Glow Travel Sleep Easy

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Disclosure - We were sent the Glow Travel Sleep Easy for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. 

As a family we love to travel. We love spending days exploring new and old places but when it comes to bedtime it can be a tough as 2 out of the 4 of us struggle to get asleep. It's always been like this and over the years we have tried all sorts but nothing really works. This Summer we will be trying out the Glow Travel Sleep Easy. We are already using it at home but as it's travel friendly I cannot wait to see if it makes those restless nights more peaceful. 

Getting Started was easy we twisted the lid to open and popped in an oil pad. There are 5 included. We then added the aromatherapy oil, popped the lid back on and switched on the power button. 

There are many features to support good sleep including

Red LED light - Encourages the brain to produce more melatonin - the hormone that prepares our cells for sleep. There are 3 setting which you can tap to increase the light from dim to bright.

Pink Noise - Organic pink noise creates a consistent soundscape to prevent unnecessary wake ups and help the brain achieve deep Slow-Wave sleep. You can tap to adjust the volume. Pink noise helps to reduce household noise such as pets and traffic which can cause wake ups. 

Aroma Nebuliser - No water needed for scent nebuliser and will run all night! Promotes deep, relaxing breathing and helps to ease congestion and illness. 

The Glow Travel Sleep Easy has a 2hr, 4hr and 12hr setting which is controlled by pressing the button and also a child lock feature. 

Once charged it has a full 12hr battery life however it can also be plugged in if you are at home.

The Glow Travel Sleep Easy is a compact and portable device which has just two parts making it a perfect travelling companion. It can fit easy in to a cup holder in car or buggy. 

The Glow Travel Sleep Easy is not just for little ones, we have been using it too and it really has helped support better sleep at home and I know this will really help us when travelling this Summer. 

You can find out more information by visiting Glow Travel Sleep Easy 

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Michelle

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Post-Beach Skincare - Essential Tips to Nourish Your Skin

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post. 

After a delightful day spent basking in the sun, feeling the sand between your toes, and enjoying the refreshing ocean waves, it's essential to give your skin the care it deserves. The beach environment can be harsh on your skin, with exposure to sunlight, saltwater, and sand. To ensure your skin stays healthy and nourished, follow these post-beach skincare tips.

Rinse Off The Saltwater and Sand 

Start by rinsing your body and face with fresh water to remove any residual salt and sand. Gently cleanse your skin using a mild, hydrating cleanser to eliminate impurities without stripping away essential moisture.

Soothe With A Cool Compress

If your skin feels irritated or sunburned, apply a cool compress to calm inflammation. Use a clean cloth soaked in cold water or aloe vera gel to provide instant relief and hydrate the skin.

Moisturise Generously

After cleansing, apply a rich, hydrating moisturiser to replenish lost moisture and restore the skin's natural barrier. Look for products that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, or aloe vera to nourish and soothe the skin, like the ones from the Blue Lagoon body skincare line for example. 

Repair and Rejuvenate With Antioxidants

Exposure to the sun can cause oxidative stress on the skin, leading to premature ageing. Use skincare products rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, green tea extract, or resveratrol to help repair and protect the skin from free radicals.

Apply A Soothing Face Mask

Treat your skin to a soothing and hydrating face mask to restore moisture and promote skin rejuvenation. Look for masks with ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber, or hyaluronic acid to replenish hydration levels and soothe any sun-induced redness or irritation.

Don't Forget Your Lips And Eyes

Your lips and the delicate skin around your eyes are particularly susceptible to sun damage. Apply a lip balm with SPF and a hydrating eye cream to protect and nourish these sensitive areas.

Take A Break From Makeup

Give your skin a break from heavy makeup after a day at the beach. Opt for lightweight, breathable products or go makeup-free to allow your skin to breathe and recover.

Hydrate From Within

Spending time at the beach can dehydrate your body, so it's crucial to replenish lost moisture by drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated not only benefits your overall health but also helps maintain skin elasticity and a youthful appearance.

Protect For Future Beach Outings

Prevention is key. Before heading out for another beach adventure, make sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF, wear protective clothing, and seek shade when the sun is at its peak.

By following these post-beach skincare tips, you can ensure that your skin stays healthy, hydrated, and glowing even after a day of fun in the sun. Prioritise your skin's well-being, and it will continue to radiate beauty and vitality for years to come.

Michelle

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9 Must See London Landmarks Along The River Thames

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links 

Last year during a getaway in London we decided to book a City Cruise along the River Thames. A river cruise is the perfect way to take in the London landmarks from the comfort of your seat. Most cruises will have a tour guide telling you some history about the sights and may also point out some London landmarks you may have missed. These are our 9 must see London landmarks along the River Thames.

