Childfriendly News

Introducing Love Your Zoo Week

2011-05-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Colchester Zoo is teaming up with other leading zoos across the UK to support the first ever "Love Your Zoo Week". The event at Colchester Zoo will be running during half-term from the 28th May until the 5th June, and is being co-ordinated by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to encourage people to visit their local BIAZA zoo.

The aim is to give visitors not only a great day out, but also give them the opportunity to learn just how much zoos do for conservation, education and research. Visit the Love Your Zoo website to see the list of participating zoos.

Read what our reviewers think of Colchester Zoo.

www.visitessex.com/what-to-do/love-your-zoo.aspx

Childfriendly Liverpool

2011-05-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

There's lot to see and do in Liverpool. Here are a few of the places our parent reviewers have visited and, more importantly, what they think about them!

World Museum: "Not at all stuffy and boring like it used to be, many moons ago! The little ones enjoyed the Aquarium, Plantastic (a new interactive exhibition) and a must was the Planetarium - the Sunshine show for under 5's. Lots of craft stations for the kids to colour and make items for a huge display wall. Tip: book tickets for the shows as soon as you arrive - they become full very quickly. If you can put baby in a carrier/sling, check in the stroller at front desk and use the stairs; the lifts are very slow and crowded. We took our own lunch and ate in one of the 2 picnic areas. We will definitely visit again."

Merseyside Maritime Museum: "The kids were excited about the huge model ships and my older daughter wanted to listen to the audio commentary with the videos. There is a small child play area that fascinated my 5 and 3 yr old for about 30 minutes so that my husband and I could take turns wandering around the exhibits leisurely. Much of the exhibit has adult content but there are many milder pictures for talking to younger kids about travel and history."

The Beatles Story: "My husband and I were very excited to explore the museum. Our 5 yr old got her own audio guide and loved punching in the numbers, listening for a while and looking at the pictures. Our 3 yr old just wanted to run through the whole thing until we found a good song and the Yellow Submarine area with swirling lights. It was a bit fast with the younger one but he was free and I enjoyed it. There is an interactive area at the end but only my 5 yr old enjoyed it, the 3 yr old was a bit overstimulated. The interactive movie at the other Beatles Story museum was definitely worth taking everyone."

Roses Tea Rooms, Heswall, Wirral: "This is one of my favourite places to visit for a relaxing, child friendly and extremely tasty treat. The staff are welcoming and accomodating to families. They talk to the children and nothing is too much trouble. The menu for adults and children alike is fantastic offering a wide range of food whether you are looking for a snack, a hearty lunch or a wonderful afternoon tea (highly recommended)."

Wagamama Liverpool: "Very child friendly and extremely gracious when my son knocked over his drink and it went everywhere. They were very polite and patient when ordering. The food is brought to you as it is prepared but we got our food pretty quickly and all started eating about the same time. The seating is picnic bench style but they do have high chairs. They are open before the normal 6pm dinner time. Their food is very Japanese- it is not a European twist to Japanese food. Having lived in Japan for several years it was refreshing to have some familiar tastes back. Well done and we will find another one soon to eat at."

Childfriendly pubs

2011-05-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

Not so many years ago children weren't allowed in pubs. Gradually pubs opened family bars as they realised the family market was beneficial to them, especially when day time opening was introduced. These days most pubs welcome families with open arms and are very childfriendly. There are still a few pubs which don't welcome children and that's probably not a bad thing either. We all need those child-free refuges now and again! Here are some pubs which have received good reviews on our site.

The King's Arms, Ombersley, Worcestershire: "Fantastic welcome, great food, amazing historic building. We really felt at ease and thoroughly enjoyed our lunch in a great setting. Kids could not have been made more welcome. If you are in this area you must go here!"

The Clog and Billycock, Blackburn: "There are no cheesy meal deals here, and prices for individual dishes are reasonable and affordable with a main meal costing about £5 and a dessert about £2.50. There are plenty of drinks to choose from - fresh juices, freshly made milkshakes with natural ingredients, belvoir presses and old traditional drinks such as dandelion and burdock and sarsaparilla. Colouring sheets and competitions are provided as well as high chairs, clean toilets and baby changing facilities. "

The Hand and Flower, Twickenham: "Reasonably priced, very family friendly gastro pub located in Ham village, with great service. Our waitress was fantastic with the kids and the kitchen catered extremely well for children. Our two girls had mini Sunday roasts, a fruit shoot drink and dessert - all for around £6 each. The adults ate a la carte and the Argentinian steak, which seems to be a house speciality, is to die for."

Royal Oak, Bristol: "Designed specifically for families, this hip pub is a real haven for people with kids. They have a kids' play area in the garden with scooter cars and a Wendy House, there's a good kids' menu, changing facilities are clean, and all staff are kid-friendly. It's also brilliant for adults as the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is friendly by day, buzzy by night."

We've got a new look!

2011-05-04T03:59:00.000-07:00

We're given our site a revamp for the summer! So what's new? Well we've brightened up our colours and the latest listings on our events section are now on the right hand side of the home page. Oh, and we've made some of our images a bit larger so you can see the lovely places to visit better. In summary this is what the site looks like now:

But to get a proper look come and visit our site!

Royal Wedding celebrations this Friday

2011-04-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate the Royal Wedding this Friday then here are some ideas from our events section. Click on the links for more detail and to visit the venue's website. And don't forget to buy your flag to wave on the big day!

Osborne House, Isle of Wight: Osborne has strong connections with the royal family so this live screening of the summer's biggest wedding on their beautiful Durbar Lawn seems a particularly fitting way of seeing it. Bring along the kids for what promises to be a great family day out.

Emma Bridgewater Factory, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire: The courtyard will be decorated with all the bunting and flags you’d expect to see at any street party and the wedding itself will be on a big screen in the kitchen. There will be prince and princess dressing up for the little ones, the chance to make your own bunting and a special price for a royal plate in the decorating studio. The factory outlet will be running a special sale on the day itself and will be serving celebratory afternoon tea in the kitchen from 2.30pm onwards. Booking recommended for afternoon tea at 2.30pm, 3.30pm or 4.30pm. Ticket price £10 (5 and under free) Includes high tea (sandwiches, cakes, tea, coffee and juice) book tickets online or call 01782201328

Audley End House and Garden, Saffron Walden, Essex: Audley End House is one of the grandest stately homes in the country and for the Royal Wedding the place comes to life with a series of fun family activities. The Victorian cook Mrs Crocombe will be preparing a traditional wedding breakfast circa 1880 to show you what a bride could expect to be eating over a century ago here. You'll be able to witness the House come to life as preparations for the big day come to a climax.

Yesterday's World, Battle, East Sussex: To celebrate the oncoming Royal Wedding families can come along to the museum at Yesterday’s World and witness their special, new timeline that traces Prince William’s life prior to the big wedding. Visiting kids can dress up as their favourite prince or princess and the best dressed ones will receive a goody bag!

Willows Farm Village, St Albans, Hertfordshire: Celebrate the Royal Wedding at Willows Farm Village where they're hosting this fun-filled weekend of family events. There'll be all sorts of great children's entertainment including the newly opened JCB Young Drivers Zone, Woolly Jumpers indoor play barn and a royally-inspired sheep race (with Prince Wool-liam and Kate MintSauce-ton)!

For more Royal Wedding inspired events visit our site.

How much does a family day out cost?

2011-04-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

Most of us love taking our children to places. But we all like to have a moan about the cost too. If your children are very young then you can get away with under 2s or under 3s getting in free. The National Trust and English Heritage are kind enough let under 5s in free which helps keep costs down.

There are other costs too such as the cost of petrol or train or bus tickets to get there. And you can save money by taking a picnic, but you inevitably end up buying drinks, cake, ice creams and so on. And there's the lure of the gift shop. So how much do you spend on a day out for a family of four? (and it costs more if your family's larger!)

Drayton Manor: adult £32, child £25 (£114 for family of four)
Longleat: adult £26, child £18.50 (£89)
Legoland: adult £41.40, child £31.20 (£145.20)
Alton Towers: adult £39.60, child £30.60 (£140.40)

You can reduce the price with family tickets and many places offer online discounts on their tickets. If you want to visit regularly a season ticket will help. You can also keep your eye out online for 2 for 1 deals on ticket prices and some retail loyalty cards such as Nectar and Tesco Clubcard can allow you to put points towards the cost of a day out.

I think the total cost of a day out could be between £150 and £200 for a family. So it pays to have a look around for special offers.

And don't forget there are a number of musuems and galleries which are free to visit, these are probably a better option if you want a day out but can't afford to spend a lot.

A new underwater ride at LEGOLAND

2011-04-18T02:57:00.000-07:00

A new ride is opening at LEGOLAND Windsor this summer. There’s great excitement as the new £8 million ride, Atlantis Submarine Voyage, is being put together.

The LEGO-themed submarines have arrived at their new home, they each weigh over 11 tonnes and hold up to 14 people. Atlantis Submarine Voyage is the first LEGO-themed underwater ride in the world and will take families on a magical marine voyage. Inside guests will be able to explore the mesmerising 1 million litre ocean tank featuring nearly 100 spectacular LEGO models which took an estimated 2,683 hours to create. Visitors will also be treated to underwater views of over 50 different species of sea life including rare species of shark, rays and tropical fish.

Sue Kemp, Divisional Director of LEGOLAND Windsor, said: "This is a great week for us. We've been looking forward to the arrival of the submarines, and now they're here the ride is truly starting to come to life!"

The submarines look really exciting, I think we’ll have to pay LEGOLAND a visit as soon as the new ride has opened!

Childfriendly festivals: Just So Festival

2011-04-14T05:59:00.000-07:00

Just So Festival is a family arts festival which takes place in the beautiful woodlands of Barnswood , Staffordshire on the 19th-21st of August. The festival has an exciting programme of events for babies and toddlers this year. The ethos of the festival revolves around creating a safe, friendly and stimulating environment for children of all ages – and that includes the very youngest adventurers.

Just So Festival Director Sarah Bird explains, “Our commitment is to enable our festival families with very young children to have the freedom to experience and immerse themselves in the wealth of entertainment and creativity that Just So Festival has to offer and that includes providing activities and facilities for our festival babies. Our Peekaboo glade and Babes in the Wood site are designated areas where our 0-2 year olds and their parents can enjoy some quiet time together or engage in a choice of activities that will stimulate or settle young minds.”

Some of the highlights of this year’s programme for babies and toddlers include:

The Playtime Area – with activities including singing, toys, games and paper play for youngsters
The Tiny Library – a baby library stocked with fabulous books provided by a range of publishers
Choral Lullabies – a bedtime gathering with singing and lullabies to send your little ones to sleep
Baby Yoga – teaching simple yoga techniques for both baby and parent
The Breastfeeding Boudoir - a relaxing place for mums to come and breast or bottle feed their babies, with comfy seats, magazines and other mums to chat to.

The festival’s Babes in the Wood area allows tots to unwind after a busy day’s festivalling, with Baby Massage and Baby Bathtime providing some quiet time for parent and child.

Director and mother of four, Rowan Hoban offers her top survival tips for parents and babies attending the festival this year, “This year, I’ll be making full use of our clean and convenient nappy changing facilities, with free nappies and wipes on hand for our festival families and I’d recommend bringing along a number of essentials, such as warm blankets, hats, suncream, waterproofs and the all-important baby wipes and hand-gel to make your festival experience as comfortable as possible for our little festival-goers. Most of all though, just relax and enjoy what will be a magical weekend of creativity with like-minded parents, in a beautiful woodland landscape.”

Find out more here

Experience the Second World War at the Imperial War Museum North

2011-04-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

This Easter, children can step back in time to the Second World War at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester and find out what it was like for children and families during the war. Every child who comes to the museum dressed up in 1940s costume during the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend (22nd - 25th April) gets a free bouncy rations egg from the Imperial War Museum North's gift shop.

This Saturday 16th April you can celebrate the efforts of evacuees who left the cities and learned to Dig For Victory. At the launch of the Big Six Week Veg Challenge, come along to sow some seeds, sign up for the challenge and take away your free greenfingers starter pack.

There are lots of other activities at IWMN during the Easter holidays such as craft and object handling sessions and learning how to have fun and make toys on a ration. For a full list of events visit the IWMN website.
The IWMN has produced an activity sheet based around the Second World War and children who were evacuated overseas to mark the opening of the museum's new exhibition Oceans Apart: Stories of Children Evacuated Overseas. You can view it here.

Now your children can have fun at the airport!

2011-04-08T04:18:00.000-07:00

New research out by Heathrow shows one in five parents shun foreign holidays because of the stress and worry of travelling with children. To help parents this Easter Heathrow have created a play area with toy company Bandai opening today and featuring Armouron action toy for children to expend their energy pre-flight.

I've not come across Armouron before but I've had a quick look and my children would love it. A few years ago we were at an airport which had a large play area. It makes so much sense to have facilities like this so I'm pleased that UK airports are starting to do the same and expand their play facilities. Bored children at an airport can be hard work!

Easter events in London

2011-04-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

There's no shortage of Easter themed events over the coming weeks, so many in fact that we've narrowed down a few to London. If you're near the Capital over Easter then here are just some of the things happening. Click on the links for more information. And don't forget you can visit our events section to search for events near you.

RSPB Rainham Marshes, Easter Egg-Stravaganza, Purfleet: Easter is being celebrated at Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve with this fun-filled day of treasure hunts. Can you and your kids find the clues and solve the riddles to claim your prize?

Dinosaurs Unleashed, Greenwich: A fantastic exhibition featuring 25 life sized animatronic dinosaurs, and plenty of special effects to thrill dinosaur fans (both big and small)! Dinosaurs Unleashed is particularly suited to children aged 2 to 14.

Easter Week Kids Days Georgian Sports Day at Benjamin Franklin House, Charing Cross: A series of fun child friendly events at Benjamin Franklin House this Easter to keep the kids entertained during the holidays so get down there and check it out. Suitable for 6-11 year olds there’ll be loads of great traditional 18th-century games including Blind Man’s Bluff, pass the thimble and marbles.

Enchanted Palace, Kensington: (pictured) Kensington Palace has been transformed into a magical space brimming with a fantastic mix of fashion, film, live performance, music and much more, Featuring a series of amazing installations by top fashion designers this is a unique exhibition that transports you to another world!

Chelsea Football Club Hospitality Offer, Stamford Bridge: Join Chelsea FC for superb hospitality including pre match dining: chocolate treats and a special children’s price at our Easter games - West Ham on Saturday 23 April (5.30pm kick off).

The Enchanted Easter House, Islington: Parents can unwind and relax in one of the lounges, eat afternoon tea or a scrumptious breakfast whilst getting massages and manicures. The children visit the Enchanted Kingdom where they participate in a variety of fun activities- dressing up, arts and crafts, a bouncy zone and an Easter egg hunt.

Bunnies and Bonnets, Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green: an Easter-themed day of bunny hunts, storytelling and arts and crafts where kids get the chance to win a giant chocolate egg.

Family friendly Easter events

2011-04-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Our new events section has become really popular, we're adding lots on there all the time. So do make sure you visit so you can plan your Easter break. Meanwhile here are a few things which look fun to us, click on the links for more info on dates and times.

Brunel's SS Great Britain, Bristol: Discover what life was like for Victorian passengers and sailors all those years ago... There are visits from Mr Brunel himself this April where you can listen to his stories and learn more about the great man himself. There’ll be re-enactments of soldiers returning from the Crimean War and Victorian surgeons on hand to dispense their own peculiar medical advice for any of your health problems – leeches anyone? Plus there’s an Easter Egg Trail for all the kids to take part in with a series of hidden clues dotted around the ship.

Easter Bunny Trail at Borde Hill, Haywards Heath: The Easter Bunny is visiting Borde Hill so make your way down with the family and see if you can find out where he’s hidden a number of yummy chocolate prizes along their numerous twisting garden paths and winding woodland parks.

Springtime! Bolton Castle: Bolton Castle comes to life this time of year with their Springtime! Activities. Visiting families can plant a sunflower in their flower beds and take part in their competition, participate in their fun trails around the grounds and much more.

Step Back in Time, RAF Museum Cosford: Children can take a trip back in time to 1939 and experience what school was like during the Second World War with this fun activity day at the RAF Museum. Kids can learn how to make their own gas mask cases, put away their biros and write with a dip pen and inkwell and fill out their evacuee labels and identity cards!

Dark Tales of the Tower, Tower Hill: The Tower of London is hosting this special storytelling session where you and the family can come down and hear all about the history of the Tower. Soldiers, prisoners and courtiers will be retelling their experiences for you and all the kids.

Flying Start, National Museum of Flight, Berwick: Daily activities will include building your own model aircraft and then competing to see if yours will fly the furthest or flop the fastest. The Easter events are part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

A sneak preview of Peppa Pig World!

2011-03-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

At the weekend we had a preview peek of Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Park in Hampshire. Peppa Pig World officially opens on 9^th April in time for the Easter Holidays.

It’s safe to say Peppa Pig fans won’t be disappointed in Peppa Pig World. There are lots of rides including Grandpa Pig’s Little Train, Miss Rabbit’s Helicopter Flight, Peppa’s Big Balloon Ride, Daddy Pig’s Car Ride and George’s Dinosaur Adventures among others. There’s a large outdoor play area, Mr Potato’s Playground, with a rainbow patterned path and Astroturf. Some of the play equipment was suitable for my 15 month old to clamber on. My two year old and five year old also had lots to do.

Next to the play area is Muddy Puddles, a splash pool area which all the children loved. Top tip: take a change of clothes and towel with you.

Indoors is a brilliant soft play area, George’s Spaceship Play Zone, there’s a section for 0-2 year olds and 2-5 year olds as well as a large play area and bumpy slide. Instead of the worryingly unhygienic ball pool, there’s a ball play area where the balls are pumped up to the ceiling through tubes and then dropped onto the play area where children collect them into trugs and put them into a ball machine to travel on the circuit again. It’s a great idea which kept my two year old entertained for ages. He could have stayed in that bit alone all day.

If you’re hungry there’s Daddy Pig’s Big Tummy Café and the toilets have additional seats for little bottoms and baby changing areas. The shop is huge and has every Peppa Pig merchandise imaginable. It’s very similar to the Legoland shop in size and layout.

Your photo gets taken on the Daddy Pig Car Ride and on George’s Dinosaur Adventure, you can have your photo put on a key ring or magnet if you choose as well. Try to make a note of your photo number after you’ve been on the ride instead of deciding you want a photo at the end of the day and being unable to remember what time you went on the ride or what colour car you were in. Which is what I did and probably annoyed the staff there a lot. They didn’t show it though.

