Review - Jungle In My Pocket Treehouse Playset

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 Welcome to the jungle, if you're a fan of puppy and Kitty in my pocket, you'll go wild for these new fuzzy jungle pets. Jungle in my pocket is the latest line of collectible characters to join the in my pocket family. They're soft, cute and ready for adventure. We have not heard of Jungle in my pocket so we were excited to receive the Jungle In My Pocket Treehouse Playset last week. We also received two blind bags which little J finds very exciting. 

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Review - My Summer Wear From Jacamo

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You may have read recently that Michelle was invited to choose and review some new clothes from J.D. Williams. I was lucky enough to also be invited to try some clothes from Jacamo. My clothes tend to be a bit scruffy. I wear typical ‘Dad’ clothes most of the time when I’m not in work. Tracksuits, Everton Shirts, Shorts and Film and TV orientated T-Shirts.  I noticed recently that Big J’s wardrobe is actually a lot smarter than mine, and decided it was time I got myself some smarter clothes to wear.

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Mickey and The Roadster Races and Minnie's Happy Helpers Toys

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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. 

Last week we received a huge box of goodies from The Mickey and The Roadster Races and Minnie's Happy Helpers range. We absolutely love Mickey and Minnie and already own a few of the toys as they were available to buy in America when we visited DisneyWorld in April. The toys were sent to us to help us co-host a twitter party on Thursday 10th August at 1pm, so if you want to get involved with the chance to win prizes look out for the #MickeyandMinnieToys and make sure you are following PlaydaysRunways. For now I just thought I would show you some of the range so you had an idea of what to expect on Thursday. 

The first thing you will notice is just how colourful the range is. The colours are bright and bold and definitely eye catching for the little ones. The range by Flair and Just Play is aimed at 3-6 year olds and prices start at just £6.99

Mickey Roadster Racers Talking Tool Belt

Set up for the tool belt was very easy. We popped in the batteries (which were included), popped it round little J's waist and he was ready to play. 

The tool belt has loops and pouches to hold the tools. The drill spins when pressed and the the tool belt also includes a tyre air pressure gauge, motor oil, funnel, wrench and screw and sockets.

Minnie's Happy Helpers Bag Playset

The Happy Helpers bag is perfect for any Minnie fan as it looks just like hers. The bag includes a lights and sounds phone, a bracelet with charms, a pretend passport and holder, pretend boarding pass and stickers.

The bag is ready to use as the batteries are included. The bag opens up and fits everything inside plus more as it is a good size.

Mickey Roadster Racers Pit Crew Tool Box

The tool box is perfect for any wannabe Mickey. It's chunky and sturdy and includes 23 pieces which is amazing. The mallet is a favourite as is the nuts and bolts. 

Ideal for mending and fixing. 

Minnie's Happy Helpers Boutique Cash Register

The Boutique Cash Register is ideal for pretending you own your own shop. The till has a real working calculator, hand scanner, money, credit card and realistic sounds. 

Again batteries are included in the box.

Minnie's Happy Helpers Shopping Basket

The shopping basket is a great addition to the Boutique Cash register. It includes play food which is well made and I know will last. Also some of the pieces can be cut in half with the knife included.

The baskets handles are also strong and again I know will last when we are playing shop.

Mickey Roadster Racers Musical Microphone

The microphone plays the Mickey theme tune whilst the lights flash. Again includes batteries so was ready to play.

*****

What We Love

The range of toys are so bright and colourful.

Made of strong chunky plastic that will last

Batteries included which is such a relief - there is nothing worse than when your children wants to play with a toy and you need to pop the shop for batteries. 

Realistic items perfect for role play

What Could Improve

Nothing, we love the range.

*****

To find out more you can visit Flair and the range of Mickey and Minnie Toys are available in most good toy shops or online at Amazon.

Don't forget to join us on August 10th for lots of fun, games and prizes. You need to use the #MickeyandMinnieToys and follow PlaydaysRunways.

Michelle

Disclosure - We received the above toys from The Mickey and Minnie Range to help us join in with a Twitter Party and for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

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Review - My Summer Wear From JD Williams

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A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to review some clothes from JD Williams. You wouldn't believe how excited I was because usually it's the kids who get to try out lots of different stuff but mainly because I can't remember the last time I bought myself new clothes. I do have all the intentions of buying clothes for myself but usually walk out with a trolley or basket filled with clothes for the boys. The joys of being a Mum. Anyway I made myself a cup of tea and went browsing on their website. There was a lot of choice but I managed to narrow it down to just 3 things, which did take me quite a while.

