Category: Children

Cheap ways to entertain the kids

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On half term holidays, you’ll probably hear your kids utter these words: “I’m bored.” Rather than let them turn on the TV or play video games, try any of these free or cheap ways to entertain them.

  • Plant a garden.  Kids love planting seeds in the spring and watching them grow through the summer.

  • Have a water balloon fight. Let the kids toss water balloons at each other or you.

  • Go bowling.

  • Watch birds. Go into the garden and try to identify as many birds as possible.

  • Create a water park in the garden.  Fill the a paddling  pool, and let the kids have fun cooling off on a hot day.

  • Take a bubble bath outside. If the kids are tiring of the paddling pool, make it fun again by filling it with bubbles — and throwing small toys in for them to find under all the foam.

  • Visit the public library. Public libraries often offer free summer reading programs that include workshops, movies, children’s theatre, puppet shows and more.

  • Start a book club. Create a summer reading list for your kids, then discuss the books after they read them. Invite their friends to participate, too.

  • Listen to a concert in park. Many cities have free summer concert series during the day or evening.

 

It’s nearly time for Christmas!

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It’s now officially unavoidable – Christmas is on its way. It’s useless to resist the tidal wave of tinsel and crescendo of Christmas music, so this weekend, many parents will be taking the kids to meet the Big Man himself, Santa Claus.

Christmas traditions and fashions may come and go, but one that seems to stay firm is Santa’s Grotto. From gardening stores to castles, shopping centres to museums, Santa somehow manages to be in thousands of places at once, ready to greet young children with a cheery smile and a small present. And there’s a very good reason for it too, as every business owner knows – Santa grottos are a great way to attract customers.

In turn, that means there is a lot of choice for Santa-seeking parents. Most will only go to see one Santa. So, if you want to attract children to your Santa’s grotto, you might need to offer more than a long queue and a short sit on Santa’s knee.

And if you want to take the kids to see Santa somewhere unusual, here are some of our top pick Father Christmas locations around the UK.

• Lincoln Castle

• Castle Ward, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

• Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock

• Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax

• Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, Wareham

• East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

• Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, Edinburgh

• Fountains Abbey, Ripon

• Santa Express, Strathspey Steam Railway, Aviemore

• Nostell Priory, Wakefield

• Mid Hants Railway Watercress Line Santa Specials, Alresford

• Kingdom of the Elves, Bluestone National Park, Narberth, Wales

• Santa Claus Tour, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

What Not to Do When Party Planning

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Sometimes the best way of doing something well is to learn a few things that you should avoid doing. By discovering certain practices and helpful pointers, you can make your whole party planning process a lot less stressful and you can ensure thing go as smoothly as possible.

Whether you are organising a celebration for your children’s party a party to wash away the winter blues, or an event for any other occasion; here are some things you may want to avoid.

Inviting Too Many Guests

The stresses involved on the day of your party are likely to be directly proportionate to the amount of children you invite. Whilst it’s often a good idea to invite everyone in your child’s class, to avoid anyone feeling like they have been left out, this will ultimately depend on the space you have available and the amount of other parents you have managed to rope into helping you out. If the party is going to be staged in a small room or you only have limited help available, it may be wise to restrict the number of little guests so that things are a bit more manageable on the day.

Eating too early

One of the most anticipated and important parts of any kid’s party is the food, but if you offer this up too early then you could struggle to regain order amongst the troops. Instead, it is a good idea to build up to the food and have it near the end of the event. This way if anyone spills anything down them they haven’t got to sit through the rest of the party in dirty clothes, and you won’t have to try and get them settled again before they go home to their parents.

Trying to Do Everything Yourself

Although you will be proud of the party you have planned, there is a danger that doing everything yourself will make it a much more stressful process. This is especially true on the day. After you have put in all the effort prior to the occasion, why not take some time to relax during the actual event?

Ignoring The Wishes of Your Child

It’s always a good idea to ask them their preferences for the party – maybe give them 3 or 4 suggestions to choose from so it helps with the decision making process, and then you can guarantee they are going to love whatever you plan for them. More importantly, it also means you’ve involved them in the process and it makes them feel much more like it’s their party. Try to avoid going to the other extreme though and allowing your child to have all the say, and giving them too much choice, or you may struggle to make any decisions about the party.

