Remember This Day... 14th February

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Happy Valentines Day. Today is the 14th February and traditionally on this day we celebrate with our loved ones and let them know just how much we love them. Typically roses are the flower of choice for your special someone or you can choose from a range of 'Valentines Day' gifts to show how much you care. 

Happy Valentines Day Image
The 14th February is not just a day of romance and love as it is also a day to remember some very important events, birthdays, deaths and even divorces, that have happened on this day. 

In 1929 the Valentines Massacre happened when 7 gangsters were killed.

In 1984 Torvill and Dean performed their Gold winning performance of the Bolero in the Winter Olympics. 

The 14th February is also the date of a few famous birthdays including Alan Parker, Tim Buckley, Stelios Haji-Ioannou and most recently Simon Pegg.

James Cook and Dolly the Sheep unfortunately died on this day back in 1779 and 2003.

Choosing to get married on Valentines Day is very romantic and there have been quite a few celebrity Valentines Day weddings over the years. 

In 1984 Elton John and Renate Blauel married in Sydney, Australia.

In 1991 Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid tied the knot. 

In the city of love Paris, Salma Hayek and Francois- Henri Pinault married in 2009.

Most recently in 2018 Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer married in Malibu. 

Valentines is not all about the romance for Robin Givens and Mike Tyson or Prince and Mayte Garcia as they were granted divorce on this day. 

No matter how you are spending your Valentines Day I hope you enjoy it. 

Michelle
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The World Of David Walliams at Alton Towers

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Gangsta Granny The Ride Image
It's no secret that we are huge fans of Alton Towers and having a Merlin Pass means we usually visit at least 6 times each year. When we visited at Halloween last year we saw teaser posters for the new area of the park 'The World Of David Walliams'. The books are not stories we are familiar with however we have just watched Gangsta Granny and now little J cannot wait to visit again in Spring. 

The World of David Walliams which is set to be unveiled sometime in Spring will also see a new attraction, Gangsta Granny The Ride.  The new ground-breaking family attraction that brings to life David Walliams’ most popular children’s novel Gangsta Granny.

If you are unfamiliar with the book, Gangsta Granny tells the story of Ben who discovers that his Granny is secretly an international jewel thief. The thrilling new 4D ride experience will see guests join the main characters as they attempt the greatest heist in the history of the world, to steal the Crown Jewels.
Gangsta Granny The Ride Image
Guests will board a Royal Carriage, and set off on a Crown Jewels tour only to be caught up in Ben and Granny’s audacious adventure. The ride will whizz, twist and spin passengers 360° through a series of scenes where they will see, feel, hear and even smell an electrifying and unique re-telling of the Gangsta Granny story. Using state-of-the-art special effects, 3D projection-mapping and animation inspired by the artwork of Tony Ross, guests will descend with Ben and Granny into the sewers, be chased through the streets of London and even come face to face with the Queen, but will the madcap scheme succeed?

As well as the ride a whole area of the theme park will be transformed, inspired by ‘The World of David Walliams’. The themed area will also feature a host of other rides and attractions where guests can

Pick up a crazy bargain in Raj’s Shop
Race on a regal thoroughbred on the Royal Carousel
Giggle with delight on Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp
Encounter other surprises and twists along the way

The fun doesn't stop at the theme park, fans of David’s books can also enjoy the ultimate sleepover with an overnight stay in one of four Gangsta Granny themed bedrooms in the Alton Towers Hotel.

At this moment there is no official opening date for The World of David Walliams it is just 'opening in Spring' but as soon as I know I will update.

Will you be visiting Alton Towers this Spring?

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Michelle
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Valentines Day Gift Guide 2020

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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 - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Love image
If you are looking for some gift inspiration this Valentines Day then check out our Valentines Day Gift Guide.

Nanogen products
 Nanogen is a luxury hair thickening range which includes the famous Keratin Hair Fibres that create instant volume. The range also includes luxury shampoos, conditioners, a Root Boost and Hair Hydrator.

Raw Natural products
Raw Naturals is a men’s grooming range from Sweden.  It’s a natural, stylish range of body, skin and beard care products for men. Each formula combines caring ingredients of vegetable origin with natural oils from oats, coconut and olives, as well as natural honey extracts.

Coole Swan
Coole Swan gift set features a 700ml bottle of Coole Swan premium Irish cream liqueur along with two beautifully crafted glasses exclusively available to purchase from John Lewis. Why not make a Valentines cocktail together featuring a Coole Swan recipe

Mermaid Pink Gin
Perfectly balanced, subtle yet vibrant, Mermaid Pink is less sweet than most pink gins and has no added sugar. Distilled using strawberries from the island’s Arreton Valley - a rich and fertile place that receives some of the best sunshine levels in the UK - the gin has a gentle pink hue. To create it, the strawberries are steeped in the distillery’s signature gin for four days. Then, half is removed to be distilled and eventually added back to the remaining infusion - lending the gin a refreshing and intensely aromatic, strawberry flavour.

