days of rain while, don’t be disappointed, the Lake District has enough rainy day activities to keep the whole family entertained. Museums, historic houses, and castles abound, so there is no excuse to stay cooped up in your holiday cottage, unless that

. Obviously this is within the bounds of reason – you don't want them to be too honest if they actively disliked the gift. But a note written in the child's own inimitable style is much nicer to receive than one that's been dictated by you.• When to send It so

and make it a habit. For example, you could say, "That little girl looks lonely. Why don’t you ask her to play with you?" Or, "Daddy looks hot and tired. Why don’t you take him a drink?" Be active Encourage your child to learn to do lots of things well

stretching exercises and strength training and can be made into a fun activity with your children's favourite songs. Vital energy exercise includes routines such as yoga. Yoga can help your child to learn how their body works whilst promoting a greater sense

will be transforming their classrooms into Neverland and taking part in a range of Peter Pan inspired activities, with all proceeds going towards parent and family accommodation at Great Ormond Street Hospital, enabling a parent to sleep next to their child or stay

guests are slow to leave, your goodie bags will come into their own – hand them over only as your guests leave, and you’ll be guaranteed an empty house in no time!More party tips from Junior:Fifteen fantastic party planning tips and activitiesTen fun

potato and butternut squash (£3.30).There’s also a cute new mascot Hoshi, which means “Star” in Japanese, designed by those creative folk at Okido magazine. In tune with this funky Japanese theme, your child can enjoy fun Noodle Doodle activities, with a

.Playing tapes of nursery rhymes, songs or watching DVDs in another language is a good start. Finding a range of activities that children do in another language is also essential, because different children learn in different ways. Auditory learners will respond

children to different books or stories but helps develop shared interests. One study has even indicated that familes where fathers engage in reading activities with their young children are more likely to resolve family conflicts calmly and with compromise

at the Unicorn Theatre, the UK’s flagship theatre for children and young people. One hundred lucky children will step into the spotlight with drama, singing, dance and art activities. If the excitement gets too much they can settle down to listen to some