Tag: idea

Inspiration for a kids party

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Entertaining children at a party is hard work, especially if you’ve got a range of ages attending, they all want to play, and you’re trying to set up the food! So, why not let a professional children’s party entertainers delight, entertain and enthrall your children and their friends, while you relax and wonder how 20 kids could possibly eat all that food in one sitting.

Blow Up A Storm With Balloon Modelers

Balloon modelling is fascinating to watch, as long thin balloons are inflated then twisted at lightening speeds into anything from a monkey to a jetpack! The great benefit of hiring Balloon Modellers for any kid’s party is that every child gets something to take home, be it a hat, custom-made balloon jewellery, a backpack or a favourite cartoon character.

Face Painting For Children’s Parties

Transform your little VIPs into wild animals, butterflies, superheroes with the skill and artistry of expert Face Painters. Professional face painters will only use safe, water-based and hypoallergenic materials, so kids can wear their new look all party long and parents can restore them to angelic normality before bedtime!

Memorable Mime Artists

If your kids like Mr Bean, they’ll love live mime. Children just can’t take their eyes off a mime artist, fascinated as they conjure a world from thin air and pure imagination. Our Mime Artists Inc offer traditional style mime and also a silent clown act, for a wonderful show full of slapstick and comedy.

Meet The Animals In A Mobile Petting Zoo

With a Mobile Petting Zoo, adults and children can get close up to some of nature’s most fascinating exotic animals, ranging from cuddly meerkats and skunks to magnificent lizards, snakes and even giant hairy spiders! These exotic animals create a memorable and educational experience.

 

Birthday Party inspiration

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What will you do for your child’s birthday party this year? Do you fear having hundreds of kids running around your house making a mess, or worse being bored? Well don’t worry, we have pulled together a list of some favourite birthday party venues across the country that will take the stress out of your party planning (and hopefully leave your house free of kid mess).

A children’s birthday party can be the highlight of your child’s birthday and it’s also a great time for you to see your child and their friends having fun together. With so many possibilities for parties, different packages and offers, it can be tricky to find the perfect one for your child’s special day.

Once you have decided on the venue to host your kids birthday party don’t forget to bring along the birthday essentials… Cake, decorations, party bags, party games (we love a game of pass the parcel) and of course the birthday boy or girl! It’s those little extras that go a long way on the big day.

Go Ape – Nationwide

If your kids are full of energy and want to run wild on their birthday then we recommend giving your cheeky monkeys the chance of an adventure with Go Ape Tree Top Junior parties! Your little explorer and their friends will enjoy an hour of tree top adventure; zip wires, wobbly crossings and Tarzan swings. The Tree Top Junior course is designed especially for children aged 6-12, but can be loved by children of all ages over 1m tall. Birthday parties at Go Ape start from £18 per child.

Force 10 – Nationwide

Alternatively Force 10 offers the ultimate paintball experience and with 10 different paintball sites across the UK you’ll be able to find one close to you. Each with their own action packed games areas, it’s perfect for stag and hen do’s as well as birthdays for kids big and small.

Chill Factore – Greater Manchester

The perfect opportunity to get a group of your children’s friends together and let them tire themselves out on the slopes. Chill Factore in Manchester offers great birthday party packages for kids of all ages. From the Mini Moose Land parties for under 4 years and SnowPark parties for 4+ years to the Ski and Snowboard Taster Parties for ages 6+ and 8+ respectively there are plenty of opportunities for children to enjoy the indoor snow whilst they play and learn.

Rainforest Cafe – London

For an ultimate party in London there are two must visit attractions. The perfect place to celebrate a birthday, Rainforest Cafe is a fantastic choice for little kids and big kids alike. Large tables are available as well as private spaces, and the birthday boy or girl will love the delicious desserts and attention from the Safari Guides.

 

Monster bake off

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Halloween is becoming more and more popular in the UK. Every year the UK get more involved in having parties for this spooky day. The whole family can get involved and just have fun!!

Here are some kids Halloween food ideas that will impress your little monster kids!!

Ghoulish Ghost Cakes

Dariole moulds are the ideal shape or these spooky little cakes but you could cheat and use a mini chocolates rolls under the white icing!

