Perpetual Fostering Coffee Morning

Perpetual Fostering would like to invite you, your friends and family members to a coffee morning at Perpetual Fostering.

We shall be providing guests with a variety of beverages along with biscuits and cakes in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. We ask for a small donation in return.

 If you have any friends or family members interested in fostering children and young people, the coffee morning would provide an excellent opportunity to speak with staff.  

If you or anyone you know would like to join the event, please confirm your attendance by emailing us at enquiries@perpetualfostering.co.uk.  If they would prefer, friends and family can contact us via phone on 01204 364 666 to discuss fostering with a member of our team.

Event Details

Date: 28^th September 2018
Time: 10:00am to 12 noon
Venue: Perpetual Fostering, 31 Chorley New Road, Bolton  BL1 4QR

The post Perpetual Fostering Coffee Morning appeared first on Perpetual Fostering.

source https://perpetualfostering.co.uk/insights/perpetual-fostering-coffee-morning/

Fun Summer Activity Ideas for Kids

The summer holidays are in full swing, and with them comes weeks of extra time to fill whilst trying to keep the children entertained. We all know kids have short attention spans and are very easily bored, so it’s important to have an array of fun and interesting activities up your sleeve to keep them occupied, and ensure they’re not just sat in front of the TV or computer console all day.

The beginning of summer was hot,  but as we approach September we can’t rely on the sun to shine every day. Here are our ideas for fun summer activities for kids no matter what the weather.

Get crafty with paper

Getting crafty with kids doesn’t have to be expensive or messy. There’s loads you can do with stuff that you can find lying around at home. Paper is your best friend when it comes to easy art and craft activities, and there’s no limit to what you can make. Check out this post for 30+ easy paper crafts for kids.

Pull out the paints

If you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty, why not let the kids get creative with the paint? Clear a big space and cover the valuables, and let them go at it with some watercolours or acrylics. This post has a number of fantastic ideas for how to get creative with paint and make some wonderful keepsakes.

Camp in the back garden

Take the kids camping…in the back garden! This is great for younger kids because it has the element of adventure but also the home comforts that makes taking little ones away a little difficult; you have easy access to the bathroom and even their own bed if they wake up and decide they don’t much like sleeping outside.

Here’s a great post on different back garden camping activities, including lots of recipes to make and fun games to play, to make it a night to remember for all the family.  

Think outside the box at MoSi

You may not think that the Museum of Science and Industry sounds very arty, but the museum is always a hit with families and has a great variety of activities for kids and opportunities to get creative. Entry is free and there are some great exhibitions being held there, and the theme of the summer focuses on celebrating the Year of Engineering. The family weekend is being held on 25-26th August. The museum even has an app for families to use whilst exploring, and has a number of activities aimed at kids of all ages. You can find out more about their family activities and events on their family page.

Hold a Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep the kids entertained for hours, with the added bonus of tiring them out and making sure they sleep well that night! Here’s a great post on different types of scavenger hunts you can get the kids involved in. Just make sure you hold it in an area they know well so there’s no potential to get lost, and also that you’re not taking or leaving behind anything harmful to the environment.

Visit an Art Gallery

Art galleries are a great day out and are a great learning experience while also being fun. Most galleries are free to enter and often have special activities for children and families. The Whitworth Gallery in Manchester holds a weekly event called ‘Artist Sundays’, which include a number of quirky and interesting activities for families put together by artists.  Manchester Art Gallery also has great family events, including a number of summer art-making sessions. For more art galleries and exhibitions around Manchester, read this great post.

A yummy twist on the classic picnic

One of the more obvious summer activities is the classic picnic in a local park or at the beach. However, why not put a fun twist on the day by giving the kids the chance to make all of the picnic food. Check out these fab kids’ picnic recipes from BBC Goodfood for inspiration.  The kids will love getting creative in the kitchen, and will enjoy eating their delicious homemade treats even more!

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source https://perpetualfostering.co.uk/insights/summer-activities-for-kids/

How to Celebrate the Spring Equinox with your Foster Child

Tuesday 20th March is the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Though traditionally a Wiccan holiday,  the day simply marks the beginning of Spring (or Autumn, in the Southern Hemisphere), and is celebrated widely throughout the world. The Equinox itself is the moment when the sun seems to ‘stand still’ directly above the equator, and this will happen at 4:15 PM in the UK. Day and night will be almost equal lengths on Tuesday, and from then the days will get longer and the nights shorter as we move towards summer.

Everybody loves longer days, especially kids; more daylight means more time to play! So why not make a special day of it, and celebrate the Spring Equinox with your foster child? There are lots of different ways you can get involved and celebrate the beginning of Spring together. Here are our top ideas.

Get outside

The most obvious idea is to get outside and enjoy the sunlight. If you can, collect the kids from school and spend some time in the great outdoors. You could go to the park or even go for a nice walk in the forest or on a hiking trail.

Or, why not treat them to a picnic dinner? Have a special treat to eat or drink to mark the time when the Equinox happens, and toast to the beginning of the new season.

Plant some seeds

Spring is the perfect time for new life to bloom, so why not encourage your kids to connect with nature by planting some seeds, and taking care of them as they bloom into flowers? If you have a back garden, corner off a small section that they can call their own, and if not, get a plant pot they can use indoors, and let them choose what kind of flower or plant they want to grow there. The digging and planting will be fun, and they should enjoy the process of watering them and watching them grow.

Get crafty

If it’s raining outside (let’s be honest, it’s Spring in the UK), why not spend some time doing arts and crafts indoors? Challenge the kids to think of ways to decorate the house for Spring, and help them with the tricky bits.

Craft ideas could include drawing or creating spring chicks; sun-catchers; or even Shamrocks to tie-in with St. Patrick’s Day. Or you could get a head start on your Easter decorations, and have fun painting some hard-boiled eggs.

For a number of different Spring craft ideas, click here.

Have a Spring Feast

You could celebrate the day by having an extra special dinner and turning it into a Spring Feast. Let the kids choose what dishes to include (with maybe a little gentle direction towards healthier options), and have them help out in the kitchen. You could even make a special treat for desserts, such as a sponge cake or chocolate cornflake/rice crispy cakes. They’re super simple and kids have so much fun making them… especially when they get to lick the chocolate off the spoon afterwards!

The post How to Celebrate the Spring Equinox with your Foster Child appeared first on Perpetual Fostering.

source https://perpetualfostering.co.uk/how-to-celebrate-the-spring-equinox-with-your-foster-child/