Tag: kids

Ideas for Kids Summer holidays

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Visit a theme park
The summer holidays is the perfect time to plan a visit to one of the best theme parks in the UK.

Go to a safari park
See wild animals roaming from the comfort of your own car, thanks to our safari parks UK guide.

Find your local beach
Feel the sand between your toes, build a sandcastle or paddle in the sea at one of the best beaches in England.

Play in the park
There’s loads to explore at your local park, from climbing frames to minibeast hunting. Don’t miss our tips for encouraging your kids to explore more.

Visit an ice cream farm
Days out don’t come much tastier! Find an ice cream farm near you now.

Complete a maize maze
See if you can find your way to the middle (and back out again!) at a maize maze near you.

Have a BBQ at home (probably in the rain!)
Summer and BBQs go hand in hand and we’d never let a little rain ruin our chance to cook al fresco! It’s one of our favourite things to do in the summer holidays.

Get crafty
With just a few supplies, you can make lots of kid-friendly arts and crafts this summer, without needing Pinterest-worthy skills. We’ve got loads of arts and crafts for kids on the blog, including toddler crafts, pom pom crafts, pottery painting and more.

Learn a new skill
Think about how much you could learn in six weeks! Pick up the basics of a new language, learn how to read a map, try a bushcraft survival skills workshop or even learn how to ski at an indoor slope!

Go on a family bike ride
Explore on two wheels this summer (don’t forget stabilisers for younger riders!) with our list of 5 traffic-free family bike rides.

Join the painted rocks craze
Brighten up your local walking route, by creating and hiding some painted rocks. Start by reading our ultimate guide to painted rocks!

Go to the cinema
The Incredibles 2 is top of our must-see list this summer, see our full list of new kids’ films you have to watch in 2018.

Go swimming
Pack your goggles and your cossies and make a splash this summer. For sunny days, find an outdoor swimming pool near you.

The Story Museum

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If your kids love stories then this is the place to be, with all the fun of an Interactive story Museu. Step off the page into a world of colour, characters and literary delights. You’ve discovered The Story Museum!

Address
42 Pembroke Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1BP, England

This is a place like no other with a labyrinth of immersive and classically themed rooms. Topple down the rabbit hole and take your place at the mad hatter’s tea party in Wonderland. Wild about Colour soaks up the vivid kaleidoscopic vision of 60’s illustrator, Brian Wildsmith to stunning effect. And of course the ultimate in adventure – open the cupboard door, squeeze past fur coats and out into snowy Narnia! Just be sure to say hello to Mr Tumnus.

The museum regularly produces new installations in collaboration with illustrators, and parents bring their littluns back time and time again for poetry and storytelling, or screenings of Disney classics in the museum cinema. The essential draw, however, is the incredible dressing up room. Choose from an entire universe of costumes, step out onto the red carpet and hear your self-appointed name announced for all to hear!

Immersive experiences based on children’s books, including the unmissable Narnia
Possibly the world’s greatest dressing up box.
An array of activities including cinema, storytelling and dance

Take a walk on the wild side

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If your kids are mad about animals a Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens would be great for them.

Gaze at the Asiatic Lions and adorable cubs lazing around in their enclosures, be blown away by the stunning White Rhino grazing on the lawn of the Gothic Manor House, look a giraffe in the eye at the Giraffe Walkway, or watch the Flamingos and Pelicans on the lake. If you’re feeling brave, how about taking a peek into the Reptile House with Giant Anacondas, crocodiles and deadly snakes!

The park is also home to 131 species of bird and is renowned for its collection; which includes birds of all sizes, from the tiny Zosterops to the world’s biggest bird, the Ostrich.

It’s not just animals you can have fun with at Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, take a ride on the narrow-gauge railway, run wild in the amazing adventure playground or climb 20 feet in the air on the scary sky maze!

The stunning gardens, picturesque parkland and themed borders make a beautiful backdrop to the animals. With over 260 different species of animals in over 120 acres, there’s plenty of space to get closer to wildlife.

It’s a wild and educational day out!
See lots of stunning animals
Enjoy the beautiful gardens
Have fun in the adventure playground with sky maze.

