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 East Kent

                                            IN THIS ISSUE

                                            What’s on this
                                             November &
                                              December
   RECRUITING NOW
        Successful ‘business mum’ is       Talking to kids
     seeking 5 working partners to work
       part-time from home, alongside
                                           about climate
      and without compromising family             change
       commitments or current career.

          If you have a supervisory,
        managerial, sales, marketing,
                                            Eco Christmas
        recruitment or self-employed            gift guide
     background, or you wish to develop
           an extraordinary lifestyle
                call Vicki King            Act of kindness
                07501 433 922
                                          advent calendar
Issue 12 November/December 2019
 familiesonline.co.uk                        familiesonline.co.uk
                                                      Families East Kent
East Kent - Families Online
East Kent

 Managing Editor Rebecca Carr
 editor@familieseastkent.co.uk
 07789 882 467
 Advertising Amanda Biggs
 amanda@familiespublishing.co.uk
 07835 848066

 What’s On Guide Laura Vass
 assistant@familieseastkent.co.uk

 Printed By Holbrooks Printers Ltd
 Cover image: Depositphotos

 Readership 40,000 local parents, carers

                                                                             Contents
 and teachers every issue

 UPCOMING ISSUES
 January/February 2020
 Early years - Family travel - School Open
                                                                             4. News
 Days - Clubs & classes and much more....
 Booking deadline 2 December                                                 6. Talking to children about climate change
                                                                             7. Flexible working options
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            Stay in
            touch Families east kent magazine                                8. It’s party time
                                                                             10. What’s on this Christmas in East Kent
 © Families East Kent 2019
 Families East Kent is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise
 company. All franchised magazines in the group are
 independently owned and operated under licence. Families
                                                                             14. What’s on in November & December
 is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House,
 Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD.
 The contents of Families East Kent are fully protected by                   15. Act of kindness advent calendar
 copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter
 may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of
 Families East Kent. Every care is taken in the preparation
 of this magazine, but Families East Kent ; our distributors,
 the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and Lifecycle                                    Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news
 Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of                                      and events happening in East Kent and look out for some great
 advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any                                    competitions, giveaways and special reader offers.
 consequence thereof.
                                                                                             Facebook/familieseastkentmagazine

                                                                                  Distributors Wanted
                        Next Issue Jan/Feb 2020
                        Early Years I Education I Travel                          Ashford, Canterbury, Whistable, Herne Bay & Faversham
                        Clubs & classes I Feb Half Term
                                                                                  Are you looking for some extra income? Do you have a few hours spare
                                                                                  over 1 - 2 days every two months within school hours?
                                                                                                          Families East Kent Magazine is looking for distributors
                                                                                                            to deliver our magazine to local schools, nurseries
                                                                                                                    and family attractions. If you live in the area,
                                                                                                                       are reliable and trustworthy, have a car
                                                                                                                        and would like to earn extra money, email
                                                                                                                        editor@familieseastkent.co.uk for more
                                                                                                                        information and routes available.
                       Book now call 07835 848066
           amanda@familiespublishing.co.uk                                        Starting January 2020                                             Good rates of pay

2 Families East Kent                                                                                                                                 familiesonline.co.uk
East Kent - Families Online
“Playful,
                         imaginative
                           & original”
                            Noah, Audience Member and Dad

                           13 December - 24 December
                            Folkestone Quarterhouse
                            Mill Bay, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 1BN

     Ticket prices: Adult £8 | Children £7 | Family £27 | Schools £5
     Box Office 01303 760750 www.creativefolkestone.org.uk
familiesonline.co.uk                                               Families East Kent 3
East Kent - Families Online
News
                                                                                              The Tiger Who Came to
                                                                                              Tea hits the screen this
                                                                                              Christmas
                                                                                              The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the classic children’s
                                                                                              book by Judith Kerr, will come to TV this Christmas
                                                                                              adapted as a half-hour animated film for Channel 4.

                                                                                              It will feature a star studded cast of voices including
                                                                                              Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo, Tamsin
                                                                                              Greig, David Walliams and Paul Whitehouse.

                                                   The role of Sophie will be played by 7 year old Clara Ross, who will be making her TV debut.

  Letter from Santa                                For anyone that doesn’t know the book, it tells the tale of the tiger that shows up at young
                                                   Sophie’s front door and proceeds to eat the family out of house and home, even going so
  All children love to receive a letter            far as to drink all of the water out of the taps, before declaring: “Thank you for my nice tea. I
  addressed to them in the post, but what          think I’d better go now,” and departing.
  could be more special than a letter from
  Father Christmas? Here are two ways of           Chloe Tucker, Commissioning Executive, Channel 4 Drama said: “The Tiger Who Came to
  making this happen.                              Tea is a timeless classic, and we hope this film will capture the same special place in every
                                                   family’s imagination watching it.”
  Royal Mail Letter to Santa
  For children to receive a FREE letter from
  Santa via the Royal Mail children must post
  their letter to Santa by Friday 6 December.
                                                   New Sleepy Tales for children
                                                   The book publisher Penguin Random House has
  Envelopes must have either a first or            collaborated with The Children’s Sleep Charity to create
  second class stamp and be addressed to           collections of Sleepy Tales audiobooks designed to help
  Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto,          children relax before bedtime.
  Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ. The letter must
  include your child’s full name and address.      For children ages 3 to 6 years, Ladybird Sleepy Tales
                                                   and for children aged 7+, Puffin Sleepy Tales, they
  Visit www.royalmail.com/christmas/letters-       are stories with a difference. Part soundscape, part
  to-santa                                         descriptive narrative, they use relaxing sounds and
                                                   soothing narrators’ voices to conjure calming settings
  NSPCC Santa Letter                               and landscapes to help children feel calm and positive at
  Children can also receive a personalised         the end of the day.
  reply from Santa via his elves at the
  NSPCC in exchange for a minimum £5               Each tale is 15 minutes long and has been created to be interesting enough to hold
  donation to the charity. The letter is ordered   children’s attention, but not too exciting.
  online and must be placed by 9 December.
                                                   Sleepy Tales are designed to become part of a child’s bedtime routine, and can be listened
  Visit https://letterfromsanta.nspcc.org.uk/      to before or after reading a bedtime story. Children can listen on their own, or with a parent,
  letter-from-santa for more information.          as a way to wind down.

                   DOWNLOAD OUR MAGAZINE                                             If you have any local news to share with our
                    Don’t miss an issue!                                               readers and would like to include it in our
   Download the latest magazine and our back catalogue at                                      January/February issue,
                       www.issuu.com                                              please email it by 2 December for consideration to
                                                                                            editor@familieseastkent.co.uk

                                       Step up for Safe
                                       Streets
                                       UK Road Safety Week 2019,
                                       takes place between 18 and 24
                                       November, will encourage road
                                       users to ‘step up’ and play a part
                                       in the creation of a safe and
                                       healthy future on our roads.

  Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on a British
  road, yet each of these tragedies is preventable.

  This year, the annual event aims to encourage everyone to Step
  Up for Safe Streets and learn about, shout about and celebrate the
  amazing design-led solutions that can help end suffering on our
  roads.