Throughout the park the Peppa Pig theme tune and similar music is piped through loudspeakers to create the Peppa Pig ambience, you can also visit the Peppa Pig family house too.

There are few height restrictions on the rides which makes Peppa Pig World ideal for younger visitors, there are a few height and age restrictions on being able to travel alone on rides. The queues weren’t too long when we visited however as this was a preview day it probably didn’t give us an indication of Peppa Pig World at full capacity. I can imagine it will get very, very busy in the summer.

You can visit most of Peppa Pig World in half a day which then gives you the other half of the day to explore Paulton’s Park.

Overall I can’t fault Peppa Pig World, it’s well designed, the rides are imaginatively thought out, the look and feel fits with the Peppa Pig image and my children loved it. At one point my five year old was leaping up and down on the spot with excitement!

I have a feeling the crowds will flock to Peppa Pig World this summer, so if you do get a chance to visit before schools finish for the summer then you’d probably enjoy it a bit more.

Paulton’s Park is near Southampton and the New Forest and is quickly accessed from the M27. For more information visit Paulton’s Park.

Animal magic

2011-03-21T03:57:00.000-07:00

Most children love animals. And many adults have a soft spot for them too. There are lots of places to visit in the UK to see animals, whether it's a zoo, safari park or farm park. We've picked a random selection of places where you can see animals and which have received mainly good reviews from our parent reviewers. Maybe one of these is near you?

Animal Farm Adventure Park, Burnham-on-Sea: "It was raining so we headed straight for the indoor play area, whereupon the kids tore off their shoes and ran off to have a go on the huge slides. There are three different sized slides here, small, large and a death drop slide (which isn't at all as scary as it sounds). Also in this barn is a fairly large soft play and arcade games area. The kids adored playing here; however, the refreshments here consisted of a burger van offering only chips, burgers, fizzy drinks and tea and coffee. The options were not only limited, but extremely unhealthy. We had a lovely time during the cuddle sessions - where the kids could have rabbits and guinea pigs on their laps. The kids loved cuddling the ferrets also, which we had not done before on a farm trip. The grounds are quite extensive, with lots of walks through horse, sheep and goats pens, and the kids loved feeding the animals."

Foal Farm Animal Rescue Centre, Biggin Hill: "Plenty of animals to see; goats, horses, rabbits, cats, dogs, birds and much more. There is a nice little café with lots of outside/inside seating alternatively there is a picnic area with a large boat for children to play on and picnic benches. The farm is free but being charity based, they heavily rely on donations to keep the rescue home up and running. The children can sponsor an animal for as little as £10 a year and receive a certificate, animal information and new letters, this all helps to keep the farm going. All the staff are very friendly and helpful. There is a large car park, which again is free. "

Knowsley Safari Park, Prescot "Our family personally loved looking at the Baboons and other monkeys jumping on all of the cars. We weren't quite brave enough to take our shiny new car through the monkey area, but that's ok as there's a road to watch from a distance... Other animals included lions and tigers but also more timid animals such as deer, hogs and oryx - to name but a few. The safari lasted about an hour, but there was plenty of opportunities to stop and watch the animals. No one seemed in a rush and it was nice to move at a relaxed pace and allow my toddler to see all of the animals properly. The highlight of his stay was when a fully grown male lion put his face to my son's window. Very exciting. One tip would be to ensure that your children go to the toilet before you start on the safari because, of course, once you're in there you can't exactly nip out for a wee. Other than the main safari there are other attractions such as rides, sea lion shows, creepy crawlie centres, a farm, and restaurants/gift shops."

Manor Farm Animal Centre & Donkey Sanctuary, Loughborough: "An excellent day out for children and parents alike. There is a wide variety of farm animals that your children can get up close to. There are pigs, sheep, ducks, goats and of course donkeys. You can have a donkey ride or even take a tractor ride to the hidden play area at the back of the farm. (which is absolutely huge and we ended up spending a good few hours here as our children wouldn't leave!) Children are able to feed the animals and also hold the smaller, more domestic ones such as rabbits and guinea pigs. If you take the nature walk, which is perfectly suitable for pushchairs too, you will come across the Birds of Prey area where you will find beautiful owls. See if your child goes as mad for a Hedwig lookalike as my daughter did! You can even adopt an owl howevere you cannot take it home with you! In case the weather does turn grey (it is Britain after all), there is an indoor play barn designed to look like a Knights Castle, there us also a Pirate Ship play area, Go-Karts and a designated toddler area."

Hardy's Animal Farm, Skegness: "Who ever knew a farm could be so clean and well kept? It's all so well done we were all very impressed with the standards from the drive to the car park to the moment we left. There is plenty to entertain the kids all day from feeding the animals (which roam freely around the grounds!) to ride on tractors, a horse and cart ride and a huge playground. There are lots of informative signs so we learn some interesting facts on the way round too. The cafe had plenty of choice and even my fussy kids enjoyed their meals! We then sat on the sunny patio while they had a good race around the playground. Gift shop was well priced and again had plenty of choice. I am sure most people will find something they want to take home. All of the staff were really friendly and helpful and made a fantastic day even more enjoyable! I would recommend a vist if you are in the area and will definately be going back later in the year!"

Are you a winner in our Facebook competition?

2011-03-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we ran a competition asking you to refer a friend or two to our Facebook page and be entered into a prize draw to win some Love2Shop vouchers. Thank you to everyone who entered and a big thank you and hello to their friends who have joined our Facebook page!

Now the time has come to announce the winners. If you're one of the winners then please e-mail emily [at] childfriendly.co.uk to find out how to claim your prize! And the winners are...

Nicki Smith
Carole Doyle
Andy Smith
Amy Peel
Katie Mansfield
Clare Atkins

Places to visit in Springtime

2011-03-15T04:59:00.000-07:00

Springtime is just about here and the weather is starting to get better (or is that just today?). If you need some ideas on where to go to enjoy Spring then we've picked out a few places where you can enjoy spring flowers or meet some baby animals. Here are what our parent reviewers think about them, click on the place names for more info.

Temple Newsam Home Farm, Leeds: "a lovely farm to visit with the children and it is situated in the middle of the lovely grounds of Temple Newsam. The farm has many animals to see and lots of workshops and exhibits. Part of the farm is a 'working' farm too and there are dairy cows there. You are free to wander the cobbled farmyard and there are lots of animals and educational exhibits showing how the farm works today and scenes from how the farm would have been in the past. It really does make for an interesting visit."

Seven Sisters Sheep Centre, Eastbourne: "This is such a superbly picturesque spot, sitting in the sunny courtyard with the smalls bottle feeding lambs... There’s enough to do here for a good couple of hours’ fun and one of the best bits is the agricultural machinery graveyard around the back, with bits of tractor and plough left to rust and available for small tractor mad boys to play with and on and wow over."

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend: "Lose yourself in 113 acres of countryside! This park just outside Bridgend has a large family play area and BBQ. It also has a lake where you can feed the ducks and a beautiful oriental garden to enjoy. There are miles of walks/cycle tracks through the countryside and information in strategic points allowing you to get the most out of the park."

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking: "I have joined Wisley for £39 for the year and it is well worth it! Visiting is normally £9.50 for adults so it is easy to make back your money. The gardens are interesting for small people, with bridges and fish. There are regular activities for kids too in the holidays. There are 3 cafes, one with a small soft play area - it is a little tired but nonetheless provided 30 minutes entertainment for two under 2s!"

Bucklebury Farm Park, Reading: "Our favourite place to go. My daughter is 2, and she loves feeding the animals, collecting eggs etc. The playground has some old tractors and a combine harvester slide. We spend a good 2hrs just in the playground. Very lovely family that run the farm. We've been a few times and still not done everything - but thats probably because my daughter's still quite little."

Tatton Park, Knutsford: "a great day out for kids, it has a wide variety of different things to visit including, the Mansion House, the Old Hall and the Farm. Kids can also play in the children’s play area in the park or go on a nature trail to see the local wildlife. There are a number of different themed gardens they can visit including the Japanese Garden and the Walled Garden to see plants from around the world and they can also visit the Glasshouses to see the fruit growing."

Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Livingston: " Its great fun for little ones. You take your buggy everywhere and the you can get really close to the animals so the children can see them without any problems. My boys who are tractor mad love the play park which all has a farm theme. Wellies are advisable if the weather has been wet. There is also a small indoor softplay if the Scottish weather turns on you!"

Easter at Blists Hill Victorian Town

2011-03-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

Blists Hill Victorian Town, near Ironbridge in Shropshire will be celebrating Easter with a hunt-the-chick’ competition, a sing-along in the New Inn Public House and hands-on workshops. You can also watch performances by the Kaleidoscope Theatre Company.

Come wearing your finest Easter bonnet and take part in the Easter Parade, which starts at 2pm in the Pleasure Gardens; there will be prizes for the best bonnets while everyone taking part receives a small Easter egg, regardless of their age. And you can visit to see what the unusual pastime of egg dancing is all about.

All these events will take place during the Easter weekend of 22nd - 25th April.

Blists Hill is an open air musuem and one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, a Passport can be purchased for entry into all ten museums valid for twelve months and multiple return visits priced at £22.50 per adult, £18.25 for the 60 plus, £14.75 for students and children and £61.50 for a family of two adults and three children aged up to 18 years in full time education; under 5s free.

For more childfriendly events you can visit our sparkly new events section!

Easter biscuit decorating at Carluccio's

2011-03-11T02:54:00.000-08:00

The Italian cafe chain Carluccio's has a fun activity planned for children this Easter. In some branches during April from children can decorate biscuits while parents relax with unlimited tea, coffee or orange juice. There's also a colouring competition to win a giant 5kg chocolate easter egg in each cafe.

To find out if your local Carluccio's is taking part you can visit their website. Classes are £15.00 per adult and child, and £7.50 for each additional child.

Carluccio’s children’s menu is £6.25 and includes a soft drink, grissini, a choice of main courses and a tub of Italian ice cream, along with an activity pack.

Join Yummy Mummy week with CLIC Sargent

2011-03-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

The children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent has announced the week of Saturday 26 March to Sunday 3 April as Yummy Mummy Week. During that time mums are being asked to hold their own family fundraising events to help the charity which supports children with cancer and their families.

Celebrity mums Tana Ramsay, Patsy Palmer and Karen Hardy have personalised aprons to mark the launch of Yummy Mummy Week 2011. Alice Beer, Joanna Taylor and Gaby Roslin have also contributed designs, with a helping hand from their own children.

Everyone who signs up to take part in Yummy Mummy Week 2011 will automatically be entered in to a special prize draw and will be in with a chance of winning one of the personalised celebrity aprons. The lucky winners will be picked ahead of the week in March.
Fundraising events can include pamper nights and coffee mornings to cake sales and 'dress-pink' days at work. Alternatively mums can also support the campaign by purchasing gifts, such as aprons, from the Yummy Mummy range. The fun range of products carrying the 'I'm a Yummy Mummy' slogan offers something for every Mum, with gifts ranging from mugs, compact mirrors to t-shirts, aprons and key rings.

To find out more or to get involved with Yummy Mummy Week 2011 go to YummyMummy or call 08451 206 658 to register for your fundraising pack.

Why not try RHS family membership?

2011-03-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering what RHS stands for - it's the Royal Horticultural Society. The name can conjour up thoughts of respectable people enjoying quiet, respectable child-free gardens. However there's lots for families at RHS gardens.

I've been an RHS member for a few years and the nearest gardens to me are Wisley in Surrey. We go at all times of year, there's always something interesting to see and the children love it. The new glasshouse is spectacular and my boys love the stepped rock garden to climb up and down.

The next big RHS Show is the Spring Malvern Show in April which is very family orientated. After that it's the Chelsea Flower Show which children aren't especially welcome at. It's held in such a small space and gets so crowded you wouldn't want to take your children there anyway. But shortly after Chelsea there's the Hampton Court Palace flower show which is aimed at families, so there's always lots on. And as a member you get free entry to RHS gardens.

At the moment the RHS is offering three months free on their family membership. Now's a great time to join, just before the excitement of the year kicks off.

Easter Egg Trails with the National Trust and Cadbury's

2011-03-03T03:37:00.000-08:00

This Easter over 270 National Trust properties will be hosting Easter Egg Trails. The National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland have teamed up with Cadbury to hide lots of chocolatey treats on their premises which the children (and me too probably) can go hunting for. There'll be clues to follow and lots of other family activities too such as face painting, entertainers and outdoor games.

Let's hope it warms up between now and Easter! Easter Day falls on 24th April and many school holidays will start a couple of weeks before because the date is so late this year.

For more information on the Easter Egg Trails and to find out which properties near you are hosting them you can visit the Easter Egg Trails website.

Celebrate St David's Day in Colwyn Bay

2011-03-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

Happy St David's Day! In honour of the patron saint of Wales, there'll be a St David's Day Festival in Colwyn Bay for the rest of the week. Today schoolchildren are taking part in a parade around the town and activities include the St Paul's Church choir concert, drop in Welsh lessons, walks, crafts, food and drink festivities.

The event will contine until the 5th March. Admission is free for some events and there is a charge of up to £6 for others. For more information go to Visit Llandudno.

Elsewhere in Wales the Prince of Wales is visiting Carmarthenshire today and there will be big celebrations in Cardiff and Wrexham too.

And if you're a Welsh person stranded in London you can head down to Welsh food and drink stalls in Oxford Street.

Up to £100 of vouchers up for grabs on our Facebook page!

2011-02-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

We've got a competition running on our Facebook page. To celebrate reaching 1,000 followers, we've got £100 worth of Love2Shop vouchers to give away.

Simply send an invite to your friends asking them to 1) Like Childfriendly 2) Write on our wall: "Hello Childfriendly, I'm a friend of '. The person who refers the most friends by Friday 11th March will receive a £50 voucher, and five runners up will receive a £10 voucher.

If you'd like to join in then visit our page here.

Have you seen our new events section?

2011-02-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

We're very excited to (successfully!) have added an Events section to our site. A lot of work has gone into it and we think it's great timing to launch it given that a lot of people will be looking for events during half-term.

It's quite hard to find comprehensive events listings, as part of my work with Childfriendly I'm often trawling through sites to find activities which would appeal to families. So we really hope that visitors to our site will find the new listings useful. And if you there's something we need to list then you can come and add it yourself!

A little while ago we improved the search facility on our site and we also have a regional filter on our Events page so we're hoping these changes will help people find what they're looking for. It's all part of making Childfriendly bigger and simpler to use.

If you've got any feedback on our site, we'd love to hear from you. And if you've got reviews, places or events you'd like to add then you can register with us here. We'd love you to join the Childfriendly community.

Half term events with English Heritage

2011-02-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

There are lots of family events at English Heritage properties during half-term, here's a selection. Hopefully one of them is near you. And don't forget that English Heritage members can attend all of these places for free.

NORMAN KNIGHTS FAMILY FUN TRAIL
Peveril Castle, Derbyshire
Sat 19 Feb – Sun 27 Feb, 10am – 4pm
Take part in our Norman Knights trail at Peveril Castle this half term. Search the castle ruins to try to find the hidden knights. Plus enjoy playing oversized outdoor versions of traditional games.
Prices: Adults £4.20/ Concessions £3.60/ Children £2.10/ Family Ticket £10.50

KNIGHTS FAMILY FUN TRAIL
Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Warwickshire
Sat 19 – Sun 27 Feb, 10am-4pm
Calling all wannabe knights and princesses! Come to Kenilworth Castle this February half term and take part in our exciting medieval quest. Search the castle grounds and find all the clues to receive your prize!
Prices: Adults £7.60/ Concessions £6.50/ Children £3.80/ Family Ticket £19.00

TUDOR FAMILY FUN TRAIL
Ashby de la Zouch Castle, Leicestershire
Sat 19 – Sun 27 Feb, 10am-4pm
This half-term enjoy playing large outdoor versions of traditional games such as chess and quoits at the Castle. Plus, take part in our family friendly trail and see if you can find the miniature versions of King Henry VIII and all of his six wives hidden in the castle ruins.
Prices: Adults £4.20/ Concessions £3.60/ Children £2.10/ Family Ticket £10.50

KNIGHT SCHOOL
Dover Castle, Kent
Sat 19 – Sun 27 Feb, 10am – 5pm
Budding knights needed! Fearless, daring, brave - does that sound like you? Then join us as you learn to become a fearless knight.
Prices: Adults £13.90/ Concessions £11.80/ Children £7.00/ Family Ticket £34.80

TIME TRAVELLERS GO…KNIGHT ACADEMY
Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Mon 21 – Fri 25 Feb, 10am – 4pm
Budding knights needed! Fearless, daring, brave - does that sound like you? Then join us to learn about the art of medieval warfare – try on some armour for size and enjoy swash-buckling sword play!
Prices: Adults £7.40/ Concessions £6.30/ Children £3.70/ Family Ticket £18.50
(*+£1 for every child over five participating in this event, members and non-members)

TIME TRAVELLERS GO… DISCOVERIES & INVENTIONS
Audley End House and Gardens, Essex
Wed 23 – Sun 27 Feb, 10am – 4pm
Join the Time Travellers for a journey back through the ages to discover some of the world's most interesting inventions. Learn about the history of time using model clocks, be entertained as performers take a humorous look at medicine and make your own siege weapon to take home.
Prices: Adults £11.90/ Concessions £10.10/ Children £6.00/ Family Ticket £29.80
(*+£1 for every child over five participating in this event, members and non-members)

Photo: Kenilworth Castle, credit

Lambs at Willows Farm Village, Hertfordshire

2011-02-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

It's nearly Spring which means soon lambs will be born! And you can see them at Willows Farm Village near St Albans, Hertfordshire. Daily births are expected throughout half-term so visitors can watch and learn while Tuck the shepherd explains all about the lambing season.

Farmer Andrew Wolfe says “We’re expecting about 60% of our ewes to have twin lambs and a further 20% will have triplets, so there will be plenty of newborns to see. The lambing season is a hectic time of year for Anna and I with very little sleep as we’re on call 24 hours a day to check on the ewes and to help out with the births.”

New this year at Willows Farm Village is Mad Science: live shows will include real experiments inspired by farming. The Mad Scientists will ‘make mist’ appear just like in the fields very early at this time of year as well as show how to get a hard-boiled egg though a hole that is smaller than the egg without cracking it. Sounds intriguing!

