Have a look at the range of Family Learning workshops that we offer. If you are interested in courses, you can find that list here. If you would like us to run a workshop for you, please contact Julia McGerty on 020 3700 1162 or [email protected] to discuss what you would like and how much it would cost.
All workshops are 2 hours
Science and nature
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All weathers
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Cool cats
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Go Green at home
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Seed head
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Slime, splodge and splatter
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Windmills and whirlers
All weathers
Families will find out about weather in different parts of the world by taking part in a quiz in which all will contribute from their personal experience and knowledge. Families will make weather wheels and a weather matching game. This workshop will create opportunities for interaction between cultures, traditions and generations
Cool cats
Families will have the opportunity to explore the cat family, learning about classification of animals and identifying different cats. We will look at the common features of all cats. We will explore the threat to some species of big cats. Families will make cat masks, take part in a quiz and make a cat game to take home and play.
Go Green at home
Design and decorate your own re-usable shopping bag, share ideas for re-using and recycling household items and grow your own herbs or salad leaves in pots. Let’s save the planet together!
Seed head
Plants and how they grow. All families will make a head filled with compost and will plant seeds, as hair, into compost. This workshop will look at the essential elements for growth of plants. There will be a practical demonstration of the intake of liquid by a flower.
Slime, splodge and splatter
Make your own slime – try our recipe and show us yours. Make a splodge tray or home-made playdough. Practise weighing and measuring to perfect each recipe and get creative with colours and glitter.
Windmills and whirlers
A workshop focusing on wind power and how this free energy can be harnessed and generated. Families will explore the benefits of windmills and wind turbines and how they are used and will make their own windmills and wind whirlers to take home.
Maths, technology and engineering
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Spaghetti engineering
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Space rockets
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Shapes and sizes
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Guess how many?
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Families count
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Catch me a fish
Spaghetti engineering
We will explore principles of strength, tension, compression etc. in this fun-filled team-building activity. Families will use spaghetti and marshmallows to build a bridge and then test their product to see how much weight it can bear. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about different types of bridges and use the appropriate technical vocabulary e.g. truss, cantilever, beam, arch.
Space rockets
Make your own space rocket and see how far it will fly. This workshop will teach families about space and the stars as well as giving them a chance to make and their own space rocket.
Shapes and sizes
We will show how a simple memory game can be used to support with shape recognition in a fun way. Families will be able to make and play the game.
Guess how many?
Estimation – we will talk about what estimation means with the help of some guessing games. Families will make a resource together, that involves cutting and colouring, which can be used to get the concept of estimation across in a fun way.
Families count
We will demonstrate a range of games that can be used to reinforce counting skills and families will have a chance to try out the games and make one to take home such as kitchen roll skittles.
Catch me a fish
Measures – families will focus on comparative language and show how you can use stories to support its development. We will demonstrate how a simple fishing game can be used to compare size and families will have the chance to make a fishing game to take home.
Literacy
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Dinosaur fun
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Puppets for Storytelling
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Tell me a story
Dinosaur fun
Families will review and consolidate their dinosaur knowledge through a quiz. They will then make their own, personalised, dinosaur board game with questions suitable for both adults and children. Adults and children will have the opportunity to check their facts and do some research by using books and technology.
Puppets for Storytelling
Families will learn how puppets can aid communication, creative, language and literacy skills whilst having fun together making paper puppets. They will also practice telling stories together, using the puppets they have made.
Tell me a story
This differentiated workshop will focus on children as creators of stories. All families will have the opportunity to reflect on what makes a good story and how stories are structured. A whole group activity will give each participant an opportunity to contribute to a group story. Families will then either make story cards (for older children who can read) or a story wheel both of which can be used by families to create their own, personalised stories.
Art and design
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Get creative for Christmas
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In the Frame
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Junk Animals
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Monster Fun
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Pirates!
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Tick Tock Family Clocks
Get creative for Christmas
Come and make Christmas decorations, cards and a calendar. Decorate (and eat!) a festive gingerbread person or Christmas tree.
In the Frame
Families will take turns at drawing each other and then make and decorate wooden picture frames for their art work.
Junk Animals
Families will work together to make milk bottle elephants and tissue box crocodiles! They will learn the different names of animals and the sounds they make and children will develop their fine motor skills cutting and sticking shapes.
Monster Fun
Families will make origami monster bookmarks, design monster story props and create monster masks or puppets to take home with them.
Pirates!
Families will explore the theme of pirates by making a pirate ship, designing their own desert island and writing a letter in a bottle to a distant relative explaining how they miss them.
Tick Tock Family Clocks
Families will enjoy making fully functioning clocks together. They will learn about measuring, technology and design. Children will have the opportunity to develop their fine motor skills and learn/practise telling the time.
Health
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Active Families
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Eat the rainbow
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Keeping families safe on-line
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Mindfulness for Families
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Play out
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Rewards and routines
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Understanding food labels
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Vital vitamins and magnificent minerals
Active Families
Adults will learn about the health benefits of different family activities and find out about healthy activities they can do in their local area. Participants will have the opportunity to make a game aimed at encouraging the whole family to have fun exercising together.
Eat the rainbow
Families will explore what a healthy diet is through interactive quizzes etc and will then make healthy eating place mats. Families will also make, and eat, a healthy snack. This workshop will enable adults and children from different families and community groups to interact and learn about food from different cultures.
Keeping families safe on-line
How do we keep our families safe on-line? What is out there to help parents and children? Come along to this workshop to learn more about this tricky subject and get some useful tips.
Mindfulness for Families
Adults will have the opportunity to develop their understanding of mindfulness and how to use it in the family to manage stress. They will be able to make or try out some mindfulness activities to try with their children/families.
Play out
This workshop will explore the benefits of outdoor play in all weathers. It will also look at the recommended NHS guidelines for amount of exercise for each age group. Parents will also explore the learning opportunities presented by outdoor play.
Rewards and routines
Parents will explore the benefits of the use of positive discipline and communication with their children. They will have the opportunity to make a routine chart to support children in planning their days and making decisions.
Understanding food labels
In this workshop parents will have the opportunity to explore the difference between best before, sell by and the meaning of the traffic lights on food labels. They will also look at the sugar content of children’s drinks, cereals etc. This workshop gives adults the opportunity to be able to make healthier food choices for the whole family.
Vital vitamins and magnificent minerals
Adults will have the opportunity to look at the role of some vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D and understand how each of them contribute to good health. They will look at which foods these are found in and how to ensure a balanced food intake. Parents will also have the opportunity to make their own, personalised vitamin and mineral chart to display on their fridge.
If you can’t see what you’re looking for on our menu, please do get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss the best workshop to meet your needs.