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Our #PeppaPlayDays Summer Bundle.

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To help us survive enjoy the school holiday's we have been sent a huge selection of Peppa Pig goodies to use this Summer. Little J absolutely loves Peppa and although I try to deny it I do have a soft spot for that pig. We received a huge box last week and I know we are going to enjoy playing with this bundle this August.

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Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat 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. 

As the boys are now off for 6 weeks there will be plenty of opportunities for us to go on day trips which involves a lot of car journeys. I try to make the car journeys interesting for the boys, we play games, sing songs but mostly they just want to play on their devices. Little J always brings two cars with him and his teddy wherever we go. When we were offered the chance to review the Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat I thought it would be a great addition to our car journeys as now teddy would have somewhere to sit. 

The Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat is a perfect role play toy but more importantly it promotes safety. Little J loves popping teddy in to the seat and instantly fastening him in. The seat has a 3 point harness secured by a pair of hand shaped buckles. Little J has always understood the importance of putting our seat belt on in the car. He will always remind me if I haven't buckled him in  before we head off on a journey. Now he is doing the same for his teddy which is so cute to watch. 

The car seat can also be used as part of role play inside the home too. Little J often pretends the sofa is a car and he is driving somewhere far away. 

The car seat can fit a doll or teddy up to 46cm, it has a padded head rest and arm rests too. It looks just like a real car seat. 

What We Loved

Realistic Role Play Toy

3 Point Harness ensures dolly or teddy is safe

Promotes Car Safety

Fits dolls up to 46cm

What Could Improve

Would be nice if it came in another colour. Little J absolutely loves pink but I know some boys don't.

The Casdon Baby Huggles Booster Car Seat is available in most good retailers and Amazon. To view the Casdon Baby Huggles range you can click to visit the Casdon Website.

Michelle

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Theatre Review - Wicked at The Apollo Victoria, London

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A few weeks ago Daddy and I headed to London for the day. We got the 6:45am train and was in London by 9am. I had booked us tickets to see Wicked at the The Apollo Victoria. It’s not a musical I had wanted to see before but Daddy really liked the sound of it so I booked them for Father’s Day.

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Perudo Dice Game Review and Giveaway

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A few weeks ago we received a new game for us to try, Perudo. Perudo is based on a Peruvian dice game known as Liar's Dice. It is a skillful game that requires guesswork, bluff and luck. We love playing games and this looked lots of fun.

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Review - Wobbly Worm By Spin Master

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Last week we were sent a game to try called Wobbly Worm. I had already read reviews about Wobbly Worm online so I knew what to expect but little J had no idea. Wobbly Worm is a ring toss game with a difference, you have to toss the rings on to the worm while he wobbles from side to side. 

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Super Wings Giveaway - #SuperWingsSummer

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You may have recently read that we have been chosen as one of the Ambassadors for Super Wings this Summer. You can read our introduction to Super Wings here and if you have read our post I do hope you have checked Super Wings out already as it's a great show for the kids. Alpha Animation have introduced a line of toys at Smyths to go alongside the TV show and I will be fortunate enough to be reviewing these over the next few weeks. For now I have the chance to offer one lucky reader and follower the chance to win a fabulous Super Wings bundle. 

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We Are A Super Wings Ambassador

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I am so pleased to announce that we are teaming up with Alpha Animation this Summer and becoming an Ambassador for Super Wings.  If you don't already know Super Wings is an action packed animation series which launched on Cartoonito in February.  The storyline aimed at children 3-5 years, encourages pre-schoolers to develop problem solving skills. 

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Disney Pixar Cars 3 Posh Paws Soft Toys Review

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This week we are having a Disney Pixar Cars 3 Takeover on our blog to celebrate the new movie being released at the cinema on Friday 14th July. To help us celebrate Posh Paws sent us a selection of soft toys to enjoy. We received a large Cruz Ramirez, Medium sized Jackson Storm and two claimable characters, Mater and Guido.

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Disney Pixar Cars 3 Movie Review

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Last weekend we headed to our local Odeon to watch Cars 3. It's been 11 years since the first movie was released and in the 11 years since, we have been massive fans of Lightning McQueen. Big J's first cinema visit was when he was just 4 years old and we watched Cars so its odd that Little J's first ever cinema visit is when he is also 4 but he's watching Cars 3.