Bo Beep will also be at the lambing event during half-term: children can take part in Bo Peep’s fun search for her lost sheep and complete the answers to a quiz to win a prize. Outdoors you can also try Fun Fair Rides, Tristan the Runaway Tractor and acres of adventure play. Woolly Jumpers and Captain Chicken’s Egg Dodge provide under cover activities if it gets rainy or chilly.

For more information and opening times visit Willows Farm Village.

Childfriendly health and safety notice: don't forget to get your children to wash their hands after visiting lambs and other farm animals. Pregnant women are advised to stay away from lambing events as there's a risk of infection which can be dangerous for women during pregnancy and unborn babies. We're good at health and safety aren't we? All part of the Childfriendly service...

Childfriendly Staffordshire

2011-02-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

Last week we listed some half-term activities in Leicestershire and today it's the turn of Staffordshire. I suppose the most famous visitor attraction there is Alton Towers, but there's also a lot more to see and do.

Try climbing activities for 5 -16 year olds at the Audley Climbing Centre. For 7-14 year olds, Peak Pursuits are hosting a series of action packed day trips including off road biking at Cannock Chase and dry slope snowboarding.

If you have teenagers then try Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure for hours of non stop fun. Climb rope ladders, tackle the high wire, and swing like Tarzan through the trees.

The Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford is holding an exciting search and rescue event during half-term. You can be actively involved in a sea rescue and discover how the RAF handles dangerous operations in such testing conditions. And entry is free!

Alton Towers Resort and Thomas Land at Drayton Manor Park are opening especially for the February Half Term break on selected rides. And Waterworld has over 30 rides and attractions. Why not try the SnowDome in Tamworth where skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and adrenalin tubing is on offer.

Leave the 21st Century behind and be captivated by the Georgian era at The Shugborough Estate. A dressing up box bursting at the seams, live demonstrations in the mill and dairy, a trip around the servants
quarters, and costumed characters with stories to tell, will give children a glimpse of what life was like in this bygone era.

And if the weather's being kind try a llama trek at the National Forest in Burton upon Trent. Feed and groom your llama, then explore the beautiful countryside with him or her!

There are over 100 different species of animal at Drayton Manor Zoo, including the latest additions - a pair of baby marmoset monkeys.

And don't forget the Potters. Little ones can throw their own pot at Ceramica in Burslem,Stoke-on-Trent. And the Emma Bridgewater Factory offers tours giving visitors an insight into the world of ceramics. You can even decorate your own Emma Bridgewater piece.

For further information visit enjoystaffordshire.com

Childfriendly Leicestershire

2011-02-02T13:53:00.000-08:00

I hope I'm not being rude in saying I've only ever driven through Leicestershire, we've never stopped there. I would love to take my children to the National Space Centre so that's on our list. There's lots to see in the county, so here's a quick run-down and some half-term events.

Jewry Wall Museum in Leicester is holding the Bathing Bonanza event during half-term. You can visit the Roman bath house and find out what it was like for visitors to the baths in Roman times. The visit includes family-friendly backpacks which will give you an insight into life back then. Also try Leicester's oldest museum The New Walk Museum and Art Gallery. Exhibitions include Egyptians, World Art, Wild Space to and Fine Art.

Families can have both indoor and outdoor fun at Conkers in The National Forest. You can explore 120 acres (well maybe some of it) of the grounds, take on an assault course or try one of the many outdoor activities. If it's too chilly then indoors visit the Enchanted Forest Adventure Play area and a simulated Tree Top Walk. Conkers’ barefoot walk has over 100 interactive exhibits.

Try the ‘Hands on Hawks’ display at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre in Sutton Cheney. Whether you’d prefer to view the beautiful birds of prey from a distance or get involved with the unique falconry display, the shows are on 20th and 27th February.

And this February half term, families have the chance to ‘Stay, Play, Explore’! For just £99 a family of four can visit any three of five Leicestershire attractions and enjoy overnight accommodation including breakfast at a choice of three top hotels. Other attractions include the National Space Centre, the award-winning Snibston Museum and Twycross Zoo. For accommodation you can pick from one of three family-friendly hotels, including Barcelo Hinckley Island, Marriott Leicester and Holiday Inn, Leicester. You can call 0844 888 5181 for more information, or visit Go Leicestershire.

Photo credit

African Adventure at Chessington this half-term

2011-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

The weather's unlikely to be warm during February half-term, but Chessington World of Adventures can help you forget the chill with its 'African Adventures' week from 19th-27th February. Adventurers can immerse themselves in African culture with face mask painting, African animals, jewellery making, dance and song and African drumming.

Chief explorer David Smith said: "We're really excited to be holding our African Adventures week for the first time and with our Wanyama Village & Reserve full of African animals and a safari hotel it's sure to be a wild adventure."

After an action packed day children can join the Movie Club or play in the Wii Lounge, whilst adults can relax in the new Zafari Bar & Grill for a truly African experience looking out over the Wanyama Reserve where zebra, sitatunga, and new arrivals dorcas gazelle roam. You can also try a spot of African wine tasting.

You can stay at Chessington with a 'Roar & Snore' package at the safari themed resort hotel from £99 for a family of four including full English breakfast, use of the leisure club and indoor swimming pool and tickets for Chessington Zoo and SEA LIFE centre. For more information visit http://www.chessington.com/.

I went to Chessington many, many years ago. It sounds like it's changed quite a bit since then.

The Life Science Centre in Newcastle

2011-01-26T14:48:00.000-08:00

On a similar theme to Birmingham's ThinkTank is Newcastle's Life Science Centre. It provides stimulating science for visitors of all ages who are curious about the world around them. There's a changing programme of fascinating exhibitions and activities as well as the North of England’s largest Planetarium.

There are lots of events at the Life Science Centre during half-term and the real ice rink will be open until the end of February. Life has been selected as one of the venues for Wallace and Gromit’s ‘World of Invention’ roadshow. You can experience a fun Wallace & Gromit workshop and see original animation sets from the show. The workshops are included in the admission price. Places are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Minimum age is 7 years.

Life has a new hands-on play area, specially designed for the under 7s. ‘It’s Up to You’* lets children explore a garden with a tree house, a shop, a cafe and kitchen, and a recycling centre. They can grow vegetables, prepare a meal, visit a cafe and sort out the rubbish for recycling. All everyday activities for grown ups- but all new when you’re four!
*Funded by SITA Trust, as part of their “No More Waste” programme.

Shocking Electricity is a hands-on exhibition of weird and wonderful experiments about the science of electricity. Make an explosion using just water, experiment with batteries, generators, magnets and plasma globes, and see if you dare to touch the electric fence. Exhibits include the Wimshurst Machine – a turn of a handle creates a leaping high voltage spark; Human Battery –putting the hands on two different metal plates creates electricity and Electric Field – a wave of the hand turns on an array of lights.

The Power of Ice is 20 minute presentations throughout the day suitable for ages 6 and upwards. How can something as simple as frozen water have such a dark side? Planetarium presentations include Monsters in the Sky exploring the reasons behind natural occurrences in the sky. And Solar Coaster where you can zoom through the planets, dodging asteroids, flying past the moons of Jupiter and navigating through the rings of Saturn. (Min height requirement of 4 feet) Suitable for all ages-if tall enough!

Events at Birmingham's ThinkTank during the half-term holidays

2011-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Thinktank in Birmingham is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. The award-winning museum is home to over 200 hands-on exhibits and thousands of amazing artefacts, including a state-of-the-art digital Planetarium. During February half term break, the museum will be celebrating its birthday with a whole host of fun events and activities. From explosive science demonstrations to Wallace and Gromit inspired invention sessions.

Every day from 19 - 27 February, visitors can take part in The Big Bang Family Science Show. Visitors can vote to see their favourite big science demonstration, chosen from the very best demonstrations over the past 10 years. There’s also the Animation Workshop where children can bring objects and models to life through the science of stop frame animation. For younger visitors there is Robot Rebuild Storytelling. Someone has stolen parts from Ivor the Inventor’s robot and the children must help find them all and get him working again. Plus, inspired by Wallace’s love of inventing, the NEW Wallace and Gromit Invention Sessions will encourage and inspire the secret inventor inside all of us, using kits developed by the BBC, in association with Aardman Animations.

And each day from 21 - 25 February there will be Animal Handling Sessions with Tropical Inc giving visitors the opportunity to get up close to some feathery, furry and slithery creatures. There will also be Meet the Scientist sessions where visitors can find out what is happening at the cutting edge of science and talk to the experts making it happen.

Here's a summary of activities at ThinkTank during the week. Over at the digital Planetarium there is The Little Star That Could, star show designed especially with younger visitors in mind.

See the costumes from ‘The Tudors’ at the Mary Rose Museum

2011-01-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Tudors returns to our screens this Saturday on BBC2. And to tie in with this the Mary Rose 500 Appeal are showcasing some of the costumes from the TV programme for the very first time in the UK.

The costumes will go on display in the AV Theatre of the Mary Rose Museum from Saturday 29th January until Thursday 31st March. Entry can be gained with a ticket to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard or free via the museum shop where it is hoped that people will generously donate to the Mary Rose 500 Appeal to help build the new museum to open in 2012, where more of these stunning exhibitions will be possible.

I've been to the Mary Rose Musuem and it's brilliant, the children loved it and we spent a lot of time there. It's a shame you can't see the Mary Rose at the moment but it will be very exciting when she's unveiled in her new museum next year and this exhibition is helping to fund that.

The eight costumes on show will be those that were worn by Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves, Joely Richardson as Catherine Parr, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Catherine of Aragon, Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn, Annabelle Wallis as Jane Seymour and Tamzin Merchant as Catherine Howard.

The exhibition will be open from 11am-3pm on most days, but is advisable to check before visiting at Mary Rose 500 or the MaryRose500 Facebook page.

There will also be a series of ‘Get the Look’ workshops surrounding the exhibition including knitting and beading workshops at the Museum, talks by Dr Suzannah Lipscomb on Henry VIII and Elizabeth Norton on Catherine Parr. For more information and contact details visit the website.

Childfriendly Devon

2011-01-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

Devon is a great place for a family holiday or mini-break. It has lots of coastline and the breathtaking scenery of Dartmoor. There's plenty to do there too, here's what our parent reviewers have discovered and follow the link at the bottom of this post to find out what else we've reviewed there.

National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth "My son thought the best bit was walking underneath the huge tank and seeing the shadow of a large shark approaching, and then being in darkness for a moment! Quite fascinating being underneath them, walking through and being able to see what's swimming above you. There's a great activity room here where there are child-focused lectures on the environment (just caught the tail-end of one, and kids looked interested enough) and also has craft items, colouring in, and different projects. We didn't take snacks in but we saw other people had, which didn't seem to be prohibited as it is at the London Aquarium."

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway "We started our journey off in a beautiful steam train full of character that left the gloriously restored station in Paignton. Services were very regular and I enjoyed chatting to the staff members who were obviously very passionate about the steam train. On the steam train, we had lovely views of the devon coast and the very colourful beach huts that line the local beaches. After a couple of stops we got off the train at Kingswear, and boarded the local ferry which takes you across the river to the Majestic Dartmouth which is full of charming victorian architecture, luxurious boats and is also home to a huge naval college... My daughter who is 14 months was absolutely enthralled by both the boat and the train, and hasn't stopped saying 'Choo Choo' since our trip!"

Living Coasts, Torquay "This is a must see attraction for any family who love the sea and all the wonderful life that it has to offer... A lady gave a very informative talk on the penguins and we got to see them get fed which was good fun. They were so close to us and had loads of character so the penguins were a definate highlight. We also saw seals, lots of sea birds, turtles and crabs as well as many other creatures from the sea... We were very grateful for the sand pit and soft play area that was also provided as when our daughter started to play up (as most toddlers do!) this was the perfect remedy. We really enjoyed our visit here and the memories of the funny but graceful penguins will stay with us for a long time! "

Paignton Zoo "Glorious zoo set over acres of land. Brilliant new crocodile/alligator enclosure. Plenty of places to stop and have a picnic. Playgrounds for children. Plenty of walking to wear little ones out! One of the best zoos we have visited and as it is down the road from the in laws we keep going back!"

Pennywell Farm and Wildlife Centre, Buckfastleigh "We loved the fact that visitors were encouraged to enter the pens and handle/meet the animals, unlike many similar farm parks that we have been too where you are stuck watching the animals from behind bars. Personal highlights for us were 'Piggy Fun' where we got to handle pigglets-and they really did squeal! and the falconry display which was very informative and also hands on. Not only were there a multitude of farm animals to meet, stroke and feed, but there were also excellent attractions including large trampolines, 'The Red Rocket', Tractor and Trailor rides and other rides for our little one to enjoy."

Babbacombe Model Village, Torquay "The model village is definitely worth a visit but if you are looking for a day out, it needs combining with something else as it is quite quickly done and dusted! The best time to visit is early evening as it is fully illuminated and looks absolutely stunning, Children will be enchanted by the miniature trains and houses and peering into the little buildings. It's not easy to get around if you have a pushchair however."

Crealy Adventure Park, Exeter "You will need a whole day to do/see everything. Something for all ages. My little girl loved the Animal petting zoo and the model play village. A really good adventure playground for older children.Also great indoor play areas. Good restuarant and food selection.Only problem is the amount of money the whole day could add up to."

Visit here for more reviews on days out in Devon

Family holidays abroad: what our reviewers think

2011-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Our parent reviewers don't just stay in the UK. Oh no, they're a well travelled lot and here's what they think about childfriendly holidays abroad. Here's a random selection of their reviews if you need help deciding on your family holiday this year.

Club Med Hammamet, Hammamet, Tunisia "flat sandy beach; warm blue sea; glorious sunshine; our own bungalow with terrace, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a living room, supplied with travel cots, changing mats, non-slip bath mats, a potty; our sheets and towels changed every day (sorry environment) and the room left spotless... Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Well it was, apart from the niggles... The first problem was the language barrier. Not for us, as we both happen to speak French, but I hadn't realised how much of a problem it would be for the children, particularly our 3 year old. She really wasn't happy in the childcare where there were no English-speaking carers at all... There were also little irritations about having to do things in a certain very bureaucratic way (dinner in the beach restaurant had to be reserved but could only be booked after six pm on a Thursday!) that I think if you were used to Club Med you would not think anything of." Rating: 4/5

Sheraton Algarve, Praia da Falesia, Portugal "It has everything you would expect of a five star hotel, plus fabulous views of the sea from its cliff- top position, its own golf course and almost best of all, lots of November sunshine. I was able to indulge my golf hobby every day while the females in the family were able to improve their tennis with the help of a professional coach. I managed to persuade my daughter to try her hand at a round of golf but she wasn’t too impressed!! For anyone wanting a few days away from the stresses of London I can think of no better place. It’s not cheap but it is that increasingly rare thing today, good value for money." Rating: 5/5

Golden Taurus Park Resort, Pineda, Costa Brava, Spain "There were always plenty of things for the kids to do with separate pools and a nice beach. The rooms were extremely comfortable and cool and the food was great. We went into the little town of Pineda a couple of times by water taxi, which was fun. We also went into Barcelona one day and although the city was great it just took too long to get there so would not recommend going from here with children. What we liked about the hotel was that it wasn’t full of the noisy partygoers that we have suffered on other holidays in Spain. We will probably come back for another holiday here, as the kids really loved it." Rating: 5/5

Flamingo Beach Resort, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote "We stayed in a two bedroom apartment near the pool. It was clean and spacious with air conditioning. We went all inclusive and could not fault the food. Though it was a little chaotic at main meal times, the food was fab! There were even facilities to take your meals away if you wanted to. The entertainment was great for kids and the staff were friendly. The beach was only two/three minutes walk and beautiful. We would definately go back there!" Rating: 4/5

Beaches Negril Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica "My son and daughter got involved all the activities that were going on, which gave me and my husband plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful beach and relax! For kids there is everything they could ever want - from waterslides and kids club to an 'XBOX Garage' and nightclub. The choice of restaurants were absolutely superb (even for very fussy eaters) and the room was spacious. Everything you could ever want!" Rating: 4/5

Olympion Village, Kavos, Corfu "The only fault we had (apart from the high cost of air con) was the noise from partygoers coming back from their nights out, often very early in the morning (4am-5am) which was a problem for us, but my son slept through it... There's no laundry here but the reception staff will get a big bag done for you at 8 Euros, and it comes back dried and folded the next day. The decor and facilities at this hotel were all still looking very smart as the hotel is only a few years old, and is maintained very well. Staff were wonderful, and we felt like part of their family for the time we were there." Rating: 3/5

Port Bourgenay Holiday Village, Talmont Saint Hilaire, Brittany, France "The resort is large and spread out with an attractive village square as its centre. There are lots of places to eat and everything has an authentic French feel even though it's within a resort. We hired bikes and did lots of cycling around the resort, we also visited another set of outdoor pools which have slides and pool perfect for toddlers. There's a children's farm and play area and lots of activities to do including a circus school. We walked to the port and there's a beautiful beach a short car drive or cycle away, we didn'y make it there because the children were happy in the resort... I can recommend a holiday here." Rating: 4/5

Picture is of Club Med Hammamet, courtesy of our reviewer Harriet

The Seven Wonders of North West Wales

2011-01-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Travelling with young children can be stressful. So a holiday with a reasonably short journey to get there is quite appealing. Holidays in the UK may not get the weather you can find abroad, but there's a lot to occupy everyone.

The lovely people of North Wales have put together a great itinerary of things to do and places to see as a family there. There are beaches, sightseeing and lots of activities. Some of the places are featured on Childfriendly so visit the links to find out more.

Day One - Retro RemindersLlandudno Pier (Free)
Take a trip down memory lane and down the famous 125 year old pier in Llandudno. Home to the largest seaside resort in Wales, Llandudno still retains much of its Victorian character and charm.

Punch & Judy (Free)
The traditional children's favourites are back and are celebrating 150 years in show business. They'll be performing on the North Shore Promenade and in the height of summer, you can catch one of three performances per afternoon.

Donkey Rides (Child - £1.50)
A trip to the seaside was never complete without a donkey ride along the sea front! You will find them on the beach daily, tide and weather permitting.

Day Two - Action Packed Adrenalin Activities

Llandudno Ski & Snowboard Centre (From £4.50)
Hit the artificial slopes with some skiing or snowboarding or toboggan down the Centre's picturesque "Cresta Run". Situated 415ft above sea level, it boasts spectacular views of Llandudno and the Irish Sea.

