Christmas ·
Christmas Gift Guides ·
Disney ·
Elsa ·
Fisher Price ·
Frozen ·
gift guide ·
gift ideas ·
Pippa's Pumpkin Carriage ·
Presents ·
Silly Wheelie Mickey ·
toot toot ·
Weebles ·
WOW Toys
No comments
Pages
UK Theme Parks
Giveaways
Pages
Out and About
Search This Blog
review ·
Thomas & Friends ·
Thomas The Tank Engine ·
TV and Film ·
TV Programmes
No comments
Thomas and Friends - The Christmas Engines DVD Review
Every year we start getting in to the Christmas spirit earlier and earlier. We have a HUGE list of Christmas films to watch and we have a Christmas CD we play in the car. We usually start around 25th November but this year we have already started when we recently watched Thomas and Friends - The Christmas Engines DVD.
The summer holidays have now come to an end. Trying to keep the kids entertained for six weeks can be challenging but we found some days out that were not too expensive but we had lots of fun. For some help in finding a day out you can always visit my Family Days Out page or I have listed a few of our Autumn Days Out With The Kids.
1. Cinema
Going to the cinema can be very expensive when you have more than one child to take. Big J sometimes goes with his friends now and we don't get much change from £20 after he has paid for his ticket, drink and snack. Little J was never to keen on the cinema so we didn't want to pay full price for a ticket so we took advantage of the Last Chance or Kids Screening as these are a lot cheaper than a normal ticket. Showcase Cinemas offer Last Chance and Odeon Kids Club is just £2.50 and you can see films every Saturday or Sunday morning and every day during school holidays. Perfect for a wet day.
2. Farm
We recently took little J the farm and he really enjoyed it. It cost £2.50 per adult and £1.50 per child to enter. There was an option to feed the goats or chickens by buying a bag of food at 50p each. We chose Goat food as they are so funny and always hungry. Little J thought it was hilarious when they were eating the food out of our hands. There was a woodland walk which was a little muddy but as long as you have suitable clothing for the kids such as children's waterproof over trousers, wellies and a rain jacket they can have lots of muddy fun. We finished off the morning with lunch in the cafe. This made the visit more expensive as it was approx £4 per person for a sandwich and drink. There were plenty of people eating picnics outside on the grass and picnic benches so if you want to cut the cost take a packed lunch
3. Swimming
Swimming is perfect for a wet day. Sometimes on weekends or school holidays our local pool bring out lots of inflatables and the slide is usually open too. We have a lifestyles pool close by which is free for big and little J. John usually takes them on a Saturday morning and it is reasonably quiet. They start in the little pool and then they all go in the big pool for a play and swim.
4. Park
We love going to the park and could happily spend a day there. Depending on your park you can usually spend quite some time on the play areas, exploring the woods and visiting the cafe for a pit stop drink.
5. The Beach
Most kids love visiting the beach and if you choose the right one you can have a really good time. We have a few within driving reach and its perfect for a lovely Autumn walk. Take along a bucket and spade and you can have so much fun, even if its cold and windy. We have some water shoes and flip flops always with us in the car just in case we decide to visit a beach. We then have a little paddle in the sea and have a look for crabs and starfish.
Do you have a favourite Autumn day out?
I am always so grateful for any support I receive on my blog and social channels. If you did find this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.
Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought.
Share This Post With Friends Who May Also Find It Useful.
It's that time of month again when our October Degustabox arrives and we get very excited to see what delicious surprises are inside. We have received many Degustabox surprise boxes over the last year and a half and we have never been disappointed. Even when there are some items inside that I am not to keen on there is always someone who is likes it.
*we received the Degustabox in return for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own*
This month we received a lovely selection of products including
Lorina - Coconut and Lime. Daddy drank this and he had mixed feelings about it. On his first taste he said it tasted like cream soda but then he said it tasted like sun cream. He continued to drink it but said the combination was quite strange. He would like to try the other flavours though.
Appy Drinks - Spongebob Drinks. These went down well with both big and little J. I was really impressed that they contain 50% less sugar and calories than regular fruit juices.
Provena - Gluten free oat muesli.
Kabuto - Noodles
9Bar - Original Carob
The Snack Organisation - Freeze Dried Fruit (Apple)
We haven't tried the muesli or freeze dried apple yet but the 9bar and noodles were delicious. We have had both of them before.