Houses Of Parliament 

Built between 1840-1870 The Houses of Parliament stand on the North Bank of the River Thames. It's easy to spot with it's sand coloured limestone. It's also known as the Palace of Westminster and is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and Westminster Hall. It is also where you will find Big Ben.

Big Ben

Standing for over 150 years the Elizabeth Tower is one of Londons most iconic landmarks however is mostly known as Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the clock tower and weighs more than 13 tons. 

The Shard

The 72 storey skyscraper is home to offices, restaurants and a hotel. It is a very popular visitor attraction also as you can enjoy a View From The Shard which offers you the chance to see for 40 miles across London on a clear day.

London Eye

The London Eye is one of the most popular attractions in London that charges an admission fee. Standing at 443ft the London Eye was the worlds most tallest ferris wheel from 1999-2006. Each one of the 32 capsules can hold up to 25 passengers for the 30 minute duration. The 32 capsules represents the 32 boroughs (together with the City of London) of Greater London. 

Tower Bridge

After 8 years of construction the Tower Bridge was opened in 1894, therefore spending over a century of being a defining iconic landmark for not just London but the United Kingdom too. The bridge has the ability to lift to let river traffic through and offers a whole range of other quirky features which can be seen along the bridge itself including a glass walkway. 

Cleopatra's Needle

The Obelisk was made in Egypt for the Pharaoh Thotmes III in 1460 BC, making it almost 3,500 years old. It is known as Cleopatra’s Needle as it was brought to London from Alexandria, the royal city of Cleopatra. 

St Paul's Cathedral 

Its dome, surrounded by the spires of Wren's City churches, has dominated the skyline for over 300 years. At 365 ft high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1963. The dome is still one of the highest in the world. St Paul's is the second-largest church building in area in the United Kingdom, after Liverpool Cathedral.

Shakespeare's Globe

Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays.It is recommended that if you go to watch a show at Shakespeares Globe that you dress appropriately for all weathers as the theatre has an open roof. 

HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast is a Town-class light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy. She is now permanently moored as a museum ship on the River Thames in London and is operated by the Imperial War Museum.

Our Cruise

We were given the choice of four locations to board. We chose Westminster as it was closest to where we were visiting. You can also hop on a London Eye, Tower Bridge or Greenwich. The cruise offers 24 hours of hop on / hop off however you can stay on for the whole duration of the round trip but it can take over 2 hours. Each pier to pier trip is approx 40 minutes except for Westminster to London Eye which is approx 10 minutes. 

There were plenty of other sights to see along the way and the cruises usually have live or pre recorded commentary which point out landmarks and places of interest along the way. We found the cruise a great way to see the sights of London from the comfort of our seat.

Have you enjoyed a cruise along the River Thames? What was your favourite landmark?

Michelle

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3 Family Holidays Everyone Will Love

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post

Family holidays are a great way to relax and enjoy yourself with your loved ones. They can even let you foster closer bonds with your kids and reconnect with your partner. If you look back, some of your fondest childhood memories can be on these holidays, and you’ll naturally want to have the same with your kids.

That doesn’t mean all family holidays are made equal. Some are much better and more fun than others, and you’ll want to make sure you and your kids enjoy them. You’ll want to find family holidays everyone will love, and these don’t be hard to find. Three of them could be great for you and your kids, and nobody should have a problem having fun.

Family Holidays Everyone Will Love

Disney World

Disney World is known the world over for being an amazing place for kids to visit, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun for parents, too. It really is a magical place, and you’ll have more of an enjoyable experience than you’d think. You can even feel free to let your inner child out.

While this can be one of the higher-cost family holidays everyone will love, it’s worth every penny. The memories you and your family will make are more than worth spending a little money on, so there’s no reason not to consider Disney World.

Golfing

If a love of golf runs in the family, then going on a golfing trip is worth considering. You’ll have more than a few options to choose from, with a junior golf camp being perfect for your kids. If you want a family holiday that’s a little more active but still pretty relaxed, this is the perfect choice.

Make sure everyone has an interest in golf before choosing this option. If they do, it’ll be more memorable than you’d think.

Road Trip

Road trips are quite underrated, especially when it comes to a family holiday. While they’ll naturally involve much more travel time, that’s often part of the fun. You can even take the time to get closer with your family while you’re on the road trip. The actual driving time could be the perfect opportunity for this.

There are countless sights you can see during your trip, but you’ll need to make sure you carefully map them out. Keep in mind what you and your family would love to see, and figure out if it’s possible to get to them all during the one road trip. You’ll make more fond memories than you thought.

Finding family holidays everyone will love doesn’t have to be complicated. You could already have a few ideas, and your kids might have places they’d like to go. If you don’t have any ideas, you don’t need to struggle with choosing the perfect holiday for your family.

