Primary Times Staffordshire Summer 18

42,000 COPIES FOR FAMILIES OF 

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN 

Staffordshire and 

Stoke-on-Trent 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity Centre 

Summer Holidays Activity Days -adventurous activities 

for ages 8+led by an experienced team 

plus Family Camping Weekends inAugust 

www.beaudesert.org.uk 

E: info@beaudesert.org.uk 

T:01543 682278 

SUMMER ISSUE NO 101 

9JULY - 4SEPTEMBER 2018

SUMMER ISSUE NO 101 

9JULY - 4SEPTEMBER 2018 

Contents 

4 WOW What’s On Where 

6 News &Offers 

8 Dr Ranji –Now’s the 

time for sunshine 

12 Let the summertime 

fun begin! 

14 Inspire them toread 

all summer 

21 Box Office 

23 Competitions 

Dear Readers, 

Welcome to our summer issue – the last one of the school 

year! We are delighted to be able to help you make the most 

of the coming summer months with our suggestions for all 

sorts of local activities and events. This is such a wonderful 

time of year, and the perfect time to get outdoors! 

Our ‘What’s On Where’ pages will help you fill your calendar 

to keep the kids busy and give you loads of opportunities to 

make family memories together. Many of our suggestions 

are free or low cost, meaning it’s even easier to plan the 

kids’ activities over the long summer break, and there are 

several offers and savings included in this issue too! We’ve 

got everything from attractions, holiday activity and sports 

sessions, to local family events and fun days. It’s worth also 

checking out our Box Office section to see what your local 

theatres have on this summer for the whole family to enjoy, 

and the great competitions to enter this time. 

From everyone here at Primary Times, we hope you have a 

lovely summer holiday. 

Enjoy! 

The Primary Times Team 

SUMMER 2018 

42,000 COPIESFOR FAMILIES OF 

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN 


Summer Holidays Activity Days -adventurous activities 

for ages 8+led by an experienced team 

plus Family Camping Weekends in August 


E: info@beaudesert.org.uk 

T:01543 682278 

Sales: Carolyn Wright 

carolyn.wright@ 

primarytimes.co.uk 

Tel: 01491 411848 

Staffordshire and 

Stoke-on-Trent 

Production: Niki Ince-Green 

niki.ince.green@ 

primarytimes.co.uk 

WELCOME 

Design: Owen Mooney 

PrimaryTimes is independently published and distributed free through national primaryschools in Staffordshire&Stoke 

on Trent. It aims to inform familiesand children about currenteducationalissues,forthcoming events,courses,attractions 

and to give teachers,pupilsand parentsthe opportunity to participate in the magazine by addingtoits contentsorby 

joining in the competitions.ItisNOT our intention to publish anyracist,sexistorpolitically based material whatsoever. 

We alsoundertake not to carryany advertising which we wouldconsider to be offensive to young familiesorharmful to 

thebest interests of youngchildren. PrimaryTimeswould liketothank all the schoolsinBirmingham &Black Countryfor 

theirassistanceindistributing the magazineand fortheir contributions to itscontents.Wewould also liketothank all the 

advertiserswho have supportedthispublication andtherefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when 

and where youcan.The copyright on all written material, logos and advertisingartwork produced by our studioremains 

with PrimaryTimes or withthe relevant contributor.Primary Timesiscurrentlypublishing over 2million copies per issue 

underfranchise licences throughoutBritain. 

Primary Times Staffordshire &Stoke on 

Trent ispublished by: Schools Publishing 

Limited Unit 1A, Thamesview Industrial 

Estate, Newtown Road, Henley on Thames 

RG9 1HG Telephone: 01491 411848 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire 

The UK’sbiggest free ‘what’son’ 

magazine for parents! Primary 

Times in Staffordshire&Stoke on 

Trent distributes 54,000 copies 

seven times ayear,and is part of a 

national network distributing more 

than 2.7 million copies in 

59 regions across the UK 

and Ireland 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | SUMMER 2018 3 3

Primary Times Staffordshire 

WHAT’S ON WHERE 

WOW! 

what’s 

9 Jul – 16 Jul 

The Space 

The Brewhouse Arts Centre 

DE14 1AA 

www.brewhouse.co.uk 

5:30-7pm Amusic, art, and cinema 

space has been set aside for young 

people to develop new skills and 

produce amazing things! Tutors are 

on hand to lead avariety of skills 

incorporating movie making, art, DJ, 

digital media, music and recording 

techniques. Support is also available 

for achieving an Arts Award which is 

open to everyone. Runs on 9and 16 

July. Ages 7+. Price £4. 

bDance Kids 


DE14 1AA 


5-6pm Afun and funky introduction 

to dance, aimed at developing coordination 

and confidence. Young 

dancers are encouraged to be creative 

and expressive through different 

dance styles. Classes are taught in a 

relaxed, fun environment, come and 

join the fun! Ages 6+. Price £4. 


July The Colour Blue Trail 

The Potteries Museum and Art 

Gallery ST1 3DW 

www.potteriesmuseum.org.uk 

Help Ozzy Owl find 12 items around 

the museum that are the colour blue. 

£1 per trail and includes afree pencil. 

Suitable for children under 10. 

9 Jul – 12 Aug 

Puppets on Parade Exhibition 

Museum Of Cannock Chase 

WS12 1TD 

www.museumofcannockchase.org 

11am There is alot for families to enjoy 

in this fun interactive exhibition. You can 

dress up as afairy tale character or put 

on your own Punch and Judy puppet 

show. You can even star on screen 

with your favourite puppet. Come and 

explore these fabulous characters and 

the stories they bring to life. This event 

runs every day until 12 August. 

9 Jul – Ongoing 

Replica 1940s War Room 

Installations 

National Memorial Arboretum 

DE13 7AR 

www.thenma.org.uk 

Explore the working environment of a 

1940s RAF Command and Operations 

room, and get ready for inspection in 

the 1940s style Billet room. Children 

can get into character using dressing 

up items, and meet RAF costumed 

interpreters on selected weekends 

throughout the summer holidays. 

on where 


Athletics coaching 

Rowley park sports stadium ST17 

9XX 

www.freedom-leisure.co.uk 

6-7:15pm Come along for athletics 

coaching on Mondays. Ages 8-15. £2 

per session. T: 01785 249737. 

11 Jul 

Thank You Youth Festival 


DE13 7AR 


9am -5pm We are inviting young 

people from schools across the 

country to attend our Thank You 

Youth Festival. The free to attend 

day, supported by funding from The 

Royal British Legion, will explore 

the invaluable legacy of the First 

World War generation and will allow 

attendees to say their own ‘Thank 

You’ to the generation of people who 

served, sacrificed and changed the 

world forever. FREE. 

12 Jul – 19 Jul 

Trinity Warriors Academy 


DE14 1AA 


5-6pm Trinity Warriors have worked 

on Blue Peter, Got to Dance, Ashley 

Banjo’s Secret Street Crew and 

have featured in numerous music 

videos. Being part of The Trinity 

Academy gives you access to 

exclusive workshops (previously led 

by Flawless, Diversity, Antics etc.) and 

the opportunity to compete nationally 

under the ‘Trinity’ umbrella. Sessions 

for ages 6-10 at 5-6pm and ages 11+ at 

6-7:30pm. £5 per session. 


Walking netball 

Stafford Leisure Centre ST16 3TA 


10-11am Come along for walking 

netball sessions on Thursday 

mornings. Ages 5-10. 

£4.50 per session. £2 per session. 

T: 01785 815715. 

13 Jul – 15 Jul 

Lichfield Arts Fuse Festival 

Beacon Park WS13 6QZ 

www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk 

A FREE community music and arts 

festival in Beacon Park. It will present 

a vibrant celebration of arts, culture, 

creativity and community, where 

thousands of people will be brought 

together in afamily friendly 

environment. 

13 Jul – 31 Aug 

Wildlings 

The Wolseley Centre ST17 0WT 

www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

10:30am-12pm Give your kiddos a 

chance to experience fire, get mucky 

and play independently in our outdoor 

classroom. Price: £5 per child and £3 

for additional siblings. Activities will be 

mostly appropriate for children aged 

6+ months. Event runs every Friday. 

13 Jul – 7 Sep 

Spitfire Replica 


DE13 7AR 


Come and see areplica Mark IX 

Spitfire aircraft, complete with real 

parts! The full-sized aircraft will be at 

the Arboretum over selected summer 

dates. Runs from 13 July to 27 July and 

20 August to 7September. 

14 Jul 

Messy Church 

Lichfield Cathedral WS13 7LD 

www.lichfield-cathedral.org 

2-4pm Come along to the cathedral 

for an afternoon of fun! We’ve got lots 

of activities on offer, including crafts, 

singing, stories, prayer and worship. 

Enjoy cake, chatter and make some 

new friends. There’s lots to do for all 

ages -come and get messy! 

Festival of British Archaeology - 

Prehistoric Times 

Museum Of Cannock Chase 

WS12 1TD 


11am-3pm Visit the museum and 

discover how prehistoric people lived. 

There will be avariety of displays 

demonstrating the skills needed for 

survival. What were nettles used for? 

How were boats constructed? Making 

fire without using matches. Suitable 

for all ages. 

Mercian Mosaic! 

Tamworth Castle Grounds B79 7NA 

www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk 

10am-4pm Communities unite to 

create one of Tamworth’s largest arts 

projects, Mercian Mosaic. Watch 1400 

individual square yard tiles come 

together to make one large and 

intricate design laid out on the lower 

lawn for all to see. FREE event. 

14 Jul – 15 Jul 

Tamworth Aethelflaed Festival 

Tamworth Castle B79 7NA 

www.tamworthcastle.co.uk 

11:30am-4pm Come and find out 

what life was like for those living in 

Tamworth during Saxon times. Learn 

about our very own warrior princess 

Aethelflaed, find out about Saxon 

battle tactics, take your place in the 

shield-wall and see if you can solve 

our runic puzzles! Have agoat digging 

for artefacts and claim asmall prize 

if you complete the quiz sheet! Price: 

adults £7.50, children (5-15) £5, ages 

2-4 £3, under 2s free. 

14 Jul – 21 Jul 

Family tennis 

Florence Tennis &Bowling Club 

ST3 4EB 

www.stoke.gov.uk 

12-1pm Come and try our family 

session. All equipment is provided 

and atennis coach is on hand to give 

pointers and help with technique. FREE. 

14 Jul – 2 Sep 

WWI Thank You Children’s 

Backpacks 

National Memorial Arboretum DE13 

7AR 


Throughout the summer holidays 

younger visitors can enjoy discovering 

the stories behind avariety of First 

World War characters using these 

Thank You Backpacks. Each pack will 

contain exploratory resources, dressing 

up items and mini ‘mission’ cards. 