Visit Oxford Castle

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Travel back in time to Oxford Castle. Your kids will love this family day out and hopefully they will take in all the history.

This site is packed to the brim with history; where to start?! Begin by climbing the Saxon St.George’s Tower. This is one of the oldest buildings in Oxford with 360° panoramic views around the city. Then drop right back down to the depths of a 900-year-old crypt, the only surviving remains of St. George’s Chapel. Next explore the insides of an 18th-century debtor’s tower, before winding your way through the prison d-wing. Last but not least? Scale the mound of the 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle.

Climb one of the oldest buildings in Oxford with 360° panoramic views of the city

Explore prison cells and a 900-year-old crypt

Guided tours give visitors a true-to-life look into the history of the area

This was a site of incarceration dating back to 1071 and gives a look into the lives of real people: the owners, visionaries, activists and inmates of Oxford. Tours run every 20 minutes but you’ll have plenty of time to explore the site under your own steam. Plus be sure to get some yummy lunch at the Castleyard Café.

Summer Holidays in the South West

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Adventure Wonderland – Christchurch, Dorset

2nd August 2017 : Meet & Greet Peppa Pig
17th August 2017 : Paw Patrol Marshall and Skye

Mini thrill seekers will love Adventure Wonderland! Designed for kids aged 3–10 years, this fun theme park has lots of rides suitable for youngsters, including the ‘Jabberwocky’ helter-skelter slide, a Runaway Train, Flying Elephants, Ghostly Galleon and Yoyo Swings and lots more! Better yet, there will be some very special guests visiting Adventure Wonderland this summer so be sure not to miss everyone’s favourite little piggy Peppa Pig on the 2nd of August, Paw Patrol’s cheeky pups Marshall and Skye on the 17th of August and Fireman Sam on the 29th of August.

Liberty’s Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre – Ringwood, Hampshire

Liberty’s is home to a large collection of birds of prey, reptiles and creepy crawlies! You’ll get to see some owls, hawks and eagles, as well as pythons, bearded dragons, snakes, tarantulas and much more! You also have the chance to see these amazing birds and see them in daily programme of falconry shows.

Museum of Witchcraft – Boscastle, Cornwall

This fascinating museum, which is home to the largest collection of witchcraft artifacts and regalia, tells stories of magic and the history of witchcraft! For rumbling tums, head to the on site cafe where you can pick up some yummy food and drink.

Eden Project – Par, Cornwall

These two enormous geodesic conservatories, located in a 50 metre deep crater, are home to the Humid Tropics Biome and the Warm Temperate Biome. Set within the breathtaking location of Par, this attraction is not to be missed by budding gardeners and conservationists eager to see the largest rainforest in captivity, stunning plants, exhibitions and more!

Heartlands – Redruth, Cornwall

This unique park, which covers 19 acres, includes state-of-the-art exhibitions, climb-on sculptures and gardens! Creative little artists will love the arts and crafts activities on offer. Pay a visit to the Totem Circle, which is used as a performance area through the year. Kids will love the Adventure Playground where they will find amazing funnel slides to speed down as well as plenty to climb on and over!

Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park – Poole, Dorset

Budding farmers will love Farmer Palmer’s! They’ll be spoilt for choice with indoor and outdoor play areas, bumpy tractor trailer rides plus plenty of cuddles with cute animals. Active ones will love the bouncy castles and the Maize Maze (open July to October) to get lost in. Take a quiet stroll on a beautiful woodland walk to take in some lovely scenery!

Clip ‘n’ Climb – Exeter, Devon

Are your kids ready for an adventure? Tackle the Jungle Gym, reach new heights on the Skyscraper, take the Speed Climbing challenge or light up the board on the Checkerplate. This is a great children’s activity to build confidence and team building skills!

Gloucester Ski & Snowboard Centre – Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Little adventurers will love this indoor sports centre, which features a huge 230 metre main slope and a nursery slope for lessons! There’s also lifts, a snowflex fun park for the children and a Big Airbag for practicing freestyle manoeuvres!

