Friday 24 July 2015

The benefits of Sheffield CU...

Being part of Children's University in Sheffield isn't just about collecting credits - there are LOTS of benefits for the children and families who take part. Sheffield CU can make a real difference, and here's why!

To find out more about CU in Sheffield, visit our website www.sheffield.gov.uk/cu


Wednesday 22 July 2015

Still time to book FREE CU Festival of Fun activities...but be quick!

Our providers have been really busy this week delivering their fantastic activities across the city - everything from researching and presenting information about Sheffield's communities, historical detective work, Frozen-inspired singing and dancing, finding out how the brain plays tricks on you, to football, rugby and netball, circus skills and even finding out how a museum curator presents those artefacts for us all to see - all in 4 days phew! 




 






But the fun doesn't stop there!

There are still plenty of FREE activities to try, so download the CU Festival of Fun programme on the right, and get planning your next 10 days now.

There are still some places left on the following activities but be quick...they wont be available for much longer...



RAZZAMATAZ: Greenhill Library, Saturday 25th July
1.00pm-2.00pm (4-7 years) Frozen-inspired dance, singing and drama workshop
2.00pm-3.00pm (8-12 years) Pop and street dance workshop

RAZZAMATAZ: Crystal Peaks Library: Crystal Peaks Library, Monday 27th July
10.30am-11.30am (4-7 years) Frozen-inspired dance, singing and drama workshop
11.30am-12.30pm (8-12 years) Pop and street dance workshop

CONTACT: 07979 189177 to book a place now!





ACADEMY OF SELF DEFENCE: Woodseats Library, Wednesday 29th July
1.00pm-2.00pm (6 yrs+) Intro to Ju Jitsu
(no experience required)

ACADEMY OF SELF DEFENCE: Stocksbridge Library: Thursday 30th July
2.00pm-3.00pm (6 yrs+) Intro to Ju Jitsu
(no experience required)

CONTACT: 07738 909125 to book
a place now!






SHEFFIELD & ROTHERHAM
WILDLIFE TRUST:
Nature Near You @ Carbrook Ravine - activities in the great outdoors
Monday 27th July
10.30am-12.30pm (4-17 years)
CONTACT: c.smith@wildsheffield.com or phone 0114 263 4335 to book a place now!







PYJAMA DRAMA: CENTRAL CHILDREN'S LIBRARY, Satuday 1st August
10.00am-11.00am (4-7 years) The Tiger who invited me for tea
11.00am-12.00pm (5-7 years) The Dancing Dragon

CONTACT: 07787 111053 to book a place now!

















Monday 20 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Outdoors and Nature

If you enjoy the great outdoors, spending time in woodlands and parks and working with nature and animals, then the CU Festival of Fun 2015 is for you! 
Wincobank Hill
Spend time as a family in a fantastic ancient woodland, learning new skills, crafts and cooking on a fire.  Wincobank Hill is the setting and Penny Rea will lead you through your day of woodland fun!

Find their activities on Wincobank Hill (meeting at Wincobank Chapel) on the following date...
Tuesday 28th July, 10.00am - 3.00pm.  Fun for children aged 3+ and their families.  Contact Penny on 07980 143 776 to book your places and to receive more information. 
 
 
Or Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust are running a Nature Near You session at Carbrook Ravine (near Woodthorpe), exploring the ravine and beautiful wildflower meadow.  Join them to explore this area which used to be a huge deer park for the gentry of Sheffield.

Fun at Carbrook Ravine
Find the Wildlife Trust at Carbrook Ravine on the following date...
Monday 27th July, 10.30am - 12.30pm.
Contact them on c.smith@wildsheffield.com or by phoning 0114 263 4335 to book your place.



Fancy keeping chickens?  Many people do nowadays, so pop along to the Chicken Keeping Course run by Heeley City Farm to discover what’s involved.  You’ll learn everything from housing them in a safe, clean environment, feeding them healthy food, and making sure they’re happy. 

Chicken Keeping course at Heeley City Farm
 The chickens will be waiting for you on the following date...
Wednesday 29th July, 10.30am-1.30pm.
To book your place, contact them on 0114 258 0482 option 2.


For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right.


Sunday 19 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Gaming

Our friends Imagination Gaming are back with their fantastic workshops under their motto – Learn to Play, Play to Learn.  They helped launch our CU Festival of Fun last Saturday with a day full of their brilliant games and now we're sending them out 'on tour' to a library near you!

The guys bring along an amazing range of board games, card games and strategy games which are sourced from all over the world!  We guarantee there’ll be at least one you’ve never seen before! 