 

Planning the perfect party food

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Are you about to have a party for your kids special day? Are you busy, frantically planning for all eventualities? It has probably not escaped your attention, but the party menu can be a vital and often time consuming component in any children’s Birthday party.

First check for possible food allergies

Planning the food for any party can often be a challenge, as one has to always think about the dietary requirements of other kids. It’s quite possible that you will have some children with allergies or intolerances. Often the parents will have told you if this is the case but it is worth checking yourself to be sure. (maybe ask parents to mention this on your party invites)

If you do have certain allergies or dietary requirements to cater for then you may want to ensure the food for that child is on a separate plate so it makes life easier for them and also doesn’t run the risk of contamination of their food with things they can’t have e.g. for nut allergies.

Planning the party ‘menu’

Children are the most honest of guests. – If they don’t like something they won’t eat it. Some children won’t like ham, others won’t like tuna – so put on an even spread of sandwiches with a variety of fillings, so you aren’t left with some kids that don’t want to eat anything grand then go home hungry.

Trying to trick your own children into eating fruit and vegetables may be a constant battle at the best of times, but in a party scenario it could prove even harder. And it is a party after all so perhaps now isn’t the best time to worry too much about healthy eating.

Keeping the kids sweet!

There seems to be a law of balances involved at every stage of the menu planning process. On the one hand, too much sugar can turn your party into mayhem, whereas on the other, too little could make your food too boring.

Aiming at the middle is the way forward. Cake, crisps and jelly are the traditional vouch-safes; but you could also consider throwing in some chocolate-dipped fruit or fruit juice for good measure.

What to drink?

If presented with a choice, children will almost always opt for the sugariest option. Preparing drinks on a tray before-hand and distributing them as a matter of course can help deal with this issue. You could even try distributing glasses of milk, should the sugar intake be reaching dizzying levels. But to make life easier we’d suggest juice boxes as they’re nice and easy to put on the table, reduce spillages and are easy to throw away.

 

Children’s Party Venue ideas

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Are you looking for venues for your special children’s party in the coming weeks? Looking for the right location is almost always problematic, unless you know who to ask! Thankfully, we have some of the answers when it comes to organising an amazing children’s party and we’re here to help.

Looking for a Top children’s party Venue

There are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to host a children’s party in your own house. Either you don’t have enough room in your house for a whole classroom of children, or you don’t want your house to get damaged. Perhaps you don’t have the time to clean up after a party.

Getting your party organised in the right location is of great importance. Organising a party that is too far from anywhere is not a good idea, as other parents have to consider the cost of transport. Other considerations for your setting may include disabled access, the size of the hall itself and the cost.

Where:

Consider church halls, or community centres that have their own kitchens so you can cater too. Decide how much space you will need. Do you want outside space too? Some of these venues mentioned are quite reasonably priced.

How much?

If you would like to find out how much a centre costs, you should ask the centre first if they charge by the hour or by child. Some centres do charge per person and this can become very expensive if you are looking to host a large number of friends.

Look on our directory.

If you have found the best location for your children’s party, then why not look on our blogs for amazing ideas. We’ve plenty of knowledge and experience in giving inspiration to your child’s party.

 

Fun days out for free!

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East London’s Docklands

The East London’s neighbourhood that is now called Docklands was once the location for one of the world’s busiest ports. A quick walk around this area and you will see the transformation that has happened, there are riverside cafes, shops and restaurants, and you can walk to Canary Wharf from Tower Bridge along the Thames Path, or continue further towards Greenwich.

Urban Farms

In and around London there are a number of farms that you can visit for free. You can meet an array of different animals, learn all about where your food comes from and enjoy being outdoors. Farms you can visit include Surrey Docks Farm, Spitalfields City Farm, Vauxhall City Farm, and there are many more on our website too.

Geffrye Museum

Bring the children here to learn about how homes and gardens have changed over the last 400 years through exciting displays and interaction. Walk through period rooms from the 17th to 20th Centuries and learn how designs have adapted to the modern living of today. Check the website before you visit as they hold fab workshops for children which include rhyme time, craft, baking and storytelling!

