Moor Woods B14 6ER 


Adult £4.90, Junior £3.05, Under 4’s go free. 

Children under 8yrs must be supervised. For 

more information and timings see the website 

or T: 0121 516 5641 


Fox Hollies B27 7NS 


Adult £4.90, Junior 

£3.05, Under 4’s go free. 

Children under 8yrs must 

be supervised. For more 

information and timings see 

the website or 

T: 0121 796 2330 

Splash Session with Inflatable 

Stechford Cascades B33 8QN 




more information and timings see the website 

or T: 0121 796 2331 

Family Activities 

Thinktank Millennium Point B4 7XG 

www.birminghammuseums.org.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm On Gallery Activities 

11:00am-12:00noon - Ultimate interactive 

experiences. Storytelling: Off to find the 

Witch’s House 2:00pm-2:30pm or 2:30pm- 

3:00pm Take part in short interactive 

activities, including wolf and witch shadows, 

bowling over mummy cans, and popping a 

balloon. Ideal for under 8’s. 3:00pm-4:00pm 

- Halloween themed art activity that you 

can take home. Borrow one of the fun filled 

backpacks linked to the galleries specially 

designed for 3-7 year olds and their 

parents/carers. Normal admission charges 

apply. T: 0121 348 8263 

All Hallows Hocus Pocus 

Dudley Zoological Gardens DY1 4QF 

www.dudleyzoo.org.uk 

5:00pm-8:00pm Visit the candlelit Pumpkin 

Patch. Creepy Crafts & Colouring. Take a 

spooky selfie with Lou the Bat. Trick or Treat 

Trail around the Castle including Creepy 

Crawlies and a few surprises along the way! 

Dippy’s Halloween Show & Disco. Adult 

£8.50, Child (3-15) £10. Booking essential 

T: 01384 215313. 

Halloween Family Fun Days 

Baddesley Clinton B93 0DQ 


11:00am-3:30pm Spooky outdoor trail with 

take-home activities. Trail £2.50, normal 


Family Fun Halloween 

Packwood House B94 6AT 


11:00am-3:30pm Spooky outdoor trail with 

take-home activities. Cost £2.50. Normal 


Halloween Family Fun 

Coughton Court B49 5JA. 


11:00am-3:30pm Fiendish fun and frights 

on this spooky outdoor trail with take-home 

activities and crafts. Trail £2.50, normal 


Halloween Bat Trails 

RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve, 20 

Tanhouse Avenue, Great Barr, Birmingham, 

B43 5AG 

www.rspb.org.uk 

10:00am-3:00pm Get into the spooky spirit 

with Bat Trails for every ghost and ghoul who 

visit the centre. Take a trip around the reserve, 

finding the answers to the ghoulish quiz 

and receive a prize for creeping out all of the 

clues. £2 for RSPB Wildlife Explorers, £2.50 for 

non-members. T: 0121 357 7395 

10/22/2017 

Crazy But True - FREE EVENT 

mac birmingham Theatre B12 9QH 

www.macbirmingham.co.uk 

1:00pm-5:00pm Children between the ages 

of 7-11 can drop in and form a rolling panel 

of ‘experts’. A text is whispered to them via 

headsets. They repeat what they hear, as they 

hear it. What comes across seems like a slowmotion 

internet, hyper-linking from hilarious 

LOLs to a picture of a darker world that as 

adults we’re faced with on a daily basis, and 

for which we’re often collectively responsible. 

Presented as part of Fierce Festival 2017. 

T: 0121 446 3232 

23 Oct 

Halloween : Masks 

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 

B3 3DHwww.birminghammuseums.org.uk 

11:00am-1:00pm or 2:00pm-4:00pm Drop 

in and create your very own spooky mask! 

From pumpkins to ghosts and monsters to 

spiders – what will you make? £1 per mask. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

Toddler Art 

mac birminghamB12 9QH 


11:15pm-12:00noon Let your child set the 

pace as you explore sensory activities and 

crafts together to boost their imagination, 

and build social and practical skills. Suitable 

for children aged 2-5. £9 per adult and 

child; £6 per additional person. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Relaxed Art Explorers 

mac birmingham B12 9QH 


1:00pm-2:00pm A welcoming space for 

children with disabilities or additional 

learning needs and their families to enjoy 

being creative together. Suitable for ages 

6-12. Adult and Child £10, additional person 

£6. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers : The Mad Hatters 

Dance Party 



10:00am-3:00pm Don’t be late for a very 

important date! Be curious and bold 

in a quirky Wonderland inspired dance 

adventure! Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £18. 

To book T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers : Paper Capers 



10:00am-3:00pm Have fun making a world 

out of paper crafts, from folding paper boats 

and planes to collage, weaving and pompoming. 

Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £18. To 

book T: 0121 446 3232 

Dragons 

Kingsbury Water Park B76 0DY 

www.warwickshire.gov.uk 

11:00am-1:00pm Drop in to make a dragon 

puppet out of an egg carton. Take it away to 

scare everyone with! Child £2. 

T: 01827 872660 

Make A Bird box 

Wildside Activity Centre WV6 0HA 

www.wildsideac.co.uk 

10:30am-12:30pm This is the right time 

to make bird boxes and other shelters for 

wildlife. They can snuggle in during the 

winter and then make nests in the Spring. 

Not suitable for children under 7. Child £4 

or £6 if you wish to take the box home. 

Booking essential T: 01902 572240 

23 – 26 Oct 

mac Camp: Animation 



8:30am-5:30pm Learn how to make your 

own short animated film using the stop 

frame animation technique. Create a 

storyboard, build characters from craft 

materials and make them come alive with 

original music and voices! Suitable for 

ages 6-11. Cost £135 including lunch; £119 

excluding lunch. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

4 


W 

hatever the weather a visit this half 

term to the Butterfly Farm is a 

unique and spectacular day out. 

From the 21 st -29 th October, children and 

adults can hold some of the amazing 

creatures that låive at the Butterfly Farm 

with our popular ‘Meet the Minibeast’ 

handling sessions. These take place 

twice daily with the Education Team in 

the Discovery Zone. Visitors will be able 

to hold a variety of stick insects, African 

land snails, giant millipedes and even 

Madagascan cockroaches! There will also 

be opportunities to get up close to the tailless 

whip scorpion! 

October 27 th sees the launch of ‘Leafcutter’, an exciting 

new children’s book especially written for the Butterfly Farm, featuring the 

adventures of Annie set within a leafcutter ant colony! 

Author and Illustrator John Eames and Nicola Dennis will be at the farm for the 

launch and will be signing copies and reading excerpts from the book. 

l more info at - www.butterflyfarm.co.uk 

Christmas 

A MAGICAL 

AT LEEKES 

2 nd & 3 rd DECEMBER 

Visit Santa in his Grotto and meet the live Reindeer 

Book tickets in store and follow us on and for event updates 

Leekes Bilston Great Bridge Road, W. Mids. WV14 8LB 

Tel: 0333 222 4120 | Online: leekes.co.uk 



23 – 27 Oct 

Spooktober Half Term Spectacular 

FREE ENTRY FOR UNDER 16’s 

Birmingham Botanical Gardens B15 3TR 

www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm Get ready for cackling 

witches, petrifying pumpkins and ghastly 

ghouls! Create your own scary arts 

and crafts, immerse yourself in spooky 

storytelling and explore the many different 

life forms in the pools with pond-dipping 

(equipment provided). So what are you 

waiting for? Grab your spookiest outfit. 

Normal garden admission charges apply to 

adults. Booking essential T: 0121 454 1860 

Half-Term Holiday Workshops - Hip- 

Hop Elements 

Birmingham Hippodrome B5 4TB 

www.birminghamhippodrome.com 

10:00am-3:00pm A whole week of Hip- 

Hop-related creative fun related to the 

annual B-SIDE festival. You will work with 

professionals from the industry across all 

disciplines of Hip-Hop, including DJing, 

beatboxing, graffiti, MCing, and dance 

battles: from breaking to poppin’ and 

locking, you can try it all. Whether you are 

new to Hip-Hop culture or want to improve 

your existing skills, this is your opportunity 

to learn from the best. Suitable for ages 

10-15. £150 for the week. Booking essential 

T: 0844 338 5000 

Intensive Learn to Swim Course 

Beeches Pool B42 2HQ 


9:00am-10:00am Suitable for ages 4+. 

Cost £26.25. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5638 

Aqua Challenge 



1:00pm-2:00pm or 2:00pm-3:00pm 

Suitable for ages 4+. Adults £6.95, Juniors 

£4.95. Under 8’s must be supervised. For 

more information see the website or 

T: 0121 516 5638 

Aqua Camp 



10:00am-1:00pm Suitable for ages 8+. 

£5 per day or £20 per week. For more 

information see the website or 

T: 0121 516 5638 

Mini Tennis Camp 

Billesley Tennis and Fitness Centre B13 0ST 


9:00am-3:00pm Suitable for ages 5-10. 

£15.75 per day or £60 per week. For more 


T: 0121 796 2221 

Tiny Tennis Camp 

Billesley Tennis and Fitness Centre B13 0ST 


9:00am-12:00noon Suitable for ages 3-4. 

