Author: kiddy@admin

Enjoy the journey

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Here’s our handy guide of some super fun things to do with kids whilst on a long car journey…

  1. Play the ‘Name Five Game’.  One person chooses a theme, such as ‘animals’, and the other person needs to name five things in that category.
  1. Get one of these I-spy books! Inside there are lots of things for kids to spot on a long road trip… and they get points for everything they see!
  1. Play A-Z I spy. Try to find something you can see out of the window for each letter of the alphabet. This simple and fun game may also help kids who suffer from travel sickness.
  1. Play bingo. Make a list or a picture list of things kids may see on the journey. As they spot each item on the list, they can cross it off!
  1. Pack a loom band bracelet making kit and the kids will be kept busy twisting away!
  1. Get the kids to find all the numbers up to 10 on number plates and for older children get them to find all the letters of the alphabet.
  1. Car colour spotting: choose a colour each, then count how many cars of that colour you see!
  1. Take along an activity and games book, such as one of these activity books that have 100 things for little children to do.
  1. Play the ‘What do you like best’ game. Ask one person ‘what do you like best, chocolate or strawberry ice cream?’ Once they have answered they ask you a different question back.
  1. Make up a story. One person needs to start the story with a single sentence and then the next person continues the story with their own sentence, etc.

Everyone loves Toy Story

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Blast your children’s party off to infinity and beyond with some fun Toy Story party ideas! Whether you’re looking for Toy Story party supplies, invitations, decorations, food ideas, party favours or games, we’ve got some ideas the whole family will enjoy.

Toy Story Party Planning & Invitations

In addition to basic children’s party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins, and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing, or renting the following items:

 

  • Cowboy hats or Woody costumes

  • Plastic space helmets, wings or Buzz Lightyear costumes

  • A moon bounce

  • A pony

  • Toy Story action figures

  • Buzz Lightyear blasters

  • A mini claw machine with toys inside

  • Arcade games like skee ball, electronic basketball, bowling, foosball, plastic darts or air hockey

  • Toy Story movies

 

Put your guests in the party spirit with custom made kids invitations for your party. Here are some fun ideas to inspire you:

 

  • Ask guests to bring their favourite toy for show and tell!

  • Include a gold coin in every invite and say they are for the Planet Pizza arcade!

    Toy Story Party favours

Thank your guests with a variety of cool party favours! To find a large variety of Woody and Buzz party favours, visit the store and click the “Party favours” tab or the “More Fun Stuff” tab. Some of the favours we have include:

 

  • Mini Slinky Dogs

  • Buzz Lightyear flyers

  • Army men

  • Toy Story 3 stickers and temporary tattoos

  • Toy Story punch balloons

  • Cowboy and cowgirl hats

  • Fun-shaped candy and lollipops

 

When you kid loves the Trolls

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The trolls are led by their fearless leader Princess Poppy who believes the world is made of cupcakes and rainbows. Trolls love to dance, sing, and hug so keep that in mind when putting together a Trolls themed party which your kids will love! Grab your karaoke machine and get the children’s party started!

Invitations

Princess Poppy does love her glitter so add a little hot pink confetti to the invitations. Who doesn’t love confetti in their invitations?

Decorations

Rainbows rainbow rainbows! The movie is bright and colourful so have fun with colour. Mini balloon flowers can be made out of water balloons and attached to the backdrop and the table for added colour and whimsy.

Princess Poppy is pink so the dessert table is a nod to our favourite Troll. A pink plastic skirt was secured to a fabric tablecloth to add a feminine touch. It is also perfect if your tablecloth isn’t quite big enough for your chosen table…no one will ever know.

Food

More rainbows! The dessert table is fit for a troll! Rainbow layered jelly can be prepared the day before and rainbow slushies, made from frozen ice pops, can be prepared several days in advance and left in the freezer. Rainbow fruit cups include (from bottom to top) blueberries, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, and raspberries. Prepare about two hours before the party. You do want these to be as fresh as possible. Poppy loves cupcakes so rainbow cupcakes were a must!