  The focus is on how design can stop human error from causing
  death or serious injury on the roads, can encourage walking and
  cycling, and can make sure that the air is clean.                                          Vintage inspired high quality knitwear for the
                                                                                                     modern day baby and toddler
  For more information and to get your free Action Pack, visit www.
  roadsafetyweek.org                                                                      www.etsy.com/shop/emilyandevelyn
4 Families East Kent                                                                                                                 familiesonline.co.uk
East Kent - Families Online
News
                                            ‘Mothers
                                            should                         The Mamma
                                            do most                        Coach
                                            childcare’
                                                                           Pregnancy and Parenting
                                            Surprisingly, according to     can be challenging times
                                            the British Social Attitudes   with many people finding
                                            Survey carried out by the      the stress and anxieties it
                                            National Centre for Social     causes too much to cope
Research, around half of people (51%) in the UK think that the best        with. Preparing for a baby,
option for a family with a pre-schooler is for the mother to do most       whether it is your first or
of the childcare.                                                          fourth can be both joyous
                                                                           and terrifying, with worries
When deciding how a family with a pre-school age child should best         about birth, being a good enough parent
organise work and family life, only 16% of those surveyed favour           and having enough love and money for
arrangements that represent an equal split of childcare and work           more children being top of the list.
between parents.
                                                                           Many parents juggle their jobs and
32% think mothers should work part-time and fathers full-time,
19% think mothers should stay at home and fathers should work              children on tight budgets without much,
full-time, 9% think that the mother and father should both work            if any support and the stresses of modern
part-time and 6% favour both parents working full-time.                    day life and parenting leave parents feeling like they’re failing or not
                                                                           good enough. Finding the layers of stress overflowing into our daily
Nancy Kelley, Deputy Chief Executive at the National Centre for            lives with not enough time to fit in times to de-stress often results in
Social Research, comments: “Despite considerable social change,            a pressure cooker effect and we become ill, short-tempered, have
and strong policy intervention, we still have some way to go in            chronic pain and look for ways to ease the stress that are actually
supporting women to flourish in their careers and men to take a            doing more harm, like drinking alcohol or over-eating.
more active role in caring for children.”
                                                                           As a mother of 4 boys (including twins), and a therapist, Sophie
More info: www.natcen.ac.uk                                                Burch knows all too well how our anxiety and stress levels can
                                                                           overflow and get the better of us, slowing us down until we begin
                                                                           to become slightly dysfunctional or worse, unable to cope. She also
 One in seven 5 year olds not                                              knows that our valuable NHS services are at capacity with many
 protected against measles                                                 people having to wait long periods of time before they can be seen
                                                                           by a CBT therapist or Councellor. This is why, it’s important to have
 One in seven 5 year olds may not be protected against potentially         a “bridging” service for parents to access; a light therapy service
 life threatening measles, Public Health England (PHE) has warned.         for mild to moderate symptoms that gives people the chance to be
                                                                           heard, to learn simple, effective mental wellbeing coping skills and
 PHE has revealed that about 30,000 children may have started              importantly to feel held in a safe space where they can express
 primary school with no protection against measles, mumps                  themselves without judgement. Half of new parents mental health
 and rubella, while 90,000 may have had only the first of the two          problems don’t get picked up by the overstretched NHS; this needs
 vaccines necessary for protection.                                        to change.
 There were 230 cases of measles in England in the first quarter of        Sophie runs antenatal courses that include life, wellbeing and
 2019, many linked to visiting European countries during holiday           relationship coaching through into the fourth trimester, giving
 periods. As a result of these outbreaks, the UK has now lost its
                                                                           couples the skills to be resilient to the curveballs of pregnancy,
 measles-free status, just three years after the virus was eliminated.
 PHE is urging all parents to check their child’s Red Book to make         birth and early parenting. She also run postnatal mental wellbeing
 sure there is a record of two MMR doses and the 4-in-1 booster            groups, online coaching and 1:1 therapy for new parents and any
 vaccine. If not, parents should contact their GP practice to arrange      parent struggling with anxiety, low mood, fears and other mental ill
 any further vaccinations.                                                 health issues.

 More info: www.nhs.uk/NHS vaccinations                                    Get in touch for a free chat to see if Sophie can help or signpost
                                                                           you to where you can get support. Always go to your GP first if you
                                                                           are not feeling yourself, and they will refer you on to one of their
                                          Record low                       services. If you have to wait, contact Sophie and work through it
                                                                           until you get the recommended help.
                                          Sudden Infant
                                          Deaths                           Email sophie@themammacoach.com or visit www.themammacoach.
                                                                           com or www.burchtherapy.com.
                                           Sudden infant deaths,
                                           the syndrome in which
                                           otherwise seemingly
                                           healthy babies die
unexpectedly before their first birthday, has dropped to its lowest
level on record, according to a report from the Office of National
Statistics (ONS).                                                              Parenting life can be hard at
                                                                               times can’t it? Are you feeling
Records of what used to be called ‘cot death’ began in 2004, when              Anxious, Stressed, Fearful or
the rate was 0.5 deaths per 1,000 births. The 2017 figure is 0.27 per          Over-worried? I can help pop
1,000 births meaning the figure has almost halved since the records            you back into balance. 1:1 online
began.                                                                         therapy sessions to suit you.

The ONS said the fall in unexplained deaths may be due to factors              Check out my website and take
such as fewer expectant mothers smoking and more awareness of                  the first step to feeling better.
safer sleeping practices.
                                                                               sophie@themammacoach.com
The term ‘cot death’ is no longer used, due to the suggestion that             www.themammacoach.com
sudden infant death can only happen when a baby is in its cot. The             www.burchtherapy.com
term now used is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.

More info: www.ons.gov.uk

familiesonline.co.uk                                                                                                             Families East Kent 5
East Kent - Families Online
Parenting

  Talking to
  children
  about
  climate
  change
  Valentina Gianella

  Being a parent is a tough job. The            best cure for fear. Stop using disposable     Who is
  trickiest part is making sure we tell our     plastic; start using re-fillable water        Greta Thunberg?
  children the truth, without simultaneously    bottles; make sure you recycle correctly;
  causing them to be either over-anxious or     re-use; exchange instead of buying new        Greta is a child who loves to be “in the
  delusional about the future. It applies to    things; save energy; save water; walk         know” about what is happening to our
  an extensive range of aspects in life, and    and cycle more; use public transport or       planet.
  climate change is a relatively new but        shared transportation. Show your child
  undeniable one.                               we can all make a difference and that if      She comes from a family of scientists
                                                everyone does the same, the future looks      and artists, she has studied the facts, and
  My children were 10 and 7 years old           more positive.                                she is not afraid of being in the spotlight.
  when we first started talking about                                                         This combination worked well when she
  the environmental challenges facing           “What is climate change?”- How                decided it was time to speak out and gain
  humanity. Even as a journalist who has        to answer                                     attention from the world about the danger
  dealt with such topics for years, I was                                                     we are facing and what we should be
  frankly terrified of this task. Writing an    The earth is our home, and it is nestled      doing to avoid it.
  article is one thing: facing their worried    within a precious shelter that is called
  questions was entirely another.               the atmosphere. Inside the atmosphere,        Where can we learn more about
                                                we and other creatures can breathe and        this?
  Then, a young girl showed up. Greta           live. For nearly 200 years we have used
  Thunberg was everywhere online, with          something called fossil fuel (carbon
  her yellow raincoat and a straightforward                                                   Sometimes, the news can be challenging
                                                and oil), which we burn in order to fuel      for children to understand because it only
  concept: we have to DO something to           our working world, in everything from
  save our planet, or there’s going to be                                                     illuminates part of a problem. Also, some
                                                factories to transportation. Every time       headlines can be scary. Suggest that your
  trouble. Action: that was the key. If you     we burn fossil fuels, or cut down trees,
  know that there is something you can                                                        child come to you with their questions
                                                the atmosphere temperature rises a tiny       and look for scientific sources together.
  do about a problem – even the smallest        bit because the gas (mostly a gas called
  thing, anything that is within your power –                                                 Bookshops and the internet (reliable
                                                carbon dioxide) that comes from this          websites such as www.climatekids.nasa.
  you feel less hopeless. Less scared.          burning becomes trapped inside the            gov) can give a wider view. Look for
                                                atmosphere. This means the earth cannot       sources that have been translated in a
  Here are some of the questions that           release the heat that it receives from the
  children and their parents have been                                                        way that is understandable for younger
                                                sun. This is called Global Warming.           ages.
  asking me about Climate Change and the
  answers that seem to help them.               As the temperature rises, the climate
                                                changes. This brings heavy rains or
  My child gets anxious about                   severe drought, diverts the sea currents
  the future of humankind: what                 and disrupts the natural habitat of many
  should I say?                                 species. It also means that the sea level
                                                is rising due to the ice melting in the
  Talk frankly, but also help them              Poles. All of these are the main effects of     Valentina Gianella is the author
  understand the everyday actions that          Climate Change.                                 of We Are All Greta: Be Inspired
  we can all take to tackle the main issues                                                     to Change the World published
  related to Climate Change. Action is the      What can help me communicate                    by Laurence
                                                the key facts to my child?                      King and is
                                                                                                available from
                                                It helps to introduce a hero character          www.amazon.
                                                that allows children to engage their            co.uk, www.
                                                imagination while they absorb abstract          laurenceking.
                                                information. Greta Thunberg is a perfect        com and all
                                                medium for these concepts. Discover             good book
                                                other children who have also made a             stores.
                                                difference – like William Kamkwamba,
                                                who inspired the book and film The Boy          ISBN:
                                                Who Harnessed the Wind.                         9781786276131
                                                                                                £9.99

