Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd October 2019

Have a tiny revolution, make corn dollies, quince recipes, free drawing events across the country!

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd October 2019

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

03rd October 2019

EVENT Sharpen Up
Every year, October’s Big Draw festival brings hundreds of events to families across the world, encouraging everyone to sharpen up their pencils and get sketching for a whole month. Find our pick of the best events here. This year, the theme is Drawn To Life – promoting art as an effective tool for a happier life – so expect lots of well-being themed classes and workshops being held at galleries, museums and public spaces across the country. Perhaps you’ll contribute to a huge communal drawing, learn how to sketch with a real-life illustrator, or try your hand at street art? More here

MAKE Wheat Fun
Celebrate the harvest by making a corn dolly – traditionally used as love tokens or a badge of trade at hiring fairs . There are instructions to make a traditional plait here
while these designs are simpler for small hands. They look pretty hung on walls, or make a large one for your front door.

EVENT Tiny Revolutions
The Fun Palaces campaign was dreamt up in the ‘60s by theatre director Joan Littlewood, to create a community-based ‘laboratory of fun’, places for people of all ages and backgrounds to get creative with art and science and create ‘tiny revolutions’. This weekend, you’ll find community-led events taking place across the country, from laughter yoga, coding to archaeology and circus workshops. Head to Holborn Fun Palace in London to try herbal soap making, sensory storytelling or to join a digital orchestra, or to Salford to explore the theme of childhood across the generations. There are hundreds of events taking place across the country in libraries, arts centres and cinemas.

RECIPE Fruit Sweet
In ancient Greece, the golden, sweet-smelling quince was a symbol of love, marriage and fertility. As we wheel into October, find these seasonal fruits at farm shops and markets across the UK. They smell delicious, but you can’t eat them raw. Try using them in jams and jellies – they are the main ingredient in Spanish Membrillo which complements Manchego cheese perfectly. Alternatively, Nigel Slater’s Quince and Panettone pudding makes a warming dessert (we’ve already seen panettone stocked in Lidl and Aldi), while Yotam Ottolenghi’s Stilton and Butternut Squash Quiche makes for a lighter dinner treat.

EVENT People Power
October is Black History Month – find learning plans and inspiration for lessons here and here. There are events across the UK – find one near you here – the massive Black History Activity Books Launch in Birmingham looks a lot of fun. We’ve also curated a list of our favourite books to inspire you and your kids to learn more about the culture and acheivements of people of black and ethnic minority heritage.

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