Tag: best

History of Hopscotch

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It is believed that the Hopscotch was first recorded back in 1677. However, there are many theories to how the popular playground game came about. Some say the Romans invented the game in order to train their army, whilst others claim that it was the Chinese who first played it.

Today, hopscotch is recognised in UK kids playgrounds as a simple game that can be enjoyed solo or in a group. A stone is thrown into one of the square number spaces for the child to go and pick it up by hopping through the boxes. This physical game allows children to practice balance and improve their motor skills.

However, hopscotch is played around the world in many variations. The French version, Escargot (also meaning ‘snail’) is a spiral design with no ‘end’ – just like a snail shell.
New Yorkers have a similar version to ours, but is known as Potsie and is drawn out using preformed cracks in sidewalks.

In India, hopscotch is known as Stapu or Kith-Kith and is played similar to in England. However, it may also be recognised as Ekhat-Dukhat, but only features two squares.

Germany, Switzerland and Austria know the game as Himmel und Hölle (Heaven and Hell). The space before the first number is called Erde (Earth) whilst Hell is the second to last square as the last square is heaven with the aim of the game is to not land on hell.

Hopscotch is still a popular children’s party game and they are a popular design element for schoolyards and look great on either black or coloured cork surfacing.

Top Places to go this Spring

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Top of your list of fun things to do in the Spring is to throw your wellies on and get out to your local farm park. Seeing furry, fuzzy and indeed feathered friends is always a treat at any point of the year but it’s around this time that loads of newborn babies are taking their first steps. Lambing in particular is always popular and loads of farm parks let families get up close and cuddly.

Equally, if the weather isn’t playing ball, don’t worry: Getting crafty with kids is a fantastic way to fill a day and there are more than a few pottery painting cafes who’d be happy to help with your festive creations.

There’s plenty of places open over the Spring: we’ve pulled together a few of our favourite days out so take a look and start filling your calendar:

Cadbury World One word: chocolate!

Go to the source with a few hours of indulgence and enjoy rides, characters and history to boot. Take a peek behind the scenes in the factory to see where your favourites are made – taking advantage of some samples along the way, of course!

Mella Mella’s Pottery Cafe –

Get crafty this season at this place of pottery. Kids can be “experimental” with colour, paint, glitter and clay and you don’t have to clean up. Result. Plus, you’ll have a new piece of art for pride of place on the mantelpiece.

Pennywell Farm –

‘Tis the season for meeting cute and cuddly animals, and what could be more adorable than the miniature Pennywell Pigs?! That’s not all this day out has to offer though, the action packed scheduled includes multiple shows, family-friendly go kart racing, train riding and ferret encounters – to name just a few things!

So much to do in Bristol

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Home of Wallace and Gromit, hot air balloon fiestas and the place where Ribena was supposedly invented, Bristol is one of the UK’s most-loved cities. Named the best place to live in the UK in 2017, it’s award-winning mix of culture, community spirit and redevelopment means there’s plenty to discover, even for the smallest of explorers.

M Shed
Bristol’s newer museum focuses on the history of Bristol. Kids will enjoy the interactive displays at M Shed, especially the vintage bus. Another place with a great cafe, but also right next to the many cafes at Wapping Wharf.

Brandon Hill Park
If you are around the Park Street or Clifton areas then it’s well worth a visit to Brandon Hill Park. There is a playground at the bottom of the hill and Cabot Tower at the top. For those with a head for heights, there are great views across Bristol from the top of the tower and fun to be had counting the many winding steps. It’s a great spot for a picnic or an ice-cream (a van can normally found there).

Clifton Suspension Bridge
Finally, a trip to walk across Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge and take in the views is surely an essential part of Bristol. There is a playground and plenty of green spaces nearby to burn off some energy before visiting one of the many cafes in Clifton Village.

Bristol Aquarium
On one of Bristol’s many rainy days, Bristol Aquarium is a great destination for all the family. Children will enjoy spotting the fish they know such as Nemo (clown fish) as well as learning about new ones and conservation. Keep a look out for the giant octopus!