Escape Maize Maze 

National Forest Adventure Farm 

DE13 9SJ 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

Take on the world’s first Escape Maize 

Maze! To prove yourself as the next 

top spy you need to graduate Agent 

Academy. Solve aseries of mental and 

physical challenges to collect the lock 

combination you need to escape the 

maize maze. You’ll navigate 3miles 

of paths, bridges and viewing towers 

to find your way out! For younger 

agents there is also amini maze where 

you can rescue the farm’s animals 

that have been kidnapped by an evil 

mastermind! 


Family badminton sessions 

Alleyne’s Sports Centre ST15 8DR 


9-10am Come along for family 

badminton sessions on Saturday 

mornings. Price £2.50. T: 01785 815715. 

Football coaching 



9-10:30am Come along for football 

coaching sessions on Saturday 

mornings. Ages 5-10. £4.50 per session. 

T: 01785 815715. 

Turn up and play 

Longton Park ST3 4AZ 


2-3pm This family fun multi-activity 

session will include activities such as 

rounders, cricket and anumber of 

other family games. All ages and 

abilities welcome. No sessions on bank 

holidays. FREE. 

15 Jul 

Family Fun Run 

Gulliver’s World WA5 9YZ 

www.gulliversfun.co.uk 

9am Take part in the Gulliver’s Family 

Fun Run, dust off those running shoes 

for our fantastic event at Warrington 

and Milton Keynes. Entry to the fun run 

is just £9 and you’ll also receive aFREE 

theme park ticket valid for entry on the 

same day. 

Summer Fest 2018 

Himley Hall DY3 4DF 

www.marystevenshospice.co.uk 

10am-5pm Join Lemar, Matt Terry and 

Reggie NBollie at SummerFest 2018, 

which will be filled with fantastic things 

to do for all the family! We’ll have rides, 

food stalls, entertainment, cars and 

loads of things to do throughout the 

day, as well as the chance to meet 

some of your children’s favourite 

characters, plus afew famous faces 

you may well recognise! Tickets 

booked in advance: £17.50 for ages 14+, 

and FREE for 13 and under. 

On the door: £20. 

4 


| www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire

Enjoy Staffordshire 

TreatthemtoaSummer to 

Remember 

Visitthe Arboretum 

this summer to explore 

• RAF100 Command andOperations Room 

• RAF100 1940s’ BilletRoom 

• Twochildren’s play areas 

...discover 

• Costumed Interpretersevery weekend* 

• WWI ThankYou Explorer Backpacks 

• Summer storytelling† 

…and Remember agreat dayout! 

Croxall Road,Alrewas, 

StaffordshireDE137AR 


T: 01283245 100 

E: info@thenma.org.uk 

Charity No.1043992 

*Throughoutthe summer holidays. 

†Every Wednesdayuntil 29 August.


NEWS & OFFERS 

Local offers and savings! 

Don’t miss the money saving 

offers and vouchers in this 

issue: 

• Special family ticket saver 

price at Gulliver’s Theme 

Parks (with the advert 

voucher) , and save 20% on 

Play & Stay breaks (quote 

code PRT20) – see adverts 

on pages 9 and 11 

• Saver rate when you 

book 2Activity Days at 

Swadlincote Ski and Snow 

board Centre - see advert 

page 11. 

• Save 10% when you buy 

tickets online in advance 

for the National Forest 

Adventure Farm, and under 

2’s are free in the Maize 

Maze. 

• Save with family/ 

group ticket prices at the 

National Brewery • Centre’s 

Bank Holiday Family Fun 

Weekend, and at local 

theatres. 

• Take advantage of the 

special 3 month trial 

membership at David Lloyd 

– see advert page 15 

• Sizzling summer deals 

at Cinebowl I-Skate – see 

advert page 11 

• Kids eat free offer at Wing 

Wah – see advert page 19 

• One free adult entry with 

each full paying child at 

Lower Drayton Farm on 

production of the advert on 

page 9 

And there are many 

attractions and local events, 

including the National 

Memorial Arboretum that 

offer free admission. 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity 

Centre celebrates 80 years 

Beaudesert is 80 years old this 

year and they are giving away 

1000 tickets to a FREE activity 

day for Scout and Guide groups 

on 26 August. The programme, 

suitable for all ages, includes all 

site activities on queue and do 

availability throughout the day 

from 10am till 5pm. Each group 

Sizzling Deals, Hot offers, 

Cool Prices! 

Whether you fancy watching one of 

the hot summer films, testing your 

skill at ten-pin bowling, cooling off 

on the ice-skating rink, or a Papa 

John’s pizza with friends and family 

– you can do it all this summer with 

No-barbecue’ appeal to 

countryside visitors 

Visitors to Staffordshire’s 

countryside are being urged 

not to light barbecues during 

the hot spell. 

And they’re also being asked 

to avoid lighting camp fires 

and take great care with 

smouldering cigarettes and 

discarded glass, which could 

magnify sunlight. With weeks 

of hot weather and little rain, 

grass and undergrowth are 

extremely dry across the 

county. 

Staffordshire County Council 

has been in talks with 

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue 

Service and is applying the 

‘no barbecue’ request at all 

its countryside parks and 

can take a fun activity to share 

with other groups. There will be a 

celebration campfire at 7pm and 

disco at 9pm. 

Camping and refreshments 

available at normal rates. For 

more information and to book visit 

www.beaudesert.org/upcomingevents/80th-birthday-party. 

the amazing summer saver deals at 

Cinebowl iSkate Uttoxeter. Offers are 

valid from 21 July to 3September on 

presentation of the advert on page 11. 

Book today at 

www.cinebowl-iskate.co.uk. 

estates, including Cannock 

Chase, Chasewater, Apedale, 

Hanchurch Hills, Consall 

Nature Park and Deep Hayes. 

They are asking visitors to 

take apicnic rather than a 

barbecue, because the risk of 

sparking a fire is high. 

Current advice includes: 

•no barbecues or camp fires; 

•do not throw cigarettes from 

car windows, drop used ones 

or other smoking materials; 

•clear away bottles and 

glasses to avoid magnifying 

the sun; 

With the high temperatures 

and dry weather forecast to 

continue, the advice remains 

in place until further notice. 

New‘return towork’ career 

learning initiative 

Thinking about returning to work 

in Staffordshire, but worried you 

may not have the right skills to 

help you land that dream job or 

change career? Thanks to a career 

learning initiative being piloted 

in Staffordshire you can currently 

get up to 100% funding to access 

a variety of valuable level 3 and 

above training and qualifications at 

local colleges. 

Courses include; Health & Social 

Care Management, Childcare 

and Education, Residential 

Care Management, Advanced 

Professional Cookery, Hospitality 

Industry Management, Accounting 

& Bookkeeping, Leadership & 

Business, Human Resources, 

Computer Aided Design, 

Manufacturing, Construction & 

Engineering, Electrical Installation, 

Fabrication, Wall & Floor Tiling, plus 

many, many more. 

All courses are with local 

colleges or learning providers 

across Staffordshire - and the 

scheme is led by the Stoke-on- 

Trent and Staffordshire Local 

Enterprise Partnership. Colleges 

delivering the courses include 

Stafford College, Newcastle 

Under Lyme College, Stokeon-Trent 

College, Burton and 

South Derbyshire College, South 

Staffordshire College, Buxton & 

Leek College AND Acacia Training 

based in Trentham. 

And remember these are 

LEVEL 3 or above qualifications, so 

essential to developing your career 

and improving your future earnings 

potential. Please note that course 

funding is subject to availability. So 

don’t delay. 

Give your local career learning 

advisor a call on 01785 674 

150 and they will guide you 

through the options and 

availability. Or you can visit www. 

careerlearningstaffordshire.co.uk for 

more details. 

Blue Peter Badge Joy 

Derby Grammar Junior School boys love Blue Peter. So they got their 

heads together to come up with ways to win one of the coveted Blue Peter 

Badges and decided to write apoem, story or create alabelled picture 

about asubject they love. With the support of aYear 5 teacher, 26 pupils 

submitted their entry, along with a50word letter that explained why they 

felt they deserved abadge and what it would mean to them. There’s never 

a guarantee of a Blue Peter badge, so they were delighted when eight 

weeks later a letter and badge from Blue Peter arrived on their doorstep. 

They are now being proudly displayed on their shirts or blazers. 

6 



AT THE NATIONAL BREWERY CENTRE, BURTON UPON TRENT 

THREE SHOWS DAILY 

AT 11AM, 1PM AND 3PM 

ONE SHOW EACH DAY INCLUDED IN ENTRANCE PRICE 

MON 27TH 

RASTAMOUSE & MAGIC SHOW 

SUN 26TH 

SOOTY’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY 

BAKE OFF SHOW & MAGIC SHOW 

Abrilliant bank holiday event for 

all the family. Stage shows, 

treasure trail, crafts, food &drink, 

inflatables and much much more... 

BOUNCY 

BOXING 

RODEO 

BULL 

CRAFTS 

GLADIATOR 

DUEL 

BUNGEE 

RUN 

ASSAULT 

COURSE 

BOUNCY 

CASTLE 

BBQ 

10AM – 5PM BOTH DAYS 

TICKETS £6 CHILD OR ADULT 

FAMILY/GROUP OF 4 £20 

A small extra charge applies to certain activities 

– see website 

BOOK NOW ONLINE AT 

www.nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk 

or call 01283 532 880 

The National Brewery Centre, Horninglow Street, Burton upon Trent DE14 1NG

Now’s the time for 

SUNSHINE 

CBeebies medic,DrRanjSingh, 

shares scientific reasonstolovethe 

longer,brighterdaysofsummer 

Delightful D 

Exposure tosunlight for short periods 

of time helps the body produce 

Vitamin D, essential for healthy bones, 

but also implicated in preventing a 

range of other conditions from asthma 

and cancer,todiabetes 

and multiple sclerosis 

Sleeptight 

Exposure todaylight 

helps to 

regulate some of the body’s 

natural biological rhythms and 

can help regulate sleep 

Dr Ranj is encouraging families 

to hurry outside to tap into 

some bountiful, beneficial 

natural light, before it’s too late and the 

nights start drawing in. The Get Well 

Soon hospital doctor leads by example, 

saying he loves getting out into the 

park and harnessing the extra boost of 

productivity that the longer days help to 

kick start in his system. 

“Summer is my favourite time of 

year. Ifind that when we have brighter, 

longer days it automatically elevates my 

mood and increases my productivity. 

