Kids

So often the kids entertainment at festivals consists of a lone facepainter. Not so us. The majority of the organisers have young families and have experienced firsthand how other festivals can get it so wrong. At the Deer Shed Festival kids are not second class citizens but will enjoy their own spread of musical, artistic and energetic pursuits all included FREE of charge unless stated otherwise. In 2011 we will not be short of undercover space to keep lots of activities going all day. These are family activities so of course adults can join in.

Down On The Beach

At the festival this year we shall be recreating the seaside on a smaller scale, so bring your buckets and spades.

Face Painting

We had 3 face painters in 2010, and face painting was free and the face painting was high quality so we had queues of course. To combat this we will have a small army of painters in 2011 and possibly an express line for those who just want to be the Incredible Hulk.

Junk Modelling

If your kids are anything like ours they will love a bit of junk modelling. We'll also have plenty of sticky tape dispensers handy so you don't constantly lose the end of the tape.

Badge Making

Create your own badge with our pro badge making kit. Draw your own design or make one from snippets of your favourite magazine.

Milk Bottle Masks

You can slice up milk cartons in such a way that you can make great animal masks we have discovered. Woof.

Ukelele Workshops

Our Ukelele teacher has over 20 ukeleles with which to either make a right din, or threaten the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain.

CD Mobiles

Spotify finally killed the CD, so let's make mobiles out of them. We've got loads.

Cardboard Guitars

Choose a template, Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster or design your own body. Add a neck, pickups and knobs. Decorate. Strut.

Friendship bracelet making

If you have some friends you can make them a friendship bracelet. Much less complicated than it looks here, we're advised, if you attach the bracelet to a safety pin and put the pin through a pair of jeans (which you must be wearing).

Tea light lanterns

Combining a willow frame, tissue paper, PVA glue, masking tape and a bamboo cane we think these will beautifully light up the park when the sun goes down. Some structural work followed by the slightly more messy attaching of gluey tissue paper makes this a good family workshop.

Simon's Miniature Railway

All aboard the Skylark. Simon is a local miniature railway enthusiast who will setting up his set over the weekend and charging a very modest fare to ride a selection of his steaming steeds. Any profits will go towards his fund for curved bits of track.

Sky At Night

The theme of the 2011 festival is the Sky At Night. We will have workshops making all sorts of night time sky related stuff, and you can bet loads of it will glow in the dark.

Andrew Clover's Almost Famous Story Show

Back by popular demand. Andrew Clover - father of three, Perrier Nominee, star of BBC2's My Almost Famous Family and creator of the wildly popular Sunday Times column Dad Rules- is following on from the hugely successful 2008 Edinburgh children's show Andrew Clover's Crazy Kids' Show with another set of very special performances for children aged 4-10. Andrew will be sharing his secrets of storytelling in a hilarious, high energy show which makes children laugh, shout things out and eager to write tales of their own.

Paintball Art

Guns and art. Macho yet abstract. Different coloured paintballs hitting a blank canvas from ten yards. Closely supervised fun for everyone.

Ben's interesting and unusual birds of prey

On Sunday morning we'll be having an up-close display of Ben's six interesting and unusual birds of prey which will include a gyr falcon, eagle owl, turkey vulture, black kite, barn owl and a striated caracara no less. Keep a firm grip on those bacon and egg rolls.

Circus Workshops

Our Friday night show will mean loads of circus professionals on site this year. They will run a whole day of circus skill workshops including tight rope walking and unicycling.

Kid's sports

We are in half a mind to go for the world record for the most people simultaneously playing swingball this year. Failing that we'll have organised football and softball on Sunday morning with some qualified coaches and all sorts of energetic gubbins in the campsite sports area.

Doodle Walls

Doodling is a pretty popular past-time whether with paints or posh graffiti pens, we'll have more white surfaces than ever this year.

Clay Modelling

Make a finger pot, hamster, dalek, racing car, Dr Who's new assistant, a pony, scale version of the Hadron Collider ... with our quick drying clay.

Cardboard Knights & Fairies

Cardboard swords and shields created some epic battles in 2010 whilst cardboard fairy wings were beautifully decorated.

Plasticine Night Garden

Add your own plasticine creatures to our night garden and we'll stop frame animate them. Could be the next Trapdoor (or is it only us that remember it - all me weevils 'ave fallen in me slodge.)

Graffiti Workshops

Create your own piece of graffiti to take home. Learn aerosol techniques and use of stencils. Please note that this workshop is aimed at older children and adults. Unfortunately the high cost of materials will mean that you will have to contribute a small amount to cover these, but worth it we think.

Eureka! Presents 2011: A Space Oddessy

Cosmo Naut and trusty computer Hal will be dropping in on you to tell you all about their most recent escapade out amongst the stars. Get involved in explosive experiments, learn about space flight and tremble as they come face to face with an Alien! Blasting off from a patch of grass near you very sooooon!