6 Families East Kent                                                                                                   familiesonline.co.uk
East Kent - Families Online
Lifestyle
Finding a flexible job that works for you
By Mandy Garner

Time becomes an increasingly precious commodity once you have children. For many that means looking to
reduce or re-arrange their working hours to give themselves the time they need to enjoy family life.

So what are the alternatives to the traditional full-time job? Well, these days there are many different options.

Flexible Working Requests                                                                                                                     the hours in your regular job and run a
                                                                                                                                              franchise or self-employed job on the side
Firstly, you could seek some form                                                                                                             either on a permanent basis or until your
of flexibility in your existing job. It’s                                                                                                     self-employed work is earning enough to
important to be open-minded as to what                                                                                                        support you. Another advantage of the
that might look like, whether it could be                                                                                                     portfolio approach is that it gives you time
part-time hours, some home working,                                                                                                           to experiment with different work options.
flexible start and finish times, annualised                                                                                                   It could also allow you to re-train for
hours, compressed hours (longer days                                                                                                          another career while still earning.
but fewer of them), or a combination of
several possibilities.                                                                                                                        Self-Employment
In order to make a formal flexible working       and thinking broadly about any possible
                                                 available job that might fit around your                                                     You could, of course, choose to jump
application you will need to show you                                                                                                         straight into self-employed work. If so,
have thought through the implications            family’s needs. Talk to others and look into
                                                 industries you may not have considered                                                       ensure you do your business research
of any changed working pattern on your                                                                                                        well. You could also consider becoming a
employer and colleagues. Are there, for          before.
                                                                                                                                              franchisee, which means that you would
instance, parts of your job that could                                                                                                        have the freedom associated with running
be delegated to others to enable them            Check out family-friendly websites to see
                                                 who the most flexible employers are and                                                      your own business with fewer of the
to get experience? Could you use the                                                                                                          risks of going it alone since the franchise
flexible working process to review your          read around about what other parents
                                                 do. Sites like www.workingmums.co.uk                                                         will provide a tried and tested business
job and hone in on where you can have                                                                                                         model.
the most effect? If you can show that            have a regular jobs alert and case studies
you have thought your case through               of working parents which can give you
                                                 suggestions of where to look that you                                                        Families East Kent Magazine is currently
carefully, weighing up your own and your                                                                                                      available as a franchise opportunity. You
employer’s needs, you are more likely to         might not have thought of before.
                                                                                                                                              can work flexible hours from home and
be successful.                                                                                                                                work around your family commitments.
                                                 Once you have honed sectors and types
                                                 of jobs you might be interested in, you                                                      Families East Kent Magazine is a premium
Bear in mind that flexible working                                                                                                            free magazine for parents with kids 0-12
legislation currently only applies to those      could join LinkedIn professional groups
                                                 and check out company websites and                                                           years and is published 6 times per year. It
who have been in position for six months.                                                                                                     is also part of a group established in 1990
                                                 social media. Thorough research is key to
                                                 securing the right job for you.                                                              and has 40 local titles around the UK. To
If this is not you or if you do not want to                                                                                                   enquire for more details, email rebecca at
permanently change your hours - perhaps                                                                                                       editor@familieseastkent.co.uk
you only need some temporary flexibility         If the sector you are interested in requires
- then you could ask for changes in your         you to retrain, you could look into whether
                                                 there is any on the job training.                                                            The important thing is to be creative and
working pattern on a more informal basis.                                                                                                     to try to think out of the box about your
                                                                                                                                              skills. Go back to basics and rediscover
Be Creative                                      Portfolio Career                                                                             what those skills are, who you are, what
                                                                                                                                              you like doing. A good coach can help
Another way around the flexible working          Another potential option is the so-called                                                    you work your way through all the above
issue is to switch jobs or even careers.         portfolio career where you juggle several                                                    options.
Having children means that all your              part-time or freelance/self-employed jobs,
creative skills will be in play most of the      creating a kind of tapestry which gives                                                      Mandy Garner is Editor of www.
time, including when it comes to your            you flexibility around drop-off and pick-up                                                  workingmums.co.uk where you can find
work life. You could try listing your skills     times. You could, for instance, reduce                                                       more suggestions on flexible working.

  Could this be your ideal job?                                                           East Kent
                                                                                                                                                                                          FREE
                                                                                                                                                                                          TAKE ME HOME

  Work flexible hours from home and around your family!
  Families East Kent is a premium free              If you are interested in:
  magazine for parents with childen 0 - 12
  in East Kent and it’s now looking for a new                                                                                                                                  IN THIS ISSUE

  owner.                                            •    running your own business         RECRUITING NOW
                                                                                               Successsful ‘business mum’ is
                                                                                             seeking 5 working partners to work
                                                                                               part-time from home, alongside
                                                                                                                                                                              Summer Fun for all
                                                                                                                                                                                     the family

                                                         and;
                                                                                              and without compromising family
                                                                                               commitments or current career.                                                    The benefits of
                                                                                                                                  Lose weight for summer!
                                                                                                 If you have a supervisory,                                                       Forest School
                                                                                                                                    Caroline
                                                                                               managerial, sales, marketing,
                                                                                               recruitment or self-employed
                                                                                            background, or you wish to develop                                                    Fruity summer
                                                                                                  an extrordinary lifestyle,      07967 347484

  The East Kent franchise area covers Ashford,
                                                                                                     Please call Vicki King
                                                                                                                                                                                    snacks ideas
                                                                                                        07501 433 922             As seen on TV ‘The Crash Diet Experiment’

                                                                                         Issue 4 July/August 2018                                                              familiesonline.co.uk

  Canterbury, Dover, Faversham, Folkestone,
                                                                                                                                                                                         Families East Kent

                                                    •    learning the skills of print
                                                                                          familiesonline.co.uk

  Margate, Ramsgate and all areas                        publishing, copy writing, design, sales,
  inbetween.                                             social media and business management
  Families East Kent Magazine is part of the
  brand-leading Families Magazine franchise         Then call us today for more information on
  group, which was established in 1990 and          07789 882467 or email your interest to
  has 40 local titles around the UK.                editor@familieseastkent.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk                                                                                                                                                                                          Families East Kent 7
East Kent - Families Online
Parties

 It’s PARTY time
 Party entertainers are a great idea for a birthday party. They mean less
 stress and more time for you to enjoy your child’s celebration. But you may
 still need invitations, decorations, food and some activity ideas. So, if your
 child has their heart set on a themed party here are tips for popular themes.
                                                                                                           Science Party
                                                                                                           Science parties are a great way for introducing
                                                                                                           science concepts to young children. There
                                                                                                           are companies which can provide spectacular
                                                                                                           science parties at your home but here are
                                                                                                           some accompaniments you may need.