£9 per day or £30 per week. For more 


T: 0121 796 2221 

Intensive Swim Course 





website or T: 0121 516 5641 

Gymnastics Crash Course 



9:00am-10:00am Suitable for ages 4-7. 


website or T: 0121 516 5641 

Aqua Challenge 

Erdington Leisure B24 9HU 


1:15pm-2:00pm or 2:00pm-2:45pm Adult 

£6.95, Junior £4.95. Children under 8yrs must 

be supervised. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5650 






more information or timings see the website 

or T: 0121 516 5650 

Intensive Learn To Swim Course 



9:00am-11:00am Suitable for ages 4+. Cost 

£26.25. For more information see the website 

or T: 0121 516 5650 

Learn to Synchro Course 



9:30am Suitable for ages 6+. Cost £26.25. For 


T: 0121 796 2330 

Intense 1-2-1 Learn to Swim 

Course 





or T: 0121 796 2330 

Intense Swim Courses 





website or T: 0121 796 2330 

Strikes Football Holiday Camp 



9:00am-3:00pm Suitable for ages 4+. 


website or T: 0121 796 2330 

Gymnastics Crash Course 



1:30pm-2:30pm Suitable for ages 4-7. 


website or T: 0121 796 2330 

Superstars Holiday Club 



9:00am-3:00pm (ages 8-11), 12:00noon- 

3:00pm (ages 5-11) 9:00am-3:00pm (ages 

8-11) £15.75 per day or £65.50. 12:00noon- 

3:00pm (ages 5-11) £7.50 per day or £32.75 

for 5 days. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 796 2331 

Intensive Swim Course 





website or T: 0121 796 2331 

Intensive Learn to Snorkel Course 



10:00am-10:30am Suitable for ages 6+ 

who are able to swim 50 metres. Cost 

£32.25. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 796 2331 

Aqua Challenge with Splash Session 

Wyndley Leisure Centre B73 6EB 


Adult £6.95, Junior £4.95. Children 

under 8yrs must be supervised. For more 

information and timings see the website or 

T: 0121 516 5659 

Intensive Learn To Swim Course 





or T: 0121 516 5659 

Intensive Learn To Snorkel Course 



9:45am-10:30am Suitable for ages 6+ who 

are able to swim 50 metres. Cost £56.25. For 


T: 0121 516 5659 

Superstars Holiday Club 



8:30am-3:30pm Suitable for ages 6-12. Cost 

£65. For more information see the website or 

T: 0121 516 5659 

Gruesome Object Handling FREE 

EVENT 


B3 3DH 


11:00am-1:00pm or 2:00pm-4:00pm Drop in 

and meet friendly volunteers as they use real 

museum artefacts and some seriously spooky 

replicas to bring gruesome tales from the 

past to life. Get hands on with some horrible 

history and find out lots of fascinating facts! 

T: 0121 348 8000 

Spooky Portrait Studio 

Birmingham Museum and Art GalleryB3 3DH 


11:00am-1:00pm or 2:00pm-4:00pm Drop in 

on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to 

the portrait studio and take home a souvenir 

of your half term visit and capture a photo 

of your spooky Halloween costume. £1 per 

print. T: 0121 348 8000 

Family Show : Science Of Fright 

Thinktank Millennium Point, B4 7XG 


1:00pm-1:30pm or 3:00pm-3:30pm Amaze 

your little ghouls with the spooky science 

needed to create a monster in this action 

packed science show. Mixing potions, 

patching flesh, creating blood and finally 

bringing the monster to life with explosions 

and electricity! Normal admission charges 

apply. T: 0121 348 8263 

24 – 27 Oct 

Little Skippers Halloween 

Dudley Canal Tunnel and Limestone Mines 

DY1 4SB 


10:00am 45 minute boat trip followed by 

Halloween crafts and activities to entertain 

in true spooky style. Get hands on with our 

potions kit to make an animal-inspired super 

power potion, then make yourself a witchy 

or wizardly hat to get you properly into the 

Halloween spirit. Create a creepy creature to 

add to the display, or take home with you. 

Tickets £4.75 each. Booking essential 

T: 0121 557 6265 

23 – 28 Oct 

Legends and Lights FREE ENTRY 

Birmingham Hippodrome B5 4TB 


10:30am-4:00pm Pop in and find the foyers 

lighting up with crafty creative fun all week. 

You might make Diwali lights or All Hallows 

lanterns, ‘Trick or Treat’ masks or a cape of 

Autumn leaves – plus there will be spooky 

storytelling and more to inspire you. Parents 

can grab a coffee and relax – or have a go 

at all the activities too. Under 16s must be 

accompanied at all times. T: 0844 338 5000 





Children under 8yrs must be supervised. 

For more information and timings see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5638 





Children under 8yrs must be supervised. 

For more information and timings see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5659 

6 


E X C L U S I V E O F F E R 

www.inthebook.com 

T&Cs Apply. 



23 – 29 Oct 

Pumpkin Festival 

Moseley Old Hall Moseley Old Hall Lane, 

Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, WV10 7HY 


11:00am-4:00pm Pumpkin fun for 

everyone. Carve a simply wicked pumpkin, 

take its innards home to cook into soup, 

eat scary treats in the tea-room and come 

dressed in your Halloween best if you dare! 

Pumpkin £3, normal admission charges 

apply. T: 01902 782808 

24 Oct 

Softplay 



10:00am-12:00noon Adult 60p, Child £2.85. 

Under 8’s must be supervised. Also 27th 

October. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5641 

Gymnastics 



1:00pm-2:00pm or 2:00pm-3:00pm 

Suitable for ages 3-11. Cost £4.60. For more 


T: 0121 516 5659 

Halloween : Ancient Egyptian 

Potions, Curses & Cures 

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery B3 

3DH 



in and take a light-hearted look at the 

spooky side of Egyptology and join the 

learning team to find out some gruesome 

facts. Mix up some weird and wonderful 

ingredients, decorate a lucky charm and try 

writing in hieroglyphics. Child £2. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

Family Pottery 



10:00am-3:00pm Also 27th Oct. Explore the 

world of clay together learning all about 

different hand-building techniques and 

exciting ways to decorate your clay work. 

Suitable for families with children aged 6-11. 

£25 per adult and child; £15 per additional 

person. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers : Wild Art 



10:00am-3:00pm Go wild with your art! 

Explore natural objects, draw them, and take 

prints and rubbings. Combine your pieces to 

make your own pictures of wild animals or 

art work inspired by nature. Suitable for ages 

6-11. Cost £18. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Around The World In 80 Bricks 



10:00am-3:00pm Take inspiration from the 

famous Jules Verne tale, create your own 

adventure, illustrated and recorded in your 

Explorers Journal and 3D build in 80 bricks. 

Working against the clock, learn to be 

resourceful and crafty and complete tricky 

challenges all in time to catch the happy 

ending. Pack your bags, you leave at first 

light! Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £25. To 

book T: 0121 446 3232 

Autumn Event 

Martineau Gardens B5 7UG 

www.martineau-gardens.org.uk 

10:00am-12:00noon or 1:30pm-3:30pm 

Also 26th Oct. ‘Signs of Autumn’ trail, leaf art, 

make a scary All Hallows face, smelly potions 

and games. Wear your best Halloween outfit! 

£5 per session. T: 0121 440 7430 

Wildlife Survival School 

Dudmaston Estate Quatt WV15 6QN 


11:30am4:00pm Come and get creative, 

drawing whatever design you like onto a 

wooden blank. Choose from a coaster, a 

heart, a name plaque, a wooden spoon or 

more! Use a hot-tip pyrography tool and you 

can burn your design into the wood. Prices for 

wooden blanks start at £4. Normal admission 

charges apply. T: 07968 071588 

Halloween Spooky Fun Day 

The Oak House B70 8HJ 

www.sandwell.gov.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm Spooky music in the Oak 

House with Andy Casserley, balloons and 

wizardry with Ron Popple, Face painting and 

glitter tattoos from Brushstrokes and glitters 

and lots of scary crafts, quizzes and trails. 

Crafts from 50p- £2.50. T: 0121 553 0759 

Boat Trip 



10:00am-2:00pm Trip from the Centre to 

Wightwick locks and back. Bring a picnic 

lunch. Adults £7, Child £5. Booking essential 

T: 01902 572240 

Family Textiles : Tie Dyeing 



10:00am-3:00pm Be creative together as a 

family and learn how to tie dye your own 

tote bag. Suitable for families with children 

aged 6-11. £22 per adult and child; £12 per 

additional person. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

24 – 27 Oct 

Halloween: Plague and Pestilence 

HALF PRICE ENTRY 

Blakesley Hall B25 8RN 


11:00am-4:00pm Learn all about the great 

plague of 1665-1666. See plague victims 

inside the hall and find out about all the 

medicines the plague doctor would have 

used to treat those who were struck down by 

the bubonic plague. Special themed trails, 

quiz and fascinating facts. Halloween themed 

craft activities on Tuesday & Thursday. Adult 

£3.50, Child £1.50. T: 0121 348 8120 

24 – 29 Oct 

Creepy Craft 

Sarehole Mill B13 0BD 


11:00am-4:00pm Make a creepy (but cute!) 

little bat! Child £1.50. T: 0121 348 8000 

Halloween Trail 



11:00am-4:00pm Spooky spiders, skeletons 

and ghosts have moved into Sarehole Mill! 

Find each of the creepy ghouls, solve the 

clues and claim your prize! Child £1.50. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

26 – 29 Oct 

Brick Live 2017 

NEC B40 1NT 

www.bricklive.co.uk 

Build Zones featuring LEGO® Star Wars, 

Friends, Ninjago, Creator, City and Minecraft. 

To book T: 0844 338 7770 

25 Oct 

Swimming Distance Badge Session 



3:00pm-4:00pm For children able to swim 25 

metres plus. Cost £2.60. For more information 

see the website or T: 0121 516 5641 

Roller Disco 



1:00pm-2:30pm Cost £5 to include skate hire, 

£4 own Skates. Under 8’s must be supervised. 

