Father's Day 2016 Gift Guide

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If you are looking for some ideas on what to buy Daddy for Father's Day this year I have listed our Top 5 gifts.

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Baby Annabell Brother Doll Review and Giveaway

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I like little J to be exposed to all types of toys. Sometimes, even though we try to encourage him to play with other things he will just sit happily with his cars. I've now learnt that that's okay and eventually he will come round to other things and find new toys he likes. Little J was recently sent Baby Annabell's Train Andy Dog and he absolutely loves it. Now that the weather is warmer he has been playing outside a lot more and Andy has too. We recently received another Baby Annabell product this time it was Baby Annabell's Brother. I knew little J would love this as he likes anything that he can push around in his pram or play doctors with.

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The View From The Shard

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A few months ago we received a Buyagift Smartbox. If you have heard of Buyagift you will know that they offer 100's of experiences throughout the UK. The Smartbox which is perfect for couples had over 500 experiences to choose from but after a lot of thought we decided to use our voucher on our recent visit to London.

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Our Firsts With Petits Filous

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Since having both boys I always seem to have my camera to hand to capture special memories of them both. Whether it's just a simple walk in the park, a holiday or special milestones in their lives. Little J loves looking at photographs of himself and hearing about what he was getting up to in the photograph. Petits Filous have launched My First Petits Filous and to celebrate I have added a few of Little J's special 'firsts' photographs.

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Little J's Bed Time

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When it comes to sleeping my two boys are completely the opposite, they couldn't be more different if they tried. When big J was younger he wouldn't sleep at all. He was awake all day and most of the night. We tried everything from getting in to bed with him to sleeping on his floor, anything to try and get a few hours sleep. He was permanently tired and so were we. Little J on the other hand is awake all day and sleeps all night and has done since he was a baby. He went in his own room in his cot and would quite happily fall asleep on his own and still does now. He goes to bed awake and within 10-15 minutes he is snoring.

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Premier Inn - Hemel Hempstead Central Review

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As you may already know we recently visited London for the weekend. When booking our trip we decided to stay at the Premier Inn Hemel Hempstead. Although it's not actually in London it's quite close and we have stayed there before and never had any problems.

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Daddy Gets Handy In The Kitchen

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Daddy has been making himself useful in the kitchen recently making us some yummy meals and treats. He's actually really good at cooking and I know its something he really wants to start making more of an effort on. Keep an eye out for some yummy posts showing off Daddy's talents but for now I'll pass you over to Daddy who is keen to tell you about what he is up to next.

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Degustabox May Box

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This months box delivery seem to come quite quickly and it didn't feel like a whole month had gone past since the last one. Our box arrived later on in the day so I had seen a few photographs over on twitter of people sharing the contents. It looked like another great box.

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His and Hers World Class Fragrances Giveaway

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I am so excited to team up once again with World Class Fragrances to offer a very special giveaway on my blog. One lucky Mummy 2 Monkeys winner will win his and hers fragrances by World Class.

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CBeebies Play Time DVD Giveaway

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As you all know already little J loves CBeebies whether its watching it on TV, visiting CBeebies land at Alton Towers or playing the CBeebies apps he is addicted. When we received the new CBeebies Play Time DVD he was so excited. Seeing 12 of his favourite shows on the box he instantly asked to watch it. Over 2 hours long he watched it on and off throughout the day and it was definitely a hit.

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Earth Kiss Face Masks Review

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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. 

Being a mum to my two boys I don't get the chance to pamper myself that often. I just never have the time and even when I do find a spare hour to myself I can usually think of a hundred other things I should be doing. I was recently sent some Earth Kiss face masks so I decided I had to make the time.

Earth Kiss face masks, energised with Himalayan Shilajit, provide a truly relaxing experience while both naturally deep cleansing and nourishing your skin. Release your inner beauty with the confidence of wonderful skin.

How does Shilajit help my skin?

The 85 plant micronutrients found in Shilajit, like Fulvic, a natural antioxidant, Hippuric a natural antiseptic and Salicylic, a natural anti inflammatory, help rebalance the skin while also increasing energy and relieving stress and anxiety.

The 6 Earth Kiss face masks all have different ingredients.