                                                                                                           Decorations
                                                                                                           Spell out the birthday child’s name using the
                                                                                                           periodic table.
                                                                                                           Hang up educational science posters like the
 Circus Party                                                                                              periodic table which can be downloaded for

 Kids love to clown around and have fun so why
                                                     Prince and Princess Party                             free.
                                                                                                           If you have one, display a whiteboard for
 not try a circus party?                             A prince and princess party is all about make-        working out problems such as ingredients for a
                                                     believe and dressing up. Think gold and silver,       potion or volcano.
 Decorations                                         jewels and gems!                                      Use coloured balloons for different planets –
 Create a balloon archway around a doorway.                                                                add cardboard for Saturn’s rings.
                                                     Invitations
 Create the illusion of being under a big top by
 hanging bunting from the where the walls meet       Create royal proclamations to invite your             Costumes
 the ceiling, with the other ends of the bunting     guests using coloured paper, ribbon and some
 meeting in the centre of the ceiling.               candle wax. Either hand write or print out on a       Oversized white shirts can become lab coats.
                                                     computer.                                             Print out name tags with monikers added like
 Arrange toy animals like elephants and lions                                                              ‘Professor Julia.’
 around the room.                                    Decorations
                                                                                                           Party Food
                                                     Welcome your guests by rolling out a length of
 Food                                                red carpet or any fabric that looks grand.            Rocket and Star Sandwiches and Pizzas –
                                                                                                           use a cookie cutter to cut sandwiches or pizza
 Serve popcorn in decorated paper cups.              A drawbridge made from cardboard or a                 slices into rockets or stars.
                                                     balloon archway also adds finesse.
 Decorate the cake with a clowns face                                                                      Celestial Cupcakes - use edible glitter to dust
                                                     Choose a colour theme for your balloons.
 Use icing pens to draw balloons on cupcakes.                                                              cupcakes.
                                                     Make the table the focus. A canopy made from
 Hot dogs, funny-face pizza and animal-shaped        inexpensive voile, or a net curtain hung from         Sweet Rockets – fill plastic test tubes with
 biscuits add to the atmosphere.                     the ceiling, will look eye-catching. Wrap fairy       sweeties.
                                                     lights around the table or scatter it with glittery
                                                     confetti.                                             Activities
 Activities
 Pin the Red Nose on the Clown – children            Food                                                  Erupting Volcanoes - children make a small
 pin their red nose onto a clown poster whilst                                                             volcano from play dough. Then insert a small
 blindfolded.                                        Watermelon Magic Wands – cut watermelon               container such as jar or film canisters (available
                                                     into star shapes, and serve on top of skewers.        cheaply on Amazon) into the centre of each
 Juggling - use tennis balls to teach juggling or                                                          volcano. Into each container, put one teaspoon
 spin plastic plates on top of a broom handle.       Crown-shaped Biscuits and Sandwiches                  of bicarbonate of soda, a squirt of dish washing
                                                     - wrap a cake tin with foil, and add four turrets     up liquid and a few drops of red food colouring.
 Musical Clown Noses – children skip around          made from foil-wrapped cardboard tubes.               Add one tea spoon of vinegar and kapow!
 the room to music. When it stops, they have to
 find a clown nose and the person who doesn’t        Royal Sweets - pile red, white and blue sweets        Mini Lava Lamps - fill jars or bottles about a
 find a nose is out.                                 or cupcakes onto a cake stand.                        ¼ full with water. Add food colouring and mix.
                                                                                                           Almost fill jars with oil. When the oil and water
 Clown Face Painting Competition - children                                                                have separated, drop in a fizzing tablet like Alka
 paint their own faces, making themselves look       Activities                                            Seltzer or Vitamin C. Watch as the tablet floats
 like clowns.                                                                                              down slowly to the water, dissolve and create
                                                     Make crowns and tiaras - decorate paper               bubbles of gas that carry some of the coloured
                                                     crowns with sequins and glitter.                      water to the top. Add a few tablets at a time!
 Circus Crafts
                                                     Make medieval prince/princess hats - provide          Magic Potion Station - Gather safe ingredients
 Balloon animals – buy a pack of long balloons       some pastel-coloured card, elastic and cheap          such as washing up liquid, vinegar, bicarbonate
 and search for free video tutorials online.         net or voile, to transform into cone-shaped,          of soda, glitter, food colouring, spoons and
                                                     medieval prince/princess hats.                        mixing bowls/glass jars and arrange them so
 Circus finger puppets - download and print
 out circus characters. Get children to colour       Royal Party Games - Play Pin the Tail on the          children can mix their own potions.
 them in and cut them out. Cut a 2cm wide strip      Dragon or the Jewel on the Tiara, Musical
 of paper long enough to go round the middle of      Thrones, or The Queen Says (instead of Simon
 each child’s finger. Glue/Sellotape strip into a    Says).                                                  Advertise with us and reach
 circle. Attach the character onto the front.
                                                     Royal Treasure Hunt - Hide gold chocolate                 40,000+ local parents
 Clown Hats - cut circles out of bright, thick       coins around the house or garden. Someone
 card to make into cone shapes, as well as small     has stolen the king’s gold and the children must         and carers. Call Amanda
 circles in different colours to be glued on. Glue   find it!
 a pompom at the top of the hat. Punch holes                                                                     on 07835 848066
 either side to thread elastic through.

8 Families East Kent                                                                                                                    familiesonline.co.uk
Parties