Diana Memorial Playground

The kids will love this fun outdoor adventure playground which was built in memorial to the late Diana Princess of Wales and was inspired by the stories of Peter Pan. The centrepiece is a magnificent and fun wooden pirate ship. There’s also a sensory trail, teepees, a beach around the ship and a selection of sculptures and toys to keep the children occupied.

Ragged School Museum

Visit the Ragged School Museum to step back in time and experience life as a Victorian. There’s a Victorian classroom workshop that has been restored as if it were the 1870’s and is equipped with authentic school desks, blackboards, easels, writing slates and even dunce hats! There’s also lots of information on housing, education and work in the East End from the 1800’s to 1900.

Coram’s Fields

One of the most child friendly spaces in central London! You can only get through the gate if you have a child under 16 with you! At the park you will find a giant sandpit, an array of climbing frames to suit all ages, wheeled toys that can be borrowed, plus a city farm, all set within a walled garden!

National Maritime Museum

Visit the world’s largest maritime museum which is filled to the brim with stories of adventure at sea. At the centre of the National Maritime museum there’s ‘The Giant Map’ which is a space where you can delve a little deeper into the collections or join in with activities and events. There are a number of fun games for the family to play including building bridges across continents.

V&A  Museum of Childhood

The exhibitions within the Museum of Childhood will most certainly intrigue the children but will also take the grown ups on a trip down memory lane! With artefacts dating from the 1600’s to the present day there is so much to see from photography to fashion and childhood. There are also plenty of activities organised just for the little ones including art activities and getting messy in the sandpit!

 

Do your kids love sports days?

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For as long as many of us can remember sports day has always resided at every school in the summer months showing off pupil’s talents at physical education. Parents, teachers and children alike congregate on a school field or local green patch for an afternoon of races and related fun. The concept of sports day has always been straight forward fun for all the family. However, when looking into the event more closely the activity of sports day could in fact have other effects on the children which are not as welcoming as the element of fun. Looking at each aspect in turn we can learn the inside scoop of what sports day is really about.

Children love nothing more than to let off some steam by running around with their friends and having lots of fun. Running races and playing games can be seen as great fun from the children’s perspective. Boundless energy and no limitations of what people think of them make them great at enjoying themselves actively. Yet on the introduction of rules and competition are put in place the fun factor could be sufficiently reduced. The reduction in the key element of fun can leave children restless and a little unwilling to take part as it is not what they consider fun. On the flip side if managed properly the fun element can be stay intact and the children will be more cooperative in the races planned.

Learning about competition can be very productive towards a child’s development. Knowing that other children may be better at some things than themselves can help children get the motivation they need to work harder. This motivation gives more satisfaction to get the job done. Many children strive to make their parents proud or at least to do it for themselves. With the support of families any and all hard work that goes into the end result can be highly beneficial. Children pushing themselves to be all that they can be is a great start for methods which can be used much later in life to their advantage.

Taking part in events is a positive experience on a child’s social development which is also key to their cognitive functions. Being able to be social with others is a skill most valued in a child’s upbringing. Though competition is essential to push motivation the taking part in the event counts both morally and physically.

 

Free kids days out in Liverpool

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If you’re looking for some fab (and free!) days out in Liverpool, look no further! We’ve pulled together this handy list full of great attractions and activities that all of the family will love, whether you’ve got a budding artist, little bookworm or explorers in town.

Merseyside Maritime Museum

Merseyside Maritime Museum is a fantastic day out with the family! Here you’ll find a fascinating array of different exhibitions displaying Liverpool’s maritime history. There will always be lots to see and do as they regularly have activities and workshops for children and families. There’s also a ‘Sea Urchins’ play area for kids under the age of 8!

The World Museum

The World Museum has world-class shows and displays, including the Planetarium and Aquarium to the fascinating Clore Natural History Centre. You will find lots of exciting objects including Egyptian mummies, Samurai armour, casts of dinosaur bones, meteorites and many more treasures. Throughout the year they have many family events and many different temporary exhibitions so keep an eye on their regularly updated calendar!

Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool has many exhibitions displaying various artists and their work. There is a lot to offer visiting families, including events and workshops! You can make your way around the gallery at your own pace and start wherever you want.

Sefton Park

This beautiful park has some great facilities for all of the family to enjoy. There’s lots to explore, including the Grade 2 listed Palm House, fountain, grotto, boating lake, fairy glen and lots more! There’s a playground for the children to let off some steam and plenty of walkways ready to be explored.

Liverpool Central Library

This imposing historic building has been thoroughly modernised and is a fantastic place to bring the family! There is a children’s room where you will find brightly coloured interiors with lots of books and hidey holes. There are excellent facilities including an Xbox 360, computers, iPads and lots more.

 

The wonderful world of books

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Regardless of your child’s reading ability or age, these wonderfully wordy days out are a great way to get kids excited about books and the wonderful imaginative world of fun stories!

Library of Birmingham; Birmingham

This huge, modern building is home to over 400,000 books available to be read by the public, as well as a studio theatre, rooftop gardens, an outdoor Amphitheatre and a panoramic viewing gallery. Children will love exploring the children’s zones, listening to story telling sessions and getting involved in kids activities!

The Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre; Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire

Located in the very place that Roald Dahl lived and wrote is the wonderful Roald Dahl museum! Aimed at children aged between 6 and 12, it features galleries, a story centre and loads of interactive displays all around this much loved children’s author. Perfect for family days out.

Liverpool Central Library; Liverpool

Inside this very large, historic building is a modern discovery that the whole family will love! Inside the children’s room you will find brightly coloured interiors brimming with books and nooks to read in. There is even an Xbox 360, computers, iPad and more technology available to the public!

The Story Museum; Oxford, Oxfordshire

Kids will love getting lost in the wonderful world of stories in this unusual but amazing museum that is specifically centred around stories! Perfect for kids of all ages and reading abilities, and of course all the family to enjoy too!

The British Library; London

The British Library is a great place to lose a few hours. Find endless knowledge and stories in so many different formats including print, digital, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, magazines and so much more!

Discover Children’s Story Centre; London

Explore the indoor story trail and discover a magical adventure, or let off some steam in the story garden where kids will love discovering giant musical instruments, a spacecraft and a monster’s tongue! There’s so much fun to be had at Discover Children’s Story Centre with a sprinkling of imagination.

 

Party games for the whole family

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When planning a children’s party or get together, be sure to include several games to keep partygoers entertained throughout the party. Play fun games that include all the family and of course the kids which keeps everyone involved in the party. Award prizes to the winners of each game to keep everyone ready for the next game.

Egg Relay Race

Divide players into parent/kid teams of two, and have several eggs and spoons ready. Play this game outside, as it can get messy. Make a start line and another line about 25 feet apart. Have all parents stand at the starting line and all kids stand at the other line. Give each parent a spoon and an egg.

The parents race to their children with the eggs on the spoons. Participants can’t use their hands to hold the eggs on spoons. If an egg is dropped, the parent must go back to the starting line and begin again. Once a parent’s reaches his child, the child will take the egg and spoon, and race back to the starting line. The first child that makes it back across the starting line wins the game.

Water Balloons

Make several water balloons before the party starts and sit them in a bucket. Have all players get into parent/kid teams of two. Give each team one water balloon and have them stand about 5 feet apart, facing each other. Each player attempts to throw the water balloon to her partner. If the partner drops the balloon, that team is out of the game. For all teams that catch the balloon, they must take a giant step back and toss the balloon again. The team who can catch the water balloon from the furthest point away from one another wins the game.

The Mummy Game

Each child should pair up with one of his parents before the game starts. Give each team two rolls of toilet paper. Each parent uses the rolls of toilet paper to cover the child. Set a time limit of five minutes and when time is up, the child who is the most covered with toilet paper wins the game.

Marshmallow Tower

Divide all players into parent/child pairs and have them sit around a table. Give each team about 20 toothpicks and a bowl of mini marshmallows. The teams have 10 minutes to create the tallest marshmallow tower using the marshmallows and toothpicks. After 10 minutes, the team with the largest tower wins. You can also award prizes for the most creative and most disastrous towers.