For more information see the website or 

T: 0121 516 5641 

Playdays 



9:45am-10:45am or 11:00am-12:00noon 

Suitable for ages 1-5. Cost £3.90. For more 


T: 0121 516 5659 

Monster Madness Museum Party 

FREE ENTRY 


B3 3DH 


2:00pm-4:00pm Bring your little mummies, 

witches and vampires along to enjoy a 

spooktacular party. Music for dead good 

dancers, ghoulish games and the chance to 

capture your costume in the portrait booth 

of fear. Photos £1. T: 0121 348 8000 

Family Art Techniques : The Woods 



10:00am-3:00pm Be inspired by David 

Hockney and Cannon Hill Park as you use 

a range of materials and methods such as 

mono-printing and photo-collage. Suitable 

for families with children aged 6-11. £22 

per adult and child; £13 per additional 

person. For booking T: 0121 446 3232 

Introduction To Sewing Juniors 



10:00am-3:00pm Learn how to sew and 

create your own personal sewing project 

such as a soft toy, bag or fashion accessory. 

Suitable for children aged 6-11. Cost £18. 

For booking T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers: Haunted Halloween 

Hotel 



10:00am-3:00pm Check into the Haunted 

Hotel and create your own spooktacular 

retreat for all the ghoulish guests… 

witches, werewolves and our goblin 

regulars! Trick the concierge with creaking 

footsteps in the night then treat yourself at 

the snack bar. Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost 

£22. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers : The Enchanted Dance 

Castle 



10:00am-3:00pm A magical dance class 

inspired by the story and music Disney’s 

Beauty & The Beast. Explore the famous 

characters, village and forest as well as the 

different rooms of the Enchanted Castle 

through moving with different props. Serve 

hors d’oeuvres, cook and clean, be trapped 

in the dungeon, create a ‘culinary cabaret’ 

and twirl on the dance floor. Suitable for 

ages 6-11. Cost £18. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Make a Robopet 



10:00am-3:00pm Breaking down the 

barriers to all things digital, learn to 

design, code and build your very own 

robopet. Bleep bleep! Plus you get to keep 

the reusable Crumble Kit for fun at home. 

Suitable for ages 6-11. Tickets £43. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Family Photography 



10:00am-3:00pm Come and spend a day 

taking photos together as a family and 

learn how to turn those snaps into works 

of art. Suitable for families with children 

aged 6-11. £21 per adult and child; £10 per 

additional person. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

8 


Join our 

volunteers 

Could you help to empower children? 

In the average primary school class, 

two children have suffered abuse or 

neglect. But our dedicated volunteers are 

visiting local schools to give children the 

knowledge and confidence to speak out. 

Find out how you could volunteer and 

help children speak out and stay safe. 

Visit nspcc.org.uk/volunteer, 

call 0121 227 7577, or email 

VolunteerRecruitment@nspcc.org.uk 

©NSPCC 2017. Registered charity England and Wales 216401. Scotland SC037717. 

Photos by Alex Grace. Illustration by Rosie McKie. The people pictured are NSPCC volunteers. J20171201. 

Spo ky 

Science Week 

· Science of Fright Live Show 

· Spooky Science Busking 

· Wicked Witch Storytelling 

birminghammuseums.org.uk/whats-on 

Funded by: 

Mon 23 - Fri 27 Oct 

SPOOKY 

SCIENCE NIGHT 

Find out what really 

happens at 

Night at the Museum! 

SAT 28 OCT 

6–9PM 



Join Us for 

Take part in spooky story walks, creepy 

arts and crafts, freaky face painting 

and more at Birmingham Botanical 

Gardens this October half term. 

23 – 27 October 

11am – 3pm 

Discover more at 

birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk 

Find us on: 

Your support keeps the Gardens growing 

FREE 

admission for 

under 16s 

Make a Bat Detector & Go On A Bat 

Walk in Cannon Hill Park 



11:00am-4:00pm Love bats? Design, code, 

build and decorate your own electronic 

bat detector then put it to the test with 

a special bat walk. Plus you get to keep 

the reusable Crumble Kit for fun at home. 

Suitable for ages 6-11. Tickets £50 per child 

(course+walk) & adult (walk only); £3 per 

additional person (walk only). Max 2 adults 

per child. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Nature Art FREE EVENT 

Mary Stevens Park DY8 2AA 

www.marystevenspark.org 

11:00am-12:00noon Drop in and use 

conkers to make abstract art and explore 

the colours of the season. T: 01384 815279 

Wild Wednesday 

RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve B43 

5AG 


3:00pm-7:00pm Dusk activities, campfire 

cooking and wild crafts. Suitable for families 

with children up to age 12. £4 for RSPB 

Wildlife Explorers, £5 for non-members. 

T: 0121 357 7395 

Bonfire Dens and Toffee Apples 



10:30am-12:00noon Build a den out of 

natural materials and then cook your own 

toffee apple over the camp fire. Suitable 

for children aged 5 and above, who must 

be accompanied by an adult. Child £3.50. 

Booking essential. T: 01827 872660 

Is There Room on the Broom For Me? 



10:30am-12:30pm Make our own 

broomsticks and see who wants to help the 

Witch with her adventures. One of our very 

popular story trails suitable for younger 

children including under 4s. Child £4. 


Fantastic Fungi 



1:30pm-3:30pm Walk through the 

woods and discover the magical world of 

mushrooms and fungi. Child £4. Booking 

essential. T: 01902 572240 

25 -26 Oct 

Trampolining 

Fox Hollies, B27 7NS 


12:00noon-1:00pm or 1:00pm-2:00pm 

Suitable for ages 4-11. £5 per session. For 


T: 0121 796 2330 

26 Oct 

Halloween : Brain In Jars 

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery B3 

3DH 



in and try out modelling to create your own 

mini brain (or whatever gruesome bits you 

can imagine!) to keep in a jar – the perfect 

prop for Halloween! Don’t forget to design a 

label for your creepy creation. Child £2. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

Half Term Family Fun 

Museum Of The Jewellery Quarter B18 6HA 


10:30am-12:30pm or 1:00pm-3:00pm A 

family friendly tour of the Smith & Pepper 

jewellery factory and a fun craft activity 

using fantasy film to create your own 

decorations! Adult £8, Child £6. To book 

T: 0121 348 8140 

Backstage Tour Family 

Birmingham Repertory Theatre B1 2EP 

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk 

11:00am Be an audience member, set 

builder, prosthetics maker or even an 

Assistant Stage Manager! Learn how 

productions are brought to life on stage; 

discover wondrous wigs, marvellous 

masks and an amazing array of costumes. 

Take a free quiz sheet and see how many 

fascinating things you can spot backstage, 

try your hand at being an usher by 

showing your family to their seats or delve 

into our dressing up box and take your 

place on stage to show off your acting 

skills! Booking essential T: 0121 236 4455 

Drawn Out: Young Artists Drawing 

Workshop 



10:00am-3:00pm Love drawing? Learn 

fun and practical techniques to broaden 

your range and improve your skills. Study 

warm up activities, observational drawing 

exercises and a few surprise challenges. 

Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £18. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

mac Explorers: Make A Circus 



10:00am-3:00pm Roll up roll up! make 

your very own circus in a day from paper, 

card and everyday things. Make a ferris 

10 


3-SpookyScience-PrimaryTimes-TG-2017.pdf 1 24/07/2017 14:50 

wheel, trapeze artists, animals and of 

course a strong man to complete your 

show stopping creation. Suitable for ages 

6-11. Cost £18. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Introduction to Batik for Children 



10:00am-3:00pm Experience the ancient 

art of batik, produce designs on fabric with 

wax and use dyes to add beautiful colour 

to your creations. Suitable for ages 8-13. 

Cost £22. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Let Us Sing Juniors 



10:00am-12:00noon Learn singing 

techniques, musicianship, pitch and 

rhythm through exciting singing games. 

Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £10. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Creative Writing 



10:00am-12:30pm (ages 7-11), 1:30pm- 

4:00pm (ages 11-17) Learn some top 

techniques to inspire and hone your 

creative skills. Tickets £10. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Sculpture : Make A Fairy-tale 

Character 



10:00am-3:00pm Make a 3D fairytale 

character sculpture, learn all about clay 

sculpture techniques and use imaginative 

ways to decorate your character with 

coloured slips. Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost 

£22. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Bird Feeders FREE EVENT 



11:00am-12:00noon Drop in and make 

bird feeders for you to take home using at 

least 2 different techniques. Not suitable 

for anyone with a severe nut allergy. 

T: 01384 815279 

Slugs, Spiders and Scary Stories 

RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve 

B43 5AG 


5:00pm-9:00pm A traditional night of 

Halloween storytelling for families. As 

dusk settles into a disturbing darkness, 

groups will be led from the centre on a 

walk through the site, where they will 

meet a series of spooky storytellers hidden 

in quiet, dark corners of the woods. The 

stories after 6:00pm will be suitable 

for older and braver children (and their 

parents) but sensitively and scarily told. 

Then back to the centre for more stories 

and maybe a warm drink of dragon’s blood 

and a slice of spider web pie. Adult £2, 

Child £5. Booking essential 

T: 0121 357 7395 

Batty Bats 

Haden Hill House B64 7JU 


11:00am-3:00pm Ever wondered where 

the saying “Bats in the Belfry” came from? 

Come and find the answer plus lots more 

fab information about bats including 

crafts, quizzes & trails. Crafts from 50p-£3 

per item made. T: 01384 569 444 

Halloween Lanterns 



10:30am-12:00noon Transform willow and 

hazel sticks cut from the park into spooky 

lanterns by adding tissue paper and lots of 

glue. They cast an eerie light, perfect for 

Halloween! Child £3.50. Booking essential. 