Watersports (Free)
Due to its picturesque coastline, North Wales is a natural paradise for sailing, power-boating, canoeing, fishing, jet-skiing, diving, windsurfing and all types of water-based activity. It's a little known fact that Llandudno's West Shore is the playground for some of the world's best kitesurfing instructors. With an onshore wind, clean beach and ideal conditions, you are guaranteed a safe and exhilarating experience.

Day Three - Go Wild in Wales
Colwyn Bay Zoo (Adult - £8.75, Child - £6.40)
Another family favourite is the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay with amazing views and breathtaking scenery. The Zoo is home to Snow Leopards, Sumatran Tigers, Brown Bears, reptiles, birds and a whole host of farmyard animals.

Butterflies at the Great Orme (Free)
Unusually for Britain, hundreds of butterflies and moths can be seen during the summer, including the rare silver studded blue butterfly. These can be spotted within the conservation area of The Great Orme.

The Great Orme (Free)
For over 100 years, the Great Orme has also been home to a constantly growing herd of over 150 Kashmiri Goats, so if you don't mind sharing the space, The Great Orme is a recommended spot to witness some fantastic views.

Day Four - The Sky's the Limit at Snowdon

Stay in Llandudno, just a stones throw from Snowdon and enjoy all England and Wales' highest mountain has to offer.

Snowdon - Railway (Adult - £25, Child - £18)
It's impossible to miss it and why would you want to; since 1896 visitors from around the world have travelled on Snowdon Mountain Railway. Trains travel to the Summit of Snowdon, which at 3,560ft (1085m) is the highest mountain in England and Wales, where the surrounding countryside boasts dramatic landscape and scenery.

Snowdon- Treks (Free)
For those who prefer a challenge, there are three different paths that you can choose to walk up to the top. The trek takes an average of 5-6 hours to complete, but if you feel like you may need a motivational boost, why not join one of the instructors who knows the mountain better than most. If you need a good excuse to take a breather during your trek, make sure you check out the incredible views on your way up.

Day Five - Overground and Underground

Cable Car Rides (Adult - £6, Child - £4)
Enjoy a ride on the longest Cable car in Britain during your visit to Llandudno. As the cable car glides silently from Happy Valley to the Summit of the Great Orme (679ft) you can have the best seat in the house to witness the breathtaking views of Llandudno, the Little Orme, Conwy and beyond.

The Great Orme Mines (Adult - £6, Child - £4)
Have an underground adventure with tours of the tunnels mined nearly 4,000 years ago and get a feel for the conditions that our prehistoric ancestors faced.

Day Six - From Miniature to Medieval

The smallest house in Great Britain (Adult - £1, Child - 50p)
Take a step back in time and visit the smallest house in Great Britain - at just 3.05 metres by 1.8 metres, this striking house situated in beautiful Conwy deserves its place in the Guinness Book of Records. It's open to all from April until October; just remember to mind your head!

The smallest church in Wales (Free)
Keeping with the miniature theme, why not visit the smallest church in Wales, the Chapel of St Trillo in Rhos-On-Sea. With only space for six churchgoers at any one time, it's an unmissable and intimate experience.

Conwy Castle (Adult - £4.50, Child - £4)
Conwy is renowned for its medieval castle and it's easy to see why. Almost the entire castle is accessible and well preserved. Conwy is the classic walled town, its circuit of walls are over three quarters of a mile long and guarded by no less than 22 towers is one of the finest in the World, which is what makes it a UNESCO world heritage site.

Day Seven - Foodie Heaven

Conwy High Street
Great food is a big a part of the Welsh culture and you are spoilt for choice in North West Wales. The vast areas of grassland along with the perfect climate for growing means that there's a wealth of delicious produce to choose from. But don't take our word for it; Conwy High Street was nominated for the Best foodie Street Award in Google's Street View Awards this year.

Famous seafood
The almost endless coastline means that this part of Wales is famous for its seafood. World famous mussels are harvested locally and processed at a special new plant on Conwy Quay, which is open to visitors.

North Wales Holiday Cottages: holiday accommodation with a breath of fresh air. In the beautiful regions of the Conwy Valley, Coastal Resorts, Vale of Clwyd, Northern & Southern Snowdonia, Lleyn Peninsula and Anglesey.

Family friendly festivals - WOMAD

2011-01-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

I wrote about Camp Bestival last week, and on the same weekend this summer WOMAD will be held. WOMAD stands for World Music and Dance and has recently moved from Reading to Malmesbury in Wiltshire. Peter Gabriel established the festival nearly 30 years ago.

Performers come from all over the world to perform at the festival, and you can sample food from around the world too. There's a World of Kids area and WOMAD is well-known for being family friendly, Kate Winslet has been spotted there with her daughter in the past. There are craft workshops and a World of Wellbeing section too. Last year there was quite a dominance of African music, the line-up for 2011 is yet to be announced. You can read a review of last year's WOMAD here.

The festival takes place this year from 29th - 31st July. Ticket details are here and children under 13 are free if accompanied by a paying adult.

Photo credit

Family friendly festivals - Camp Bestival

2011-01-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Summer festivals have become increasingly childfriendly over the past few years, if you want to get to one this summer then you'll need to book now.

Camp Bestival was voted Best Family Festival 2010 at last year's UK Festival Awards. It's held at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. There's a whole range of activities for children and families and you can camp in yurts, tipis, podpads, bellepads and camper vans or bring your own tent. Performers will be announced much later in the year, last year you could see Madness, Human League, Billy Bragg, Calvin Harris among others and range of DJs, comedians and Mr Tumble! Whoever is performing this year, I'm sure it will be a great weekend.

The Camp Bestival dates this year are 29th - 31st July. And if you want to find out what one of our parent reviewers thought about it last year then have a read here.

How far in advance do you book your summer holiday?

2011-01-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

January is the busiest month for holiday bookings. With the excitement of Christmas and New Year over many people book their summer holiday now so they can look forward to their next break.

I don't think I've ever booked a holiday that far in advance, I tend to do it a couple of months before we go. Is that very last minute or common? I suppose good places will be booked up quickly so if you've got a definite idea of what you're after you want to make sure you've booked it in time.

Holidaying with children makes you more fussy about your holidays, you're less flexible about where you can stay. And, as we all know, it needs to be childfriendly.

This year we're thinking about asking family to holiday with us. We're still at the 'thinking' stage because holidaying with family isn't always straightforward. But it could spread the cost of the holiday and share out some of the time spent with our three small children. And having said that, it might be hard to convince anyone to spend a holiday with us and three small children! I think we're secretly hoping we could have a night out while on holiday, but finding suitable babysitting when you're away can be hard.

If you're thinking of booking your family holiday now then here are some deals with First Choice.

And personally I should start looking now otherwise you'll have booked everything up won't you? Seems strange booking a holiday when we've still got Christmas cake and mince pies to eat up.

The Guinness World Record for the largest Pass the Parcel

2010-12-20T02:28:00.000-08:00

Woolworths has set a Guinness World Record for the largest ever game of pass the parcel. Now an online store owned by Shop Direct Group, Woolworths sent two large snowmen on a tour of the country with a parcel the size of a car.

The tour took in ten towns and cities across the UK and the enormous parcel delivered £10,000 worth of toys to over 100 families. Woolies' snowmen, Stan and Ollie Snow helped to give away some of the most sought after gadgets, games and toys of Christmas 2010. These included Jet Pack Buzz Lightyears, V Tech Kidizoom Video Cameras, Fur Real Pets and Paper Jamz Guitars, along with many more treats and surprises.

The giant parcel started out weighing 440.9 lbs and measuring 2,500mm in length by 2,250mm in width by 1,500mm in height. Each of the towns - picked by Woolies according to the best letters of nomination from local families - was invited to tear away one giant wrapping layer and take away some of the gifts inside.

The tour began in Liverpool and reached its climax in Manchester where the final layer of the parcel was peeled away to reveal the X Factor stars, Jedward. Each of the twins was dressed as the toy predicted to be the number one best seller for Christmas: Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear.

It's good to know the Woolworths name is still going. And it's good to know Jedward are still going too. Phew.

10 reasons to visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

2010-12-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a great day out for all the family. With attractions such as HMS Victory and the Mary Rose there's lots to see and do. Everything's situated close together in a traffic-free area and it's easy to park nearby. The train station's only a short walk away too. These things are important when you have children in tow!

We had a brilliant day there in the summer, and we went up the nearby Spinnaker Tower too which has great views and a glass floor to walk on if you're feelign brave enough!

1. Anniversaries
Portsmouth’s enduring naval legacy will be highlighted in 2011 when Portsmouth Historic Dockyard celebrates 150 years of the first iron-hulled ship - HMS Warrior 1860; the 100th year of a significant Naval Museum in the Dockyard and 10 years of the family favourite interactive Action Stations.
These historic dates will be commemorated throughout the year with a number of themed events and celebrations.

2. Test your own skill
Housed in the magnificent Boathouse Number 6, Action Stations brings the modern Royal Navy directly to visitors of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with an exciting mix of physical challenges, simulators and technological experiments.

Plus a number of interactive and hands-on displays in the Mary Rose Museum and National Museum of the Royal Navy.

3. Get out on the water
Harbour Tours take visitors on a 45 minute journey viewing some of the great naval warships in port as well as a fleet of destroyers, frigates, mine warfare ships and offshore patrol vessels. A Harbour Tour offers fascinating views across the water and the chance to see the dockyard from a different perspective. (Check times before visiting as can be limited during winter).

4. Compelling stories
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a great place to discover the social history about life onboard and in the wider society; the bravery and heroism of generations of serving personnel and their families and their compelling stories plus their treasured possessions that give an insight into days gone by, as well as the progressive technology that meant Britain led the world.

5. Get creative
A jam packed events programme throughout the year and in particular school holidays, ensures that there is always plenty to keep the kids and their grown-ups entertained. Arts and crafts, hands-on interactive sessions, family trails and insightful talks make Portsmouth Historic Dockyard come to life in a different light.

6. Let the cat out the bag…
And other sayings that have originated from the Royal Navy… a visit to HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860 where explorers can learn about the everyday sayings and anecdotes which have fashioned our language for centuries. There will be a few surprises in some of the original meanings!

7. Have a good lunch
With a full day’s visit there is much-needed refreshment available in Costa Coffee, Boathouse No. 7 with a daily changing menu cooked using fresh, local ingredients with a focus on Great British Classics, or the Georgian Tearooms. These are also free to visit without a site ticket to soak up the fantastic surroundings. Picnic areas are also available for visitors.

8. Go for a unique shopping trip
Shops include national marine traditionalist retailer Nauticalia, museum shops and the Antiques Storehouse with stunning and quirky antiques, art and collectables.

9. Discover more at special events
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard offers large scale events each year including the 12th year of the renowned Victorian Festival of Christmas at the end of November. These events are a new way to explore the site with added attractions and activities.

10. Explore at your own leisure
Site tickets for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard are valid for a year with UNLIMITED entry to HMS Warrior 1860, National Museum of the Royal Navy and Action Stations (excludes return on special event days) and valid for ONE entry to HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Museum and Harbour Tours so there is no need to rush around the site, visitors can relax and experience all the Historic Dockyard has to offer in their own way and at their own pace.

Furthermore, UK taxpayers can make a Gift Aid donation for a site ticket to certain attractions, then the Historic Dockyard can claim the tax already paid, helping to secure the future of the attractions!

The Historic Dockyard opens at 10am daily and further information can be found at http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/ or by calling 02392 839 766.

Visit the Ironbridge Gorge Museums this Christmas

2010-12-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

I've not visited these museums but I only hear good things about them. Seven of the ten museums will be open over Christmas.

I think a family day out is perfect when you've all been stuck in the house together for a few days.

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are in Shropshire’s stunning Severn Valley, a World Heritage Site. The seven museums will be open daily from 10am until 4pm and will only be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Step back in time at Blists Hill Victorian Town where you will be greeted with a stunning display of sight and sound in the new visitor centre as massive images are projected on nine metre high walls telling the harsh reality of life during the evolution of mining and hot metal industries.

Exchange your money in the town’s bank for pre-decimal token coins and spend them in the sweet shop, fried fish dealers or New Inn Public House. Then meander around the period shops and cosy, cottages where you will receive a warm welcome from the resident Victorians and be invited into their homes for a chat around the fireside as they go about their daily life.

Over at Coalport China Museum you can marvel at the magnificent china displayed in the very buildings in which it was produced and see skilled crafts people at work; there’s even a special gallery for children where they can discover the secrets of how china was made. Then walk through galleries and period room settings adorned with magnificent tiles at Jackfield Tile Museum. Displays include tiles from a London hospital children’s ward intricately painted with scenes from nursery rhymes.

Youngsters can let their imagination go wild at the Enginuity design and technology centre, as they become a design engineer for the day, able to play with huge interactive exhibits, X-ray everyday objects to see how they are made, control a ‘river’ to generate electricity and compete against a robot. Modern equipment is combined with historic machinery to explain everyday principles - by turning a small flywheel you can pull a real locomotive.

The three other Ironbridge Gorge Museum sites open over the festive break are the Museum of Iron, Museum of the Gorge and the original Iron Bridge itself; cast in 1779 its great arch spans the stunning River Severn – as you walk across the bridge try and imagine what the area was like around 300 years ago at the beginning of industrial development.

A Passport to all ten museums valid for twelve months and multiple return visits costs £21.95 for adults, £17.60 for the sixty plus and £14.25 for children (up to 18 years in full time education) £59.95 for families; under 5s free. Individual museum entry tickets are also available.

For further information, contact the Ironbridge Tourist Information Centre on Tel: 01952 884 391 or visit http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/.

Christmas days out

2010-12-03T02:31:00.000-08:00

As expected there are lots of Christmas days out over the coming weeks. There are almost too many to list, but here are a few I've come across which should suit a range of budgets.

Fun in the Gardens, Edinburgh - in Princess Street Gardens there's an ice rink, bungy snowdome, bubblepods, a lifesize snowglobe you can go inside. Children can enjoy Sundays with Santa every Sunday 4-5pm. £5 includes hot chocolate, cupcake, party hat and cracker.

Christmas Adventure, Stockeld Park, Leeds - visit the Enchanted Forest, the Snowflake Maze and try Nordic skiing and ice skating. There's also a shop for Christmas shopping and cafe and visit Santa in his Grotto. Entry is free with a charge for activities between £4.50 and £14.50 depending on number of activities and date visited. Visiting Santa £8.

Lapland UK, Kent - children travel with the elves through secret magical pathways to help at the toy factory and meet lots of Christmassy characters. They can also ice skate, meet husky dogs and reindeer and post a letter from the North Pole post office. Price per person between £44.50 and £62.50. Babies under 12 months free.

Santa's Grotto, Lakeside Shopping Centre, Essex - FREE to visit! All you need is to do is in book online in advance

Trafford Centre, Manchester - Festive Christmas stalls and Santa's Ice Palace Grotto in Barton Square. Visiting Santa's Ice Palace includes a 4D showing of Rocket the Reindeer. £3.50 per person and family ticket £12

A festive dip in the sea?

2010-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you fancy a Boxing Day with a difference then you can take a dip in the sea off the coast of Wales. Every year hardy folk in Pembrokeshire turn out in their hundreds for festive outdoor swims in the freezing coastal waters for charity.
The Tenby Boxing Day Swim will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year under the banner of the Big Red Swim. Starting at around 11am from the town’s North Beach, it’s now a local festive tradition attracting thousands of spectators and around 600 crazy bathers, many in fancy dress; this year the theme is ‘red'. The morning also features a canoe race, lifeboat launch, dinghy race and a huge beach bonfire around which shivering swimmers are presented with commemorative medals.
If you're not available on Boxing Day then you can take a dip in the icy waters off Saundersfoot on New Year's Day instead. This has been an annual New Year’s Day tradition since 1984. Last year the charity event attracted a record 1,260 hardy swimmers plus thousands of spectators to cheer them on; a similar number are expected to celebrate the arrival of 2011. Organised by Saundersfoot Festivities, the swim starts at 11.30am and fancy dress is encouraged.

Personally I'd rather be watching than swimming. I struggle to find it warm enough to swim off the British coast in summertime, let alone winter. But well done to people who manage it!

For more information see Visit Pembrokeshire

Days out in winter

2010-11-29T07:11:00.000-08:00

We attempted a day out yesterday in this freezing weather. We went to Stowe in Buckinghamshire which is famous for its landscaped gardens. It was -1c when we got there and we saw only a tiny bit of the famous landscaped gardens before the temperature plummeted to -4c and everyone started turning blue.

Luckily National Trust places are famous for their tea shops and we spent the rest of our time there. Really cold weather like this makes it hard to enjoy a day out somewhere. Especially when you've got young children with you. If you're planning to be outside you can only do it for a short while.

If it's really cold then winter days out need to be somewhere completely indoors such as a museum, aquarium or (takes deep breath) soft play.

All this wintery weather is feeling me feel quite Christmassy. We've got two ideas for Christmas days out on our site: Christmas markets and ice skating.

Where I live we don't have any snow at the moment so we're feeling a bit left out. However snow's best when you don't have to go anywhere or do anything and can just enjoy it. We don't often get the chance to do that!

Christmas events with English Heritage

2010-11-24T02:31:00.000-08:00

English Heritage have got some brilliant Christmas events and activities taking place at their properties over the Christmas season. There are re-enactments, special tours and Christmas choirs. Some of the events are free if you're an English Heritage member.

