Hannah The Spanner and the Polar Bears | Giveaway

Hannah The Spanner and the Polar Bears | Giveaway

No comments

Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our unless stated. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

This year we have been doing a Christmas book advent calendar and little J is loving opening up a Christmas story each night before bedtime. Today he will be opening Hannah the Spanner and The Polar Bear which I know he is going to love! Hannah the Spanner and the Polar Bears is the latest addition to the hugely successful Hannah the Spanner series of children’s books and I am giving you the chance to win a copy in my latest giveaway.

Our giveaway may be closed but you can still enjoy Hannah The Spanner and the Polar Bears which is available to purchase on Amazon.

Win Hannah the Spanner and the Polar Bears

Michelle

Competition closes on Thursday 19th December 2019

Entrants must have a valid UK address. 

Bulk, third party or any other entries using automated software will be disqualified. 

All entrants and entries are checked and verified. 

1 lucky winner will be chosen at random by the Gleam application. 

Playdays and Runways will contact the lucky winners within 7 days of the competition closing. 

The winners will be emailed to the email address given at the time of entering. 

The winners will not be announced on my blog or social media until they have agreed that their name can be displayed. 

The winners must respond within 28 days, if no response a new winner will be chosen. 

This prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative 

The Prize : Hannah the Spanner and the Polar Bears Book

Read More

Is Social Media Dangerous For Our Children?

Is Social Media Dangerous For Our Children?

No comments

Disclosure | This is a collaborative post

The internet is an incredible tool and can provide children with a huge amount of helpful information, however many parents worry about their children using social media channels and the dangers they can bring. There are risks involved and there is always the worry whether our children are safe online as we let them explore the internet and use social media networks, however by talking about these dangers with your child, you can help to keep them safe online.

Explain that talking to strangers online isn't safe and sometimes people aren't who they say they are. It is important to stress to your child that they should always be careful about what they share with strangers on social media and they should never give out any personal information.

It is important to discuss appropriate image sharing and help your child to understand which photographs are inappropriate or could cause offence to others. They should also never share any images showing their school uniform as this can allow predators to identify their location.

Make your child aware of ‘Cyberbullying’ and ‘Trolling’ and what this can involve. Help them to understand that sending upsetting messages on social networks is a form of bullying and they should always talk to you if this is happening to them.

It is also really important that you keep an eye on what social networks, chat rooms or games your child is using and ensure that you have the right parental controls in place. Some online games have the option to switch off the ‘chat’ function so that your children can not make contact with others.

If you want complete safety you can always invest in the best vpn or to set up parental controls, adjust privacy settings you can contact your network provider for support. You can also contact the NSPCC or your child’s school for online safety advice.

Michelle

Read More

The Best Lighting for Your Child’s Bedroom | AD

The Best Lighting for Your Child’s Bedroom | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Inspyer Lighting. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Your child’s bedroom should be an environment where they feel safe, secure and comfortable; a place where they can play freely, enjoy bedtime stories and sleep soundly. If the room is dark and dingy, it’s wise to find some ways to brighten up the space for them. The décor and lighting plays a huge role in the overall ambiance of the room, so be sure to put some thought into it to make the most of your efforts.

Read More

Ginger Fox Card Games | Review

Ginger Fox Card Games | Review

No comments

Disclosure - We were gifted a selection of Ginger Fox Games for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

We have been enjoying lots of Ginger Fox games over the past week. Yule Duel, Bump This, Space Dash and Catch Phrase are simple card based games, perfect for family fun this Christmas.

Read More

The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities | AD

The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Wetherby Pembridge

With the rise of technology in our homes and in our places of education and work, many parents are concerned about their children’s development. While tech definitely has a place in a child's world and plays an important role in education, it should never be forgotten that children need constant, real-world challenges in order to grow into well-rounded adults. An independent school in New York promotes a broad and balanced curriculum to ensure that children are able to cope with all of the challenges that life brings.

Read More

Monthly Review Round Up | December

Monthly Review Round Up | December

No comments

Disclosure - We received the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

We love finding out about new products and this month we have received some tasty goodies to try. 

Whenever we go to the supermarket little J loves looking for snack ideas that he can take in to school to enjoy at snack time. Although he has a few favourites he is also keen to try out new foods. 

We first heard about MadeGood when they were available to try for free on a cash back app I use. We headed to ASDA and picked up a box and little J loved them. I did manage to try a bar myself before they disappeared and they were really tasty.

