PT Warwickshire Feb Half Term 2020

44,000 copies for families

of Primary School Children

Primary Times Warwickshire & Solihull

Warwickshire & Solihull

www.primarytimes.co.uk

DAYS OUT • EDUCATION • COMPETITIONS • FAMILY FUN

FEBRUARY 2020

www.primarytimes.co.uk/warwickshire | FEBRUARY HALF TERM 2020 1

3 Feb – 22 March


Nursery and Reception at Warwick Prep

Nursery and Reception at Warwick Prep

For most children, life at Warwick

Prep

For most

begins

children,

in our

life

warm,

at Warwick

welcoming

and

Prep

secure

begins

Nursery.

in our warm, welcoming

and secure Nursery.

Our dedicated team, led by an experienced teacher as

Head Our dedicated of Nursery, team, work led closely by an with experienced the children teacher to make as

them Head feel of Nursery, happy and work confident. closely with They the help children the children to make

achieve them feel their happy first and tentative confident. steps They into the help exciting the children world of

learning achieve their and grow first tentative in confidence, steps into while the developing exciting world core of

skills learning and and independence.

grow confidence, while developing core

Our

skills

purpose-built

and independence.

Nursery has three quiet rooms, a large

playroom Our purpose-built for role play Nursery and has a very three large quiet craft rooms, a for large those

fun, playroom messy for activities! role play It and is well-equipped a very large craft with room computers for those

and fun, messy interactive activities! whiteboards, It is well-equipped and a large, with secure computers outdoor

play and interactive space. whiteboards, and a large, secure outdoor

Mrs

play

Smart,

space.

Head of Nursery commented: “Our aim is for

each Mrs Smart, child to Head be the of Nursery best that commented: they can be, “Our to become aim is for

happy, each child competent to be the learners, best that keen they to can explore be, to and become try out

new happy, things.” competent learners, keen to explore and try out

Children

new things.”

then move to one of our four Reception classes,

each Children led then by a move fully qualified to one of teacher our four and Reception specialist classes,

teaching led assistant. by a fully qualified Our small teacher class sizes and of specialist no more than

20 teaching pupils assistant. allows us Our to closely small class support sizes each of no child more with than their

learning, 20 pupils encouraging allows us to closely them to support progress each at their child own with pace their

and learning, support encouraging them as they them embark to progress on their at journey their own through pace

the and Foundation. support them as they embark on their journey through

the Foundation.

Open

Morning

Saturday March

Saturday 7 March

9:30am 12noon

9:30am – 12noon

To confirm your attendance:

www.warwickprep.com/eventbooking

To confirm your attendance:

www.warwickprep.com/eventbooking

admissions@warwickprep.com

admissions@warwickprep.com

01926 491545

@warwickprep

01926 491545

@warwickprep

An Independent Day School and Nursery

An for Independent boys aged 3-7 Day and School girls and aged Nursery 3-11

for boys aged 3-7 and girls aged 3-11

The children follow a varied, topic-based curriculum that

encompasses The children follow the themes a varied, and topic-based principles of curriculum the Early that Years

Foundation encompasses Stage. the themes This is carefully and principles balanced of the with Early the Years need

to Foundation prepare the Stage. children This for is carefully formal learning balanced as with they the move need

through to prepare school. the children for formal learning as they move

“Pastoral

through school.

care is very important to us. We encourage

“Pastoral the children care to is be very kind, important caring, and to us. mindful We encourage of the

the needs children of others” to be said kind, Mrs caring, Smeeton, and mindful Head of of Pre-Prep. the

“We needs have of others” a set of said Fair Mrs Rules Smeeton, represented Head by of Pre-Prep. jigsaw

pieces, “We have which a set the of children Fair Rules see represented around school by jigsaw reminding

them pieces, of which their behaviour.” the children see around school reminding

To

them

find

of

out

their

more

behaviour.”

visit www.warwickprep.com or follow us

@WarwickPrep To find out more on visit Facebook, www.warwickprep.com Twitter and Instagram. or follow us

@WarwickPrep on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2

FEBRUARY HALF TERM 2020 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/warwickshire


Contents

4 Out & About

6 What’s on Where

11 Active Parties

13 Box Office

15 Competitions

WIN

A Family Ticket

To See The

THREE BILLY

GOATS

GRUFF

Dear Readers,

Welcome to our first edition for 2020!

We love this time of year at Primary Times, with Spring just around

the corner and lots of great activities to look forward to as the year

progresses. Already we are getting news about holiday activities, some

of which begin in the February half term.

As regular readers will know, we always include information from our

local theatres and a selection of activities around the county in our

WOW pages, which you can enjoy as a family. There are so many to

choose from, it’s not possible to include them all in our magazine but

you can see more on our website www.primarytimes.co.uk While

you’re looking, why not enter some of our fabulous competitions too?

We’re supporting the Brain Tumour Research charity again this year,

which is very popular with schools and especially with families who

have been affected by this terrible disease. So please do join in the

‘Wear A Hat Day’ on the Friday 27th March if you can – we’ll all be

wearing ours!

We’ll be back with our Easter edition on 23rd March well before the

Easter holiday, so you can plan your activities for the longer days and

warmer weather.

Best wishes

Sue, Kate & all the

Primary Times Team

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

Solihull. 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 Warwickshire & Solihull 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.

Primary Times in Warwickshire

& Solihull, is published by:

Schools Publishing Limited

1 Accent Park, Bakewell Road,

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire,

PE2 6XS. Telephone: 01491 411848

www.primarytimes.co.uk/warwickshire

February Issue 2020

...the UK’s biggest, free ‘what’s

on’ magazine for parents!

Sue Wintersgill

sue.wintersgill@primarytimes.co.uk

Kate Terry

kate.terry@primarytimes.co.uk

Design: Stuart Cameron

The UK’s biggest free ‘what’s on’ magazine

for parents! Primary Times in Warwickshire

& Solihull distributes 42,695 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

Total Average Qualified

Circulation: 42,695

BPA March Statement 2019

WELCOME



Brain

tumours kill

more children

and adults under

the age of 40

than any other

cancer

Bigger! Bolder! Hattier!

Save the date for Wear A Hat Day

in 2020 on Friday 27th March as the

UK once again goes hat crazy for a

good cause.

The annual fundraising extravaganza

takes place at the end of Brain

Tumour Awareness Month and has

raised more than £1m in support

of Brain Tumour Research. It has

become a must-do event for many

children, parents and teachers.

The charity is inviting us all to take

part once again, by planning and

hosting hat-themed fundraising

events in order to help find a cure

for brain tumours, the bigger cancer

killer of children and adults under the

age of 40.

With Brain Tumour Research

celebrating its 10th anniversary this

year, there’s never been a more

important time for schools and

families to get together to ensure

Wear A Hat Day is not only great fun,

but is also seen as a powerful vehicle

of hope for the thousands diagnosed

and/or living with a brain tumour

every year.

Amazing events from schools across

the UK have included a world record

attempt for the longest line of hats,

millinery-themed fancy dress days,

hat-themed cake sales, hattastic

parties, brilliantly hatty colouring

competitions and so much more.

Wear A Hat Day creates a huge buzz

on social media with the hash tag

#WearAHatDay.

Primary Times is proudly supporting

Wear A Hat Day 2020, offering a

prize of £100 in book tokens for the

school which raises the most money

per pupil. To find out more about

this great incentive to take part and

how everyone can get involved, visit

www.wearahatday.org n

Register now

for your

FREE

FUNDRAISING

PACK

www.wearahatday.org

Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland). Company limited by guarantee number 08570737.

Feel the Adrenaline

Rush at The Silverstone

Experience

Accelerate the fun this half term with

a trip to The Silverstone Experience.

Pick up a kids’ trail and take a

journey through the past, present

and future of racing. Young visitors

can discover what’s hidden inside

the medieval crawl tunnel, have a

go at being an RAF pilot and sit in a

replica 1940s racing car. They’ll learn

about motorsport science, test their

skills as a commentator and try out

a wheel gun. With a special effects

cinema and a walk outside on the

old circuit, you won’t find a more

thrilling day out this February. Open

daily, 10:00 to 18:00, from £14pp for

a family of four. www.silverstoneexperience.co.uk

Ollie

Coaching

Helping

Children

& Parents

Manage

Emotions &

Behaviour.

Is your child struggling with

their emotions?

Are they Anxious or

Stressed?

Does your child's

Challenging Behaviour get

you down?

Do you feel like no one is

listening to you?

Belinda is an Emotional Wellbeing Coach and specialist in helping

children and young people with special needs or challenging

behaviours, working with children and their parents to help them

learn about their emotions and how to manage them, building

resilience and emotional wellbeing in children (and adults).

