Visit Santa this Christmas at Folly Farm

Santa’s Grotto

7th November - 20th December 2009

10am - 4pm Saturdays and Sundays only

Bring the kids to meet Santa, his elves and his real-life reindeer. If they've been good this year they'll get a present and if you've been good you'll get a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

Please note: An extra charge of £6.50 per child applies to visit Santa and this is in addition to park admission charges.

Christmas shopping with small children.

Remember when Christmas shopping was something you could put off until the last minute, and then rush through, in one evening? Alone? Ahhh-those were the days, weren't they?
Now you have little shoppers, and you can't rush through anything, anymore, and a trip to the any shop-is an operation which requires military-style planning.
You can't wait until late at night. You can't slide and squeeze and speed your way through the crowds. And, most of all, you can't dawdle, examining something on the shelf-when you're shopping with small children, dawdling is definitely forbidden.
"Mommy, I want that!""Daddy, I'm hungry!""I have to go to the bathroom!""I want to go home!"
By the time Christmas rolls around, you never want to see the inside of a toy shop, again.
The good news is, you're not alone. Parents of small children all over the world are sharing your pain. The bad news is, there's no easy way to shop for Christmas, with small children. There are, however, a few ways to take a tiny bit of the stress out of the process.
In the spirit of keeping your kids engaged and involved-rather than just being unwilling passengers on the journey-make your shopping trip their shopping trip, too. Have them make a list of things they want to give as gifts to their grandparents, cousins, or friends. Do your shopping, first then deal with their lists-this can help keep them as anxious as you, to see that your shopping is done, quickly.
Plan a visit to see Santa, on the condition that your kids are well-behaved and as helpful as possible-but make Santa your last stop.
Bring snacks along-hungry kids tend to be irritable. Bring activities, like coloring books, to keep them occupied, while you shop.
Talk with your children before your shopping trip. Plan a reward or discipline system for them, based on their behavior at the store. If they become unruly, don't take the bait and discipline them at the shop-just be sure, when the trip's over, to follow through with your plan.
Know your kids. If you realize that a successful Christmas shopping trip with them is a hopeless dream, then find a way to leave them at home, with a sitter or your spouse.
Christmas shopping is a cultural ritual that's here to stay. Look at it this way-you only have to survive a few years of it, with small children. Then you can go back to the last-minute, late-night gift runs with no stress!!

OAKWOOD THEME PARK

If you’ve got young kids to entertain, why not go to Oakwood Theme Park.
Here is a great plan so you don’t miss anything!!

Take the short train ride from the entrance into the park and head straight for the fun filled KidzWorld. Start off with The Truck Stop. Beep beep…..
The Clown Coaster will get them giggling – it’s right next door.
Put on their flying goggles and take off down the landing strip on an Airplane Ride.
Land by the Carousel, but don’t get dizzy!
Time for a drink?
Cyril the Squirrel loves to stop at the Acorn Tea Rooms. There’s ice cream too, if you wanta treat before trying the Ferris Wheel.
Back down to earth and a spot of farming on the Tractor Ride should be your next stop.
Let them loose in the Playground, then head indoors to the Lost Kingdom to run riot in the soft play area.
You’ll be exhausted just watching, so sit down and relax.
As long as it’s not Monday or Tuesday, you can catch a magic show at 11.30am in the Magic Factory.
Don’t worry if you miss it - there’s another one this afternoon
After the show, your little magicians can try a few magic tricks of their own, before transporting you with a flick of the wand to the Bobsleigh Run.
Get your breath back with a relaxing paddle around the Boating Lake. Look out for the ducks!
By now, there might be some rumbling tummies. Head for one of our lunch stops and re-fuel for the afternoon.


Ready to go again?

Back at the Magic Factory, Matt the Magic Man will teach the kids some amazingcircus skills.
The Pirate Ship. It operates a half swing for smaller children every hour, on the hour.
Make sure your lunch has gone down before you take to the skies and go Plane Crazy. If you missed the early performance of the magic show, hey presto! Here’s another one.
The Wacky Factory in the Lost Kingdom is not to be missed. Prepare to do battle with the cannon blasters!
Don the white coats and put your little Einsteins to the test with the hands-on experiments in Techniquest.
Got the next Tiger Woods in your family? Let them loose on Mini-Golf but beware, there could be a few surprises in store.
Round off the day in New Orleans by joining the gold rush, take a ride into Brer Rabbit’s Burrow and bravethe Spooky 3D ghost train!

