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Spotlight on – Jenni from Rocket and Orange

1 What’s your name and where do you come from?

I’m Jenni and together with my husband Karim we own the family cafe Rocket & Orange based in Altrincham.

2 Could you tell us a little bit about your collaboration with Our Kids Social?

We’ve fairly recently started working with OKS and held our first Silent Disco Supper Club in February which sold out in 24 hours and was a great success! We’d been chatting for a while about collaborating so it’s been great to get things up and running.

3 Which three words best describe your cafe?

Friendly, fun and fresh (food that is!)

4 What was your favourite meal as a child?

Funnily enough Karim and I remember the meals we disliked the most rather than the ones we liked the best – we both seem to have a strong recollection of our Mum’s homemade mince and mashed potato. As a result, mince doesn’t feature very often in our family meals at home these days!

5 Family meal times – any traditions, tips, dos & don’ts?

We tend to be pretty traditional with our family meals and all enjoy a roast on a Sunday. I wouldn’t really say we’re in the best position to give any tips, as a busy working family we do our best not to take too many short cuts during the week.

Our boys are a bit older now and I think the only thing I would say to those with younger children is just to sit down and eat as a family as often as possible, which isn’t always that easy!

6 Tune of choice for a kitchen disco in your house?

If it was our choice it would be Chase & Status, Blind Faith but given the chance our boys would rather have something like Rick Astley, they’re into their 80s music at the moment!

7 What are your top three song suggestions for our silent disco playlist?

OK we asked our boys for help on this one and we came up with;

Back Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Pharrell Williams – Happy
Deee-Lite – Groove Is In the Heart

8 What’s your go to celebrity chef or cook book family recipe?

We have quite a few cook books, Delia for the traditional Christmas recipes, Jamie for quick family recipes but these days I probably look online more than the cook books and use BBC Food or BBC Good Food as our go to.

9 What was the first album / single you can remember buying? How old were you and what format did you buy it in?

Ok definitely going to show our age here….mine was Adam and the Ants, Stand and Deliver on 7 inch vinyl single bought from Woolworths with a voucher I got for my 10th birthday! Karim’s was Huey Lewis and the News, Power of Love on 7 inch vinyl single!

10 Why do you think the Supper Clubs have been such a success?

The whole idea behind Rocket & Orange was to set up a venue which was a good experience for parents and a good experience for children, rather than being better for one or the other.

I think the Supper Clubs work in the same way, the kids are happy because they have their food and a dance and the parents are happy because they have a glass of Prosecco, a chat with friends and a dance with the kids, so it works all round.

I don’t think there are many events like this on a Friday early evening where you can wind down with the kids after a busy week. And to top it off there’s your disco moves and enthusiasm too!

Find out more about OKS and up coming events at www.ourkids.social

Rocket and Orange Facebook

Our Kids Social Facebook

Insta – @rocketandorange

Insta – @ourk_s

DQST – The Review!

Ahead of our wonderful winter pop-up at Z-arts this December, we got the low-down from Rachel who went to see Drag Queen Story Time in Bristol with her lovely daughter Grace and husband Jack –

Hi I’m Rachel, I’m a stay at home mum to Grace who is 18 months old. Last year we moved from the hustle and bustle of Manchester to the beautiful countryside of Devon for my husband’s job.

We are constantly on the look out for activities and events to encourage us to explore more of our new surroundings, so when I saw Drag Queen Story Time advertised I knew it would be the perfect reason to travel up to Bristol.

The show itself is a whirlwind of fun, stories and sequins and captivated children and adults from the very beginning as our hostess, Alyssa Van Delle, descended the stairs into the room dressed as Mary Poppins.

There was a mixture of singing, stories and performance that delighted the kids and a fair few jokes thrown in to make the grown ups laugh! Although Grace is still only relatively little she loved looking at the sparkly dresses and watching the dancing, especially the rendition of wheels on the bus with lots of audience participation.

The highlight for me was the completely relaxed fun atmosphere and the way all the kids were free to join in as much or as little as they wanted. Everyone was welcome and we even got time afterwards to have our pictures taken with Alyssa.