T: 01827 872660 

Wildlife Watch - Autumn Colour 

M 

Palette 

Y 

The Parkridge Centre B91 3HW 

www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk 

CM 

10:30am-11:30am How many colours can 

MY 

you find in nature? Look closely as the 

colours start to change, try your hand at 

CY 

bark rubbings and make a leafy lantern 

CMY 

to take home. Suitable for ages 4+. Child 

K 

£3.50 with one FREE accompanying adult. 

Booking essential T: 0121 704 0768 

Halloween Fun 



10:30am-12:30pm Carve your own 

pumpkin and make your own bat and 

creepy creatures to take home. Child£4. 


Quick Draw 

Wolverhampton Art Gallery WV1 1DU 

www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk 

11:00am-2:00pm Drop-in and get messy 

as you try new materials to make art on 

a giant scale, and take a drawing home. 

Child £2. T: 01902 552038 

26 – 27 Oct 

Boat Trip 



10:00am-2:00pm Trip from the Centre 

to Wightwick locks and back. Bring a 

picnic lunch. Adults £7, Child £5. Booking 

essential T: 01902 572240 

27 Oct 

Halloween Pool Party 



5:30pm-7:00pm Under 8’s must be 

supervised. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 796 2330 

Trampolining 



10:00am-11:00am or 11:00am-12:00noon 

Suitable for ages 3-14. Cost £4.60. For 


T: 0121 516 5659 

Halloween : Sugar Skull Masks 


B3 3DH 


11:00am-1:00pm or 2:00pm-4:00pm 

Drop in and use different colourful craft 

materials and techniques to make your 

own traditional sugar skull mask. Child £1. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

C 

SPOOKY 

SPACE 

14 - 29 October 

This Halloween Half Term 

the Spooky Science team 

have taken over and we 

have all gone slightly batty! 

Join us to discover The 

School of Science Magic. 

Book now to upgrade to a FREE ANNUAL PASS 

spacecentre.co.uk 

Spooky Family 

Halloween 

Ghosts and ghouls of all ages can join us this 

Halloween for a spooky underground boat trip 

for the whole family! Just £8.50 per person. 

Featuring the famous UV puppet show and other spooky surprises! 

Fri 27th October 

Sun 29th October 

4.30pm - 8pm 

4.30pm - 8pm 

Sat 28th October 

Tues 31st October 

Birmingham New Road, Dudley, DY1 4SB 

: 

4.30pm - 8pm 

4.30pm - 8pm 

Why not book a meal in the Gongoozler 

to make your evening complete? 



mac Explorers: Costume Making 



10:00am-3:00pm Spend the day dressing 

up and making your own costumes - be 

whatever you want to be from the materials 

on offer. Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £18. 

For booking T: 0121 446 3232 

Halloween Painting With Stencils - 

FREE EVENT 



11:00am-3:00pm Drop in and create 

Halloween themed printed artworks using a 

range of spooky stencils. Suitable ages 6-11. 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Spooky Halloween UV Art 



10:00am-3:00pm Summon glowing 

ghosties, scary skeletons, eerie pumpkins, 

witches and monsters with ‘dark magic’ UV 

paint! Suitable for ages 6-11. Cost £22. To 

book T: 0121 446 3232 

Young Comic Creators: Creatures, 

Super Villains and Monsters 



11:00am-4:00pm Create a concept for your 

very own comic character and learn how to 

draw and develop your design. Suitable for 

ages 11-17. Cost £18. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

Photosocial 



11:00am-4:00pm Unlock your cameras 

potential. Learn how to take better 

landscape, portrait, travel, and street 

photographs. Plus create a portfolio and 

meet like-minded people. Suitable for ages 

11-17. Cost £20. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Halloween Activities 



3:00pm-5:00pm Drop in Bat and Owl 

themed crafts spooky trail and party games. 

Come in fancy dress to be in with a chance 

of winning a prize. Suggested donation £2. 

T: 01384 815279 

Halloween Fun Day 



11:00am-3:00pm Spooky goings on at 

Haden Hell House & Hall, come and join 

in with Halloween fun for all the family; 

music, magic and balloons kid’s crafts 

quizzes, trails & more. T: 01384 569 444 

Spooky Craft Workshop 

The Manor House B71 2EA 


11:00am-3:00pm Come and make some 

creepy crafts, there will be lots to choose 

from – so the choice will be yours! Charge 

dependent on the item made. 

T: 0121 588 2985 

Witches and Wizards 



10:30am-12:30pm Come and find the 

magic in the woodland. Make your hat and 

wand and find the ingredients to make 

your very own potions and spells. Child £4. 


27 – 29 Oct 

Family Halloween Boat Trips 


DY1 4SB 


10:00am Also 31st Oct. Special Children’s 

Boat Trips through Dudley’s fantastic 

underground caverns! You’ll meet the 

wonderful Groovy UV Entertainments 

Company and their amazing ‘glow in the 

dark’ Halloween puppets. These trips last 

45 minutes to an hour. Tickets £8.50 each. 


Halloween 

Aston Hall Courtyard B6 6JD 


11:00am-4:00pm Frighteningly good fun 

for families! See the Hall transformed into 

a haunted mansion. Meet the wise woman 

and find out about her weird cures and 

check out the pop up still room! Watch 

a witch trial take place and judge for 

yourself whether the accused is guilty of 

witchcraft! Encounter creepy sounds and 

even creepier characters as you explore 

one of Birmingham’s most haunted 

buildings with a Ghost Hunter Trail! 

Normal admission charges apply. to book 

T: 0121 348 8000 

Pumpkin Flotilla 



7:00pm-9:00pm Bring a beautifully carved 

pumpkin with you to the Mill. We will 

then add a light and float it on the mill 

pond at dusk. The evening will include a 

complimentary cup of hot chocolate to 

keep you warm, spooky ghost tours of 

the mill, and of course, the viewing of the 

pumpkins on the millpond. £20 per float. 

T: 0121 348 8000 

28 Oct 

Children’s Book Club 

Kings Norton Library B30 3EU 

libraryofbirmingham.com 

11:30am-12:30pm Do you love books? 

Come and join this monthly book club 

suitable for ages 5-11. T: 0121 464 1532 

Halloween Pool Party 



3:00pm-5:00pm Adults £7, Junior £5, Under 

4 £2, family of 4 £20. Under 8’s must be 

supervised. For more information see the 

website or T: 0121 516 5641 

Spooky Science Night 

Thinktank Millennium Point B4 7XG 


6:00pm-9:00pm See the spectacular 

‘Science of Fright ’ show, where making 

a monster is all a matter of choosing the 

right ingredients. Meet some real life creepy 

crawlies with our an expert animal handler. 

Make your own family light photos and 

create your own sample of blood to take 

home. Lots more tricks and treats to take 

part in on this magical night out. Come in 

fancy dress to be entered into the fantastic 

prize draw! Adults £6.50, Child £9. Booking 

essential T: 0121 348 8263 

mac Explorers : Drama 



10:00am-3:00pm Be introduced to 

performance skills through fun games and 

exercises. Work in groups to create your own 

stories and short scenes. Suitable for ages 

6-11. Cost £18. To book T: 0121 446 3232 

Spooky Felt Scenes 

Charlecote CV35 9ER 


1:30pm-3:30pm Get creative with 

Warwickshire artist, Ursula Westwood. She 

will teach you how to make fun, handfelted 

pictures, including dramatic skies, 

bats, pumpkins and funny monsters. Treats 

included too! Adult £20, Child £10. Normal 

admission charges apply. Booking essential. 

T: 01789 470277 

Sandwell Swans 

RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve B43 

5AG 


1:00pm-3:00pm Wildlife Explorer Club are 

wild about nature; involving and enthusing 

children about wildlife with fun and 

engaging outdoor activities, games, arts 

and crafts. Suitable for children aged 8-12 

years old. £1 for RSPB Wildlife Explorers, 

£1.50 for non-members. T: 0121 357 7395 

The Ghost Boat Trip 



10:00am-2:00pm Trip from the Centre to 

Wightwick locks and back. Come dressed 

up for Halloween if you want to. All a bit 

spooky. Bring a picnic. Adults £7, Child £5. 


29 Oct 

Creative Sunday Workshop - Scary 

Neon Monsters 

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts B15 2TS 

barber.org.uk 

11:00am-12:30pm (ages4-8), 1:30pm- 

3:00pm (ages 8-12) Print scary, scaly 

monsters with a poly block and neon paint! 

Child £6, booking essential. 

T: 0121 414 4414 

Marvellous Mammals 

RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve 

B43 5AG 


10:00am-1:00pm Get nose to nose with 

native furry friends! There’ll be nature 

experts on hand to introduce you to resident 

marvellous mammals. A trip around the 

reserve will explain all about the life cycles 

of these furry friends, what they eat, where 

they live and how we can provide homes for 

them, both on the reserve and in your own 

back garden! Adult £10, Child £5. Booking 

essential T: 0121 357 7395 

Pumpkins Galore 



11:00am-3:00pm Carve a pumpkin for 

Halloween, and follow the pumpkin trail, 

pumpkin recipes & more. Timed sessions 

available for pumpkin carving. £3 per 

pumpkin carved. Booking essential 

T: 01384 569 444 

31 Oct 

Stories On Halloween Night 

Martineau Gardens B5 7UG 

www.martineau-gardens.org.uk 

6:00pm-9:00pm Tonight is the night when 

witches ride. Take a ghost walk around 

the Gardens as darkness falls. Stand in the 

shadows, the woods or beside the flickering 

fire and listen to tales of ghosts, spirits and 

fairy-folk. Adults £5, Child £2. 

T: 0121 440 7430 

4 Nov 

Craft Session 

Stirchley Library B30 2JT 

libraryofbirmingham.com 

2:00pm-3:00pm Themed craft session. 

