Parenting Without Tears

Gingerbread for Christmas

Gingerbread and Christmas go together and here's a simple recipe that junior chefs can help with and decorate afterwards.

Sacla' Serves Up Meals Parents and Kids Love by Hannah Schraer

Tempt the family's taste-buds with some real Italian cooking brought to you by Sacla'.

English Christmas Markets

Top ten Christmas markets to visit in England from Birmingham to York, Norwich to Ludlow each one has a distinct style and welcome.

Ice skating during the Christmas season

From Bath to York and London to Newcastle, we list the top ten places to don your skates. Take advantage of the festive ice skating around England.

Planning for Halloween

A week to go and all the small ghouls, witches, vampires and skeletons will be roaming our streets trick or treating. Time to get in the treats and plan your Halloween party, suggests Anne Coates.

Ten of the top National Trust places to enjoy a walk with the family

Plan your half-term with a family walk with activities included at National Trust properties throughout the UK.

Annabel Karmel's hidden vegetable tomato sauce

An autumn/winter warming sauce that's full of goodness to encourage fussy eaters created by Annabel Karmel.

Sky Go & Looby Lou Designs

Hazel Bothma and her daughter, Frida, went to the launch of Sky Go and also tried out a Canvas Kit from Looby Lou Designs.

National Trust Recruiting for Kids' Council

To offer children a chance to try out the National Trust and get inspiration on what they would like to change if they were appointed to the Kids' Council, the Trust is offering children free entry at over 200 places during August .

Love Parks Week

Masses of free entertainmanet in your local park to kick-start the summer holidays. Love Parks Week runs from 21 to 28 July and there are over 1000 activities and events to choose from.

Beethoven al fresco

Five minutes of Beethoven's 9th to inspire and set you up for the day!

The LEGO Friends 2012 Roadshow

Beginning it's UK tour in London, The LEGO Friends 2012 Roadshow will be at West End Live – Trafagar Square on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 June before moving on to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Newcastle Metro, Birmingham Airport, Pony Club, LEGOLAND Windsor, Westfield London and Merry Hill.

Argos Playcation Guide

To inspire us all to get outdoors and play with the family, Argos have produced a free Playcation Guide and there's a video to get you in the mood too!

Give a home to a solitary bee – build a bee hotel

Bees play an essential part in the life cycle of many crops and flowers so for parents and children everywhere, the University of Leeds has come up with the ideal way to have fun this half-term and help the environment at the same time by building a bee hotel.

Build a bee hotel

Turn your garden into a bee-friendly haven with a simple wooden structure that gives solitary bees a place to nest – as seen in the gold medal-winning University of Leeds' exhibit at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Science Museum hosts Universe of Sound: a virtual Philharmonia Ochestra

The Science Museum is to showcase the Universe of Sound - a major new digital installation which sees a virtual Philharmonia Orchestra taking up residence until 8 July 2012 before touring the UK.

The Crooked Well's Easter Pudding

Make this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding created by the chef at Camberwell's Crooked Well and celebrate Easter in style.

Easter at IWM North: Bringing Stories to Life

This Easter (31 March to 15 April), visitors to IWM North (part of Imperial War Museums) in Manchester will be able to experience the magic of stories brought to life through a host of free activities for all the family. With illustration workshops, performances, storytelling and creative sessions, there is something to inspire and captivate all the family. To celebrate this IWM North are offering five sets of books to be won by PWT readers.

Things to make & do