Activities & favours

 

  • Poppy really loves to scrapbook so creating a scrapbook station would be a great activity. If you have a portable printer you can print pictures on the spot and give each child a picture to remember the day.

 

  • Hair chalking is also a really fun activity and one that the kids can do for each other.

 

  • Pinatas are always fun! If your guests don’t want to hit the piñata you can always choose the pulling string type.

 

The circle of life

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If your kid can’t stop singing “Hakuna Matata” then it may be time to invite your favourite little animals over for a royal children’s birthday celebration! Below are some ideas for you to pounce on including suggestions for Lion King invitations, decorations, food, favours and free games.

Lion King Party Planning & Invitations

In addition to basic jungle party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing or renting the following items for your Lion King party:

 

  • The Lion King on DVD or Blu-Ray

  • The Lion King stuffed animals

  • Animal costumes such as our lion headband.

  • A petting zoo

  • An animal shaped pinata

 

If personalised invitations just aren’t your cup of tea, you can invite your favourite little animals to join your pride for the day with creative handmade invitations! Here are some Lion King invitation ideas you can make yourself or with the help of the kids.

 

  • Record a video of your child singing one of the songs from the Lion King. At the end of the song your child can say “please come to my Lion King party” along with the date and time. Copy the video onto a CD and mail to each guest.

  • Mail each invitation with a small Lion King figure or a CD of songs from the movie.

  • Dress your child in a Simba or Nala costume and take a photo. Upload the photo to your computer to make an invitation by using photo software. On the front of the invitation you can add the words “I Just Can’t Wait to Turn 5!”

    Lion King Party Decorations & Food

Turn your home into a jungle fit for a king with the following Lion King decoration ideas.

 

  • Play music from the movie in the background to add ambiance.

  • To create a jungle canopy, hang a lot of green, lime green and brown crepe paper streamers from the ceiling.

  • Use silk potted plants and flowers to decorate the floor and table of your Lion King party.

  • Place Lion King figurines and stuffed animals around the room.

  • Draw Simba on brown craft paper to hang around the room. You can use the symbol Rafiki draws on the tree as your example.

 

In addition to pizza, chicken fingers, hamburgers or hotdogs, you can add some Lion King themed food into the mix. Here are some fun food suggestions that will tame your ravenous lion cubs.

Lion King Party favours

Thank your guests with roaring party favours! Some of the favours can include:

 

  • Mini stuffed animals

  • Animal wind-up toys

  • Jungle animal stickers and temporary tattoos

  • Fun-shaped sweets

Harry Potter party theme

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Transform your child and his or her guests from Muggles to wizards with our Harry Potter Party Ideas! We have some fun suggestions for everything from invitations to children’s activities that will ensure a mystical birthday bash no one will forget!

Harry Potter Party Planning & Invitations

In addition to basic magical party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins, and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing or renting the following items for your Harry Potter party:

 

 

Invitations are an important part of your planning because they give the first impression of your children’s party to your guests. If you have the time to make your own invitations, here are a few ideas to consider for your Harry Potter Birthday party:

 

  • Fold a piece of cardstock in half to create a top-fold card. If you are artistic, draw the Hogwarts crest on the front. Underneath the crest, write, “You are Invited…”

  • Punch a hole in the corner of a card-style invitation and attach it to a magic wand. Ask your guests to bring their wand with them to the party.

  • Create a top-fold card and divide the front of the card into four squares. Write one of the Hogwarts house names in each square (i.e. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff).

 

When it comes to food, your guests would most likely be perfectly happy with pizza or hotdogs. However, if you would like to include some Harry Potter themed snacks, consider these ideas:

 

  • Serve “magic potion”. Freeze cranberry and grape juice in ice cube trays before the party. Serve a colourless soda at the party, such as ginger ale or lemon-lime. Let your guests select their ice cubes, which will “magically” change the colour of their drinks.

