Two free family activity sessions in Poole this half term: 24 October at Bank by Nicholas James, 25 October at Hotel du Vin, for ages 3 to 7. Booking needed.

Families in Poole can sit down together for two free activity sessions this October half term, run by Albi & Us, a children’s activity app started by a Poole mother of two.

The first is on Saturday 24 October at Bank by Nicholas James, the second on Sunday 25 October at Hotel du Vin Poole. Both run from 11.30am to 1pm and are for children aged three to seven. Families take part in three guided activities together, and the organisers say all materials are supplied. Places must be booked in advance.

What the sessions are

Albi & Us is an app for children aged three to five. Its founder, Abbi Bancs, describes the idea in her own words: “The idea is to use the screen very briefly to help children choose something to do, then put it away and take that idea into real life.”

The half-term sessions are the first time the project has gone offline in this form. “This half term, we’re bringing Albi & Us to life with our first physical family activity sessions,” she said.

On its website the company says parent and child pick a card in the app, do the activity in real life, then come back and mark it complete. The first set, which it calls the Original Pack, has 30 activities across five themes: cooking, craft, nature, science and movement. The examples it gives include snail-shaped cookies, leaf rubbings, bird snacks and a balloon to bash around the kitchen. The site says the app is “coming soon to iOS and Android”.

“The app is meant to be closed, not stared at,” the website says. “If we’ve done our job, the screen lights up for thirty seconds and then sits in a drawer for the next hour.”

Started at home in Poole

Abbi said the project grew out of her own family: “Albi & Us began as a small family project in our Poole home, so it feels very special to now be gathering local families around one table to experience it in person.”

The company describes itself on its website as “a small UK business building screen-light tools for parents and young children”, adding: “We’re working on this carefully, in the open, with our own kids in the room.”

How to book

Both sessions are free, but places have to be booked ahead. Booking is through the link in the bio of the @albiandus Instagram account, and one booking form is needed for each child, so a family bringing two children fills it in twice.

  • Saturday 24 October, 11.30am to 1pm, Bank by Nicholas James, Poole
  • Sunday 25 October, 11.30am to 1pm, Hotel du Vin Poole

Questions can go to Albi & Us at hello@albiandus.com or through its website.

For more to do over the holiday, see our guides to Dorset Halloween events and what’s on in Dorset this month.