By Kate Hodges
09th March 2018
MAKE Tree-sy Living
Most children dream of their own treehouse; a place in which to retreat, to read, or even sleep. Off-the-shelf versions can be expensive and samey, so, this spring, why not build your own? These nine plans range from the traditional to the modernist – you’re bound to find one that takes your fancy, and, if you don’t have a tree, most work as free-standing buildings. There are more houses and decks here. Or be inspired by some of the most spectacularly beautiful treehouse from around the world.
DO Rebel Girls
Hot on the heels of today’s International Women’s Day, The Southbank Centre’s yearly WOW (Women of the World) festival celebrates the incredible achievements of women and girls, while presenting a packed programme of debates, workshops, performances and more. There’s a huge amount on (see the programme here) – we’re long-term fans of their Feminist Corner interactive workshops for both boys and girls, which are free (but ticketed - be nimble to reserve yours). We’re looking forward to the create-your-own-heroine comic book workshop and the Suffragette-inspired banner making session. Some events ticketed, some free. March 10-11
EVENT and LEARN Science-Triffic
Science Week is a great springboard for kids to explore the world of STEM. Running for ten days, there are events across the country – find one near you on the map here This year’s theme is ‘exploration and discovery’, and there are activity packs for all ages to download here. If you’d like to get more hands-on, the festival’s citizen science partnership is with The Plastic Tide, a group of science enthusiasts who are embracing the task of cleaning our oceans of marine litter using technology. They need help tagging images of litter supplied by an army of drones.
COOK At The Root
Celeriac is at its best right now. The knobbly, knotted vegetable is easy to overlook, but, cooked right, it’s delicious, cheap and incredibly good for you. Let it shine with Jamie Oliver’s Simple As That Celeriac recipe (vegan), or pair it with in-season cauliflower and shiitake mushrooms in this creamy soup (vegan). Celeriac works well in strong-flavoured dishes – try it with chard in a curry (vegan) or roasted in spicy chunks (vegetarian). There are lots more delicious ideas here
EVENT and LEARN Bard Behaviour
March 12–18 is Shakespeare Week, the perfect time to introduce your little theatre fans to the works of the great writer. There are a series of events taking place across the country, and plenty of resources for home educators and ideas for families on the website, including a new Mission Shakespeare which includes rapping Shakespeare-style and designing costumes for The Tempest. See family-friendly productions, take part in acting workshops, or join a creative writing class. We love the sound of the candlelit storytelling session at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Many of the events are free.