Jungle Party                                        Space Party
A great theme for boys and girls ages 2 to 8
and lovers of the Lion King or the Jungle Book.     Many children become fascinated by all things       Superhero Party
                                                    space. If this applies to your child, a space-
                                                    themed party may take off!                          You don’t need to be a super parent to make
Invitations                                                                                             sure your kids have fun at a superhero party.
Purchase some cheap animal masks and write          Invitations                                         Invitations
invitations on the back.
                                                    Buy space-themed invitations or make them           Superhero party invitations can be bought
Decorate the envelopes with coloured stripes        by placing a picture of an astronaut on the         or make your own. Buy superhero masks,
or spots.                                           front of a note card. Stick a picture of the        handwrite the party details on a notecard or
                                                    birthday child’s face on the astronaut. For party   decorative shipping tag and tie onto the masks.
                                                    information, use ‘Launch Date,’ ‘Lift off Time,’
Costumes                                            ‘Scheduled Return to Earth,’ ‘RSVP to Mission       Costumes
                                                    Control Headquarters’ etc.
Ask children to come dressed as their favourite
animal or perhaps a jungle explorer.                                                                    Children come dressed as their favourite
                                                    Decorations                                         superhero, or transform into one on arrival
Have them make animal masks when they                                                                   using a selection of masks and capes which
arrive.                                             Buy space posters, models/inflatable space          you can buy cheaply. Capes can be decorated
                                                    craft, cut out and hang star and planet shaped      with markers and printables you have
Make tails using rope with a knot in the end        cards.                                              downloaded.
(lion or giraffe) or old tie or strip of cloth
(monkey).                                           Hang black and blue streamers and balloons.
                                                                                                        Decorations
Turn each child into a jungle beast with face       Decorate the table with a black table cloth,
painting.                                           sprinkled with star and/or planet-shaped            Lay the table with red, blue and yellow table
                                                    confetti.                                           cloths. Stick to three primary colours with
                                                                                                        balloons too for a real comic book effect.
Decorations                                         Download official NASA transmissions to play
                                                    in the background!                                  Classic superhero terms such as ‘Kapow’,
                                                                                                        ‘Boom,’ as well as posters can be downloaded
Gather your potted plants together and hang                                                             to print and use to decorate walls.
green streamers to create a jungle in one part      Food
of a room.                                                                                              Superhero inflatables are cheap and can be
                                                    Alien Juice and Rocket Fuel - green and red         hung in the room.
Place and hang cuddly animal toys around the
room.                                               squash or fizzy drinks.
Decorate a plain white paper table cloth with       Star Cakes/Biscuits - decorate cakes/biscuits       Food
spots or stripes and sprinkle with plastic bugs     with star sprinkles.
                                                                                                        Use brightly coloured cups and plates.
and snakes.                                         Flying Saucer Sandwiches – cut small pittas
                                                    into saucers or star/planet shapes.                 Superhero Chips - make cones from
                                                                                                        downloadable comic book pages to serve
Food                                                Rocket Fruit Sticks - for the rocket nose use       chips, dippers or other party food.
                                                    a strawberry; for the body, alternate slices of
Snake sandwiches – cut using a circular             banana and strawberry; for its end, shape a         Superhero Cupcakes can be obtained from
cookie cutter. Arrange on a platter in a snake      piece of melon into fins.                           supermarkets.
shape using the ends of cucumber to make the
head and tail. Use olive slices or pepper circles                                                       Superhero Fruit Sticks - foods such as
                                                                                                        pineapple, green grapes and watermelon fit
for eyes and a strip of ham for the tongue.         Activities                                          the colour scheme; put them on sticks with
Jungle Juice – squash coloured red or green.                                                            superhero labels attached to the end.
                                                    Don’t Drop the Asteroid - children must keep
Animal Cup Cakes – decorate cupcakes with           all the asteroids (balloons) in the air while       Super Juice - brightly coloured fruit juices
animal figurines.                                   the music plays. When it stops, they grab           or low sugar squash will keep super thirsts
                                                    an asteroid. You call out a colour. Whoever         quenched!
                                                    has that coloured asteroid must pop it and
Games                                               complete the challenge inside to win a prize.
                                                    The game continues until all have received a        Activities
Sleeping Lions – children lie still and quiet       prize.
on the floor pretending to be ‘sleeping lions.’                                                         Pass the Kryptonite - children sit in a circle
A judge roams the room and any child that           Hot Moon - children stand in a circle. One          and pass around a green object (a painted
moves is ‘out.’ The winner is the last child        starts the game by passing the ball. While          rock or green bean bag), while the music plays.
‘asleep.’                                           the music plays, the players quickly pass the       When it stops, whoever’s holding the kryptonite
                                                    ball around the circle. When it stops, the child    is out! Give a prize to the last child left in the
Safari Animal Scavenger Hunt – beforehand           holding the ball is out. Play continues until one   game.
hide several plush jungle animals. Tell the         child is left - the Hot Moon Champion!
children the safari animals have gone missing.                                                          Superhero Face Painting - you could get
Call out the name of a missing animal. When         Solar System Challenge - children collect all       a professional face painter or set up your
that animal has been retrieved, call out the        the planets in our solar system and rush them       own face painting stand and view online
name of another.                                    back to their team’s star keepers. Then they        video tutorials to transform your guests into
                                                    must put them in the correct order to win.          superheroes.
Jungle Animal Charades – write the names
of jungle animals on note cards and place in                                                            Superhero Obstacle Course - jump through
a jungle hat. Each child pulls a card out of the                                                        a hoop; weave through cones; run with an egg
hat and tries to get the others to guess the                                                            and spoon; pop a balloon; crawl through a
name of the animal by acting it out.                                                                    tunnel or walk along a balance beam.

familiesonline.co.uk                                                                                                                  Families East Kent 9
Family Christmas

  Top board and card games to play
  this Christmas
  Christmas is the time to dust off your favourite games to play at home with your family and friends. With a
  flurry of new games hitting our living room tables during recent years, the games market has seen something
  of a revolution. Now there are hundreds of games available that employ brain-teasing strategies and flex your
  investigatory muscles.

  Claire Winter has picked some family board games that will help entice your children away from gadgets this
  festive season.

  Sherlock Holmes - Consulting            The London Board Game                   Monopoly Cheaters Edition             Pictionary
  Detective Thames Murders
  game                                    The complexities of the London          The new Cheaters Edition of           This drawing game has been a
                                          Underground system make this a          Monopoly brings a fresh twist         firm favourite since 1985. The
  Gather your loved ones, and don         great brain-challenging game for        to the property trading game          latest edition has been updated
  your deerstalkers to play this          players of all ages. The board itself   that was initially designed to        with two levels of clues for adults
  fun mystery game. You have to           is the London Underground map,          warn players about the dangers        and younger children, making it
  solve the case by interviewing          so while enjoying the race, you’ll      of capitalism. This version           a fun game for all ages. It also
  witnesses, and tracing their steps      also learn more about London.           encourages cheating and               has wipe clean markers and
  through Victorian London. This          Players must visit six of London’s      subterfuge! It includes 15 cheat      boards. Mattel has also released
  is very much a challenge of the         sightseeing hotspots, and the           cards that allow players to steal     Pictionary Air, which uses an app
  mental ability of the players, rather   winner is the first person to get       money from the bank and avoid         and augmented reality, but I prefer
  than a game of chance. The details      back to the mainline station where      paying rent.                          the old school version!
  are well-researched and give you        they started.
  a real sense of a bygone era.                                                   £17.74 Amazon                         £21.99 Amazon
                                          £30 www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk
  £34.90 Amazon

  Dobble                                  Chess and Draughts                      Speech Breaker                        Nudge

  This fun picture card game is very      According to academics, chess           This challenging game for children    Nudge is an incredibly simple, yet
  popular in our house and it’s really    boosts intelligence and creativity,     age 14+ is great fun. You have to     insanely addictive strategy game
  addictive. It depends on speed          so this Christmas teach your            put on the game headset, talk         for children age 14+ designed
  of observation as players have to       children the tactical games of          into the microphone, and get          to send you and your opponent
  pick out one icon from a group          Chess and Draughts to improve           your teammates to guess who,          over the edge. Designed with the
  on a card that matches the same         their mental agility. These timeless    what, where without saying any        environment in mind, the game
  icon in a group on another card.        games are also a great way to           of the words on the cards. But…       is made from 100% recyclable
  This simple premise then forms          share one-on-one time with your         the microphone jams your speech       materials including the game
  the basis for five short mini-          child.                                  with a built-in delay. As you talk,   board, single-colour packaging,
  games, alternatively asking you to                                              you’ll hear your delayed voice        and fully biodegradable game
  collect or discard cards as quickly     £19.99 Amazon                           through the game headset, making      discs.
  as possible. Younger eyes and                                                   it harder to speak clearly. Really
  reflexes are at a definite advantage                                            hilarious!                            £9.99 www.nudgegames.co.uk
  which means your 5 year old will
  beat you fair and square!                                                       £25.52 Amazon

  £12.99 Amazon

10 Families East Kent                                                                                                                   familiesonline.co.uk
Family Christmas

Eco Christmas Gift Guide
                                                                                                        TODDLERS
                                                                                                        Bamboo
                                                                                                        Hungry Kids Set
By Claire Winter                                                                                        Make dinnertime
                                                                                                        roar-some with
                                                                                                        this cute plate,
2019 has definitely been the year to think about over-consumption;                                      bowl, and cup set.
households around the country have gone Marie Kondo crazy, getting rid                                  Dinosaur lovers will
of unwanted clutter. Many people are also avoiding buying plastic or fast                               relish munching
fashion and thinking about the things they purchase and consume. So why                                 their meals from
                                                                                                        this cute, eco-friendly set. All pieces are
don’t you consider buying some eco-friendly presents for your nearest and                               made from plant-based materials, including
dearest this festive season?                                                                            bamboo and corn starch, making them fully
                                                                                                        biodegradable, and super-safe for kids. They’re
                                                                                                        also fully microwave and dishwasher proof.
BABIES                                                                                                  £14.99 www.prezzybox.com
Baby Car Seat Wrap
This stylish, organic, baby car seat wrap is the perfect present to give                                ABC Wooden
parents peace of mind on winter car journeys. The ladies behind
Kura Organics realised that taking their newborns out in the car was
                                                                                                        Blocks
                                                                                                        A classic alphabet
more stressful than it should be. They found the amount of safety
                                                                                                        and numbers blocks
advice about how to dress babies for travel overwhelming, so they
                                                                                                        set. Beautifully
created this cosy wrap. Not only does it keep little ones warm and
                                                                                                        crafted from solid
safe, it looks gorgeous too.
                                                                                                        rubberwood, all the
£49.99 www.kura-organics.com
                                                                                                        edges are smooth
                                                                                                        so they are easy to
                                                                                                        handle. This chunky
                         Sophie la Girafe Comforter Gift Set                                            set features pastel
                           This charming gift set featuring an original Sophie la girafe® and           designs of upper and lower case letters as well
                           comforter is a lovely gift for baby’s first Christmas. The 58-year-old       as numbers from 0 to 9. Every block is hand
                            icon is loved by millions and is still made using traditional methods       screen-printed, which makes each one unique.
                            from 100% natural rubber, derived from the sap of the hevea tree, and       Designed to help strengthen motor skills,
                           decorated with food grade paint.                                             critical thinking, develop pre-reading and early
                           £29.99 www.1two.co.uk                                                        counting skills, this is a beautiful, educational
                                                                                                        toy made out of sustainable materials that will
                                                                                                        give a toddler hours of fun.
                                                        TEENS                                           £29.99 www.letoyvan.com