“Not only do Iachieve more, but Iget 

the urge to be more active too. Icannot 

wait to get outside and go for awalk 

around the park! 

“As the days get sunnier and longer, 

it’s important to make the most of them 

whilst they last. Here are five reasons 

why it’s good to get outside…” 

Healthy hearts 

Getting outdoors leads to increased 

physical activity,which is 

important in maintaining ahealthy 

cardiovascular system as well as 

reducing the risk of obesity and 

long-term medical problems 

Feel-good 

factor 

Play in outside spaces 

encourages social interaction and 

development, as well as enhancing 

mood, which helps boost 

mental wellbeing 

Summer is my favourite time of year. Ifind that 

when we have brighter, longer days it automatically 

elevates my mood and increases my productivity 

Our summer tips for... 

STAYING INDOORS 

With simple changes you can brighten 

up family life and soak in more beneficial 

daylight – without thefuss of decamping 

from home. Time for a couple of extra 

jobs around the home? Polishing up your 

window panes helps letinmaximum 

daylight for energizing results. Or position 

your dining table next to a sunny window, if 

possible. This furniture move helps everyone 

soak up nourishing bursts of daylight. 

GLORIOUS GARDENS 

Making the effort 

to move small snippets 

of life outdoors is well worth it. Families 

who’ve invested in garden furniture 

could aim to sit outdoors seven days 

a week (weather allowing), and not just 

on special occasions or weekends. 

Taking snacks outdoors is a good way 

to soak up natural light, with theadded 

bonus of saving carpets from crumbs. 

Reading or creating art 

together outside, 

bundled up under ablanket ifthebreeze 

sets in, also reduces screen time and 

ups children’s natural light quota. 

LIGHT FANTASTIC 

Always look on the bright side – even on 

cloudy days, outdoor light is lots brighter 

than indoor lighting. 

Outdoor light helps to balance out screen 

time and might encourage healthier eyesight 

in youngsters, research suggests. 

Remember, don’t forget sun screen, hats 

and shades on hot, sunny days. 

Brain 

training 

Exploring the outside environment 

encourages curiosity,imagination 

and the formation of new ideas, 

all of which are important for 

mental development

Join us for some 

Muddy Good Fun 

on the farm! 

Friendly Animals • Nature Trail 

Woodland Walk • AdventurePlayground 

Summer Maize Maze • Farm Trailer Rides 

Seasonal Fun • Crafts &more! 

Theme Park 

Resorts 

SST 

Open daily during 

school summer holidays 

VISIT 

www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

fordates,times &prices 

FREE 

adultentry with every 

full paying childon 

production ofthis ad * 

*Ts &Csapply: 

Valid summer 2018 only. 

No cash alternative. 

Not to be used in 

conjunction with any 

other offer. 

PT18 

£59 

See The Characters From 

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: 

AMONSTER VACATION 

Exclusively At Gulliver's 

From 7th July 2018! 

See Full Character Listings Online 

FAMILY 

THEME PARK 

ENTRY 

Admits 

Up to 5 

People! 

ONLY INCINEMAS! 

©2018 SPAI. All Rights Reserved 

*Exchange this voucher at the gates of any Gulliver’s Theme Park to redeem. Valid 7th July -3rd 

September 2018. Original magazine voucher only (photocopies &digital versions not accepted). 

Cannot be pre-booked. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Normal T’s &C’s apply. 

Warrington, WA59YZ Milton Keynes, MK15 0DT Matlock Bath, DE4 3PG 

WWW.GULLIVERSFUN.CO.UK 01925 444 888




Floats and Fun 



1:15-2pm Afun floats session for children 

and families. Runs every Sunday. 

Inspire Multi Sport Club 

Stafford Leisure Centre ST16 3TA 

www.staffordbc.gov.uk 

10am-12pm AFREE, fun, safe and 

enjoyable multi sports club for children 

with additional needs. Each session will 

be multi sports activities and will be led 

by coaches qualified coaches from the 

Sports Development Team. Simply turn 

up at the fortnightly sessions and 

complete aregistration form. Ages 5-18. 

16 Jul 

Wildlings 

Gradbach Mill SK17 0SU 


10:30am-12pm Nature based activities 

for 6 months -5years. Join us for a 

FREE Wildlings sessions at Gradbach 

Mill! Give your children achance 

to explore, get mucky and play 

independently in this beautiful setting. 

Parents/carers must attend with child, 

but we’ll be encouraging parents to 

take astep back and observe their kids 

‘in the wild’. Booking essential. 

Sportsfit 

Tunstall Park ST6 6DX 


5:30-6:30pm This class is great for 

people of all ages looking for that boost 

in performance or if you’re not sporty. 

It is great for people looking to try a 

different type of fun exercise class. All 

ages welcome for this FREE exercise 

class. No sessions on bank holidays. 


Nature Walk 

Westport Lake Visitor Centre ST6 

4RZ 


1-2pm Come and enjoy an hour walk 

around Westport Lake, with adifferent 

nature theme each session. Led by a 

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust guide. Free 

for all ages and abilities. These events 

are part of Get Out Get Active. Please 

meet outside Westport Lake Visitor 

Centre. FREE event, suitable for all ages. 

Takes place on 17 July and 7August. 

19 Jul 

Wildlings 

Teggsnose Wood SK11 0NB 


10:30am-12pm Nature based activities 

for 6 months -5years. Join us for 

FREE Wildlings sessions at Teggsnose 

Wood, next to Teggsnose Reservior. 

Give your children achance to explore, 

get mucky and play independently 

in this beautiful woodland. Parents/ 

carers must attend with child, but we’ll 

be encouraging parents to take astep 

back and observe their kids ‘in the 

wild’. Booking essential. 

Summer Storytelling 


7AR 


During the school holidays, young (and 

young at heart) visitors can participate 

in summer storytelling sessions. 

Delivered by costumed interpreters, 

the stories will help visitors learn 

more about the people who lived and 

served during the First World War. 

Runs on Wednesdays. 

21 Jul – 27 Jul 

Sheep week 

Lower Drayton Farm ST19 5RE 


Celebrate the woolly wonders that are 

sheep! You’ll meet our cade (orphan) 

lambs, learn what sheep eat, what 

we use wool for, where asheep tag 

goes and what it’s for. There’s also the 

chance indulge your artistic side by 

making asheep picture out of wool 

and writing down what sheep eat. 


Summer Play Trail 

Ilam Park, Dovedale and The White 

Peak DE6 2AZ 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

11am-5pm Explore, play and enjoy 

the great outdoors with aself led trail. 

Suitable for families of all ages, you’ll 

be able to build aden, play pooh 

sticks, spot sheep and balance on logs 

along the way. Trail map £1. T: 01335 

350503. 

Sussed Out For Summer 

Sudbury Hall and the National Trust 

Museum Of Childhood DE14 1AA 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

12-4pm Looking for something to keep 

the little ones entertained this summer 

holidays? Join us for a summer of 

crafts, trails and outdoor activities. 

With a 

different theme each week there will 

always be something different to do. 

(Crafts are Monday to Friday only). 

Price £1. 

21 Jul – 18 Aug 

Wildlife Watch 


DE13 7AR 


10:30am-12:30pm From tiny insects 

to mammals and amphibious water 

loving creatures, the Arboretum is 

home to awide variety of wildlife, 

trees and flowers. Nature loving young 

visitors can discover more about just 

some of these amazing living things 

at these monthly interactive Wildlife 

Watch sessions. Runs on 21 July and 

18 August. 

22 Jul 

Africa Day 

Trentham Monkey Forest ST12 9HR 

www.monkey-forest.com 

10am-6pm Join us for Monkey Forest’s 

Africa Day! We’ll be joined by the 

amazing ‘Save the Children’ charity 

who will be telling you all about the 

brilliant work they do across Africa. You 

can also get your face painted like your 

favourite African animal. We’ll also be 

joined by Chorus Choir. FREE entry. 

23 Jul – 31 Aug 

Bee Active 

Newcastle-under-Lyme School 

ST5 1LS 

Newcastle-under-Lyme College 

ST5 2GB 

Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews 

Academy ST3 3JD 

Oxhey First School ST8 7EB 

St Michaels First School ST15 8QB 

Northwood Stadium ST1 6PB 

Forsbrook Primary School ST11 9PW 

www.beeactive.co.uk 

Lots of different sports and exciting 

activities will be arranged every 

day based on the ages, ability and 

preferences of the children attending! 

Plus special one-day workshops 

including bike skills, laser tag and 

bootcamp, inflatables and circus skills. 

See website for option detail and 

dates for each venue. Holiday camps 

prices vary depending on the date and 

time booked, check online for more 

details. 

24 Jul – 26 Jul 

Craft Activity- Balloon Owls 




10:30am-12:30pm and 1:15 –3pm Make 

your own owl from aballoon. Price 

£1.50. Drop in. 

Saxons at the Castle 



11:30am-4pm Come and find out what 

life was like for those living in Tamworth 

during Saxon times. Try your hand at 

archaeology, learn about the warrior 

princess Aethelflaed and Saxon battle 

tactics and see if you can solve our runic 

puzzles! Price: adults £7.50, children (5- 

15) £5, ages 2-4 £3, under 2s free. 

24 Jul – 31 Aug 

ASM Sports 

Thursfield Primary School ST7 4JL 

Reginald Mitchell Primary School 

ST7 1LY 

Excalibur Primary School ST7 2RQ 

Ash Green Primary Academy ST4 8BX 

Westwood College ST13 8NP 

Porthill Cricket Club ST5 0HU 

Sandon Primary Academy ST3 7AN 

St Gregory’s Catholic Academy ST3 2QN 

Knypersley First School ST8 6NN 

South Moorlands Leisure Centre 

ST10 1HJ 

Madeley High School CW3 9JJ 

Sandbach United Football Club 

CW11 3LZ 

www.asmsports.co.uk 

Sports include: archery, athletics, 

badminton, basketball, boxercise, 

cricket, dodgeball, dance, extreme golf, 

football, fencing, gymnastics, handball, 

hockey, kurling, lacrosse, netball, 

orienteering, rounders and more. 

Also, special events include: laser tag, 

inflatables, magician circus skills and 

more. Price: full day £15. For more 

details and price options see online. 

Attend Sport 

Blurton Community Hub ST3 3JT 

The Hub ST6 6QS. 

NEW - Two fun filled multisport/fun 

and games sessions this summer 

holidays. No need to book in advance, 

you can just turn up and have fun! 

Blurton Community Hub every 

Tuesday 1pm-3pm for ages 3-12 years 

and The Hub every Friday 4pm-6pm 

for ages 3-10 years. 