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Disney Pixar Cars Are Back In Town

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The movie Disney Cars has a special place in our hearts as it was the first movie big J ever watched at the cinema. It wasn't the first movie we went to see, that was Happy Feet. We didn't actually get in to screening for that one as he was too scared but that's another story. So Disney Cars was a part of our lives for a long time until big J grew out of the toys and the movies. It was a 'Toy Story 3' moment, you know when Woody and Buzz are preparing themselves for the attic, we packed up the cars and playsets and off to the loft they went. It's was so sad when they went up and I honestly didn't think they would see the light of day again.

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Sensse Deep Pore Suction Cleaner and Blackhead Remover Review and Giveaway

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A few weeks ago we received the Sensse Deep Pore Suction Cleaner and Blackhead Remover to try out. I have never really suffered from blackheads but recently I have noticed a few which did shock me a little. Obviously when we were asked to give this a try I jumped at the chance as my skin isn't getting any younger. My skin has always been on the dry side and as I've got older I do find myself wearing make up more now than I ever did and it has had a big effect on my skin.

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Board Game Club Review - Cortex Challenge

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A few weeks ago we were asked to join Blogger Board Game Club. As we are huge fans of board games we were excited to say yes. We are amongst a group of 50 bloggers who will receive a board game each month to try and review. This months first game arrived and it is Cortex Challenge by Esdevium Games. 

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The Gruffalo and Organix Giveaway

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You may have read my earlier post about us being a Merlin Annual Pass holder, which means we get to visit attractions across the UK throughout the year. One for our Summer Bucket List this year is to visit Chessington World Of Adventures for two reasons. Firstly we have never been and secondly because little J absolutely loves the Gruffalo and Chessington World of Adventures now have a new Gruffalo River Ride. Celebrating its partnership with the new Gruffalo River Ride Adventure at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Organix are giving one lucky Playdays and Runways winner the chance to win a Gruffalo DVD and a £10 bundle of its top selling Goodies healthy snacks. 

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Sea Stars At Sea Life, Blackpool

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Having a Merlin pass is probably one of the best purchases we make each year. Being a Merlin pass holder entitles us to free entry to 32 attractions across the UK after paying a one off fee at the beginning of your membership. Over the past few weeks we have visited Alton Towers, Legoland Discovery Centre and last weekend we Sea Life in Blackpool to check out Sea Stars which is new for 2017.

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Travelling To Majorca With The Kids

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Majorca was the first holiday we went to as a family of 3 way back in 2003. As we had never had to plan a holiday with a baby before we relied heavily on recommendations from our family and friends and whoever we spoke to Majorca always came up as a possible destination. If you are a parent, when it comes to booking a holiday to Majorca you want to know that it is suitable for your children and what we have found over the years is Majorca ticks every box.

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Our Top Tips For Staying Safe In The Sun

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You may have read our recent post about our favourite places to go on holiday, one of the things that we always plan very well for when going abroad is the heat.  Whether it be Florida, Majorca, or even at home in the UK, its always important to stay safe when the sun is out.  The last thing you want to happen on holiday to either yourself or your little ones is Sunburn.  You can lose a good few days from your holiday to the effects of sunburn and it can be easily avoided.  

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Casdon Minimarket Till Review

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Little J absolutely loves playing shop and cafe. Out of all the role play activities he has they are his two favourites. He has always loved numbers so anything that involves numbers of any sort is always a winner. When we were sent the Casdon Minimarket Till to review I knew he would love it as soon as I read it has a built in calculator. 

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Charlie Bigham's Meals Review

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It's always nice to find out about brands that you haven't heard of before so when we received some vouchers to exchange for a few Charlie Bigham's meals we were very excited. We headed to Tesco that morning and found the meals in the fridge section. We have never seen them before but if I am being honest they look very posh and we have probably just walked past them. There was a small choice in our local Tesco but we decided that we would try the Chicken Tikka Masala and Lasagne.

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Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow Review

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A few weeks ago we received the Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow to review. It's a kids pillow so ideal for little J. When it arrived it was very thin and when I actually looked on the website although the packaging says kids the website has toddler in brackets so possibly not the right size for little J although we did give it a go. 

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Favourite Holiday Destinations

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post

Summer is almost upon us and for most people that means they will be heading off on their Summer holidays. Whether it's in the UK, Europe or further afield, getting away is something we all love to do. It's nice to know that we can 'switch off' for a week or two and forget about the real world and just float about in our holiday bubble. When it comes to choosing where to go we all have different ideas of the perfect holiday. Whether it's somewhere you've visited before, a recommendation from a friend or through browsing sites online.