I would definitely recommend attending a Drag Queen Story Time event to anyone who wants to experience a fun and vibrant event for all the family.

DQST comes to Manchester this December to collaborate with Our Kids Social for a very special wintery afternoon pop-up. Divina De Campo will be telling the stories, singing some songs and then joining us on the dancefloor for an OKS silent disco. We will also have winters arts and crafts and our magnificent face-painter on hand. It promises to be an afternoon filled with love, warmth and fun! Tickets and info on the website.

Oliver’s 6th Birthday – OKS Style

Having joined in our early morning Wake, Shake and Spin sessions at Just So Festival, Oliver made the wise decision to have OKS organise his all important 6th Birthday.

We were only too happy to help and set about planning the ultimate party – Our Kids Social style. Something kids and adults alike would love, something creative with great music, something fun and fabulous…. and something that would get everyone dancing at 10am on an October morning.

Too much to ask? Not by our standards!

Oliver had friends and family of all ages there with him to celebrate and they were all keen to get involved. Toddlers and children, parents and grandparents – everyone had party fever and there was quickly a queue for glitter festival face-painting. The fancy dress hamper and photo frame were busy as the excitement built throughout the room.

OKS arts and crafts tables were prepped and ready to go – as the guests arrived they all got stuck into making and decorating their own microphones and dancefloor twirlers. With gems and sequins, stars and glitter tape, everyone had their own personalised props to take to the dancefloor. Adults got stuck in too – Kids’ Parties don’t just have to be about the little people!

Everyone moved to the dancefloor and got used to the two channel headsets. Although we had set up an adult channel of guilty pleasure classics (think Candi Staton, Fleetwood Mac, Guns ‘n’ Roses) the older party goers were only too happy to join in with the kids’ pop – including Oliver’s favourite tunes.

We warmed up to Despacito with the OKS Dance Boss leading the floor and the OKS Music Boss instructing the moves. The OKS challenge bag brought fun for all as free hugs, hi-fives and oops-up-side-your-head were the order of the day. With pom-poms and oversized glasses, wigs and hats – everyone was well dressed as bubbles filled the dance-floor.

The party goers showed us how to Shake it Off to Taylor Swift, perfect a dab with One Direction and follow the leader for I am the Music Man. The OKS playlist had been carefully put together to ensure all of Oliver’s favourites were there alongside some vital cheesey party classics

With all the usual party games, plus Oliver leading the way around the room, time flew by and before we knew it, it was time for food and a well earned rest, plus a spectacular silent disco birthday cake – very impressive.

We got back into the swing of things with the Cha cha slide, musical statues with added tickle stick and then the ultimate adult vs kids dance off. And what a dance off it was. We had asked Oliver’s Mum before hand if this was something parents would want to get involved with – she said they would, and she was so very right!

With kids facing the adults and Justin Timberlake on the headsets, the competition was on and wow was it fierce! After a closely fought contest which included sliding, kicking, jumping, shaking waving and even a little break dancing – the kids were proclaimed to be the ultimate champions.

We had time for a few more games before Oliver took his air guitar to the stage and led the jumping to Katy Perry – and we had fireworks of our own with the magnificent confetti cannon!

We had time for one last song and everyone danced in a huge circle around the birthday boy as he rocked out to his fave 1D tune. He has a huge smile on his face – and so did we!

It was an amazing morning, a fantastic party and a wonderful experience to be there sharing Oliver’s birthday with him.

A huge thanks to Oliver and his family and friends who made this OKS party so great. You were magnificent!

If you are interested in having an OKS party please contact us at hello@ourkids.social

You can find us on Facebook here or our website is here.

On Twitter and Instagram we are @ourk_s

OKS Spotlight: Divina De Campo

We are are delighted to welcome Divina De Campo and Drag Queen Story Time to Z-Arts, Manchester this winter! From Soho to Bristol and now to us we cannot wait for a magical afternoon of storytelling and dancing. Sponsored by Superbia and with a sprinkling of OKS Wonder, this is set to be fun for all ages.