Guylian Chocolate
Made using only the finest, hand selected Mediterranean hazelnuts, which are roasted and caramelised to perfection before being blended with premium Belgian chocolate, Guylian’s famous Sea Shell chocolates are always a delight, and are sure to make life sweet for your loved one.

Disney planet pots
If flowers are not your thing then these cute artificial potted plants from Disney Store will be the perfect gift for you. The quirky designs features a plastic plant inside a pot inspired by Disney characters.

Princess PJs
In my opinion you can't go wrong with Pyjamas and they make a cute gift for Valentines Day. These Real Life Princess Disney Princess Jasmine PJ's will have you feeling like royalty. 

Odeon Gift Card
If you have a loved one that is impossible to buy for then why not treat them to a gift card. A cinema voucher is not only the perfect gift but it also doubles up as a date night too.

The Ultimate Gift Card is also a great gift as it can be spent in lots of retailers including JD Sports. 

Red Letter days Voucher
Red Letter Days have a huge range of experiences to choose from so no matter what your loved ones interests are you will find something they will enjoy.

Do you have any plans for this Valentines Day?

Michelle
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Park Life

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Boy climbing a tree
A much needed trip to the park this weekend to get a little bit of fresh air while it was dry. We headed in to the woods where little J tried to climb every tree possible. We love visiting the park and it's so nice to get away from the 'screens' for an afternoon.

Whilst little J was climbing I loved watching him work out how he was going to get where he wanted to go and also how to get back down. He always challenges himself physically and never gives up. I don't have any balance or co-ordination skills so he must get that from his dad. 

Although it was cold we wrapped up warm and kept moving so we didn't feel it as much. 

Boy on scooter
Little J also brought his scooter.

woods
It's lovely watching little J explore the woods with such enthusiasm. I hope he will always want to put on his wellies and wrap up warm and go on an adventure. He walked, he ran, he scooted and climbed. We spotted rabbits, collected sticks, played pooh sticks in the stream and finished off with an ice cream.

A perfect afternoon.

Michelle

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Planning A Family Holiday To Puerto Pollensa

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post. 

When we were looking for our first ever Summer holiday as a family of three lots of friends and family gave us lots of different ideas for a family holiday destination and the one that was suggested the most was Majorca. There we a few different places on the island but the one that caught our eye was Puerto Pollensa. Situated on the Bay of Pollensa, Puerto Pollensa is a small town in Majorca which is extremely popular with British holidaymakers each year who are looking for a family holiday.

Puerto Pollensa
If you are searching for a family friendly holiday destination then I can almost guarantee that someone will mention or recommend Puerto Pollensa. Situated on the Bay of Pollensa, Puerto Pollensa is a small town in Majorca which is extremely popular with holidaymakers each year who are looking for a family holiday.

Once you have decided Puerto Pollensa is the right destination for you then you can browse through the many accommodation choices. Choosing where to stay depends on your personal preference, there are lots of choices including Villas in Puerto Pollensa. TripAdvisor can offer lots of reviews of family friendly accommodation and to find out more about Planning A Villa Stay you can browse sites such as Clickstay. Clickstay have provided holiday accommodation to over 600,000 customers since 2003. There are over 87,000 villas and apartments available to choose from in over 80 countries including Spain.

Where is Puerto Pollensa?

Puerto Pollensa is a holiday resort on the island of Majorca, Spain.

It is situated in the East of the Island and is one of the furthest resorts from Palma Airport.

What Is The Transfer Time From Palma to Puerto Pollensa?

Due to the resort being one of the furthest resorts from Palma it can take over two hours to reach, which means you are away from the hustle and bustle of the larger resorts, but can still get to them should you wish.

What Is The Weather Like?

Summer begins in June in Puerto Pollensa with temperatures varying between 16-25 ºc throughout June and July. August can reach highs of 30 ºc.

Is Puerto Pollensa Family Friendly?

Absolutely. The resort is packed with family friendly accommodation, restaurants, clean natural beaches and the bay offers warm shallow waters for the children to paddle in making Puerto Pollensa a very popular holiday choice for families.

Although the resort does not offer aqua parks, karting tracks or inflatable parks like the other resorts on the island you can arrange to visit them using public transport or guided excursions.

table situated overlooking the beach, Majorca
photo credit - Clickstay

What Can I Expect In Puerto Pollensa?

Although the resort boasts lots of family friendly facilities I would say that the main feature of Puerto Pollensa is Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range that surrounds and shelters the town. It provides the most beautiful backdrop and can be seen for miles. I would definitely recommend heading in to the hills on one of the many walks available as the views are breathtaking.

The town was once a fishing village and although there are now purpose built areas surrounding the bay some of the original town still stands.

