INDEX parenting corner
Sophie Astin on unwanted Christmas presents, literary gadgets and activities and outings for chilly days
Seasonal excursions Re-gifting
If Father Christmas was over-generous to your children, or if they received unwanted or duplicate presents, then consider donating them to less fortunate youngsters. Children’s charities and hospitals are always delighted to receive gifts but of course they have to be scrupulous about infection and careful about storage space. Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital website lists certain guidelines (no used, over-sized, or mechanical toys for instance) – so check before you send anything. They also ask not to forget teenagers – most charities and hospitals care for children up to 18 years old. The Kent hospice charity Children and Young People’s Service (chYps) provides hospice care and end-of-life treatment in the family home, enabling parents and children to stay together in the comfort and security of familiar surroundings. They welcome donations of unused toys and books. For more information on where to send gifts and toys, contact Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity on 020 7405 9200, or chYps on 01322 221315.
How app-propriate
Are you a product of the Ladybird generation? If so, new techology means you can take a trip down Memory Lane – and take your children with you! Classic Me Books is an app that enables users to rediscover some of Ladybird’s most celebrated children’s books and share them with a whole new generation of children via a unique picture-book reader for iPad and iPhone. The app also includes lively narration from actors including Adam Buxton and Josie Lawrence, and children can also create their own
www.indexmagazine.co.uk
narration or sound effects by simply touching the page. It’s available to buy on iTunes (
www.apple.com/uk/ itunes). Alternatively, tailor-make your own vintage Ladybird fairy tale by replacing the names of the lead characters with those of your friends and family. Have your own dedication message printed inside your book. Just follow the instructions and register online at www.
vintageladybird.com.
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Getting out and about with children at this time of year can be a challenge for even the most imaginative parent or carer. The days are short, cold and often damp. So, where to begin? There are so many online resources recommending things to do and places to see - here are my Top Three: Fred’s Days Out is a collaborative website that relies on the recommendations and feedback for local attractions, from friends and visitors to the site. Fred is only fi ve, so his focus is on having fun! His parents help help him run the website and their ambition is to help visitors fi nd the best attractions and events across the UK (starting with London and the South East), simply and easily, all in one place, with trusted reviews. www.
fredsdaysout.co.uk Whatson4littleones is a
comprehensive listings website, covering classes across the UK for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, whether you’re looking for a Sunday school in Surrey, kids cinema in Kent
or special needs support groups in Sussex – it has plenty of information. A separate website covers school age children up to age 12. www.
whatson4littleones.co.uk Day out with the Kids
has a user-friendly colour- coded system listing various attractions, ranging from ceramic cafés, to snowdomes to steam railways. www.
dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
The INDEX magazine January 2012
Kids’
A happy chYps customer
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