We caught up with the fabulous Divina to put her in the spotlight before she takes to the books to read some stories and then hit the dancefloor.

1 What’s your name and where do you come from?

My name is Divina de Campo. I’m from all over really I’ve lived in Yorkshire, the Midlands, Wales, Lancashire and now Gran Canaria!

2 What are you going to be doing at the Winter Pop-up Social?

I’ll be reading some wintery stories for everyone, singing some songs and dancing a bit afterwards as well.

3 Which three words best describe you?

Camp, silly, friendly.

4 What was your favourite story as a child?

The book that got me into reading was The Little Witch. I’ve always had a thing about witches, wizards and magic.

5 Have you been to any great festivals and are there any you want to go to?

I’m not much of a festival goer in all honesty. They don’t usually have heel friendly flooring. I’ve always quite wanted to go to Woodstock.

6 Where is your favourite place for a right good night out in Manchester?

Kiki it’s fun and welcoming with great music.

7 What will the OKS community be saying about you after your debut?

I hope they’ll enjoy it. However I’m not mystic Meg so who can say!

8 What are your top three song suggestions for our silent disco playlist?

Everything’s a bit rude these days (old lady alert) so I’d go with Tragedy (Steps), Spinning around (Kylie) Absolutely Everybody (Vanessa Amarossi).

9 What was the first album / single you can remember buying? How old were you and what format did you buy it in?

I don’t remember what I first bought but I did win a bundle of tapes and a cd in a tom-bola when I was about 10 it had Des’ree’s Life in it which I wore out.

10 What is your signature move that we should be looking out for on the dance-floor?

Definitely some shoulder action and the good ole step tap.

OKS Spotlight: Adventure Babies

What’s your name and where do you come from?

My name is Joanne Mallaber and I was born in Stockport and apart from 3.5yrs in London I’ve been pretty much bred up North.

I answer to Jo, Mum, Mama and consecutive shouts of Mum at loud volume from my two children Reuben and Imogen. I run South Manchester Adventure Babies classes which centre on the importance of storytelling and adventure play.

Find Jo on Twitter at @Adv_babiesSMCR

What are you going to be doing at the Social?

As my second collaboration with Our Kids Social I am going to be taking the littlest party goers on a literary adventure. They’ll be songs, spells and sparkles!

If you have been to a Social before, what did you enjoy the most? If not – what are you looking forward to the most?

I love the fact that there are so many different things to do all underneath one roof for families. It’s great if like me, you have two children of different ages wanting to be entertained in different ways. Little ones can dip in and out of so many activities.

Parents can relax and join in the fun that they might not always get to see if they are working during the week. It’s also a lovely way of carrying on the fun of toddler classes that happen during the week with a child who has just started school, like my Reuben.

At this time of year when the nights are drawing in and the weather is unpredictable it’s great to be able to plan to go to an event that will definitely go ahead come rain or shine!!

What are your top tips for keeping the family entertained in the North West?

The great outdoors, puddlesuits and wellies!! There are so many walks, parks, hills, canals and beaches to walk down and explore with your little ones.

My little ones love mud, mess and open spaces. Afternoons at Dunham Massey, The Crocky Trail and Formby Beach have all been big hits with Reuben and Imogen.

Have you been to any great festivals and are there are you want to go to?

We did our first family festival this Summer at Just So. Myself and my husband haven’t done any festivals before and we had only recently taken both children camping before Just So so it felt like a baptism of fire when we arrived.

However, once we had sorted the logistics of getting the contents of a packed car and two children from the car park to the campsite we quickly embraced festival life and enjoyed every minute of it. Loved the spontaneity of it all.

Where is your favourite place for a knees up without the nippers?

We moved to Flixton at the beginning of this year so we are slowly discovering our new stomping ground of Flixton and Urmston.

So far we’ve enjoyed drinks at the Prairie Schooner Taphouse, The Barking Dog and The Surgery restaurant. All of the establishments have opened in the last 3 years.