Build the Best Sandcastle

Start by digging a hole down to the water table. (If you dig too far from the shoreline you will probably have to dig a very deep hole... too close and you might get wiped out by waves or incoming tides.)
Water is the glue that holds the sand together, so you want to have an easily accessible source. An alternative to digging a hole is to mix the sand and water in a bucket and build out of it instead.

Using your hands like a front end loader, scoop out a large double handful of super wet sand from the bottom of the hole, pulling the sand towards you. Move that sand fast so you don't lose all the water before you get to your destination. Start building your castle on top of the mound of sand you dug from the hole.
Build a Tower
Flatten your handfuls of wet sand into pancakes by jiggling them with gentle pressure. DO NOT pound, push, pat, pack or pummel the sand into submission! The goal is to distribute the water consistantly through the patty so it settles into and binds to the patty below.
A tower is nothing more than a stack of sand patties piled on top of each other.Use smaller handfuls as you gain altitude so that the tower tapers at the top and doesn't get top-heavy and fall over before you get to carve it.
Build a Wall
We use walls to connect towers to other towers and to create staircases. You can carve your name on a wall or tunnel through it as well.
Once again, pull a doublehandful of wet sand from the hole. This time, instead of flattening it into a pancake, hold the sides between your flattened hands and jiggle so that the sand takes a brick shape. Keep laying bricks end to end for the desired length of the wall, then lay another layer on top, repeating until you reach the desired height. To form a staircase, first carve the wall into a descending ramp, then cut in individual steps
Carving the Structures You Have Built
Put a point on a tower -- Start at the top by cutting an upside down V so it resembles a steeply sloped roof. Repeat from other angle to form a pyramid. Carefully shave off corners to form a cone shape. Undercut to create roof line. Carve windows and doors, etc. etc.
Have fun……….

Circus in Town

The Big Kid circus is in Pembrokeshire for the month of August.

From the 4th to the 29th August.

A Performance at 3pm & 7pm on each day.

No Shows on Sunday's

The circus is in New Hedges, near Tenby.

located near the round about, next to the New Hedges local market.

Party by the Beach at Tenby Harbour

Sunday 9th Aug 2009

Organised by the Tenby Round Table.

£1 entry (money to go to local charities.)

From 3.00pm till 10.00pm

Children’s entertainment, face painters, story with Rory, Irish dancers, Summer High 'Fun Show', Magic Show, Samba and Salsa band, stilt walkers/jugglers, Pig Roast, Life boat launch, bouncy castle, evening of live music and a grand finale fireworks.

YOU’RE HAVING A GIRAFFE......

The first giraffes in Wales are in residence in Pembrokeshire, by top tourist attraction.

Folly Farm.
Half-brothers Ja Ja, Taharqa and Khama, from Marwell Zoo in Winchester have been joined by Rafiki in a huge purpose-built African-themed enclosure. From there, they will be able to venture out into a five-acre paddock to roam alongside zebra.

The tallest of the group, and fully grown at 18 feet, is eight-year-old Rafiki, with his half-brothers aged between two and six and on course to also reach his lofty height.

The boys - who are friendly and inquisitive, and love to be hand-fed by their keepers.
So get your skates on and come and meet the boys in the Motobo Hills African Plains area of the zoo.

Walking with young children

Young children love to be outside and explore nature. What better way for children to develop a sense of respect for nature than to be immersed in environmental activities year-round.

To begin, identify a theme: Spring Is in the Air, Explore Your Playground, Where Are the Leaves? Wintertime for Animals, Search for the Early Birds, etc. Once you establish a theme, take the children on a hike in a nearby wooded area, in a field, or on a nature trail. Visit the location several times during the year so that children may identify changes within the same setting over time.

Walks are an excellent opportunity to develop young children's observation skills. For example, have children compare the shapes, forms, and conditions of trees several times each year. Observing trees with or without bark, leaves, flowers, or fruit each month helps children develop an awareness of the processes of nature.