As they are totally allergen free they are safe for kids to take in to school and eat. It's always a worry when choosing snacks in case they get in to the wrong hands at school but with MadeGood there is no need to worry.

So not only are the allergy friendly they're a perfect healthy, tasty and nutritious snack choice.

Available in three flavours - Mixed Berry, Chocolate Chip and Chocolate & Banana, in ASDA stores

 One of little J's favourite snacks is Fruit Bowl Yogurt Flakes. I hadn't realised until recently that there is a wide range of Fruit Bowl snacks and treats.

The range of Fruit Bowl products include Peelers; School Bars; Fruit Flakes; Yogurt Flakes and Yogurt Coated Raisins. Each bag or bar is perfectly packaged for slipping into a school lunchbox or popping into a bag for parents on the go.

Peelers are 100% fruit, six-sticky-stranded snacks that are a delicious and fun way for children to eat fruit.

School Bars are bar-shaped snacks, also made with real fruit.  Each school bar is a super tasty, chewy snack, packed full of fruity flavour that contains only naturally occurring sugars.

Fruit Flakes are soft, chewy fruit pieces made from fruit purées.

Yogurt Flakes come in three flavours and are little fruit pieces created from puréed real fruit pieces, which are then covered in delicious yogurt.

With no added colours or flavours Fruit Bowl’s Yogurt Raisins are a great treat made from juicy raisins covered in tasty yogurt.

Fruit Bowl’s other Yogurt Coated Raisins come in two flavours: Zingy Raspberry and Moreish Mango, a great snack choice for the slightly more grown up little ones in our lives. Juicy raisins are coated in either raspberry or mango flavoured yogurt to give them an extra fruity kick that mum and dad will love too.

Fruit Bowl snacks are available at Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Co-Op, Asda, Waitrose and on Ocado.

Nature's Path Envirokidz have a range of three new kids’ cereals available - Gorilla Munch, Leapin’ Lemurs and Choco Chimps. Each of the cereals is gluten free, dairy free, organic and most importantly - tastes delicious.

The range use fun animal names, interesting facts and drawing activities on-pack to inspire children to care about the world they live in. In fact, 1% of sales are donated to support endangered species worldwide, with each animal featured on an Envirokidz pack representing an endangered or vulnerable species that Nature’s Path helps through its donations.

I'm not a fan of popcorn but the boys love it. Metcalfe’s have created a new popcorn invention called Jumbles.

Available in two fabulous flavour combos, Toffee Apple and Eton Mess.

Metcalfe's Popcorn Jumbles Toffee Apple is toffee and caramel-coated popcorn jumbled up with slices of dried apple.

Eton Mess has strawberry pieces and crunchy meringue shells with strawberry-coated popcorn

The popcorn Jumbles are gluten-free, suitable for vegetarians, high in fibre and made without artificial flavours and colours.

Metcalfe’s Popcorn Jumbles Toffee Apple is just 107kcals per portion and Eton Mess 80kcals per portion.

Exclusively available now at Sainsbury’s

Get in to the festive spirit and indulge with the high protein, low sugar Gingerbread Brownie Bites from Nibble Protein. Packed with goodness and just 1 gram of sugar per bite, these tasty treats will boost your protein and fibre intake to keep you feeling fuller for longer, as well as preventing any sugar highs and lows throughout the day, improving your mood and sustaining your energy levels

Nibble Protein Bites are available online at Amazon.

Michelle

Read More

How To Help Your Child With Their Confidence | AD

How To Help Your Child With Their Confidence | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Parsons Green Prep

Having a confident child is probably close to the top of most parent’s lists when they’re asked what attributes they’d like their child to have. Confidence comes naturally for some children, they don’t question their place in the world and forge ahead quite happily without ever becoming anxious or worrying how others might see them. For others it’s not so simple and if your child lacks confidence, you’ll know only too well how worrying it can be. You can help your child by introducing new hobbies but one of the key factors in helping children to grow to their full potential is through security and routine. 

Read More

Christmas Gift Guide | For The Adults

Christmas Gift Guide | For The Adults

No comments

Disclosure - We were gifted the items for inclusion in our gift guide. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

I find buying for adults really hard. I tend to look online for inspiration and this year I have found some really nice gift ideas so I thought I would share them with you.

Read More

Exploring Different Cultures With Your Child | AD

Exploring Different Cultures With Your Child | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Oaks International School.

