Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

23rd February 2022

Mardi Gras parties and warm pancakes, pond dip for frogspawn, celebrate Wales! Plus family card games, resilience festival, the Instagram 'parent whisperer' and why the world needs every kind of brain!

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

23rd February 2022

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

23rd February 2022

EVENT AND DO SPAWN FREE
It’s the time of year to start thinking about pond-dipping; we’ve already spotted mating frogs and spawn. Dig out your nets and head for the nearest back garden, river or lake - find our guide to egg-hatching fun here and head here for some basic rules. If you spot some spawn, why not add your sighting to the Woodland Trust’s excellent Nature’s Calendar, where you can record seasonal events to help experts build up a picture of the state of the nation’s wildlife.
The Wildlife Trusts run regular organised pond dips across the country, including a ‘sonic dip’ this weekend, where citizen scientists in Durham can create their own underwater sound recordings!

EVENTS, RECIPE, MAKE WONDERFUL WALES
Tuesday is all about Wales. St David’s Day is an excuse to bake up a batch of warm Welsh cakes (find a vegan version here), make junk model dragons or go for a long daffodil-spotting walk. Alternatively, find out more about the myths and legends of the country at this fantastic site. If you’re in Wales, join the St David’s Day Parade in Cardiff or celebrate all things Welsh at Swansea’s Croeso festival. Alternatively, visit one of Wales’ many castles; many are throwing their doors open for free this Tuesday to celebrate. Find out more via Cadw’s social media channels
Mardi Gras is all about the food. The gaudy King Cake is actually more like a cinnamon roll, and traditionally a tiny model baby is hidden in it. Find out more about its history and cultural meanings plus a recipe here. Or make a pot of warming gumbo; find Martha Stewart’s vegan take on the dish here

EVENTS CYMRU FEEL THE NOISE
Many Welsh children are on half-term this week. The Welsh Government’s Winter of Wellbeing initiative runs until Sunday. It supports the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of young people through events, activities and home-based family packs. Learn to hand-embroider, make clay mushrooms, repair your favourite soft toy, or create junk-modelled instruments and make some noise! Find the programme here

MAKE AND RECIPE FAT TUESDAY

Tuesday is, of course, Pancake Day, but in New Orleans, Italy, Brazil, and, um, Hastings, it’s Mardi Gras! Why not jazz up the start to Lent (and perhaps half-term) with a themed party at home? We love the ideas here; make gloriously over-the-top costumes in green, purple and gold, decorate your house using streamers, and create doubloons; cardboard coins painted gold to look like treasure.

DO SUITS YOU

Portable, versatile and lots of fun, a pack of cards can function in many ways (just ask Wink Martindale). Today is Play More Cards Day, so why not dust off one of your packs and take it for a spin. There are ideas for games for the smallest shark to old hands here, or learn varieties of Patience (solitaire) – we like Clock Patience – to keep children absorbed and teach them basic numeracy. Alteratively, try learning some card tricks; or find out who can build the biggest house of cards.

WHAT WE’RE READING How Dr Becky Kennedy became Instagram’s favourite ‘parent whisperer’: “She believes in focusing on the parent rather than the child – transforming them into “sturdy leaders” who experience their own growth and healing along the way. The parent is invited to examine how they respond to their child’s tantrums and deep feelings – do they deny them (“Oh, don’t be silly!”), distract them (“Oh, look, a bus!”) or feel guilty? Or do they validate them and discuss them openly and respectfully (“I can see you’re feeling really sad – let’s talk about why.”) Kids aren’t afraid of feelings, she says, but of feeling alone in those feelings.” Read more here

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO
Temple’s TED Talk: Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works—sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids. Watch here

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