OSBORNE WINTER TOURS
Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Mon 1 Nov - Thu 31 Mar, 10 am - 4 pm (last tour 2.30 pm)
Closed 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan
During the winter months, the house can by visited by a guided tour only. From 18 Nov - 3 Jan visitors can enjoy special festive tours and discover how Queen Victoria celebrated Christmas with her family. Pre-booking required. Standard admission price applies.
Prices: Adults £10.50/ Concessions £9.30/ Children £5.50/ Family Ticket £27.30
English Heritage Members: Free

MRS CROCOMBE PREPARES CHRISTMAS
Sat 4 and Sun 5, Sat 11 and Sun 12, Sat 18 and Sun 19 Dec, 11am-2pm
Audley End House, Essex, is one of England's grandest stately homes. Audley End House itself is a magnificent house, built to entertain royalty, and includes a Victorian Service Wing complete with kitchen, laundries and a dairy. There's also the restored historic stables, complete with resident horses and a Victorian groom. This also incorporates an exhibition where you can find out about the workers who lived on the estate in the 1880s, the tack house and the Audley End fire engine. Try our dressing up clothes in the stables and meet our horses, Captain, Smoke, Bonny and Duke, too. With beautiful grounds to explore, including an impressive formal garden and the working Organic Kitchen Garden, there's so much to see and do.
The kitchens will be in full swing for the festive season as Mrs Crocombe, our resident cook, prepares delicious Victorian treats for Christmas. She will be making proper mincemeat, Christmas puddings and the piece de resistance - a stuffed boar's head! Fun for everyone.
Prices: Adults £8.30/ Concessions £7.10/ Children £4.20/ Family £20.80
English Heritage Members: Free

CHRISTMAS WEEKEND
Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
Sat 4 and Sun 5 Dec, 11am - 4pm
Enjoy tall Christmas tales and craft activities in Leicester's Gatehouse. Then follow the trail of clues around the castle and claim your festive treat from one of the little helpers.
Prices: Adults £7.60/ Concessions £6.50/ Children £2.10/ Family Ticket £10.50
English Heritage Members: Free

FESTIVE FAMILY FUN TRAIL
Old Sarum, Wiltshire
Sat 4 and Sun 5 Dec, 11am - 3pm
Get the whole family together to help search; the hunt for Christmas has begun! Follow the trail of clues around the castle to claim your festive treat from one of English Heritage's little helpers.
Prices: Adults £3.50/ Concessions £3.00/ Children £1.80
English Heritage Members: Free

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS
Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire
Sun 5 Dec, 2.30pm-3.30pm
A perfect way to begin the Festive Season. Join Sunday Best for Carols in the Entrance Hall and take advantage of the chance to buy some unique festive gifts. Four Course Christmas Lunch is also available - additional charge applies. Pre-booking essential, please contact the site on 01302 722598.
Prices: Adults £12 / Concessions £11 / Children £11
English Heritage Members: £11

FESTIVE FALCONRY
Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Sat 11 and Sun 12 Dec, 10am - 4pm
Join Raphael Falconry this Christmas as they re-create the role of royal falconers and hawkers. Learn how hawks were trained to catch birds and animals and about the traditions of medieval Falconers.
Prices: Adults £7.40/ Concessions £6.30/ Children £3.70/ Family Ticket £18.50
English Heritage Members: Free

CAROLS AT THE CASTLE
Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Sun 12 Dec, 1pm - 4pm
Join us for Christmas carols in the Keep and festive fun in the Barrack block where children can have fun making Christmas crafts to take home.
Prices: Adults £6, Concessions £5.10/ Children £3/ Family Ticket £15
English Heritage Members: Free

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS
Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire
Sun 12 Dec, 2.30pm-3.30pm
A perfect way to begin the Festive Season. Join Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers for Carols in the Entrance Hall and take advantage of the chance to buy some unique festive gifts. Four Course Christmas Lunch is also available - additional charge applies. Pre-booking essential, please contact the site on 01302 722598.
Prices: Adults £12 / Concessions £11 / Children £11
English Heritage Members: £11

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Belsay Hall, Northumberland
Sat 18 & Sun 19 Dec, Performances at 11am & 2pm
Based on the story of Saint Nicholas and his generous offerings to two young sisters to enable them to marry the men of their dreams; this enchanting comedy promises to be a truly magical Christmas production for all the family. Performances last approximately 1 hour. (Warm clothing is recommended as the hall is unheated.)
Prices: Adults £8.00, Concessions £6.80/ Children £4.00/ Family Ticket £20
English Heritage Members: Free

CAROLS AT THE CASTLE
Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
Sat 18 Dec, gates open at 5.30pm, carols start at 6pm
Singing voices at the ready? Join us for our annual carol concert, hosted by the Kenilworth Lions.
Prices: Adults £3.00/ Concessions £3.00/ Children £3.00
English Heritage Members: Adults £3.00/ Concessions £3.00/ Children £3.00
Please note: This is not an English Heritage event, Ticket prices cover entry to event only

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS
Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire
Sat 18 Dec, 2.30pm-3.30pm
A perfect way to begin the Festive Season. Join Tickhill and District Male Voice Choir for Carols in the Entrance Hall and take advantage of the chance to buy some unique festive gifts. Four Course Christmas Lunch is also available - additional charge applies. Pre-booking essential, please contact the site on 01302 722598.
Prices: Adults £12 / Concessions £11 / Children £11
English Heritage Members: £11

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS
Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire
Sun 19 Dec, 2.30pm-3.30pm
A perfect way to begin the Festive Season. Join Sheffield City Opera for Carols in the Entrance Hall and take advantage of the chance to buy some unique festive gifts. Four Course Christmas Lunch is also available - additional charge applies. Pre-booking essential, please contact the site on 01302 722598.
Prices: Adults £12 / Concessions £11 / Children £11
English Heritage Members: £11

NADELIK: A CORNISH CHRISTMAS
Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Sun 19 Dec, 11am - 4pm
Celebrate Christmas the Cornish way and enjoy mince pies, mulled wine, fireside tales, music and dancing.
Prices: Adults £6, Concessions £5.10/ Children £3/ Family Ticket £15
English Heritage Members: Free

THE SNOW QUEEN
Belsay Hall, Northumberland
Mon 27, Tue 28 and Wed 29 Dec, Performances at 11am & 2pm
The 'Storytellers Theatre Company' bring the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale to audiences young and old alike with drama, music and songs. This is an adventure story that follows Gerda on her search from Kay who has been kidnapped by the Snow Queen. This all time classic is powerful, dramatic and exciting and is bound to enthral all who watch. Wrap up warm and come and shop for unique Christmas gifts and sample English Heritage's own range of liqueurs and seasonal treats too. (Warm clothing is recommended as the hall is unheated.)
Prices: Adults £8.00, Concessions £6.80/ Children £4.00/ Family £20
English Heritage Members: Free

VICTORIAN LANTERN TOURS
Carlisle Castle, Cumbria
Mon 27 - Wed 29 Dec, Tours at 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm
The whole family will love our festive guided tours. Join us to uncover the hidden history of the impressive fortress of Carlisle Castle.
Prices: Adults £8.30/ Concessions £7.60/ Children £4.40
English Heritage Members: Adults £3.50/ Concessions £3.50/ Children £2.00

MEDIEVAL MYTHS & LEGENDS
Dover Castle, Kent
Mon 27 - Fri 31 Dec, 10am-5pm
It's Christmas at the Court of King Henry II. It's a time of feasting and of celebration but most of all it's a time for songs and stories. Stories of brave knights and heroic quests, of Lancelot and Guinevere, of King Arthur and his round table. Stories of ghosts, werewolves and vampires, exciting stories of brave heroes and greedy peasants. Join the King and his court and test your skills for the chance to be crowned the Christmas King! Also take part in the Christmas Quest as you explore different areas of this fascinating fortress.
Prices: Adults £13.90, Concessions £11.80/ Children £7.00/ Family £34.80
English Heritage Members: Free

Family Christmas events

2010-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Many of the theme parks may be closed for the winter season, but some are opening their doors for Christmas. Here's what they have on:

Christmas shopping at Legoland 19th November to 5th December every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Alton Towers Resort, Festive Breaks, Winter Breaks, Spa Breaks, Santa's Sleepovers, Santa's Lunches, New Year's Eve

Father Christmas Sleepovers at Chessington.

Museums have some festive events on too:

Arctic Express weekend at the National Rail Museum, York 27th and 28th November. Entry free!

Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, Festive Grotto every weekend in December.

Great North Museum, Newcastle: Christmas Crafts on 4th December, Christmas Saturday Storytime 18th December and meet Santa Claus on 11th, 18th and 19th December.

And you can ice skate on London's Southbank, see ice skating at the London Eye.

Childfriendly East Anglia

2010-11-18T03:35:00.000-08:00

Our parent reviewers have visited lots of places in East Anglia, here are just a few of the ones they've reviewed. If you'd like to find more then visit our site and try our new and improved search facility!

Dinosaur Adventure, Norwich: "One of the most child friendly places you can visit and my children love it. Little children will love to stamp there passport as they find adventurous things hidden around the park. At the end they even get a medal. Dinosaur Adventure has been around for some years but it has been totally updated recently with many new hands on activities. We took my niece and she loved sitting in the sand and finding dinosaur fossils. Young or old your child will love to see the many dinosaur models hidden in the massive woods. They Dinosaurs are fenced off amongst the trees but be warned the park is on a steep hill. My young niece found this hard and we had to carry her."

Banham Zoo, Thetford, Norfolk: "There is always plenty to do, with extra activities, especially in school holidays. There is a wide variety of animals to see, and the vulture display was brilliant. It is best to plan your visit as there a various feeding times for different animals (seals, penguins, tigers etc). If you haven’t been before this is a full day! We usually take a picnic and children will need to save up their pocket money for the shop– we always come away with yet more cuddlys! Highly recommended!"

Imperial War Musuem, Duxford, Cambridgeshire: "It is free for children to get into the site and it can be an educational experience for them. There are a number of different aircraft hangars, each with a different display, there is one on The Battle of Britain and another with the museum’s Maritime collection in it, to name but a few. They also have special events for children during school holidays where they can take part in quizzes, make crafts such as paper kites and aeroplanes or learn how an ejector seat works!"

BeWILDERwood, Norwich: "It is a massive tree house complex that has swings, play areas, rope bridges, climbing areas and a variety of tree houses. There are also plenty of places where you can have a coffee and a snack and a rest from all your exertions! You can also go on a boat ride around the lake where you learn more about the fictional residents of Bewilderwood."

Dad's Army Museum, Thetford, Norfolk: "It's run by volunteers, who when they're not being tour guides, actually dress up as characters from the series. They were so welcoming, and as soon as we entered the museum Captain Mainwaring began chatting enthusiastically about the show. Although the museum is quite small with only three rooms to visit, it's packed with fascinating memorabilia from the show as well as information about Thetford's real Home Guard. The best part for me was being able to sit at Captain Mainwaring's desk, slip on his cap, pick up his telephone and have a photograph taken. Such a great memento to take home and treasure. Dad's Army is a good old fashioned comedy for all the family and you're allowed to touch practically all of the exhibits."

Houghton Mill, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire: "I actually accompanied my son’s class on a school trip to Houghton Mill, and I enjoyed the day as much as the twenty four 7-8 year olds! The setting is lovely, however we did not manage to walk around outside as it was such a wet day. All the activities organised for the children were very interesting and kept them entertained for the whole of the session. The staff were very friendly and obviously used to children"

High Lodge Forest Centre, Banham, Suffolk: "We took picnics and spent the day wondering through the different areas of the park and stopping to play and rest whenever needed. The children occupied themselves in the many play areas and we returned home happy and exhausted! There is a very busy cafeteria, and good facilities. Some of our children had bikes and scooters, but you can hire bikes for the whole family if needed (this can be quite expensive!). For those who are old enough and tall enough, there is Go-Ape (extra cost), but we found that there was enough to keep all of the children happy all day without this."

Ickworth House Park and Gardens, Horringer, Suffolk: "We had a fairly good time here, these family hotels are great and very child centred indeed, we love Wooley Grange and Fowey, but at Ickworth they fed the children in the cellar, were remarkably unhelpful about slightly different children’s eating times and the children’s club wasn’t nearly so popular with our as others have been – it’s also stuck down in the cellar. Having said that riding rental bikes around the glories of the Ickworth estate deer spotting was superb."

Africa Alive! Lowestoft, Suffolk: "Africa Alive still keeps the animals in large enclosures so that they are free to roam. My young niece was absolutely delighted with the safari road train which travelled across the park. She also enjoyed playing with the farm animals and was brave and touched a lizard. The park staff were very good with the small children and encouraged them to get involved with the small animals and reptiles. Africa Alive is a zoo where children are allowed to see the animals up close and there is a lot to touch. Africa Alive is a place to go for the whole day out but the part my niece enjoyed most of all was the Wild Zone’ Indoor play area!"

Photo: Sandringham House

Christmas events at a shopping centre near you

2010-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's not easy taking the children Christmas shopping with you, but the occasional festive activity can keep them entertained. If you live near any of these shopping centres then you may want to time your visit with these events. Some of them are happening this week.

Wolsey Place in Woking, Surrey
There will be Santa appearing on the following dates between 11am and 4pm
Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th, Saturday 11th, Sunday 12th, Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th December, between

The Maltings in St Albans, Hertfordshire
Live Nativity Scene, 11am - 4pm, Thurs 23rd Dec

The Forum in Sittingbourne, Kent
Christmas Face Painter, 11am - 4pm, Saturday 18th Dec
If children post letters to Santa at the centre by the 30th November, they will receive a personalised reply.

St Tydfil in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Santa Banter & Llywcoed Band, 11am - 4pm, Saturday 27th November
Christmas Treasure Trail, 11am-4pm, Saturday 4th December
Wandering Santa with prizes Banter & Llywcoed Band. 11am-4pm, Saturday 11th December
Rudolph the Reindeer & Christmas Face Painter, 11am - 4pm, Saturday 18th December

Lion Yard, Cambridge
Looking Good with Lion Yard (fashion show and beauty stalls), Wednesday 1st Dec

Riverside, Hemel Hempstead
Christmas Launch with free ice rink, snow machine and festive band music, 11am-4pm, Saturday 20th November
Real life penguins, 11am-4pm, Saturday 11th December

Walnuts, Orpington
Fashion show to tie in with town Christmas light switch on. 4pm-8pm, Wednesday 24th November
Christmas launch of Santa grotto, 11am - 5pm, Saturday 27th November

Two Rivers, Staines
Reindeer parade, Sunday 21st November
Christmas Fete and real life penguins, 11am - 4pm, Saturday 27th November

White Lion Walk, Guildford, Surrey
Firework display at Christmas light switch on, 6pm, Thusday 18th November

A Victorian Christmas with English Heritage

2010-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

English Heritage have got lots of Christmas activities at their properties this year, and here are two Victorian themed events happening this month. If you're near the Isle of Wight or York then these are two good events to take the children to.

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS
Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Sat 20 and Sun 21 Nov, 10am - 4pm

Experience the spirit of a traditional Victorian Christmas. Delight in amazing side-shows, marvel at the travelling theatre, enjoy carols, shopping for gifts and meet Queen Victoria herself!

Pre-booking recommended - Tel. 0870 333 1181
Prices: Adults £12.90/ Concessions £11/ Children £6.50/ Family Ticket £32.30
English Heritage Members: Adults £2/ Concessions £1.70/ Children £1/ Family Ticket £5

VICTORIAN FATHER CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WEEKEND
Clifford's Tower, York
Sat 27 and Sun 28 Nov, 11am - 3pm

A Victorian Father Christmas, dressed in sumptuous traditional colourful costume will tell tales of Christmas past and recite famous yuletide stories and poems. Join the audience to relax and listen to these heart warming stories, there will also be opportunities to shop for seasonal treats with liqueur and food tasting.

Prices: Adults £3.50/ Concessions £3.00/ Children £1.80/ Family Ticket £8.80
English Heritage Members: Free

Photo shows Father Christmas at Clifford's Tower

Treasure trails - a new way to explore

2010-11-09T03:05:00.000-08:00

When planning a day trip somewhere you'll want to make sure you don't miss out on anything. This is where Treasure Trails can help. They're pre-written guides which contain fun missions and quizzes to help you get the most out of your visit. Many of these are driving treasure trails and you can do ones on foot with huntfun too. They're ideal for helping children enjoy the day out too.

You can choose to download your treasure hunt or have it posted to you. We've just listed the treasure trails available on our site and here are the huntfun ones we'll hopefully have some reviews up soon!

Childfriendly Bristol

2010-11-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Good motorway access makes Bristol easy to get to, or you can take the train and arrive at the impressive Bristol Temple Meads station. Here are a few childfriendly places in Bristol which our parent reviewers have visited. For more days out in Bristol visit the Childfriendly site.

Bristol Zoo Gardens: "A very conservation-aware zoo. As such it mainly has animals which are endangered, such as gorillas and lions. It does not have the sorts of popular animals which usually attract visitors such as elephants, rhinos and giraffes. This, however, does not take away from the attraction of the zoo, it is still a great place to take kids. The zoo is buggy friendly with lots of flat pathways, there are also plenty of places to eat and drink at the zoo including a number of picnic areas and there are lots of toilets and baby changing areas."

Explore At Bristol: "After playing in the jungle (with lots of soft animals) and collecting the different stamps there, we went upstairs and were able to stand inside a tornado, walk through a tilted room (this was a really strange feeling) and take snapshots of our shadows on a wall. A couple of the exhibits we didn’t really understand but there was always a helpful member of staff to explain things and show us what to do. Another area the children loved was the ‘jet set go’ area. Here you can pretend to be going on holiday, get your passport stamped and dress up too... Every Monday afternoon during term time they have ‘toddler time’ with half price entry for adults and under fives go free. A great place for kids of all ages."

Hengrove Play Park: free entry. "A great place to bring kids of all ages. We tend to choose somewhere to sit and stay there, then the kids can come and go as they like. Both the grounds and play equipment are all very clean and well looked after. The climbing dome is brilliant but also very safe. The kids love playing on this and it hasn’t been too busy when we have been there (we go at the weekends rather than the school holidays). If they want to play in the sand/water play areas we usually put them in their swimming things."

Noah's Ark Zoo Farm: "There are lots of animals to see including, Giraffes, Rhinos and Tigers. There are also plenty of play areas for children (I think they have 12 in total!) including the ‘Indoor Arkiventures’ which was the favourite of the children we were with as it has climbing frames, slides and swings – it was also a favourite amongst the adults as we could have a coffee whilst they were running around!"

Blue Reef Aquarium: "Inside, there's a massive coral reef full of angelfish, small sharks, and lots of colourful fish. Walk through the under-water tunnel and see fish swimming over your head, or get up close to sea life in viewing pools. There are free events every day including talks and feeding displays, plus an IMAX cinema so you can have an interactive experience. Under 3's are free and Family Tickets available. The aquarium is baby-friendly with changing facilities, it's accessible for pushchairs, and multi-level displays means everyone gets a great view."

Photo credit

Will you be going to a fireworks display?

2010-11-05T03:10:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Bonfire Night can be tricky with young children, mainly because loud fireworks often make them cry. Last year we tried some indoor fireworks which isn't as dangerous as it sounds because they're not really fireworks, they're strange things which emit weird ooze and smoke and make the house smell funny. Obviously children love them.