Educating your children about different cultures is an ideal way to help them learn to respect and celebrate diversity. It will also give them a deeper understanding of the traditions and customs their classmates may follow. This kind of knowledge about various cultures will benefit your child throughout their lifetime. Here are some great tips from Oaks International School on how you can explore other cultures with your child.

Read More

Escape Room - The Game | Review

Escape Room - The Game | Review

No comments

Disclosure - We received Escape Room - The Game for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Last year John and I did our very first Escape Room together. We had never done anything like it before and although it was tough we managed to solve all the clues and we broke out just in time. Over the last week we have been playing Escape Room - The Game at home and it's actually been lots of fun and just like the real thing.

Escape Room The Game is all the fun of a real Escape Room with puzzles to solve, clues to find and a countdown timer but in the comfort of your own home.

Ideally the game is designed for 3-5 players aged 16+. John and I played with just the two of us and it was absolutely fine. Once we had read the instructions we both decided to start with the easiest of the three scenarios included which was Prison Break.

Each scenario comes with a back story to give you more information and once you are ready and have laid out all the pieces for this Escape Room you press the chrono decoder. The chrono decoder is your time and as soon as you press to start it will begin to count down. It also doubles as your 'door' to break out. You need to get four keys throughout the game to 'Escape'.

The chronological decoder will alert you at various intervals to remind you that you can use a 'hint' if you wish and we found at the beginning we needed more hints but I think it was just because we needed to get familiar with the game.

Working together as a team is a must when playing Escape Room as the puzzles are tough and really make you think.

We escaped 'Prison Break' with 6 minutes and 22 seconds to spare which I was really impressed with as I felt we had struggled at the beginning and lost a lot of time.

The sense of achievement when you 'escape' is crazy even though you are just playing at home. There is an app that allows you to download free background music to add to the intensity. I think we will definitely do that on the next game.

Escape Room comes with three separate scenarios, Prison Break, Virus and Nuclear Countdown. Each scenario is a little more difficult than the previous. I would definitely recommend starting with Prison Break.

Michelle

Read More

Helping Your Child Resist Peer Pressure | AD

Helping Your Child Resist Peer Pressure | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Surbiton High

Peer pressure is an inevitable part of life, especially during the school years. As a parent, there are things you can do to help your child make sensible choices and resist peer pressure. A prep school in Surrey have put together the following advice to help you.

Read More

Should I Encourage My Child To Go To University? | AD

Should I Encourage My Child To Go To University? | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with St Catherines

For many children, the end of school can be a confusing time. This is because they have to decide on their next steps and what they want for their future. For parents who are trying to help their children decide whether or not to go to university, here is some useful advice from St Catherine’s School.

Read More

Christmas Gift Guide 2019 | For The Kids

Christmas Gift Guide 2019 | For The Kids

No comments

Disclosure - This post contains gifted items for the inclusion in my gift guide. This post also contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

If you are looking for some gift inspiration for the kids then check out our 'For The Kids' Christmas Gift Guide. 

Read More

Top Tips for Marketing Your Business at Christmas | AD

Top Tips for Marketing Your Business at Christmas | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Shout PM

When it comes to marketing your business at Christmas time, there are countless things you could do. Of course, the earlier you start the better, but it’s never too late to get into the Christmas spirit. If you have a store, restaurant or other retail location, don’t be afraid to go all out and decorate the place from head to toe. This will attract more attention and boost your profits. You could also hand out little chocolate Santas to passers-by to make a good impression. In fact, promotional Christmas gifts are a great method for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.

Read More

Giveaway | Win A Cosy Night In

Giveaway | Win A Cosy Night In

No comments

To celebrate that December will soon be here we are giving you the chance to win a cosy night in. Christmas time for us means Baileys, chocolates and a good Christmas movie. For your chance to win a bottle of baileys, a tub of chocolates and a £10 Netflix voucher enter our giveaway below.

Read More

Make Your Own Christmas Wreath | AD

Make Your Own Christmas Wreath | AD

No comments

Disclosure - This post is a paid collaboration with Rainbow Chalk.

When it comes to Christmas decorations around the house and on our tree our theme each year is always 'anything goes'. I love seeing photos of trees and houses that are decorated in certain colours but since big J was little we have always added homemade decorations each year to our tree and I wouldn't have it any other way. We have already started creating some decorations and this year little J asked if he could make a Christmas Wreath. We browsed the internet for lots of ideas but in the end he just went with what he felt right and he created the most perfect wreath ever, and I love it.