The World of Country Life – Exmouth, Devon

Your little farmers will love immersing themselves in rural life at The World of Country Life! Wander through a Victorian Street, marvel at the transport and agricultural machinery of yesteryear, and meet some cute and cuddly animals in the pets centre. There’s also adventure playgrounds, a giant slide, trampolines, crazy golf, as well as an indoor Pirate Ship Adventure and a safari train that runs through a forty acre deer park!

Great Parks for picnics

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Bute Park, Cardiff

Right in the heart of the central business district in Cardiff is this beautiful park. There are numerous natural play areas, acres of green space, trails to follow and even three café’s to grab some refreshments. If you are visiting the city it’s well worth a visit, you can spend fifteen minutes or even a whole day here.

Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Not far from Old Town in Edinburgh is this piece of ancient Scottish countryside. The family can hike around the park exploring the expanses of wilderness where you will find crags, cliffs, lochs and the famous Arthur’s Seat.

Boscombe Coastal Activity Park, Bournemouth, Dorset

Stretching one kilometre either side of Boscombe Pier you will find the Coastal Activity Park. You can walk along the beach, join in with the organised activities or even have a go at the fun free swingball, table tennis and bouldering.

Richmond Park, London

Richmond Park is the largest of the Royal Parks in London (2,500 acres) and has hills, fields and woodlands full of wildlife. The family can try to spot some of the 350 Fallow Deer or 350 Red Deer among many other creatures that call the park home, or even play in the playgrounds or follow the cycle paths that criss-cross the park.

Heaton Park, Manchester

There’s plenty to see and do at Heaton Park! Visit the animal centre to meet cows, alpacas, goats, rabbits and many other adorable animals or have a go at one of the of the many fun children’s activities on offer. You can hire a rowing boat, play a game of golf, hop onto a tram or you can grab some refreshments in the tea room.

Ashton Court, Bristol

This huge park of 850 acres once belonged to the Smyth family, now it’s an historic park with woodlands and grasslands ready for you to explore. There are grazing deer to spot, mountain bike tracks of different difficulty levels, two 18-hole pitch and putt courses and a miniature railway. You will also find many walks that the family can take, panoramic views and plenty of space to play games. Throughout the year there are events held in the park including the International Balloon Fiesta.

Lower Leas Coastal Park, Kent

This park is split into three broad recreational zones. There’s the largest free playground in the southeast of England with slides, a spiral helter-skelter, aerial runway and even a large toddler’s sandpit, plus there’s landscaped gardens and wildlife zones. It’s a great place to spend the day having a picnic, playing or enjoying a gig at the outdoor amphitheatre.

Great Notley Country Park, Essex

Great Notley Country Park has over 100 acres of open space for the family to explore. There are two fantastic wooden play areas for the children to let off some steam, football pitches that can be hired, fishing is permitted and there are a range of great walks.

Try Pond dipping

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For fun family days out, here are a few essentials to ensure the trip is rewarding and fun:

  • Waterproofs, warm clothes and wellies
  • A shallow tray or container
  • A net (like the ones we use at the seaside, or you can make one with a coat hanger and pair of Mums tights).
  • Magnifying glass can be very useful if you have one.
  • An ID guide (which can be found online).
  • A camera or phone can be helpful for identifying tricky ones later!

Here’s what to look out for…

Amphibians -The time to look out for frogspawn is around February-March.  Frogs can lay over 5000 eggs in one go! Also look out for toads around the pond margins and newts in the water! Can you tell the difference between toad and frogspawn?

Minibeasts – You should find a wide range of snails, beetles and other insects in the water. How many can you identify?

Fish – Sticklebacks or minnows are the most likely fish that you will see.

Where to pond dip?

The UK has literally thousands of ponds; they could be ornamental ones in the garden, the local duck pond or out in the countryside. A good place to look is at your local nature reserve. Often ponds are created to encourage wildlife and there may even be staff on hand to help!

Take care!

Some old cinema classics

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Looking for some new ways to entertain the children? How about introducing the kids to some old classics….

The Goonies

This is a film loved in equal measure by us adults, the teen and the little ones. If you have not seen it before, it is about a group of childhood friends who discover an old Spanish map that leads them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate.