Suitable for ages 4 plus. Some parental 

support may be required. T: 0121 464 1534 

Fireworks 

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Westbourne 

Road, Edgbaston, B15 3TR 

www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk 

5:15pm From Catherine Wheels to Roman 

Candles, witness a spectacular 10 minute 

display of fizzling fireworks. Don’t forget 

your sparklers! Adults £8, Child £6, Members 

go free. Booking essential T: 0121 454 1860 

Craft Club FREE EVENT 

Dudley Library DY1 1HR 

www.dudley.gov.uk 

2:00pm-3:00pm Arts and craft activities. 

T: 01384 812 885 

Himley Bonfire and Fireworks 

Himley Hall and Park DY3 4DF 

www.dudley.gov.uk 

4:30pm The Largest Local Authority 

Fireworks Display in the Country, not only 

lighting up the night sky but the grounds 

and lake and surrounding woodland. Bonfire 

lit 7:45pm, Fireworks 8:30pm. Adults £9, 

Child ££4.50. T: 01384 817817 

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Solihull Round Table Fireworks 

Display FREE ENTRY 

Tudor Grange Leisure Centre and Park 

B91 3LU 

www.solihull.gov.uk 

5:30pm This event relies on public support 

to raise money for local charities, so why 

not come along to enjoy the display and 

make a donation to a good cause? This is a 

family orientated event with entertainment 

to suit visitors of all ages. T: 0121 704 8000 

Craftplay 

Bilston Craft Gallery WV14 7LU 

www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk 

11:00am-12:30pm or 1:30pm-3:30pm 

Create, make and play in this session 

suitable for ages 7 and under. Enjoy a 

wealth of materials for sensory and creative 

play, meet other families and explore easy 

low cost ideas to try out at home with 

your child. Babies and young toddlers can 

explore special sensory spaces whilst older 

children can build, construct and make 

things go! One adult may supervise up to 

two children. Child £3. Booking essential 

T: 01902 552414 

4 – 5 Nov 

The Gunpowder Treason 

Blakesley Hall B25 8RN 


11:00am-4:00pm A weekend dedicated 

to the Gunpowder Plot, including a 35 

minute family play delivered by re-enactors, 

‘Sir Robert Cecil’s Men’. Special ‘Find the 

Guys’ trail when the scarecrows return to 

Blakesley Hall as the notorious conspirators. 

Plus a quiz and lots of fantastic facts about 

the Gunpowder Plot. Normal admission 

charges apply. To book T: 0121 348 8120 

The National Pet Show 

NEC Hall 1 B40 1NT 

www.thenec.co.uk 

Get up close with a whole host of animals 

from dashing dogs and aquatic wonders 

to fabulous felines and radiant reptiles, 

and so many more! Highlights include; 

Noel Fitzpatrick Supervet Live, Top Cats 

competition, SuperDogs Live (presented 

by TV’s Michaela Strachan), kids “Teepee” 

talks and animal handling sessions, the 

Secret Rabbit Garden and more than 90 

educational talks and live performances. To 

book T: 0121 780 4141 

5 Nov 

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot 



11:00am-3:00pm Find out about why we 

celebrate bonfire night, with craft activities, 

quizzes and trails. T: 01384 569 444 

11 Nov 

Bonfire and Fireworks 

Moseley C of E Primary School B13 9EH 

www.moseleyce.bham.sch.uk 

5:00pm Gates Open Family friendly 

with food, drinks and music all evening. 

Bonfire lit at 6:15pm and fireworks at 

7:15pm. Adults £8, Child £4. Buy tickets 

in advance from Moseley Farmers Market 

on 28th October and from McDees 

Hairdressers on St. Mary’s Row or The 

Village Pub in Moseley. Enquiries can be 

made through Facebook by searching for 

MoseleyBonfireNight. 

Carnival Night 

The Venue DY1 1QD 

www.t-venue.co.uk 

6:00pm-11:30pm All you can eat buffet, 

photo booth, carnival stalls, sweet cart, 

resident DJ, auctions and raffles. Celebrating 

and in aid of the life-saving work which 

takes place at Birmingham Children’s 

Hospital. Adult £20, Child £12, Under 3’s 

free of charge. T: 01384 453102 

18 – 19 Nov 

If You Go Down To The Woods Today 

Moseley Old Hall WV10 7HY 


11:00am-3:00pm Prepare for Christmas - 

make a wreath bird feeder, stick stars and 

pine cone decorations. Child £1.50, normal 


25 – 26 Nov 

Santa Boat Trips 


DY1 4SB 


10:00am Visit Santa in his underground 

grotto deep in the Dudley Caverns? A 

magical illuminated journey with music, 

a funny family show and, of course, gifts 

for all the children. Tickets £11.50 each. 


Enchanted Christmas Kingdom 



10:00am-5:30pm Visit Father Christmas, 

Zoobee’s Christmas Cracker Magic Show, 

Cool Colin’s Celebrity Christmas Quiz, 

Christmas Arts and Crafts, Zoobee’s Festive 

Friends Puppet Show, Reindeer Quest, 

Christmas in the Farmyard, Guinea Pig 

Village Festive Scales & Tails, Christmas 

Carolling. Adults £10.95, Child £15.95. 


wild 

Have a autumn 

at Sandwell Valley 

Visit RSPB Sandwell Valley from 25 to 29 October 

between 10am–4pm and become a Nature Detective 

on our exciting Bat Feast trail. 

Join us for a special after-dark outdoor cooking event 

from 3pm–7pm on Wednesday 25 October. 

Bring along this advert to claim your FREE hot drink 

from the visitor centre, open Wednesday to Sunday, 

10am–5pm. 

Entry is free, there is a small charge for events and 

equipment hire. Activities are drop-in. Car parking 

charges apply to non-RSPB members. 

For more information about our events 

and to plan your visit call us on: 

01213 577395 

or go to: 

rspb.org.uk/sandwellvalley 

RSPB Sandwell Valley, 20 Tanhouse Avenue, 

Great Barr, Birmingham B43 5AG 

Helping to give nature a home 

The RSPB is a registered charity in England & Wales 207076, in Scotland SC037654. 

Image: gazing by Nick Cunard (rspb-images.com) 880-0931-17-18 

14 

46494RSPB Sandwell Valley ad AW.indd 1 06/09/2017 11:17 


30 off for 

everyone in 2018 

We are offering 30% off 2018 

to EVERYONE simply book 

and pay in full before 

December 18th 2017. 

Visit our website for 

more details 

Signature Book Publishing 

Firmly establishing itself as a leading producer of personalised books, 

Signature book publishing believes that children are never too 

young to love reading. Their main aim with the unique books they 

create is to encourage children to have fun reading. Younger children 

can sometimes find reading overwhelming, particularly when starting 

school. Finding stories that kids will find engaging and fun is the key 

to making sure they enjoy themselves. What better way is there to 

encourage them than a book that is printed especially for them? 

Each In The Book story, has your child’s name appearing in at least 

one of three places; on the cover, hidden in illustrations, or within the 

text. Reading personalised books with your child is a great way to 

introduce the world of literature to them. Seeing their name spelled 

out in icing on cakes, written in the stars, in trees and on buses, as 

they read through the story gives young children a sense of delightful 

mystery in a world that belongs to them. 

To find these fantastic reads visit www.inthebook.com 

Colour in 

Woolly! 

www.woolacombe-sands.co.uk 

For bookings call: 01271 870569 

*Terms & Conditions apply. For Terms and Conditions please visit 

our website, email lifesabeach@woolacombe-sands.co.uk 

or call 01271 870569. 


Film Preview 

Guide 

LEGO Ninjago Movie 

A new animated adventure in Warner Bros. Pictures’ LEGO franchise is in cinemas on 13 

October. The LEGO Ninjago Movie, starring Jackie Chan, depicts the battle for Ninjago 

City as it calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja. Crowds cheer 

the Green Ninja as a hero, but when he takes his mask off people only see him as Lloyd, 

the boy unfortunate enough 

to be the son of The Worst 

Guy Ever, Garmadon. It’s hard 

for him to make friends or 

get through the day because 

Garmadon ruins everything, 

but Lloyd still yearns to have 

some sort of relationship 

with his dad. Along with his 

friends, who are all secret ninja warriors, and led by Master Wu, as wise-cracking as he 

is wise, the team must defeat Garmadon. Pitting mech against mech and father against 

son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas 

who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their inner power of 

Spinjitzu. For more information visit www.legoninjagomovie.com. 

Paddington 2 

Paddington is back on our screens on 10 November with Hugh Grant and 

Brendan Gleeson joining the all-star returning cast including Hugh Bonneville, 

Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Peter Capaldi with Ben 

Whishaw as the voice of Paddington. 

The much-anticipated sequel fi nds Paddington 

happily settled with the Brown family in Windsor 

Gardens, where he has become a popular member 

of the community, spreading joy and marmalade 

wherever he goes. While searching for the perfect 

present for his beloved Aunt Lucy’s hundredth 

birthday, Paddington spots a unique pop-up book 

in Mr Gruber’s antique shop and embarks upon 

a series of odd jobs to buy it. But when the book 

is stolen, it’s up to Paddington and the Browns 

to unmask the thief. Hugh Grant plays Windsor 

Gardens’ local celebrity, Phoenix Buchanan, a vain, 

charming acting legend whose star has fallen 

somewhat in recent years. Brendan Gleeson plays “Knuckles” McGinty, a 

notorious safe-cracker and legendary strongman who becomes an unexpected 

new ally for Paddington. Will the nation’s much loved bear be able to recover 

the stolen book? 