Sessions are designed to be relaxed, social, friendly and for individuals and families too.
Gaming fun with Imagination Gaming


The Imagination Gaming sessions are simply drop-in so no need to book, and they’re happening all over the city during the CU Festival of Fun.  Make sure you pop along to at least one of them!
Find them on the following dates...
Friday 24th July, 10.00am-1.30pm, Ecclesfield Library
                              2.30pm-5.00pm, Parson Cross Library

Thursday 30th July, 10.00am-1.00pm, Frecheville Library
                                    2.00pm-5.00pm, Chapeltown Library

Contact them on 07957 449 572 for more information.  No booking required - just turn up!  Suitable for children aged 5+, young people and families too!



For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right.

Saturday 18 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Sports and Physical Activities

We have a wide range of sports and physical activities on offer during the CU Festival of Fun 2015. 

You can try and make it to the top of the indoor climbing wall at Awesome Walls, using all the latest kit included, and the expertise of their climbing tutors who will give you all the hints and tips you need to scale their cutting edge wall! 

Indoor climbing at Awesome Walls
 
Find Awesome Walls School of Rock sessions on the following dates...
Thursday 23rd July, 2.00pm-3.00pm.
Wednesday 29th July, 12.00pm-1.00pm.
Contact Awesome Walls on 0114 244 6622 to book your place and to find out more.
 
 
If heights are not your thing, then how about learning to juggle, spin plates or fling a diablo?  Yes, Greentop Circus are back with their circus skills programme, offering expert guidance in clowning around and having loads of fun learning these entertaining new skills.

Greentop Circus

Find Greentop Circus activities on the following dates...
Tuesday 21st July, 10.00am-12.00pm, Newfield Green Library
Monday 27th July, 1.00pm-3.00pm, Highfield Library
Contact Greentop Circus on 0114 244828 to find more details and to book your place.
 
 


Fancy some running around? Then the CU Festival of Fun has something for you. RuggerEds,SoccerEds and NetballEds will be on hand in their taster sessions, to teach you all you need to know about these three sports. 






The ball-handling and the tactics will be included, but most importantly, sessions are based around a strong ethos of lots of fun and promoting their core values of good manners, respect, teamwork and fair play! Phew!



Find RuggerEds, SoccerEds and NetballEds on the following dates...
Tuesday 21st July, 10.00am-1.00pm, 30 minute taster sessions in between these times but stay as long as you like!
Endcliffe Park and Hillsborough Park

Contact them on 07880 198 014 for more information and to book a place.




Or how about some soccer coaching with Star Strikers FC? Their soccer camps will include a range of sessions from ball skills such as dribbling, shooting and passing, to working as a team and lots of games.
Star Strikers FC

Star Strikers are running their full-day soccer camps at Springs Academy between Monday 20th and Friday 24th July and 16 places (1 day each) are available FREE to children with a Passport to Learning.

Contact them on 07964 227 667 to book your place and to find out more. 

 
Or if martial arts and self-defence are more your thing, then why not head over to our session with Academy of Self Defence?  Garry will teach you all the basics you need to know in a friendly, calm and safe environment, using simple tools and techniques.
Academy of Self Defence

Find Garry and the Academy of Self Defence on the following dates...

Wednesday 29th July, Woodseats Library, 1.00pm-2.00pm

Friday 31st July, Stocksbridge Library, 2.00pm-3.00pm
**PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE TO THAT IN THE FESTIVAL OF FUN PROGRAMME**

Contact them on 07738 909125 to find out more and to book your place.


For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right.


Friday 17 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Something a little bit different…

Why does that happen?  Why does that work?  How does it do that?  Why can’t it go there?  Are these the questions you ask all the time, or are these questions just some of the ones you face each week from your children?  If they have an inquisitive mind then the #ThatDress lecture from Sheffield Hallam University will be right up your street!

Remember the media storm created by the image of the stripy dress?  Do you see it as white and gold stripes or blue and black?  What about your friends and family?  Well Hallam University will deliver a fun and interactive session looking at just how and why our brains work or indeed, are our eyes playing tricks on us?  Come along and find out!

 
Visit www.thatdress.eventbrite.co.uk to book your place - be quick, places will go fast!

 

Activity Sheffield are running their ‘6 weeks of summer’ sessions throughout the holidays, starting with the CU Festival of Fun!  During the summer, they can be found in parks across the summer with all manner of activities delivered by their teams but also by local companies, activity providers and more.  Visit their website for more details or see our programme for info too.

6 Weeks of Summer coming to a park near you!
 

For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right.