We tend to visit places we have already been to before. We like the familiarity and also the no stress worrying whether it is okay, as we've been before. I recently asked a few blogger friends what their favourite holiday destination is and why? The results are fab and it has actually given me a few new places to take a look at.

Long Haul Destinations

We have been over to America twice now, first we went to New York and earlier this year we went to Walt Disney World. They are 2 of our favourite destinations and I'm glad to see that others think so too.

Carrie from Flying With a Baby loves Cape Town. " outdoor fun, stunning beaches, amazing food, penguins, sharks, whales all in the wild. There is just so much to see and do. It's (only 12 hours away - I say only as we are used to 24 hours as hubby is Australian) hardly any time difference and perfect for Winter sun too "

Angela from The Life Of Spicers chose Walt Disney World. " there is something for everyone. Our once in a lifetime trip three years ago sees us revisiting for the third time this year. It's truly magical "

Ann from Rainbows Are Too Beautiful also chose Florida. " especially in the Spring . . because it's good weather and has the best Disney park "

I have to agree with Laura from Mama Eden & Me about New York.  " It's magical. The energy, the people, the theatres. I love the place. Hopefully going back next year "

Lynne from New Mummy Blog loves holidaying in the UK however . . . " my favourite holidays (other than honeymoon) were always the American road trips hubby and I did pre-kids, we can't wait for the little ones to be a bit older so we can go back and do more, including Disneyland " 

Michelle from Mummy2Monkeys loves America. " Everything is just so big and better. We went to see our first ever basketball game and I absolutely loved it seeing all the cheerleaders doing their half time dance routines in their cheerleading uniform."

The Canaries

I have visited Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and both are stunning. The weather is always lovely, people are friendly and they are real family friendly resorts.

Suzy from Our Bucket List Lives also loved her holiday this year to Gran Canaria.  " The weather was lovely in January/February. There's lots to do there as a family and we loved the hotels that we stayed in. We'd not been there before and we would love to go back "

Becky from Mummy Est 2014 has visited Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands  " It was amazing. We took our little man when he was 20 months and he loved the beach, the pool, and the lights and fun of the evening entertainment. I loved the fact it was hot, all inclusive (so nice not to have to worry about food and drink) and family friendly. Travel time was only about 4 hours which wasn't as horrendous as I thought it would be "

Africa

Not a place I have visited yet but somewhere I would love to try. 

Naomi from Not A Perfect Parent tells us why she loves Tunisia. " There are so many amazing places I've been to including Florida, Lanzarote and other places but Tunisia has totally stolen my heart "

" I've been twice and the culture and history is so interesting. Both times I was given tours of the markets and that was a whole new experience. It is so rich in history and culture that many people don't know about and I loved learning all about it! We were taken around Mosques and a Mausoleum and the Tunisian People showed us so much respect for being interested in it all "

 " Tunisia has such a bad reputation and is a country that many either love or hate "

" Added bonus is that it's only about a 3 hour flight but it's North Africa so amazing temperatures "

The Balearics

I have to agree with both Laura and Kerry on their choices. Both beautiful and lots to see and do. We have stayed in Alcudia, C'an Picafort and Sa Coma in Majorca. Sa Coma is by far our favourite and hopefully we will visit again next year.

Laura from Mum On A Mission favourite holiday is Mallorca. " Anywhere on the island. Many reasons but primarily because it is beautiful. It's also only 2 hours away and there are plenty of cheap flights. I lived there for 5 years and it still feels like my second home. I'd recommend it to anyone "

Kerry from Kerry Shaw Mummy Of Four loves Ibiza " One of the most beautiful Islands I have ever been to, especially when you fly in just after the sunrise, on a really quick and very cheap flight "

Europe

Proving to be quite popular for the perfect holiday destination.

France

Beth from Twinderelmo and Jade from Mummies Waiting both agree that Disneyland Paris is the perfect getaway. 

Beth " not too far to travel and pure magic from start to end "

Jade " I love to get away, but completely away from everything with so many distractions to take in. It makes our whole family so happy and the experiences always bring a tear to my eye"

Italy

Kate from Five Little Stars likes to get away to Lake Garda (specifically Desenzano and up around the west of the lake). " It's beautiful, so easy with children, and the food is immense. We have been several times, pre and post babies, and always have a lovely time. And we are off to Corsica in September and I have high hopes that it will be a top holiday location contender for us too "

Louise from Pink Pear Bear also is a fan of Northern Italy " Amazing food, stunning scenery, lush weather, some of the most breathtaking art and architecture on the planet, less then 2 hours flight AND super duper child friendly! We love it "

Joy from The Sensory Seeker is also a fan of Italy " We loved our trip to Italy - Gelato and culture what's not to love. It was a place where the whole family loved with our various ages and the public transport system is fantastic "

Denmark

Nadia from Scandi Mummy loves Copenhagen " especially in the summer months. There is so much to do whether you are going for a childfree romantic getaway or for a family trip. Some of the best restaurants in the world, fantastic attractions and it's close to the sea and great beaches "

UK

We love visiting different parts of the UK. It is a beautiful country and if you get the right weather it is definitely a perfect holiday destination. 

