Five Things To Do With Your Family In November

Hello! Welcome to our scrubbed-up, sparkly new newsletter!

We’re going monthly. Every four weeks, we’ll tell you about the most fun events, things to do outside, festivals to mark, delicious recipes that will suit all the family, things to make, ideas to get you moving and grooving, and off-beam things to do!

November is a time to light fires, start cosy crafting, splodge through forests, and hunker down for the colder days ahead. Find inspiration for things to do as the days darken and get colder here.

DO FORAGE AND FORAY
It may be damp underfoot, but November feels like a lovely time of year to forage. Find pine-needles and make immune system-boosting tea or a cup of bracing pine ice-cream, chestnuts to roast on the fire or under a grill, or to make marron glacés for Christmas, you might find oyster mushrooms, blewits or winter chanterelles to sprinkle into pasta or omelettes, or late-season sloes for winter gin or non-alcoholic sloe cordial.
The festival aims to inspire young people to watch and understand film in new and creative ways, and is open to all educators of young people, including, of course, home educators. Their film resources are excellent, and their competitions inspiring and a great springboard for home learning or after-school film-making fun.

EVENT LIGHT FANTASTIC
The Into Film Festival is a celebration of film and education for 5-19 year-olds. Running from November 7-24, it inspires young people to watch, understand and make film in new and creative ways. Book free places at screenings of movies including The Tunnel of Summer, Exit of Goodbyes and a sing-a-long Matilda or Aftersun with a film distribution careers talk or explore the role of a film composer in a workshop at London’s BFI.

EVENT ROOT AND BRANCH
National Tree Week runs from November 25 to December 3. It’s a chance for communities and individuals to celebrate the wonders of branch and bark, get their hands dirty, and join in events that contribute something positive to the local treescape. In a year that’s seen one of the country’s iconic trees felled, it feels important to celebrate the magic, wisdom and benefits of trees.
Take part in tree dressing events, storytelling, tree planting, or wintery walks across the country. Alternatively, why not visit your favourite tree, or find one and create a new family ritual – it’s a brilliant way of bonding.
Read more about the joys of planting trees with children here, and bringing up your family with a love of trees and creating a Treesisters grove here.

EVENT FIND THE KIND
Monday 13th November is World Kindness Day, a time to celebrate generosity of spirit in society and everyday life. Why not take the opportunity to spread the love with random acts of kindness? Find our ideas here.
This year, official suggestions include donating coats to a homeless shelter, leaving a pile of pennies by a fountain for others to make wishes, paying someone a compliment, planting a tree or writing a thank you letter to a teacher.
However, perhaps we should strive to make kindness the norm, rather than the exception. Find out about starting your own kindness project here. Longer term ideas might be volunteering at a soup kitchen, undertaking litter picks or spending time getting to know your neighbours. Including intentional moments of kindness, laughter and delight in your day, and taking time to enjoy them is life-affirming and benefits everyone. Read more about ways to raise compassionate children here.

EVENT OH THE HUMANITY
There’s a ridiculously rich selection of events on offer at the country-wide Being Human Festival. From kayaking and poem-writing in Plymouth to creating new stories about Kent sea monsters in Canterbury, or learning the art of flyting, or creative insults in Glasgow. There are online talks, debates and even a women writers ‘quote off’!
The festival is run by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, in partnership with the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the British Academy and explores the way the humanities can inspire, and help us understand ourselves and our relationship with a changing world. November 9-18. Find more here

WHAT WE’RE EATING THREE PIES FOR LATE AUTUMN Winter is coming, and it’s pie season. Warm your cockles with Chestnut, Mushroom & Shallot pie, try a tasty Spring Onion Tart or use up your stash of frozen goodies in a Blackberry Almond Tart. Find the recipe here

WHAT WE’RE READING Babies’ weird obsessions and what they can learn from them “Washing machines, cats, your glasses… is there something random that endlessly interests your baby? As they start to learn about the world around them, it’s very common for young children to be fascinated by very specific things. And while these can seem pretty bizarre, they’re actually a sign that your baby is starting to make sense of what’s going on around them.” Read more here