Ollie Coaching helps children who are Anxious, Stressed or

have Challenging Behaviour, fears or phobias, helping them to

understand their feelings.

Belinda told us “Ollie Coaching is Simple. It's fun. And it works!

By using the Ollie concept, we can help kids leave unwanted

emotional baggage behind as they grow into adults.”

You don't have to stay on a waiting list or wait until your child gets

worse to get the help you need. The sooner you work with Belinda,

the sooner you can help your child.

She offers a FREE Initial Consultation and provides FREE school

assemblies. Visit her website for details. www.helpmychild.co.uk

Largely Ludwig

Theme for

Leamington

Music Festival

1-5 MAY 2020

Booking is now open for the

annual Leamington Music Festival,

which this year joins the worldwide

celebrations for the 250th

anniversary of the birth of Ludwig

van Beethoven.

The first few days of booking

confirm the great interest being

taken in the concert on Monday

4 May to be given by the violinist

Tasmin Little, regarded by many

as a national treasure, who’ll be

accompanied by the Russian

pianist Andrey Gugnin.

The Festival has a Czech element

represented by visiting musicians

and composers continuing this

particular interest in Leamington

that goes back to the presence

of the Czech Free Army in the

town during World War Two. The

Army Choir used to rehearse in the

Festival venue, the Royal Pump

Rooms.

There are also pieces by other

composers whom Beethoven met.

The Leamington based composer

Howard Skempton is represented

by two of his works new to the

town and the English music

theme is carried over to a Festival

Extra event on 17 May when

the baritone Roderick Williams

performs a programme of English

music at a new venue, the King’s

Hall in Warwick.

Tickets are available at the Visitor

Information Centre at the Royal

Pump Rooms, Leamington

and Visit Warwick at the Court

House, Warwick. Call 01926

334418 or go online on www.

royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk.

There are special Festival Saver

Tickets available for a limited

time through the Leamington

Music office – email richard@

leamingtonmusic.org or call

01926 497000. n

4



JOIN OUR

AWARD-WINNING

SWIMMING

LESSONS

AND GET A...

Terms apply*

LEARN TO SWIM AND

BENEFITS

Visit everyoneactive.com/kidspass

*Mainland GB only. 18+. Recipient must be parent/guardian if child lessons. 1x free 6-month subscription code to Kids Pass for each household enrolled on swimming lessons at participating centres.

Opens 21 December 2019 to 31 March 2020. Visit www.everyoneactive.com/kidspass for full terms. Everyone Active manages these facilities in partnership with Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council.

W everyoneactive.com facebook.com/everyoneactive @everyoneactive

@everyoneactive


WHAT’s ON WHERE


Ongoing

6

If you are looking for more inspiration, there

are many more events on our website

www.primarytimes.co.uk/warwickshire

Learn to Swim

Sports and Wellness Hub, CV4 7EU

www.warwicksport.com

Give your child a skill to life. Help your

child to be a capable and confident

swimmer: from their first introduction

to the water, to building confidence or

improving technique. 30 minute classes

available on weekdays and weekends for

aged 4+ with expert swim England-trained

instructors in small group sizes.

For more details about our swimming

lessons, please visit https://warwick.

ac.uk/services/sport/swimming/learnto-swim

or call on T: 024 7652 3011.

3 February

Brandon Marsh After School Club -

Winter in the Woods (4+)

Brandon Marsh CV33GW

www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk

3.45pm - 5pm. Join in every month for this

after school club, each month you will

be outside playing games and activities

around a different theme. The sessions are

aimed at children aged 4 years and up,

but younger siblings are welcome, adults

must accompany their children, unless

they are aged 8 and up. Please be aware

activities occur in all weathers, so please

dress appropriately. Booking advised.

T: 02476 302912.

3 Februry – 14 February

£3 after 3pm on Term Time Weekdays

Thinktank B4 7XG

www.birminghammuseums.org.uk

3-5pm. Visit Thinktank for £3 per person

after 3pm on weekdays during term-time

(excluding bank holidays) T: 0121 348 8000.

3 February – 23 February

Shakespeare’s Sunday School

Shakespeare’s New Place CV37 6EP

www.shakespeare.org.uk

3-4pm. Learn more about Shakespeare’s

works, life and times, and his influence

on the world with a different talk every

week, subjects include films inspired

by his works, his neighbours, and the

archaeological dig that took place on the

site of his lost home in Stratford-upon-

Avon between 2010-2014.

3 February – 23 March

Nature Tots at Brandon Marsh



10.30am - 12noon and 1.30-3pm. Nature

Tots aims to encourage an early interest in

wildlife. With this in mind, all activities are

held outdoors, in the natural surroundings

of the reserve at Brandon Marsh. These

sessions start with fifteen minutes of

fun free play and then you head outside

to get stuck in with some wonderful

activities based on that weeks theme,

before returning to the centre to make

an amazing craft you can take home. This

session is suitable for children aged 2 to 4

years. T: 02476 302912.

Nature Tots at Parkridge

Parkridge B91 3HW


10.30am - 12noon and 1.30-3pm. Nature

Tots aims to encourage an early interest

in wildlife. With this in mind, many

activities are held outdoors, in the natural

surroundings of the reserves at Parkridge

Centre. The rest of the time is spent

playing games and enjoying craft activities

indoors. Nature Tots is suitable for those

aged around 2 - 4 years. Booking advised.

T: 0121 704 0768.

3 February – Ongoing

Code clubs: 9 to 11-year-olds

Southam Library CV47 0HB

www.warwickshire.gov.uk

4-5pm. A nationwide network of free afterschool

coding clubs for children aged 9 to

11. Booking may be required. See website

for further details. T: 0300 555 8171.

4 February - Ongoing

Little Discoveries - Mini Explorers

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum CV21 3BZ

www.rugby.gov.uk

11am-12noon. Come along to these free

weekly Tuesday session where you can

rummage through our activity baskets,

dress up, colour workshops and maybe

listen to a story. Suitable for 2 year – 5

years olds. Children must be accompanied

by an adult. T: 01788 533201.

5 February

Outdoor Learning Session - Den

Building (4yrs+)



11am - 12noon. Special outdoor learning

sessions, aimed at children aged 4 and up

starting school soon or home schooled.

The sessions are aimed at children aged

4 years and up, but younger siblings are

welcome, adults must accompany their

children, unless they are aged 8 and up.

Please be aware activities occur in all

weathers, so please dress appropriately.

Booking advised. T: 02476 302912.


Toddler Trundle

Ryton Pools Country Park CV8 3BG

www.countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk

Running every Wednesday, join in with

your little ones for a range of adventures!

There’s an exciting yearly program of

outdoor activities ranging from den

building to mini beast hunting, from

rainbows and moths to feeding the ducks

and jumping in muddy puddles! It’s a great


way to get out and enjoy the outdoors with

your little ones. See website for details.

8 February

Get Involved: Spring 2020 - Oily Cart

Wraparound

Warwick Arts Centre CV4 7AL

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

10am-4pm. Families are invited to come

along to the Creative Learning Space

to take part in dance, drama, words and

ideas, music and visual arts activities

inspired by our wide ranging programme.

Relaxed shadow puppet make, stay and

play. See website for more details.

T: 024 7652 4524.

Disney Swim

Warwick Sports & Wellness Hub CV4 7EU

www.warwick.ac.uk

12pm - 12.45pm Joins us for the magic

of Disney storytelling and endless family

fun. Enjoy exciting pool activities as your

child develops their core aquatic skills.

Suitable for 3 – 11 year olds, parents and/

or guardians are required to join in the

fun. Suitable for all swimming abilities and

devliered by a trained Activator.


Lego Club

Atherstone Library CV9 1AX


11am-12pm. Imaginative, creative Lego

sessions for children. For primary school

aged children unless otherwise stated.

Booking recommended. See website for

more details. T: 0300 555 8171.

9 February

Creative Sunday Workshops

The Barber Institute B15 2TS

www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Monet

Goggles. Create your own coloured

spectacles to wear while you draw in

the gallery. Session 1 for ages 4-8. Skills:

paper construction, observational drawing.

Session 2 for ages 8-12. Skills: coloured

pencil techniques, learning about colour.

Booking required. See website for details.

T: 0121 414 7333.


Book Magic

Leamington Spa Library CV32 4AA


Free family fun for children of all ages and

their accompanying adults. Stories and

crafts: a different theme every week.

T: 0300 555 8171.

Book Magic

Nuneaton Library CV11 4DR





T: 0300 555 8171.

Book Magic

Rugby Library CV21 3BZ





T: 0300 555 8171.