Read More

If Injuries In The Movies Where Real

If Injuries In The Movies Where Real

No comments

Disclosure - This is a collaborative post.

It's that time of year when we start writing down all the movies we want to watch before Christmas comes. Every year we try to add at least one new addition however we do have our favourites and Christmas just wouldn't be the same without them. Our favourite family Christmas movie has got to be Home Alone closely followed my Home Alone 2. I don't know why watching Kevin inflict lots of pain on Harry and Marv is Christmassy but it just is and we all belly laugh every time we watch it. 

I actually saw a post just recently on Compare Compensation Claims that talked about movie scenes from some of our favourite movies that involved accidents or injuries. It looked in to how much compensation the character would receive if those accidents were real. 

It actually lists Home Alone as one of the movies and details the injuries that occurred when Harry and Marv break in to Kevin McCallister's home.

The injuries included mild scarring, blowout fracture, severe burns, deep cuts, facial fractures and head injuries. Now when you read the injuries involved those burglars really did have a tough time from Kevin! So based on the injuries that are inflicted throughout the film to the characters they would be expected to receive £114,370 each. 

There are lots of other movie scenarios but the highest paying was from a scene in Mean Girls. i'm sure we have all watched Mean Girls and you will probably guess the scene I am talking about. It's when Regina George gets hit by a bus. Now this injury causes Regina to have a spinal injury that is life changing. If this would happen in real life you could expect to receive £141,150. To be honest this doesn't seem a lot to me but like most I'm still shocked she actually survived such a horrific accident!

There are lots of other movie scenarios which I have attached below for you to browse over. 

Do you know any of the movies or recognise the scenes? Do you think the expected payout for the injuries involved is enough?

Michelle

Read More

Choosing An Eco-Friendly Christmas | AD

Choosing An Eco-Friendly Christmas | AD

No comments

Disclosure | This post is a paid collaboration with Liverpool One. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

I was watching a series of instagram stories from a celebrity I follow recently and she was making her own Christmas crackers. I was intrigued so I watched as she made them and filled them with prizes that she knew the recipient would like. It got me thinking about the amount of crackers we have pulled over the years and how all the plastic toys inside have just ended up in the bin. It's such a waste and not very environmentally friendly at all. I am actually thinking of making my own this year too. I have also been looking at more ways that we can enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas.

We did start thinking more about waste and our environment a few years ago and we started to make some steps to becoming eco friendly. We made a decision to stop giving and receiving cards, not just at Christmas but birthdays too. Not only do they cost a small fortune but it's such a waste and they do end up in the recycling bin anyway.

This year I will definitely be making our own Christmas crackers and I am thinking about ditching the wrapping paper for brown paper and string. I actually think it looks so much prettier than the multi-coloured paper.

We love heading to Liverpool One at Christmas time to buy all our Christmas shopping. There are so many ways that you can enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas and you could start by making little tweaks when it comes to buying gifts.

John loves coffee and we have a lovely Nespresso coffee machine at home so for Christmas I am thinking about buying him a nice supply of Nespresso pods and a new reusable take out cup. This way he can make his own coffees in the morning and use his cup. Then once he has finished with his Nespresso pods we will take them back to the shop for them to be recycled. I know there will be some morning when he will feel like a Costa Coffee and that's fine, all he needs to do is take his reusable cup with him and they will fill it with his favourite drink. Not only is he helping to save the planet but the pennies too as Costa will take 25p off the cost of his drink.

John will probably head to Lush for some goodies for me this Christmas and if you didn't know already the black pots that Lush products come in are not recyclable everywhere so to encourage you to help the planet Lush asks that you bring back your pots so they can be reused. As a thank you for every five pots returned they give you a free face mask. The Body Shop also offer you the chance to return bottles to them for recycling and whilst there is no reward it is nice to know that you are helping the planet.

These a just a few ideas that we have in mind for this Christmas and whilst they are only small if everyone made just a little effort we could all be enjoying an Eco-Friendly Christmas.

Michelle

Read More

Herodrive Marvel Vehicle Review

Herodrive Marvel Vehicle Review

No comments

Disclosure - We were sent the Herodrive Marvel vehicles for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Back in April John and I sat down one Saturday evening and decided to watch a Marvel movie. We had never seen any of the Marvel movies before so we researched it online and decided to start at the beginning and watch all the Marvel movies in chronological order. Watching the 22 films in 30 days was the start of our family becoming Marvel obsessed. We managed to finish all the movies before Endgame finished at the cinema and booked a spur of the moment trip to Disneyland Paris for the Season Of The Superheroes Event. We have been hooked since so when we received The Marvel Superheroes Herodrive cars I knew that I would probably love them us as much as little J.