We the Curious
We The Curious is a fantastic fun day out filled with numerous science exhibits that will have those curious kids asking all sorts of questions. Fortunately, the Science Team are there to help. It also has the UK’s only 3D planetarium, which toddlers will love!

SS Great Britain
Our kids love exploring below deck on the various levels and seeing the displays of how the passengers lived on the ship. And if it is a sunny day there is nowhere better to enjoy it than up on the deck, which also has some great views across to Clifton. The tickets also allow unlimited visits for a year, so it can work out as great value if you live locally!

Ferry Ride
Little ones will really enjoy a tour of the harbour on one of the ferry boats, thanks to Bristol Ferry Boat Co. What better way to see the sights? You may even see an otter!

The Matthew
Keeping with the nautical theme (well it is Bristol after all), children of all ages will love channelling their inner sailor/pirate with a trip on the historic ship, The Matthew.

Bristol Museum
The dinosaurs & taxidermy animal exhibits at Bristol Museum never fail to amaze kids, whilst there is a small soft play/learning area on the ground floor for the littlest ones. There is also a brilliant cafe and regularly changing exhibits.

Explore the Holidays

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The days are getting longer, the theme parks are re-opening and warmer weather is hopefully on the way, making it a great time of year to get exploring. Plus, with the Easter holidays just around the corner too, adventure most certainly awaits.

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Buckinghamshire

Situated in the village that the famous author lived in and wrote for 36 years, you can explore 40 interactive displays bringing his enchanting stories to life. On selected dates this month, kids can make heads for Hornswogglers, create Boggled Box Beasts and fly a Kicksy Kite – it’s a truly gloriumptious day out for the whole family.

Tim Peak’s Spacecraft at Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

Rewind back to June 2016 and you might just remember Tim Peake returning back to Earth following his space mission, and now you can see his space capsule up close at the Museum of Science and Industry! Landing in Manchester, you’ll be able to take a closer look at the Soyuz TMA-19M, complete with scorch marks from its re-entry through the atmosphere. With 15-minute presentations, every weekend, the out of this world adventure takes place here.

Lambing season at Umberslade Farm Park, Warwickshire

Head to your local farm park this month, and chances are you’ll come face to face with some very cute newborn animals, and Umberslade Farm Park is certainly the place to do just that. Kids can meet the new lambs and even have the chance to help with the bottle-feeds. As a real working farm, there’s always something new and exciting to see too, and don’t miss the tractor and trailer ride for a fun tour of the site.

Exhibitions at the V&A Museum, London

There’s always some kind of exhibition in London, as the Victoria and Albert Museum showcases the finest children’s exhibitions. Whether you’re bringing a young child or older ones, there’s something to entertain all ages.

Garden activities that are lots of fun

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Make a daisy chain

In my mind, this makes me think about lazy sunny days on a grassy lawn, picking daisies together and creating garlands, necklaces and bracelets to wear for the rest of the day! In reality, my little one gets a bit frustrated trying to make the tiny holes but maybe in a few years, she’ll be able to do it!!

Make your own compost

When dead plants and leaves rot down, they turn into soil material called compost which is great for the garden! You can buy plastic composters or use a plastic dustbin with the bottom cut out to make your own ‘composter’. Get the children out collecting the garden waste and over time they can watch it turn to compost! This is a fantastic children’s activity for teaching the little ones about the importance of recycling.

Make a hanging basket

At this time of year, you can grab an empty hanging basket from a garden centre or a pound shop. Fill with soil and colourful flowers and your hanging basket will look beautiful! This is a lovely activity for children as they can see quick results rather than waiting for something to grow.

Plant some seeds

Get some seeds from a garden centre and watch them grow. You can measure your seedlings every week to see how much they have grown, then plant them in your garden once they are ready.

Make a worm farm

Fill a glass jar with 4 alternate layers of sand and soil, (sand/ soil/ sand/ soil). The soil layers need to be about 3 times as thick as the sand layers. Leave a gap of about 2 inches of space at the top of the jar. Now the fun bit! Find the worms! Put in the worms and then add some potato peelings, overripe fruit and old tea leaves as a final layer. Put a few holes in the Jar and then watch to see what happens over the next few days as the worms wiggle around!