  KIDS                                                  The Bear
                                                        Grylls                                          MUM AND DAD
  My First                                              Snorkel
                                                                                                        Blue Goose
  Giant Bubble                                          Experience
                                                                                                        Coffee
  Kit                                                   for Two                                         Perfect for coffee
  You can never                                         Buy an                                          fans, this new
  be too old                                            experience                                      range of speciality,
  to play with                                          for your teen                                   single-origin, and
  bubbles. Dr Zigs                                      instead of an actual gift. The Bear Grylls      organic coffees in
  is made in the UK by a small, Snowdonia-              Adventure at the NEC in Birmingham is an        innovative plastic-
  based company. The bubble mixture is fully            experience they will never forget. Snorkel      free, compostable starch and wood bark
  biodegradable and palm oil and phosphate-             with some not-so-deadly Black Tip Reef          capsules are perfect to go in coffee machines.
  free. It also comes in 10x concentrate to             Sharks and other marine life protected          Compatible with Nespresso® original coffee
  massively reduce packaging, while the 25cm            by a see-through snorkel cage. Plus, a          pod machines, these innovative capsules turn
  wooden wands and rope used to create the              percentage of every dive is donated to the      into compost within twelve weeks.
  bubble are made from sustainably-sourced              Shark Trust to help shark conservation.         £18.99 www.bluegoose.coffee
  wood and unbleached cotton. They even                 £90 www.redletterdays.co.uk
  make bubbles for dogs!                                                                                Pukka Herbal Tea Christmas Advent
  £19.99 www.drzigs.com                                 ili Laptop                                      Calendar
                                                        Stand                                           The perfect advent calendar for all tea lovers,
                                                        This funky,                                     featuring 24 Pukka organic herbal teas.
  Tepee                                                 portable laptop                                 Inspired by the power of plants, Pukka’s
  The Little Green                                      stand is the                                    Christmas Calendar is a healthy alternative to
  Sheep Teepee                                          brainchild                                      chocolate-filled advent calendars!
  is a great gift                                       of engineer                                     £9.99 www.waitrose.com
  for kids with a                                       Celine Kerr and
  big imagination.                                      her husband                                     DIYogi Yoga
  This beautifully                                      Zeno. The ili
  designed
                                                                                                        Mat
                                                        is a versatile
                                                                                                        The ideal present
  playhouse with a                                      and elegant laptop stand. It is made out of
                                                                                                        for a yogi or yogini.
  striking scalloped                                    natural, sustainable materials and also helps
                                                                                                        The world’s first
  edge is made out 100% cotton canvas and               to improve posture when working from a
                                                                                                        yoga mats that
  wood. This great company ensures all of               laptop, plus it’s light and portable.
                                                                                                        people can write
  their products are natural and chemical-free.
                                                                                                        and draw on using markers. You can custom
  Once playtime is done at home, the Teepee             A fantastic gift for a teenager or adult, who
                                                                                                        design your own mat or add designs before
  adventures can continue on your travels,              loves to spend hours on their laptop.
                                                                                                        you give the gift. For every mat sold, £1 is
  because each one comes with a handy cotton            £39.99 www.ililaptopstand.com
                                                                                                        donated to Clear Blue Sea, a not-for-profit
  travel bag.
                                                                                                        organisation, which develops an automated
  £89.95 www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk
                                                                                                        solution to remove large quantities of plastic in
                                                                                                        our oceans without affecting ocean wildlife.
                                                                                                        £77 www.diyogi.com

familiesonline.co.uk                                                                                                                Families East Kent 11
What’s on

  What’s on
  Your essential guide to family events in November & December
  compiled by Laura Vass.

  We take great care in compiling our events guide, but check with
  the venues before you leave home just in case times or prices have
  changed since we went to print.