175g butter

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

175g self-raising flour

800g ready-to-roll white icing

1 tube black writing icing

Beat together the caster sugar, butter and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time with a tablespoon of flour for each egg. Beat well and fold in the remaining flour.

Spoon into 8 greased and floured dariole moulds, place on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Cut the top of the cakes off to form a flat surface and then turn out onto a board or plate. Leave until completely cold.

Roll out the white icing on a surface dusted with cornflour and cut out 8 x 16cm circles (can use a saucer as a guide). Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghost figures. Draw the ghost’s features using a tube of black writing icing

Tombstone Sandwiches

These sandwiches will be great fun for your party guests. You can use a variety of fillings like Marmite, Peanut Butter, Egg Mayonnaise, Cheese and Tomato to make these spine-chilling sandwiches.

Sliced bread

Grated carrot

Grated cheddar cheese

Mayonnaise

Salad cress

Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into rectangles. Using a plain round cutter or a saucer as a guide cut the top of the sandwich into a round tombstone shape. Mix together the grated carrot, cheese and mayonnaise (or use a filling of your choice) and sandwich the bread together with this mixture.

Arrange the tombstone sandwiches upright on a plate and sprinkle the cress around the sandwiches before serving.

 

How to raise a helpful child

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Lead by Example

If you want kids to do something, it helps to have them witness you doing it as well as the result that came from it. Whenever you’re finished with a project, clean up your mess.

When finished eating, take your plate, utensils, and glass to the sink. Organize your things so that you know where they are when you need them.

Children see this and are more likely to also clean up after themselves. If you’re leaving a mess everywhere then they will have a harder time understanding why cleaning up is important.

Label the Positive

Notice the times that they do something helpful and praise them, telling them they’re a good helper.

When we use character traits like “good helper” or “very helpful”, over time children begin to make that part of their personality.  The more you label them as being a helper, the more they will believe it to be true.

Delegate and Praise

Give them tasks throughout the day to practice their helpful skills. The more they practice, the better they’ll learn. And every time they do something helpful, praise them.

Make it Fun

For younger kids, singing the clean-up song is a huge help in picking up toys, but even as they get older it’s fun to add any songs and even a little dance to the process of cleaning up. Counting helps too. Count toys picked up, cutlery put away, and the number of pens and crayons you find.

Fit for all Ages

It’s easier to raise a helpful kid earlier in development than later, but it is possible to teach older children to be helpful. All of the same tips apply with a slightly different approach.

As they get older you can explain things more. Explain why you need help, why it’s important for them to take more responsibility, how important it is to work together, and that every person finds their own rhythm when it comes to cleaning, organizing, and helping others, but the end result is the same. Taking care of your things, taking care of shared items, and treating others the way you want to be treated.

Raising a helpful kids can be a truly daunting challenge at times. Especially if it seems like one more item to add to the never-ending to-do list. But it doesn’t have to be a frustrating endeavour.

By leading by example, staying positive, and having fun, it is possible to turn the most stubborn mess maker into a happy, helpful partner. One step at a time. One day at a time.

 

Be like a movie star

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This party are for girls (or boys) that would just love to be in the movies, a great children’s party theme…

INVITATIONS:

For the invitation, buy some really good stationery, and cut it into a star shape. Then, punch holes in it about every inch or so and thread gold or silver ribbon through the holes. Then in calligraphy write “you are cordially invited to spend (date) at the Oscars. Please arrive at (address) at approximately (time). To make your final reservation, please reply to the home of (child’s name) at (number).

DECORATIONS:

On the front walkway, lay out some red felt made to look like the red carpet, and put sticks of wood about 1 foot away from each other along the sides, where you can tie gold, silver, and white balloons to. Inside, let some more balloons float.

ACTIVITIES:

The main activity of the party is to ‘make the movie’, but before that, get all the actresses ‘ready’ by sending them to the ‘spa’. You could have a different room in the house for different spa treats to do, one could be in the birthday girl’s bedroom and the spare room, could be home too the nail and hair salon.