During the entire adventure, they are chased by a family of criminals, who also want the treasure for themselves, whilst holding the scary (but ultimately friendly) giant called Sloth captive. Be aware: this film does contain some mild swearing.

The Wizard of Oz

“We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz”

Dorothy is stuck on a farm in dreary, sepia-toned Kansas dreams of a more exciting life somewhere over the proverbial rainbow; she gets her wish and then some when a tornado deposits the Midwesterner and her little dog, Toto, too, into a Technicolor wonderland.

Not only are the tunes catchy and the characters loveable (mostly), the story has the fantastic message that you can go out and see the world, have adventures, make new pals and experience life at its most grand, but in the end, there’s no place like home, and no one quite like your family and friends!

Matilda

Based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, it is the fabulous story of Matilda Wormwood, a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher, Miss Honey, vs. her exceptionally horrible and ignorant parents and the most sadistic school principal imaginable The Trunchbull.

It is a real feel-good film which sees Matilda become a tough, smart cookie who kicks butt through it all, eventually outsmarting all of those bad eggs — a true tale of triumph your kids will totally adore and may even encourage the kids that “sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty” (only in a good way, of course!)

The Lion King

The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba’s uncle Scar (Mufasa’s jealous younger brother), murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. Upon maturation living with Timon (a meerkat) and Pumbaa (the slightly smelly Warthog), Simba is given some valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King.

Trolls

Want a film that literally makes you want to get up and dance? Trolls is the one for you and possibly our favourite recent kids’ film.

The Trolls are small creatures who live in an almost perpetual state of happiness, singing, dancing and hugging all day long until the Bergens invade Troll Village. Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and her friend, grumpy and pessimistic Branch set off on a journey to rescue their friends, partnered by an incredible music score that has you singing and dancing along.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket who finds a Golden Ticket in a bar of Wonka’s Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight and gets to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory with four other children from around the world. They get to meet the weird and wonderful Oompa Loompas who sing their catchy song whenever a ticket holder disobeys Wonka and gets into a spot of trouble. A fun film with a great moral to the story.

Night at the Museum

Based around a Night watchman who starts work at a museum of natural history. He makes a startling discovery, that thanks to the unleashing of an ancient Egyptian curse, the museum’s animals, birds, bugs and other exhibits spring to life after the building closes.

The film is packed full of laugh-out-loud moments and actually makes visiting a museum seem cool to the kids. The two sequels; Battle of the Smithsonian and Secret of the Tomb are well worth watching

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tells the story of two children, Jeremy and Jemima Potts. They live with their widowed father, inventor Caractacus Potts. Using a few odds and ends, plus a great deal of hard work and imagination, Potts buys and converts an old wrecked car into a shiny new contraption which is affectionately named Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. While on a seaside picnic with the children and the object of his affections, Truly Scrumptious, Potts weaves a story about the magical powers of the car and they get whisked off on a magical adventure to Vulgaria.

It is here where the children are captured by the terrifying Child Catcher. Aided by the village toymaker and all the children who have escaped capture by hiding in an underground cave, Potts and Truly masquerade as life-sized puppets and gain entry to the Baron’s birthday party to rescue them. They all live happily ever after, of course!

Mrs Doubtfire

When a finalized divorce leaves funny-guy Daniel Hillard without custody of his kids, he devises a quirky plan to spend time with them anyway – disguised as their nanny! My family loved following the story of Mrs. Doubtfire, a “Scottish Nanny” as he/she bonds with his kids, fools his ex-wife and terrorizes her new boyfriend.

The Railway Children

The story concerns a family who move from London to “The Three Chimneys”, a house near the railway in Yorkshire, after the father, who works at the Foreign Office, is imprisoned after being falsely accused of spying. The kids are soon drawn to the railway at the bottom of the garden, and all kinds of adventures.

Go to the cinema

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5 tips for taking your kid to the cinema for the first time:

Make sure your child is ready

A cinema can be a strange environment for a child, firstly it’s dark, can get very noisy and the screen is much larger than normal but it can be great children’s entertainment. If your child is sensitive to loud noises or is anxious about the dark, it’s probably best to wait until they are a little older as you don’t want them feeling uncomfortable from the start.

