Peterborough Family Hubs have had a fantastic summer of free events for families across the city. From circus skills to den-building, martial arts to making pizza, here’s a round-up of what we’ve been up to:
The circus is in town!
The Big Top paid a visit to Bretton Rugby Club and Stanground Field with fantastic shows and workshops from entertainers Circus Sensible. As well as enjoying the performances, families tried their hand at traditional fair games such as hook-a-duck and the coconut shy. There were also a variety of free stalls including balloon modelling, airbrush tattoos, archery and the all-important ice-cream van!
On your marks…
We headed down to the athletics track for an afternoon of sports such as football and cricket, as well giant-sized versions of well-known games such as Jenga and Connect 4. There were running races along the track for each different age group – including the grown-ups! We were also joined by Inspired Martial Arts, who ran a marvellous martial arts masterclass for the group.
Adventures outdoors
On a beautiful day at Westraven Community Garden, families had the opportunity to get stuck into nature with a range of workshops including planting seeds, natural paints and working with clay. Children and grown-ups had to work together to build a den from sturdy branches, and everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch outside.
Food from around the world
We gathered at the Gladstone Community Centre at the end of the summer holidays for an international feast! Local caterers cooked up delicious dishes from all over the globe, from France to Bangladesh. Along with a mouthwatering selection of curries with rice, noodles and potatoes, families had the chance to try Korean mochi, Lithuanian pastries, Italian antipasti and African puff-puffs as well as assembling their own pizzas and decorating biscuits.
It was great to sample so many different flavours, and families enjoyed tucking into their food together. At the end of the event, we were able to donate the remaining food to the Westraven Community Kitchen, which provides food for anyone in need.
Developing skills
Not only were all the activities great fun, but each event was deliberately geared towards preparing children to go back to school in September. Across the summer, children at our events had the opportunity to practise and develop skills in:
- Physical movement
- Teamwork
- Trying new things
- Following instructions
- Asking for help
All of these skills are important for children at school, especially if they are starting school for the first time!
Thank you to all the families that came to our events this summer – it was wonderful to meet you all! We’re planning more free activities for families in the future – just watch this space…