Your Birthday girl’s bedroom could be a dressing room, where there could be all kinds of dress up clothes that the girls could choose from. After all the girls finished at the spa, make the movie. Before the party, write a simple script based on a movie, “the Princess Diaries”, where a normal teenage girl finds out she is a princess. Hand out these  scripts, and each girl will be giving a part and five minutes to look it over quickly. Then you can film it. Afterwards, show it to the girls on video and they will be really proud of their acting skills.

Then, you can hand out the Oscars. Cut trophies out beforehand of cardboard and paint them with each girl’s name on it. For the ceremony, you can have categories (depending on how many guests there are). Some of the categories were best script remembered, funniest costume, etc. Call each girl up individually to receive her award. Then nobody gets left out.

FOOD:

Have table settings that make it look like a posh restaurant. For each girl’s plate, a typed name card, a folded cloth napkin with a napkin ring, and real silverware instead of plastic.

PARTY BAGS

When the girls were watching a movie, make  copies of the video you made. Give these out to the guests along with a bottle of nail polish.

 

A Train journey for little ones

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If you’re looking for an amazing fun adventure filled with beautiful scenery and the chance to explore somewhere new, a train journey is the perfect days out for all of the family to enjoy. Here are some fab train journeys we think the kids will love!

Leeds to York

If you and your little history lovers are after catching a glimpse of a historic ancient settlement, as well as amazing views of a stunning countryside, this train journey is not to be missed! Yorkshire is known for its countryside views, so it won’t disappoint!

Oxford to Hereford

The Cotswold offers passengers amazing views of its vast countryside, which you’ll witness as you pass through the scenic rolling hills in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. You’ll get to pass over the Ledbury viaduct which was built using 300 5m bricks!

Glasgow to Mallaig

This amazing train journey, which is one of the most scenic trips in the world, makes it way through a peaceful and remote location and offers outstanding views of the Clyde as it climbs its way above the river. Little train travellers will love the rocky formations!

Newcastle to Edinburgh

Cruise through the stunning Northumbrian cliffs and coastline as you make your way towards Scotland on this breathtaking train journey.

Settle to Carlisle

Ranked as the second best train journey in the world in 2015, you won’t want to miss this one of a kind train journey! Marvel at the fantastic scenery as you pass through the heart of Eden Valley and the Yorkshire Dales and see how many viaducts and tunnels you can count along the way!

Durham to Berwick-upon-Tweed

Little budding historians will love this history rich train journey! Other than lovely views of the sea, you’ll catch sight of historic castles and a Second World War airfield!

The Bluebell Railway, Sussex

This much loved railway, located in the beautiful south of England, is Britain’s first preserved standard gauge railway to carry passengers. You’ll get to pass through an 18 mile loop, catching sight of rural Sussex and Sheffield Park along the way!

London Euston to Fort William

If you’re looking for an epic overnight adventure, why not take a sleeper train for a fun yet relaxing sleeper train journey from London’s Euston to Scotland Fort William? Begin your adventure exploring all this exciting bustling city has to offer and finish in the peaceful town of Fort William to take in stunning waterside views!

St Erth to St Ives

This train trip is the shortest in Britain was originally built to serve pilchard-fishing village of St Ives in 1877, but is now running to allow everyone to enjoy the beautiful sights of Cornwall! You’ll get to see some fab scenery, as well as have the chance to catch some waves at your St Ives destination… perfect for your little surfer dudes and dudettes!

Salisbury to Exeter

Enjoy stunning views as you travel through the South West by train. You’ll get sight of wooden canopies and wide open views of this wonderful location!

 

Don’t do too much

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We are well aware of the pressures facing parents, and would like to tell you that those looking to create a memorable children’s party for their little one and should focus on simplicity and fun and try to ignore, where possible, the feeling that they have to compete with other parents as this can actually result in having an adverse effect on your children’s party!

Do remember that children love simplicity. Not to say the children’s entertainment shouldn’t be good or varied. It should definitely be good and varied. It needs to be engaging, fun and imaginative too. But parents should avoid the temptation to overload their kid’s party with too many activities at the same time as this will end up being over stimulating and confusing. We’ve seen it time and time again where parent book an entertainer, bouncy castle, popcorn machine, mascot, face painter, etc. all in one party that last just 2 hours.