12 February

Mini Museum Engineers | Code

Coventry Transport Museum CV1 1JD

www.transport-museum.com

10.30am-3.30pm. Stay, play, relax, explore

and learn in the Museum. Take the lead

and investigate open-ended play stations

while playing with and learning about

STEM concepts (Science, Technology,

Engineering and Maths). Train your spyeyes

and get playing with code. The secret

of coding lies in seeing and understanding

patterns as well as being able to give clear

instructions. Will you spot patterns and

make your own? Will you crack the codes?

Designed for age 2-5, but all are welcome.

Please note, children must always be

accompanied by an adult.

T: 024 7623 4270.

14 February

Chatterbooks: 8 to 11-year-olds

Alcester Library B49 5DZ


4-5pm. Free family fun for children of

all ages and their accompanying adults.

Stories and crafts: a different theme every

week. T: 0300 555 8171.

15 February

Disney Swim

Warwick Sports & Wellness Hub CV4 7EU

www.warwick.ac.uk

12pm - 12.45pm Joins us for the magic

of Disney storytelling and endless family

fun. Enjoy exciting pool activities as your

child develops their core aquatic skills.

Suitable for 3 – 11 year olds, parents and/

or guardians are required to join in the

fun. Suitable for all swimming abilities and

devliered by a trained Activator.

Get Involved: Spring 2020 - Dance

Workshop



2-4pm. Explore different rhythms and

styles of music to see how dance can

change with changing resources using

space, touch, contact and play! A dance

workshop for all the family. Also accessible

to wheelchair users, adults and children

with learning, or physical additional needs.

See website for more details.

T: 024 7652 4524.

Pedant Making

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery B3

3DH


11am-1pm. Come and join in this free drop

in session in the Industrial Galley to make

your very own pedant. This pedant making

activity is suitable for older children and

adults. T: 0121 348 8000.


Conservation in Action

Shakespeare’s Birthplace CV37 6QW


10am-4pm. Join this interactive family

session and find out more about the pesky

pests that keep the conservation team at

Shakespeare’s Birthplace on their toes.

Bothersome Bugs, CSI: Birthplace

Shakespeare’s Birthplace CV37 6QW


10am-4pm. Some pesky pets have left

their mark on Shakespeare’s Birthplace;

follow the trail to find their cartoon mug

shots, learn more about their ‘modus

operandi’ and the damage they can leave

behind, and collect your Bug Squad

sticker.

What Goes Munch in the Night?

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage CV37 9HH


10am-4pm. Follow the trail to learn about

how the conservation team is fighting

back against those pesky pests that are

munching their way through the historical

artefacts.

If We Shadows have Offended



Come along this half term and act out

the play within the play scene from A

Midsummer Night’s Dream using our

shadow puppet theatre. If you’re feeling

theatrical create your own puppets and

think up a new ending for the play. For

younger children they can enjoy dressing

up, colouring in and more using our story

sack based on the play.


In partnership with

SWIMMING LESSONS

Give your child a skill for life at your local world-class

Sports and Wellness Hub

T Suitable for children 3+

T 30 minute classes.

T Weekends and weekdays.

T Small group sizes.

T Swim England trained teachers.

T Assistant swim teacher in lower stages.

RESERVE YOUR SPACE

WARWICK.AC.UK/LEARNTOSWIM

Sports and Wellness Hub, Cryfield Village, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7EU.

FABULOUS FIVER FRIDAY

FEATURING THE BUDBROOKE CHASE

FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY

Warwick Racecourse

Tickets £5*

Free Children’s Entertainment

*BOOKING FEE APPLIES

30171 Warwick Fabulous Fiver Friday ft Budbrooke Chase Primary Times 184x135.indd www.primarytimes.co.uk/warwickshire 1 | FEBRUARY HALF TERM 13/12/2019 2020 12:28 7


WHAT’s ON WHERE

February Half Term 2020

Baddesley Clinton B93 0DQ

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

11am-3.30pm. Come and explore the

estate this February half term and

follow the animal sculptures over to the

woodland play area. Booking not needed.

Admission applies. T: 01564 783294.

February Half Term 2020

Packwood House B94 6AT


11am-3.30pm. Pick up a map and a

‘Doodle your dream day’ sheet from Visitor

Reception, and head off on a journey

together through the woods. Build a den,

play hoop-la, splash in the puddles and

have your own family adventure. Don’t

forget your wellies. Booking not needed.


February Half Term Activities

Upton House and Gardens OX15 6HT


10am-5pm. Do you think nothing happens

outdoors in the winter? Think again - come

along to Upton House and Gardens to

see what signs of life there are along the

Woodland Walk and winter gardens with

a free nature spotter sheet. Pop into the

Old Kitchen and have a go at some winter

paper origami. For a little piece of early

summer, head inside the Squash Court

Gallery where you’re invited to sit, lie,

stop and dream beneath the cedar trees

in our immersive installation. Booking

not needed. Admission applies. T: 01295

670266.

Festival of Archery

Warwick Castle CV34 4QU

www.warwick-castle.com

Encounter the centuries-old art of archery

like never before at the UK’s only Medieval

Festival of Archery this February half

term. Be part of the action in a brand

new live action show, for a limited time

only, at a real medieval castle. Inspired

by the professionals, you can even take

a shot yourself at ‘Have a Go Archery’.

See website for booking and admission

information. T: 0371 265 2000.

Get Hands on with History

Kenilworth Castle CV8 1NG

www.english-heritage.org.uk

11am-4pm. Get set for a truly historic half

term and discover what it was like to live,

work and fight in a real-life castle. Whether

it’s learning to sword fight or transforming

into a little lord or lady, there’s plenty of

hands-on fun to keep the kids entertained.

And once the little adventurers have put

their skills to the test, let imaginations run

wild as you explore Kenilworth’s mighty

castle walls. T: 0370 333 1181.

Creepy Crawlies Hunt

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and

Country Park CV13 0AD

www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk

10am-4pm. The site has been taken over

by Creepy Crawlies . Can you help find

them all? Your efforts will be rewarded.

Collect your Hunt sheets from The Ticket

Office, search for the Creepy Crawlies and

return your completed form to the Ticket

Office to collect your reward. Suitable for

children of ages up to 12 years. Cost: £2.00

per Hunt sheet. T: 01455 290429.

February Frolics and Giant Snakes

Hatton Adventure World CV35 8XA

www.adventure.hattonworld.com

For one week only, and by popular

demand Hatton Adventure World

welcome the return of Giant Snakes.

With a mixture of Reticulated Pythons,

Burmese Pythons, Tegu, Boa Constrictors

to name but a few. Discover all about

these amazing creatures or if you’re brave

enough get up close and personal in our

handling sessions. T: 01926 843411.


February Futures Half Term

British Motor Museum CV35 0BJ

www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

10am-5pm. Fuel their imagination this half

term with a range of FUTURE themed

family activities. Drop into your Learning

Space to design and make your car of

the future using recycled materials, then

light it up with LED headlights. Explore the

Museum with a new family trail or join one

of the daily family tours Visit the ‘The Car.

The Future. Me.’ exhibition and discover

the future of transport! The ever popular

Science Shows are back daily Monday 17

to Sunday 23 February exploring POWER

and on Thursday 20 February, for one day

only, the STEM ambassadors from MOD

Kineton will be delivering ‘Rover Robots’.

See website for more details. T: 01926

649649.

16 February



www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Animal

Accessories. Change into a creature

and make your own imaginative animal

accessories. Session 1 for ages 4-8. Skills:

finding animals in the collection, imagining

fantasy animals. Session 2 for ages 8-12.

Skills: designing wearable accessories,

animal anatomy. Booking required. See

website for details. T: 0121 414 7333.

17 February

Wildlife Watch - Teeny Tiny Den

Building



10.30-11.30am. Why should den building

be just for the older kids?! Head out and

help make dens for teddies and maybe

even a toddler or two. The sessions are

aimed at children aged 2 - 4 years, but

younger siblings are welcome, adults

must accompany their children. Booking

advised. T: 02476 302912.

Wildlife Watch - Frosty Fairies and

Wintry Wizards



12.30-1.30pm. Come along on a journey to

help the frosty fairies in the magic woods,

can you make a wintry wizard magic

potion? The sessions are aimed at children

aged 2 years and up, but younger siblings

are welcome, adults must accompany

their children, unless they are aged 8 and

up. Booking advised. T: 02476 302912.

Nature Families

Parkridge B91 3HW


10.30am - 12noon and 1.30-3pm. This

session is a fun drop in for babies and

toddlers with messy and sensory play

both in our room and out in the woods,

with each session having a different theme

from winter woods to baby animals. The

sessions are aimed at children aged

0 - 4 years, but slightly older siblings are


children, unless aged over 8 years and

up. Please be aware activities occur in all

weathers, so please dress appropriately.