  • There are a number of treats from the Harry Potter stories that are made from everyday products, such as ginger Beer, Choco Balls (chocolate covered strawberry mousse balls), Fizzing sherbet lemons, Rock Cakes (randomly shaped cakes with raisins), chocolate eclairs, and licorice wands.

    Harry Potter Party favours

Put a smile on your kids’ faces by sending them home with party favours that fit your theme. You could give one large favour, such as one of the Harry Potter novels or movie tickets; or combine smaller favours such as:

 

  • A magic wand

  • A book of magic tricks

  • Harry Potter stickers, pencils and stationery items

  • Plastic Harry Potter glasses

 

Where to visit Santa this year

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Rainforest Cafe.

Piccadilly Circus Underground Station, London

Create memories to last a lifetime and kick start the holiday season for all the family. Follow the magical elves as they take you on a journey deep into the heart of the rainforest where you will find Santa’s enchanting grotto.

This Magical Experience includes a Personalised Invitation from Santa, a warm welcome from his elves on arrival, a kids personalised meeting with Santa in his grotto, a Christmas gift and children’s 2-course meal and soft drink. All for just £45 per child.

 

Santa Arrives at Paradise Wildlife Park

Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

Fancy a spot of Christmas shopping? Join us exclusively on the 26th November and as we celebrate Santa’s arrival at the craft fayre, you can browse our festive stalls and purchase some lovely Christmas gifts! Entry included in general ticket price.

You can visit Santa every weekend from the 26th November and every day from the 17th December until Christmas Eve. We are very lucky here at Paradise as Santa is sparing two one-hour slots each day and in between this he is checking his Naughty or Nice list or making sure our reindeers are ready to fly this Christmas Eve.

 

Bird and Deer Park

Prinknash, Gloucestershire

The Bird Park at Prinknash has been listed by Huffington Post in 2015 as one of the Top 3 Attractions to visit Christmas lights in the UK, as well as The Sunday Telegraph nominating us in the Top 10 Rural Attractions to visit in the UK for Christmas.

You’ll be entertained during your visit by our costumed entertainers and Victorian musicians who will be making merry with joy, music and celebration. Your visit will begin with a four mile heritage train ride along our restored urban railway. Santa will then make a special visit to the train, giving out gifts to all those lucky kids on board.

Once you step off the train, head back into our warm and welcoming museum to receive your complimentary drinks and sweet treats! Don’t forget to stop by the museum during your visit, take part in the Christmas craft, see if you can find all of the mischievous elves and of course there are lots of engines to see inside as well.

 

A letter to Santa

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A letter to Santa is great fun for kids but if your little ones can’t write yet, there’s still plenty of decorating for them to get involved with. Here’s some ideas on how to decorate Royal Mail letters to Santa!

The best part about this straightforward DIY is you can make your Santa letters with supplies you already have in your craft cupboard (old wrapping paper cut into shapes, paints etc.) Or if you live close to town, we recommend Hobbycraft or Paperchase for picking up some cute Christmas stickers. This gets the kids involved in the process from start to finish by allowing them to choose what special decorations they’d like to use.

For the letter itself, you can use whatever paper you have kicking around – for example some bright festive green cards! Depending on your child’s age they can either write something out themselves or Mum/Dad can create the template. However, there are plenty of variations you can use depending on what your children would like to share with Father Christmas.

After decorating, you’ll need a large letter envelope to get everything packaged safely. Don’t forget to include a note with your child’s full name and address so that Santa can write back – kids always love opening and reading their letter from Santa! Another sweet final touch is to add a seal.

You’ll want to address your letters to the following:

Santa/Father Christmas,

Santa’s Grotto,

Reindeerland,

XM4 5HQ

Since Santa is obviously very busy at this time of year, remember to get your letter posted by Friday 8 December in order to receive a reply. You can read all the details here on The Royal Mail website. Happy Christmas crafting!