Clean Up Mud

Exfoliate Mud Mask

Skin Type: Normal, Oily skin

Mediterranean clay

Volcanic pumice

Rosemary

Cocoa butter

Tea tree oil

Dead sea salt

Detox Mud

Pore cleanse Mud Mask

Skin Type: Normal, Oily skin

Glacial Mud

White tea

Spearmint

Dead sea salt

Shea butter

Moroccan Clay

Pore Refine Mud Mask

Skin Type: Combination, Normal, Oily skin

Rhassoul Clay

Argan shell

Apricot

Aloe vera

Marula oil

Orange peel oil

White Thai Clay

Rejuvenate Mud Mask

Skin Type: Combination, Normal, Oily skin

White Thai clay

Lotus blossom

Lemongrass oil

Dead sea salt

Tea tree oil

Dead sea salt

Million Year Clay Facial

Revitalise Bamboo Sheet Mask

Skin Type: Combination, Dry, Mature, Normal, Sensitive

Rhassoul Clay

Juniper

Lavender

Dead sea salt

Dead sea mud

Mandarin oil

Miracle Clay Facial

Hydrate Bamboo Sheet Mask

Skin Type: Combination, Dry, Mature, Normal, Sensitive

Argile clay

Baobab

Mandarin oil

Dead sea salt

Rose Geranium oil

One of my favourites

I tried each mask over 4 weeks. I have to say my skin does feel more refreshed than it did before using the masks. 

Easy to apply - Cleanse your face beforehand with warm water. Gently massage the mask into your face avoiding your lips and eyes. Leave on for approx 15-20 minutes or until it dries. I usually left on for the full 20 minutes. Then just wash off using warm water and pat dry.

I have two favourites - Million Year and Clean Up Mud. I could feel both of these working instantly and afterwards I felt my skin had been energised. 

Earth Kiss face masks are priced at just £1.99 and for more information on the range you can visit Earth Kiss

Michelle

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Pampers Little Champions

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Disclosure - This is a paid post

My boys have always been outgoing and even from a young age they both had so much energy to get up and go. I do love that they are happy being out and about and active. Little J is taking after his big brother and is constantly kicking a ball around or bouncing on the trampoline. He will stay on the trampoline for hours if I let him, just bouncing away or running round in circles.

I am so pleased to let you know that Pampers are teaming up with our very own sporting hero, Jessica Ennis-Hill (also mum to her own little champion, Reggie) to launch the Pampers Little Champions Campaign - shining a light on the next generation of little athletes and encouraging parents to celebrate their own little champions too.

Little J has always enjoyed moving around and he was one of those babies that would be sat somewhere one minute and the next he would be somewhere else. Whether he was bum shuffling, crawling or walking he was constantly on the go.

I read recently

A walking baby in one day can travel the distance of 29 football fields.                                   

A baby crawls as many steps as an adult walks in one day.

A crawling baby moves 8 times more than an adult just to get to the same place.

A cruising baby in one day can take as many steps as a marathon runner in a race.

To do all of the above our little ones need to be comfortable and as a mummy to her little boy Reggie, Jessica knows how important it is to have the right kit and also our babies need the freedom to move.

Pampers are the only nappies with the NEW revolutionary Magical Pods which are  absorbing channels that help to distribute wetness evenly giving a sag free fit and superior dryness so little ones can show off their champion moves.

Jessica says: ‘As a mum I love being active with Reggie – we have so much fun together and I know that it’s great for his development – that’s why I’ve teamed up with Pampers to encourage mums to celebrate their little one’s champion moves! Our babies are the future generation of medal winning athletes after all…’

Pampers understand that being able to move freely, and in comfort, is beneficial towards babies’ development. Pampers Love, Sleep & Play expert, Dr. Ellie Cannon knows that research shows that an opportunity to move is an opportunity for movement development to happen.

‘Feeling physically free and uninhibited whilst being supported and safe is an important part of a baby’s exploration of the world and physical development. Babies don’t need instructions to learn – they learn through self-discovery and encouragement from those around them. That encouragement comes in all forms: not just a clap from mum and dad, but also being unrestricted in their clothes and nappy. Freedom to move without restriction is a key aspect of your baby’s development environment’

Do you have a little champion at home? I would love to see their champion moves. Tweet me on twitter

Michelle

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Our Morning At Mattel Play Liverpool

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A few weeks ago we popped along to Mattel Play Liverpool for the first time. I'm not sure who was more excited about visiting, Little J or Me. I had read lots about the new interactive play centre and it was all positive. I was a little unsure about visiting at the weekend as I was worried it would be overcrowded so we headed down to the Albert Dock quite early on a Saturday morning.

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Cartamundi Disney Cars Racing and Action Game Box Review

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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. 

Little J has become a huge Disney Cars fan over the past few months, it's all he is interested in so when we received the Cartamundi Disney Cars game I knew it would be a hit. Playing games is something we have always enjoyed as a family but until recently little J was too young so he never got involved.