Liberation Foods - Nuts
The Snack Organisation - Sweet Chilli Rice Crackers
We haven't tried the nuts yet but the rice crackers are delicious and low in kcals too.
Chip Strips - Smoky BBQ and Cheese & Onion.
These were absolutely delicious and we all tried them including little J. The cheese and onion were tasty but the smoky BBQ were our favourite. They did remind us of Texas BBQ Pringles.
Cirio - We are fans of Cirio anyway so we enjoyed using the passsata and chopped tomatoes.
Although this wasn't one of my favourite boxes I still love Degustabox and its nice to have a surprise each month.
If you would like to try out or find out more information you can visit Degustabox
*we received the Degustabox in return for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own*
The other day on the way to work I was listening to the radio. It was one of those 'guess the top answer in a survey' and people were ringing up trying to guess. The question was ' What is the one thing you can't do now because you are a Mummy?' I stopped and thought for a moment and my mind went blank. I couldn't think of anything that wasn't obvious as I knew it would probably be something you wouldn't expect people to say. I was listening to the callers saying things like 'go out clubbing till 4am' or 'sleeping in till noon'.
The actual top answer given my 79% of the Mums asked was ' Bounce on a trampoline or similar type of exercise'
The actual top answer given my 79% of the Mums asked was ' Bounce on a trampoline or similar type of exercise'
Aldi ·
Bulletproof Coffee ·
Home and Garden ·
Huggies ·
Kerrygold ·
Monthly Review Round Up ·
Old El Paso ·
review ·
Special Buys ·
Stand N Stuff ·
Toddler Must Haves ·
Zoflora
No comments
October Review Round Up
October has flew by, I can't believe it's November already. Have a look at what we have been trying out below in our October Review Round Up.
*****
We haven't heard of Zoflora before so was keen to give it a try. Zoflora Disinfectant is a fragrant antibacterial house cleaning product which can kill 99.9% of bacteria around the home. Zoflora is concentrated so doesnt take up much space when storing.
*****
We haven't heard of Zoflora before so was keen to give it a try. Zoflora Disinfectant is a fragrant antibacterial house cleaning product which can kill 99.9% of bacteria around the home. Zoflora is concentrated so doesnt take up much space when storing.
Disney ·
Fisher Price ·
review ·
Silly Wheelie Mickey ·
Toys and Games
No comments
Fisher-Price Silly Wheelie Mickey Review
I don't know who was more excited this week when Silly Wheelie Mickey arrived for us to review, Me or little J. I love Disney toys and we had actually seen this on TV last week and both thought it looked lots of fun. Made by Fisher-Price, Silly Wheelie Mickey Mouse Toy will bring a smile to your face no matter how old you. Check out our review.
Collaboration ·
Halloween ·
Parenting ·
Rowlands Pharmacy
No comments
Halloween - Don't Get Tricked By Treats
Halloween in almost here and just like the kids I am really excited. I love Halloween and for us it's the start of the countdown to Christmas, Halloween, then Bonfire Night and then before you know it Christmas is here. Although Halloween is lots of fun with chocolate and sweets you will have to make sure your little ones don't get tricked by treats
#FierceFitness ·
Bratz ·
Closed Giveaways ·
Toys and Games
No comments
Bratz #FierceFitness Yasmin Doll Giveaway
To celebrate The Bratz life size Photobooth touring the UK and Ireland this October I have a Bratz #FierceFitness Yasmin Doll Giveaway. If you are a Bratz fan you will love the Photobooth as it is jam packed with cool props including pink moustaches, bunny ears, red lips and Sasha's famous bunny boo beanie hat.
Days Out ·
event ·
Experiences ·
Family Day out ·
review ·
Toys and Games ·
Toytopia ·
Vtech
No comments
Our Day At Toytopia
When we were asked to visit Toytopia I knew we would all love it. We love toys and having lots of different brands and toys under one roof is a our idea of heaven. With Christmas just a few months away it was a perfect chance for little J to try out some possible choices for his Christmas list. I have to say we have just got back from a fulfilled day - here is our day at Toytopia.
Beano ·
Brewers Fayre ·
Brewers Scare ·
Days Out ·
Eating Out ·
Family Day out ·
Restaurant ·
review
No comments
Visit Brewers Scare This Half Term
You will know by now that we are very fond of Brewers Fayre and we are lucky to have one quite close to home. Earlier this evening we enjoyed a lovely meal and if you are looking for somewhere to take the kids then I would definitely recommend a visit to Brewers Scare this half term. After its recent refurbishment little J loves the new Beano play area and with spooky activities planned for next week I'm sure we will be back for another visit.