Children’s Willow Hearts



10.30am-12noon and 1.30-3pm. Join a

Ranger to collect some natural materials

from the park before heading inside to

weave a heart-shaped frame for your

creation. Once complete, get messy

creating a brightly coloured tissue paper

design for the middle of your heart and

capture your natural treasures between

the sheets. Suitable for children aged

3 years + although under 5’s will need

additional help doing the activity. Prebooking

essential. See website for booking

and admission details.

Birdy Bistro

Kingsbury Water Park B76 0DY


11am-12.45pm. Make a ‘delicious’ pine

cone feeder for the birds in your garden.

Be prepared to get messy. A family event,

children must be accompanied by an

adult. Cost: £2.50 per child (no charge for

accompanying adult).

18 February

This makes That with These | Spritebots



10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm.

Discover pixel art and design your own

digital sprites using ‘Scratch’. Will they look

like a traditional fairy-like sprite or will you

create something new? Then, have a go

at building a physical look-a-like “Sprite-

Junk-Bot”, using a specially designed

challenge kit. You will be given the most

important pieces to make a moving bot

and there will also be a variety of everyday

appliances for you to take apart and

put together to make your “Sprite-Junk-

Bot”. Designed for age 7+. Book online in

advance. T: 024 7623 4270.

Wild Rangers at Ufton Fields

Ufton Fields CV33 9PU


10.30am-1pm. A practical conservation

taster for the whole family. Come and join

the volunteers, taking action to protect and

learn about local wildlife using tools and

traditional methods. Session is suitable

for 8 - 18 year olds and children/young

people must be supervised at all times.

T: 02476 302912.

Wildlife Watch - Den Building (5+)



10.30-11.30am. Would you be able to

survive outside this winter? Come find

out as you discover how to make a

survival den in the woods, to keep warm

and sheltered away from the cold. The

sessions are aimed at children aged 5

years and up, but younger siblings are




Arty Tots step into Spring

Market Hall Museum CV34 4NS

www.heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk

10am-3pm. Get ready to step into spring

with some fun themed craft activities.

No need to book, just drop in. £2.50 per

child. Suitable for 5 and under, older

siblings welcome. All children must be

accompanied by an adult.

T: 01926 412500.

Frosty Fairy Adventure to the Magic

Kingdom



10.30am - 12noon. Come and make a

magic frosty willow wand and join the

Snowman on his quest to help save the

Fairies. See if you can find the key to the

wintry magic kingdom and use some

wishing magic to see if the fairies are

out and about in Fairy Forest. Tickets

required for children attending only, all

children must be accompanied by an

adult. Suitable for children aged 3 years

+ although under 5’s will need additional

help with the activity.

Teddy, Toddler and Marshmallow

Dens



10.30-11.30am. Make a little woodland

den for your teddy or possibly a toddler

sized den. Wrap up warm and bring a

teddy who loves a bit of mud. When our

dens are built we’ll toast a marshmallow

or two around the fire. Suitable for 3-5

year olds – please note we are not able

to accommodate younger children on this

event. Pre-booking essential – children

must be accompanied by an adult. See

website for booking details.

Great Fire of London Craft Activity

Blakesley Hall B25 8RN


11.30am-3.30pm. Join in the fun for Great

Fire of London craft activity at Blakesley

Hall. Use a variety of craft materials to

create and decorate your own 17th century

London buildings. Add some flames and

some final touches then add them to our

large collage of the London Skyline on

the windows of our Visitor Centre. Drop in

activity. T: 0121 348 8120.

19 February

February Half Term | Make and Play

Engineers



10.30am-3.30pm. Pixel art is the theme for

these Make and Play Engineers sessions

during this February half term. Pixel art is

used to make characters for computer

games. Without using computer screens,

explore patterns, contrasts and colours

as they would be used in pixel art. Use all

our big resources (from carpet tubes to

pipes) and build extraordinary creatures

that could have escaped from computer

games. Find yourself playing with

balance, gravity and tension while doing

so. Designed for age 2 - 8, but all are

welcome. T: 024 7623 4270 .

Wildlife Watch - Den Building

(5yrs+)

Parkridge B91 3HW


10.30-11.30am. Would you be able to

survive outside this winter? Come find

out as you discover how to make a

survival den in the woods, to keep warm

and sheltered away from the cold. The

sessions are aimed at children aged 5

years and up, but younger siblings are




8



Getting your child’s 11+

foundations right!

Places at Grammar and Independent schools are highly sought after and

every year, the competition continues to rise.

So when should I start my child’s 11+ preparation?

Each child is unique and will have individual learning needs. This is why we

provide personalised tuition for children in Year 3, 4 & 5, offering you and your

child the right support, at the right time. This allows plenty of time to expand

key skills, identify any weaker areas and tackle

them directly.

How can KSOL help?

We combine over 16 years of 11+ experience

to create up-to-date personalised online

CEM programmes with our award-winning

TargetTeach® system. Each online course is

monitored by our team of qualified and caring

tutors, and tailored to help improve particular

areas of weakness.

KSOL ensure no stone is left unturned

to help provide your child with the

best 11+ education and you with the

peace of mind that you are on the

right track.

Find out more about our 11+

online courses and renowned

11+ CEM mock exams at

www.ksol.co.uk, or call

our friendly educational

advisers on

0121 733 6558.

®

11+ Tuition

16 years of 11+ experience

Award-Winning 11+ Courses

For children in Year 3, 4 & 5

Start your child’s 11+ journey...

Book your FREE trial now!

Call our team on 0121 733 6558

For more details about our online 11+ courses & 11+ mock exams:

Visit www.ksol.co.uk

Daily personalised

online tests (Mon-Fri)

EXCLUSIVE interactive

video lessons

Dedicated tutor

support & feedback

Over 98% parent

approval rating!

Sir Scallywag and the Battle of

Stinky Bottom

When King Colin sets his sights on finding the famous Golden Sausage, there’s

only ONE person for the job: Sir Scallywag! But will the six-year-old knight be

mighty enough to defeat the filthy trolls and win the Stinkiest Battle Ever?

Leamington Music’s next Family Concert is on Sunday 15 March at

11.30am in the Royal Spa Centre, Leamington. Join all eleven musicians

of Ensemble 360 and their narrator, Polly Ives, as we follow the story of Sir

Scallywag from the brilliant children’s book by Giles Andreae and Korky Paul.

The story will be illustrated by projections of pictures from the book and

by specially composed music by Paul Rissmann. There will be songs to

sing too, which you can learn before the concert if you’d like to by visiting

www.musicintheround.co.uk.

This fun, informal and interactive concert is an ideal way to introduce children

to live classical music. It’s ideal for children aged 3 -7 but will be great fun for

everyone!

Make a splash with swimming lessons led by qualified Swim-

England teachers for children aged 4+ at your local worldclass

Sports and Wellness Hub.

From their first introduction to the water to building confidence or improving

technique, their swimming lessons will help your child to become a

capable and confident swimmer. Assistant teachers are provided in all

lower stage classes, ensuring children are fully supported. In partnership

with the City of Coventry Swim Club, your child is supported throughout

all the swimming stages and has the opportunity to transition to the club.

Our family friendly 12 lane, 25-metre swimming pool has a moveable floor

and various pool access options making it a perfect location for your child

to learn to swim – whatever their level.

For more details about our swimming lessons, please visit:

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/sport/swimming/learn-to-swim

or call on 024 7652 3011.



WHAT’s ON WHERE

Frosty Campfire, Dens and

S’mores



10.30am - 12noon. Come and have some

fun discovering how to design and build

your own winter woodland shelter that’s

camouflaged, big enough for your team

and waterproof…. ish!! The Rangers will

be on hand to provide tips, materials

and help. When all the shelters are built

we will light a small fire and toast some

marshmallows for our tasty S’mores.

(Dairy free option available). Suitable for

children aged 3 years + although under

5’s will need additional help doing the

activity. Pre-booking essential.

Dens and S’mores



10.30am - 12noon. Come along to build a

den from natural materials and then toast

some marshmallows over a small fire to

make s’mores (marshmallow, chocolate

and digestive biscuit sarnies). Wear old

clothes - you will get muddy and dirty.

An event for children aged 5 years and

above - please note the park is not able

to accommodate younger children on this

event. Pre-booking essential – children

must be accompanied by an adult. See


Astonishing Art Activity: Sketch and

Model

Aston Hall B6 6JD


11.30am-12.45pm and 1.30-2.45pm. Create

your own Astonishing Art inspired by

Aston Hall! Come on an exploration of

Aston Hall, sketching as you go, followed

by a clay modelling session. An active

and artistic way to explore Aston Hall, this

event is suitable for children aged over 4

years old accompanying adults. Children

must be accompanied. This activity is

not suitable for adults not accompanying

children. Pre booking is essential. T: 0121

348 8263.