E: enquiries@attendsport.co.uk 

Holiday Outdoor Activity Days 


WSJJ 


Monday to Friday from 9.00am until 

4.00pm, suitable for ages 8+. Each 

day includes arange of adventurous 

activities under full supervision, led by 

their experienced activities team. 

25 Jul 

Dinosaurs vFairies Children’s Trail 

Himley Hall DY3 4DF 

www.himleyhallandpark.co.uk 

11am-3pm Join us for our dinosaurs vs 

fairies children’s trail this summer! 

Summer Reading Event 



11am Don’t forget to read over the 

summer holidays! We will be joined 

by reading charity Beanstalk to help 

encourage your little ones to carry on 

reading during the summer holidays. 

Summer Craft Activity – Peg 

Potters 

Gladstone Pottery Museum ST3 1PQ 

www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

11am-4pm Make your own peg pottery 

worker to take home with you in our 

drop-in craft workshop. Suitable for all 

ages, price included with admission. 

25 Jul – 29 Aug 

Ski Camps 

Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard 

Centre DE11 8LP 

www.jnlswadlincote.co.uk 

For the best entertainment during 

holidays, come to our Ski and 

Snowboard Camps at the Swadincote 

Ski and Snowboard Centre. 

Your children (aged 8-16) will learn 

and develop their skiing, getting plenty 

of exercise and making new friends. 

Parents are welcome to book onto our 

camps along with their children. See 

online for more info. 

26 Jul – 30 Aug 

Summer Fun Thursdays 

Samuel Johnson Birthplace 

Museum WS13 6LG 

www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org. 

uk 

11am and 2pm Travel the world with 

hands-on family craft activities, a 

different activity on the theme of 

exploration and discovery every week. 

Every Thursday in the school holidays: 

26 July, 2August, 9August, 16 August, 

23 August, and 30 August. Price £2. 

Booking advised. 

Wildfamilies 

Trentham Gardens ST4 8JG 

www.trentham.co.uk 

10am-4pm Wildfamilies at Trentham 

is adrop-in session with Staffordshire 

Wildlife Trust, every Thursday during 

the summer school holidays. Aimed 

at engaging you and your children in 

nature through arange of wondrous 

activities. Each session there will be a 

trail, natural craft and hands on wildlife 

discovery. Suitable for all ages, free 

with garden admission. 

Snowboard Camps 

Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard 

Centre DE11 8LP 

www.jnlswadlincote.co.uk 

For the best entertainment during 

holidays, come to our Ski and 

Snowboard Camps at the Swadincote 

Ski and Snowboard Centre. 

Your children (aged 8-16) will learn 

and develop their snow boarding, 

getting plenty of exercise and making 

new friends. Parents are welcome to 

book onto our camps along with their 

children. See online for more info. 

27 Jul – 29 Jul 

Middle Of Nowhere Music Festival 


www.monmusicfestival.co.uk 

Packed with fun for the whole family, 

the festival offers afantastic mix 

of blues, rock, country and more, 

alongside awarm, friendly welcome to 

all. T: 01785 330757. 

10 



FUN ACTIVITY DAYS 

ThemePark 

Resorts 

Enjoy Theme Park Fun And Much 

More With Great Value Stay &Play 

Packages In Family Friendly, Award 

Winning, Themed Accommodation 

At All Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts! 

£26pp 

Book 2 places 

on same day 

for £20pp 

T: 01283 217200 

OpenFarm, Farm Shop &Tea Room 

ATruly Unique OpenFarm Experience 

Open Farm... 

Feed the animals, tractor 

and trailer rides Saturdays 

& School Holidays, play area, 

and much more! 

School Visits and Birthday Parties available 

Farm Shop...Sellingp 

a full range of fresh 

local produce & free range eggs. 

Tea Room...Serving hot & cold drinks, light 

lunches and delicious home-made cakes! 

Check our website for opening times, school holiday special events and prices. 

FREE ENTRY for 1 person with thisvoucher when accompanied by 

a paying visitor! (This cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer) 

Highfields Happy Hens, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derby DE65 6LS 

Tel:01283 735063 www.highfieldshappyhens.co.uk 

Short Breaks, 

Theme Park 

Resorts 

ThemePark 

Entry Included! 

Award Winning 

Experiences! 

Save 

20% 

2 

On Stay 

Stay & 

Play Dates! 

Giant Adventures! 

Fantastic Themed 

Rooms! 

*Book online using code: PRT20 for the Adventurers Village, Milton 

Keynes and the Explorers Retreat, Matlock Bath. Call 

01925 444 888 and quote code for The Gulliver’s Hotel, Warrington. 

Valid on Stay and Play rates every Sunday-Thursday from 07.07.18 -03.09.18. Excluding 26.08.18. 

WWW.GULLIVERSFUN.CO.UK/SHORT-BREAKS 

Warrington, WA59YZ Milton Keynes, MK15 0DT Matlock Bath, DE4 3PG 

SAVINGS... 

SIZZLING DEALS •HOT OFFERS •COOL PRICE 

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THE HOTTEST DEAL AROUND.... 

ICE SKATING, BOWLING, POPCORN AND DRINK ALONG WITH 

A MOVIE PLUS A PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA MEAL DEAL! 

lEARN TO SKATE 

JOIN OUR INTENSE LEARN TO SKATE 

LESSONS. AVAILABLE IN 3 OR 5 DAYS! 

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£24.40 

TO CLAIM THIS OFFER PLEASE BRING IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT 

MORE INFORMATION AT WWW.CINEBOWL-ISKATE.CO.UK

PRIMARY TIMES EXCLUSIVE 


Summer of Fun on the Farm 

Farmer Ray and his family welcome 

visitors to Lower Drayton Farm, 

their 600 acre working farm near 

Penkridge, the perfect place to 

while away a long summer day 

in the great British countryside 

with the kids. Activities include a 

summer Maize Maze and nature 

trail, farm trailer ride, lots of friendly 

animals to meet, and an adventure 

playground with zipwire and grass 

toboggans. Each week of the school 

summer holidays there will also 

be themed activities starting with 

Sheep week from 21 July, then 

Scarecrows, Pigs, Mini farmer, All 

Creatures Great & Small, and for the 

final week of the holidays - Little 

Farmers’ Club ‘Chicken week’ from 

22 to 31 August. See our What’s on 

Where guide for more information 

about each week. 

Summ 

Treat Them to aSummer to 

Remember 

This year the National Memorial 

Arboretum will be hosting a wide 

range of fascinating events and 

activities commemorating the 

end of the First World War, and 

celebrating the contribution of the 

Royal Air Force over the last 100 

years. 

A series of fun family activities 

such as British Pathé RAF film 

showings, RAF costumed 

interpreters and even a Replica Mark 

IX Spitfire will be on site to celebrate 

RAF 100. In addition there will be 

replica 1940s War Room installations, 

where visitors can enjoy an 

immersive experience as they enter 

the living and working conditions of 

the RAF during the 1940s. 

Throughout the summer 

holidays younger visitors can 

enjoy discovering the stories 

behind a variety of First World War 

characters using the Arboretum’s 

WWI Thank You Children’s 

Backpacks, or alternatively why not 

take a walk through the exhibition, 

Thank You: Legacies of War. This 

free exhibition examines some of 

the everyday items that can trace 

their development back to the First 

World War, and the impact this had 

both then and into the future. 

These activities will be available 

on selected dates throughout the 

summer, please visit the National 

Memorial Arboretum’s website for 

further details. www.thnma.org.uk 

Holiday Outdoor Activity Days 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity Centre will be running their Holiday 

Activity Days throughout the summer holidays, Monday to Friday from 

9.00am until 4.00pm, suitable for ages 8+. Each day includes a range of 

adventurous activities under full supervision, led by their experienced 

activities team. Families can enjoy a one or two night camping break on 

the Beaudesert Park Estate 17 or 31 August for £8 per own tent per night. 

For information and to book visit www.beaudesert.org.uk 

Fun Activity Days onthe Snow 

At Swadlincote Ski & Snowboard 

Centre children can spend a 

whole day having fun during 

the school holidays trying out 

different activities on the snow. 

The Activity Day includes a one 

hour Ski or Snowboard Lesson, 

Sno-Tubing, tobogganing and 

a hot meal for £26 per day or 2 

places for £40, suitable for ages 

8+ unless accompanied by an 

adult. Call 01283 217200 to book 

a place 

wwww.jnlswadlincote.co.uk 

NEWSummer Holiday Sessions 

Attend Sport are pleased to be 

offering two fantastic fun filled 

multisport/fun and games sessions 

this summer holidays. No need to 

book in advance, you can just turn up 

and have fun! Sessions available at: 

Blurton Community Hub (ST3 3JT) 

– every Tuesday 1pm-3pm for ages 

3-12 years. 

The Hub (ST6 6QS) – every Friday 

4pm-6pm for ages 3-10 years. 

For information on these sessions 

and the other great things Attend 

Sport have going on contact 

enquiries@attendsport.co.uk or find 

them on Facebook and Twitter. 

Bee-rilliant Summer ! 

Join the fun and games with the 

bee-rilliant Bee Active Summer of 

sports holiday clubs, amazing trips 

and exciting activities! 

Try a huge variety of sports and 

exciting activities every day at the 

areas only Ofsted registered School 

Holiday Sports Clubs! Open to 

children aged between 4 -12 years 

old, Bee Active offer children the 

chance to develop skills, try new 

sports and have fun in a safe 

and relaxed environment whilst 

under the supervision of our team 

of trusted, qualified and friendly 

coaches. 

With 9 Ofsted registered venues 

across the area and flexible 

booking options, Bee Active are 

the areas number 1 rated school 

holiday sports club - see what 

other parents say on our Facebook 

reviews - search ‘Bee Active’. 

Choose a venue and book now 

at: www.beeactive.co.uk or call: 

01782 205 915 

12 



er fun 

Time To Harness Your Inner Ninja 

TruNinja is arevolutionary new 

indoor adventure Park in Stoke 

and Warrington that delivers atrue 

taste of challenge and excitement 

for all ages and abilities. TruNinja 

brings fun, fitness and adventure 

together for a heart pumping good 

time! You’ll be able to tackle ahuge 

selection of Ninja obstacles offering 

various difficulty levels so it’s easy 

to progress at your own speed. 