The idea behind the Mod Squad Car is very simple. each set contains one Mod Squad Car. You can choose from Hulk, Iron Man and Spider-Man. The car is made up of three different pieces which can connect together.

The first part is the back of the car, the second part is the middle and the three part is the front. When you are ready to play you fit all three pieces together and your car is ready. There is more fun to be had though as you can mix and match the pieces of your car with those from another set.

There are so many possibilities to choose from you could have Spider-Man at the back, the middle could be Hulk and the front could be Iron Man.

Each Mod Squad Car also comes with an extra piece. If you collect all 3 pieces from the different sets you will complete Captain America. He too can be mixed and matched with the other cars in the range.

It's such a simple idea however we've had lots of fun making all different combinations of Superheroes.

Also in the Superhero Herodrive range are Speed Squad Minis. These are smaller cars in the colours of your favourite superheroes.

They are a push-a-long car with a chunky body and big wheels. They are great for little hands and they really do speed across the floor.

Little J has really enjoyed playing with both sets of cars and is asking Father Christmas for The Hulk Mod Squad Car so he can complete the set.

The Speed Squad Minis are a great addition to the Superhero Herodrive range and are perfect for stockings this Christmas.

You can find out more about the Herodrive Marvel Vehicle range over at Funrise Toys and they are available to buy at Asda, Debenhams and Amazon

Michelle

Read More

Manchester Giants Basketball Party

Manchester Giants Basketball Party

No comments

Disclosure - We were invited to the a Manchester Giants Basketball Party for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

Little J's birthday isn't till March but already he has been talking about his birthday party. Birthday parties are such a big deal when you are a kid and over the years we have hosted and been to so many different parties. We've been to soft play parties, swimming parties, Nerf parties, football parties, there are lots of different party venues to choose from.  We were invited last week to a basketball party and for us this was the first time we have ever been to a basketball party and game so we were very excited.

The Basketball party was at the home of the Manchester Giants in Urmston, Manchester.  I had already read about the party and what was included but I didn't tell little J as I wanted it to be a surprise.

When we arrived we were shown to a cafe / seating area to wait until our allocated time which was 3pm. There was another party waiting too and after reading the information leaflet there is a maximum of two parties per time slot.

We then followed the staff member to the basketball court area. Little J was really excited at this point and had no idea that for the next hour he would have a one hour basketball coaching session with the Giants coaches.

We were able to sit and watch the children on one half of the court as the coach did mini coaching sessions with them and little games. The other party I mentioned earlier was on the other half of the court.

The coach told all the children to get a ball and they practiced dribbling, tackling and shooting from different angles. It was lots of fun and all the children seemed to be having a great time. They finished with a game that involved two teams racing to their ball and trying to score a basket before the other team. They were joined by two Manchester Giants players which was amazing.

Once the coaching session was finished it was time for some food. The children headed to the cafe / seating area and were rewarded for their hard work on the court with Pizza, Chips and Juice. There was so much pizza and chips available so the kids could just help themselves once they had finished what they had been given. Afterwards they enjoyed birthday cake.

The children were given about 45 minutes to eat which was just the right amount of time as I could see some of them becoming a little restless.

Once they were finished their party meal we headed back to the court to watch the Manchester Giants take on the Newcastle Eagles. We have never seen a basketball match before but I have to say we all really enjoyed it. It's quick paced with music playing and a DJ/Compare talking on the microphone encouraging the crowd to get involved, it really was a fun and exciting experience.

All party children get to go on to the court which was an amazing experience. They all looked so happy.

After the game the Manchester Giants all stay behind and are quite happy signing autographs and having photographs taken which is a lovely way to end the party.

Included in the party is...

One hours coaching session on the court with Giants coaches.

Party Children run out with the players for a team huddle.

Match tickets on the day of the party.

Birthday child or group receives a Molten Basketball signed by the Giants.

A Giants T-Shirt for each child.

Pizza meal following the coaching session.

Parties take place on match days before games. The price for a party is £350 for 10 children and 2 adults, additional children are £35 per head. You can purchase extra adult tickets for the match at £10 each.

A Manchester Giants Party is a perfect choice for a basketball fan however we didn't know anything about basketball before we visited and absolutely loved it so I would say it's a great party choice for all.

Michelle

Read More