MAKE YOUR OWN GINGER COOKIES

Recipe courtesy of Opies of Sittingbourne, one of the oldest family-owned food companies in the UK

Are you on the sea's side?

Children across the UK can help the setting up of safe places for sea creatures with the RSPB youth fundraising campaign – I’m on the sea’s side.

Stars of the CBBC show Jinx have the Jinx Factor with the release of a brand new single!

Calling all fans of the hit CBBC show, Jinx, the two lead characters are giving all you all a delicious  treat with the release of their brand new single, ‘Friday (Takes Me Away)’ - so not only is Jinx jam-packed with magical mayhem and outlandish antics – it now has its very own single!

Something Special

A brand new series of the multi award-winning Something Special returns in a new, week-daily, year-round slot designed to provide continuity for its loyal audience on CBeebies. 

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR RICK RIORDAN PERCY JACKSON: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

You used to write mysteries before. What triggered you to begin the PERCY JACKSON series? My son Haley was studying the Greek myths in second grade when he asked me to tell him some bedtime stories about the gods and heroes. I had taught Greek myths for many years at the middle school level, so I was glad to comply.

Saddle Club Half Term Viewing

The first series of The Saddle Club which was an instant hit with horse mad girls who watch Horse & Country TV, is being shown in its entirety during half term (15-19th Feb) for those who missed it first time around. From 2pm – 4.30pm each weekday the whole afternoon will be devoted to the children’s drama that is based around horses

Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet is being brought to life

Earth calling all big fans of the much-loved PlayStation® game LittleBigPlanetTM.  For the very first time you can adopt your own SackboyTM as the iconic character springs into real life action with a super cool range of products available to buy and collect.

Ubisoft gives girl from Barrow In Furness the chance to star in her own TV ad!

To celebrate the release of the latest Nintendo DS games in the Imagine range, Ubisoft gave Courtney Poyntz, aged 13 from Barrow-In-Furness in Cumbria, the chance to live her dream and win the ultimate prize – to have her dream turned into a 3 minute TV advert!

I Can Cook

Serving up a selection of simple recipes, top cookery tips and the chance to get very messy, new series I Can Cook celebrates a hands-on approach to cooking and aims to get the nation’s under-6s in the kitchen and cooking up a storm.

England and Chelsea star Frank Lampard Joins Young Football Talent at Wembley to Help Celebrate the One Million Milestone of National Football Skills Programme

22 talented young footballers from across the country were given the opportunity of a lifetime to join England and Chelsea star Frank Lampard at Wembley Stadium

Big and Small Brand New Gifts

The wait is finally over!  Fans of the hit pre-school show, Big and Small will be able to create their own BIG adventures over the half term and Christmas holidays with the brand new range of toys, puzzles and books.  Plus, watch out for Big and Small’s return to DVD with Starry, Starry Night available to buy from 14 September 2009 and be transported on a fun-filled adventure with these loveable comedy characters! 

We Make Stories, the brand new site from Puffin where you can create and share your own stories. Make a comic book, a pop-up book or a treasure map.

This is a world full of stories - what's yours?

The Backstage Magic of Harry Potter

Night time dashes on buses, tables beaten with chains and sets that have survived nine years under the feet of hundreds of children – this is a look at the magic behind the Harry Potter films.

FUN PHOTOS OF KIDS AND DADS PROVE THE JOY OF READING TOGETHER

Children throughout the UK have taken their fathers on a mad reading adventure this spring – an Extreme Reading Challenge! Kids were tasked to get a photo of themselves reading with their parents in an unusual location and the photographs have been amazing.

NEW UK KIDS’ THINK TANK TO START A GREEN REVOLUTION

A nationwide search begins today for 20 green and keen children to become members of the UK’s first ever environmental think tank for 7 to 14 year olds.  The hunt begins as new research shows that our children believe they can make a difference to the green cause if they are listened to.

Interview with Derek Landy

Before I met Derek Landy, I was a bit nervous about what the creator of Skulduggery Pleasant and the former script writer for horror films would be like. When we got there, I discovered a really pleasant man surrounded by his cats (more about the cats later).  We started with a few facts about Derek. He’s Irish and lives just outside Dublin. Before Skulduggery Pleasant, Derek wrote the screenplays for a zombie movie and a murderous horror film.