Grow a pizza!

Using a grow bag or some mid-sized tubs plant tomato, basil and onion seeds/ plants and grow to create your own pizza toppings!

Make a miniature garden

Remember doing this as a kid? Use a metal or plastic sweet/ biscuit tin and fill with soil, then add miniature flowers such as daisies and forget me nots. Twigs can be used to create mini trees and foil or a small tub filled with water can make a pond. Let their imaginations run wild and choose bits and pieces from around the garden to create their mini version! If you want to use seeds/ plants with roots, put some holes in the bottom, fill with a single layer of stones then top up with soil. This will provide some drainage and allow plants to grow and the garden will last longer!

Become a bug detective!

Using a magnifying glass set off on a hunt around the garden! Look under leaves, under stones and dig near garden walls/ fences. See how many creatures you can find- ladybirds, beetles, woodlice, worms! Take photos or put into plastic pots with leaves and soil and take inside to draw them as a record of your findings! (Remember to put the bugs back after and never put them in the same tub otherwise they might fight!)

Make pot-pourri

Collect fragrant petals and leaves from around your garden. Ideal things to look for are rose petals, lavender, mint leaves and basil leaves. Lay them out on a few pieces of kitchen roll and leave to dry (this can take up to a week). Once they are dry cut a circle of thin fabric, place the petals and leaves inside and tie up with a piece of ribbon!

Spring blossoms

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As Spring arrives pretty blossoms begin to bloom, so come and see them in all their glory…

RHS Wisley, Woking
There is always plenty to look at when you visit these beautiful gardens including spring blossom! Families can follow fun trails and join in with the great children’s activities on offer too.

The Blossom Trail, Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire
Follow a 45-mile wonderful journey through beautiful countryside and quaint villages lined with pretty cherry and apple blossom trees. This region has been famous for its fruit growing since medieval times.

National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthen
These gardens are a great place to bring the family to see the very beautiful Japanese blossom in the Japanese Gardens. There are flower meadows and lakes to explore set in over 500 acres of parkland.

Cherry Blossom in Abundance, Kew Gardens, London

Kew is always a beautiful place to visit but when the blossom trees are in full flower it is extra special! Find the prettiest ones just behind the rose garden at the back of the palm house.

Kyoto Garden – Holland Park, London
The arrival of blossom in Japan is nothing less than magical and is widely celebrated. The Japanese Kyoto Gardens will offer a little taste of this far away country and is home to koi carp and very pretty cherry blossom in a very peaceful setting.

Acorn Bank, Cumbria
These beautiful grounds, house and gardens are a tranquil haven that have an industrial past. The gardens are well known for their orchards with and in the spring you can see carpets of snowdrops, daffodils and pretty fruit blossom. Wander along to find the restored watermill and look out for wildlife in the woods.

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Take some time out in this lovely city to visit this tranquil square in the heart of Edinburgh and see the cherry blossoms in the spring sunshine.

The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland
This garden is a magical place to bring a family and has sky walkways and rope bridges to explore. Visit the Cherry Orchard which promises to be a sea of pink and entice the kids to make cherry blossom snow angels amongst the fallen petals!

Kingston Lacy, Dorset.
The enigmatic gardens of this stately home spring into life with gorgeous cherry blossom in the Japanese Garden and white apple blossom in the Kitchen Garden and orchards so a family walk is guaranteed to offer a lovely day out for everyone!

Greenwich Park, London
This park was once the hunting ground for Henry VIII and is London’s oldest enclosed Royal Park. Behind the cricket pitch lies a stunning pink candy floss arch that will bring a happy smile to anyone’s face!

Head to Portsmouth to see the Mary Rose

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The fascinating Mary Rose Museum! The ship was raised from the seabed in 1982 and can now be found in Portsmouth.