The most impressive way of celebrating is to go to a big display where fireworks seem to get bigger and louder each year. There are a few good ones local to us although one is notorious for running late. Bonfire Night becomes less exciting when you're standing about in the cold (and possible rain) waiting for something to happen. For me, weather is a big part of enjoying fireworks. And a lot of the time it's cold because it's November. I do prefer some warmth which is why I can recommend the British Fireworks Championships in Plymouth, although you'll have to wait until next summer to go.

Bonfire Night parties are fun and when the children are older I think we'll probably start hosting some. As for today I think we'll give the fireworks a miss as my two year old doesn't like them. Hopefully next year we'll go to some. And as I'm typing this it's raining outside so fingers crossed that will stop by this evening and everyone who wants to enjoy some fireworks can have some fun!

If you're looking for a local fireworks display then this site might be helpful.

The seasonal shutdown

2010-11-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year where many visitor attractions have now closed until next Spring. I always think it's a shame when you decide where to go on a day out and then you discover the place is shut for the Winter. Why do visitor attractions do it?

I guess some Winter days are so quiet that it's more cost effective to close. And attractions which have animals may need to house some of them somewhere warm during the Winter months. That said, I'm happy that Cotswold Wildlife Park manages to stay open every day except Christmas Day (and I think we'll allow them Christmas Day, don't you?). Another all year rounder I've discovered is Beaulieu, we went there on an almost warm, sunny February day and spent quite a bit of time outside.

It's hard to imagine theme parks ever being quiet, but I guess they must be otherwise they'd stay open all year. I suppose theme parks are definitely a fairweather thing to do, after all you don't want to be queueing when it's about three degrees do you?

Museums, galleries and aquariums are perfect rainy day places to go and I can understand why they are able to be open all year. As for other places which manage not to shut for the Winter, I'm impressed. Often Winter is a better time to visit because you avoid the summer crowds. You can't sit outside and have a picnic that's all. Unless you're feeling really brave.

Photo credit of the Bluebird at Beaulieu

Childfriendly Cardiff

2010-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cardiff has only been the capital of Wales since the 1950s, but it's a vibrant place which has seen a lot of investment in recent years. If you visit as a family you'll find lots to do, here are what our parent reviewers think about some of the attractions.

Techniquest: "Fun and learning for children of all ages. Brightly coloured exhibits sit in a light, spacious area surrounded by windows on two sides. Aimed at primary school children, there are lots of scientific activities and experiments they can take part in. Kids don’t always want to hear an explanation of how and why things work but by playing with these interactive exhibits they get to see it for themselves so are learning without realizing... There is enough here to stay for a day. You can eat at Techniquest but the café is quite small so we chose to get lunch at one of the restaurants in Cardiff Bay."

Natural History Museum: "This a great place to take your kids on a nice sunny day. There are lots of outdoor exhibits and also animals to see. It is not so good if its raining and it also doesn't accommodate babies in buggies very well. It is free to get in but you do have to pay for parking and the on site cafe and restaurant are very expensive. They have a small childs eating area in the cafe but this could be bigger."

Cardiff Castle: "We joined a tour of the castle apartments. This was very interesting but we did find the kids wanted to move on quicker than the tour guide did so it may be better to explore the area yourself. The main café is great for food and there are TVs showing jousting which the kids enjoyed. The wartime tunnels were also worth visiting and we played hide and seek with the children which was fun. Quite expensive to get in but an amazing piece of history to see."

The Millennium Stadium: "An impressive structure and you can really get a sense of this when you take your children on the millenium stadium tour. This is relatively inexpensive and takes about an hour so is comprehensive. The guides are enthusiastic and you are taken all around the stadium which includes the changing rooms, the pitch, the hospitality boxes and also the queens seat. If you are lucky you even get to see the falconer with his falcon that scares off the pidgeons. A great day out."

National Museum and Gallery: "It has a substantial dinosaur collection bound to intrigue any child and it has wonderul animal section, although you may not like the site of lots of stuffed animals. Entry is free and you really will find lots of exhibits that will fascinate your child. Well worth a visit."

Dyffryn Gardens: "It is lovely to stroll around the gardens on a summers day but it is a little expensive in summer but half price in the winter- the prices are as follows: Adults £6.50 Family (2 adults up to 4 children) £17.00 Concession £4.50 Child £2.50 Disabled £2.50 Carer Free Sometimes the gardens are free if they have an event on such as an antiques fair so we tend to wait for times such as this. It is lovely to take a picnic and enjoy the gardens, ponds etc."

Photo credit

Join a British Heart Foundation Santa Jog!

2010-10-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Shed the winter blues and kick start Christmas at one of the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) Santa Jogs. Taking place across the UK these fun-filled events are a great day out for the whole family.

BHF Santa Jogs are suitable for people of all ages and abilities, varying from 2K to 5K in distance, and participants can choose to run, jog or walk the course. All adults will receive a free Santa Suit and children are invited to join their parents in fancy dress.

The entry fee for adults is £10 and £5 for Under 14s. For more information please call 0845 130 8663 or visit BHF.

BHF Santa Jogs:

28/11/10
BHF Swansea Santa Jog - 5K
Singleton Park, Swansea

28/11/10
BHF Newbury Santa Jog - 5K
Victoria Park, Newbury

05/12/10
BHF Cardiff Santa Jog - 5K
Castle Mews, Bute Park, Cardiff

05/12/10
BHF Dundee Santa Jog - 2K
Camperdown Park, Dundee

05/12/10
BHF Solihull Santa Jog - 3K
Malvern and Brueton Park
Solihull

05/12/10
BHF Milton Keynes Santa Jog - 4K
Willen Lake, Milton Keynes

05/12/10
BHF Salford Santa Jog
Old Trafford Stadium

12/12/10
BHF Reading Santa Jog - 2K/4K/6K
Prospect Park, Reading

12/12/10
BHF Basingstoke Santa Jog - 5k
Eastrop Park, Basingstoke

19/12/10
BHF East Lothian Santa Jog - 2K
Dalkeith Country Park Gardens

Write a review for us and you could win a prize!

2010-10-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

At Childfriendly we’re always on the lookout for parents who can review days out, places to eat and holidays for us. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a Childfriendly reviewer, then write some reviews for us and you might win a prize too!

Between now and 30th November each review written on our site will qualify as an entry into our giveaway. The prizes are:

- One Lego camera

- Five Love2shop vouchers worth £10 each (can be spent in most high street stores)

- Ten Aquatina bottles (as seen on Dragon’s Den, they’re genius!)

We’re not asking for essays, reviews are a minimum of 100 words which you can write in under ten minutes. And we love to see your photos too! Uploading your snaps really helps other parents get an idea of the places you’ve visited.

Once you’ve become a parent reviewer with Childfriendly there are a few other rewards on the way as well. We manage to negotiate free entry to some visitor attractions for our reviewers and we have shopping vouchers and iPod Shuffles which we’re more than happy to pass on to you in return for reviews. Generous aren’t we?

So if you’d like to become part of the Childfriendly community and you fancy one of our prizes then you can start by registering here.

HOW TO ENTER

Step 1) Register with Childfriendly. If you are already a member skip to 'step 2' below

Step 2) When you are logged in click on the following link and add Emily as your friend. Emily is our Community Manager and will keep track of your reviews, and more importantly let you know if you have won a prize!

Step 3) Write a review on any child friendly place that you have visited. It can be anything from a Day Out, Hotel, Restaurant, Pub or even a holiday. Use the main search box to find the place you'd like to review. If it isn't already listed on our site you can simply add it by clicking on 'add a new place' from the bottom of the search results. Reviews should be a minimum of 100 words to qualify for entry (but we'll love you even more if they are longer).

Step 4) Repeat step 3 as many times as you like! 1 review = 1 entry into the prizedraw so the more reviews you write the more chance you have of winning one of our fantastic prizes!

DATES

All reviews must be submitted before midnight 30th of November 2010, to qualify for entry into the prizedraw.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

- 1 review = 1 entry into the prizedraw

- Each review must be 100 words or more, and written specifically for Childfriendly (not copied from anywhere else)

- Reviews must be submitted before midnight 30th November 2010

- In order to track entries and qualify for entry into the prizedraw, participants must add Emily as a friend
- Winners will be randomly selected and notified by the 10th December 2010

- All reviews are subject to editorial approval as per our website terms and conditions

- Childfriendly reserves the right to withdraw the incentive at any given time

- The competition is open to all residents in the UK and Ireland over the age of 18, and no purchase is necessary.

- The prize is non transferable, and no cash alternative will be offered.

- This competition is also open to existing Childfriendly reviewers

Disney On Ice competition winners!

2010-10-26T04:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition to win a ticket to see Disney On Ice. We had four winners on twitter: @bubbleboo @ruthiehughes @dizzydanni84 @trickykidzmum.

We asked people to tweet us their favourite Disney character and on the list were: Pluto, Eeyore, Nemo, Pongo, Buzz Lightyear, Dumbo, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Goofy.

The most popular was Buzz Lightyear!

One of our parent reviewers has been to one of the shows and said: "I was pleased to see that there were souvenir shops and refreshment stalls every couple of yards. It meant that queuing with my toddler was never an issue and we were served for both drinks and merchandise, in crowds, within a couple of minutes. The event was well staffed... The finale was really magical. All of the acts gathered together on the ice and sang various songs. As well as dancing, they circles the edges and waved at all of the children. Typical of Disney standard the whole thing was enough to blow an adult away, let alone a child. Definitely, definitely go and watch it." You can read the rest of her review here.

We hope our ticket winners have a great time!

Ever tried skydiving? Indoors?

2010-10-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Now I've seen this on the telly, but didn't know where you could go to do it. And now I've found out - hooray! Indoor skydiving is suitable for anyone aged between 4 and 104. Two places you can do it in the UK are Airkix at Xscape in Milton Keynes and the new tunnel in Manchester by the Trafford Centre.

Apparently you fly in a wind tunnel up to 14ft in diameter and 39ft tall with wind speeds of up to 130mph. And you don't have to jump out of a plane, which is the bit I'd find nerve-wracking to be honest. After your Airkix flight you have the option of taking home a DVD and pictures of your freefalling adventure to share with friends and family. I can't imagine my face looking too pretty in that. But funny all the same.
And if you fancy the real thing, Airkix has its own skydiving centre, Skydive Airkix, near Peterborough. Here's a list of celebrity Airkix fans: Elle McPhearson, Bear Grylls, Jo Wiley, Zoe Salmon, Linford Christie, Frankie Dettori, David Coulthard, Colin Montgomerie and Skydiving world champions. Airkix has also appeared on Blue Peter, The Gadget Show, The Apprentice, Strictly Come Dancing, Britain’s Next Top Model, National Lottery, Children in Need and Mission Implausible.

Prices and packages: Prices start from £29.99 for the Early Bird Kix-Start package per person. See website for further details on other packages. Booking essential.

Win a family ticket to see Disney On Ice!

2010-10-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

4 Lucky Childfriendly readers are being given the chance to take their family to enjoy ‘Disney On Ice Celebrates 100 Years Of Magic’. Each lucky winner will scoop the chance to win a family ticket worth £200! The celebration of the century is set to hit the UK this autumn as more than 65 unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in this one-of-a-kind live skating spectacular.

The show proudly features special guests Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie from Disney/Pixar's Toy Story, as well as familiar friends from Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Special guests will tour alongside favourite Disney stars - Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and Goofy. The show runs in London’s 02 from 20 – 31 October and visits Birmingham and Sheffield in November. For further show details on Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic please visit http://www.disneyonice.co.uk/.

How to Enter

Be in with a chance to win one of 4 family tickets (which include 4 tickets) to the show by tweeting your favourite Disney character on the Childfriendly Twitter page. Please tweet "I'm entering the @childfriendly Disney On Ice competition and my favourite Disney character is ? #disneyonice"

One entry per person, competition closes Wednesday 20th October, 5pm. Four winners will be chosen at random.

Childfriendly Kent

2010-10-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

There are lots and lots of places to visit in Kent, too many to put in one blog post. Here are some of the most reviewed places on our site and if you'd like to see more on what Kent has to offer then have a look here.

Kent has always baffled me in terms of 'Kentish Men' and 'Men of Kent' - are they two separate groups? And if so, what's the difference? If you're from Kent please let me know.

Hever Castle and Gardens: "So much stuff to see and do - we took a rowing boat on the river... When back on dry land we watched a jousting tournament which was great fun, we saw dancing ladies, walked around the yew maze (the three year old loved it!) and had a fantastic luxury cream tea including tiny sandwiches and little cakes (you can also have champagne with it!). If we went again we would definately take a picnic, and plan to spend the entire day there, rather than just an afternoon. Probably best for slightly older kids (maybe 8 - 14) as they have a fantastic water maze, an adventure playground, and lots of places to run around."

Diggerland: "This is a great place out for kids - I took my 4 year old last summer and he loved it. There are plenty of digger based rides for them to go on and a park area for them to play in. We went on quite a sunny day and although it was busy we didn't really have to queue for rides for a very long time."

The Historic Dockyard, Chatham: "There are guided tours given by people in historic costumes, historic warships and a museum to visit. My son particularly enjoyed going on the warships and seeing what they were like. He also enjoyed looking through the periscope of the submarine that is situated there. There is an indoor and an outdoor play area for children and there is also a restaurant and a tea room at the dockyard providing food and drink."

The Hop Farm Family Park: "A great place for kids - we went there with our children and they really enjoyed it. There are loads of different ride they can go on including a carousel, a giant pillow and a driving circuit. There is also a children's play area, a small museum showing items from the Victorian era and a small farm with animals including rabbits, ponies and shire horses. There are a number of places to eat at the Hop Farm and you can also take your own food as there are picnic areas."

Mote Park: "We have enjoyed some lovely times as a family at Mote Park in Maidstone. On a sunny day, Mote Park is a wonderful place to take the kids. There is a large play park full of various swings, slides, climbing frames, roundabouts etc. And if that’s not enough, there is a brilliant pitch and putt course to play on which is always good fun. We usually take a picnic but the park café is really affordable and offers a good selection of drinks and snacks. The last time we visited Mote Park it was a bank holiday and featured a fabulous funfair, a real treat for the kids."

Chartwell: "What a magical place this is! We spent the day here and hadn’t realised that there was so much for children to do. The gardens are beautiful with breath taking view over the lakes and countryside. There is a lovely little playhouse next to the kitchen garden (The Marycot), which belonged to Sir Winston Churchill’s youngest daughter Mary, she would play and cook here when she was a child. The little house has recently been re-created with a wooden table and chairs, an aga, wooden pots, pans and food for children to play with... Don’t forget to pick up the children’s garden trail and question sheets with lots of things to spot along the way. There is a big restaurant next to the car park, you will also find toilets here with baby changing facilities. A wonderful place to take the family. Highly recommended!"

Rochester Castle: "The castle garden is beautiful with ice cream kiosks and benches around the edge, the well kept flat lawns make an ideal place for a picnic with amazing views of the castle. The castle itself has some very steep winding steps so if you have very young children, be prepared to carry them, it can get a bit tricky in places! Once at the top, the views are amazing. Don’t forget to visit the cathedral, which is only a minute’s walk from the castle. The nearby high street has many boutique and craft shops and plenty of restaurants and cafes."

Photo is of Rochester Castle - credit

Top 5 Most Haunted English Heritage Sites

2010-10-13T02:27:00.000-07:00

Halloween is drawing near and English Heritage have kindly supplied us with their top 5 most haunted sites! If you want to celebrate Halloween in true spooky style then at least one of these places is worth a visit...

1) 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield
Paranormal phenomena and sightings over the 944 years since the Battle of Hastings have been rife. On the anniversary of the battle (October 14th), the ghost of the former King Harold is said to appear at the spot of his eventual demise, which is now occupied by the grand high alter of the abbey church. Visit the site on a rainy day and the battlefield awash with the blood of this gruesome battle (although sources suggest the likely reasoning for this is iron oxide in the soil).

2) Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Home to a number of garrisoned soldiers during the late 19th and early 20th century so it is hardly surprising that among the many restless spirits which have been seen lurking inside the castle have been several soldiers in red tunics and even ghostly horses, thought to have been eaten by desperate soldiers during the Civil War siege! Previous custodians of the castle have been woken by the sound of ghostly hooves even when the cobbles were turfed over! , while and another member of staff seen apparitions of a woman haunting the keep. Other spooky sightings include the ghost of Anna, a scullery maid, who fell down the stairs to her death. Recently, fearful screams have been heard from the stairwell - believed to be Anna's final moments. Visitors have also reported seeing strange green lights in the kitchen, and the figure of a ghostly woman climbing the stairs.

Where to stay:
The Custodian’s Cottage (sleeps 2 + cot)
High on the steep ramparts with sweeping views over Falmouth Bay, this solid single storey building stands in an enviable position. The approach is through the castle’s Gatehouse, now the main entrance to the fortress and the cottage is tucked away just behind the former Guardhouse. There are stunning views across to sandy Gyllyngvase Bay, the mouth of the Helford River and in the far distance the Lizard Peninsula. N.B. guests have the unique privilege of enjoying the castle grounds ‘out of hours’ when all the visitors and staff have gone home for the day.

3) Dover Castle
The castle at Dover has what can only be described as a turbulent history, which stretches back over 2,000 years to Roman Times. Over the many years, a multitude of ghostly sightings have occurred, most notably the recognition of a mysterious woman in red and Napoleonic drummer. More recently Second World War Naval Officers have been seen, as well as creepy sounds of some of the wartime operations, which took place in the tunnels. Dover Castle has a well-deserved reputation and the ghostly “haunted castle” looks sure to fright.

Where to stay:
Sergeant Major’s House (sleeps 6 + cot)
This is an elegant and spacious four-storey Georgian house standing in its own grounds with expansive views to the English Channel, one of the busiest waterways in the world. On one side of the house are the inner fortified battlement walls reaching to the Castle above and on the other side the outer walls sweeping down to the moat and town below. Once home to the Battery Sergeant Major’s garrisoned at the Castle, the house was more recently lived in by the Custodian of the Castle but has since been refurbished with a contemporary and clean modern design. N.B. guests have the unique privilege of enjoying the castle grounds ‘out of hours’ when all the visitors and staff have gone home for the day.