Animalmania at Blakesley

Hall



11am-3.30pm. Come along in the

February school half term holidays to

meet animal friends at Blakesley Hall.

The animals can include lizards, snakes,

chinchillas, hedgehogs, giant bunnies,

tortoises and creepy crawlies. Animal

Mania usually consists of around 8 to 12

small animals that children can see and

interact with in slots of 30 minutes. Pre

booking is essential. T: 0121 348 8263.

19 February 21 February

February Half Term Family Crafts

Wightwick Manor and Gardens WV6 8EE


11am-3pm. From push-up puppets to

clay tiles - have a go at a traditional and

Wightwick-themed craft activities this

February half term. Booking not needed.



Wilderness Wednesday - Whittling

Wands (knife skills)



10.30am-12noon and 1.30-3pm. Wilderness

Wednesday sessions are aimed at those

aged 8 years and up, with each week

learning or undertaking a new skill or

activity. Whittling Wands - Learn safe knife

skills and learn how to whittle your own

magic wand. You’ll be selecting your own

perfect stick from our woodland wand

shop (the woods) before, crafting it to be

the perfect shape, add your own flair to

customise the wand to your personality,

can you make the ultimate masterpiece.

See website for booking details. T: 024 76

308 912.

20 February

Marvellous Mini Beasts

Market Hall Museum CV34 4NS


10am-3pm. Become a bug expert at

Market Hall Museum, and get up close

with some mini beasts. £2.50 for drop

in activities. Meeting the mini beasts

sessions take place at 10:15am, 11am,

and 11:45am. These sessions have limited

spaces and must be booked in advance.

£5 for mini beast session, includes

drop in activities. All children must be

accompanied by an adult. See website for

more details. T: £5 for mini beast session,

includes drop in activities. All children

must be accompanied by an adult.

T: 01926 412500.

Willow Bird Feeders



10.30am - 12noon. Have a go at creating

this simple but effective bird feeder

using the corn dolly weaving technique.

The ranger will show you step-by-step

and, once complete, you’ll get messy

mixing up our own wild bird food mix to

fill the feeders with. Suitable for children

aged 8 years + although some may need

additional help with the activity. Prebooking

essential. See website for details.

Floral Suncatchers Craft Activity



11am-3.30pm. Make your own sun catcher

or head band in this fun craft activity!

Drop-in activity, online booking available

(please ensure the correct date and time is

selected). T: 0121 348 8263.

Kids Jewellery Workshop

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter B18 6HA


10am - 12noon and 1pm - 3pm. Have a go

at making your own piece of jewellery with

the help of a friendly learning officer in

this special children’s jewellery workshop

activity. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Children must be accompanied by at least

one adult. Due to limitations on space,

no more than 2 adults per booking. Pre

booking is essential. T: 0121 348 8263.


Get Involved: Spring 2020 - The Storm

Whale



10am-4pm. Families are invited to

contribute to a community mural in the

Creative Learning Space inspired by

The Storm Whale. See website for more

details. T: 024 7652 4524.

Escape Game

St John’s House CV34 4NF


10am, 11.30am, 1pm, 3.30pm, 5pm and

6.30pm. Returning to St John’s House after

a sold-out run-in autumn 2019. Challenge

yourselves to solve puzzles, crack codes

and find hidden treasure before your

time runs out. Set in the Edwardian era,

this escape room-style game will test

your skills and team-work as you find the

missing present. Game lasts up to 45

minutes. Please arrive no more than 15

minutes before your time slot. Suitable

for 2-6 players, ages 7+. £25 per team.

Booking required. T: 01926 412069.

21 February

Fabulous Fiver Friday FT The

Budbrooke Chase

Warwick Racecourse CV34 6HN


12noon. This is the bargain of the season,

as entry to your favourite racecourse is

just a £5. The day features great racing

including the valuable Budbrooke Chase

and falls during half term so there is

lots of entertainment lined up for the

younger racegoers amongst you. Perfect

your arts and craft skills with ‘make and

take’ activities including rosette making,

papercraft and horse hoppers. T: 01926

405560.

Tall Tales: Rapunzel Family

Storytelling Tour

Aston Hall B6 6JD


11am -12.15pm and 1-2.15pm. Swoosh!

Come along for an interactive telling of

the traditional story of Rapunzel. Find

out why Rapunzel was taken from her

parents, learn about the witch who used

her magic unwisely, climb the stairs to

see Rapunzel’s room in the tower and

hear about the Prince who tried to help

Rapunzel escape from the enchanted

tower. Before you go, we’ll create a perfect

photo opportunity, so you can take a

photograph of your little one as a memory

of your day. Pre booking is essential.

T: 0121 348 8263.

Pancake Day

Sarehole Mill B13 0BD


9am-4pm. A celebration of the humble

pancake. Come along for this day of

baking themed family fun including

pancake baking, races and trail. Entry

fee to site applies as activities are

throughout the site (there is no free

entry into the grounds on this day). Prebooking

is recommended.

T: 0121 348 8160.

Crafty Fridays: Story Sticks

Weoley Castle B29


11am-2pm. Get creative over this half

term and make your very own story stick.

Join friendly volunteers and use a variety

of materials to create your story stick,

use coloured string, craft materials and

add some greenery from Weoley Castle

to tuck under the string, to make your

story. Children must be accompanied

by an adult.£2.00 per child. Free for

Birmingham Museum Members. Drop-in

event, online pre-booking is available. T:

0121 348 8140.

23 February

Mini Masterclass: SLAP, BANG,

WALLOP

An Introduction to Unarmed Stage Combat



11am and 1.30pm. These Mini

Masterclasses are designed to offer

young people the opportunity to master

a new skill. SLAP, BANG, WALLOP is an

Introduction to Unarmed Stage Combat for

8 – 16 year olds. Led by a BADC Certified

Stage Combat teacher and Fight Director,

participants will learn the techniques of

unarmed stage combat including punches,

slaps and falls with the chance to learn a

short fight scene to show each other and

family at the end. 100% physical and 100%

fun. See website for more details.

T: 024 7652 4524.

Frosty Dens and Toasty

Marshmallows



10.30am - 12noon. Come and have some

fun building a den from natural materials

in the woodland. You will then toast a

marshmallow over a small campfire. An

event for children aged from 5 years, who

must be accompanied by an adult and will

need supervision during the activity. Wear

old, warm clothes that can get muddy. See




www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Soapy Saint

Carvings. Meet our new sculpture of St

James the Great and carve your own saint

from a bar of soap. Session 1 for ages 4-8.

Skills- carving techniques, learn about

alabaster. Session 2 for ages 8-12. Skillsfine

detail and texture, discover saints in art.

Booking required. See website for details.

T: 0121 414 7333.


£3 after 3pm on Term Time

Weekdays

thinktank B4 7XG


3-5pm. Visit Thinktank for £3 per person

after 3pm on weekdays during term-time

(excluding bank holidays) T: 0121 348 8000.


Toddler Muddy Mondays

Upton House and Gardens OX15 6HT


9.30-11am. Get stuck into nature with

Muddy Mondays this spring. Book

your little one onto a unique learning

experience with Upton’s toddler forest

school. Experience the outdoors, learn

new skills and meet new friends in a safe

and fun woodland environment. Adults

must accompany their child for each

session. Booking is essential. Admission

applies. T: 03442491895.

25 February

This makes That with These |

Sprite-bots



10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm.

Discover pixel art and design your own

digital sprites using ‘Scratch’. Will they look

like a traditional fairy-like sprite or will you

create something new? Then, have a go

at building a physical look-a-like “Sprite-

Junk-Bot”, using a specially designed

challenge kit. You will be given the most

important pieces to make a moving bot

and there will also be a variety of everyday

appliances for you to take apart and put

together to make your “Sprite-Junk-Bot”.

Designed for age 7+. Book online in

advance. T: 024 7623 4270.

10



Shocking stats on screen time, and the impact it has on the amount

of time children are spending outdoors, has inspired the Heart of

England Forest to launch a new holiday club called WildTribe to

provide an opportunity for children to spend quality time outdoors.

A survey of 2,000 parents of 5 to 12 year olds, part of Persil’s Dirt is

Good campaign revealed that children today are spending less time

outdoors than prisoners, with 1 in 5 children not playing outside at all

on a typical day.

With growing obesity rates and 1 in 4 children suffering from a

diagnosed mental health condition, the Heart of England Forest is

keen to get children outside more often in order to improve their

physical and mental health.