There are two games to play

The Racing Game

Race your car across the city using the crazy changing roads and be the first to cross  the finish line.

To play this game you need to assemble the 4 x 3D cars that are included in the box. Little J loved helping with this and went and got his diecast cars to join in too.

The rules for the racing game are very simple, you place a 5x5 grid of cars and each player has to put their chosen car on the start line.

The remaining cars are placed in a pile near the grid. On you turn you pick a card and place it on the grid to create a pathway for your car to pass through.

You can race your car as long as

The road is joined together

You do not pass through a roadworks sign

There are no other cars in the way

The player who creates a clear road to get to the finish line wins.

The Action Game

This was a little too complicated for little J although the rest of us loved this game.

It's very similar to the card game Uno so if you are familiar with the game then you will already know how to play. If not then the object of the game is to get rid of all your cards.

Each player gets 5 cars and the remaining cards are placed in a pile. You turn one card over from the pile and place it in the middle. The first player must put down a card from their 5 cards that either match the colour or number of the face up card.  Play continues round but to make things a little harder there are 5 action cards.

Skip a turn 

Pick up another card from the pack

Pick up two cards from the pack 

Change the direction of play

Wild Card - you can change the colour of the play

Once you have got rid of all your cards you shout 'CARS' and you have won the game

The Cartamundi Disney Cars game is suitable from 4 years plus and for 2 to 4 players. Now little J has just turned 3 and he enjoyed one of the games included but the other we may have to wait a while.

You can visit Amazon to buy the Disney Cars game or to view the range.

Michelle

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How Often Do You Take Your Pet For A Checkup? | AD

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Disclosure - This is a paid post

I remember the day when my friend brought home a little puppy. The kids had grown up and weren't as dependant on her any more and she felt a little lost. She was torn between having a baby or getting a dog, the dog won. I couldn't understand it at first because to me a baby and a dog are two completely different things and of course they are but the idea of having something or someone to look after was the same. Someone or thing to need you and rely on you. I guess dogs and babies are quite similar when you think about it. 

Being a Mum myself,  I know looking after a baby can be tough, you have to make sure you keep them safe and away from harm as best you can. They can't tell you how they are feeling, even when they are crying we are never 100% sure what they actually want, need or feel. Having a dog is the same. Being an owner of a pet it is your job, your responsibility to make sure your pet is cared for to the best of your ability. 

Just like babies, pets get unwell and it is important to know what could be causing your pet to feel like this and who to turn to if you need help. I know when we had our two dogs, both my Mum and Dad would make regular visits to the vets to get them checked out and if they needed any treatment it could be given. 

Parasites can hurt our pets both inside and out and we might not be able to see them. Merial Animal Health have created a fun but serious short video called 'The Parasite Party' about the more common parasites that could be found on or in your pet. 

It's important to remember that if your pets are infected then you and your family could be at risk too. I don't remember our dogs having anything really serious but I do remember them having fleas. I remember seeing them in the fur of one of our dogs, Kim. They were only small but you could see them clearly as she had white fur. The fleas lay eggs which fall off into the environment and develop into new adult fleas (did you know that the fleas you can see on your dog or cat only represent 5% of the problem- the rest of the flea population is in the environment in carpets, bedding etc). These new fleas can then jump on to us. Flea bites on humans can be serious so I know we took our dog to the vet and she was treated and sent home with a flea collar on. 

Internal parasites such as worms can also affect pets. Some of these worms can affect people too if they accidentally ingest the eggs, and it’s important to know that children are especially at risk because they often play on the floor or in soil where worm eggs may be found.

If you are unsure about the parasites that could be living on your pet you can visit the Parasite Party website and take a short questionnaire. 6 questions that could provide you with some information on what type of parasites your dog or pet could be exposed to. 

When caring for any pet it’s important to remember these top five tips. 

Wash your hands regularly.

Clean up your pet’s droppings daily.

Do not give your pet uncooked meat/offal.

Treat your pet regularly against parasites as instructed by your vet.

If you have several pets, make sure to treat all of them.

So just like babies, pets need check ups to. They need your help because they rely on you to care for them.

Michelle

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Wiplii Cardboard Toy Review and Giveaway

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Whether we are playing inside or out little J always has to have a tent or den set up. He loves to have a space were he can go and chill or play on his iPad. We have a pop up tent and I am always trying to jazz it up a little with cushions and stickers to make it look more appealing. When I fist heard about Wiplii and their range of cardboard toys I was really interested as I hadn't seen or heard anything like this before.