Going golfing, spending a weekend at Disney World, and even going on a road trip can all create some of the fondest memories you and your children will have. Keep your family’s interests in mind, and you won’t have a problem picking somewhere.

Michelle

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Visiting Disneyland Paris During Halloween Season

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Last Updated - September 2023 

Halloween season is lots of fun and even more special if you are heading to Disneyland Paris. We have always enjoyed visiting Disneyland Paris during Halloween and there are lots of tricks and treats to enjoy at the hotels and the parks to keep you busy. If you are planning a trip this Halloween season then I've gathered some information to make the most of your visit. 

What To Expect During Disneyland Paris Halloween Festival

Disneyland Paris Halloween Festival is back for 2023 and begins on the 1st October right up until 5th November. 

Disneyland Park

From the moment you head in to the park you will be greeted with pumpkins and Halloween decorations as they line the streets with tricks and treats ready to pop up anywhere to give you a spooky surprise.

Main Street is one of our favourite places to take photographs as it is always decorated perfectly for the Halloween season. There will be lots of Mickey pumpkins, ghosts and ghouls ready to be snapped. 

The decorations and music at Disneyland Paris really add to your whole experience and they do it so well.

What Characters Are In Disneyland Paris For Halloween?

Halloween brings out the villains and you will definitely spot a few of your favourites. Halloween season is the only time you can spot some of the villains so you won't want to miss them.

Maleficent will be lurking around Sleeping Beauty's Castle so make sure you check out Fantasyland.

If you fancy seeing Captain Hook head to Adventureland and look out for the Jolly Roger.

Also meet the Mischief Makers - Chip, Dale and Goofy.

Mickey's Halloween Celebration

Disneyland Paris wouldn't be the same without a parade and this Halloween join in with the Mischief Makers as they entertain you during Mickey's Halloween Celebration.

Nightfall With Disney Villains

As the sun sets, Disney Villains bewitch Sleeping Beauty Castle with projections, music and water fountains for a freakishly fun moment.

Hollywood Studios

From 1 October, evil villains and other mischievous characters are invading Studio Theatre for your goosebump-inducing pleasure. A screamingly good time awaits those courageous enough to spend time in the presence of these rebellious rapscallions.

The Tower Of Terror

Welcome to the dusty remnants of the once-glamourous Hollywood Tower Hotel. Going up? Hop inside the service elevator and discover the surprises that lie on the upper floors - we’re sure you’ll fall quickly for this old Hotel’s quirky charms. Oh, and make sure you strap in, you never know what can happen in a rickety old lift.

As well as all the spooky shenanigans you can enjoy all your favourite rides. 

Opening times and ride closures are updated on the Disneyland Paris website under plan your visit so make sure you check that out before your visit so you can plan your days. 

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways

Have you visited Disneyland Paris during Halloween season? Leave us a comment below and let us know about your visit 

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- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

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- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Michelle

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Visiting The Cotswolds With The Family

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post.

We absolutely love visiting all different parts of the UK and we try to pick out family friendly destinations as much as we can. Although we love our active days and theme park trips as a family we actually love exploring, walks in the parks and visiting historic sites. The Cotswolds ticks all the boxes for us and these are just a few of our favourite places to visit with the family. 

Fairytale Farm, Southcombe, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5QH

Adventure play and animals are always a great combination when looking for a day out with the kids. With a sprinkle of fairytale magic on top you have Fairytale Farm. 

The farm is home to an exciting adventure playground with lots of choice for children of all abilities. Take a stroll through The Enchanted Walk with lots to see and finish off with a visit to the farm where you can meet all the animals. 

If you are looking to rest and refuel then you can head to Beanstalk Cafe, serving freshly ground coffee, locally baked cakes and homemade meals.

Pre booking is essential for visiting Fairytale Farm. 

Entry fee

£6.75 (adults)

£6.50 ( children and senior citizens)

Open every day 10-5pm from 16/2/22 to 24/12/22

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL

Blenheim Palace offers its visitors over 300 years of history and 2000 acres of beautiful landscapes to discover.

Blenheim Palace was once home to the Dukes of Marlborough and Sir Winston Churchill. Take a guided tour as you enjoy hearing the history of the palace and all about those who lived at the palace. You will find exhibits that tell the story of their lives, and the lives of those who have run the Palace and Estate for three centuries, through diaries, artefacts, photographs and film.

Opening times vary depending on what you would like to visit so it's best checking the opening times online for the palace, gardens, park, shop, restaurant, cafe, walled garden and miniature train.

Entry for the palace, park and gardens is chargeable and they offer an annual pass which allows you to pay for 1 day entry and get 12 months free. 

Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire, OX18 4JP

The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens has over 260 different species of animals covering over 120 acres of parkland allowing you to get up close and personal with the wildlife. 