With music, disco lighting and 

Japanese inspired surroundings 

you’ll be transported to another 

world complete with Monkey Bars, 

Balance Beams, Netting, Warped 

Walls, Foam Pits, Airbags, Hang 

Tough and much more. TruNinja 

also offers parties, toddler sessions 

for the under 5’s and, after all the 

energetic fun, awelcoming café 

where you can relax and enjoy a 

well-earned snack. 

www.truninja.co.uk 


August Bank Holiday Family 

Fun Weekend 

Loads of family fun this August Bank Holiday at the National Brewery 

Centre’s Family Fun Weekend, Sunday 26th and Monday 27th August. 

There will be awide variety of activities on offer including insane 

inflatables for both children & adults, bouncy castles, rodeo bull, assault 

course, bouncy boxing, bungee run, and gladiator duel. Plus! guided 

treasure trail, shire horses &vintage vehicles, crafts & activities, FREE 

museum entry, carvery, BBQ & Ice cream parlour, tuck shop, tea & cakes. 

And to add to the fun, this year’s spotlight shows will be the fantastic 

Sooty’s 70th Anniversary Bake Off show on the 26th and Rastamouse on 

the 27th. There will be three 25 minute shows each day – preceded by a 

20 minute Magic Show starring Dave Oakley. Show times will be at 11am, 

1pm and 3pm. 

Tickets £6 adult or child. Family of four £20. Entrance to both shows 

is included in the ticket price, but a small extra charge may apply to 

some of the other activities. Book now on line at 

www.nationalbrewerycentre.co.ukww.nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk or call 01283 532 880 

PRIMARY TIMES EXCLUSIVE 

Monster Vacation at Gulliver’s 

See the characters of Hotel 

Transylvania 3: AMonster Vacation at 

Gulliver’s Theme Parks this summer. 

Gulliver’s are gearing up for a summer 

of monster fun; use the voucher in this 

magazine for £59 family theme park 

entry (see voucher for details). 

Book a summer staycation with 

a choice of three resorts and lots of 

themed accommodation. Use the 

discount code in this edition and 

save even more on your stay and 

play package. Gulliver’s short breaks 

are ideal for families looking for a 

great value holiday. Choose from 

Gulliver’s Warrington, Matlock Bath 

and Milton Keynes. 


Escape Maize Maze atthe National 

Forest Adventure Farm. 

A visit to the National Forest Adventure 

Farm offers exciting indoor fun, 

outdoor adventure and farm animals. 

This summer you can also take on 

the world’s first Escape Maize Maze!. 

To prove yourself as the next top 

spy you need to graduate Agent 

Academy. Solve aseries of mental and 

physical challenges to collect the lock 

combination you need to escape the 

maize maze. You’ll navigate 3miles of 

paths, bridges and viewing towers to 

find your way out! For younger agents 

there is also amini maze where you 

can free the Farm’s animals that have 

been kidnapped by an evil mastermind 

and need rescuing! Maize Maze is 

open from 14 July to 3September. 


T: 01283 533 933 

Fun Packed Summer Sports Clubs 

ASM Sports will be running Sports 

Clubs from 30 July to 30 August for 

boys and girls between 4-12 years at 

various locations across Staffordshire. 

The clubs will offer children the 

chance to take part in lots of different 

sports and special activities, learn 

new skills, develop friendships and 

have plenty of fun during the summer 

holidays. 

For more details, locations and 

prices visit www.asmsports.co.uk 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | SUMMER 2018 13



Inspire them… 

to read all summer 

Avoiding ‘Summer BrainDrain’and 

maintainingliteracylevelsinthe holidays 

Summer is atime for 

children to relax, get 

outdoors and take a 

break from school. However, 

many parents are aware that a 

summer without reading can be 

detrimental to achild’s literacy, 

and the terms ‘summer slide’ and 

‘summer brain drain’ are widely 

accepted in education. 

Yetwhat if your child refuses 

to read? “Make them” Ihear 

an authoritarian voice cry! The 

problem with such astrategy is 

that it is unlikely to be successful 

in the long term and at worst 

turns reading into apunishment. 

The key is to get achild ‘reading 

for pleasure’ which by definition 

from the National Literacy Trust 

implies ‘reading of their own free 

will, anticipating the satisfaction 

they will get from reading.’ 

So how can we bring about 

achange in the reading 

Did you know? 

Reading for pleasure ismore 

important for children’s cognitive 

development than their parents’ level 

of education and more a powerful 

factor in life achievement than 

socio-economic background – 

source: The Reading Agency. 

habits of children who refuse 

to pick up abook? Change 

happens, in my opinion and 

having spent several years 

working with children who 

struggle with literacy, when there 

is achange in their perception of 

reading. In the words of Albert 

Einstein: “The world as we have 

created it is aprocess of our 

thinking. It can’t bechanged 

without changing our thinking.” 

Here’s how you can try to 

change that perception: 

Encourage joy 

Create an environment full of 

meaningful resources that are 

welcoming to aspecific child, 

encouraging them to delve 

further. “Idon’t like books” and 

“reading is boring” are common 

phrases Ihear as aLiteracy and 

Dyslexia Intervention Specialist. 

What is it they enjoy doing? 

When achild has reached 

the point of refusing to 

read it isn’t about what 

they are reading, it is 

about getting them to 

start the process of 

reading –magazines, 

comics, movie reviews, 

football cards, fact books 

– praise any ofthose 

toencouragethejoy 

thatcancomefromthe 

writtenword. 

Reading is not arace 

Even from ayoung age children are 

acutely aware ifthey are different 

and they will likely give up or not 

try 

if they feel they have already 

lost the race. Reinforcing with a 

child that reading is not arace 

is crucial. Areportrt published by 

the Department of Education on 

Reading for Pleasure noted that 

akey reason children don’t read 

relates to how it makes them 

feel. The tortoise and the hare 

approach is perfect here: focus 

on the progress your child makes, 

whatever the speed. Concentrate 

less on how well the child is reading 

but more onfostering an enjoyment 

of it. Any progress is positive and 

needs to be encouraged with praise 

and rewards. 

Targeted rewards 

Iamafirm believer in the use of 

incentives for children who are 

struggling to read. Most children 

respond well to this approach 

and rewards don’t have tocost 

anything. Achild once told me 

that the best reward would be 

if his Dad played football with 

him after school on the days he 

read. There isevidence to show 

that literacy targeted rewards can 

work well in fostering the reading 

for pleasure goal. Whatever the 

carrot, I say dangle it and feel no 

shame doing so. 

NATIONAL 

READING 

SCHEME 

With the expense of summer, 

parents may be wary of 

stocking up on books at home. 

This is where the Reading 

Agency with its National 

Reading Scheme supporting 

literacy, the Summer Reading 

Challenge, comes in. 

Set up in 1999 this program 

works with local libraries to 

encourage summer reading 

among children aged 4to11. 

The success of this program 

is evident with over 82% of 

parents/carers reporting that 

their child was encouraged to 

read more during the summer. 

An outward mindset 

Studies into change have 

typically shown that permanent 

change happens when the 

individual ‘thinks outwards 

towards others’. Encouraging 

your child to have an outward 

mindset, seeing beyond 

themselves, can foster reading 

for pleasure. Asking your child to 

read to apet, afavourite toy or 

afamily member can encourage 

them to think outside their own 

needs when it comes to reading. 

Set attainable targets… 

…only then will children develop 

confidence in themselves and 

their abilities, and gain trust in 

themselves. Setting atarget of 

“I’d like you to read to me for 

aminimum of five minutes and 

amaximum of 15 minutes” is a 

good target for achild struggling 

to pick up abook. Motivating 

them to start 

can be as simple as 

“I’ll count down from five.” 

By Juliette Laliberte 

(BSc. Hons, PGCE (SpLD), 

QTS, ATS, PATOSS) 

Juliette is themother of a 

childdiagnosed with 

dyslexia and a classroom teacher 

with over 15 years’ experience. 

She specialises in literacy and 

dyslexia, and was named 

Teaching Support of the Year 

2017 by the British Dyslexia 

Association (BDA). 

Contact your local libraryor 

email info@readingagency.org.uk 

forfurther information 

14 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




27 Jul – 31 Aug 

Time 4Sport Kids Club 

Trentham Gardens ST4 8JG 

www.trentham.co.uk 

8:30am-3:30pm Action packed 

multi-sport outdoor adventure days 

at Trentham Gardens Time 4Sport 

sessions are the perfect way for 

your children to enjoy the outdoors, 

have fun, stay fit, be safe, make new 

friends and learn during the school 

holidays. These sessions are great for 

children with working parents. Open 

for children aged 5-13. £20 per child 

per day. 

28 Jul 

Kings Bromley Show 

Kings Bromley Showground DE13 

7JF 

www.kingsbromleyshow.co.uk 

9:30am Funfair, craft fair with 

demonstrations, food fair, refreshment 

and trade stands. Children’s Races, 

Competitive marquee with displays of 

art, crafts, cookery, floral art, flowers, 

fruit, photography, vegetables, 

woodworking, and young crafts. 

Treasured vehicle display. Ringside 

entertainment. Animals including 

horses, llamas, birds of prey, sheep, 

ponies, dogs and awildlife display. 

Adults £6, Child £3, under 5’s go free. T: 

07766 316316 


Scarecrows week 



Learn all about scarecrows and what 

they’re for then have agoat making 

your own paper scarecrow in the 

craft room. When you’re done, hop 

on the farm trailer ride to learn what’s 

happening on the farm during summer, 

take on the Maize Maze, let off steam 

on the adventure playground, stroll 

around the nature trail and look at all 

our friendly animals. 

29 Jul 

International Tiger Day 

Drayton Manor Park B78 3TW 

www.draytonmanor.co.uk 

We will be hosting awhole load of 

Tiger-tastic activities as we help raise 

money for ‘WildCats Conservation 

Alliance’ who’s aim is to conserve 

Tigers in the wild. We are very proud 

that Drayton Manor Zoo is home to 

two wonderful critically endangered 

Sumatran Tigers called Dua and Dora. 

30 Jul 

Meet Tiny the Dinosaur 




Come and meet Tiny, a125 million 

years young dinosaur brought to 

life by the wonders of modern 

science. You can pet her, feed her 

and talk to her in dinosaur language. 

Our dinosaur is accompanied by a 

palaeontologist who presents alively 

and informative natural history show 

in which audiences are encouraged 

to share their knowledge of dinosaurs 

and to come up with some scientific 

theories of their own. FREE. Suitable 

for all ages. 


Craft Activity- Clay Bugs 




10:30am-12.30pm and 1:15-3pm Go 

creative and make your very own 

wacky bug with clay, pipe cleaners 

and wiggly eyes. Drop in. Price £1.50. 

Suitable for under 10s. 

