Review: Tom Gates Live On Stage

This week, the brilliant world of Tom Gates has been brought to life on stage at Milton Keynes Theatre. Translated into 43 languages and with over 8 million copies sold worldwide, this series is a huge hit. Tom Gates is a series of illustrated stories for older children by graphic designer-turned-author, Liz Pichon. 

This story, written specifically for the stage, is aimed at children although is fantastic fun for the whole family. I am told (by a couple of true Tom Gates experts) that the show is funny, energetic, lively, colourful and just what they expected Tom Gates to be if he was a real-life boy. Following Tom, his friends at school and his family at home (including the scary older sister Celia) we get to see the highs and lows of being a ‘smiley face’ or a ‘sad face’ student - Tom just has to make sure he makes it on the School Trip Of A Lifetime! Just don’t doodle on the wrong wall (face palm.)

The staging was ultra-modern and unlike anything I’ve seen before which included a large digital animated screen that changed to show different scenes or bring Tom’s doodles to life. It really was super clever and you will be fascinated by the screen as well as the fantastic actors that made this show so fun. 

The genre will appeal to most children and adults alike, with lots of silliness, a bit of rebellion and plenty of live music too. We love chips, when do we want them? Now!

Catch Tom and his friends this week at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 11^thMay. www.atgtickets.com

Farms and Forests to visit this Easter

There are loads of activities and events taking place over the Easter holidays, but if you're looking for things to do then have a read through our previous blogs, as we've collected information about some of the local events which are taking place. If you're looking for somewhere to go with the family this Easter, rather than necessarily organised events and activities, why not visit a local farm or forest for a day out enjoying the spring weather, along with the spring lambs and chicks?

Mead Open Farm in Billington offers a great variety of activities for kids and grown ups alike, with bottle feeding the lambs, seeing the cows being milked and the chance to groom the miniature Shetland pony. There's also lots of opportunities to play, with a new sky trail, play zone and go karts, tractor rides, rock climbing and more. A great way to see the spring farm animals, as well as the Easter activities which will be going on over the Easter holidays, with an egg trail, baby animals and a chance to meet Hoppy the Easter bunny. Click here for more information.

Another nearby farm is Rookery Open Farm, in Stoke Bruerne. This commercial sheep and cattle farm has made way for visitors to come and learn about farming and animals. There is the opportunity to get up close to a number of different animals, most of which can be stroked, and there is a 3 storey indoor play area for the kids to enjoy. During this lambing season you may have the opportunity to see some lambs being born. Attractions also include an outdoor play area, pets corner, go karts, sandpit, water-fowl area, pigmy goats, bouncy castles and more. Click here for more information.


To experience the outdoors and spring weather at your own pace, Salcey Forest is a great place to visit, and is situated just to the East of the village of Hartwell. There are a number of trails to follow through the forest at different distances, a tree-top walk, play area and cafe. Parking is just £3 for the day, and other than that it's a free day out. Another attraction situated in the forest is 'Tree ninja', a high-ropes course up in the trees, as well as a 18m high 'shock drop' swing. This must be booked in advance, more information can be found by clicking here.

Half Term Fun for the Family

Whether it's been a long term or you can't quite believe it's half term already, you'll be due a break. The run from Christmas can be quite a slow one, and with the cold weather and dark days, it can feel quite draining. The same goes for the kids; it's been a long slog at school and they're ready for a holiday. That can can often mean the parents don't end up getting much of a break, so we've collected a few ideas of how to keep the kids (and adults!) entertained this half term.

What's on in MK this weekend

The leaves have almost all fallen now and we're heading fully into winter, but we've still got a few of those sunny autumn days left (we hope). There's still a chance to get out and about this weekend, although you may need to wrap up a little warmer now. As always, we've collated a list of what's on in the local area to help you decide on what to do this weekend, and there's quite a lot to choose from!

HULA's summer open day- tomorrow

If, when you hear the word' hula' you instantly think of hula-hoops, then you must have missed the regular events held at the HULA animal sanctuary in the past! There's another of these great events lined up for you tomorrow; the summer open day, and as always there's a great variety of entertainment on offer.