1. Discover England in 1545
The Mary Rose is a time capsule, preserving life in Tudor England. Explore objects recovered from Henry VIII’s flagship and discover what life was like in 1545. There’s a common misconception that the Mary Rose sank on her maiden voyage, but she was a successful warship for Henry VIII for almost the entire duration of his reign. A visit here is an educational and fun day out for all the family!

2. See the Mary Rose come to life!
An amazing light show brings the ship to life. Experience life on board, through both war and peace!

3. Explore life as a Tudor
No matter what your age, you’re bound to love the dressing up area. Why not see how you would look sat on the throne? There are also Tudor craft activities available for children too!

4. Download fun activities
There is a whole range of maps, worksheets and models available to download. You can continue the fun after your visit too!

Active Family days out

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British Motor Museum

The newly refurbished British Motor Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of historic British cars – from the very first Land Rover to Lady Penelope’s FAB1.

Experience the sights, sounds and stories of the British motor industry and get ‘under the skin’ with our interactive exhibits. Explore how motoring and family life has changed through the decades as the cars are brought to life by costumed explainers and free guided tours.

Family trails and school holiday children’s activities add to the family fun, whatever the weather! Nearest train stations are Warwick or Banbury.

10am – 5pm daily

Arundel Castle

For a lovely day out with the family, visit Arundel Castle which is set high on a hill in West Sussex. Steeped in 1,000 years of history, Arundel Castle offers a full day out with guided and free-flow tours of the finely preserved castle rooms, including the Baron’s Hall, 14th Century Catholic Fitzalan Chapel, Regency Library and Victorian bedrooms.

There are also opportunities to ascend the Norman Motte and Keep and enjoy The Collector Earl’s Garden, which was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2008. Special event prices apply for the Castle Siege and International Jousting and Medieval Tournament.

Bracknell Leisure Centre

Get active on a day out with the kids in Berkshire! There’s plenty of fun to be found for the whole family at Bracknell Leisure Centre. The range of facilities and activities will get you and your children burning off excess energy and creating healthy habits for life.

Family tickets are available for the swimming pools enabling everyone to get splashing and save money! There are also plenty of badminton courts and tennis tables available. With lots of other bookable and pay-as-you-go activities such as soccer dribblers, tweeny tumblers, fun sessions, go karts and gymnastics, it’s a great place to go with the kids over the summer.

The Time Out Café and Bar is ideal for meeting and unwinding during a visit to the leisure centre. This warmly decorated and comfortable venue offers a mouth-watering menu and an excellent choice of snacks. Choose from a menu including sandwiches, panini’s, jacket potatoes, soup of the day as well as a daily special. Inflatable Aqua Run and Water Walker birthday parties for children are available.

Ideas for kids Spring fun

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BeWILDerwood

For an amazing day out in Norfolk, not far from Norwich, visit the enchanted, award-winning Curious Treehouse Adventure Park, BeWILDerwood. Take lazy boat rides across The Scary Lake, cross jungle bridges, visit tree-houses, whizz down The Wobbly Wires, get befuddled in the marvellous Muddle Maze, build dens with bracken and sticks and dress up and join in with the enchanting daily storytelling.

This is a world with more than a little sprinkling of fairy dust; enough for the whole family! It’s also a great place for children to have the best birthday party ever in the woods.

Bodmin and Wenford railway

Discover the excitement and nostalgia of steam travel with a journey back in time on the Bodmin and Wenford railway, Cornwall’s only full size railway still operated by steam locomotives. Relax in style and enjoy a leisurely 13-mile round trip, through beautiful countryside, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a bygone age, as the era of a Cornish branch line in the 1950s reveals itself during the course of your journey.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo.

There’s a world of enjoyment at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo. From feeding the farm animals, saying hello to our parrots or spying on the meerkats in the secret lookout, children will have hours of fun. With monkeys, snakes, pigs, donkeys, ring tailed lemurs, rabbits, emu, chipmunks, coati, wallabies and chickens, plus a fun-packed adventure playground with a real tractor and fire engine, it’s a great family day out.