Interview with Kate DiCamillo

The DVD release of The Tale Of Despereaux, out 20th April, and if you click on the link above you can read an interview with author of the original children’s book Kate DiCamillo.

Dynamic And Innovative Youngsters Are Given Early Opportunity To Build A Business

New research has revealed that although the current business world is reeling from the recession, this hasn’t stopped the future money-making generation from aiming high. In fact, 81% of British children want to run their own business, and furthermore original wheeler-dealer Sir Alan Sugar was voted the ‘most admired’ business person by Under 18’s across the country.

Read the story of the Big Ballerina here

Read all about Emma the Elephant who wants to be a ballernina and all her exploits along the way. This is a whole story supplied by the author for our younger readers to enjoy.

Read Everyone's Going Quackers

Winter set in and snow covered the forest in a thick white blanket.  Many animals preferred to sleep through the long cold months.  Badgers, beavers, rabbits, all sorts of animals snored their way through the winter.  Even the birds cowered from the cold.  All but two......

Read Patsy's Chocolate

Chocolate.  Doesn’t everyone love it?  I know I do.  I love the way it glides down your throat with that sweet feeling, and I’m not alone.  I know of someone who loves it even more than me.....

BBC iPlayer for children launches

This Christmas the BBC is to offer younger viewers their own version of BBC iPlayer that allows them to watch shows they love on-demand in a specially designed child-friendly service. Designed for children aged 6 to 12, BBC iPlayer for CBBC – BAFTA Children's Channel of the Year – gives children the chance to choose when they watch programmes such as Blue Peter, MI High, Sarah Jane Adventures, and many other shows they love.

A Child's Poem

The poem below was written by an 11 year old called Katie Fowler of Alphington Primary School, Exeter, Devon. Her class has been learning about pollution and writing poems linking into the topic

The KidsOutdoors Campaign

The KidOutdoors campaign, being led by The Scout Association, aims to inspire a million new outdoor adventures. We want more young people to embrace outdoor activities and find that doing things outdoors is a more attractive alternative to TV and computer games

Stars line up for Amnesty International

This autumn Amnesty International joins forces with leading actors and world-renowned illustrators to bring to life the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) for a new generation of young children. A new book, a short film and an exhibition form part of a series of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the UDHR, which set out for the first time the human rights and fundamental freedoms to which everyone is entitled without discrimination

Get kids active with the Nature Detectives

The Woodland Trust is offering IKEA FAMILY members 25% discount for children to enrol in their Nature Detectives Club. Each Nature Detective receives a welcome pack, two seasonal activity pack mailings and weekly emails with challenges to keep your children busy throughout the year. The scheme aims to get children active and learning about the UK’s native woodland and wildlife. Visit www.woodlandtrustshop.com for more information 

RSPB  - Rainham Marshes Appeal

Young people across the UK can buy a new home for water voles and other wildlife as the RSPB launches its youth fundraising campaign – the Rainham Marshes appeal.

www.swapitshop.com

www.swapitshop.com is being heralded as the new eBay for children and teenagers and is popular with parents too, as its safe (you don’t have to give out any personal details) and helps relieve the pressure on the family budget. The website has revitalised the eighties swapping phenomenon, introducing a whole new generation to the idea of swapping the things they don’t want for the things they do

Mencap Launches Anti-bullying Campaign

‘Don’t stick it, stop it!’ is Mencap’s new campaign to stop the bullying of children and young people with a learning disability. 8 out of 10 children with a learning disability are bullied and this can wreck their lives. Mencap needs your support to help stop this – click here to find out more about the campaign, and what you can do to help.

Be Safe on Inland Waterways

It seems like summer is finally here and British Waterways is reminding people not to swim in the West Midlands’ canals, rivers and reservoirs, and to enjoy the inland waterways in safety.  While waterways are great places to visit during the school holidays for walks, feeding the ducks, fishing and a whole host of other fun activities, children should always be supervised by an adult when close to water

Read Chapter 1 of Alien Timebomb

Walter Speazlebud, the boy with the amazing talent for spelling backwards is back for another time travelling adventure. A meteorite is on it’s way to collide with earth ready to wipe out all of humanity. The FBI have heard about Walter’s special talents and need his help. Soon enough, Walter and his dad are in New York, discovering that an alien nation is holding the world to hostage.