Thursday 16 July 2015

Celebrate - Our 39th Gold Award Ceremony!

It was time to roll out the red carpet for the final time this academic year as we hosted our last Gold Award Ceremony of the Summer term and welcomed 200 children, parents and carers and school staff to the Town Hall to celebrate their achievements.

Some of our fantastic Gold Award winners try on special Sheffield CU caps and gowns


A proud parent/carer with their award winner

Children from 10 schools attended along with their parents and carers and were presented with their awards by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Talib Hussain and Councillor Anne Murphy - Cabinet Advisor, Children, Young People and Families.

Children from Malin Bridge Primary School receive their Gold Awards
Children from Southey Green Community Primary School receive their Gold Awards

During the ceremony, there was a fantastic performance from Spotlight Theatre Dance, one of our brilliant Learning Destinations.

Children from Spotlight Theatre Dance give a special performance

The ceremony rounded off with a spectacular performance by Sheffield Cathedral Young Voices Choir!

Children from Sheffield Cathedral Young Voices close the ceremony with a fantastic performance!

HUGE congratulations to our fantastic award winners, their parents/carers and school staff. We are so very very proud of all of you!

Visit our Facebook page to view all the photos from the event! https://t.co/HWBXcF5Fkm



CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Music, Dance and Drama Activities

We have a range of dance, drama and music activities on offer during the CU Festival of Fun 2015. 

For the slightly younger children, Pyjama Drama offers fantastic workshops where imaginations are fired and the children’s ideas help to create the drama unfolding!  An interactive blend of music, movement and drama, Pyjama Drama are running sessions themed around Disney’s Frozen, the Dancing Dragon and the Tiger Who Invited Me For Tea – why not join them?

Pyjama Drama in action
 
find the Pyjama Drama activities on the following dates...
Saturday 18th July, 10.30am-11.30am (4-5 years) and 11.30am-12.30pm (5-7 years), Broomhill Library
Saturday 1st August, 10.00am-11.00am (4-5 years) and 11.00am-12.00pm (5-7 years), Central Children's Library
Contact them on 0778 111053 to book a place and for more details.



More ‘Frozen’ inspired workshops are being run by Razzamataz for children aged 4-7 years so if Anna, Elsa and Olaf get you singing and dancing, you should give these workshops a go!  Razzamataz deliver sessions including singing, acting and dancing, and in addition to the Frozen workshop, they’re also offering pop and street dance too for children aged 8-12 years! 

Razzamataz

Find Razzamataz sessions on the following dates...

Saturday 25th July (Greenhill Library), 1.00pm-2.00pm (4-7 years) - Frozen-inspired workshop and 2.00pm-3.00pm (8-12 years), - pop and street dance workshop.
Monday 27th July (Crystal Peaks Library), 10.30am-11.30am (4-7 years) - Frozen-inspired workshop and 11.30am-12.30pm (8-12 years), - pop and street dance workshop.
Contact them on 07979 189177 to book a place and for more information.
 
 
If dancing is your thing, then our Hype Dance sessions will be for you.  Their Around The World high energy dance workshops will certainly get your heart pumping and your mind buzzing with fun!  They’re also running a Commercial Dance workshop too, so plenty to choose from.

Hype Dance
 
Find Hype Dance activities on the following dates...
Wednesday 22nd July, 10.30am-12.00pm, Hillsborough Library (Around the World workshop)
Friday 24th July, 10.30am-12.00pm, Walkley Library (Street dance workshop)
Contact Hype Dance on 0114 2706757 for more details and to book your place



Or why not visit A Mind Apart Theatre Company who are running a whole day of activities as part of their holiday club?  There you’ll enjoy meeting new people, making new friends and working together on dance, drama, singing and art projects. 

A Mind Apart
 
Find A Mind Apart activities on the following date...
Thursday 23rd July, 10.00am-3.30pm, Southey Library
Contact A Mind Apart on 0114 232 1172 to book a place and for more details.


For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right.


Wednesday 15 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight on...


...Arts and Crafts Activities

Our friends at Ignite Imaginations are working with us again on delivering exciting arts and crafts activities across the city.

Their ‘Where Am I From?’ sessions will use photographs, drawing collages, cartoon story boards, puppet making and set design to create children’s own journeys, adventures and stages in their lives.  Families are welcome too, so why not pop along and create your family’s very own story at the end of the workshop?


You can find Ignite Imaginations at the following places…

Monday 20th July, 2.00pm-4.00pm, Darnall Library

Tuesday 28th July, 10.30am-12.30pm, Totley Library

Saturday 1st August, 1.30pm-3.30pm, Manor Library

 
Call them on 0114 268 6813 to book a place and for more information.