The day will include a variety of events and activities, including an American and classic car display (weather permitting) with free entry if you arrive in your own classic car! There will be the opportunity to help feed the farm animals at 1.30pm, fun and games for the children, a car boot sale and bazaar and book store bargains. There will be the HULA dog parade at 2.30pm, and delicious refreshments will be served throughout the day. Dogs are welcome. Admission is £2 for adults and children go free, all proceeds go to the care and welfare of HULAs animals.

HULA Animal Rescue will be open from 1-4pm tomorrow (Sunday 10th August) at the South Midlands Animal Sanctuary , Glebe Farm, Aspley Guise, MK17 8HZ.

Woodland Activities for the kids this summer!

Milton Keynes Play Association are running 2 weeks of woodland adventure activities over the summer holidays. Kicking off this Monday (4th August) and finishing on the 15th, it's set to be great fun for children from 6 years and over. Located in the semi-ancient natural wood near Olney, Hollington Wood will be home to the activities for the kids.

Activities include scramble nets, rope bridges, woodland skills, nature play, swings, dens and of course, meeting the resident pigs! Children will have a great time learning new things about the woodland and having fun playing on the swings and nets. The sessions run from 8.45am to 5.30pm, and costs just £25 per child and includes a snack, children need to bring their own packed lunch.

For more information visit the website or email: pal@mkpa.co.uk

Kids corner competitions

KIDS CORNER
If you're a kid or a parent of a kid- don't forget to enter (or get your kids to enter) our monthly competitions in the kids corner section of the Phonebox magazine! Have a look in the magazine, or in the online magazine by following the link here.

We've got a word search, drawing competition and 'power puzzle' to enter, and with a top prize of £10 and runners up prizes of £5, it's well worth entering!

Have a look at June's page here:

What are you waiting for?! 

Send your entries to:

Kids Corner,
Phonebox magazine,
Unit 2 Stanley COurt,
Olney,
Bucks,
MK46 5NH

The closing date is June 15th so make sure you get them in quick!

What's on in MK?

There are a couple of events we can tell you about on today in the Milton Keynes area...

There's the open day at the Newport Pagnell tennis club, Willen Sports ground, from 10am-12pm. It's the opportunity for anyone to come and have a go for free as the start of the season kicks off, and also the day for adult registration.

In the evening in Sharnbrook, is the Ouse Valley Singers, hosted by the Sharnbrook Bowls Club at the Sharnbrook Village Hall. Set to be a great night, tickets are £5 and are available from Sharnbrook Post Office.

In the centre:MK, the kids club is all set for Mothers day, with the option of having their photographs taken for their Mothers day cards and then being able to decorate them with their own special touches.

The Newport Pagnell Lions Club are hosting a Spring Artisian food festival, held in the United Reformed Church between 10am and 4pm. Free entry fro all, so check out some yummy food!

This is just a selection of what's going on around MK today, make the most of and enjoy a (hopefully sunny) weekend whatever you do!

'Tell a fairy tale day'

For adults and children alike, fairytales have a special place in many of our hearts, and some of them are even aimed at the adults- a little bit too scary for the kids! Today is tell a fairy tale day, whether or not this tends to be implemented in schools or libraries I don't know, but I can imagine these would be the places to celebrate the day! For those of you with kids it might be the opportunity to get out some of the old-school fairytales or opt for the more modern day film versions of one of them!

Fairytales go back for centuries, originating as tales which were dramatically told or enacted rather than written into books, and the idea of telling such stories has carried on through the ages. The Brothers Grimm were the first to actually put the fairytales down into book form, in a way of trying to preserve the plot and characters of the stories. They initially collected German fairy tales, and later went on to re-write many of them to change them more into stories than folk tales.

Called fairy tales because of their inclusion of fantasy creatures, the term is perhaps a bit looser today than it was, but the stories typically include fairies, trolls, goblins, elves, dwarves, giants, witches etc. So it should be easy to find a tale with one of them in, have a read and enjoy tell a fairy tale day, or why not use your imagination and invent your own! (or get the kids to!)