Head of Learning and Skills Elaine Skates explains:

“Our new WildTribe holiday club is perfect for children aged

5 + who love getting outdoors, learning about nature and having

fun in the woods. Activities will be run by experienced outdoor

educators/forest school leaders and will include arts and

crafts, outdoor cooking and scavenger hunts, with lots of hot

chocolate and marshmallows!”

l 8.30am – 5.30pm, £30 per day, online booking essential:

heartofenglandforest.com/children&families

WildTribe

Holiday Club

The Heart of England Forest’s new holiday club for children

aged 5 years and over will be full of fun, adventure and

fresh air. From bushcraft and arts and crafts to learning

about wildlife, this club will suit budding Kate Humbles and

Bear Grylls – in fact all children who love getting outdoors,

learning about nature and having fun in the woods.

February

WildTribe HOLIDAY CLUB 2020 Mon 17th Feb - Fri 21st Feb

Hours: 8.30am - 5.30pm

Shorter hours can be arranged

Location: Middle Spernal Farm

(Between Studley & Great Alne)

Easter

Mon 6th Apr - Thur 9th Apr

Tues 14th Apr - Fri 17th Apr

Cost: £30 per child per day

Book online at: heartofenglandforest.com/childrenandfamilies

Registered charity no. 1097110 Company no. 04309564

12-20222_HOEF_WildTribe flyer_A5.indd 1 20/09/2019 13:39

Party planning

made easy at

Jump in Warwick

PLANNING the perfect birthday

party for your child can be

daunting but booking a children’s

birthday party package at Jump

In Trampoline Park in Warwick is

a popular option because they

organise it all for you, allowing the

adults to enjoy the day as well.

Jump In’s award-winning children’s

birthday parties are now bigger,

brighter and better than ever with

the launch of two additional party

packages including Crazy Glow Party

and the UK’s first Interactive Dome

Party in Warwick.

The standard children’s birthday

party, offers a two-hour package of

non-stop fun for up to 10 children

and comes complete with:

• Check in and safety briefing

• Jump In socks for all guests

• One hour to enjoy all the Jump

In facilities

• Dedicated party host

• Water whilst jumping

• Pizza (choice of pepperoni or

Margherita) or hot dogs

• Plates, cups, plasticware and

napkins

A range of party extras can also be

purchased, including party bags,

popcorn, ice cream and sweet

pots.

But essentially, all you need to

bring is your guests and the cake!

Jump In Warwick’s Crazy Glow

Party adds some extra shine to

proceedings and the 360-degree

Interactive Dome Party includes 30

minutes of private ‘partying’ with

surround sights and sounds on a

film, TV show or soundtrack of your

choice and is the perfect backdrop

to a themed party.

Further party details are available

at: www.gojumpin.com/warwick Or

email: hello@jumpin.com or call

01926 356290.

Everyone Active Parties Copy

for Primary Times

Hosting a birthday party with Everyone Active is a great way to make

sure your child has loads of fun celebrating their day with their friends.

Whichever you choose from our huge range of available parties, we’re

sure everyone will have a day to remember.

There’s an enormous array of birthday parties available, including climbing

parties, football parties, swimming parties, soft play parties, ice skating

parties and so much more. Whatever your preference, you, your child and

their guests are sure to have a wonderful time.

Several of our centres will allow you to cater for your party yourself, but

why not let us take the strain and provide all the food – including the

all-important cake – for your party.

Meanwhile, our party leaders will look after all your needs to make sure

everyone has a great time. Most importantly, they’ll clear up afterwards

too, meaning you can have a party for your kid with no hassle, no mess,

just fun!

To find out more, visit www.everyoneactive.com or get in touch with your

local Everyone Active centre.



WHAT’s ON WHERE

26 February

Sphero Robot Art with Kineton STEM



11am-3pm. Enjoy open-ended play with

pixel art without computers in our Make

and Play Engineers sessions. Then, join the

Kineton STEM Team who have brought

their equipment and expertise so you can

get hands on with Sphero Robots to turn

digital commands into physical marks.

With help from the team use tablets

to instruct the robots to move through

paint and see how your commands are

transformed into a colourful picture.

Suitable for children age 5+, but all are

welcome. T: 024 7623 4270 .

27 February – 28 Februry

Get Involved: Spring 2020 - The Little

Prince



10am-4pm. Story book adaptation –

families are invited to create their own

story books inspired by The Little Prince

or any other story books you love. Create

a picture book, comic book, play/script

or storybook to take home with you. See

website for more details. T: 024 7652 4524.

28 February

Open Afternoon at the Museum

Collection Centre

Museum Collection Centre B7 4RQ.


1.30-3.30pm. The Museum Collection

Centre is a 1.5 hectare site that holds

80 per cent of Birmingham Museums’

stored collections under one roof. Among

the thousands of objects stored here

are steam engines, sculptures, an entire

collection of Austin, Rover and MG motor

cars and even a red phone box. It is not

open to the public except by arrangement.

Pre-booking is essential. T: 0121 348 8000.

29 February

Little Artists


www.barber.org.uk

10am-12.30pm. Touch, make and play

in these early-years sessions. Discover

colour, shapes and textures and create

a masterpiece every month. Enjoy

learning and exploring together – let your

imaginations run wild. Booking essential.

See website for admission and booking

details. T: 0121 414 7333.

1 March



www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Collagraph

Creatures. It’s World Wildlife Day! Create

a collagraph inspired by animal patterns

and textures. Session 1 for ages 4-8.

Skills - exploring different textures,

drawing animals. Session 2 for ages 8-12.

Skills - combining textures, developing

composition. Booking required. See


Free Day

Aston Hall B6 6JD


11am-4pm. Take advantage of this

fantastic one day only offer with free

entrance to Aston Hall! Explore this grand

old mansion’s rich history. Please check

with website beforehand for all entry

details. T: 0121 348 8100.

Georgian Day at Soho

Soho House B18 5LB


11am-4pm. Celebrate the Georgians, with

a focus on the women of the Georgian

period to coincide with International

Women’s Day on the 8th March. There

will be activities and demonstrations for

all ages. This event is included in the

price of admission, there is no free entry

into the grounds on this day. Pre-booking

recommended. T: 0121 348 8150.

2 March

Brandon Marsh After School Club -

Fire Lighting (4+)



3.45-5pm. Join in every month for this

after school club, each month you will

be outside playing games and activities

around a different theme. The sessions are

aimed at children aged 4 years and up,

but younger siblings are welcome, adults

must accompany their children, unless

they are aged 8 and up. Please be aware

activities occur in all weathers, so please

dress appropriately. Booking advised.

T:02476 302912.

4 March

Mini Museum Engineers | Chain

Reactions








Engineering and Maths). Investigate cause

and effect in this session. Can you build a

giant domino chain? Designed for age 2-5,

but all are welcome. T: 024 7623 4270.

5 March

World Book Day

Herbert Art Gallery and Museum CV1 5QP

www.theherbert.org

Various times. Celebrate World Book

Day with a retelling of Eric Carle’s

classic children book, ‘The Very Hungry

Caterpillar’. This activity will lead your

little ones through an immersive sensory

experience exploring colour, sound and

song to bring the story to life. Make the

most of this annual event by taking part

in a Mini Makers session on the same day.

Rhymes sessions will start promptly at the

times stated. Designed for age 0-4, but all

are welcome. Drop in event. £1 per child.

T: 024 7623 7521.

7 March

Makaton Sing-a-long



11am. Join in with nursery rhymes and

then enjoy a specially created Makaton

trail around the sculptures and other

interactive parts of the site. Makaton is

a language programme using signs and

symbols to help people to communicate.

Get Involved: Spring 2020 - Special

Effects Make-Up



10am-4pm. Inspired by Beastly Belle,

families are invited to try out some

special effects make-up techniques. See

website for more details.

T: 024 7652 4524.

Mini Foresters go tree planting.

The Heart of England Forest CV37 8AU

www.heartofenglandforest.com

2pm – 4pm A new broad leaf forest

across the heart of the country that’s for

everyone to enjoy. With guided walks,

rambles, workshops, children’s Forest

clubs and much more, there’s something

for everyone at the Heart of England

Forest. Become a true forester for the

day. Meet a real forester, learn about

what trees we plant and why, before

warming up with a hot drink. For more

information about the Heart of England

Forest project, visiting the forest, or how

you can get involved, call us today on

T: 01789 778541 or email us on

info@hoef.co.uk

7 March – 15 March

Jigsaw Festival 2020

Coughton Court B49 5JA


11am-5pm. Hundreds of donated jigsaws

on sale. All money raised goes towards

vital conservation work at Coughton. If you

have any jigsaws to donate please call the

property on T: 01789 400777.

8 March

Countryside Day

Warwick Racecourse CV34 6HN


12noon. What better way to spend a

Sunday than to get out in the fresh

air, enjoying great racing as well as a

host of countryside activities. The day

is run in aid of the Warwickshire and

Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and is

lovely occasion for the whole family.

