Rainy Day Duckling – Ruth Martin illustrated by John Butler

Nothing to do on rainy days? Meet Little Duckling - as soon as he hatches, he has plans to explore but they are thwarted as it starts to rain. Luckily all his baby animal friends have lots of fun ideas for rainy days: Lamb likes to splash in puddles; Foal likes to drink water from his trough and Bunny likes to munch the flowers that the rain has helped to grow. When Duckling gets home, his mum teaches him how much fun he can have swimming in the rain-filled pond!

Children will love helping tell the story by pulling the slider to change the pictures!

Funny Felt Farm Faces -Libby Hamilton, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert

This new title in this popular interactive series includes over 20 mix-and-match felt pieces to make up funny animal faces. Give Chick his yellow beak or be creative and see what Bunny looks like with a piggy snout. How silly can you be?

Hot Brands Cool Places verdict

These are two new delightful books from Templar Publishing, our Junior Reviewers love the Fuzzy Felt books and this latest one is equally popular, easy to use and great fun. Rainy Day Duckling is a sheer delight, beautiful illustrations, the Venetian slot-sliders reveal wonderful surprises, it has become a firm favourite for bedtime. This is a perfect book for Easter! Both Highly Recommended!

http://www.templarco.co.uk/

A PASSION FOR FASHION? VERTBAUDET’S 2011 CHILDREN’S DESIGN COMPETITION

Vertbaudet, the international fashion and homewares brand is giving seven children between the age of five and twelve the chance to design a waterproof raincoat set and wellies – and see them turned into reality!

Vertbaudet creates clothes that are not only original and individual, but stylish and practical as well, in designs that both children and parents love. So who better to stage a competition that champions children’s imagination, flair and that all important passion for fashion?

The seven winning designs will be turned into a finished product and sold in Vertbaudet’s Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection. Not only that, but the winners will also receive a Nintendo DSI XL Console and a New Mario Brothers Game as well as £300 to spend with Vertbaudet, so they can give their wardrobe or their bedroom a fabulous makeover!

Children can use felt tips, crayons, paint, collage or whatever else they like to create their designs. They can either draw their design on a plain piece of A4 paper or download a template from Vertbaudet’s website: www.vertbaudet.co.uk/page/junior_stylist_2010.htm, where they will also find all the information they need in order to enter. Entries must be received by 18th March 2011, with winners being announced later. So if your reckon you’ve got a budding Stella McCartney or Paul Smith in your family then download the entry form and give them the chance to shine!

www.vertbaudet.co.uk
0844 842 0000

THE FOYLE YOUNG POETS OF THE YEAR AWARD 2011: OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Are you the spokesperson for the next generation?

Deadline for entries 31st July 2011

As Bob Dylan, the voice of the ’60s, turns 70, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is on the look out for the voice of today's youth. If you are 11-17 years old and like to play with words, this year’s judges Imtiaz Dharker and Glyn Maxwell want to hear from you!

The Foyle Young Poet of the Year Award 2011 will be open for entries from Monday 7th March.

Since it began 14 years ago, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award has given us some of the most exciting new voices in poetry. With keen-eyed observation, these young poets have proven themselves to be powerful commentators on the times they live in.

This year sees the 70th Birthday of the legend Bob Dylan, known as the voice of the 60’s. As one of the great spokespeople of his time, it’s not surprising that Bob Dylan was recently named by past winners of the Foyle Young Poets Award as the musician who has most inspired them. His ability to authentically portray the political, personal and emotional is something equally present in the work of these young poets.

Now in its 14th year, the Foyle Young Poets has already given us some of the most exciting young voices in poetry: Caroline Bird, who had her first collection published aged just 15 and is now on volume number three; Helen Mort, the youngest writer-in-residence at the Wordsworth Trust and a regular crowd-gatherer at festivals such as Latitude and the Big Chill; and Jay Bernard, who was chosen along with leading poets, Jackie Kay and Jo Shapcott to read at the re-opening of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

As well as identifying the very best young poets writing today, the Foyle Young Poets Award allows this talent to grow. The fifteen overall winners of the prize get the opportunity to work on their poems at a week-long residential course at one of the prestigious Arvon Centres, where they will be tutored by this year’s judges. Winners under the age of 14 will be mentored by a professional poet. The 85 Commended Winners also receive book prizes and a year's Youth Membership of the Poetry Society.