Cars ·
Days Out ·
Disney ·
Disney On Ice ·
Experiences ·
Family Day out ·
Frozen ·
review ·
Show ·
The Little Mermaid ·
Toy Story ·
Worlds Of Enchantment
No comments
Disney On Ice - Worlds Of Enchantment Review
It's not every Saturday you are whisked away on a magical journey to Sunnyside Day Care, Under The Sea, Radiator Springs and Arendelle. If you hadn't already guessed it we went to see Disney on Ice - Worlds Of Enchantment in Manchester.
From the moment the lights went down and Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy took to the stage we where all mesmerised.
Disclosure - We were invited to the event at McDonalds for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.
To celebrate McDonald's teaming up with Roald Dahl for their Happy Readers Campaign we were invited to a very special Roald Dahl story time at McDonald's in Liverpool. Over the six weeks McDonald's will include a book featuring extracts from Roald Dahl books in every happy meal. An estimated 14 million books will be given away.
Collaboration ·
Pampers ·
Pampers Unicef Partnership ·
Unicef ·
Wishes
No comments
Pampers Unicef Partnership - Wishes
If someone asks me to make a wish I always think about my boys. I never think about myself and what I want my thoughts go to them instantly. Being a parent you put your children first always. I have been following the Pampers Unicef Partnership - Wishes campaign recently and my one wish is always, that I want the best for my boys. I want them to be happy and healthy. I'm sure all parents think alike but not everyone gets their wish.
Closed Giveaways ·
Driving Lessons ·
Experiences ·
review ·
Young Driver
No comments
Young Driver Lesson Giveaway
The first thing I wanted to do as soon as I was old enough was learn how to drive. I loved the idea of being a driver with the independence to go anywhere, whenever I wanted. It took me a few times to pass my test but at the age of 18 I had my own car and loved it. Nowadays you can enjoy driving lessons from the age of 11 which is amazing. Last year big J had a Young Driver lesson and he loved it. If you have a teen that would love to get behind the wheel I am giving my readers the chance to win a Young Driver lesson giveaway.
Food and Drink ·
Little Dish ·
My First Pizza ·
review ·
Toddler Must Haves
No comments
My First Pizza From Little Dish
I am a big fan of Little Dish meals and more importantly little J is too. He has tried most of the meals now and little J does have his favourites including Alphabet Pasta Bolognese and Lasagne. I was so pleased when I heard that last month they have included My First Pizza from Little Dish to their product range.
Little J has been trying out My First Pizza and he loves them. The full range consists of three flavours. Margherita, Mini Meatballs & Veg and Pesto Chicken & Veg.
Closed Giveaways ·
Food and Drink ·
Organix ·
Organix Goodies ·
review
No comments
Organix Goodies Bundle Worth £20 Giveaway
Little J doesn't always tell me when he is hungry but as his Mummy I have started to know the signs. He becomes cranky and clingy. Have you noticed any signs with your toddler? Maybe they seem a little tired, cranky, clingy, or you can see the start of a tantrum brewing? You know then that they are probably ‘hangry’, that’s grumpy, hungry and in need food.
Little J is a big fan of Organix Goodies and we always have some to hand when snack time arrives. Although little J does eat three balanced meals a day he loves to snack in between and that's okay because he needs it.
Little J is a big fan of Organix Goodies and we always have some to hand when snack time arrives. Although little J does eat three balanced meals a day he loves to snack in between and that's okay because he needs it.
Cbeebies ·
DVD ·
review ·
There's Somebody At The Door ·
TV and Film ·
Twirlywoos
No comments
Twirlywoos - There's Somebody At The Door DVD Review
Twirlywoos features the adventures of four adorable characters, Great Big Hoo, Toodloo, Chickedy Chick and Peekaboo. You can join in there adventures aboard the Great Big Boat.
Eating Out ·
Food and Drink ·
Restaurant ·
review ·
The Beeches ·
Wrexham
No comments
Lunch at The Beeches, Wrexham
Last weekend we had planned to do some shopping at McArthur Glen, Cheshire Oaks and were lucky enough to be asked to review a local pub restaurant. So after a morning of retail therapy we headed off for lunch at The Beeches, Wrexham.