Take time for children to listen quietly to the many sounds on the hike. Ask children to pantomime the noises they hear. Later, have them draw, sing, or write about their experiences on the outdoor hike. Expressing these sensory experiences helps children to share their understanding of the event.

History of Father’s Day

It would be interesting to know how Father's Day came into practice and why it’s celebrated worldwide?

The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington.
A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.

Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

So Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought that her father and all good fathers should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day.

Father's Day - Sunday 21st June 2009

The Perfect Keepsake Gift

Why not bring your baby to a ceramic café in the local area to create a beautiful keepsake or gift for the grandparents of their tiny feet or hands.

Choose from a wide range of pottery from plates to clocks to create you master piece!
Why not add your babies name and date of birth to personalise your piece even further.

A gift to cherish forever…

Harry Potter Film

Pembrokeshire’s magic has cast its spell over the producers of the next Harry Potter film.

Freshwater West is being used as a location for the final film in the Harry Potter series, based on the final book in the J. K. Rowling series.

How exciting!!!
The film company Warner Brothers have visited Pembrokeshire and booked accommodation in the area ahead of their arrival to film during early summer.
Teams of cinematography experts and production designers have visited the county and, although most of the filming will take place in the studios at Leavesden, near Watford, the movie will need other romantic spooky locations and the remarkable coastline of South Pembrokeshire is believed to fit the bill.

So if you are holidaying in Pembrokeshire you maybe lucky and bump into some of the cast when your out and about.

The movie is due to be released in November 2010.

Exploring Pembrokeshire's Rockpools

Rockpools are exciting places to explore especially with children. But sometimes when your child asks you what they have found in their bucket you are unable to say.

Here is some more information about a few of the most common species, to start you off on your rockpooling adventure.

Beadlet anemone

These are usually red but can be green or brown .
They look like blobs of jelly when the tide is out but extend their tentacles out when the tide comes back in.
These are animals and not plants and have stinging cells in their tentacles which they fire out into their prey to paralyse it .
The tentacles can then move the food to their mouth in the centre.
These animals can eat small prawns and fish.

Snakelocks anemone

These beautiful anemones cannot retract their tentacles and so are usually found in rockpools where they remain covered in water even when the tide goes out.
Like the beadlet anemone they use their stinging cells to catch their prey.
The green colour of the tentacles is due to algae living in the tissues of the anemone.
Some snakelocks anemones are light brown because they don't contain algae
Although the sting of the anemones is not sufficient to harm humans, some people with sensitive skin may get a rash, so it's best not to touch the tentacles of any anemones.

Strawberry anemone

These look like larger versions of the beadlet anemone, but they have lots of green/yellow spots on the main body (so they look like strawberries)
They like to keep out of light and heat and so are often found under overhangs and in crevices

Barnacles, crabs and prawns (crustaceans)

Barnacles

Although it doesn't look like it, these animals are related to prawns and crabs When they are larvae, they settle on a rock and cement their head to it They then build a shell around themselves and close themselves in When the tide comes in they open a 'trapdoor' at the top of their shell and stick their feathery legs out into the water to catch particles of food which float past

Edible crab

These are an orange / brown colour and look like a pasty with their crimped edge
They are difficult to spot as they often wedge themselves into a crevice They will grow quite quickly and can reach 30cm across! They have very large pincers which they use to crush and eat mussels and marine snails

Hermit crab

This crab is the only one not to have its own shell. They live in the empty shells of dog whelks, topshells or periwinkles. As they grow larger they need to find new shells to live in and will even rip another hermit crab out of a shell if they want it enough.



Shore crabs

These are very common and are usually green but can be brown or orange. They can be recognised by the jagged edge to the front of their shell. They grow to about 10cm across the carapace (shell). Like most crustaceans they have to moult their shell every so often as they grow bigger This usually happens about 4 times in the first year alone.