The Foyle Young Poets of The Year Award 2011 is supported by the Foyle Foundation.

www.foyleyoungpoets.org

LEARNDIRECT HAS TEAMED UP WITH TOP CHILDREN’S AUTHOR PETER COREY TO HELP PARENTS BOOST THEIR CHILDREN’S READING SKILLS.

Mums, dads and their children can enjoy two free online storybooks by logging on to www.learndirect.co.uk/readtogether . Great for entertaining families, both are perfect for helping prepare children for the challenge of starting or going back to school.

“The Journey to Darkest Somewhere” and “The House of Scary Words” let kids become the lead characters and change details within the stories. The books also encourage readers to use basic English language while they play, so kids and parents can learn together.

Here are Peter’s top 10 tips for making reading a great experience for kids of all ages:

Read little and often – ten to fifteen minutes every day is great. For younger children, use bedtime or bath time if finding a moment isn’t easy during the day.

2. Reading should always be fun so try not to pressure your child if they feel too tired or lose interest. Laugh together at the funny stuff and enjoy the rhyming words – you’d be surprised how rewarding it feels.

3. Relish the story – talk about it and encourage your child to ask questions. You’ll be able to see how well they have understood what they have read.

4. Enjoying the pictures in a book is as important as the text. They can make the words easier to understand and help bring the story to life.

5. Be brave in your choice of books. Always search around, even if you think you’ve already found you and your child’s favourite author.

6. Use a library to borrow books. Libraries give us lots of choice and are like a dating agency – helping match the right person with the right book!

7. Don’t be scared of long words – they can be broken down into smaller parts which will make them far easier. Some English spellings just don’t make sense at first, so don’t worry if you or your child stumbles, it might be the word’s fault!

8. Don’t be afraid to judge a book by its cover and check what’s written on the back. This should help you decide if you and your child will enjoy the book.

9. Don’t worry if your child wants to read the same book again and again. Kids enjoy repetition as it helps them understand the story.

10. Always praise your child for trying hard at their reading and let them know it’s okay to make mistakes. After all, we all get words wrong – even parents! Practice makes perfect and solving reading problems together is part of what makes story time fun.

Mums, dads and their children can enjoy two free online storybooks by logging on to www.learndirect.co.uk/readtogether. Great for entertaining families, both are perfect for helping prepare children for the challenge of starting or going back to school.

THE BIG BANG EXPLODES INTO LIFE
London ExCeL event aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers

This March, The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair is preparing for record numbers of people to take part in what is the UK’s biggest ever FREE celebration of science and engineering for young people.
Thousands have already registered to attend the science extravaganza at ICC London ExCeL from 10 – 12 March, and organisers are urging families and schools to register now for free tickets. The 10 and 11 March are for schools with Saturday 12 March open to the public.
Aimed at unleashing passion and excitement in the next generation of scientists and engineers, the large-scale event will host 120 interactive activities, exhibitions and live shows, as well as the finals of the National Science & Engineering Competition.
Headline acts include live performances from BBC One’s Bang goes the Theory and an explosive line up of daredevil experiments from Sky TV’s Brainiac Live! TV’s favourite fictional duo Wallace and Gromit will also be bringing their ‘World of Invention’ roadshow to The Big Bang, where visitors can get creative at the clay station.
To show just how fun and inspiring science and engineering can be, other show-stopping activity zones include:
Go Global
· Discover how to weld big structures using chocolate
· Test your robotic skills by designing and programming a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot to help discover solutions to real world problems
· Join geoscientists to make your own earthquake and try your hand at fossil hunting
The Next Factor
· Find out how the liquid crystals in your LCD TV can be used for bullet-proof vests
· Feel Good Vibrations with a workshop designed to uncover the weird science behind sound
· Meet real-life astronomers who have turned their curiosity for the universe and life beyond earth into a career
Body Talk
· Take a look at your blood up close and visit a Stem Cell Lab of the Future
· Have a go at handling real bionic implants and uncover where they fit in the body
· Step inside the BodPod and discover your body shape and why what you eat matters
Energise
· Use your pedal power to help generate electricity! Challenge your friends to see who can create the most energy
· Find out how Algae can be used to produce hydrogen, electricity or other forms of green energy
Capital Hall
· Get in the fast lane and see how McLaren are using the latest technologies to create a range of high-performance sports cars. Feel the power and take your seat inside some of its newest innovations
Professor Brian Cox, one of The Big Bang’s biggest advocates, will also be attending The Fair to judge in the finals of the National Science & Engineering Competition. Visitors on Friday 12 March will see the TV science star rewarding some of the UK’s most inspiring young talent.
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of The Big Bang 2011, said: “The line-up for this year’s event guarantees a spectacular experience for young people of all ages. As well as showing just how much fun and inspiring science and engineering can be, it is also the ideal place to find out about the exciting career options out there.”
To find out more and book your place visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk

DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK TASKS VISITORS WITH THE ULTIMATE MISSION

Drayton Manor Theme Park, near Tamworth, Staffs, is set to become bigger and better than ever this Easter with the arrival of Europe’s first ever Ben 10 themed roller coaster, and the park will be inviting visitors to help Ben on his mission to defeat arch-enemy Vilgax.