T: 01926 405560.



www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Powerful

Portraits. Paint women heroes! Learn

about Countess Golovina on International

Women’s Day. Session 1 for ages 4-8. Skills

- mixing acrylic paints, painting portraits.

Session 2 for ages 8-12. Skills - acrylic

paint effects, tonal painting. Booking

required. See website for details.

T: 0121 414 7333.

11 March

Mini Museum Engineers | Gears Gears

Gears








Engineering and Maths). Play with and

explore gears and cogs in this session.

Join us as we figure out how to get things

moving. Designed for age 2-5, but all are

welcome. T: 024 7623 4270.

14 March

Get Involved: Spring 2020 - Sensory

Session



10am-4pm. Inspired by Jamboree, families

are invited to visit the sensory world in the

Creative Learning Space. See website for

more details. T: 024 7652 4524.

15 March



www.barber.org.uk

11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. Layered

Lanyon Landscapes. Look at the Cornish

landscape from a bird’s-eye view and

create an abstract painting. Session 1 for

ages 4-8. Skills - creating textures with

paint. Session 2 for ages 8-12. Skills -

layering textures with paper, combining

different viewpoints. Booking required. See


18 March

Mini Museum Engineers | Travelling

the world








Engineering and Maths). How would you

travel the world – using a ship, a cycle,

a car? Play with maps and transport.

Designed for age 2-5, but all are welcome.

T: 024 7623 4270.

19 March

Battlefield Object Handling Session

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and

Country Park CV13 0AD

www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk

2.30-4pm. An exciting opportunity to

get hands-on with a range of artefacts

discovered during the search for the

Battlefield. See website for admission and

booking details. T: 01455 290429.

21 March

Shakespeare Week Super Saturday

Family Fun Day

The Shakespeare Centre CV37 6QW


12-4pm. Join the annual nationwide

celebration of Shakespeare by taking part

in fun-filled activities including workshops

by Horrible Histories illustrator, Martin

Brown, and Ricky Martin from CBBC’s Art

Ninja, as well as performances, storytelling

and crafts. Part of Shakespeare Week (16-

22 March), a national annual celebration

giving primary school aged children

opportunities for enriching and enjoyable

early experiences of Shakespeare, www.

shakespeare.org.uk/visit/whats-on/

shakespeare-week-super-saturday

21 – 22 March

Mother’s Day Weekend

Gullivers Milton Keynes, MK15 0DT

www.gulliverslandresort.co.uk

Mums go FREE throughout Mother’s Day

Weekend when accompanied by at least

one full paying person. This special offer is

available at all Gulliver’s Theme Parks on

the Saturday and the Sunday. Experience

a wonderful weekend that’s full of family

rides, shows and attractions. Gully and the

gang will be here to help you create some

magical memories that mum can treasure.

Book your theme park tickets in advance

today and save even more on your big

day out!

Don’t forget to say you saw

it in Primary Times

12



Leamington

Music

Family Concert

Sir Scallywag

- and the -

BATTLE OF STINKY BOTTOM

Sunday 15 March · 11.30am

Royal Spa Centre, Leamington

Ensemble 360

with Polly Ives narrator

Perfect for ages

broadwayworld

3 - 7

independent

reviewshub

whatsonstage

financial times

To book: call 01926 334418

or visit www.leamingtonmusic.org

Photography: Manuel HArlAN

The Boy in the Dress is supported by RSC Production Circle members

Elizabeth Boissevain and Andrew Jeffreys, Charles Holloway, Ms Teresa Tsai and Kathleen J. Yoh

The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by The Drue and H.J Heinz II Charitable Trust


BOX OFFICE


0231512

TICKET

Office

Your family theatre guide . . .

Belgrade Theatre Coventry

CV1 1GS

www.belgrade.co.uk


The Slightly Annoying

Elephant

Various times. What’s big, blue,

bossy, and turns up uninvited?

A slightly annoying elephant, of

course. One day Sam gets a very big

surprise as a tired, hungry, antiqueloving,

cycling enthusiast elephant

turns up on his doorstep. Adopting

an elephant at the zoo turned out

to be a lot more than he bargained

for as he didn’t realise the elephant

would actually come to live with

him – silly boy. This hilarious story by

comedian and author David Walliams

is brought to life through puppetry.

After the show there will be a

meet and greet with the puppets.

Age recommendation: 3 – 8 years.

Running time: Approx. 50mins, no

interval. T: 024 7655 3055.


The Twisted Tale of Hansel and

Gretel

Various times. A flustered storyteller

is joined by a mischievous mocking

bird as he follows Hansel and Gretel

deep into the forest. All is not what

it seems, as the characters start

to tell their own version of this

peculiar adventure. Come along

and meet the wicked witch and her

really rather eccentric chefs in this

truly imaginative version of Hansel

and Gretel. Live music, hilarious

performance and a mesmerising

design ensures that this play will

entertain and amuse the entire

family. Running time: Approx. 1hr, no

interval. Age recommendation: 7+.

T: 024 7655 3055.

0231513

Box

TICKET

Bridgehouse Theatre

CV34 6PP

www.bridgehousetheatre.co.uk

8 February

Morgan and West: Unbelievable

Science

7.30pm. Morgan and West present

captivating chemistry, phenomenal

physics, and bonkers biology in

this fun for all the family science

extravaganza. Magicians, time

travellers and all-round spiffing

chaps Morgan and West have a

secret past – they are genuine, bona

fide, legitimately qualified scientists,

and now are bring their love of

enlightenment to the stage. Expect

explosive thrills, chemical spills and a

risk assessment that gives their stage

manager chills, all backed up by the

daring duo’s trademark wit, charm and

detailed knowledge of the scientific

method. Leave your lab coats at

the door it’s time for Unbelievable

Science. T: 01926 776438.

Royal Shakespeare Theatre,

Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6BB

www.rsc.org.uk

Ongoing until 8th March

l Photo by Manuel Harlem © RSC

The Boy in the Dress

Times vary. The Boy in the Dress is a

celebration of creativity, difference,

football and fashion. David Walliams’

heart-warming comedy is brought to

the stage for the first time in a musical

with all new songs from Robbie

Williams and Guy Chambers, script by

former RSC playwright in residence

Mark Ravenhill and in a production for

all the family directed by RSC Artistic

Director Gregory Doran. Running time

2hr 20mins with a 20 min interval.

Half-price tickets are available for up

to four family members under the age

of 18 attending, with every full priced

paying adult (up to a maximum of ten

tickets).

Royal Spa Centre

CV32 4HN

www.leamingtonmusic.org

15 March

Sir Scallywag and the Battle of

Stinky Bottom

11.30am. When King Colin sets his

sights on finding the famous Golden

Sausage, there’s only ONE person

for the job: Sir Scallywag! But will the

six-year-old knight be mighty enough

to defeat the filthy trolls and win

the Stinkiest Battle Ever? Based on

the brilliant children’s story by Giles

Andreae and Korky Paul, with specially

composed music by Paul Rissmann,

this fun, informal and interactive

concert is an ideal way to introduce

children aged 3-7 years to live

classical music. T: 01926 334418.

Stratford Playhouse

CV37 6LU

www.stratfordplay.co.uk


The Legend Of King Arthur

7.30pm and 2.30 matinee. Come and

join The Phoenix Players as they

venture into the myth and legend of

England’s greatest king in this family

show, The Legend of King Arthur.

Full of adventure, drama, comedy,

song and dance to help along the

way, it promises to be fun for all the

family. Don’t miss out on this exciting

adventure full of intrigue, drama and

laughs as we tell the fabled tale,

the Legend of King Arthur. T: 01789

333990.

The Abbey Theatre

CV11 5DB

www.abbeytheatre.co.uk

17 February

Disney: The Lion King

2.30pm. Film: Rating - PG. In Africa,

the lion cub Simba is the pride and

joy of his parents King Mufasa and

Queen Sarabi. Mufasa prepares Simba

to be the next king of the jungle.

However, the naive Simba believes

in his envious uncle Scar that wants

to kill Mufasa and Simba to become

the next king. He lures Simba and

his friend Nala to go to a forbidden

place and they are attacked by hyenas

but they are rescued by Mufasa.

Then Scar plots another scheme to

kill Mufasa and Simba but the cub

escapes alive and leaves the kingdom

believing he was responsible for the

death of his father. Now Scar becomes

the king supported by the evil hyenas

while Simba grows in a distant land.

Sometime later, Nala meets Simba

and tells him that the kingdom has

become a creepy wasteland. What will

Simba do?

18 February

The Lego Movie. 2

2.30pm. Film: It’s been five years since

everything was awesome and the

citizens are facing a huge new threat:

Lego Duplo invaders from outer

space, wrecking everything faster than

they can rebuild.

