Yay! Home Schooling is out for half term, but before itโs replaced with excruciating racket, higgledy-piggledy hullabaloos, and junior revolutionary uprisings, diligent stay-at-home parents teetering on the edge of wine oโclock should note, if the outside activity mountain won’t come to Muhammad, well, Muhammad has to get there online. Hereโs some โlitโ bodacious suggies to get him harnessing his cramponsโฆ.
No, Iโve no idea what that meant either, just hit me with your suggestions, homies, and Iโll add them here without beef!

Firstly, keep them well fed, and if you’re having difficulty…….
FREE SCHOOL MEALS ELIGIBILITY
Wiltshire Council is urging families who find themselves in difficult circumstances to check if they are also eligible for free school meals and the holiday food funding. Families can find out details of how to apply for free school meals support on the Wiltshire Council website including those families on: -โข Income Supportโข Job Seeker’s Allowance (income-based)โข Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)โข Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999โข The Guarantee element of State Pension Creditโข Child Tax Credit – providing you are NOT entitled to Working Tax Credit and your family’s annual income (as assessed by HMRC) is not more than ยฃ16,190 (as at 6 April 2012)โข Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – the payment you may receive for a further four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Creditโข Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than ยฃ7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods) โข Better2Gether Funding (two year olds only) Universal Credit – if you and your partner are on a low income from work (this usually means a combined income of less than ยฃ15,400 a year after tax)Or if the two year old child: -โข Has a statutory statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or an Education, Health and Care Plan.โข Has left local authority care through a Special Guardianship Order, adoption or a Residence Orderโข Is currently a Looked After Child, for example in foster careโข Is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)People should apply directly to Wiltshire Council if they are eligible but currently do not have free school meals by using the form on the Council website.
Morrisons Kids Meal and Pizza making Boxes Here!
Creative
Stuff!

Get Cartooning!
Thereโs always cartoon and comic workshops to get creative darlings budding. Enter Beano artist and charismatic comedian Kev F, whose Comic Art Masterclass usually travels the schools and libraries of the country, and ends with some seriously entertained kids each with their own homemade comic. The only need to travel is to grab some paper and pens now Kevโs class is online.
But check here for a number of different creators giving away their artistic secrets in comic workshopsโฆ




The End of the Pier Show
Jonny Fluffypunk presents a brand spanking new show for families, with poetry, puppetry, story, song and a healthy dose of ramshackle anarchy.
Cooking
Stuff!
The Farm Cookery School in Netherstreet
have their popular holiday clubs online, and are available to book NOW! They are only ยฃ10 – ยฃ15 per login and that includes LIVE Tuition as well as a Recipe and Ingredients Guide which will be emailed to you straight away. Just imagine, dinner may be served by your little horrors!

Learning
Stuff!
Family half term activities among online events at Chippenham Museum
Prior to lockdown Wiltshire Museum were really enjoying hosting Curious Kids sessions for under 5โs and their grown-ups. They have adapted sessions to deliver them on zoom. A chance for younger children to have some interaction with people from outside the home and for families to learn, create and play together โ supported by the museum.
February Half term session will focus on Saxon Crafts and will look at weaving jewellery.

STEM Venturi
February Half Term online coding courses for 7 – 12+ year olds. Also debuting Girls Who Code course…โฆ Lots of coding courses including Minecraft!
Music
Stuff!

– Learn from inspiring choir leaders with years of professional experience
– Explore music from different genres: musical theatre, pop, classical and more…
– Work towards performances in some of the countyโs top music venues
Join us for our next free virtual Come and Sing workshop on Thursday, 18 February, 10.00 – 12.00 via zoom.


Trending now….
โNothing Rhymes With Orangeโ at Cursus Festival, May 24th, 2026.ย
by Ian Diddams images by Ian Diddams Though now based out of Bristol, at university studying Music and sharing digs together, NRWO (as they areโฆ
Make Music This Summer Launches at Wiltshire Music Centre; 19 Days of Musical Activities for Children and Young People
Wiltshire Music Centre is launching the Make Music This Summer programme, a vibrant 19-day programme of musical activities for children, young people and families….. Designedโฆ
After Ruby, Barrelhouse and RowdeFest 26
Images by Jess Worrow A busy late spring weekend across the county, with major events from Bradford-on-Avon to Swindon, but I’m bringing quality acts Iโฆ
Sir Tony Robinson, Nigel Planer, TโPau, and Timmy Mallettโฆ and More at Frome Festival in July
Tickets are now on sale for Frome Festivalโs silver anniversary year, taking place between the 3rd โ 12th July, 2026. Three hundred events are scheduledโฆ
โWe Will Rock Youโ at St. Augustine’s, Trowbridge, May 27thโ30th, 2026
by Ian Diddams images by Trevor Porter & Claire Borovac Juke box musicals tend to be little more than a string of hits, loosely linkedโฆ
Devizes Wharf to Edinburgh; Whose Play, and The Sh!t They Don’t Tell You in Books!
Images: Chris Watkins Media May seemed so far away back in Feb when we ran a preview of two plays which will see a Devizesโฆ
Phil, Jamie and Tamsin Return to The Fold
With duty calling in the wee hours of each Saturday, itโs got to be something special to drag me off the sofa on a Fridayโฆ
Chatting with Ruby Darbyshire
There’s the story of one newfound fan who, after her performance, asked Ruby how many copies of her CDs she had, bought the lot andโฆ
Sheer Music Announce Devizes Gig Frank Turner Bootleg Cassette
Itโs 2006, and the charts are awash with what will become known as landfill indie. Somewhere in backwater Townsville UK, an already road worn veteranโฆ
Shindig Festival Goes Ahead, with Bob Vylan
After months of speculation, controversy, and local media bias, The Shindig Festival at Malmesbury’s Charton Park has been given the green lightโฆ.. Despite Newsquest floggingโฆ