On arrival The Beeches was quite large and was next to a Premier Inn. We parked up and where one of the first in the restaurant for lunch which starts at 12pm.
Lovely beer garden - although it was a little too cold for us. Maybe in Summer!
On arrival The Beeches was quite large and was next to a Premier Inn. We parked up and where one of the first in the restaurant for lunch which starts at 12pm.
Baby Changing Rooms Awards ·
Care and Protect ·
Collaboration ·
Parenting ·
Sudocrem
No comments
Daddy Changes Nappies Too.
I honestly cannot remember changing big J's nappy when we were out and about, it was 13 years ago and I can't remember whether there was a problem or not. Nowadays I am so aware that some changing room facilities are only located in the ladies which can cause a problem for Daddy when he is out and about. Daddy changes nappies too so its surprising how many places just don't cater for this.
Collaboration ·
Days Out ·
Family Day out ·
Greater Yarmouth ·
Pumpkinanza
No comments
Pumpkinanza October Half Term
Discover the 4 corners of the Greater Yarmouth borough on the Pumpkinanza Trail on the last weekend of October half term! Join in on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November.
Autumn ·
Books ·
Halloween ·
Little Tiger Press ·
review
No comments
Bedtime Stories Perfect For Halloween
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.
Do you have a collection of seasonal books for the kids? We have lots of books and I try to keep collections together so that I can get them out depending on the season. As Autumn is here it's time to dust off our Halloween books and start reading them before bed.
We have two favourite books at the moment Boo and Ten Spooky Skeletons
Boo is a fun novelty rhyming story all about finding out who is saying Boo. Each page has a different character on, Pumpkins, Wizards and little witches and each page says the same. for example "Spider, Spider was that you? Were you the one who shouted Boo?" Then there is a picture of the spider saying "it wasn't me" Little J loves this and as each page turns there are holes were the eyes should be so when I am just about to read out Boo I look through the holes and shout Boo. He finds it so funny. We love Little Tiger Press books and I can't wait to dig out some of big J's old books because I know we have lots similar to Boo that little J will love.
The next bedtime story is Ten Spooky Skeletons. Similar to Boo there are peek through holes on each page as one lonely skeleton goes on a search to find more skeleton friends. I always pop my fingers through the little holes which little J finds very amusing. A lovely story and a great way to talk about numbers and counting as each page starts with the number of Skeletons and a new skeleton is added every time. One, Two and so on. There is a lovely glow in the dark finale too.
I'm sure little J's favourites will swap and change all the time because I remember big J having a new favourite every night. I think reading to our children is so special and a lovely way to spend those last few moments of the day together before sleep time.
Do you read to your little one? What is their favourite story?
Michelle
Baby Must Haves ·
Collaboration ·
Pampers ·
Pampers Wonder Week ·
Parenting ·
Toddler Must Haves
No comments
Pampers Wonder Week
The 1st October 2015 at 10am marks the launch of Pampers Wonder Week and I am really excited. You all know I like looking for deals and bargains and I am always happy to 'stock up' if the price is right. So when I heard about Pampers Wonder Week I was keen to find out more. Pampers are offering amazing savings for a whole seven days, with wonderful deals that shouldn't be missed.
I buy jumbo packs which can help save some pennies
I buy jumbo packs which can help save some pennies
Priscilla Queen Of the Desert ·
review ·
Theatre
No comments
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert Tour Starring Duncan James
Last month we celebrated my Mum's birthday and as a special treat I booked tickets to see Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. We love going the theatre and we have seen so many great shows together, Whistle Down The Wind and Starlight Express to name a few. I had no idea what Priscilla was about, I was drawn to the show based on the fact that it featured lots of songs that we absolutely love. It looked like a feel good get up and dance show and it was just what we needed.
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is a show about 3 drag queens and how they travel through the outback of Australia to reach a town called Alice. Priscilla is the name of the camper van they buy to get them there.
When we arrived at the Opera House, Manchester it was really busy, it must have been a sell out because we couldn't even see an empty seat in the stalls. There was a really feel good atmosphere and the show hadn't even started yet. There were lots of people dressed to the nines looking fabulous in full drag. I wish I could walk in some of the shoes we seen. Heels were inches high and attached to the most amazing pairs of legs we have ever seen. We were so jealous.