       CHRISTMAS EVENTS                        of the holiday season. This beautiful
                                               spectacle is well-worth a visit – head
  22 November – 1 December                     down to the harbour to witness this
  Look for a Book Christmas Event              wonderful sight of boats and local
  Whitefriars, Canterbury CT1 2TF              businesses lit up for December.
  Take part in this fantastic free event.
  Hunt out the Christmas themed books,         5 – 22 December (Thurs-Sun only)
  take them home to read and hide them         Enchanted Walmer Castle                  14 December                                  3 & 24 November
  again for someone else to find.              Walmer Castle, Deal CT14 7LJ             Christmas Crafts                             Canterbury Christmas Fair
                                               Make the most of winter evenings with    Astor Theatre, Deal CT14 6AB                 The Westgate Hall, Canterbury
  22 November – 30 December                    an enchanting experience of light,       The Astor Theatre is hosting a               CT1 2BT
  Christmas at Bedgebury                       colour and sound as the gardens at       Christmas-themed Family Crafternoon          Taking place at the beautiful
  Bedgebury Pinetum, Goudhurst                 Walmer Castle are transformed into an    from 1.30-2.30pm. £12 for a child and        Westgate Hall, you’ll be able to shop
  TN17 2SJ                                     illuminated world.                       accompanying adult. Additional sibling       a handpicked selection of products
  Inspired by the landscape itself, it is                                               £8. Booking is essential. Ages 4-12.         from small businesses in Kent and East
  a festive adventure in a world of trees      7 December                                                                            Sussex. 10am.
  on the illuminated winter trail and get      Christmas Crafts                         14 December
  a glimpse Father Christmas and his elf       Duke of York’s Royal Military School,    RNLI Ramsgate Lifeboat Carol                 9 November
  along the way.                               Guston, Dover CT15 5EQ                   Service                                      Neptune Christmas Market
                                               The Astor Theatre is hosting a           St George’s Church, Ramsgate                 Neptune Canterbury, Canterbury
  23 November – 24 December                    Christmas-themed Family Crafternoon      CT11 8RA                                     CT1 3TY
  Christmas at Hever Castle                    from 1.30-2.30pm. £12 for a child and    Starting at 2pm, this service is             Shop local food, drink, jewellery, crafts
  Hever Castle, Edenbridge TN8 7NG             accompanying adult. Additional sibling   approximately an hour long. The              and more. 10am-4pm.
  Take a magical journey down the rabbit       £8. Booking is essential. Ages 4-12.     service is running alongside the
  hole and into the enchanting world of                                                 church’s Christmas tree festival, so take    9 November
  Alice in Wonderland. See website for         7 & 8 December                           the time to browse the decorated trees       Ashford Christmas Fair and Craft
  available dates.                             Dickensian Christmas Festival            and donate to some good causes.              Market
                                               Rochester Castle and Town Centre                                                      The Towers School,
  30 November                                  Uncover a feast of Victorian delights,   22 December                                  Ashford TN24 9AL
  Christmas Fair and Santa’s Grotto            costumed characters and parades          Christmas Disco                              With a range of seasonal stalls this
  Woodnesborough Village Hall,                 as the town is transformed to a 19th     Whitstable Castle, Tower Hill,               market will be a great event for all.
  Woodnesborough CT13 0FB                      century wonderland.                      Whitstable CT5 2BW
  With stalls from local suppliers and                                                  Head along to the castle for a fun           9 November
  crafters, seasonal refreshments and          7 & December                             packed Christmas Disco with music,           Pilgrim’s Hospice Christmas Fair
  winter warmers. Santa will be in             Wartime Christmas Weekend                games, dance routines, a special visit       and Craft Market
  residence for the day with his helpers,      Royal Engineers Museum,                  from Father Christmas and possibly           The Towers School, Faversham
  so take your little ones along ahead of      Gillingham ME7 1UR                       even some snow! The disco will run           Road, Ashford TN24 9AL
  the big day. 10am-3pm.                       Head along to the museum to discover     from 4.30- 6.30pm Ages 4-9. £10 per          With more than 50 dedicated craft
                                               how Christmas was celebrated during      child. Call 01227 281726 to book tickets.    stalls to browse and buy from, and a
  30 November                                  the Second World War! Immerse                                                         further 25 stalls run by volunteers and
  Christmas in the Park                        yourself in the festivities and browse      CHRISTMAS MARKETS                         filled with donated goods. 10am-3pm.
  Strode Park, Herne CT6 7NE                   the market for festive treats.                                                        Free entry but donations welcome.
  There will be a variety of stalls, crafts,                                            1 – 3 November
  gifts, food and entertainment. Children      7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 – 31 December         Kent Christmas Fair                          16 November - 24 December
  can visit Santa in his grotto as well as     Winterland Margate                       Kent Event Centre, Detling                   Whitefriars Christmas Market
  meeting his reindeer. 10.30am-3.30pm.        Dreamland, Margate CT9 1XJ               Showground, Maidstone, ME14 3JF              Whitefriars, Canterbury CT1 2TF
                                               Escape to a magical Christmas world      Step into a creative world and               With 68 cabins and a further 70 small,
  30 November                                  down by the sea this December as         rediscover the art of enjoyable              artisan businesses represented in a
  CBeebies Christmas Show: Hansel              Dreamland presents Winterland            Christmas shopping. The Kent                 shared space, plus an additional week
  and Gretel                                   Margate. Frosted FM will be in full      Christmas Fair offers a unique               of trading, this is the biggest and
  Ashford Picturehouse, Elwick Road,           swing at the Roller Disco, playing       opportunity to find special presents for     longest-running Christmas market in
  Ashford TN23 1AE                             Christmas classics from 1-5pm on         special people; it is the perfect place to   the city.
  The show is an adaptation of fairy-tale      Winterland Margate open days, so         work your way through your Christmas
  classic Hansel and Gretel and will           strap on your skates and spin around     list.                                        23 November
  again feature many of CBeebies’ most         the dance floor.                                                                      Christmas Fair
  popular talent. Audiences will also get                                                                                            Lympne Village Hall, Aldington
  a chance to see exclusive, additional                                                                                              Road, Hythe CT21 4LE
  content specially-made for the cinema.                                            Christmas is coming to                           Artisan crafts, gifts, decorations,
                                                                                                                                     pottery, cake stall, refreshments, games
  30 November – 23 December                                                         Dreamland                                        for children and big hamper raffle.
  A Truly Magical Christmas
  Rare Breeds Centre, Ashford                                               Dreamland will be hosting Winterland                     23 - 24 November
  TN26 3RJ                                                                  Margate, a festive extravaganza this                     Christmas Fayre
  The Rare Breeds Centre is hosting                                                                                                  The Friars, Aylesford ME20 7BX
                                                                            December, with seasonal entertainment                    The weekend will be full of festive
  Santa and his elves, as well as their
  very own pantomime. Performances
                                                                            and rides open on weekends and                           fun including the free ice rink and
  are at 12 noon and 2 pm.                                                  Christmas school holidays, and a brand                   Christmas Land Train. Adults £4.50 and
                                               new premium grotto experience for families.                                           Under 12’s are free.
  30 November – 24 December
  Experience Christmas at Kent Life            Guests can expect dazzling fairy light walks, a winter market with festive            23 November – 15 December
  Kent Life, Sandling, Maidstone               food and drinks, yuletide crafts, free festive film screenings, Christmas             The Christmas Market
  ME14 3AU                                     trees, wreath making, and more. A selection of seasonal rides will also be            Leeds Castle, Maidstone ME17 1PL
  Head along to Kent Life to join in the                                                                                             Browse the splendid array of seasonal
                                               running during open days between 7-31 December.                                       gifts, toys, festive decorations. Visits to
  festive fun. In addition to the farm
  activities, you can jump on board                                                                                                  Father Christmas cost £17 and must be
  the Land Train, driven by the Head           There will also be a special giant Snow Globe that guests can climb                   booked in advance.
  Elf, to take a tour of the farm. Father      inside, and dogs will also be allowed on the park with their owners
  Christmas will be visiting the farm on       throughout the festive period.                                                        29 November – 22 December
  selected days through December.                                                                                                    Folkestone Christmas Market
                                               Frosted FM will be in full swing at the Roller Disco, playing Christmas               Folkestone CT20 1TU
  1 – 31 December                                                                                                                    With a range of quality seasonal treats
                                               classics, so strap on your skates and spin around the dance floor.                    and gifts, this is a wonderful market
  Ramsgate Illuminations
  Royal Harbour, Ramsgate CT11 8LS                                                                                                   to get you into the festive spirit. Open
  The berth holders in the Royal Harbour       The park is free to enter. Full details, ride wristbands and grotto tickets           daily 10am-5pm. Visit Santa in his
  decorate their vessels in celebration        are available at dreamland.co.uk.                                                     grotto, check dates and times with the
                                                                                                                                     organisers beforehand.