 

Holidays are coming

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It’s officially time to start talking about Christmas. The festive season is all about family, which starts with a classic Christmas day out. From the magic of snow to seeing the jolly man himself, here are some festive fun days out in the UK for you to add to your Christmas lists this year!

The Coca-Cola Truck Tour, nationwide

Nothing says Christmas like the iconic Coca-Cola truck, which is why the festive truck tour makes for the ideal Christmas day out! With 42 locations this year, you’ll have the chance to experience a winter wonderland setting whilst sipping on your favourite drink, plus you could even see your festive photo on the side of the truck. Prepare for this festive favourite to be seen everywhere – the holidays are coming after all!

Lee Valley Ice Centre, Greater London

Ice skating is always top of our list for a festive day out, but you don’t have to play the weather lottery thanks to Lee Valley Ice Centre. Open seven days a week (and all year round!), the international-sized ice rink has plenty of space for the whole family, whether you’re a figure-skating pro, or a little bit wobbly…

Piglets Adventure Farm, York

For a truly unforgettable Christmas day out, we love Piglets Adventure Farm! Book your flight on a magical sleigh ride, then arrive at Elf Airlines to see your name up in lights on the live departure board. Write a letter to Santa whilst you wait to board, before riding through the trees and twinkling lights to the Woodland Village. See Santa in his grotto, unlock Santa’s toyshop and see animals starring in the nativity scene – and there are lots more too! It promises to be a magical day out for the whole family, plus there are free mince pies for grown-ups too!

Cairngorms National Park, Scottish Highlands

Head to Britain’s largest National Park this Christmas, for a Christmas day out with Santa, Rudolph and the rest of their reindeer friends! Daily trips run to visit the herd of reindeer who roam freely around Cairngorms National Park, and we hear they’re all really friendly and like to be hand fed! A truly magical way to see the majestic animals in natural surroundings, and with Santa checking into regularly to make sure they’re ready for the biggest job of the year, it’s a great family festive day out

Drusillas Park, East Sussex

There’s loads of festive fun at Drusillas Park this December, making it a great choice for a Christmas day out with the kids! Visit Santa’s Christmas Cottage where kids can tell him all about their list this year, then visit the Husky Cave, where visitors can come face to face with the cuddly canines. With Santa’s Reindeer and the spectacular Winter Wonderland Illuminations too, it’s a magical day out for the whole family.

Drayton’s Magical Christmas, Staffordshire

Drayton’s Magical Christmas is exactly that; magical fun for the whole family! The popular Thomas Land is transformed into a Winter Wonderland, with live shows, carols, light shows, festive food and of course, Father Christmas himself! Each day ends with a fabulous fireworks display, plus there’s a selection of Thomas Land rides open, along with the zoo and the 4D cinema, showing the fantastically festive Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. Over at the Castle of Dreams, all children receive a free gift and there’s the fab Slide & Glide rink – lots of festive fun to celebrate the 10th year of Drayton’s Magical Christmas.

 

Get your skates on

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Ice skating is a perfect winter day out; the whole family can get involved and it helps everyone get into the festive spirit. With so many magical outdoor ice skating rinks, which one will you choose?

Natural History Museum, London

26th October – 7th January

Skate beneath frosted trees and fairy lights at the Natural History Museum, London. Head to the capital this Christmas and skate in front of a pretty impressive background. With skate aids for kids, plus a stunning tree to skate around, it’s the ideal place to kickstart that festive feeling.

 

M&D’s, Motherwell

18th November – 7th January

Skate at one of Scotland’s most well-known theme parks at M&D’s on Ice. Just because the roller coasters are closed it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. This is the perfect location if your kids get bored easily, as there is a great Santa’s grotto for you to visit. If you’re still looking for a Santa’s Grotto near you we’ve got you covered!

Best for: Those looking to tick off children’s Ice skating and Santa’s Grotto in one go.