Spider crab

These crabs have very long legs which make them less agile than other crabs and more vulnerable to predators To help disguise themselves they cover their shell with bits of debris, sand and seaweed This camouflage also enables them to hunt more effectively They have quite a lot of sharp spikes on their carapace to further ward of predator

Marine snails, limpets and mussels (molluscs)

Dog whelk

This is a carnivorous animal that has a 'drill' like tongue which they use to drill a hole in the shell of a mussel, limpet or barnacle. When they have drilled a hole through the shell, they use acidic liquid to dissolve the body of the animal inside. They can then 'suck' up their meal This process takes a long time (hours or days depending on what is being eaten) and so they may get washed off in the tide before they are able to get their meal.

Limpets

These common creatures can live up to 20 years and are very important for the ecology of the seashore They slide around when the tide is in scraping seaweed off the rocks with their rough tongue When the tide goes out, limpets return to exactly the same spot and this is called their home scar They can grind down the rock with their shell to get a nice tight fit so that they are able to retain moisture until the tide comes back in.

Mussels

These animals like areas of rapid water movement and there you will find them in abundanceThey are filter feeders and when the tide comes in, they will open slightly to allow water and food to pass through Mussels attach themselves to the rock using strong threads, called byssus threads.

Periwinkles

Periwinkles are grazing herbivores, most of them eating microscopic seaweed (invisible to the naked eye)They are found at all levels of the shore At the top of the shore (furthest from the sea), the rough periwinkle can be found (pictured) whereas further down the shore, the edible periwinkle dominates.

Starfish and Brittle Stars

Brittle stars

As the name suggests, these animals are extremely fragile and should not be handled.Brittle stars are related to starfish but they have very long thin arms attached to a more obvious central disc.They may be found under stones and seaweeds on the lower shore.

Cushion starfish

These can be very difficult to spot as they are very small, only a few centimetres across.They can vary in colour but are usually an orange / green colour. These animals are scavengers and feed on detritus (particles of decaying animal and plant matter) They all begin life as males, maturing at 2 years old, and then at the age of 4 they become female! They usually live for up to 7 years.They may be found hiding in seaweed or underneath stones on the lower shore (near the sea at low tide) Underneath their legs are lots of tiny sucker feet, which can be damaged if handled.

EASTER EGG HUNT FOR CHILDREN

On the Saturday before Easter, why not have an Easter Egg Hunt.
Have your kids draw up a flyer or create one on your computer. Distribute the leaflets to family and friends.
This is fun for all the family. The parents have fun hiding the eggs while the children have fun finding them.
Buy some cheap small eggs and Easter toys so it doesn’t work out expensive.
For the youngest kids, you can blanket a lawn with eggs for easy picking. For the four to six age groups, place eggs in slightly more obscure spots (like porches, windowsills or potted plants). For older kids make it a bit more difficult hide the eggs high in trees, bushes and harder to see places.
Give each child a basket or bowl to collect their eggs in.
To give each child a fair crack at filling his/her basket, create three areas: one for kids ages three and under, one for ages four to six, and one for ages seven and older. This way, young children can find eggs without being mowed down, while their older siblings get a greater challenge. Alternatively, you can assign a different color egg to each age group so if the older children find the wrong colour they are to put it back for the right age group to find.
Then let the hunt begin…..and don't be surprised by how quickly it ends.
"It will probably takes two hours for you to hide the eggs, but only minutes for the kids to find them," "but it's sooooo worth it."

MOTHER'S DAY

The UK holds the prestige of being the first country in the world to dedicate a special day for mothers.
As early as 17th century. In UK, Mother's Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in the month of Lent.
Since the days of Lent are not fixed, the date for Mother's Day keeps on changing as well. However, the emotions remain the same.
The feelings associated with the day are much alike those in the rest of the world to express gratitude towards our mother.
It is an opportunity for the children to let their mother know that she is special and loved and cared for. Mother's Day is the contemporary version of the original name ‘Mothering Sunday’. The occasion has a long history, which dates back to as far back as the year 1600. The children would visit their Mother Church and then head straight to meet their own mother, with some fresh flowers.
While the boys would present their mother with flowers, girls would go a step further by presenting them freshly baked handmade cakes.

This special day has now become a time when people give thanks to their mothers and offers an opportunity to express both love and thanks for the work that they do.