4) Portland Castle
This garrison stronghold built in 1540 has a sinister past. Visitors to the site have experienced members of the Tudor force, whilst others have felt themselves being barged by inexplicable forces in an otherwise empty room unoccupied by any other visitors. During the Civil War, surgery was performed on the kitchen table, where odd scents and smells are still regularly picked up on. Visitors to the “Haunted Halloween” event can expect to hear from an entire book full of stories about Portland Castle which has amassed over the years. Visitors can do all of this whilst drinking hot fruit punch, enjoying the warmth of the kitchens bread oven.

5) Whitby Abbey
Best known as the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s 'Dracula', Whitby Abbey has had its own fair share of reports of ghosts and spooky happenings. The Abbey’s founder, St. Hild, is said to be sometimes seen in the upper windows of the gothic ruins, whilst on 6 January – the old Christmas Day – a phantom choir can sometimes be heard within the ruins. There are also amazing stories of a mysterious horse-driven stagecoach being driven over the cliffs at Whitby Abbey. Local legend dictates that the lack of seagulls in the area is due to St Hild forbade them from flying over the abbey. The abbey has taken a gothic twist to celebrate the Halloween period, with both day and evening events to choose from.

Photo credit

Childfriendly York

2010-10-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

I remember being taken to York a lot as a child. The Jorvik Viking Centre had just opened and for some reason we spent over two hours queuing to get in. The centre marked a change in museums where exhibits became interactive and not just rows of glass cases. Reading the reviews on Childfriendly it doesn't seem to have been updated much since, maybe taken over in popularity by many of the visitor attractions it inspired.

Here are the reviews on our site of the main attractions in York, a beautiful city where there's something for everyone.

Jorvik Viking Centre: "This is appealing to preschoolers too and really helps you to appreciate what life was like in those days. With regards to the rest of the museum, it is perhaps slightly dated compared to many places that these days offer so much interactive experiences for children. But still well worth a visit in my opinion, particularly as it can easily be combined with other York attractions."

National Railway Museum: FREE! "There is so much to see and do and most of it is under cover too so good for those all too frequent rainy days. There are places to eat there but there is also really good picnic areas too - inside and out - so they really do cater for everyone which is particularly good if you are trying to have a day out on a budget. So many exhibits to see but be warned - some of the train carriages have manequins sat aboard that will make you jump out of your skin (or is that just me..?) Such a great day out and I found that it engaged all of my little ones - and us big ones too!"

York Minster: "we took the advantage of the guided tour round York Minster. It was fascinating to learn about the history, and easier for the children to listen and have key features pointed out, rather walk around and try and read everything. The architecture and ornate sculpture is stunning, even the children were impressed. My son (9 years old) did get a bit bored towards the end of the tour... but we kept him occupied by giving him the camera to take as many pictures he could of different features within York Minster! Well worth a visit."

Little Betty's Cafe: "The shop is so old fashioned and packed full of cakes, biscuits, speciality teas and coffees. Our kids loved looking at all the displays of cakes and choosing something to take home. It is expensive to have tea or a meal with the family in the café upstairs but it would be a really special treat. Not recommended with babies as the small twisty staircase is impossible for a buggy. Try the Fat Rascals, they are absolutely delicious, but its best not to think about the calories!"

Photo credit

Christmas events - time to book now!

2010-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you'll decide on 30th November that you'll take the children to a Christmas event and then discover everything got booked up in October.

So I'm writing this to remind myself, and everyone else, that now is the time to book these things! Here are a couple to start with:

Natural History Museum Ice Rink: from 5th November until 9th January - "Set within the Museum's lawns, the Ice Rink will offer an array of entertainment and events for all ages, plus a lovely Café Bar where guests can warm up in the most cosmopolitan and cosy fashion." Sounds great doesn't it? More info and tickets available here.

Day Out with Thomas to meet Father Christmas: during December. We did this a few years ago and it's brilliant for any Thomas the Tank Engine fans. You travel in Thomas to meet Father Christmas who's sitting in a festive carriage. Your children are given a present each and you can take some photos. My Thomas-mad (at the time) son loved it. These days are running at Didcot Railway Centre and Buckinghamshire Railway Centre and you'll need to book now. Check the websites for dates and prices.

I'll bring you more 'book now' events in the coming weeks! How organised am I?

Soft play centres - do you love them or hate them?

2010-10-07T03:43:00.000-07:00

As the weather gets less predictable (or is it always undpredictable?), many of us find ourselves in soft play centres. They're the place to go on a wet weekend when your children are climbing the walls at home.

I'm not a big fan of soft play. For lots of reasons: it's noisy, it's often grubby (what's lurking at the bottom of those ball pools?) and the coffee's rubbish. I need a lot of coffee to cope with soft play. And I have a two year old who needs constant supervision because he tries to do what his older brother does and gets stuck or falls off something or gets knocked over. And what am I meant to do with the baby when I'm trying to look after him?

So that's often my excuse for not going to soft play - I can't take all three of them on my own. However my chidlren love soft play and to be honest I would have loved going when I was a child. Throwing yourself all over the place without getting hurt because it's padded? What's not to like?

I discovered yesterday there's money in soft play. Someone I know knows the owner of our local soft play centre. She lives in a very large house. So there you go. And in fairness, her soft play centre is well run and cleaner than most.

But I still try to duck out of it whenever I can. At the weekend I suggest to my husband he might want to take the boys there. Soft play is the perfect tonic after a long hard week at work... isn't it?

There are lots of reviews of soft play centres on the Childfriendly site, search under 'Days Out' and select the region you're in.

Do you do family ski holidays?

2010-10-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Many people book their skiing holidays now. I've never done a family ski holiday. In fact I've been snowboarding once and gave myself concussion. A few of my friends go skiiing each year and now they have children they take them too.

I remember very deft four year olds skiing past me as I tried to stay upright on my snowboard. Children can pick these things up really well at such a young age. Maybe they have less fear? I'd love to take the family on a skiing holiday one year and I've heard younger ones can whizz around in toboggans. Childcare is a bit of an issue though isn't it? If you want to ski or snowboard yourself then you need someone taking care of the children. Some resorts have childminding services and lots of people I know go with friends or family so they can share the childcare.

I'm sure we'll do it one day (or am I getting too old even to bother to learn to ski?). Here are the ski holiday offers currently on the Childfriendly site:

MGM Self Catering Family Ski Holidays: a 15% discount code on our site!

Chalethotel Le Val d'Isere: get a 7% discount with us

Crystal Family Ski Holidays: free child places

Mark Warner: save 7% when you book with us

Club Med: yes they do ski holidays too

Neilson Family Ski Holidays: some offers, discounts and free child places

PlantforLife - getting families gardening

2010-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of PlantforLife? It's a new campaign which has been launched to help families get fitter and healthier through gardening.

It's part of the Change4Life (does that make your eyes go funny?) initiative which has been running for a while to encourage everyone to live a healthier lifestyle.

I love gardening, but I have very little time for it at the moment. I've made attempts to get the children involved but they lack the patience to grow anything. They're happy with a patch of soil and water so they can cover themselves and the garden with a layer of mud. It's a start though isn't it?

Apparently we lead such sedentary lifestyles that 9 out of 10 of today’s children risk growing up with dangerous levels of fat in their bodies. Only a third of children are active for 60 minutes or more a day. My children are constantly active, but that's because they're little. I can imagine the lure of TV and game consoles changes that.

Gardening is not only good exercise but it's productive too if you can manage to grow your own fruit and vegetables. This time of year there's a lot of clearing up and cutting back to do in the garden and now's a good time to plant bulbs for next Spring.

The PlantforLife campaign has a great website. It gives me the urge to get out there and sort out my garden. But it's raining. Oh well.

Flying with children - what's the longest flight you can cope with?

2010-09-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I made the difficult decision not to go to my sister's wedding in South Africa. Taking a four year old, a 21 month old and a 12 week old on a twelve hour flight was something I wouldn't have been able to cope with. And a flight isn't just being on the plane: there's the journey to the airport, time waiting at the airport, queueing to get on the plane, queueing through passport control, waiting for luggage and the risk of flight delays to consider. And I always manage to get the children's drinks confiscated because I forget I've got a beaker or two of juice in my bag.

What's the maximum length of flight you think you could cope with when you have small children with you? We managed a four hour flight when we had two children: our eldest was three and our youngest was nine months. That was quite difficult. I have a theory that children between nine months and three years are the hardest to fly with. It's because once they've learnt to crawl they're not happy just sitting on your lap, they want to be crawling down the aisle. The same with toddlers, they just want to toddle around the plane. And we all know the aisles are always filled with trollies serving food, drinks, duty free, collecting rubbish, etc. I'm certain cabin crew block the aisles with trollies most of the time just to keep passengers in their seats.

I find planes claustrophobic places, and they're made much worse if one of your children (or even someone else's) decides to lose it and have a screaming fit. On our recent holiday we drove and although we had some long drives at least we could stop and get out when the children got fed up. On a plane you can't do that.

I think my maximum flight time with the children at the moment would be about two hours. And I find it easier if you can fly from smaller airports which have a quicker check-in time and shorter distances to walk. Unfortunately flight delays can happen at any time and they're hard to deal with when your children are getting tired and fed up.

Writing this makes me wonder if it's worth trying to get on a plane with the children at any point within the next three years. But of course it's worth it, often the journey can be painful but the holiday is why you do it. Not necessarily a relaxing holiday if you have young children, but a change is as good as a rest. Apparently.

Where are the best childfriendly parks?

2010-09-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

The answer is: everywhere. A visit to the park is perfect for children because they can get rid of all that excess energy and practise things like riding their bike, learn to rollerskate and so on. And at this time of year you can start to collect things like conkers and acorns and watch the colours of the leaves changing. When the leaves have fallen children love wading through them. And if you have the patience you can take some autumn leaves home with you and make a collage.

Here are some parks which have been reviewed on Childfriendly, if you live near any of them then you might find they're worth a visit.

Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire: "A great day out for kids, it has a wide variety of different things to visit including, the Mansion House, the Old Hall and the Farm. Kids can also play in the children’s play area in the park or go on a nature trail to see the local wildlife. There are a number of different themed gardens they can visit including the Japanese Garden and the Walled Garden to see plants from around the world and they can also visit the Glasshouses to see the fruit growing. People can eat at the Stables Restaurant which is child friendly with highchairs and there are also plenty of toilets and baby changing facilities available."

Aldenham Country Park, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire: "A full on day out, you can visit the farm, go on the fantastic child play area/ assault course, wander around the lake and visit '100 Aker Wood' with its Pooh Bear trees. There is also a cafe equipped to cater for the lollipop loving toddler. We always enjoy our trips here, although at £5 to park the car its not the cheap day out you might first think. You can take the buggy around a lot of it. '100 aker wood' is the main draw for kids and is frankly disappointing being a big field with a few trees around it with Pooh related signage. Its also quite a challenge to get the buggy around. However the walk around the lake is lovely and the playgrounds and farm fantastic."

Clare Castle Country Park, Suffolk: "There are big fields to play in and once the sun came out we had a family game of rounder’s which everyone enjoyed. The older children then took the younger ones into the enclosed play ground and gave them a great time on the swings and slides. We finished the day with a walk along the river along one of the trails which crisscross the Clare Castle Country Park. We had a great day of free good old English Fun!"

Clockhouse Gardens, Upminster, Essex: "A nice place to take children for an hour or so. It used to be a grand home and all that is left of it now is the gardens and the former stables which have been converted into flats. There is a large pond in the centre of the gardens with ducks, swans and fish which is fenced off so it is safe for children to feed them. There is also a pathway all around the pond which has a number of benches where people can sit. There is an area around the far side of the pond where a number of characters have been carved out of wood and are arranged so that children can play amongst them."

Bicton Park Botanical Gardens, Budleigh Salterton, Devon: "You'll find several play areas, including one with several wendy houses all painted in different colours, to go inside and hide in. Something for all age groups to play on and keep them going for ages. Picnic areas and benches, too, but there is a refectory/cafe that does lovely cream teas, snacks etc, and toilets. I went with my 3yr old and his 3 cousins, who all found the narrow guage railway fascinating, and for an extra charge you can board the train for a tour of Bicton Park, though woodland, past lakes, spot the ducks and wave to passers by. A huge indoor play barn filled with soft play equipment lies in wait, just when you thought you'd seen everything!"

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield: "We all absolutely love it here! It is one of our very favourite days out and honestly a place that we will visit time and time again. There is a small charge of £4 for parking then entry to the sculpture park is FREE! Amazing! There are hundreds of acres of countryside littered with sculptures and you can literally spend the whole day just walking and discovering the most amazing art. There are also some indoor galleries and I found the curators to be really engaging and incredibly welcoming. There is a restaurant there but there are also lots of picnic spots around the park so I would recommend going on a sunny day and making the most of it with a picnic. There's also a couple of small kiosks selling coffee, ice-cream and snacks so good for pit stops! I honestly couldn't recommend YSP enough - such a great, full and free day out! It really is a hidden gem."

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend, Glamorgan: "It has a small visitors centre, a cafe (which only opens during lunch time in the winter) and also it has Bryngarw country house which serves fantastic gormet food and does weddings. It is a great place for walking along nature trails, and also cycling. It has a small area where there are lots of wooden sculptures for your child to enjoy and also a large play area with BBQ facilities. You can also site lots of wildlife including red kites."

Lydiard Park, Swindon, Wiltshire: "We love Lydiard Park as you can bring a BBQ in the summer and the kids can run about; we can spend a whole day here in the beautiful surroundings. The grounds are widespread, there are wooded areas, a lake and large gardens; but the kids love the huge playground so we usually set up our picnic site close by and don’t get a chance to walk throughout the grounds. The house also, is open to the public, but the kids have been too busy in the playground for us to have a look yet! The café is good, offering hot meals and lots of children’s options."

Hyde Park, London: "Plenty to keep the whole family entertained. There is a medium-sized children’s play area, which has a good selection of climbing frames, swings, slides etc. The lake is huge and you can hire a pedalo or boat if you fancy. There are deckchairs dotted around the lake (these are charged at an hourly rate) and the Serpentine Bar and kitchen has outside seating with great views over the lake. The park is full of lovely trees and pathways and has a really good vibe. There are some wooded areas to explore and some lovely water fountains and monuments to see. Our kids particularly liked dancing on the bandstand! You are never too far away from a kiosk selling ice creams, snacks and drinks and there are toilets too."

Childfriendly Isle of Wight

2010-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

I've discovered there's lots happening on the Isle of Wight next month. One of my friends recently had a great time there with her children. So if the Isle of Wight takes your fancy, here are a few activities and events.

During the October half-term holidays Kids Go Free at all Isle of Wight National Trust properties, including the Needles Old Battery, Mottistone Manor Garden, Bembridge Windmill and Newtown Old Town Hall. The Needles Old Battery has got some great family events on every day during half-term. For more information, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/isleofwight

V-Bay Festival, Ventnor: four days of music, the arts, food and family fun. This sounds like something you'd do in the summer but you can enjoy the festival from Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th October. Takes place on the beach and the Winter Gardens. More info at http://www.ventnorbay.co.uk/

Goodleaf Tree Climbing, Appleby Park, Ryde: One hour tree climbing sessions for just £10 on Sunday 24th October. For people who are happy with heights! More info at http://www.goodleaf.co.uk/

Newport Quay: Falling Leaves craft event. Make hangings celebrating autumn using textiles and natural objects. Takes place on Monday 25th October and costs £15, to book telephone 01983 822490. 8 years plus. Other half-term events at Quay Arts include an Animation Workshop, Jewellery Day, Clay Day and a free spooky shadow puppet show. For more information, visit http://www.quayarts.org/.

Autumn Days at Chessell Pottery Barns: decorate pottery with designs including chestnuts, leaves, toadstalls, forests fairies and gnomes. http://www.chessellpotterybarns.co.uk/

Witches and Wizards Holiday, Blackgang Chine Fantasy Park: five days of fun featuring yucky competitions and Punch and Judy shows with prizes for all who make an effort and come in seasonal fancy dress! Sunday 24th October - Thursday 28th October. http://www.blackganchine.com/

Steam Railway Wizard Week: Magic shows, explore the Woodland Walk, enjoy a train ride and meet the bats and birds of prey. Monday 25th - Friday 29th and Sunday 31st October. http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/

The Parks and Countryside team have organised several guided walks to make the most of the changing seasons. These include Tree ID for absolute Neophytes (Monday 25th October, 2.30-4pm) and Fungus Foray (Tuesday 26th October, 10am–12 noon). There is also a Woodland Nature Walk organised by local charity, Gift for Nature and Goodleaf Tree Climbing (Sun 24th October starts 11am) which will search for autumn mini-beasts and migrant birds.

For details on how to get to the Isle of Wight, where to stay and what to see and do, visit http://www.islandbreaks.co.uk/ or telephone 01983 813813.

And check out the Childfriendly site for reviews of days out on the Isle of Wight.

How early do you book your summer holiday?

2010-09-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's not escaped my attention that holiday companies are wanting our business for 2011 now. Yes, as soon as summer is over we're asked to think about the next one. I think the earliest in advance I've booked a holiday is about two months. Is this common or do many people book way in advance for the following year?

I can see the benefits of booking early: you can take advantage of special deals, sometimes you only need to pay a deposit and pay the rest later, and it gives you something to look forward to when in the depths of winter.

I'm not very organised which is why we're quite last minute when booking our holidays. But now our eldest has started school we're restricted to busy school holiday times which means we really need to get organised if we want the holiday of our choice.

So maybe I should get browsing for next year's holiday. As the children are so young I have to think about what ages they'll be next summer, how they're likely to behave on a flight, what facilities we need and so on. It actually sounds like a lot of work doesn't it?

Here are some deals with holiday companies on Childfriendly at the moment:

Mark Warner: Save up to 7% when you book through Childfriendly

First Choice: Guaranteed 8% extra saving on summer 2011, plus low deposits of £75 per person and 10% saving through Childfriendly

Hoseasons: 2011 at 2010 prices and low deposits. Hurry offer must be booked before the 30th September

Sovereign: Save up to £1,200 on a luxury family holiday for a family of 3 if you book now and free child places

Thomson Holidays: Summer holidays 2011 on sale! Free kids places and a low deposit of £200 per family

Club Med: Huge savings on 2011. Up to £300 per adult and £150 per child on their top family resorts

Childfriendly London: what our parent reviewers think

2010-09-21T02:11:00.000-07:00

I don't instinctively think of London as childfriendly because I imagine terrible scenarios such as trying to take a double pushchair on the tube. However, there's no doubt that London is full of exciting things for children to do. Maybe it's better when your children are above pushchair age? When listing places to visit like this, there are almost too many to mention in London. I'll start with the most reviewed London places on Childfriendly. Click on the place names to read more reviews.