The Zoo is offering new Keeper, Mini and Junior Keeper Experiences for children and adults. The kids will love being able to find out more about their favourite animals and what it’s like to feed and care for them. Sessions last from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, there are a variety of Keeper Experiences available, and children must be accompanied by an adult, who goes free of charge.

More movie ideas for kids

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Trolls 3D (U)
Pitched firmly at the younger spectrum of the kiddie market, this latest, wildly colourful DreamWorks musical animation, based on the toys (called Gonks in the UK), comes from the creators of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.

Princess Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) is the leader of the relentlessly optimistic and cheery Trolls who live in the middle of the woods and are always ready to burst into song. Unfortunately, they also live in fear of the Bergens, miserable giant ogres who, led by King Gristle (John Cleese), believed the only way to become happy was to eat Trolls.

For 20 years, the Trolls have managed to remain hidden, but, then, the light from a wild disco party gives them away and, as the Bergens prepare to revive their annual Trollstice feast day, Poppy joins forces with the Branch (Justin Timberlake), the world’s only unhappy Troll, to rescue her friends from the cooking pot.

Featuring the voices of Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Prince Gristle, the young ruler of the Bergens, Zooey Deschanel as the maid who’s secretly in love with him, Gwen Stefani as the Trolls’ DJ and Russell Brand, Icona Pop and James Corden as fellow Trolls as well as a whole bunch of new and old songs sung by its stars, this may not be for anyone older than their shoe size, but it’s still an irrepressibly fun ride. 92 mins. Also in 2D.

Storks 3D (U)
Back in the day, storks deliver babies, but, following an incident in which one of the birds (Danny Trejo) tried to keep the tot for himself, breaking her, quite literal, homing beacon in the process, they got out of the baby business and now deliver parcels from their Corner Store HQ on Storm Mountain.

Top of the delivery tables is Junior (Andy Samberg) who is thrilled to be told by Hunter (Kelsey Grammar), the big boss who uses little birds as golf balls, that he’s going to be promoted to take over from him at the upcoming StorkCon shareholders meeting. But first, he has to fire Tulip (Katie Crown), who, the baby that never got delivered, still lives with them. Now that she’s 18th (and also because she tends to cause all kinds of chaos), Hunter says it’s time she became part of the human world. However, faced with telling her, Junior just can’t get the words out and, instead, tells her she’s been given a job in the letter sorting office. Which she should never leave. Given that nobody writes asking for babies any more, she’s bored out of her head and spends the time talking to herself, acting out (with the help of a pliable hairdo) different personas, each of them excruciating annoying.

Meanwhile, out in people land, his real estate parents (Ty Burell and Jennifer Aniston) always too busy to spend any time with him, young Nate decides he’d like a baby brother, one with ninja skills. Mum and dad dismiss the idea, but, finding an old leaflet about the stork service, he writes a letter which duly winds up in Tulip’s hands and, before Junior can stop her, goes into and reactivates the baby making machine. Now they find themselves with an unexpected tot to deliver, before the meeting and before Hunter finds out. Junior, however, has injured his wing, but, fortunately, Tulip’s cobbled together a makeshift plane.

Without prolonging the agony of explaining things, suffice to say that Tulip’s maternal instincts mean the mission doesn’t go as planned, leaving the trio being pursued by wolves and, thanks to the aptly named Pigeon Toady, quite possibly the most annoying animated character ever, their secret is revealed to Hunter. And to top it all, Jasper, the stork who tried to abduct Tulip in the first place, also turns up, determined to rectify his screw up. All of which somehow manages to end up with Nate’s intended sibling in the custody of Hunter’s penguins and the baby machine churning them out like rabbits.

Mercifully, there are some good moments (almost all of them involving Alpha and Beta, the two wolves who fall for the cute pink-haired infant, and the way the pack is forever forming itself into things like a plane or submarine), but they’re mostly overwhelmed by the unrelenting screech elsewhere. Undemanding four-year-olds may be entertained, but, unfunny, relentless and charmless, the best thing to be said is that it’s not as bad as the profoundly tedious The Master: a Lego Ninjago Short that precedes it. A bundle of joy it is not. 87 mins. Also in 2D.