For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme to the right


Tuesday 14 July 2015

CU Festival of Fun Spotlight On...


...Heritage and History

We have a number of Learning Destinations delivering fantastic activities providing opportunities to learn all about the history of Sheffield, and how museum artefacts can be preserved and presented for future generations. 

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet led a session last Sunday entitled ‘Who shot Mr Tyzack?’ where families learned all about the evidence set against a backdrop of Sheffield’s history.  Children interviewed three costumed characters each with a different side of the story to tell, before gathering evidence to decide who they thought ‘did the deed’. 

 

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is open throughout the summer holidays with a range of activities for all ages.

 Weston Park Museum are running their ever-popular Young Curator’s course, where children can learn the top tips of the trade from the museum’s curators.  They’ll learn how they put together a collection, how to display the items and label them too.  A ‘must’ for any museum-lover!

 

 

Their Young Curator’s Course is happening on Tuesday 21st July, 10.30am-2.30pm at Weston Park Museum.  Call 0114 278 2686 to book a place and to find out more.
 
For details of these and all the activities as part of CU Festival of Fun, please download the programme of activities on the right.
 


Friday 10 July 2015

Celebrate - our 38th Gold Award Ceremony!

It was time to celebrate again this week as we hosted the second of our summer Gold Award Ceremonies and welcomed 200 children, parents and carers and school staff to the Town Hall to celebrate their achievements.
Some of our fantastic Gold Award winners try on special Sheffield CU caps and gowns
A proud parent/carer with their award winner

Children from HBH Academy - Hartley Brook receive their Gold Awards

Children from 12 schools attended along with their parents and carers and were presented with their awards by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Talib Hussain, Sam Martin, Assistant Director of Lifelong Learning, Skills and Communities and Councillor Jackie Drayton - Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families.

Children from Shortbrook Primary School receive their Gold Awards
During the ceremony, there was a fantastic performance from Spotlight Theatre Dance, one of our brilliant Learning Destinations.


Children from Spotlight Theatre Dance give a special performance
Performers from Spotlight Theatre Dance delight the audience with a 1920's inspired number

 The ceremony rounded off with a spectacular performance by Hype Dance!

Students from Hype Dance perform street dance in the Reception Rooms
HUGE congratulations to our fantastic award winners, their parents/carers and school staff. We are so very very proud of all of you!

Visit our Facebook page to view all the photos from the event!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.930554353668207.1073741852.239129216144061&type=1&l=2a5e961684

Monday 6 July 2015

Celebrate - Our 37th Gold Award Ceremony!

It was time to roll out the red carpet again last week as we hosted our first Gold Award Ceremony of the Summer term and welcomed 200 children, parents and carers and school staff to the Town Hall to celebrate their achievements.

A proud parent/carer with our Gold Award winners
Children from 18 schools attended along with their parents and carers and were presented with their awards by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Talib Hussain, Sam Martin, Assistant Director of Lifelong Learning, Skills and Communities and Councillor Anne Murphy.

A proud parent/carer with one of our award winners

Children visit the Explore Learning stall in our Learning Destination Marketplace
During the ceremony, children and young people from Dobcroft Junior School spoke about their out of school activities and Children's University. The ceremony rounded off with a spectacular performance by Ann's Grove Primary Musical Theatre Group!

Children from Dobcroft Juniors talk about their out of school activities

Children from Dobcroft Juniors receive their Gold Awards
Children from Greenhill Primary receive their Gold Awards
HUGE congratulations to our fantastic award winners, their parents/carers and school staff. We are so very very proud of all of you!

Visit our Facebook page to view all the photos from the event! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.929096090480700.1073741851.239129216144061&type=1&l=4dbfdf7880

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Planning your summer activities?


The Children's University Passport to Learning newsletter which includes details of activities happening across Sheffield during the summer holidays is now available! 

As well as our fantastic FREE Festival of Fun, our Learning Destinations are also delivering lots of fabulous activities right through the summer, where you can collect CU credits. We have pulled together this information into our summer activity newsletter, which you can view HERE or by clicking the link on the right of the page to start planning your summer now!

Children and young people who take along a Passport to Learning to all the activities listed in the newsletter will be able to earn additional CU credits at these activities. These are available from Sheffield libraries, and some Learning Destinations across the city. There's also an up to date list and contact details of our validated Learning Destinations. Please find the newsletter attached to the email. You can also find further details about activities on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sheffieldcu