There are lots of fun ways to decorate a room: you can hang pictures or posters on the walls or place knick-knacks on the shelves. But what about the ceiling? Well, about a hundred years ago an artist called Alexander Calder created the perfect decoration for ceilings when he inventedRead More →
Why do octopuses have eight arms? How do fish breathe underwater and are jellyfish actually made of jelly? Author and illustrator Yuval Zommer provides the answer to these and many more fishy facts… How does an animal breathe underwater? All animals need to breathe in oxygen to stay alive. Land animalsRead More →
The Department of Health has today published ‘The Prevalence of Autism (including Aspergers Syndrome) in school age children in Northern Ireland 2018’. These figures have been extracted from the Northern Ireland School Census collected by the Department of Education. The key facts and figures have revealed: The estimated prevalence ofRead More →
With a quarter of kids now living with lone parents, to single mothers like Nina Farr, the suggestion that they come from a home which is ‘damaged’ or ‘incomplete’ is not only infused with guilt, but is hurtful and untrue. In her new book, Nina rejects the ‘broken family’ labelRead More →
Almost nine out of ten 12-year-olds are regularly using social media – despite the legal age to sign up to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram being 13, according to research by market intelligence specialist, Kids Insights. The data, from Kids Insights’ 2018 Q1 report, also shows that almost half of 12-year-oldRead More →
Belfast Zoo recently announced the birth of two capybaras and need YOUR help naming the new arrivals! You can submit your suggestions and the reason for your choice at www.belfastzoo.co.uk to be in with the chance of winning a family membership for the zoo!* The pair were born on 2 AprilRead More →
The NSPCC and O2 have launched new advice for parents of young people playing the multiplayer action survival game Fortnite: Battle Royale. It comes amid concerns over a function in Fortnite which automatically allows users to speak to other players through voice and text chat functions. It means children canRead More →
The magnificent masts of the Tall Ships will soon return to our skyline, signaling one of Belfast’s favourite family events, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. From 10am to 6pm on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 May, Donegall Quay, Queen’s Quay and Titanic Quarter will be a treasure trove ofRead More →
Interview by Nadia Duncan James is an award-winning children’s author, teacher and part-time superhero. He is married to Oonagh and they have three grown-up children, Conall (20), Erin (19) and Cara (18), but are expecting a new arrival this summer in the form of a miniature Schnauzer who they planRead More →
Have you ever wondered what all the bugs you see in your garden are doing? Head of horticulture at the Soil Association in the UK and dad-of-two Ben Raskin explains how these tiny heroes actually help put food on our plates… A garden is a magical place: beautiful, full ofRead More →
Playing Safe at Bathtime Following recent revelations that children’s bath toys provide the perfect breeding ground for potentially harmful bacteria, ensure your child’s plastic toys are squeaky clean and free from bacteria by following three simple steps. 1.Wash all plastic toys with water and a little washing up liquid toRead More →
The new UK Sugar Tax on fizzy drinks came into effect on April 6 giving households a chance to re-evaluate their sugar habits. The levy is a key part of the government’s childhood obesity strategy and means shoppers will now pay an extra 18p or 24p more a litre forRead More →