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Miraclesuit Costume Giveaway

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So far this year I have created two bucket lists and on those two bucket lists I have said I am going to lose weight. I need to lose weight and now that it's almost May I am starting to panic as Summer is literally just around the corner. We are still hoping to go away this year and all the talking about Summer has really put me in the mood to book a nice beach holiday.

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Masha And The Bear DVD - How They Met

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Friendship and adventure abound with the heart-warming tales of three year old Masha and her retired circus star friend, Bear, in their first DVD collection released by Abbey Home Media on Monday 25th April. We stumbled across Masha and the Bear just recently and little J loves it. It's actually really cute and after reading about it online I noticed Masha was voiced by Elsie Fisher who also voiced Agnes in Despicable Me.

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Num Noms Giveaway

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I recently came across Num Noms at our local Tesco. They were new in and seemed very popular as most of the stock on the shelves had gone. They looked fun and I am sure the kids will go crazy for these, wanting to collect all the different characters.

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Q Pootle 5 - Pootle The Explorer DVD Giveaway

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I can't believe it's been 18 months since we last reviewed Q Pootle 5 DVD. Little J is such a fan of the show and we are both so excited for the releases of Q Pootle 5 - Pootle The Explorer on DVD. Although we have CBeebies on TV I do like to have a back up of DVD's they keep little J entertained  especially on car journeys or when we go away.

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Warner Bros. Easter DVD Bundle Giveaway

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Little J has become really interested in watching TV and movies over the last few months and I am actually quite excited about it. There is nothing better than siting down in front of the tv and watching a dvd or movie. I am hoping this continues and we get to have some nice family chill time on the sofa this Easter half term.

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Disney On Ice Silver Anniversary Celebration Review

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We were really excited about seeing Disney On Ice Silver Silver Anniversary especially after watching the Worlds Of Enchantment show in Manchester last year. This time it was in the Liverpool Echo Arena so a lot closer to home but we had tickets to an evening show so I wasn't sure little J would stay awake.

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Pampers #BabyGrooves

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To celebrate the launch of NEW Premium Protection™ Active Fit, Pampers want to see your little one’s #babygrooves for the chance to win a starring role in their upcoming video.

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Disney Tigger Soft Toy Giveaway

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Disney have partnered with Google to create an interactive, three-dimensional version of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood built using Google Maps. The interactive Hundred Acre Wood offers games, stories, videos and activities – all themed around the different characters and stories from Winnie-the-Pooh. The Hundred Acre Wood can be found at Disney, and aims to provide mums and dads with a moment of fun and inspiration for everyday life from ideas to mark baby’s first milestones to activities for all the family to enjoy.

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Best Relationship With Your Child DVD Giveaway

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These past few weeks we have been watching a 3 DVD series entitles Best Relationship With Your Child. Both Daddy and I have made time to watch these and I'm so pleased we did.

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Sshh! Don't Wake Dad Electronic Board Game Review

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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. 

When big J was younger this was one of our favourite games to play. We would spend hours playing and I genuinely mean hours. He would make us sit and play it again and again and again. It is probably still in the loft somewhere as little J isn't in to games just yet as I thought he was a little too young for them but I was wrong.

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The Beatrix Potter Collection DVD Giveaway

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When I heard that The Beatrix Potter Collection was to be released on DVD I was genuinely excited.   I loved watching Peter Rabbit when I was little and I am hoping little J loves it as much as I do. Its amazing to think that 2016 marks 150 years since the birth of Beatrix Potter. For me she is one of  best children’s authors and has captured imaginations around the world with her beautifully illustrated tales. We were lucky enough to visit Beatrix Potter's home Hilltop a few years ago and if you are a fan I would highly recommend a visit. To walk around the home where all the amazing characters were thought of and drawn is truly special.

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Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan Giveaway

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I made a promise to myself that I will read more this year and so far I'm doing quite well. Being a Mummy I don't get lots of spare time but when I do I've been reading Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan.

 The title appealed to me straight away as my favourite movie is Sleepless in Seattle so I imagined lots of love and romance and so far it hasn't disappointed.

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Bacofoil Voucher Giveaway

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As Spring begins I am ready to dust off the cobwebs and get out and about with the boys. I love it when the weather starts brightening up and the nights get lighter. We like to go for walks and days out and it means we can start taking out picnics again. I love making picnics and I think it just makes the day a lot more fun. Little J loves finding a place to eat and is always excited opening his picnic box.

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Time Tokens - Keeping Track Of Screen Time

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Deciding how much screen time you allow your child to have is definitely a personal choice and should not be judged by others. We decide how much screen time little J can have depending on the day he has had already, the time of day and also as a reward if he has been good. I recently came across Time Tokens and after reading about them I knew this would help us as a visual for little J to remember how much screen time he is allowed per day. 