Katy from Katy Kicker enjoys a visit to CenterParcs " One hour from home, lots of activities and lovely facilities "

Hollie from Thrifty Mum chose The Isle of Scilly " Amazing. Only off the coast of Cornwall by small plane or ferry, they're beautiful islands, some are free of traffic and that low in crime no-one locks their doors. Perfect for an Enid Blyton friendly childhood. They have the best weather in the British Isles so you're guaranteed a nice tan too "

Emma from Me and B Make Tea would have to say good old Blighty. " Specifically Devon. We holidayed abroad with the little one but i've found I had a better time at Center Parcs and places like Ladram Bay and Cofton Holiday Park. We love Haven too. They are so geared for kids and there is so much to do even in rainy weather. Often when we go abroad the pools are freezing even though the heat is 30. So the UK - don't underestimate what you have on your doorstep "

*****

I have absolutely loved reading everyones 'perfect holiday' destinations and it doesn't seem to matter whether its a long haul trip to America, a villa in the Canaries, or a weekend in the UK we all love to get away and we all have our own favourite destination. 

Michelle

*collaborative post - all images thanks to Clickstay*

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The App Map Of Britain

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We all use apps every day.  Lots of apps, on lots of different devices doing lots of different things. Carphone Warehouse have compiled an app map of Great Britain, shortlisting the most used apps in 2016 with lots of different variables from location, age, sex, earnings and lots of others including the top used apps in the entire British Isles. 

The map really does give an interesting insight into the usage of apps and shows how many of the 2 million plus apps that are available on the App Store and for Android are actually used. I wasn't hugely surprised by the top 10 overall, but once you add the extra dimension of location or age the results really did surprise me. 

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Little J's First Tennis Coaching Session #ParkLives

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This weekend we wanted to try something new with little J. We are always looking for new activities to keep him entertained, especially with the summer holidays close by. We recently heard about  Coca Cola GB ParkLives and it looked great. Coca Cola ParkLives offers a wide range of free activities at your local park. There are all types of activities to get involved in, all you need to do is pop your postcode in to the website and a list of sessions popped up. We did just that on Sunday and the closest session for us was Tennis in Birkenhead Park. It was a very wet Sunday but we still popped along and lucky for us the rain stayed off. 

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How Natural Playgrounds Help Children’s Development

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Both boys have visited our local parks and playgrounds since they were very young. They both really enjoy being outdoors and whilst I wasn't one for swings or slides when I was younger I wanted to make sure the boys were comfortable using outdoor equipment from a early age. Playgrounds aren’t just about entertainment – they’re a key part of a child’s development. From confronting danger with climbing structures to social skills garnered by interaction in a play environment, playing outside helps children grow. I think the 'confronting danger' part for me was why I didn't like playgrounds as I never felt confident. Fortunately both boys love climbing and it's nice to see them taking risks because it is all part of development. 

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The Beginning Of Our Home Improvements

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Over the next few months we are having a makeover on our house. It's something we have wanted to do for a long time but it never seemed the right time to start. Money is a huge factor when it comes to totally revamping your house and it's taken us quite a few years to save mainly because we still like our holidays and weekends away. The main jobs are our bedroom, the bathroom and the front and back gardens however it's been a good few years since our kitchen was last changed, and the tell tale signs of wear have been starting to show recently.

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Paw Patrol Jumbling Tower Review

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Little J absolutely loves Paw Patrol and because of his increasing love of games I knew he would like the Paw Patrol Jumbling Tower game by Spinmaster. When it arrived I realised the game was just like Jenga, a game I just love. If you have never played it before you really are missing out. 

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Half Shell Heroes Mutant Loader Vehicle With Mikey Review

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I have always said that little J absolutely loves playing with anything that has wheels, cars, bikes, trucks you name it he will play with it. Since starting nursery he has become interested in super heroes and action figures too so when we were given the chance to review the Half Shell Heroes Mutant Loader Vehicle I knew he would love it as it is two of his favourite things combined. 

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