You can enjoy a fair selection of shops, bars and cafes which are all family friendly allowing children to dine at any time of day and night. You will find most types of food on offer in Puerto Pollensa including Chinese, Italian, American High Class Fish Restaurants and even Burger King which opened on the sea front just a few years ago.

The beaches host a wide range of water sports and activities for both adults and children to enjoy. There are quite a few boat trips available with a trip to Cap de Formentor proving very popular with holiday makers.

What Else Can I Do On The Island?

S’Albufereta Nature Reserve is just a short drive from Puerto Pollensa on the coastal road to Alcudia. The reserve consists of a stretch of beach on the left with the main entrance on the right which leads to a mixed habitat of both fresh and salt water lagoons in addition to scrubland and pines.

During migration the area attracts a wide variety of  birds such as Flycatchers, Redstarts and Blue Headed Wagtails. Additionally you will find numerous warblers and also Nightingales. Honey Buzzards and Montagu’s Falcons together with other migrating birds of prey are regular visitors and on occasion you may see the Red Footed Falcon.

HidroPark Alcudia is less than a hour away from Puerto Pollensa and is the only waterpark in the North of the island. The waterpark boasts over 40,000 metres of surface area with lots of attractions for all the family to enjoy.

It is just minutes from Alcudia town centre and is open from May 1st to October 30th.

Once home you will probably have to trawl through hundreds of photographs that you have taken. I would definitely opt for purchasing photo books. We have done this after holidays and our sons still like looking through them as some of the holidays they were only small so don't really remember so it's nice to have the memories

Choosing a holiday destination that suits the whole family can be tough especially when travelling with children. You need to make sure that not only is your accommodation family friendly but the resort is too. It takes a fair amount of online research and trawling through accommodation reviews before you decide to book a holiday. You save all year for the perfect holiday so you want to make sure that you get it right.

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If you found 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 about your visit 

Visit our Out and About section for more days out ideas

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


Michelle
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Masha and The Bear Toy Review

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Disclosure - We were gifted the products below and given another set of toys to give away. Any thoughts and opinions 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.
Tiny Pop Masha and Bear giveaway
If you have little fans of Masha and The Bear at home then you will love our latest giveaway. Masha and The Bear are back for season 3 featuring lots of new adventures!
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Air Unlimited Liverpool

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Disclosure - We were invited to the relaunch of Air Unlimited. All thoughts, opinions and Photographs are our own. 

boy standing outside trampoline park
Over the past few years we have visited many trampoline and inflatable parks but last week we were invited to our first ever trampoline and inflatable park all under one roof at Air Unlimited

boy standing in a trampoline park
Air Unlimited has everything you want from a trampoline park. Lots of trampolines for bouncing fun, airbags and tumble tracks. The trampoline area is quite spacious and there are lots of trampolines to choose from.

boy standing in a trampoline park

boy standing in a trampoline park

boy standing in a trampoline park
Then you have the inflatable area. You can still enjoy lots of bouncing fun with the added bonus of tunnels, inflatable stairs to climb up and slides to whizz down on. 

boy standing in a trampoline park

boy standing in a trampoline park
Little J spent most of his time in the inflatable area. It's secluded away from the trampolines and once inside I couldn't really see him from the viewing area both on the mezzanine floor or on the ground however I would see him occasionally as he slid down the slide. 

Having both the trampolines and inflatables together is a great idea and neither area seemed overcrowded or busy. There was plenty of space and little J had a fantastic time. 

There are party rooms available too, so perfect for a child's birthday party and there is also a cafe upstairs which has a great selection of meals and snacks.

Our Giveaway is now closed.


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If you found 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 about your visit 

Visit our Out and About section for more days out ideas

Like us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram


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


Michelle

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SuperZings Rivals Of Kaboom | Review

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Disclosure - We received the items for the purpose of this post. Any 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. 

Boy holding SuperZings toy
When it comes to toys little J will play with anything. Cars, figures, dinosaurs but I've always said the one thing he gets really excited about is blind bag toys. He used to spend ages watching children open blind bags on you tube and since then he has been hooked. We have recently received a blind bag style toy but the range also includes play sets too. SuperZings are everyday objects transformed into Superheroes and Supervillains. They are ideal stocking fillers or perfect pocket money toys.
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Hannah The Spanner and the Polar Bears | Giveaway

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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 - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Hannah The Spanner and The Polar Bears Book
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.



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
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Is Social Media Dangerous For Our Children?

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Disclosure | This is a collaborative post

Boy lying in bed holding an ipad
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

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The Best Lighting for Your Child’s Bedroom | AD

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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. 

Children bedroom focussing on a lampshade
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.
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Ginger Fox Card Games | Review

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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. 

A selection of card games
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.
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The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities | AD

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Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration with Wetherby Pembridge

Boy playing football

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.
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