Tag: best

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.

 

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 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

 

Get some exercise with the kids

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If you’re looking for fun ways to get your little ones active, as well as cram in a little cardio yourself, have a go at some of the following ideas!

Music Motivation

If you’re looking for a fun way to get your kids active and ready for school in record time, why not throw on an upbeat playlist that they love and see if they can get ready before the songs are over. Shameless dancing around the kitchen is optional.

Gardening with Kids

Prepping the garden for spring and summer is the perfect (yet deceiving) way to get your little ones eager to move. Get them weeding, plant potting and watering flowers to give them some TV free time.

Weekly Sports Night

This one is great for getting the family together and being active. Whether its children’s activities like football in the park, bike riding or going for a swim, there’s lots of options available to keep things interesting each week!

Make Household Chores Fun

Whilst it’s easy for the kids to dismiss chores as boring, why not try and turn them into a fun game to get them moving? Challenging them to see how many toys they can put away in a minute might be all it takes to get them running around the house!

Sneak in More Steps

This one is a super easy way to make sure you’re moving as much as possible. There’s lots of ways to sneak in some more steps, from parking the car a few roads away, taking the stairs instead of the lift and more.

Take a Daily Walk With Kids

Taking a walk everyday is a great way to get your little ones into an exercise routine, which can be both active and educational. See if you can get them naming what wildlife and flowers they can spot on their travels! It doesn’t have to be far, as there’s sure to be something interesting at every corner.

 

Hire some entertainment

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The Best Prima Ballerina Parties Barre None!

Take your child’s passion for ballet to a whole new level with a ballerina party they’ll be raving about for months. A professional ballet dancer will thrill with a real ballet class, a hairstyling session (with lots of sparkles!), tiara and wand props.

Marvellous Magic With Close-Up Magicians

Magic is really popular for kids, thanks to the new wave of TV street magicians, so a close-up magic show is perfect for a birthday party. Often combining conjuring tricks with an infectious sense of fun, a children’s magician will give your kids a show that’s amazing, amusing and absolutely unforgettable.

Crazy Comedy Jugglers

A Comedy Juggler is fabulous entertainment for a children’s party, combining amazing skill with a healthy dose of humour. And it’s not just juggling balls and clubs either –  jugglers have been known to juggle 7 objects or more objects at a time, a bowling ball, a small child and a chainsaw (well maybe not a small child!!)

Superb Storytellers

Once upon a time, there was a children’s party where every child was spellbound by the power of a great story. And that party can be yours, a wonderfully relaxing experience for both guests and parents that is hard to find in today’s busy worlds. Now that’s a true happy ending!

Children’s Themed Parties

Two hours of sheer delight, transporting kids into a make-believe world of fun and games. Led by professional children’s entertains such as, Children’s Themed Parties and Children’s Entertainers, and with optional face painter, you can choose from popular party packages that delight from start to finish.

 

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

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 indoor games!

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Play ‘Sardines’ – a twist on the traditional hide and seek

You’ll need at least four players for this game with one person hiding and the other players searching for the hider. When a player finds their friend hiding, they then need to hide with that player staying where they are until another player finds them and so on. The fun will continue until the last person finds everyone at which point everyone will be squashed like – sardines!

Board games

Ditch electronic games and play with traditional board games. Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who, Monopoly…which games keep your kids entertained?

Play ‘Bubbles’!

Playing this game is very simple and loads of fun! All you need is water, washing up liquid, a bowl and some straws! Put some water (about 2 cm) in the bowl with some washing up liquid and mix just a little bit until bubbles start forming. Use the straw to gently blow bubbles and very quickly you’ll start making huge bubbles! You could even add a bit of food colouring to make different fun coloured bubbles!

Build a den

Drape blankets and sheets over chairs to make a cosy den for the kids. They can read books, play games and even nap (if you’re lucky!) however the challenge may be coaxing them out of their secret fort at teatime!

Indoor bowling

This game provides hours of fun for children (and adults) and can even be as competitive as you like You can either buy an indoor bowling set or use empty water bottles set up in a line and a soft ball. Don’t forget – place some tape as a starting line so avoid any cheating!

Dressing up stories

Get the kids using their imaginations and write a story – it could simply be their favourite fairy tale changed! They then have to act out their stories complete with costumes and props. Of course, you’ll need to put your acting skills to the test and join in with them!

 

 

Free family days out in London

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London offers an incredible amount of free attractions and things to do. Most museums and art galleries are free, London’s street markets are a must even if you don’t plan to do any shopping, and many London neighbourhoods are perfect for a stroll with the family.

The Natural History Museum

If you’ve got a budding Attenborough on your hands then they will love this museum! As you walk into the huge gallery you’ll be greeted by a roaring T.Rex, and there really are so many brilliant exhibitions and displays showing our natural world! Don’t miss the Darwin Centre where you can discover the wonderful world of science in action!

Science Museum

This museum is a definite hit with kids (and adults) of all ages and it’s definitely clear to see why! You’ll get to explore space and see a piece of the moon, and get your adrenaline pumping in the flight simulator. Especially created for the younger visitors, a visit to The Garden is a must and will give them the opportunity to explore light and sound, as well as water and construction.

The Tate Britain and Tate Modern

The Tate Britain in Pimlico houses a prestigious collection of British art from the 16th century to the present day. Its modern sister, the Tate Modern, is completely different with collections of 20th and 21st century art. Both galleries are extremely family friendly, and to make your visit even more fun there are apps which you can download and children’s activities to do as you make your way around.

Horniman Museum & Gardens

This family friendly fun anthropological museum is set in a 16 acre landscaped garden which you can explore, and has extensive collections of natural history as well as a magical aquarium. Other highlights include the Animal Walk where you can see alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits and much more up close.

Grant Museum of Zoology

The Grant Museum of Zoology is a fascinating place to visit if you enjoy natural history. There are large collections of around 68,000 skeletons, mounted animals and specimens preserved in fluid which include extinct species such as the Tasmanian Tiger, the Quagga, and the Dodo.

London’s Parks

London’s green parks are the heart of the city on sunny days, locals come to their beloved parks to have a coffee in the morning or a sandwich at lunch time, to read a book, to meet friends, to fly a kite, play with the kids, picnic or just to hang out on a nice afternoon. Hyde Park, St James Park, Green Park and Regent Park are the most central of London’s parks, but there are many more on our website including Crystal Palace Park which is home to 33 Victorian dinosaurs!

 

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.