City Waterside Community Centre Family Fun Day

On 18 February, City Waterside Community Centre are holding their Family Fun Day, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.  They'll have a special visit from the Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, and there will be a range of fun activities - tombola; cake stall, raffle, balloon modeller, candy floss and much more.  The entry cost is just £1 per child. If you're looking for something to do and want to get out and about for an afternoon, this should be ideal. The Community Centre is within easy walking distance of St Luke's Primary School on Wellington Road.

City Waterside Community Centre
Dresden Street
Hanley
ST1 3QG

Messy Church, Salem Methodist Church, Smallthorne

Salem Methodist Church on Smallthorne Bank (Ford Green Road) are holding a Messy Church session tomorrow, 14 February, from 12-2.

Messy Church is a relatively  new initiative that churches nationally have started, where the church opens its hall or play area and invites children and families in.  There's usually lots of space, lots of activities, cutting, sticking, craft and so on, and then a Bible story and a snack (these vary from church to church, so I can't say exactly what will be happening).

Highly recommended for children who like craft activities; you get to make at least one picture or model, and bring it home.

Salem Methodist Church
Ford Green Road
ST6 1NX

Dimensions Leisure Centre Holiday Club, February Half Term

Half term is nearly upon us, and so it's time to start looking for activities for the family.

The first one I've found is at Dimensions Leisure Centre in Burslem.  Dimensions are running a daily holiday club, with a wide range of sporting activities for children aged 4-12.

It's from 9-3 each day, and costs £7.50 per day, or £30 for the full week.  The only activity which requires parental supervision is swimming (so you can have a proper Day out With Daddy); otherwise you'll be able to leave your children there for the full day.

Dimensions Leisure Centre has a wide range of activities, and for their Holiday Club, they're providing
Football
Cricket
Basketball
Gymnastics
Dance
Volleyball
Rounders
Swimming (with parental supervision)

There will be prizes, games and competitions, and it will be run by NGB qualified coaches.  Dimensions is well suited for a day's activity - so you can be sure your children will have a great day.  

Dial 01782 616227 to book!

Alder Hey Hospital Fundraiser Concert, Prestbury

Alder Hey Hospital Fundraiser,
Saturday 07 February 2015
St Peters Church Hall: The Village, Prestbury, MACCLESFIELD, Cheshire, SK10 4DG
Concert from  2:00 pm

The Star Wars Garrison are making an appearance in Prestbury (just north of Macclesfield) which is just on the edge of the area I usually cover in this blog, and as it's one of the closest appearances they've made, I am featuring it here.  Ordinarily, it'd be Manchester, Birmingham or Leicester, so this is close!

I don't have complete details of who'll be present, but so far I've gathered from various sites:
The Star Wars characters will be present from 1:30 onwards.
Elsa and Batman will also be appearing (expect Batman around the same time as the Star Wars characters, since Reel Icons are connected with the Garrison).

Mums in the Know have some more details and include information about the other activities taking place, including raffle, auction and craft stalls.

I can't rate how good this is going to be, and I haven't been able to get details of which Star Wars characters are appearing, but if it's in your neighbourhood, it may be worth a visit.  Tickets can be purchased in advance for £5 adult £1 child or can be bought on the door for £6 adult and £1.50 child

Saturdads, 7 February, Norton Children's Centre

This month, Saturdads is on Saturday 7 February, from  and will be held at Norton Children's Centre (just off St Nicholas Road, Norton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8JW).  Events at the Children's Centres are always good - the baby-change and toilet facilities are excellent, and the activities are always fully set up for young children (particularly aged 3-10).

This month's Saturdads is a fabulous session planned with ‘Soundpots’ called ‘Build it, hit it, bash it and build it some more!!’ They'll be having fun making a large junk instrument, as they have done before last September in Burslem Park, which went very well, and everyone who attended loved it.  This should be a great opportunity to have lots of noisy fun with your child or children!

Saturdads is always recommended; provided by Stoke City Council (and it's free)... and breakfast is included too!  What's not to like? :-)

 

Library Bargain Book Sales 2015

Books are a great alternative to a day out, especially if the weather's bad and there's nothing really exciting going on (which can often be the case in January and February).  I would always recommend the local library for a wander, a browse, or a borrow, and I try to feature any special child-friendly events that local libraries host (Newcastle and the Stoke libraries regularly have events around storytime or craft).

Better still are the book sales, and Stoke Council have just released the 2015 book sale dates on their website.  The great news is that we haven't got long to wait until the first sales:  Hanley library have already started the first sale of the year, with a sale of reference books, along with Meir and Longton.  Check with your local library for opening times, but doors open at 9:00 and there's usually plenty on sale - including children's books, CDs and DVDs.

The first few sales:

Monday 26 January - Saturday 7 February - City Central Library 

Monday 26 January - Saturday 7 February - Meir Library 

Monday 26 January - Saturday 7 February - Longton Library 

Monday 2 February - Saturday 14 February - Bentilee Library 

Monday 9 February - Saturday 21 February - Stoke Library

And while you're there - have a look at what's available to borrow ;-)