 

Life Science Centre, Newcastle

11th November – 18th February

Feel alive at the Life Science Centre, Newcastle. Fly around on an ice rink beside a modern science museum for kids. The centre says there’s no need to book if you’re a group of ten and under, so make your way to the centre and put on a pair of boots. If you’re a regular skater you should make the most of the 10 skates for the price of 5 deal.

 

Bath On Ice, Royal Victoria Park

17th November – 2nd January

If you’re yet to find your feet on the ice, why not hire your own ice marshall at Royal Victoria Park? They will come at an extra cost, but it will be worth it when you see how happy your kids will be when they’ve finally cracked it. For a cheaper alternative skate aids are available too, and to make things even more exciting an extension was approved for this year, so the ice rink is bigger and better than ever before!

Best for: Those who skate more like Bambi than Torvill and Dean.

 

Royal Pavilion, Brighton

4th November – 14th January

Skate by the sea at the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink in Brighton. As well as an enormous ice rink for adults there is a smaller rink for the not-so-confident skaters. The outdoor ice rink has off-peak prices just after school time, so this will be perfect for those looking for an after school fun treat.

 

Get excited about Santa

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Why not make Christmas even more magical by taking your kids to see Santa. Here’s a round up of the best places for children to see Father Christmas in London this year.

1 Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

As well as enjoying the rides and Christmas markets at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, make sure you stop off in Santa Land.

The grotto isn’t ticketed and is run on a first-come-first-served basis so it’s a good idea to arrive early.

When: 17 November 2017 – 1 January 2018

2 Santa’s Grotto at Christmas in Leicester Square

Enjoy a story with Santa, meet the elves and receive a small gift from him in this magical Christmas grotto right in the heart of Leicester Square.

When: 11 November – 24 December 2017

3 Meet Santa at ZSL London Zoo

Why not combine a trip to London Zoo with a visit to see Santa.

Your kids can join in the arts and crafts with Mrs Claus and chat to the cheeky elves before meeting Santa and receiving a Christmas gift.

When: weekends from 9 December – 24 December 2017

 

 

4 Santa School at the Ragged School Museum

Take a trip to the Ministry of Christmas, Santa’s secret hideaway at The Ragged School Museum.

Not only can you help the Elves prepare for Christmas, your kids can also meet Father Christmas.

When: 25 November – 24 December 2017

 

 

5 Father Christmas Adventure at Sutton House

Meet Santa in his picturesque grotto by a cosy fire at Sutton House.

Your kids can also enjoy magical stories of his adventures around the world before receiving an early Christmas gift.

When: 25 November – 17 December 2017

 

 

6 Meet Santa at the WWT London Wetland Centre

Jump aboard a thrilling husky sleigh ride to Santa’s grotto at the WWT London Wetland Centre.

Your kids can also help Santa’s elves in their workshop and make a small Christmas gift to take home.

When: 2 December – 3 December 2017

 

 

7 Victorian Santa’s Grotto at Museum of London Docklands

Take a trip back in time and meet Santa in a Victorian setting at the Museum of London Docklands this Christmas.

Transformed with festive decorations, you can also listen to Christmas carols in the Sailortown Gallery before meeting Santa.

When: 2 December – 23 December 2017

8 Sail with Santa on the Thames

All aboard for a festive Santa Cruise on the River Thames this Christmas.

You’ll board at Tower Pier before enjoying mince pies and cookies on the boat … and meeting Santa.

When: 2 December – 23 December 2017

9 Father Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall has been transformed into a festive wonderland this Christmas.

Your kids can go on an immersive and interactive journey with some magical characters before meeting Santa.

When: 5 December – 24 December 2017

 

 

10 Christmas at Kew Gardens

Don’t miss the North Pole village at Kew Gardens where your kids can meet Santa within this beautiful botanical winter wonderland.

When: 22 November 2017 – 1 January 2018