What was the first album / single you can remember buying? How old were you and what format did you buy it in?

I can’t remember what my first purchase was but I do remember receiving Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford singing “The Phantom of the Opera” on a 7 inch for my birthday one year. I think I was 6 at the time. Oh I wish this was a cooler gift!

The next record I was mad for a couple of years later was The Bangles Eternal Flame. I then went down the Kylie and Jason route of music for a few years. Child of the 80’s.

What would be your band T-shirt if choice?
The only band T-shirt I’ve ever owned is my James T-shirt from when I saw them at Hammersmith Apollo 6/7 years ago.

Thanks Jo! We can’t wait to see you at our Spooktacular Social, 29th Oct, Sale Masonic Hall!

A Room on the Broom special for a Ghoulish Groovy Baby – it’s going to be fangtastic!

If you want to find out about Manc all DJ line up Disco Mums, check out when they were in the spotlight here.

Find out more about us here. See you on the dancefloor soon!

OKS Spotlight: Disco Mums!

The fab all-female line up that is Disco Mums have taken some time out from spinning their favourite vinyl to answer our spotlight questions.

We are so excited that they will be joining us 10th Sept at The Wonder Inn for OKS Happy Sundaze – they will be taking over the first floor disco room! There is so much going on – an afternoon of family festival delights, come join us! Tickets here.

What’s your name and where do you come from?

DM – We are Disco Mums from Manchester and it does what is says on the tin!

What are you going to be doing at the Socials?

DM – Having heard wonderful things about Our Kids Social we are excited to embark on our first invite to play at September’s Social and our cheeky monkeys can’t wait either.

If you have been to a Social before, what did you enjoy the most? If not – what are you looking forward to the most?

DM: We think it’s so cool that the kids can party whilst the parents relax and enjoy watching them happy partying. What’s not to like? This definitely gets Disco Mums vote as an ideal way to spend Sunday afternoon.

We are looking forward to playing some soulful disco, house music and 80s pop – tunes that will have your nippers legs moving in no time.

What are your top tips for keeping the family entertained in the North West?

DM: My boy loves to jump and one favourite escapade to keep him entertained are the indoor trampoline centres. We would also add that a pile of sticks, mud and each other can keep then entertained for hours on end too.

Have you been to any great festivals and are there are you want to go to?

DM: We recently took our families and played at an amazing festival in Cheshire called Just So. It is aimed purely at families and has all kinds of fantastic themes and events such as a huge jelly fight. We highly recommend this! (For OKS Just So review – go here)

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Where is your favourite place for a knees up without the nippers?

DM: If we are off out without the children we head to Red Laser Disco, The Social Service, Wetplay, Hidden, White Hotel, Refuge and The Klondyke Club in Levenshulme. Also festivals such as Festival No. 6 which two of us are playing at this year. We also love doing a radio show on Reform Radio called Out Since Friday where we get to have a giggle on air and hang out at Old Granada Studios which is great.

What was the first album / single you can remember buying? How old were you and what format did you buy it in?

DM: First single was Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls. I sent for it from an offer on a Weetabix and so it came.

First music I bought was a cassette MJ – Off the Wall. I got it in Our Price in Rochdale. Pure glamour.

What would be your band T-shirt if choice?

I don’t wear band T-shirts but Debbie Harry and Nile Rodgers both have Disco Mums T!

Thanks Disco Mums!

See you on the dancefloor!

You can find Disco Mums on FB here

Or catch them in the flesh at OKS Happy Sundaze! Tickets here

Wake, Shake and Spin at Just So!

When we found out that OKS would be having the 10am slot at the Jitterbug tent at Just So Festival, we were incredibly excited – and a little nervous.

We loved festivals before we became parents, and we have loved Just So since our families grew. To be able to take Wake, Shake and Spin to the most magical of family events was our own dream come true.

Armed with tents, a van, 5 kinds of glitter, a 7ft spinning wheel, ketchup and calpol (all essentials covered), we set off early Friday morning to set up camp. We had other friends coming with us and altogether there were 21 of us heading to Cheshire for a weekend away from reality, away from home, away from everyday life.