Medieval Living History 



11:30am-4pm Discover what life was 

like for the Medieval Castle Household 

characters. Visit Lady Freville to learn 

about the types of activities that would 

fill her days. Encounter the laundress 

and help her prepare clothes for 

washing the Medieval way. Don’t forget 

to look in on the Armourer, find out how 

chain maille was made, and discover 

the different types and use of, Medieval 

weapons! Price: adults £7.50, children 

(5-15) £5, ages 2-4 £3, under 2s free. 

1 Aug – 2 1 Aug 

August Summer Fun 

Stafford Castle ST16 1DJ 

www.staffordmuseums.co.uk/events 

1:30-3:30pm Wednesdays (ages 5-7), 

Thursdays (ages 8-12). Children’s 

summer holiday workshops at Stafford 

Castle. £5 per session. Booking 

essential. T: 01785 257698. 

1 Aug – 2 4 Aug 

Dance Summer School 

AJ Centre for Dance WS15 2LF 

www.facebook.com/ 

ajcentrefordance 

9am-12pm and 1-4pm Mini 

performance at the end of each week. 

£10 for a single session, £20 for a 

double session. T: 07923400476. 

1 Aug – 2 9 Aug 

Discovery Day 

Staffordshire Regimental Museum 

WS14 9PY 

www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com 

10am-4pm Handle weapons, as featured 

in movies such as ‘Zulu’, ‘Where Eagles 

Dare’ and ‘A Bridge too Far’ and try on 

uniforms too. WWI personnel will be 

on hand to guide you around the full 

size trench system, and learn about 

a soldier’s existence on the Western 

Front. Event takes place on 1, 15, and 29 

August. Price: adults £5, concessions £4. 

1 Aug – 3 0 Aug 

August Holiday Trail 




Help Ozzy Owl find 12 items from 

around the museum to take on holiday. 

£1 per trail and includes afree pencil. 

Suitable for children under 10. 

4 Aug – 5 Aug 

AstleyFest 

Lyme Valley Park ST4 6PJ 

www.philipastley.org.uk 

AstleyFest is aFREE and fabulous fun day 

out that brings Astley’s astounding life to 

life. Expect to be dazzled with arange of 

daring talent ‘entering the ring’ including 

circus performances, horse shows, military 

displays, hands-on activities, and much 

more. There will be atasty range of food 

stalls and stacks of fun ways to find out 

more about Philip Astley. 

4 Aug – 1 0 Aug 

Pigs week 



Wellies will be essential, even in 

blazing sunshine, as you get to see our 

lovely pigs, Dave and Lucy, get good 

wash (water gets EVERYWHERE)! 

You’ll also learn all about what pigs eat 

before making a‘pig portrait’ to take 

home. 

4 Aug – 1 1 Aug 

Splash Summer Camp 


WS15 4JJ 

www.beaudesert.org 

Splash is our mini jamboree camp. 

A week packed with activities 

including rafting, coracling, high ropes, 

tomahawk throwing and zip wire, 

competitions, social opportunities 

with the other groups, off site walk on 

Cannock Chase, campfire, evening 

activities and an optional day out 

(additional cost). £80 per person 

includes activities and camp fees, or a 

day visit (on any day) for £22. For more 

price options see online. 

5 Aug 

Summer Family Day 

Museum Of Cannock Chase WS12 

1TD 


12-4pm Face painting, art and craft 

activities, willow weaving, Punch and 

Judy shows, stalls and displays, special 

gallery openings, hot food available, 

picnic areas, free vintage bus rides, 

fun, games and more! FREE. Suitable 

for all ages. 

Summer Family Day 

Museum Of Cannock Chase WS12 

1TD 


12-4pm Join us for our annual summer 

family day - FREE entry. There will be 

face painting, art and craft activities, 

willow weaving, Punch and Judy 

shows, stalls and displays, special 

gallery openings, hot food available, 

picnic areas, free vintage bus rides, 

fun, games and more! 

Classic Car Show 



11am-5pm Aclassic car treat and 

vintage fun for all the family. Classic, 

vintage and collectors cars on display, 

with trophies awarded for best car in 

class. With children’s games, quizzes 

and activities. See the motor museum 

in miniature display, vintage cycles, 

auto mart and craft stalls. FREE 

admission. Car Park £3. 

Super Heroes Afternoon Tea 




12:30pm Enjoy an Afternoon Tea in the 

company of some of your favourite 

Super Heroes. Dress for the occasion 

and bring along your own super 

powers for this ‘out of this world’ 

experience. Suitable for all ages. 

Price: children £8, adults £10. Booking 

essential. T: 01782 232323. 


Craft Activity- Jumpy Frog 




10:30am-12.30pm and 1:15-3pm Make a 

jumping frog with moving legs. Drop in. 

Price £1.50. Suitable for all ages. 

Georgian Living History 



11:30am-4pm Have fun exploring the 

pastimes of Georgian children and 

discover the toys they would have 

played with. It’s the age of invention, 

so help Lord Townsend with his 

experiments in the revolutionary art of 

science, then seek out the Lady’s maid 

to have agoat Georgian dancing and 

etiquette. Price: adults £7.50, children 

(5-15) £5, ages 2-4 £3, under 2s free. 

10 Aug 

Silk Painted Bottle Oven Cards 



11:30am-3:30pm Try painting on silk 

to create you very own bottle oven 

card to take home. Price included with 

museum admission and suitable for all 

ages and abilities. 

11 Aug 

Bumblebee Safari 



12-2pm Join us for a guided Bee walk 

around astunning Wolseley grounds 

with local bee expert and enthusiast, 

Ron Rock. All monies raised will 

go towards Bee Conservation and 

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Booking 

essential. Price: adults £5, children 

FREE. 

Squawk 




11am Meet adventurer Captain Jon 

Voyage and his avian amigos, two 

vibrant birds in all the colours of the 

rainbow. Help them explore their 

surroundings and marvel at their exotic 

beauty. Also meet some real animals 

and birds including colourful Macaw 

parrots. FREE. Suitable for all ages. 

11 Aug – 1 2 Aug 

Teddy Bears Outing 

Apedale Valley Country Park ST5 

7LB 

www.avlr.org.uk 

11:30am-4pm Steam trains run 

11:30am-4pm. Standard fares apply. 

Kids travel for free if they bring afurry 

friend! T: 0845 094 1953. 

11 Aug – 1 7 Aug 

Mini farmer week 



Pull on your wellies and become amini 

farmer for the day at Lower Drayton 

Farm –follow the information trail 

around all the different animals on the 

fun farm and test what you’ve learnt by 

answering questions on the quiz sheet. 

You can then draw your favourite 

animal to add to our ‘big farm’ picture 

in the craft room. 

16 



info@beaudesert.org.uk 

beaudesert.org.uk 

01543 682278 

Get the kids outdoors this summer! 

Holiday Activity Club 

Teddy Bears Trail and Picnic 

Adventure Birthday Parties 

Mini Rangers Preschool Adventure 

Calling all LOCAL 

businesses 

Reach 42,000 Staffordshire families 

with an advert in this magazine 

• Back to School issue -5September advert deadline 20 Aug 

• October half-term issue -15October advert deadline 1Oct 

• Festive Winter issue -26November advert deadline 12 Nov 

Call Carolyn on 01332 416131 or 01491 411848 

Email: Carolyn.wright@primarytimes.co.uk 

Dance classes in a professional dance 

studio with sprung floor for ages 4-17 in 

Contemporary, Jazz and Urban. 

plus 

Tiny’s Dance for age 2-3. 

Adult Classes in all genres & Gentle 

Dance for over 50s. 

*August Summer Schools available* 

contact us to book your space. 

T: 07923400476 E: 

ajcentrefordance@gmail.com 

facebook @ajcentrefordance 

STUDIO 5 

STAGE SCHOOL 

Tuition from 2 1 /2 years 

of age in: 

Ballet ● Tap ● Modern Jazz 

● Acrobatics 

● Adult Ballet ● Adult Tap 

NEW TOTS CLASSES WEDNESDAYS 

4.30-5PM/SATURDAYS 9.15-10AM 

Our students train towards: 

Theatre productions ● 

Examinations ● Competitions 

For more information call Heather Peskett 

01889 584387 

Brewery Street, Rugeley, Staffs 

www.studio5stageschool 

Summer 

at Shakespeare’s FAMILY HOMES 

From garden games and craft 

activities to outdoor theatre 

and picnic celebrations there’s 

plenty to do this summer. 

For full details of our summer programme 

visit Shakespeare.org.uk 

BOOK ONLINE SAVE 10% 

12 MONTHS FREE 

WITH EVERY TICKET



14 Aug – 1 6 Aug 

Craft Activity- Slipware Tiles 




10:30am-12.30pm and 1:15-3pm Make a 

clay tile and decorate it with slip. Drop 

in. Price £1.50. Suitable for under 10s. 

14 Aug – 2 3 Aug 

WWI 



11:30am-4pm Come and join us as we 

commemorate the centenary of the 

end of World War I. Find out if you 

would have been medically fit to join 

the soldiers on the front line, learn 

about war time communications, have 

a go at decoding secret messages and 

spend time playing with the games 

and toys that kept children amused 

during WWI. Price: adults £7.50, 

children (5-15) £5, ages 2-4 £3, under 

2s free. 

15 Aug 

History of the High House 

Ancient High House ST16 2JA 


10am-4pm Aguided tour of the 

Through the Eyes of a Child exhibition; 

with children’s workshops and 

dressing up costumes. FREE admission 

Print the Potteries 



11am-4pm Use avariety of printing 

techniques to print your own Potteries 

skyline complete with bottle ovens 

in our drop-in workshop. Suitable for 

all ages and included with museum 

admission. 

16 Aug 

Go Wild at Gladstone 



11am-3pm Take part in some 

adventurous activities with the 

Staffordshire Wildlife Trusts team. Try 

fire-lighting in asafe and supervised 

environment and make amilk bottle 

birdfeeder in our drop-in craft 

workshop. Suitable for all ages, price 

included with museum admission. 

16 Aug – 2 0 Aug 

Hands on Arms and Armour 



11am-4pm Try on armour and 

costumes from the medieval period. 

With guided tours of Stafford Castle’s 

Keep. FREE admission. No booking 

necessary. 

17 Aug – 1 Sep 

Family Camping Weekends 


WS15 4JJ 

www.beaudesert.org 

Come and stay at Beaudesert Outdoor 

Activity Centre and experience the 

amazing Beaudesert Park Estate for 

one or two nights during August. Only 

open to family groups. Own tents £8 

per person per night. Runs on 17 to 19 

August and 31 August to 1September. 