My Little Pony: The Movie 

Few animated characters inspire the love and loyalty of the colourful characters 

from My Little Pony. There’s a timeless magic to the friendship of the ‘Mane 6’ - 

Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy, the 

flying, frolicking and fearless foals who make a leap to the big screen in My Little 

Pony: The Movie. A dark 

force threatens Ponyville 

and the ‘Mane 6’ embark 

on an unforgettable 

journey beyond Equestria 

on a quest to use the 

magic of friendship to 

save their home. Joining 

the ‘Mane 6’ are new and 

exciting characters including Tempest Shadow - a conflicted and devious pony 

unsure of her place in Equestria, Grubber - Tempest’s wise-cracking hedgehog 

soldier with an endless appetite for tasty treats, Princess Skystar - a royal and 

excitable pony longing for adventure, Captain Celaeno - a danger-courting 

cockatoo and leader of a ragtag gang of adventurers and the rogue-ish and 

charming Capper - a street cat who knows all the angles. My Little Pony: The 

Movie will be released in cinemas on 6 October. 

WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN 

To be in with a chance of winning one of five copies of Diary of a 

Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul on DVD, send an email to competitions@ 

primarytimes.biz with ‘Wimpy Kid’ as the subject 

by Friday 3 November. Don’t forget to include your name, 

age, address, school and contact telephone number. 

MONSTERSAURUS 

Thrills, spills, magic and mayhem! Age 3+. 

FRI 27 OCT at 12pm & 3pm £10 

Fri 8-Sun 31 Dec 

One final dollop of panto fun 

and silliness from Malcolm Stent 

HOLIDAY FUN IN SOLIHULL 

DEAR ZOO 

19 & 20 Feb 

Fun show £14 

fam. ticket £50 

GIFT 

IDEA! 

WILDLIFE ROADTRIP 

Autumn Watch Presenters Martin & Iolo 

SAT 28 OCT 

£20/£18 ch. 

Age 7+ 7.30pm 

An amusing and 

informative 

show packed 

with natural 

history facts, 

tv stories, 

wildlife tales 

and fun for 

all ages. 

LILY & THE LITTLE 

SNOW BEAR 

Small-scale family 

show at Christmas 

In the Studio. Various starts. 

20-24 Dec £10 

BEAUTY & 

THE BEAST 

23 Feb 2 shows 

Film £15/£10 ch. 

55mins long 

Age approx 3+ 

Sing-a Long-a 

Box office: 0121 704 6962 www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk 

16 


BoxOffice 

your family theatre guide... 

box office 

Arena Birmingham B1 2AA 

www.barclaycardarena.co.uk 

18 – 29 Oct 

Disney On Ice Passport to Adventure 

Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Goofy 

and Daisy. Explore the African Pride Lands with 

Simba and friends, voyage to Ariel’s underwater 

kingdom and fly from London to Neverland with 

Peter Pan and Wendy to meet up with Tinker Bell. 

You’ll also travel to Arendelle for an extraordinary 

adventure with sisters Anna and Elsa, mountain 

man Kristoff and the huggable snowman Olaf. 

Enjoy every second of this sensational show 

– starting with the chance to warm up at the 

fabulously fun Fit to Dance pre-show featuring 

Zootropolis! Booking essential T: 0844 33 88 222 

25 – 26 Nov 

The 2017 Birmingham International 

Tattoo 

Led by the Band of the Household Cavalry 

and the Band of The Princess of Wales’s Royal 

Regiment, and marching bands from Poland 

and the Netherlands, plus the popular Massed 

Pipes and Drums and Highland Dancers. Joining 

this year’s event will be the Royal British Legion 

Romford Band (featured on ITV’s Tonight at the 

London Palladium) along with the National 

Marching Band, who help demonstrate the musical 

versatility of today’s youth. Guest vocal soloist 

Captain Gary Chilton (from The Soldiers) will join 

The Queen’s Colour RAF Cosford for the Spectacular 

Grand Finale featuring over 1,000 performers. To 

book T: 0844 33 88 222 

Arena Theatre Little Angel 

Theatre, WV1 1SE 

www.wlv.ac.uk 

10 Nov 

Me 

11:00am or 1:30pm The world is a very big 

place, especially for a tiny baby penguin who is 

just finding her feet. The shimmering stars and 

glistening snow spin around our little hero, while 

the mountains tower high and the wind rushes 

to and fro. And although baby penguin may be 

small her family know she’s the biggest thing of 

all. A lovely and touching story about a parent and 

their love for their child by much loved children’s 

author Emma Dodd. Tickets £5. Booking essential 

T: 01902 321321 

Birmingham Hippodrome 

B5 4TB 


15 Oct 

Birbal 

11:00am-2:00pm Step into the enchanting world 

of the Moghul King Akbar and his witty advisor, 

the legendary Birbal…Mashi and Bhanji are 

travelling storytellers, living hand-to-mouth with 

just a wooden cart, trinkets they have collected on 

their travels, and a family of mischievous crows for 

company. Stopping one day for lunch, they recreate 

mythical tales of the great King Akbar and his wise 

companion, Birbal. How can a man survive a night 

in a freezing lake? How many crows are there in 

a kingdom? Only Birbal knows! Using humour, 

puppetry, music and the occasional fake beard, 

Mashi and Bhanji bring to vivid life these famous 

tales that have been treasured for generations. 

Suitable for ages 6+. Booking essential 

T: 0844 338 5000 

23 – 28 Oct 

Legends and Lights FREE ENTRY 

10:30am-4:00pm Pop in and find the foyers 

lighting up with crafty creative fun all week. You 

might make Diwali lights or Halloween lanterns, 

‘Trick or Treat’ masks or a cape of Autumn leaves – 

plus there will be spooky storytelling and more to 

inspire you. Parents can grab a coffee and relax – or 

have a go at all the activities too. Under 16s must 

be accompanied at all times. 

T: 0844 338 5000 

27 – 28 Oct 

Bouncing Cats and Boom Boom Pups 

11:00am or 2:00pm Journey into the world of 

AnimaLand where beatbox, rap and graffiti 

come together. This immersive, high-energy 

performance features spoken-word artist Maxwell 

Golden and graffiti artist Mr Dane. Set within 

a purpose-built graffiti installation, an original 

children’s book is brought to life and interwoven 

with freestyle hip-hop improvisation. Suitable for 

ages 5-10. Adult £10, Child £8. Booking essential 

T: 0844 338 5000 

Birmingham Repertory 

Theatre B1 2EP 

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk 

20 Oct – 12 Nov 

Nativity The Musical 

Every child in every school has one Christmas wish, 

to star in a Nativity, and at St Bernadette’s School 

they’re attempting to mount a musical version! 

Only trouble is teacher Mr Maddens has promised 

that a Hollywood producer is coming to see the 

show to turn it into a film. Join him, his teaching 

assistant the crazy Mr Poppy, hilarious children and 

a whole lot of sparkle and shine as they struggle 

to make everyone’s Christmas wish come true. 

Featuring sing-a-long hits from the films including 

Sparkle and Shine, Nazareth, One Night One 

Moment, She’s the Brightest Star and a whole host 

of new songs filled with the spirit of Christmas. 


Mac Birmingham 

B12 9QH 


14 Oct 

John Hegley: I AM A POETATO 

2:00pm Join John in this family friendly show as 

he dips into an animal alphabet of poems about 

people, pets and other creatures. Suitable for ages 

8+. Adults £11, Child £9. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

23 Oct 

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland 

7:15pm At a garden party on a sunny afternoon, 

Alice is surprised to see her parents’ friend Lewis 

Carroll transform into a white rabbit. When she 

follows him down a rabbit hole events become 

curiouser and curiouser… Alice encounters a 

cast of extraordinary and instantly recognizable 

characters, from the highly strung queen of 

hearts – who performs a hilarious send-up of 

the sleeping beauty’s famous rose adage – to a 

playing-card corps de ballet, a sinuous caterpillar 

and a tap-dancing mad hatter. But the ballet 

does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis 

Carroll’s story: a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily 

disembodied Cheshire cat and the unhinged tea 

party are all here in vivid detail. The royal ballet 

brings together world-class dance with enchanting 

family entertainment. To book 

T: 0121 446 3232 

24 – 26 Oct 

The Girl and The Giraffe 

11:00am or 2:00pm One day whilst Girl is playing 

in her garden, she spots something peculiar on the 

other side of the fence. Climbing up as high as she 

can to get a better view, she is surprised when she 

comes face to face with... Giraffe! Girl discovers that 

Giraffe isn’t very well. She tries everything she can 

to make him feel a bit better but she doesn’t get it 

quite right. Girl soon realises that Giraffe doesn’t 

need a plaster for a graze on his arm or a scratch 

on his knee. Giraffe is sad. Charming puppetry, an 

enchanting soundscape and beautiful storytelling 

combine in this sensitive show about wellbeing 

and friendship, told from a child’s perspective. 

Suitable for ages 3-6. Adults £9, Child £7, Babes in 

arms £2. Relaxed Performance on 25th Oct at 2pm. 


The Girl and The Giraffe 

15 – 30 Nov 

Me 

10:30am or 1:15pm The world is a very big 

place, especially for a tiny baby penguin who is 

just finding her feet. The shimmering stars and 

glistening snow spin around our little hero, while 

the mountains tower high and the wind rushes to 

and fro. And although baby penguin may be small 

her family know she’s the biggest thing of all. A 

Little Angel Theatre production with live puppetry 

based on the book by Emma Dodd. Suitable for 

ages 2-6. Tickets £9.50, babes in arms £2. To book. 

Relaxed performance on 26th Nov at 10.30am. 

T: 0121 446 3232 

28 Oct 

Ali Cook - Principles of Deception 

8:00pm Awe-inspiring magic and off-beat comedy. 