Just So did not disappoint.

For anyone who has not been to Just So – it is a festival like no other. There are festivals which are family friendly, but Just So is more than that – it is aimed specifically with children and families in mind. It has everything covered from a site that is kept clean all weekend, to great affordable food, a jam-packed programme of activities for all ages, and the opportunity to wear sequinned hot pants all weekend without anyone batting an eyelid. What’s not to like?

There is fantastic music at the Footlights stage day and night – but you won’t find Muse or Adele headlining here! Just So has Laura Oakes, The Baghdaddies and The Bobbysocks to name but a few – music everyone can enjoy and dance along to, with enough space for everyone to bust their own style of moves without elbowing anyone else around them.

The sections of the festival ensure there is something for everyone from stand up comedy and theatre in the forest to meeting the fairy queen, rowing boats on the lake to science in the courtyard, baby play to pillow fights, the viciously fought Tribal Tournament, stunningly beautiful lantern parade and of course – the legendary OKS early morning silent disco!

Our first session was on Saturday morning. We were ready at 8am – and we weren’t on til 10. We wanted to be super prepared, there was so much tech to get right – and so much that could go wrong! Worst of all – what if no-one came?!

The staff at the Jitterbug tent which holds a variety of dance classes and discos throughout the weekend were super helpful. Lisa made it easy for us to get set up and organised, and put our minds at rest about the millions of things that were making our brains ache.

We had prompted our families and friends – they knew what time to be there – and to make sure they looked like they were having a great time! We were even promised some Dad-dancing to make sure the dance-floor wasn’t empty.

With play lists set and headsets on, we couldn’t believe it when people started to arrive early! Wake, Shake and Spin was underway – there was no turning back now.

With fancy dress in abundance for the Just So tribal teams, we had owls fluttering around the tent, bees high fiving as their morning greeting, and a Mother frog playing her child frog upside down as her air guitar to ‘Sweet child of mine’. It was all going on!

The first spin of the wheel landed on Gangam and the tent erupted with Strictly wannabes singing at the tops of the voices and showing off moves which would have put Ed Balls to shame.

Time slipped by as the songs we love played on – the stage was bouncing as we joined in with our favourites, we were surrounded by happy faces and soon ran out of headsets. It was quite an emotional experience to fill a tent at 10am with joyful families cracking on with the conga and waving their arms aloft to Candi Staton – a definite summer highlight.

With disco twirlers and oversized sunnies, colourful wigs and tons of bubbles, the tunes played on. Katy Perry sing-a-long resounded around the tent and out into the fields as more families arrived to ‘Wake, Shake and Spin’.

As 11am approached and we said goodbye to our fantastic crowd, we were hot, sweating and elated. It felt like we had just filled Wembley Stadium! It also felt like we had done a full day’s work what with fitting in the limbo, Ghostbusters and of course the OKS favourite – 9-5, we were exhausted!

As with all family camping trips, the rest of Saturday was eventful with unpredictable weather covering all four seasons and unpredictable toddlers covering ….. well just being unpredictable toddlers! The best thing about it was that we were in a field of unpredictable toddlers, sympathetic parents and endless activities to distract them with. Ideal!

Just so kept us busy with children’s comedy, pop-up juke boxes, a trampolining stuntman, campfire songs and our favourite – the lantern parade. We crashed into our inflatable mattresses ready to go again the following morning.

Sunday was equally amazing – some people came again from Saturday! We danced, and sang, twirled and whirled and we had the time of our lives. With our families and friends and all of the lovely Just So Festival goers – what a way to start the day!

The rest of the weekend didn’t disappoint – with storytelling, theatre, a giant sandpit and music galore. Team Lion may not have won this year but we had such a fantastic time despite the rain – see you next year Just So 🦁.

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Our Kids Social is back in its Manchester home and you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ourk_s), online at www.ourkids.social or if you would like to discuss a future collaboration then contact us on hello@ourkids.social – we are all ears!