Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd March 2017

Make a drawing robot, search for wild garlic, craft the future, learn about Fair Trade and join a reading and writing extravaganza.

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd March 2017

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd March 2017

MAKE Draw-Some!
Our kids love making robots of any description, and this incredibly simple drawing machine has a deliciously wonky random drawing action that makes beautifully crazed pictures. Designed by the Royal Academy of Arts, and powered by a few batteries and a motor (buy them in advance from Maplin), this sculpture-bot is a great way to learn about basic electronics, create some art, and while away an afternoon.

EVENT Word Up
Wee Write is Glasgow’s Book Festival for children and young people, held at the Mitchell Library. This Saturday there’s a megamix of free and ticketed events, including an exhibition about the science of the human body, balloon modelling, storytelling and messy play, puppet shows, Famous Five-themed puzzle solving, workshops and much much more. The reading-themed events are designed for a wide range of ages; flick through what’s on here.

COOK Allium Together
Wild garlic is just beginning to sneak into season. You’ll smell the pungent green leaves as you tramp on spring walks through woods. There’s a good guide to identifying the plant here, and some suggestions for National Trust places where you’ll find it here We love eating it in pesto form (try River Cottage’s recipe here), and deep fried in batter, but this year, we’re also going to try fermenting a few jars’ worth. Mmmmmmmm!

EVENT AND LEARN Perfectly Fair
It’s Fair Trade Fortnight , a chance to pause and think about the way that products on our shelves are made and arrive in our shops. It’s a great opportunity to sit down with your kids and discuss how your choice of what to buy can affect the lives of farmers and workers across the world. There’s an easy to understand film about Fair Trade here, or read this action guide for more practical ideas of ways to spread the message. Or, if you want to put your money where your mouth is (and smell delicious), Lush are releasing some very special, limited edition goodies to tie in with the event.

EVENT Back to the Future
Somerset House run some of the greatest, free regular art workshops in London for kids aged 6–12. This Saturday, join illustrator Sophia Ward to explore the past of this spectacular building through objects and illustrations before crafting your own predictions for the future. If you have time before or after the event, why not go on one of the venue’s excellent, free historical tours

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