Learning

We have chosen our top ten island breaks for families – perfect for a last minute holiday during the October half-term. Or use this guide to help you plan your escape for next summer.

October is Black History Month and there are plenty of events taking place across the UK. The perfect place to start an education about black history is at home, and we’ve rounded up some of the best children’s books to get you started. Here are our twenty top picks for inspiring you and your children during Black History Month.

Dan and I knew we were going to home educate from the start. We might have had wobbly moments but from the instant we fell pregnant with our eldest, it was pretty much a sure thing. As I did my research about educational theories and the legalities and realities of home educating in the UK I swung wildly between styles. Some days I saw the merit in following a carefully chosen curriculum and on others I was convinced that a completely autonomous unschooling lifestyle was the path for us. Ultimately (and probably predictably), as our daughter approached mandatory school age we settled comfortably somewhere in between the two.

Don’t want to send your kids back to school with another chemical-laden plastic lunch box advertising the latest TV character? Fret not, we’ve rounded up five ethical, fun and funky lunchboxes – created to last with ethics in mind. And not a gormless caricature in sight!

You had a day playing outdoors on the cards and now heavy rain has put paid to your plans. Most of the time, you can muddle through with some good waterproofs and wellies, but sometimes the weather is so off-putting it looks like the day will be spent indoors. And you have a houseful of excitable kids all raring to go! In case of rainy day eventualities, it pays to have a list of activities ranging from stimulating to calming, and boxes of materials – from crafting bits to dressing up clothes – all ready to go. Create a rainy day box!

I love reading so much – I sometimes dream about taking a whole week off and just reading for the whole time. I’d revisit all the amazing personal development and business books that I love so much, get recommendations from my teenage daughters about good new fiction and come home from the library with piles of classics that I never seem to have the time to read. Oh, and nutrition and parenting books, women’s studies and books about yoga too… Anyway, for now, I squeeze reading into cracks and crevices in my day. Here’s what I’m reading right now

Anne Dhir shares her favourite picture books featuring children being carried by their parents. One evening, as we were reading Catch That Goat to Odaline, she became very excited as she had spotted a mum carrying a child on her back!

There is a satisfaction that comes with spending time outdoors. In my work, as a facilitator of naturebased programmes, I aim for a holistic approach, to include minds, bodies, emotions and spirits to make sure we meet the fundamental need of humans to spend time outside in nature. Our modern educational curriculum concerns itself predominantly with the mind and the accumulation of facts whilst forgetting how much we learn from playing, feeling and being encouraged to have a sense of wonder and mystery. Marina Robb takes us on an adventure into the woods to play games and get connected to the earth

ONE OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES is of walking in the Welsh countryside at night with my father and stopping to watch shooting stars darting across the sky among the twinkling stars. Astronomy has fascinated me ever since, and this love of the night sky has been passed on to my children. On dark, moonless nights they spread a blanket on the lawn, lie down, and try to make out the pictures made by the stars above their heads. Emyr Parri encourages parents to bring the night skies to life for their children.

With a few basic kitchen ingredients you can make great finger paints for your children that don't contain any dubious substances. Then, with a little foraging and creativity, you can colour them with wild flowers and leaves to create a truly natural painting experience.