Based on the hit TV series by Cartoon Network, the Ben 10 roller coaster ride will be called Ben 10: Ultimate Mission, and will also include a host of activity and adventure as part of the queuing system for the ride.

The initial stage of the queuing system transports visitors to Azmuth’s Lab on Galvan Prime planet, where they are introduced to Azmuth, the creator of the Omnitrix, which is used by Ben to transform himself into aliens. The Omnitirx is broken so Azmuth needs to fix it before villain Vilgax discovers that it’s on Galvan and tries to capture it for himself. The adventure begins…

Moving next to the Alien Chamber, visitors will be immersed in intergalactic alien world. As visitors progress through the workshop, laser beam blasts and warning alerts can be heard, bright lights flash and the ground begins to shake – the lab is under attack from Vilgax.

Visitors must activate the laser cannon in order to stop Vilgax’s ship before it lands. Boarding the roller coaster, they must ride at full force to the blast cannon, with Vilgax hot on their tail. After the breathtaking excitement aboard the roller coaster, riders are informed that they’ve successfully completed their mission. Vilgax has been defeated!

Riders then enter the exclusively themed Cartoon Network shop, showcasing an exciting range of Cartoon Network games and toys, and where they can view video footage and images of their adventure on the thrilling roller coaster ride.

Ben 10: Ultimate Mission will accommodate approximately 850 riders per hour, guarantees thrills and is set to be a firm favourite with visitors of all ages. The coaster is the world’s first Junior Boomerang model and launches riders forwards on their first tour of the track before they return travelling backwards along the same route. The track itself will be 180m long and will reach heights of 20m whilst the coaster reaches speeds of up to 55 kph, and a g-force of three.

The exciting new coaster and shop will be part of an amazing Cartoon Network Street, which will also include a Cartoon Network diner that will be thematically decorated both inside and out and will also play Cartoon Network cartoons on flat screens around the diner.

There will also be a stage above the Ben 10: Ultimate Mission entrance, which will accommodate live shows to entertain guests as they approach the ride during busy periods.

To book tickets, or for more information about the park, visit www.draytonmanor.co.uk or call 0844 472 1960. Reduced prices are available for tickets bought in advance.

For regular updates and news about Drayton Manor Theme Park join us on Twitter www.twitter.com/Draytonmanor and Facebook www.facebook.com/Draytonmanor.

CHILDREN STAY FOR FREE AT TREASURE BEACH THIS EASTER

This Easter, picturesque Barbadian bolthole, Treasure Beach has launched special ‘children stay for free’ package – perfect for a families who want to enjoy a taste of Caribbean luxury for less this Easter.

Home to 35 elegantly appointed guestrooms, some replete with private plunge pools, the team at Treasure Beach will welcome each child with a little Easter basket filled with toys and goodies for beachside fun, whilst parents can look forward to the freshest Caribbean fare from award-winning chef, Kirk Kirton who just last month launched a new daily changing menu.

Treasure Beach is ideally placed to access Barbados’ family hotspots, such as Harrison’s Cave, with its beguiling Crystal Room Cave and Barbados Wildlife Reserve. Whilst the Caribbean Sea is a veritable playground. Families can venture out into the ocean with an Atlantis Adventure submarine tour where they can “meet and greet” tropical fish and marine life and discover the Hawksbill Turtle, Frog Fish and Giant Sand Eels that live between the coral reefs.

Stay 7 nights pay for 6 and children under 12 stay for free - Save up to £330 per family

TC Classics is offering 7 nights from £5,699 per family based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing a Garden View Suite including breakfast, economy flights from London Gatwick with British Airways and private transfers. Price based on departures 18 April 2011 For further information and booking call 01244 355 527 or visit www.itcclassics.co.uk

For more information and booking please visit www.treasurebeachhotel.com

Children under 12 years stay for free. Based on up to two children, sharing with parents.

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