Parents should choose no more than a handful of activities for the children and to make sure that there is plenty of time for the kids to enjoy all of it.

In the same way, parents that don’t plan enough children’s party activities or have any form of children’s entertainment at all, can often find that their children are completely underwhelmed, bored or worse become very restless and start running around and be difficult for parents to control. If there is no structure to the entertainment planned this can happen a lot, which is something all parents want to avoid.

A perfect party has a few fun party activities planned for different times, but parents should be prepared for their party ‘timetable’ to change slightly during the celebration so it can be adapted to suit the kid’s energy levels on the day and to accommodate any unforeseen events e.g. food running late.

 

Scotland with the family

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Keep the children entertained this year by visiting some Scottish family fun attractions. From exploring Scottish legends, wildlife spotting and waterpark fun, we’ve got loads for you to see, and all are budget-friendly, too.

1. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Spend the day exploring Edinburgh’s iconic castle overlooking the nation’s beautiful capital. Home to some of Scotland’s most legendary royals, fought over in ancient battles and later used as a jail for enemies of the state – this mighty fortress has overseen some of the greatest moments of Edinburgh’s history. Download the family-friendly itinerary and let the kids lead the way as they navigate through the castle with a series of clues…

 

Best for: Spectacular views over the city

2. Loch Ness cruises, Inverness

Anyone who’s ever heard of Nessie, the supposedly three-humped lake monster that lurks beneath the surface of Loch Ness, will be dying to come and explore the legendary lake themselves, and what better way to do it than by taking to its waters on a cruise? Loch Ness by Jacobite offer a range of tours to embark on whether you just want to explore the lake or you can choose to fit in some more sights along the way, like Urquhart Castle, which stands proudly on the northern shore of Loch Ness.

 

Best for: Kids with wild imaginations!

3. Bowhill Country Estate, Selkirk

An enchanting secluded estate surrounded by a beautiful lake and acres of woodlands, Bowhill is one of Scotland’s hidden gems. With plenty of outdoor activities – fishing, hiking, horse riding and indoor estate tours, – there’s fantastic fun come rain or shine. If you live close by, check out the kids’ club with different activities each week for budding rangers.

 

Best for: The adventure playground… zip wire included!

4. Almond Valley Museum, Farm and Discovery Centre, West Lothian

Animal lovers will go wild for Almond Valley’s farm. And with an array of indoor and outdoor activities – from the petting farm to the indoor adventure playground and the giant pillow – there’s plenty to keep kids entertained. Plus, across the river you can explore the woodland gardens and interactive museum.

 

Best for: Under 10s.

5. Stirling Castle, Stirling

Stirling Castle is the Scottish heart of all things art, culture and celebrity in the 16th century. Take in the stunning architecture of the Royal Palace and visit the surrounding castle buildings including the breathtaking Palace gardens. Make sure to check out the Palace Vaults for a magical trip into the costumes behind the court jesters or the Regimental Museum housing exquisite artefacts from conflicts around the globe. Plus you may just get a visit from some of Stirling’s most famous residents…

 

Best for: Dressing up in the castle’s fancy dress box

 

Family days out for little historians

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York, Yorkshire

This picturesque town, located in North Yorkshire, is the perfect place to bring your budding little historians! Head to the York Castle Museum to get an insight into Edwardian and Victorian life in York, or pay a visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre to discover why they’re so popular. It’s also a must for chocolate lovers with the fab York’s Chocolate Story! If you’ve got a little thrill seeker in tow, be sure to check out Lightwater Valley to take on Europe’s longest rollercoaster; The Ultimate!

Cardiff, Wales

This beautiful town offers lots of varied and entertaining fun for all of the family! Explore Cardiff Bay on The Open Boat; a lovely steam boat that offers amazing views of the harbour, or head over to Cardiff Castle to learn all about this town’s fascinating medieval history. Fans of Doctor Who will love the Doctor Who Experience for an immersive journey through space and time!

Lymington, New Forest

For those after an escape to the forest, Lymington is the place to be! Situated on the edge of the New Forest, this port town is renowned as a sailing resort and is home to lots of lovely independent boutiques… perfect for budding little fashionistas! For those after a slice of culture, head on over to St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery to marvel at amazing artwork and have a go at one of their family friendly trails. Hiring a bike and exploring the nearby woodland is also a must for active families looking to work up a pre-pub appetite!

