SUMMER SURVIVAL EDITION 2020Well done, for getting this far. Whether you have been in school or home schooling you all deserve a medal! It has been a very unprecedented time which has confused us all, but we have survived and hopefully things will be feeling more normal soon. We have written a flyer to help you survive the summer.Keeping Children Busy OutdoorsThere are not the usual events planned for families this summer. Use the local area and try to discover something historical or new. Take a picnic and have some fun outside Peene Quarry Picnic Site: Wildflowers and lots of space to explore. There is a chalky cliff face where you can supervise a fossil hunt, so it’s worth taking a knife to dig them outOpen 9.00am-9.00pm with free entry. Address: Peene, Kent, CT18 8AQ Tel: 01303 266 327Brockhill Country Park: Nature area with a lake, meadows & wildlife, plus a playground, trails & vegetarian cafe. Year round access with free entry. Address: Sandling Road, Saltwood, Hythe, CT21 4HL Tel: 01303 266327Home-Start Shepway Summer Programme: Supported ideas for local activities with socially distanced meet ups for lunch. https://homestartshepway.org.uk/summer-programme-2020/Games To Play At HomeCreate a game box: fill up a ‘ready to go’ box with their favourite games and a few new ones, games and activities that they can play independentlyGive them an important task: make it a really big deal. Draw a picture, make something, if they think it’s really important they won’t complain about working independentlyOffer creative toys: any toy that lets your child be creative will keep them distracted for a long time. Invest in Lego, puzzles and play dough, even better to make some together at homeMake a treasure hunt: hide a coin or something similar in the house and give them a clue or two, then let them try to find it. If it is tricky, you will build their resilience and perseveranceHave messy mixing time: either cover the kitchen floor well or use an outside space! Give them some bowls, wooden spoons and things from the kitchen they can mix together, this will get their creativity going and maybe dinner prepared!!?Play verbal games: take turns naming an animal for each letter of the alphabet, or play 20 questions. You can still be busy whilst quizzing your childCreate a scavenger hunt: you don’t need to make a list – just say, ‘find me something that starts with the letter B,’ then let them search the house for it. To expand this, you can add soft, small, hard, round etc. It’s nice to have a reward for all their effortsBubble whisk: this is very simple and children have lots of fun. You’ll need a big bowl, whisks, a little liquid soap and water. Try adding food colouring and scented oilsKim’s game: is a memory game. Put several items on a tray, let your child look at it for a couple of minutes, take the tray away and remove an item, show the child and see if they can spot what has been removed. You can take it in turns, add more or look for less time when you both improveSummer of Kindness: Activities to help children and young people practise kindness every day during the summer holidays. https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources/summer-of-kindness-calendarSupport for FamiliesWe have heard of Childline, but did you know that there are some fantastic resources on their website for building resilience and calming anxiety or worries? Visit their Toolbox and access the Calm Zonehttps://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/ There is also a Deaf Zone with BSL signed videos dealing with a wide range of issues. You can also find out how to access counselling through a BSL interpreterhttps://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/deaf-zone/Mental Health SupportIf you need immediate support in a mental health crisis and are over 18, you can drop in to The Folkestone Haven at The Rainbow Centre, 69 Sandgate Rd, CT20 2AF Mon-Fri 6.00pm to 11.00pm or 12.00pm-11.00pm at the weekendsSupporting children’s mental healthhttps://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/camhs-information-for-parents-and-carers/https://youngminds.org.uk/ There is a parents’ hotline on: 0808-802-5544https://www.kooth.com/ An online mental wellbeing community for young peoplehttps://www.annafreud.org/media/12113/final-selfcaresummer-primary.pdf Lots of activities and ideas to do throughout the summerDomestic Abuse SupportLockdown doesn’t mean you’re trapped. For 24 hour support ring the National Domestic Abuse hotline on 0808 2000 247. In an emergency call 999www.domesticabuseservices.org.ukCommunity HubFolkestone (and surrounding areas) Community Hub will support families without any other support network, especially if you need to self-isolate and can’t get out. They will also deliver emergency food parcels if there is a needEmail covid-19@3hsp.co.uk or Call 01303 316186Open Monday - Saturday 9am - 4pm Calls only (no deliveries) Sunday 10am - 4pmBeing PositiveTry out some of these ideas and spread some positive thoughts and feelings:Build up self-esteem by being positive and noticing when your child has done something wellKeep busy; this leaves less time to be negativeIs there fun in your home? If not, try to relax and make time for some funInstead of saying “good boy or girl” say “well done” or “good choice”Have a morning ‘check in’ and start the day with a nice comment about one another. Knowing what’s special about us helps build good self-esteem. You might want to end the day this way tooAward a STAR of the week (cut some out). If this will cause conflict give each child a star, but be specific about how they earnt it. This will help you remember to notice positive behaviourDo something simple that makes you happy; burst into song (the children will love that), listen to music, draw, paint, walk, swim, have a cuppa and a treat etcCreate a happiness jar, write something that makes you happy and pop it in the jar, encourage the children to write some too. These can be read later if someone is feeling lowMindfulness – if things are getting too ‘rowdy’ ask everyone to stop still, close their eyes and listen, when you feel things have calmed ask them to tell you what they could hear. Take 10 and breatheConfidence to fail, teach your children it’s ok to fail. A little song to help: ‘try, fail, learn, repeat, that’s the only way to make life sweet’When giving a compliment or praise–don’t add a negative at the end, just give the positive messageBe a good listener to your children – hear what they are trying to say and give them a voiceMore ideas for How to boost positivity for your family at home can be found on the BBC Bitesize website https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zkyr47hSchool ReadySome children have been away from school for a long time now, and may not be used to being in a routine.Here are a few suggestions to help make the transition back to school smoother:*Start a bed time routine one or two weeks before term starts*Start a routine for the mornings; get up, have your breakfast, get washed and dressed at the same time as you would for school. Take the weekends off* Try on school uniform, check shoes and plimsolls still fit two or three weeks before*Encourage reading every day*Do a couple of trips to the school to remind yourselves and the children how long it takes* Look out for any parent mail messages or check the school website*Talk positively about school and remember the things that the children enjoy, talk about their friends and how lovely it will be to see them again*Talk to your child/ren to explain the safety measures around social distancing and hand washing*Remind them school may be different, but that’s ok because school is trying to keep everyone safe*Read the letter telling children which classroom and teaching staff they will have next year. Keep reminding them of this. Talk about where the new classroom is. Try to attend the transition visit on 1st or 2nd September*Start to reduce TV and gaming time and put in place more outside or high energy activities, so they will sleep better the night before returning to school (hopefully!)*Be confident and positive yourselves; especially in front of your child/ren*Aim to be in everyday – Children only get one chance to be at school and your child’s future success may be affected if they don’t attendGo Again Uniform is our donated uniform store, but with a catchy new name! We have uniform, in f good condition, for very reasonable prices. We generally have a good range, just ask if you need anything and we’ll certainly have a good look for you.So, all that is left to do is to wish everyone the very best for the Summer Holiday. Don’t forget to stay alert to the risk from Covid 19. We will all need to wear facemasks in shops from 24 July. This will protect other people and hopefully keep the infection rates low enough for us all to come back to school in September. Hand washing is still the best thing we can do to protect ourselves, make sure your children keep up the good habits we have got used to.We have missed the Castle Hill community so much and look forward to welcoming everyone back in September. Year 6 will have moved on and we will be meeting our new Reception children and their families.“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow” – Albert EinsteinSee you in September, Sharon and Emma