A masterclass of technique across a range of magic 

disciplines, including close up magic, mind reading, 

deception, sleight of hand, and escapology, expect 

an evening of magical invention and re-invention. 

Suitable for ages 8+. Adults £13.50, Child £10.50. 

To book T: 0121 446 3232 

30 Nov – 30 Dec 

Raymond Briggs Father Christmas 

Escape into the world of Father Christmas as he 

prepares his Christmas deliveries, feeds his reindeer 

and finally takes flight into the snowy night. 

Live music, songs and playful puppetry. It’s a 

perfect introduction to theatre for children aged 

3+ and their families who won’t be able to look 

away as secret doors and hidden hatches are 

revealed in this beautifully visual show. Adults 

£14.50, Child £12.50. Booking essential 

T: 0121 446 3232 

New Alexandra Theatre B5 4DS 

www.atgtickets.com 

4 – 5 Nov 

Peppa Pig’s Adventure 

10:00am, 1:00pm or 3:00pm With lunch-boxes 

packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and 

friends including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and 

Gerald Giraffe are excited about their outdoor 

adventure, full of games, laughter and live music! 

The happy campers soon settle down to sleep and 

listen to the gentle pitter patter of rain. Safe and 

warm inside their tents the excited group can look 

forward to morning time, when their will be lots of 

muddy puddles to play in! Booking essential 

T: 0844 871 3011 

22 – 26 Nov 

Awful Auntie 

When Stella sets off to visit London with her 

parents, Lord and Lady Saxby, she has no idea her 

life is in danger! Waking up three months later, 

only her Aunt Alberta can tell Stella what has 

happened. But not everything Aunt Alberta tells 

her turns out to be true and Stella quickly discovers 

she’s in for the fight of her life against her very 

own awful Auntie! David Walliams’ amazing tale 

of frights, fights and friendship, featuring a very 

large owl, a very small ghost and a very awful 

Auntie! Relaxed Performance on 25th Nov at 10am. 

Booking essential 

T: 0844 871 3011 

Old Rep Theatre B5 4DY 

oldreptheatre.org.uk 

25 – 29 Oct 

64 Zoo Lane 

11:00am or 1:00pm Join all your loveable favourite 

characters like Georgina the Giraffe, Nelson the 

Elephant, Molly the Hippopotamus, Giggles and 

Tickles and not forgetting the star of the show 

Lucy. Catchy songs, puppets and loads of fun. A 

perfect introduction to theatre for ages 3+. Tickets 

£12. Booking essential 

T: 0121 359 9444 

31 Oct – 3 Nov 

Shakespeare Schools Festival 

7:00pm See Shakespeare’s stories brought to 

life like never before. Come and celebrate the 

achievements of Birmingham school children while 

enjoying a wonderful evening of entertainment. 

Adults £9.50, Child £7. To book T: 0121 605 5116 

9 – 11 Nov 

Aladdin 

Join a magical adventure as Aladdin tries to 

win the heart of the beautiful princess Jasmine. 

Tickets £12. Booking essential T: 0121 359 9444 


ox office 

Box 

Office 

Make Christmas 

Magical at MAC 

Stourbridge Town Hall DY8 1YE 

www.stourbridgetheatre.co.uk 

24 Oct 

Doris The Dragon 

1:00pm Join Doris and her fiery friends in a fun 

packed show including giddy games, panto style 

slapstick and lots of audience interaction. Written 

by a former producer of Sooty and Rainbow theatre 

shows. Suitable for families and children aged 

3-10. Adults £11, Child £10. Booking essential T: 

0333 666 3366 

23 – 25 Nov 

Tom’s Midnight Garden 

When Tom’s brother Peter gets measles, Tom is sent 

to stay with his Uncle Alan and Aunt Gwen. One 

night he hears the grandfather clock strike 13 and 

gets up to investigate. He discovers that the back 

door now opens on a large sunlit garden. Every 

night, when the clock strikes 13, Tom returns to the 

garden and plays with a lonely girl called Hatty. 

On Tom’s final night he goes downstairs to find the 

garden is not there. The following morning Mrs 

Bartholomew has some surprising news for Tom 

…… Adults £10, Child £8. Booking essential T: 

07704 938454 

Symphony Hall B1 2EA 

www.thsh.co.uk 

22 Oct 

Myths and Legends 

2:30pm Do you want to hear a story? Presenter Tom 

and the amazing City of Birmingham Symphony 

Orchestra take you back through the mists of time 

to the world of myth and legend. Meet mighty 

warriors and swan princes, princess brides and a 

monster with green claws. But don’t be afraid: this 

family concert will be just as much fun whether 

you’re eight – or eighty! Tickets £12. Booking 

essential T: 0121 780 3333 

The Core Theatre B91 3RG 

thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk 

27 Oct 

Monstersaurus 

12:00noon or 3:00pm Follow the young inventor 

Monty as he creates a whole world of whacky 

inventions and incredible monsters, but he has a 

problem - now he has made them all, what is he 

going to do with them?! This energetic show full 

of thrills, spills, magic and mayhem will delight 

the whole family – with original music and plenty 

of audience participation! Suitable for ages 3+. 

Tickets £10. Booking essential. T: 0121 7046962 

7 – 11 Nov 

Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure 

12:00noon or 3:00pm Close your eyes and 

imagine, close them tight and pretend as 

you take off on a magical trip to Neverland, 

where you never grow old. All of your favourite 

characters are waiting, including Captain Hook 

and his pirate crew, Princess Tiger Lily and her 

tribe, the Lost Boys, and of course, Nana the 

dog and the Tick-Tock the Crocodile! Booking 

essential. T: 0121 7046962 

The Highbury Theatre Centre 

B73 5HD 

www.fromthetoptheatre.org.uk 

15 – 18 Nov 

The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe 

Original panto presented by the Top Theatre 

company. Suitable for all ages and fun for all 

the family guaranteed! To book 

T: 07841 488071 

Wolverhampton Grand 

Theatre WV1 1DE 

www.grandtheatre.co.uk 

17 – 21 Oct 

The Addams Family 

Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of 

darkness, is all grown up and has a shocking 

secret that only Gomez knows. She’s fallen 

in love with a sweet young man from a 

respectable family. With his cherished Morticia 

in the dark will Gomez manage to keep his 

daughter’s secret until the two families 

meet for a fateful dinner with hilarious 

consequences? Join them, plus Uncle Fester, 

Lurch, Pugsley and more for a heart-warming 

story of love, family and friendship… with a 

twist! Featuring a live orchestra and starring 

Samantha Womack as Morticia Addams, Les 

Dennis as Uncle Fester and Carrie Hope Fletcher 

as Wednesday Addams. Suitable for ages 

7+. BSL Performance on 19th Oct at 7.30pm. 

Booking essential. 

T: 01902 429212 

23 Oct 

The New Adventures Of Puss In 

Boots 

2:30pm Watch Puss help his Master win the 

hand of the beautiful Princess, and become 

the richest man in the land. Music, magic and 

mayhem abound as this clever cat comes out 

on top. With sing-a-long songs and lots of 

audience participation, a purrrrrfect treat for all 

the family. Booking essential. 

T: 01902 429212 

Little Angel Theatre: Me ... 

Wed 15 Nov - Thu 30 Nov / Ages 2+ 

Based on the book by Raymond Briggs | Adapted by Pins and Needles | Published by Puffin Books | © Raymond Briggs 

Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas 

Thu 30 Nov - Sat 30 Dec / Ages 3+ 

macbirmingham.co.uk 

0121 533 4554 

Midlands Arts Centre 

THE 

PERFECT 

FAMILY TREAT 

BRADLEY 

WALSH 

««««« 

The Observer 

««««« 

Mumsnet 

Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham , B12 9QH 

Registered Company no. 718349 | Registered Charity no. 528979 

Terms and Conditions Apply 

AN ARENA SPECTACULAR 

MARTIN 

KEMP 

28 Oct 

Hairy Maclary and Friends 

1:00pm “Out of the gate and off for a walk, 

went Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy” 

Featuring many of the characters from 

the books like Hercules Morse, as big as a 

Horse - Bottomley Potts, covered in spots – 

Schnitzel von Krumm, with the very low tum 

and Scarface Claw – the toughest tomcat in 

town. With music, singing and several of your 

favourite Hairy Maclary stories, this show is a 

must for the whole family. Booking essential. 

T: 01902 429212 


theticketfactory.com 0844 33 88 222 

Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge 

Presented by arrangement with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and Samuel French Limited 


l Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure 

18 


Bonfires and 

Broomsticks 

PumPkin carvIng 

WHen to carve your PuMPkIn: 

WHat you Will need: 

How to Carve: 

Halloween Party Ideas 

Halloween Party Menu 

Be seen – Be Safe! 

Halloween Party GaMes 

other Halloween eventS local to you 


PINBOARD 

Woolacombe Sands 

Holiday Park is the closest 

holiday park to the award 

winning Woolacombe Beach, 

and we are offering 30% to 

everyone in 2018 when booking 

before 18th December 2017. 

Visit www.woolacombesands.co.uk 

or call us on 

01271870569 for more details. 

A Magical 

Christmas 

Weekend at 

Leekes 

save 

30% 

Join us for a magical Christmas 

weekend at Leekes Bilston 

on Saturday 2 nd and Sunday 

3 rd December. There’s a host of 

activities and entertainment for 

all the family - visit Santa in 

his Grotto and meet his live 

reindeer between 11am - 4pm. 

Enjoy festive fun and treats and 

the chance to choose the perfect 

present from a selection of 

seasonal gifts. Book your visit to 

see Santa in store and follow us 

on facebook and twitter for event 

updates. 

For further information contact 

0333 222 4120 or visit 

leekes.co.uk. 