Dartmouth, Devon

If you’re looking for active filled family day out with a spectacular backdrop, Dartmouth is your one stop destination! From cycling, walking and an array of outdoor activities, you really are spoilt for choice. This is as well as amazing historic houses, gardens, castles and museums, such as Dartmouth Castle. If you’re looking to delve deeper into the countryside, the Dartmoor National Park is only a short drive away from the town centre!

Falmouth, Cornwall

If you’ve got a budding surfer dude or dudette in tow, or are a lover of the seaside, Falmouth is the place to be! With a stunning beach that offers a variety of children’s activities such as rock pooling, sailing, snorkelling and SUP paddle boarding, your little beach bums won’t know where to start first. Head on over to the National Maritime Museum to find out all about this lovely town.

 

Where to take the kids for half term

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Wondering how to entertain kids on a budget during half term? If you’re strapped for ideas for half-term family activities, never fear.
Take a free event.
 
Have a look at Free-events and wherecanwego for more children’s events going on in your area over the course of the week.
Watch a film
For a lazy start to the day, Vue cinemas host Mini Mornings every morning during the holidays. Both adult and child tickets are £2.49 for selected movies, so you could release your inner child for very little expense.
 
Odeon offers something very similar with Odeon Kids. Kids and adults can go every morning during the school holidays at a slightly higher ticket price of £2.50.
 
Cineworld also does Movie for Juniors where you and the kids can get in for a tiny £2 each (3D £3.50).
Go bowling
Head over to your local Tenpin from Monday to Friday and get a cracking School’s Out deal. If you go before 5pm, kids can get one game of bowling and a burger meal for £8.49 and adults can get the same for £10.99. Deals vary between bowling alleys so check the Tenpin website before you go.
Learn a new skill
There’s everything from free scales and fins pet workshops at Pets at Home stores to spooky shadows workshops at the National Gallery.
 
Hobbycraft also runs free workshops for kids in some of its 81 UK stores over the weekends and during half term. Check if your local store is running one.
 
Alternatively stay in and pass on your own skills (think instruments, drawing, cooking) to the kids.
Get sporty
If the weather holds up, get them outside for a bit of a kickabout. Find out where to get free holiday football coaching at various skill centres throughout England.
 
Or if the kids prefer a spot of tennis, clubs up and down the UK offer free weekly tennis coaching lessons in public parks and free ‘walk on and play’ in certain courts.
 
The National Trust has a number of cycle routes for families too as well as some great walks including walks for little legs so that the young ones don’t get too tired.
 
Councils across the UK offer free swim programmes for certain residents, so check out your local council’s website to see if you or your children are eligible.
Soak up some culture
There are free museums up and down the country just waiting to be explored, and many of them host special events for children during the break.
 
If you’re in or around London, there’s plenty of theatre to keep children entertained too. For example, if you go and see Let’s Fly at the Little Angel Theatre you can get tickets for £10 for adults or £8 for children.
You can bag more free tickets, money off and cheap meals by visiting Groupon, Wowcher, VoucherCodes and Voucher Cloud.
Eat out on the cheap
You can guarantee that there’ll be some great offers available for families over the half term.
You can find a load on websites like VoucherCodes. Or if you have a craving for a roast dinner, find your nearest Crown Carvery. If you order a meal on any Sunday (or bank holiday Monday) any child under 10 will get their meal for free!
Get creative at home
You don’t have to go on a grand adventure to have a memorable day with the family. Find something you can all do together like play a game or do a project which the whole family can get involved in.
It can be as simple as grabbing some old scraps and getting crafty. There are thousands of projects available online, including ones that can be made using household junk. If it’s not raining, put together a scavenger hunt in the garden using small knick knacks or wrapped chocolates. Don’t worry if it is, just take the hunt indoors.
 
There are also some wacky experiments you can do at home like creating your own tornado, fashioning a soap sculpture or growing edible crystals. You don’t even have to leave the kitchen.
 
And if all else fails, raid the linen cupboard and make a giant blanket fort.