19 February

Dumbo

2.30pm. Film: Holt was once a circus

star, but he went off to war and when

he returned it had terribly altered

him. Circus owner Max Medici (Danny

DeVito) hires him to take care of

Dumbo, a newborn elephant whose

oversized ears make him the laughing

stock of the struggling circus troupe.

But when Holt’s children discover

that Dumbo can fly, silver-tongued

entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael

Keaton), and aerial artist Colette

Marchant (Eva Green) swoop in to

make the little elephant a star.

The Albany Theatre

CV5 6JQ

www.albanytheatre.co.uk

29 February

Sarah and Duck

2 and 4pm. The enchanting world

of Sarah and Duck is brought to life

featuring the wonderful characters

from the BAFTA award-winning

CBeebies show. Join Sarah and

Duck and a host of your favourite

friends including The Ribbon Sisters,

The Shallots, Flamingo & John and

Umbrella, as they plan a birthday party

for Scarf Lady in their garden. Told

through a fantastic blend of puppetry,

storytelling and music, Sarah and

Duck’s Big Top Birthday will take

you and your children on a magical

adventure. Considered suitable for

all ages. Running time: 1 hour (no

interval). T: 024 7699 8964.

7 March

Little Mermaid Jr.

2.30pm. Elevate Theatre is proud

to take you on a magical journey

under the sea with Ariel and her

aquatic friends in Disney’s The Little

Mermaid JR, adapted from Disney’s

Broadway production and the Disney

film. Based on one of Hans Christian

Andersen’s most beloved stories,

Disney’s The Little Mermaid tells the

tale of Ariel, who longs to leave her

ocean home and live in the world

above. This enchanting musical

has all your favourite characters

and songs from the original Disney

animated adventure, guaranteed to

engage and enchant audiences of

all ages. Considered suitable for all

ages. Running time: 1 hour 20 mins

(including a 20-minute interval).

T: 024 7699 8964.

22 March

There Was An Old Lady Who

Swallowed A Fly

2pm. From the creators of Don’t

Dribble On The Dragon, this magical

show has been written especially for

grown ups to enjoy with their children,

so come and relive the delights of

this most charming of tales complete

with a feast of sing along songs,

colourful animal characters and heart

warming family fun. It’s the perfect

treat for anyone aged 2 to 102! Age

guidance: Considered suitable for

ages 2+ (recommended for 2 - 7

years). Running time: 1 hour 5 mins (no

interval). T: 024 7699 8964.

14



The Core Theatre

B91 3RG

www.thecoretheatresolihull


Sinbad the Sailor Down

Under

Various times. A brand new original

pantomime show as local group

Harlequinade once again comes to

the Core Theatre. Sinbad and his

friend Daring Dan agree to undertake

a dangerous voyage to Australia

on “The Saucy Sheila” under the

command of Captain Crabb. Captain

Crabb is attracted to Sinbad’s

mother, Dame Salubria, and enrols

her as the ship’s cook. Shipboard

adventure and hilarity follows,

the Old Man of the Sea seeks his

revenge, and the two girls vie for

Sinbad’s attention. This fastmoving

pantomime is fun, full of adventure,

and has a totally original storyline.

Suitable for all ages, get your tickets

fast.

T: 0121 704 6962 .


Sinbad the Sailor Down

Under

Various times. Details in above listing.

19 February

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

1pm. On a grassy hillside, in the

middle of country, there lived The

Three Billy Goats Gruff. They never

stopped eating and before long they

had eaten everything they could get

their hooves on. So hold on to your

horns and join the Billy Goats on their

adventure as they bravely cross the

rickety bridge to greenery pastures.

But who will they meet along the

way as they TRIP TRAP over the

bridge. With songs and dances

to clap along to, this family fun

interactive show is the perfect half

term treat for little ones and the big

kids that bring them. Age: 3-7.

T: 0121 704 6962 .


Oklahoma!

7.30 and 2.30pm Matinee. Set in

the Oklahoma territory in the early

1900s, the musical tells the story

of two pairs of lovers. Curly is a

cowboy who has trouble admitting

his feelings to Laurey, as she does to

him, because of their stubbornness.

Judd, the hired hand at Laurey’s

farm, tries to come between them.

Ado Annie is torn between Will, a

cowboy who has strong feelings for

her, and Ali Hakim, a peddler who’s

a ladies’ man and doesn’t want to

marry her.

T: 0121 704 6962 .


Annie

7.30 and 2.30pm Matinee. It has

seen numerous productions in

many countries, as well as national

tours and won the Tony Award

for Best Musical. The musical’s

songs ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘It’s the Hard

Knock Life’ are among its most

popular musical numbers. Knowle

Musical Society are looking forward

to bringing this classic show to

Solihull’s Core Theatre.

T: 0121 704 6962 .

Warwick Arts Centre

CV4 7AL


15 February

Evelyn and The Yellow

Birds

12noon and 2.30pm. Music soothes

a homesick heart in an adventure for

ages 6 plus, taking in the story of jazz

from the Caribbean to London. Evelyn,

a young woman living in Jamaica,

decides to travel with her new husband

to England, hoping for exciting new

opportunities. But she misses the

sounds, scenery and sunshine of

island life. Then Evelyn finds a new

market selling exotic fruits and is

transported back to Jamaica. This tiny

piece of home away from home gives

Evelyn new hope. Over time, she is

able to join a welcoming community

of fellow Caribbean migrants, and

the UK becomes her happy home.

Recommended Age: 6+.

T: 024 7652 4524.


The Storm Whale

11am. Noi and his father live in a house

by the sea, his father works hard as a

fisherman and Noi often has only their

six cats for company. So when, one day,

he finds a baby whale washed up on

the beach after a storm, Noi is excited

and takes it home to care for it. He

tries to keep his new friend a secret,

but there’s only so long you can keep

a whale in the bath without your dad

finding out. Noi is eventually persuaded

that the whale has to go back to the sea

where it belongs. For Noi, even though

he can’t keep it, the arrival of the whale

changes his life for the better – the

perfect gift from one friend to another.


T: 024 7652 4524.


The Little Prince

Various times. Broken down in the

Sahara Desert, in a race against time

to repair her fighter jet, a pilot meets

an extraordinary Little Prince. As he

recounts his adventures, the pilot

re-discovers the power of imagination,

the importance of doing what we can

to protect our natural world, and true

meaning of friendship. Children and

adults will be transported to the world

of The Little Prince with puppetry, music

of North African heritage and rich Afrofuturist

aesthetic. Recommended Age:

5+. T: 024 7652 4524.

7 March

Beastly Belle

11am. Be charmed and surprised by

a new twist on an old tale, inspired

by the iconic era of 1920s and 30s

cinema. Young heroine Belle is

plucked from a life of poverty by

Merill, a greedy film producer who

sweeps her off her feet and into fame

and fortune in the movies. Caught

up in the glitz and glamour, Belle

forgets her roots and is ensnared by

a world obsessed with good looks –

but looks aren’t everything, right? A

journey of discovery which explores

perceptions of physical beauty and

how two strangers can overcome

their differences. Will Beauty come

to understand and accept the Beast?


T: 024 7652 4524.

Win a family ticket to see

Sir Scallywag & the

Battle of Stinky Bottom

at the Royal Spa Centre, Leamington

on Sunday 15 March at 11.30am

Family Concert ideal for ages 3-7

When King Colin sets

his sights on finding

the famous Golden

Sausage, there’s only

ONE person for the job:

Sir Scallywag! But will

the six-year-old knight

be mighty enough to

defeat the filthy trolls

and win the Stinkiest

Battle Ever?

WIN!

WIN A Family Ticket To See

The THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF

At The Core Theatre, Solihull On

Wednesday 19 February At 1pm.

On a grassy hillside in the middle of country, there lived THE THREE

BILLY GOATS GRUFF!

They never stopped eating and before long they had eaten everything

they could get their hooves on.

To enter just answering the following question:

On their way to greener pastures, do the

Billy Goats Gruff cross

a) the rickety bridge b) the rushing river c) the rusty railway

*Family ticket is for 2 adults and 2 children *Tickets cannot be transferred

l Closing date is the 14/2/2020

For more information and to enter the prize draw, visit

www.leamingtonmusic.org/competitions

Ts&Cs apply | one winner will be seleted at random

closing date: midnight on 15 February 2020

COMPETITIONS



broadwayworld

independent

reviewshub

whatsonstage

financial times

Photography: Manuel HArlAN

The Boy in the Dress is supported by RSC Production Circle members

Elizabeth Boissevain and Andrew Jeffreys, Charles Holloway, Ms Teresa Tsai and Kathleen J. Yoh

The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by The Drue and H.J Heinz II Charitable Trust

16


PT Warwickshire Feb Half Term 2020

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