12 Families East Kent                                                                                                                                   familiesonline.co.uk
What’s on
1 December                                   14 December                                       LIGHTS SWITCH ON
Christmas at Brogdale                        Lydden Christmas Market                                                                   Children can meet Santa and get
Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road,                Lydden Village Hall, CT15 7EX               15 November                                   up-close with his reindeer, as well as
Faversham ME13 8XZ                           Market’s stalls selling locally produced    Canterbury Christmas Light Switch             explore the magical Christmas Grotto.
Christmas handmade crafts and local          food, drink, decorations and gifts.         On
produce market. Take a magical ride          Christmas raffle and gifts for children.    Longmarket, Canterbuy CT1 2JS                 14 November – 24 December
on the Faversham Miniature Railway to        1-5pm.                                      Prepare to watch Canterbury light up          Santa’s Grotto
Santa’s grotto. 10am-4pm.                                                                and sparkle at the annual Christmas           Bluewater, Greenhithe DA9 9ST
                                                        ICE SKATING                      Lights Switch-On event. The lights will       Experience a world of majesty and
1 December                                                                               be turned on between 5.30pm and               fantasy at Bluewater’s 2019 Grotto,
Christmas Market                             14 November – 5 January                     5.50pm.                                       based on the timeless festive story of
Sandwich Wildlife Park,                      Ice Skate at Bluewater                                                                    The Nutcracker and the Realms. From
Sandwich CT13 0DG                            Bluewater, Greenhithe DA9 9ST               22 November                                   £10.50 per child and times must be
This arts, crafts and gifts market will      Take a trip to Bluewater’s spectacular      Tankerton Late Night Shopping                 booked in advance.
showcase some of the best traders            undercover outdoor ice rink. Perfect for    and Light Switch On
Kent has to offer. 10am-4pm. Free.           all the family to enjoy. Prices from £11    Whitstable CT5 2AJ                            23 November – 24 December
                                             adults and £9. Book in advance online.      Tankerton will celebrate their first          Santa’s Grotto
1 December                                                                               Christmas Light Switch on event this          Longacres Bybrook Barn Garden
Tides Christmas Fayre                        29 November – 1 January                     year. Local businesses will support this      Centre, Ashford TN24 9JZ
Tides, Park Avenue, Deal CT14 9UU            Canterbury on Ice                           event by staying open late.                   Booking in advance is strongly
Tides will be hosting a Christmas Fayre      Dane John Gardens, Canterbury                                                             suggested as tickets sell out fast. £6 to
in aid of the RNLI. A variety of stalls      CT1 2WR                                     22 November                                   visit Santa and receive a gift.
to browse, a bouncy castle and an            The Dane John Gardens will provide          Westwood Cross Light Switch On
enticing raffle. 12.30-4.30pm.               a dramatic backdrop to the rink, with       Westwood Cross Shopping Centre,               30 November – 24 December
                                             twinkling lights and views available        Broadstairs CT10 2BF                          (selected dates)
7 – 8 December                               from the city walkway. Children must        The popular shopping centre will              Santa Specials
Christmas at the Castle                      be 4 or over to skate and prices start at   officially launch the season in style,        Kent and East Sussex Railway,
Whitstable Castle, Tower Hill,               £9 per child for 45 minutes on the ice.     revealing the stunning new Christmas          Tenterden TN30 6HE
Whitstable CT5 2BW                           Book in advance via the website.            lights display and spectacular Toy Fort       Take a magical steam train journey to
This is a traditional Christmas Fair with                                                Grotto.                                       meet Santa this Christmas on one of
stalls inside and outside. Children can      29 November – 2 January                                                                   the popular Santa Special trains. From
visit the magical Christmas grotto!          Ice Skating at Eastwell Manor               23 November                                   £22 and babies under 18 months free.
                                             Eastwell Manor, Ashford TN25 4HR            Faversham Christmas Lights
8 December                                   Eastwell Manor is hosting an outdoor        Town Centre, Faversham                        30 November – 24 December
Birchington Christmas Fair                   skating rink. An hour skating and skate     Expect a beautiful blend of quaint town       Santa’s Grotto
Station Road, Birchington CT7 9RE            hire is £14.50 for adults and £9.50 for     flair and good old fashioned Christmas        Whitefriars Shopping Centre,
This is a festive family fun day with live   under 12s.                                  spirit at the Faversham Christmas light       Canterbury CT1 2TF
music, children’s entertainment, carol                                                   switch on.                                    Santa’s Grotto can be found admidst
singing and a traditional Christmas   1 December – 1 January                                                                           the bustling Christmas market in the
market with local artisan gifts, food White Cliffs Christmas                       24 November                                         centre of Canterbury. Santa can be
and drink.                            ICE-travaganza                               Ramsgate Christmas Lights                           found here at weekends and then in the
                                      The Port of Dover, Western Docks             Switch On                                           week from mid-December. £4 per child
8, 15 & 22 December                   (Cruise Terminal) CT17 9DQ                   King Street and Queen Street,                       and places should be booked online.
Faversham Christmas Market            Open every day during December, the          Ramsgate
Guildhall Market Place, Faversham     historic Dover Marine Station will once      With events starting from 11.30am,                  Selected Dates in December
Packed full of Faversham Market’s     again be beautifully decked out with         this is a whole day of fun Christmas                Santa Specials
stalls selling locally produced food, Christmas decorations and will feature       festivities for you to enjoy, culminating           Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch
drink, decorations and gifts, you can ice-skating on the fantastic indoor real     in the switch on of the town Christmas              Railway, TN28 8PL
get all your shopping done in one go! ice rink, Father Christmas in his grotto,    lights.                                             The miniature railway offers a range of
There will also be festive music and  rides, market stalls, Christmas activities                                                       experiences to meet Santa. All include
entertainment.
 AD_129729_The Snow Dragon_87x130mm.qxp_87x130
                                      and many delicious food15/10/2019
                                                                  outlets. 9am 16:00
                                                                                   30 November                                         train travel and a visit to Santa in his
                                      - 6pm.                                       Sandwich Lights Switch On                           grotto at Dungeness. See website for
                                                                                   Sandwich Town Centre                                details. Prices from £20 per person.
                                                                                   This is a celebration for all the family,
                                                                                   with festive stalls, music, street                  Selected dates in December
                                                                                   entertainment and lots of food and                  Santa’s Grotto
                                                           Suitable                drink. A lantern-lit parade around the              Wildwood, Herne Common,
                                                                                   town will take place in early evening               Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ
                                                            for ages
                                                                                   and the lights switch on will be at 7pm.            Santa will be at Wildwood on selected
                                                               3+
                                                                                                                                       dates in December. Children will be
                                                                                         30 November                                   entertained by his magical elves, visit
                                                                                         Whitstable Christmas Celebrations             the reindeer and receive a quality soft
                                                                                         Various Locations in Whitstable               toy and souvenir photograph, as well
                                                                                         Various organisations, attractions and        as meeting Santa himself. Book in
                                                                                         businesses in the town will be hosting        advance.
                                                                                         a range of Christmas activities for
                                                                                         residents to enjoy throughout the day.        1, 7-8, 14-15, 20-24 December
                                                                                                                                       Elf Express
                                                                                         30 November                                   Quex Activity Centre, Quex Park,
      11 – 22 Dec                                                                        Dover Christmas Celebrations                  Birchington CT7 0BH
                                                                                         Town Square, Dover                            Climb aboard the Elf Express and
                                                                                         The Christmas Light Switch-on is timed        travel in style to Elf Tower. You will
                                                                                         for the finale of the celebrations at 5pm.    then venture through the Magical
                                                                                                                                       forest where you will be greeted by
                                                                                         1 December                                    some cheerful elves. Your visit will then
                                                                                         Westgate Christmas Light Switch               culminate with a visit to Santa for a
                                                                                         On                                            Christmas story and gift. Slots must be
                                                                                         Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea                 pre-booked prices from £11 per child.
                                                                                         CT8 8QY
                                                                                         Open 11am-5pm, Station Road plays             1 – 23 December
                                                                                         host to a fantastic day for all the family.   Father Christmas at the Hop Farm
                                                                                         Light switch on will be at 4.30pm.            The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood
                                                                                                                                       TN12 6PY
                                                                                         7 December                                    A visit to the Big Red Grotto will entail
                                                                                         Broadstairs Christmas Fayre and               a visit with Father Christmas, a chance
                                                                                         Light Switch On                               to meet his jolly helpers. Children will
                                                                                         Pierremont Park and Hall,                     receive a gift, as well as the chance to
                                                                                         Broadstairs CT10 1JX                          participate in craft activities. £18 per
                                                                                         This is a traditional family event            child. Book in advance.
                                                                                         with Christmas themed stalls, Santa
                                                                                         in his magical Grotto, music and              7-8, 14-15, 21-22 December
                                                                                         entertainment and the turning on of the       December Santa Specials
                                                                                         Christmas lights at 5pm.                      Crampton Tower Museum, The
                                                                                                                                       Broadway, Broadstairs CT10 2AB
                                                                                                WHERE IS SANTA?                        Book in at the Museum Kiosk on arrival
                                                Tickets & Information                                                                  from 12.15pm to see Santa. Admission
                                                        01227 769075                     10 November – 24 December                     is £7 per child. This includes a visit to
                                                                                         Santa’s Grotto                                see the man himself, a carefully chosen
                                             www.thegulbenkian.co.uk                     The Reindeer Centre, Tenterden                gift and a miniature train ride (weather
                                                                                         TN26 3EQ                                      permitting). No pre-booking required
                                                                                         The Grotto and centre are open every          for this event.
                                                                                         day and no pre-booking is required.

familiesonline.co.uk                                                                                                                                      Families East Kent 13
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