Created by Amanda, Time Tokens were designed so we could try and keep track at how long our children are using computers, phones, iPads etc. Using the time tokens we can control how much screen time our children use.

Each Time Tokens pack contains 

Time Tokens Wallet - Perfect for your child to take responsibility for their own Time Tokens.

A Timer - Just like a stopwatch.

Time Tokens - They come in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes which we have used for little J.

60 minute Time Tokens are perfect for big J.

Time Tokens Promise Contract - This allows you to work on the expectations of your child and also agree how much screen time / Time Tokens they will be allowed each week.

A Golden Time Token - This will hopefully encourage your child to stick to their side of the agreement. If they do they will get a special reward.

The Frazzles - These are so cute.  Every Time Token features a Frazzle on the reverse. They tell you all about the things they love to do when they are away from screens.

Instructions - Easy and simple.

How Do They Work?

Little J doesn't have a set screen time amount however we have been using the time tokens just to keep track on how much he does use it. The timer is particularly useful to show how long he has left. When we say 10 minute left he can track the time and finish what he is doing. 

I have to say that it has worked really well and it's nice that he can earn a Golden Ticket. We will let little J use the Golden Ticket for a reward of his choice.

Time Tokens are a great way to keep a track of screen time and also a way to reward good behaviour too. They would be particular useful for parents of children who struggle to control their screen time use.

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 used Time Tokens before or a similar method? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought.

Growing my social media is something I work hard on. If you would like to follow us - Like us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

If you have found this post or our blog useful you can say thanks by - Buying Us A Virtual Coffee

If you think a friend of family member would like this post - Tap the share button below.

Michelle

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Time Tokens Giveaway

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For the past week we have been using Time Tokens and I have to say I am so impressed with how well they have worked. If you haven't heard of Time Tokens before you can read our review and if you like the idea too you can enter for the chance to win your very own pack.

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A Tour Of Storytelling Britain

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Disclosure This is a paid post in collaboration with Cottages.com

There are some lovely places to visit across the UK that are inspired by children's book authors, their characters and locations. Cottages.com has created a lovely map of places you can visit based around some of our favourite stories.

We are lucky that we have managed to visit a few of the places already.

The Lake District

Everything about The Lake District makes me think of Beatrix Potter especially Bowness on Windermere and Hill Top. Bowness is a beautiful place to visit and a must do is a boat ride on Windermere to Ambleside. We have also visited Hill Top, this is where Beatrix once lived. It was truly amazing to wander around her home and see where she used to work. It is now owned by National Trust and we can't wait to visit again.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour London

A must for any Harry Potter fan. The studio tour based in Watford has everything a Harry Potter fan would want. Have a walk around the Great Hall, try a butter beer or even cast a spell. We would love to visit again as they host special events throughout the year. 

Thomas Land, Drayton Manor

Little J absolutely loved Thomas Land. Thomas Land is located inside Drayton Manor Theme Park featuring lots of rides and attractions based around the No.1 blue engine and his friends. 

If any of the places above or on the map take your fancy then you can be sure there is a cottages.com property close by. Renting a cottage can be an excellent way to have an affordable break together at any time of year. A break that isn't incredibly hard work, and gives you access to some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Many properties accept pets, and larger properties can sleep the whole family. We have stayed in a few cottages that can accommodate a large number of guests, Simgill in The Lake District and Snowdonia View in Wales. We would definitely choose a cottage again in the future.  

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

Have you been to visited any of the places on the map?  Leave us a comment below and let us know about your visit.

Visit our Walks In The North West post for more walk ideas

Like us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Buy Us A Virtual Coffee

Share This Post With Friends Who May Also Find It Useful. 

Michelle

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The World of Peter Rabbit - The Complete Collection of Original Tales Giveaway

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You may have read my recent post about how cottages.com has created a beautiful map of all the places you can visit in Britain that inspired our favourite authors. To celebrate World Book Day and The Tour of Storytelling Britain I have teamed up with cottages . com to offer one of my readers and followers the chance to win a very special prize.

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Must See Musicals 10 Film Collection Giveaway

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Ever since I was little I have always loved Musicals. I was brought up with both my Nana and my Mum watching movies such as Gypsy and my all time favourite Calamity Jane. My love of Musicals didn't just stop at watching the movies, I love listening to the soundtracks and watching the stage show versions too. You might have already read that we went to see Calamity Jane and it was amazing.

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