18 Aug 

August Wildlife Watch 


7AR 


10:30am-12:30pm From tiny insects 

to mammals and amphibious water 

loving creatures, the Arboretum is 

home to awide variety of wildlife, 

trees and flowers. Nature loving young 

visitors can discover more about just 

some of these amazing living things at 

our monthly interactive Wildlife Watch 

sessions. Parents must remain with 

their children at all times. £1.50 per 

child, advanced booking required 

18 Aug – 1 9 Aug 

The Pet Show 

Staffordshire County Showground 

ST18 0BD 

www.thepetshow.co.uk 

10am-5pm Bringing together all 

creatures great and small. Split into 

dedicated animal zones each one 

teaming with experts, meet and greet 

areas, live demonstrations, exciting 

displays and trade stands brimming 

with goodies for pets. Whether a 

pet owner, pet professional or pet 

enthusiast there’s something for 

everyone. Dog friendly so if you have a 

canine pal - bring them along! Booking 

recommended. T: 01625 352 055. 


All Creatures Great 

wand Small week 



This week, the trailer ride focus will be 

on all the different animals on the farm, 

including some of the its more unusual 

residents –namely the rheas, emus 

and llamas. You’ll also learn about 

the wildlife that calls the farm home 

and what Ray and his family do to 

encourage it, with the chance to take 

part in abug hunts and pond dipping 

sessions. 


The Pet Show 

Stafford Showground Ltd ST18 0BD 

www.thepetshow.co.uk 

The Pet Show brings together all 

creatures great and small. Split in to 

dedicated animal zones each one 

teaming with experts, meet and greet 

areas, live demonstrations, exciting 

displays and 

trade stands brimming with goodies 

for pets. Whether a pet owner, pet 

professional or pet enthusiast there’s 

something there for everyone, what’s 

more we’re dog friendly so if you have 

a canine pal – bring them along! 

19 Aug 

Zoo2U Day 



11:30am-4:30pm Zoo2u are bringing 

the zoo to you! Join us on as Zoo2u will 

be here with arange of animals for you 

to meet. 

22 Aug 

The Worst Jobs in Children’s History 



11am-4pm Working in apotbank 

amongst the bottle ovens was adifficult 

job for children but was it the worst job 

in children’s history? Meet our costumed 

characters and find out some of the 

horrible and dangerous jobs children 

used to do. Suitable for all ages, price 

included with museum admission. 

22 Aug – 3 1 Aug 

Little Farmers’ Club ‘Chicken week’ 



For the final week of the 2018 school 

summer holidays, Lower Drayton Farm 

will be celebrating chickens! Meet and 

hold some recently-hatched chicks, 

learn about chickens and make some 

eggstra-ordinary artwork to take home! 

24 Aug – 2 5 Aug 

The Big Feast Festival 2018 

Stoke-on-Trent city centre ST1 2LG 

www.appetitestoke.co.uk 

Prepare for another amazing August 

Bank Holiday weekend as our annual 

arts extravaganza The Big Feast 

returns once again to the streets of 

Stoke-on-Trent City Centre. This event 

takes place in various locations. FREE. 

25 Aug 

Bat Walk 

Fisherwick Lakes WS13 8QF 


8-10pm In conjunction with SE Bat 

Group, Lichfield Group host abat walk 

around Fisherwick Lakes. FREE event, 

suitable for all ages. 

26 Aug – 2 7 Aug 

Steaming Day 

Claymills Victorian Pumping Station 

DE13 0DA 

www.claymills.org.uk 

10am-5pm Join us on our August Bank 

Holiday steaming day! 

Bank Holiday Family Fun 

The National Brewery Centre DE14 

1NG 


10am-5pm Loads of family fun 

activities including arts and crafts, 

shire horse rides, face painting and 

much more. This year’s spotlight 

shows will be the fantastic Sooty’s 70th 

anniversary bake off show on the 26th 

and Rastamouse on the 27th. There 

will be three 25 minute shows each 

day – preceded by a 20 minute magic 

show starring Dave Oakley. Entrance 

to both shows is included in the ticket 

price. Show times will be at 11am, 1pm 

and 3pm. Tickets: £6, family £20. 

August Bank Holiday Family Fun Weekend 

The National Brewery Centre DE14 1NG 


11am Loads of family fun activities 

including arts and crafts, shire horse 

rides, face painting and much more. 

This year’s spotlight shows will be 

the fantastic Sooty’s 70th Anniversary 

Bake off show on the 26th and 

Rastamouse on the 27th. There will 

be three 25 minute shows each 

day, as well as insane inflatables for 

both children and adults. Plus much 

more! Tickets: £6, family £24. Booking 

required. T: 01283 532 880. 

28 Aug – 3 0 Aug 

Craft Activity- Clay Pinch Pot Owl 




10:30am-12:30pm and 1:15-3pm Make an 

owl pinch pot out of clay inspired by our 

own Ozzy Owl pot. Drop in. Price £1.50. 

Suitable for under 10s. 

29 Aug 

Bottle Oven Badge Making 



11am-4pm Celebrate the Annual Potteries 

Bottle Oven Day and create your own 

bottle oven badge to take home in our 

drop-in workshop. Suitable for all ages, 

price included with museum admission. 

1 Sep 

Lichfield Proms 

Beacon Park WS13 6QZ 

www.lichfielddc.gov.uk 

5:30pm Lichfield Proms is Lichfield 

District Council’s free annual outdoor 

concert that takes place in the beautiful 

surroundings of Beacon Park. The event 

brings thousands of people together 

from across the region to enjoy an 

evening of music, picnicking and a 

firework finale. 

Wildlife Watch 



10:30am-12:30pm Wildlife Watch is the 

junior branch of The Wildlife Trusts and 

the UK’s leading environmental action 

club for children and families. Aimed at 

ages 5-13s. Please ensure your children 

are dressed in appropriate clothing 

with sturdy shoes. This club takes place 

on the first Saturday of each month, 

excluding August. Price: £1 per child. 

Booking required. T: 01889 562653. 

We Love Tamworth 2018 

Tamworth Castle Grounds B79 7NA 


11am- 4pm We Love Tamworth is back, 

boasting fairground rides, stalls, games, 

inflatables, adog show and much more! 

There will also be adedicated Children’s 

Zone featuring walkabout characters, 

inflatables, face painting, craft activities 

and more. Price: children £3, adults free. 

Superhero Summer Finale 

Gulliver’s World WA5 9YZ 


To celebrate another magical summer 

season here at Gulliver’s Theme Parks 

we have aspectacular event that both 

adults and children will love. The day will 

be filled with superhero fun, look out for 

superhero skills, superhero olympics, 

special shows and entertainment, and a 

fancy dress competitions. 

Superhero Summer Finale 

Gulliver’s Kingdom DE4 3PG 


To celebrate another magical summer 

season here at Gulliver’s Theme Parks 

we have aspectacular event that both 

adults and children will love. The day will 

be filled with superhero fun, look out for 

superhero skills, superhero olympics, 

special shows and entertainment, and a 

fancy dress competitions. 

1 Sep – 2 Sep 

Woodland Trust Weekend 



10am-6pm The Woodland Trust will be 

here with an array of woodland activities. 

18 



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WOLVERHAMPTON 

499 StaffordRd, 

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TEL :01902 783 388 

/MMWolverhampton 

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DE14 3QW 

Tel:01283 500 222 

/WingWahBurton 

WOLVERHAMPTON BRANCH ONLY 

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WING WAH 

CHINESE RESTAURANT 

COVENTRY 

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Highway, Coventry 

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Tel:0247669 1818

Run free and wild 

this summer 

Kicking off your shoes to splash through a stream. Gathering sticks to 

build a den in beautiful, hazy woodland. Racing, skipping, dancing through 

wild green meadows. Whatever you do this summer at the National Trust, 

your visit will help us look after special places for ever, for everyone. 

And even if the sunshine doesn’t last, the memories most certainly will. 

• Calke Abbey • Dovedale and Ilam Park • Kedleston Hall 

• Sudbury Hall & the Museum of Childhood • Stoneywell 

• Hardwick • Longshaw 

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. 

The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust 2018. Photography © National Trust Images.

0231513 

TICKET 

Lichfield Cathedral WS13 7LD 

www.lichfield-cathedral.org 

11 Jul 

TICKET 

The Owl Who Was Afraid 

Of The Dark 

1:30pm Riverside Performing Arts 

presents Jill Tomlinson’s classic tale. 

Filled with song, puppetry, dance 

and laughter, this touching story is 

beautifully adapted for the stage. 

The Owl who is Afraid of the Dark 

encourages children to be conquerors, 

is guaranteed to raise asmile, and will 

calm the biggest fears. Age guide 3+. 


Once Upon AMattress 

7:30pm If you thought you knew the 

story of Hans Christian Andersen’s 

famous fairy tale, The Princess and the 

Pea, you might be in for a big surprise! 

Tickets: £13.50-£17.50. T: 01543 412121. 

6 Aug – 1 1 Aug 

Lichfield Cathedral Film Festival 

We’re bringing the outdoor cinema 

experience inside Lichfield Cathedral, 

complete with astro-turf! Bring your 

chairs, blankets and picnic, and enjoy 

a week-long evening film festival 

celebrating kids classics and war 

themed films. The family-friendly nights 

are: Sing Along: The Sound of Music 

(8 August), Peter Pan (9 August), Mary 

Poppins (10 August), and War Horse 

(12A, 11 August). Tickets £5 (£4 for Early 

Birds). 

New Vic Theatre, ST5 0JG T5 0JG 

www.newvictheatre.org.uk 


Astley’s Astounding Adventures 

7:30pm and 2:15pm Filled with fastpaced 

action, humour, gripping drama 

and breathtaking circus spectacle, a 

large cast featuring faces familiar and 

new will bring to life this bold, colourful 

celebration of circus. 

Tickets: £14.50- £24. 

18 Jul – 27 Jul 

ICKEBoxOffice 

0231512 

Cabinet of Curiosities 

Various times A playful circus adventure 

for young children and their families. 

The circus show is about to begin, but 

one of the performers has lost her head 

for heights. Filled with courage and 

determination, she’s setting off to find it. 

Asking everyone she meets along the 

way if they’ve seen what she’s looking 

for, can they help her find what she’s 

lost? Tickets £7.50. T: 01782 717962. 

Your family theatre guide... 

27 Jul – 28 Jul 

Voalá Station 

8:30pm Four businessmen miss the 

last train, a mysterious homeless 

woman gives them a flower. The 

flower’s powerful potion creates a 

spellbinding night full of seductive 

sirens, surreal action and an amazing 

show of aerial performance with live 

music unfolds against the evening 

sky! Tickets from £8.95, under 3s and 

carers go free. 