Mother's Day / Mothering Sunday Date UK:

2009 March 22nd

2010 March 14th

2011 April 03rd

2012 March 18th

2013 March 10th

2014 March 30th

2015 March 15th

2016 March 06th

KEEP LITTLE ONES HAPPY AND ENTERTAINED WITH GAMES WHEN TRAVELLING.

The main thing to keep in mind with toddlers is to plan a stop every 2-3 hours to let them get out and stretch their legs.
Sometimes those car seats can be pretty hard to sit in for several hours in a row, so give them a little break as needed.
Here's a list of ideas to keep them busy and happy on the road. With a little preparation, they can be a lot of fun and educational too.

Travel Tickets

Use some colored construction paper to cut out some "tickets" for your trip. Give your child a pre-counted bag full of tickets. Every half hour (or every 30 miles) they can turn in one ticket to you. When their tickets are gone, the trip has ended! This really helps young children get an idea of how much time is left on the journey.

Sing Along or Story Tapes
Having a selection of children’s songs or stories playing in the car is a good way of keeping your children quiet so you can concentrate on the driving

Felt Boards
These are fun, and you can even make your own. Use a large piece of felt for the back ground mounted on a sheet of cardboard, and cut out characters and shapes from different colored pieces of felt. Tell stories like the 3 pigs or Little Red Riding Hood using characters you've made. Let your child manipulate the pieces.

Pipe Cleaners

Pack a new bag of multi colored pipe cleaners and let their creativity run wild. They can make letters, flowers, animals, chains, jewelry, twist ties in their hair, practice braiding, and by the end, just balls of many colors.

Surprise packages

Prepare ahead with paper bags of items to be given out every 25, 50 or 75 miles -- marked on a map with the location, it takes a little bit of preparation to do this but it REALLY helps young children. In each bag put a wrapped item -- usually a small toy. Then in some of the surprise packages you can add juice or a snack, stickers and a piece of paper, or something pertaining to the trip that you can talk about.

Count the Cars
Each player chooses a colour and then must count the cars of that colour they see. The first person to see thirty cars win!

Bubbles
Keep some bubbles in the non-spill container in the car, and blow some bubbles for baby when someone else is doing the driving. This calms a baby right down, and the big kids think its pretty fun too.

(For Smaller Babies)Play Classical Music

Recent studies have indicated that classical music may help boost baby’s intelligence. That remains to be seen, but babies and grownups can both enjoy a little Beethoven or Mozart now and then. You can even find classical music like.

Peek-a-Boo

An all time classic baby game that's perfect for the car. Hide behind a book or your head rest and pop out while squealing "Peek-a-boo!" and watch baby's delight. Then cover baby's eyes for a moment and let her pop out to see you!

Name the clouds

What do they look like? Find as many different shapes as you can.

The Rainbow Game

Call out a color and they have to find something that color. Make the older kids find five things while the 2 year old looks for one. Pink and Purple are the hardest!

TV - DVD for your car

When you're all out of other ideas and they're trapped in those car seat’s, let them watch some of their favorite videos. It's a little expensive, but it might be worth it for your peace of mind if you can afford it. You can get TV or DVD combinations that will plug right into your car lighter.

Family Holidays

Why Pembrokeshire?

Family holidays in Pembrokeshire can be as relaxed or as busy as you like.
Choose from the peace of the many gardens or secluded beaches on offer, to the fun of more action packed days out with Oakwood, Folly Farm or the Dinosaur Park, there is something for everyone on a holiday in Pembrokeshire.
No matter where you are in West Wales, it’s usually no more than ½ an hours drive to the coast and one of the many large sandy beaches, harbours or coves readily Holiday time can be enjoyed at any time of year in Wales.
The Gulf Stream ensures that the beautiful beaches of Pembrokeshire have some of the warmest seas and climate in the UK making West Wales an ideal location for a beach holiday.
Holiday in a self catering cottage that overlooks the sea, where you may be fortunate to spot resident Dolphins and Porpoises swimming out in the bay. Safe boating, surfing, kayaking and windsurfing are available at many places along the coast.
Pembrokeshire is the smallest, National Park in Wales and the only Coastal National Park in Britain, with its protected coastline and wildlife islands it really is an area of outstanding natural beauty.