Pick the right film

Even when you follow the guidelines when it comes to age-appropriate films, it’s still a good idea to have a read of the general storyline before going to watch. You want their first film to be something gentle and heartwarming with enough of an engaging storyline that is easy for young children to follow

Have plenty of snacks and water

Even if you do decide to pick up some popcorn for yourself or older child before going into the cinema, do still make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks and water in your bag as these are key for helping to keep your kids sitting in their seats. These come in especially handy if you hit a slow part of the film and they are starting to lose interest. Another tip is you could also encourage your children to watch the whole film with the promise of something nice afterwards, such as a hot chocolate or ice-cream, sometimes a little bit of bribery in these circumstances can really help!

Pick an aisle seat

As adults we usually opt for the middle of the row to be as central to the film as possible, don’t make that mistake with your kids. You want to be as close to the aisle as you can should they need to go to the toilet or are just getting to unsettled and need to stand or have a quick 5-minute walk. That way you cause as little disruption to the rest of the cinema-goers and you can get in and out of your seat quickly.

Don’t be embarrassed to leave

If your child is really not enjoying themselves, is distressed, unengaged or you feel the film is unsuitable than don’t feel bad or embarrassed to leave, you certainly won’t be the first parent to do so and it’s better than putting the rest of the cinema goers through constant crying and upset. Also, all your child may need is to have a quick walk to the bathroom or just a bit of fresh air and may want to return to the film. If you do have to leave don’t make your child feel bad, its a bit of a trial and error when it comes to these things so you want to keep it a positive experience. If it does go well and they are not too sugar-high from snacks you could celebrate with an ice-cream or something fun.

If things don’t go right the first time, don’t panic! There are so many factors that go into a good cinema trip and you can always just wait another month or so and try again. Look out for special toddler-friendly screenings too, or special cinema events designed to help introduce children to the cinema – Peppa Pig’s My First Cinema Experience is a great example

Go wild in London

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Despite all the noise and never ending traffic the capital city has a lot of outdoor wild spaces for children to explore and what is best is a lot of these spaces are completely free making them the perfect stop when your in the city on a budget this summer. So pack a picnic and waterproofs and get ready to go wild in London.

Regents Park

Did you know there was an allotment space ready to explore and open to the public right in the heart of London? Well Regents Park Allotment Garden is perfect for curious little ones who are interested in where their veggies come from. Another favourite is the Wildlife garden which has a wild flower meadow and is a great place for a bug hunt. You can also take in all the colours and beauty of the rose garden in Queen Mary’s Garden which has the largest collection of roses in London

Kentish Town City Farm

A city farm that is completely free to the public and inspires children and adults to get up close with a variety of farm animals and nature. The four acre site also has a wildlife pond and community gardens plus a farm kitchen where kids can learn to cook. This city farm is a charity run organisation and offers a lot for the local community and with over 50 animals to get up close and personal too as well as many other events going on you can easily spend a couple of wild, fun and free hours here

Kensington Gardens

If your looking for a truly magical play park that inspires imagination than the huge wooden pirate ship at the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is amazing and follows on from the famous Peter Pan stories. The ship sits among a sea of sand and also has a sensory trail and teepees and play sculptures. You can also go on a hunt to find the bronze Peter Pan sculptured their is also the stunning Italian gardens and also an allotment gardens to explore

Wildlife Garden at The Natural History Museum

The Natural history museum is great for a rainy day (well any day for that matter) but besides the dinosaurs inside there is something wonderful to be found outside and that is the Wildlife Garden. It’s home to thousands of British floral and fauna and is a great place for spotting different kids and birds and bugs including the robins, wrens and blackbirds who are building their nests or the frogs and frogspawn.

Canal side Walk

If your looking for a quite and peaceful walk and seeing London from a different perspective than an early morning wander along the Regents Canal is a great way for kids to see the waterways and wildlife that lives along them. We recommend starting around Little Venice and walking to Camden which takes around 1-2 hrs. Children will really enjoy spotting all the colourful houseboats and you keep your eyes open as you pass the London Zoo as you maybe able to spy a few animals.