You can visit a wide range of animals including lions, camels, zebras and rhinos. There is a children's farmyard with goat petting zoo and the kids will love the adventure playground. The natural playground which is located in the woods has treehouses, rope swings and slides to enjoy. 

If reptiles are your thing then you will be pleased to know that the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens has one of the largest reptile houses in the UK. 

Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens is open all year round except for Christmas day with reduced hours in the Winter months. 

Entry fee when booked online

£16.00 Adult

£11.00 Child (3-16)

£11.00 Senior (65+)

Cotswold Discovery Trail, 60 Bisley Old Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 1LZ

We love completing trails and the Cotswold Discovery Trail is the perfect way to explore the Cotswolds taking in famous Cotswold locations and 4 historic counties, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Wiltshire. 

Each trail is completed by car and foot. Whilst on foot you are able to explore the locations. The circular route allows you to start and finish at a location suited yo you and there are two trails available. One trail is in the North of the Cotswolds and one in the south.  Total drive time is approx 2-3 hours. 

The Cotswold Discovery Trail map is £36 for 1 or £46 for 2. 

It needs to be purchased online at Cotswold Discovery Trail.

These are just a few of our favourite things to do whilst visiting the Cotswolds. It really is a lovely place to visit and would definitely recommend a short stay so you can explore everything it has to offer. 

If you are looking for family friendly accommodation then you can view the range of Classic cottage’s holiday cottages in the Cotswolds. With 3 properties to choose from including Stonewell Cottage, Little Maunditts Cottage and Park Farm Cottage.

Cottages are a perfect place to stay when travelling with the family and can even include dog friendly holiday cottages in the Cotswolds too.

Have you visited the Cotswolds? What is your favourite thing to do?

Why not keep up to date with us on our socials, give us a like on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or if this post has helped you, you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

Michelle

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Reasons To Stay In A Villa With The Kids

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For people who love to travel these past few years have been a nightmare as due to the restrictions we have not been able to travel as much. We were hoping to maybe get away on a two week Summer holiday this year however that didn't happen although we did enjoy 4 nights in Disneyland Paris instead.  I have been thinking about next year and trying to get some ideas for where and when we would like to get away. As there is still a lot of uncertainty in the world I have been swaying more towards a villa holiday rather than a hotel or apartments and have jotted down a few ideas for planning a villa holiday with the kids. One of our favourite places we have ever visited is Cyprus. We stayed in a holiday village in Cyprus and it was a lovely country to visit. It was very clean, lots to explore and the locals were so friendly. I've been looking at a private villa in Cyprus in a similar area to where we stayed and it looks like an option for us next year. 

Why We Want To Stay At A Villa With The Kids

It's A Home From Home

A villa has all the facilities you need when travelling with younger children. We don't travel light, and last time we went abroad we took so many clothes to last us the fortnight. Having a washing machine in the villa means we can take half the amount and just wash while we are there. Having a fridge too is a must especially keeping the drinks cold throughout the day.

No Distractions

We have been on many holidays over the years where the entertainment staff have literally dragged us off our sun loungers to join in with the daytime activities. I love daytime entertainment but sometimes you just want to chill out and not be pestered by reps to join in with activities happening around the pool or grounds.

No Kids Clubs. 

Little J has never shown any interest in attending kids clubs. He would rather play in the pool and spend time with his older brother.  

No Restrictions.

The last few times we have been abroad on holiday we stayed have stayed in an all inclusive resort. This always sounds like a great idea for us especially when it come to being able to get drinks, snacks and ice cream whenever we want however it becomes very restrictive at meal times. We  have felt that we couldn't venture too far as we would miss lunch or dinner time. Also it meant we didn't visit local restaurants either. 

Chill time. 

We all love our chill time. Whether it's reading, watching some TV, playing games on iPads or just watching the world go by. It will be nice to have some chill time of an evening on our own private balcony.

Free Wifi

Even though we are on holiday, free wifi is a must. I like to stay connected to the outside world and the boys would be lost with their daily dose of you tube or games on their devices. 

Full UK TV, Sky Channels and DVD/CD Player

We are not ones for staying out late drinking and partying. After a lovely day by the pool or exploring the resort I can't think of anything better than a DVD and a cup of tea.

Private Pool

The boys love the water and knowing we would have our own private pool is a definite plus for us. There is nothing worse than having to get up every day at dawn to place your towels on the sun loungers so you can enjoy a day by the pool. 

We have always found choosing a holiday really hard. In fact it takes us weeks and weeks just to decide on where to go then another few weeks looking at accommodation. Although after thinking about it we are almost certain a villa is for us next year.

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Comments - I love reading your opinions and thoughts - Have you booked a Summer Holiday? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

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Michelle

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