Try Kumon’s two-week 

Free Trial now 

Your local Kumon Study Centre is offering a two-week Free Trial between 

1 October and 20 November 2017 for new students. Your child can 

experience how the Kumon Maths and English Programmes help children 

of any age and ability to become confident, independent learners with a 

positive attitude to study. 

The Kumon Maths and English Programmes are worksheet-based study 

programmes aimed at building good learning foundations and developing 

ability in small, manageable steps. Through the use of example questions, 

students are encouraged to problem solve and work out answers 

independently. 

All our Instructors are highly trained in the Kumon Maths and English 

Programmes and will look to help your child build fluency, ability and 

confidence as well as a love of learning. Your child will be assessed so 

your Kumon Instructor can tailor the level of study precisely to their ability. 

Enrol your child now on the two-week Free Trial to get a glimpse of how 

Kumon could help develop their abilities for the future. 

For more information and to find your nearest study centre, visit our 

website at www.kumon.co.uk. 

Did you know that in every primary school 

class, an average of at least two children 

have suffered abuse or neglect? 

It is a shocking statistic but thanks to the 

NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe service, 

children are being empowered to speak out 

and seek help. 

It delivers essential safeguarding 

information to children aged four to 11 in a 

lively, memorable way. 

Child-friendly, interactive assemblies and 

workshops teach children about abuse in 

all its forms and how to spot the signs. 

The service also helps children understand 

who they can turn to for help, including the 

NSPCC’s Childline service. 

Air Space, Wolverhampton’s 

favourite trampoline park, is set to truly 

make you jump with a Halloween 

Spooktacular throughout half term, 

plus a special offer exclusively for 

Primary Times readers! 

Air Space is the place where you can 

jump, flip, leap, play and soar to your 

heart’s content. Unlike other trampoline 

parks it has multiple different jumping 

zones, so whether you’re a superstar 

flipper or a bouncing beginner you’ll be 

in for a treat at Air Space! 

This half term, from 16th October until 

31st October, Air Space is running 

spooky activities for all ages. There’ll 

be ghoulish jumping games, spinechilling 

challenges and eerie arts and 

crafts for the kids to enjoy, not to 

mention special spooky deals in the 

cafe for big kids and parents. 

Plus, exclusively for Primary Times 

readers, you can save 10% if you 

use code PT10 when booking! 

Get ready to make some spooky 

memories this half term with your 

little monsters at Air Space. 

Visit air-space.co.uk to 

book. Located in Well 

Lane, Wolverhampton 

WV11 1TB. Offer 

ends 31 st October 

2017. 

save10% 

The need to speak out and stay safe 

It is delivered by specially trained 

volunteers who know how important it is 

for children to have this knowledge. 

The service spoke to 1,711,275 children in 

7,756 schools across the UK throughout 

2016/17. Now the NSPCC needs your 

help to reach even more children. 

By signing up to become a volunteer for 

Speak Out Stay Safe, you can help the 

NSPCC change lives by delivering these 

vital assemblies and workshops. 

For more information on becoming a 

volunteer in your local area, please visit: 

www.nspcc.org.uk/volunteer or call 

0121227 7577 

use code PT10 

when 

booking 

20 


competitions 

A Family Tickets to see the 

magical Peter Pan – 

Christmas in 

Neverland 

at Arena Birminghan 

20-24 Dec. 2017 

COMPETITIONS 

Ten Pairs of Tickets 

to Give Away 

The World’s Biggest Pantomime presents Peter Pan, an epic arena size adventure 

that’s set to transport you to a world of spectacle and comedy headlined by two of 

the UK’s favourite stars, Bradley Walsh and Martin Kemp. 

This perfect festive treat is brought to life by a cast of over 100 performers across 

three arena stages, including a thrilling team of flying trapeze and West End artists, 

BMX bike stuntmen and Matt Knight of BBC’s Let It Shine as Peter Pan. 

Watch out for the terrifying twenty-five-foot animatronic crocodile on the movie 

style Neverland set, while a life-sized galleon sails around the Arena in front of a 

10,000-gallon water wall. A giant 60 feet wide LED screen with both computer 

graphic imagery and live close-up TV relay of the action will also ensure you never 

miss a moment of this sensational family adventure! 

To celebrate this fantastic tour, we’re giving away a family ticket to Peter Pan – 

Christmas in Neverland for the 7pm performance on 21 December 2017 at 

Arena Birmingham, formerly the Barclaycard Arena. 

For your chance to win, simply answer this question: 

What is the name of the faraway place where Peter Pan, 

Tinkerbell and other mystical creatures live? 

A: Neverland B: Manchester C: Wolverhampton 

Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/birmingham/competitions 

or https://www.facebook.com/PrimaryTimesWM 

Closing 

Date 

24 November 

2017 

More to see, try, touch, taste, enjoy and 

buy at The Festive Gift Fair 

This fabulous Christmas Shopping Fair returns to the NEC, 

16-19 NOVEMBER, with loads of NEW and EXCITING stalls. 

From the moment you arrive, you’ll be caught up in the 

excitement of the day, exploring 350 stalls overflowing with 

cracking gift ideas and decorations. The variety is huge, with 

presents for all ages. 

When your bags are full, you can drop them off at the 

Present crèche and continue to shop, or stop for a bite to eat 

and enjoy watching a great line-up of live musical acts. 

Enter now for a chance to win one of ten pairs of tickets. 



Closing 

Date 

29 October 


A Family 

Ticket for 

Enter now and join the 

excitement for the last 

BRICKLIVE event of the 

year! For tickets or further 

information visit 

www.bricklive.co.uk 

BRICKLIVE, the biggest LEGO® fan event in the UK, is coming 

to The NEC Birmingham between 26 th -29 th October and we’re giving 

you the chance to win a family ticket. 

Spend hours battling it out in the exciting new MegaBot arena, get 

creative in the all-new Urban Creator Zone, or witness the amazing 

LEGO animal sculptures with a brick-built safari. Plus, don’t miss out 

on the pumpkin parade with BRICKLIVE’s Halloween-themed fun! 

Winners will be notified on October 23 rd and will have full access to 

the event on a day of their choice, where LEGO fans can stay and 

play to their heart’s content! 

To enter just answer the following question correctly – 

Which venue in Birmingham will BRICKLIVE take place at? 

A. NEC B. The Bullring C. New Street Station 



Closing 

Date 

22 October 



An independent school for girls aged 2 1 / 2-18 years 

Pre-Prep . Preparatory . Senior . Sixth Form 

PREPARATORY SCHOOL OPEN DAY 

Saturday 13 January 2018 9:30am - 12:00 noon 

YEAR 3 SCHOLARSHIP ASSESSMENT 

Thursday 1 February 2018 

Register now for September 2018 

0121 454 5831 admissions@edgbastonhigh.co.uk www.edgbastonhigh.co.uk 

KIDS GET CREATIVE - 

Design The Primary Times Christmas Card! 

Every year, we at Primary Times send out thousands of Christmas 

cards and we would like you to create the picture for this 

year’s card. It can be any picture you like that you think means 

“Christmas”, a snowman, Rudolf with his red nose, a robin on 

a snow-covered branch or maybe a nativity scene. 

Our picture shows our card from last year which was created by 

May and Sam Fletcher from Nottinghamshire. 

All you have to do is draw, colour or paint your picture on an A4 

piece of card or paper and send your entry along with your name, 

age, address, telephone number and school name to: 

The picture on the front cover of this card 

was created by Sam Fletcher aged 7 

& May Fletcher aged 6 

Hawthorne Primary & Nursery School, 

Nottinghamshire 

Sam & May won the 

“Create the Primary Times Christmas Card” 

Competition for 2016 

Christmas Card Competition 

Primary Times 

Schools Publishing Limited 

Unit 1A Thamesview Industrial 

Estate 

Newtown Road 

Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

Unit 1A Thamesview Industrial Estate, Newtown Road, Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

Seasons Greetings 

Teachers and schools are very welcome to send in entries from an entire class in a single envelope ensuring that the school name, child’s 

name and age are clearly written on the back of each entry. The winner’s design will be used for the 2017 Primary Times Head Office 

Christmas card and the winner will also receive 50 copies of the card with envelopes. Closing date, 29th October 2017 

22 


1 OCTOBER – 

20 NOVEMBER 

KUMON MATHS AND ENGLISH STUDY CENTRES 

Book your two-week Free Trial now! 

Bearwood 0121 558 9338 

Erdington 0121 730 2597 

Four Oaks 0121 240 1101 

Great Barr 0121 378 2130 

Harborne 0121 427 3007 

Northfield 0121 647 6757 

Sutton Coldfield 0121 413 0620 

Kings Heath 0121 663 1322 

Walmley 0121 243 2692 

Find out more by coming along to our open event on Wednesday 25 October 

at Bullring Birmingham. We’ll be there from 10.00am – 8.00pm. 

Terms and conditions apply. Fees vary. Participating study centres only. 

www.primarytimes.net/birmingham | OCTOBER HALF TERM 2017 Primary Times 23 

Please refer to your local study centre. Subject to availability.

Make magical memories 

this half-term 

Autumn’s full of magic at the National Trust. Splash through 

the puddles, follow your favourite trails, catch the falling leaves, 

and see if you can find the biggest, shiniest conker of all. 

Plus, visit over October half-term to join in with some super-spooky 

crafts and activities, just for Hallowe’en. 

• Attingham Park • Carding Mill Valley • Dudmaston 

• Kinver Edge and Rock Houses • Sunnycroft 

nationaltrust.org.uk/midlands 

#NTMidlands 

When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your support helps us to 

look after special places for ever, for everyone. 

24 

The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust 2017. Photography © National Trust Images.

BBC OCT 2017

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