The show was non stop glitz, glamour and amazing songs. It became clear quite early on that Tick played by Duncan James was a married drag queen who had a little boy named Benji. He hadn't seen Benji for many years but still had a strong relationship with his wife as we saw them speak on the phone. She asked him to visit her and Benji in Alice where she ran a casino. He would be able to work there and spend time with his son too.
When Tick agreed to go and see his son we then saw the journey he and two fellow drag queens made across the country in Priscilla.
It was jam packed full of laughs, dancing and songs that just made you want to get up on your feet. The acting by all three men was very camp and very believable. I wouldn't hesitate in seeing this again. I had thought about booking again for Liverpool but it is starring Jason Donavan instead of Duncan James and that put me off a little. I am sure Jason will be amazing but for me I thought Duncan was fabulous and he was definitely the star of the show.
Have you seen Priscilla Queen of the Desert? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
If you enjoyed this post you can check out more by clicking our 'you may also like' posts below.
Also you can always 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
Disclosure - this is a collaborative post
When you’re raising children, regardless of how old they are their health remains a top priority. A child’s health encompasses many things: their diet, exercise as well as their emotional wellbeing. It can be tough to juggle these concerns simultaneously and yet by managing to do so can only mean that you are doing the best for your child. Like anything else, practice makes perfect and parenting offers lots of chances for practice!
Here are some tips for ensuring your little ones stay fighting fit.
Encourage them to eat their vegetables from a young age
It can be tough getting your children to take an interest in healthy eating if you don’t start early. A fun way to ensure that your little ones enjoy their food is to make sure that you yourself don’t see healthy eating as a chore, but rather something that can be fun and enjoyable. Cutting their vegetables into funny shapes can help when they’re reluctant to try something new. Similarly, appreciating the various colours and textures of vegetables can help – if your children don’t like peas, try something else! There’s no point trying to force them to love something but with so much variety of vegetables available, there’s bound to be something that they will enjoy!
Keep an active lifestyle
Whether it’s walking to school instead of driving or treating yourself to a quick swim in the evening it is vital that your children learn the importance of keeping active from a young age. If they show an interest in a sport or hobby, encourage them to practice it and take an active interest in it yourself. This will not only help them develop confidence but will also help your relationship as parent and child.
Have their own mind
Unfortunately as our children get older they can become involved with smoking, vaping and other things. However schools are taking this seriously installing vape detector to try and minimise this.
Follow your own advice
Like any of the ideas I’ve listed, the key to making sure your children realise the wisdom behind them is to employ them yourself. There’s no point asking your children to be active and conscientious of other people’s feelings if at the end of the day you ignore your own advice!
*collaboration*
Clothing ·
Fashion ·
Gifts ·
little J ·
Natural History Museum Shop ·
Personalised ·
Personalised Gifts ·
review ·
Unique
No comments
Natural History Museum Shop - Personalised T-Shirt
One of the many things I love about being a blogger is finding out about brands, companies or shops that I haven't heard of before. When it comes to buying presents I do like to find unique and special presents and I spend lots of time browsing through google especially around Christmas and birthdays.
Closed Giveaways ·
little J ·
Parenting ·
Potty Training ·
review ·
Thomas The Tank Engine
No comments
Thomas The Tank Engine Potty Training Books
Last week we made the first step at potty training little J - we bought a potty. We have left it in the corner of the room just so he can get used to it being there. He knows what it is and what it's for and I think he genuinely wants to use 'a big toilet' as he calls it and he is showing signs.
He knows when he has done a wee or a poo because he will touch the front of his nappy if he has done a wee and he will come to me with a fresh nappy in his hand. If he does a poo he tells you straight away. He doesn't really like his nappy being wet or soiled so he is always keen to have a nappy change. I know it doesn't bother some children and they will sit with a dirty nappy without letting you know but he's the total opposite. I've took this as a sign that its time to potty train. He has had a few accidents during nappy free time but again when he's wet he won't sit in it he will come straight to me and let me know.
He knows when he has done a wee or a poo because he will touch the front of his nappy if he has done a wee and he will come to me with a fresh nappy in his hand. If he does a poo he tells you straight away. He doesn't really like his nappy being wet or soiled so he is always keen to have a nappy change. I know it doesn't bother some children and they will sit with a dirty nappy without letting you know but he's the total opposite. I've took this as a sign that its time to potty train. He has had a few accidents during nappy free time but again when he's wet he won't sit in it he will come straight to me and let me know.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)