4 Aug 

Roll Up, Roll Up 

1pm and 3pm Roll up, Roll up is a 

heartwarming story about following 

your dreams and believing in yourself. 

Performed by a community company 

and choir, this fun, vibrant play will 

take families of all ages on ajourney 

to celebrate the wonder of circus with 

laughter, song and characters that you’ll 

fall in love with! FREE. 

The Brewhouse Arts Centre DE14 

1AA 


6 - 7 ,13 - 1 4 and 20 - 2 1 

August. 

Why Don’t You? (Make aTVShow) This 

summer young people aged 7+ have 

the opportunity to create their own 

children’s TV show! Why Don’t You? is 

a tv program with young people taking 

the lead in designing, making and 

presenting their own segments. If you 

are budding presenter, actor, musician, 

dancer or director or somebody 

that wants to try out something 

new whilst having fun; Why Don’t 

You -becreative at the Brewhouse 

this summer! Participants and family 

members will be invited to see the 

completed program on Tuesday 28 

August. 10am-3.30pm Price: £20 per 

day or £35 for 2 days. 

Regent Theatre ST1 1AP 

www.atgtickets.com 

17 Aug – 1 8 Aug 

The Wind in the Willows 

3pm, 5pm, and 7pm Come along to The 

Wind in the Willows’ stage experience! 

Tickets £15.15-£19.15. Book online. 

27 Aug – 2 9 Aug 

Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales 

11am, 1:30pm, and 4:30pm Under 

the sea, out on the farm and into the 

jungle, these terrific tales are woven 

together with live music, puppetry and 

a whole host of colourful characters. 

Funky moves, toe-tapping tunes 

and giggles are guaranteed! Tickets 

£12.90-£18.90. 

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre 

ST16 2LT 

www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk 


Little Mermaid Jnr 

7pm and 2:30pm Based on one of Hans 

Christian Andersen’s most beloved 

stories, Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. 

is an enchanting look at the sacrifices 

we all make for love and acceptance. 

Tickets £9. Booking required. 

8 Aug – 1 1 Aug 

Our House 

7.30pm and 2:30pm Based in 1980s 

Camden Town, Our House tells the story 

of London lad Joe Casey, who, on the 

night of his sixteenth birthday, takes 

Sarah, the girl of his dreams, out on 

their first date. Featuring acollection of 

Madness hits including ‘House of Fun’, 

‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘Driving in my Car’, ‘It 

Must Be Love’ and of course ‘Our House’. 

Tickets: £13, family ticket £46. 

17 Aug – 1 8 Aug 

The Snail and the Whale 

1pm, 3pm, 10:30am and 1:30pm Longing 

to see the world, atiny snail hitches a 

lift on the tail of a humpback whale. 

Together they go on an amazing 

adventure -but when the whale 

gets beached, how will the snail save 

him? Follow the tiny snail’s exciting 

journey, as seen through the eyes of 

an adventurous young girl and her 

seafaring father. Suitable for ages 4+. 

Tickets £13.50. 

Sudbury Hall and the National 

Trust Museum Of Childhood 

DE14 1AA 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sudburyhall 

13 Aug 

Pirate Pearl and the 

Big Blue Monster 

11am-1pm Pirate Pearl lives aboard the 

good ship Mirabel with her crusty old 

shipmate -Grandpa Bert! One day, Pearl 

finds astowaway aboard ship. It’s alittle, 

blue monster, but little monsters grow 

into BIG, greedy monsters -and this one 

wants his DINNER! Tickets £10, under 1s 

free. T: 0344 2491895. 

27 Aug 

The Reluctant Dragon 

11am-1pm An enchanting tale of bravery, 

friendship and derring-do for all the 

family. Everyone knows St George has 

to do battle with the dragon, but what 

happens when the dragon simply won’t 

fight St George? Tickets £10, under 1s 

free. T: 0344 2491895. 

Tamworth Library B79 7DN 


1 Sep 

Space Rebel Princess 

11am and 2pm Is it abird? Is it aplane? 

No! It’s Space Rebel Princess, flying 

through the skies to Tamworth Library. 


An interactive show for children aged 

5-9 and their families. Mixing retro 

science fiction with fast paced physical 

comedy, it tells the story of a princess 

raised for royalty but not for rocketry, 

who dreams of becoming an astronaut. 

FREE. 


DE14 1AA 


13 Jul – 14 Jul 

Annie Jr 

7:30pm, 2pm, and 6:30pm The Performing 

Stars Academy Burton students are 

performing the well-known musical 

‘Annie Jr’. Come and see the story unfold 

of orphan Annie, her friends at the 

orphanage, and her little furry friend! Price: 

adults £12, children (under 16s) £10. 




21 Jul 

Greek Myths and Legends 

11am Take part in acomic interactive 

theatre performance based on classic 

tales from Ancient Greece. Join Odysseus 

and his men as they are beset by 

monsters and befuddled by gods on their 

journey across the seas. Also enjoy some 

Greek myths and legends storytelling and 

make acomedy or tragedy mask out of 

clay to take home, small charge for craft 

activity applies. FREE. Suitable for all ages. 

30 Jul 

Beastly Monsters and 

Monstrous Beasts 

1:30pm Join Don’t go into the Cellar 

theatre group for this original theatrical 

show produced for children and young 

families. We invite you to join fearless 

monster hunter Alice Quatermain, as she 

recounts several of her daring escapades 

from the Edwardian era. Be thrilled as you 

encounter marauding monsters, deadly 

dinosaurs and fiendish fauna! Tickets £3. 

10 Aug 

The Bureau of Untold Stories 

2.30pm In sock drawers, notebooks, and 

the minds of people just like you, are 

tales of significant importance, waiting 

for discovery. Unravel the hidden stories 

of the audience with our Inspectors 

as they utilise live sound effects, 

improvisation and their unconventional 

storytelling skills to immerse you into 

the excitement of an old radio mystery. 

FREE. Suitable for all ages. 

BOX OFFICE 


NEW for 


dudley 

zoo 

‘OW Bin YA’ SANDS 

WWW.DUDLEYZOO.ORG.UK 

A2-nightfamily stayatthe award winning 

BelfryHotel &Resort 

This amazing prize includes 

• Twonights at The Belfry Hotel &Resort 

for afamily of four staying in aspacious 

luxury family room, including breakfast. 

• Full use of the swimming pool 

• Afamily ticket to alocal attraction; 

Twycross Zoo or Drayton Manor 

Theme Park or Cadbury World 

• Afamily round of mini-golf on The 

Belfry’sRyder Legends course 

• Athree-course dinner in Rocca’sPizza 

Pasta Restaurant 

All worth up to £1000! 

To enter this amazing competition visit: 

www.primarytimes.co.uk and answer the 

following question correctly: 

In which English county is 

The Belfry Hotel & Resort located? 

A. West Midlands B. Essex 

Closing 

Date 

1September 

2018 

Terms and conditions apply and can be found at - 

www.primarytimes.co.uk

To enter these competitions please go to... 

ww.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire/competitions or 

via Facebook at www.facebook.com/PTStaffs 

Win! 

COMPETITION TIME 

Afamilypasstothe National 

Forest AdventureFarm 

Aday of adventure awaits you at the National Forest Adventure Farm this 

summer.Meet and feed animals and explore the huge indoor and outdoor play 

areas. From 14 July through to 3September you can also take on their huge 

Escape Maize Maze! 

To be in with achance to win afree family day out down on the farm, please 

answer the following question correctly: 

Howbig is the Adventure Farm’sMaize Maze? 

a.Ten acres b.Five acres c.Fifteen acres 

The family pass will give free entryfor one day for up to four people. 

Closing Date: 20 July.2018 


Win One of 10 Family Day Tickets to the August Bank Holiday Family 

Fun Weekend at the National BreweryCentre Saturday 26th and 

Sunday 27th August. 

Loads of family fun is once again promised at this annual bank holiday event, 

with lots of activities including arts &crafts, Insane inflatables for both children & 

adults, Shire horse rides, face painting and much more. Plus! This year’sspotlight 

shows will be the fantastic Sooty’s70th AnniversaryBake off showonthe 26th 

and Rastamouse on the 27th. Visitors can also enjoyfree museum entry, Carvery, 

BBQ &Ice cream parlour,Tuck shop, Tea&cakes. 

We have 10 family day tickets to give away to some lucky winners. Foryour 

chance to win simply answer the following question correctly: 

Whatisthe name of Sooty’scousin? 

a.Prawn b.Scampi c.Cod Closing Date 3August 


The winner can choose which day they would like to attend. 

Win a MORSE CODE KIT from the National 

Memorial Arboretum 

Children can learn about Morse Code with this special kit, and make aworking Morse Circuit 

to keep them entertained during the summer holidays. Included in the Morse Code kit (value 

£25.00) is aWooden Key Tapper, Sounder, Bulb Holder, Bulb and Wire to make aworking 

Morse Circuit to keep and use, as well as a24page booklet giving the history of telegraphy. 

To be in with achance to win this Morse Code kit, please answer the following question 

correctly: 

What is the international Morse Code distress signal? 

a. S.O.S b. Help c. Mayday 

• Closing Date 23 July 2018 

•Closing Date 23 July 2018 

The winner will need to 

visit the Arboretum to collect.The 

150-acreArboretum site is familyfriendly 

with twoplay areas, an abundance of wildlife, a 

lot foryounger visitors to enjoyand children's activities during 

Staffordshireschoolholidays. Entrance to the Arboretum is free of 

charge, although donationsare appreciated,and adailyparking 

charge of £3 applies for all cars. 

Afamilyticket to Lower Drayton 

Farm this summer holiday 

At Lower Drayton Farm near Penkridge in Staffordshire, Farmer Ray and his family welcome 

visitors to their 600 acre working farm to learn all about farming and the farmers’ role in 

conservation. Activities include afun yet educational farm trailer ride explaining what’s 

happening down on the farm at the time of your visit, lots of friendly animals to meet and an 

adventure playground with zipwire and grass toboggans to enjoy. Asummer Maize Maze and 

nature trail make the farm the perfect place to while away along summer day in the great 

British countryside with the kids. www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

Answer the following question correctly to be in with achance to win afamily ticket (2 adults, 

2children worth £35) to Lower Drayton Farm. Choice of day 23 July to 31 August. 

Whatare Lower Drayton Farm offering our readers with each full paying child entrythis 

summer holidays? 

a.An ice-cream b.Acolddrink c.One free adult entry 

Clue -you’ll find the answer on the advert in this magazine. Closing Date 18 July 2018 

Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, 

near Stafford. www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | SUMMER 2018 

23

Primary Times Staffordshire Summer 18

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