Natural History Museum: "this is the place to go to see fossils and dinosaurs and my two love it. Its a great day out, although the food is surprisingly not child friendly. You can get around the museum with a pushchair, but its a bit of a faff and there are so many visitors that you can't help but clip a few ankles. We like looking at the stuffed birds and going up the escalator which runs through a giant rotating globe. You can't really go wrong especially as its free"

London Eye: "A fantastic way to spend 30 minutes sightseeing. The views of London are unsurpassed and you get a real birds eye view of some of London's most famous landmarks. A £3 brochure is a must as it points out which buildings are which. A family ticket costs £52.15 when booked online and yes it is expensive, but so worth it. Yes the queue does seem quite big, but it goes down really quickly. We had a fantastic time. You do need to fold down all buggies before boarding though."

Science Museum: "We started in the transport hall looking at the old cars and planes and then moved through the space section and up to the launch pad. The kids spent ages going round all the interactive exhibits. It was quite busy but they didn’t have to wait too long for a turn. The café is great and we don’t mind buying lunch as the museum is free to get in. The gift shop is good too and sells lots of education toys which make cool birthday presents."

London Aquarium: "The Aquarium is on a number of levels but there are plenty of lifts so it is easy to get around with a buggy. It was very busy when we visited and as such some of the displays were a little difficult for my son to see, there is also no eating in the aquarium which makes things a little difficult with children who like to snack. I do think it is quite expensive to get in to but, compared to other aquariums I’ve been to in this country it was quite good."

Horniman Museum and Gardens: "This is a great place to take children. I went with my two-year-old son and he loved it. He especially liked the interactive room with lots of stuffed animals, some you can touch. He loved the spinning wheel that you turn and when it lands on a particular animal, it makes its noise, I couldn’t get him away from this one!... The museum is very child friendly with lifts everywhere and lots of pushchair bays so you can go off and explore. The museum and gardens are absolutely free."

London Wetlands Centre: "Aside from walking through the grounds and spotting ducks, ducklings and geese on the ponds, which kept the children entertained for hours, there are also brilliant educational areas. The education centre, located in one of the main buildings in the courtyard, takes children through a series of rooms illustrating pond life. Illustrations and models are hung on the walls and from the ceiling, so it appears as though you are exploring underwater. Upstairs, there are a number of water games, including hosing and pumping water, so children can learn through play."

Madame Tussauds: "I had some 2 for 1 vouchers so turned upon the day, otherwise I definitely recommend pre-booking to avoid the extremely long queues. In any event I got lucky as upon joining the back of the queue I was advised by a member of staff that as my youngest was in a buggy, I could use the 'advance tickets' entrance, since this is where the buggy drop off point is. This saved me at least 2 hours. So if you have a child that can fit into a buggy, bring it with you and you'll spend no more than 15-30 mins queuing instead! If you do happen to be stuck in a long queue, Tussauds puts on entertainers to help pass the time. Once inside, be prepared to join more queues as you slowly snake your way round the themed zones."

Tower of London: "We have visited the Tower of London a few times and whatever the children’s ages they always find something to do here. The last time we were there they enjoyed pretending to be knights and playing along the battlements. In the White Tower they loved trying out the medieval weapons. We ate in the restaurant which does add to the cost but saves carrying lots of bags around. We enjoyed seeing the crown jewels but the kids did get a bit fed up queuing for this."

Battersea Park Children's Zoo: "It’s a great little zoo this. We love the owls and the bit where you can poke your head up into the middle of the Meer-cats lair. The café is also a pretty good hit with vaguely healthy food. They have just done up the playground again as well and it’s superb. You do have to exit via the shop which is always annoying but it’s got enough small things to make it possible to get out without bankruptcy or sulks."

Photo credit

Chatimal chatty hamster competition - the winner!

2010-09-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who told us what they'd chat to a hamster about. The winner chosen at random is Jenny Kearney. She wins a cute Chatimal!

So I have to say goodbye to the hamster now and send him off to Jenny (sob). I hope she finds him good company!

Holiday review: France with Pierre & Vacances

2010-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

We've not been back long from our holiday in France. We went courtesy of Pierre & Vacances Holidays to test the childfriendliness of a couple of their resorts. Their holiday villages are designed for families and allow you to self-cater while also enjoying the facilities on site. Pierre & Vacances manage a range of resorts and properties across France and a few other European countries too. They also run ski holidays.

I wrote two blog posts while we were there with a very dodgy internet connection, so this post summarises the whole experience.

For our first stop we stayed at Belle Dune in Normandy. This is less than an hour's drive from Calais so it keeps the journey quite short if you're sailing from Dover. The only problem with being so near to Britain is that you usually experience the British weather too. The sun didn't shine very much for us but that wasn't a problem because there was lots to do in the village.

View from our house at Belle Dune

Belle Dune is a car-free resort which means you can get around everywhere easily on a bike. The slight downside is that you have to park the car a fair walk from where you're staying so it can take a while to load and unload. You also have to watch out for exuberant children on bikes who might expect you to leap out of their way. But we loved getting about on bikes and it felt like a really safe environment to do it in.

Our house at Belle Dune

There's a great swimming pool at Belle Dune, Aquaclub, and there's also a children's farm and children's playground. There are lots of other activities which you can book both on and off site, including water sports, riding and walking. The nearest beach is at Quend which is beautifully wide and sandy. You can cycle there in about twenty minutes on cycle paths or it's a short drive.

Reception building and Belle Dune village centre

Quend has touristy shops and places to eat, it felt a little bit down at heel even though it was lively. The best place we managed to find some lunch to takeaway was a kebab van, the nice patisseries and boulangeries seemed to be missing. It wasn't something I expected in the country of haute cuisine, but there was a nice restaurant in the holiday village which we ate at a few times and was very childfriendly.

We weren't short of things to do at Belle Dune and overall it felt very peaceful. Most of the people staying had children with them but it was still nice and quiet.

Houses at Belle Dune

After five days at Belle Dune we drove nearly 400 miles to Port Bourgenay in Southern Brittany. The drive was worth it for some sunshine. Port Bourgenay is much larger than Belle Dune but the resort is very spread out. It's easiest to get about on bike, and you can park a bit nearer to your accommodation than at Belle Dune.

Houses (and sunshine!) at Port Bourgenay

Port Bourgenay is centred around an attractive village square which has a shop, a few places to eat and drink and a boulangerie. The square hosts events such as markets and exercise classes. Personally I wouldn't be brave enough to do a workout in front of everyone else but lot of people did! There are two outdoor pool areas which the children loved. The water was unheated so it wasn't worth trying to swim much before 2pm. However we did it every afternoon. There's also a children's playground and mini farm and lots of other activities. The resort is built around a golf course.

Village centre, Port Bourgenay

The marina at Port Bourgenay is quite pretty and beautiful Veillon beach is a short drive or cycle away. We didn't make it there as the children were happy in the resort.

Pierre & Vacances Holiday villages have a very French feel to them. Lots of French people holiday with them so you really feel you're in France even though you're staying in a resort. Because the resorts are very French you don't get a kettle in the accommodation (boiling water for the baby's bottles took a while on the electric hob) and the showers are handheld. I missed having a washing machine, without young children you can manage to get by. But we had to make several visits to the launderette and there were a few issues with dryers being out of order and used by housekeeping staff and nowhere to get notes changed into coins.

The lake at Port Bourgenay

We stayed in two bedroomed houses and there are apartments available too. Each house has a semi-private patio with outdoor seating and a larger shared garden area. This worked well as many of the children played together. The houses were a reasonable size but we found the kitchenette area very small for preparing meals. When we arrived the accommodation was clean and towels and bed sheets are provided. You can also request a baby kit which consists of a cot, highchair, pushchair, changing mat and baby bath.

One of the pool areas at Port Bourgenay

There were a few safety issues: the house in Belle Dune backed onto a lake which wasn't fenced so we had to keep rushing out to grab our daredevil children when they tried to climb in. The window in the boys' bedroom in Port Bourgenay was able to be fully opened by them and low enough for them to climb on the windowsill. We had a nasty moment discovering one of them on the windowsill of the open window at 7am on the first day. There's a lot of attention paid to child safety in this country and there's a slightly different attitude in France. It's something you might have to be prepared for. We didn't find the staff overly helpful and that's a cultural issue too, French customer service doesn't have the best reputation!

But these are niggles and overall we had a great time with Pierre & Vacances, their resorts are a brilliant place to take the children and ours will get even more from holidays with them when they're a bit older too. All the resorts run children's clubs which we didn't use but many other people did and they have a wide range of activities to keep children entertained. And that's the thing when holidaying with children: if they're entertained and happy then usually you are too!

The UK's top visitor attractions

2010-09-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

For some time I've been interested in finding out the most visited places in the UK. It's not that easy to find out, but I have come across the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. It only lists statistics for its members, but here's the top 10 for 2009 if you're interested:

British Museum 5.6m visitors

The National Gallery 4.8m visitors

Tate Modern 4.7m visitors

Natural History Museum 4.1m visitors

Science Museum 2.8m visitors

Tower of London 2.4m visitors

National Maritime Museum 2.4m visitors

Victoria and Albert Museum 2.3m visitors

National Portrait Gallery 2m visitors

St Paul’s Cathedral 1.8m visitors

All these attractions are in London. The highest ranking non-London attraction is Kelingrove Art Gallery Museum in Glasgow with 1.4m visitors in 2009.

Missing from the lists are major theme parks such as Alton Towers and Legoland, I wonder how many peope visit them each year? If I find out I'll let you know!

Visit ALVA for the full list.
Photo credit

Childfriendly review: P&O ferries

2010-09-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

P&O Ferries kindly provided us with our crossing on our recent holiday to France. It's some years since I've sailed on a ferry, I remember dodgy carpets, the lorry drivers' smoking den and lots of hazardous deck where you could leap into the sea if you wanted. Thankfully ferries have changed a bit since then.

When some friends heard we were taking the ferry to France they told us we should be using the channel tunnel instead. Yes, the tunnel is quicker. But when you're travelling on a long car journey with young children the ferry provides a much needed break away from the car for everyone. The children love the change of scene.

We sailed on the Dover to Calais route, the crossing is only an hour and a half and it soon passes. Getting onto the ferry is much more efficient than I remember. You provide your car registration at booking and numberplate recognition is used when you approach the check-in kiosk. This means that when you pull up to book in the staff address you by your name and there's minimal paperwork. There are quite a lot of facilities at Dover now, we had time to park in the queue and go and get something to eat and drink and change the little one's nappies before getting on the ferry.

The ferries are on a quick turnaround and it's impressive to experience the speed at which they're unloaded and reloaded. The children loved the excitement of it. I remember precarious steps taking you from the car deck to the upstairs levels, but there are plenty of lifts now which are ideal for pushchairs and young children.

Once on board the ferry, there's lots to see and do. We checked out the family lounge which didn't seem to have much of a family feel to it other than a screen showing children's programmes. However we came across a small section for 'junior crew' which had colouring pens and paper, some play bead tables and a screen showing Disney cartoons. Our two year old was very happy there, and our four year old did some colouring in for a while.

There appears to be a lot less of the deck available for public access now. I seem to remember you could walk around most of the boat before. I guess it's more restricted now for safety reasons and for keeping passengers in the more revenue earning parts of the ferry. There are a few bars on board, lots of seating, places to eat, a large 'duty free' shop and an arcade games area.

On our return journey we crossed at 6pm so everyone was hungry. We headed for the Food Court which is a self service canteen. There was also a Langham's Brasserie on board which looked nice but was probably not the best place to take three noisy children. The Food Court is huge and it was very busy. But there was enough seating for everyone, just not enough high chairs. It sounds harsh, but I wasn't expecting much from the food. However it was surprisingly good, it was hot and fresh and a lot better than you can buy from some self service canteens. The staff were friendly too.

Overall our ferry crossings were very easy and straightforward. The fact the English Channel was like a millpond helped too. Thanks again to P&O for letting us sail with them.

Win a chatty hamster!

2010-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sharing my house with a very chatty hamster at the moment. Anyone who loved the Go Go Hamster craze last Christmas would no doubt love to have a hamster to talk to.

And here's a chance to win one! These talkative hamsters are called Chatimals and they repeat what you say in a range of comedy voices. Great fun or annoying? Great fun I think. And they wriggle their nose in quite a cute way too.

If you want to see them in action, here's a clip:

To win a Chatimal, please leave a comment on this blog post or on our Facebook page telling us what you'd chat to a hamster about. We'll pick a winner at random after 5pm on 20th September. Good luck! And I'll be sorry to see the chatty hamster go.

Chatimals are on sale at Red5 gadget stores and online.

Holiday review: Pierre & Vacances - Port Bourgenay, Brittany

2010-09-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

We’re now in southern Brittany at the Pierre & Vacances Port Bourgenay resort. It’s much larger then the Belle Dune resort we stayed at in Normandy and it’s warmer and sunnier here too. The drive here was nearly 400 miles.

We’ve staying in a house very similar to the one we had in Belle Dune. It’s slightly larger and still has its small kitchenette (and still no kettle or washing machine, but I’m adapting). We have a patio and share a grassy area with neighbours, most of whom are French. The houses we’re in are grouped around three outdoor swimming pools which are ideal for the children to wander over and play in. The water’s quite cold but as long as you keep moving you’re okay.

Houses in Port Bourgenay

Everything is very clean and well maintained. The centre of the resort is an attractive village square and there are a few shops, cafes and restaurants around. All are run independently of Pierre & Vacances and have an authentic French feel to them. There’s a lake you can hire pedalos on, it has a Pizzeria next to it which we’ve eaten at and is good. There are also more outdoor pools, a circus school, lots of sports facilities and a children’s farm. We’ve hired bikes and they’re a great way of getting around. A slightly longer walk takes you to the marina of Port Bourgenay and the beach isn’t too far, although we haven’t made it there yet.

Like Belle Dune, Port Bourgenay has a strong family feel to it. When we first arrived I felt like our children were the noisiest but thankfully we’ve encountered a number of tantruming French toddlers too. The French schoolchildren go back to school tomorrow so it’s quietening down. Apparently during the height of summer this resort is very busy so we’ve picked a good time to be here.

The lake in Port Bourgenay

Port Bourgenay is very childfriendly and there’s lots for children to do. My only gripe is the unsafe window in the boys’ bedroom. It can easily be opened wide by small people. At 7am on our first morning here, my husband found our four year old standing on the windowsill of the wide open window. Our two year old was trying to climb up too. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened. The drop onto the path below is about eight or nine feet.

We asked Reception if there was any way the window could be made safe, “Non,” was the disinterested response. Other people must have the same problem in these houses, our children are daredevils but surely they’re not the only ones? I’ve created a sort of ‘lock’ with string wrapped around the handle but it’s not ideal.

So apart from the small heart attack from our children almost defenestrating themselves, we’re having a good time. There was a stressful visit to the supermarket today but these things happen with little ones. Our four year old can’t wait to get back on his bike tomorrow and go swimming again, anything which wears the children out is fine by me!

Holiday review: Pierre & Vacances - Belle Dune, Normandy

2010-08-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

We’re having a holiday in France courtesy of Pierre & Vacances and testing out the childfriendliness of a couple of their resorts. We’re here with our four year old, two year old and 8 month old. Ideally this blog post would be filled with the photos I've taken but we have an extremely dodgy internet connection here. The photos will have to wait for another day.

At the moment we’re staying in Belle Dune in the Somme region of Normandy. It’s a resort of purpose built holiday homes grouped around lakes. The resort is car-free and has a village centre with a shop, restaurant and other facilities. The most obvious comparison is with Center Parcs, but Belle Dune is smaller, quieter and much less commercialised. It feels very French and peaceful. Almost everyone staying here has children with them.

We have a house which can sleep six people (if two sleep in the living room). It doesn’t feel very big, but we have a patio and shared garden area which looks out onto the lake. The kitchen area is very small and it’s cramped and fiddly trying to prepare food in it. We don’t have a washing machine, kettle or microwave which are three things I rely on quite heavily with two small children and a baby. However there’s a launderette on site and we have a dishwasher. Everything was very clean when we arrived.

When you have three young children you realise you’re suddenly very demanding. As a couple, or on your own, you can adapt more easily. One hiccup on arrival was the lack of a ‘babykit’ for us. Pierre & Vacance’s babykits are a great idea: you get a cot, highchair, baby bath and changing mat. Unfortunately ours was locked in the housekeeper’s cupboard when we arrived and Reception told us they were unable to get hold of a key. We were given some bedguards, but I was very unhappy about our wriggly eight month old being on a bed. Finally after some toing and froing we finally had a cot and the rest of the babykit arrived the following day with an apology from the manager.

There’s lots to do here: swimming, watersports, cycle hire, various sports, exercise classes, golf and other activities such as horse riding nearby. There’s also a children’s farm and children’s playground set in woodland. There are also kids clubs for babies and children with lots of activities and events. We’re about a mile and a half from Quend beach which is wide and sandy. Quend is a small town with touristy shops and lots of places to eat.

We’ve been swimming today at Aquaclub which is in the village and perfect for children of all ages. The pool has waves every 45 minutes, water slides and bubble pools. There’s also an extensive outdoor pool area. The children loved it. It’s quite expensive though: we paid 36 euros for our visit. And there are only small cubicles in the changing area so it’s quite tricky getting three young children changed. The swimming pool is run by an external company.

We’ve also eaten in the restaurant which is really childfriendly with lots of menu choices for children and the staff are good. The food is quite good too, we’ll go back and give it another try while we’re here.

Belle Dune is a quick easy drive from Calais, where we sailed to courtesy of P&O. The crossing was really easy. It only takes an hour and a half and the children played in the Junior Crew kids club for most of that time where there were pens and paper, cartoons and little play tables.

A major downside at the moment is the weather: the skies are leaden and there’s been lots of rain. Luckily there’s lots to do when the weather’s not great. A bit of sunshine would be ideal though so we can enjoy the beach and outdoor pools.

So have we relaxed yet? To be honest, with three little ones, it’s hard. But the children seem to love it here and simple things like feeding the ducks on the lake keep them happy. We’ll try hiring some bikes and will get to the beach, even if we have to put up with a bit of rain. Next week we’re off to Brittany.

Childfriendly Manchester

2010-08-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Manchester is a popular place with our parent reviewers, there are lots of childfriendly things to do. I've not taken my children there before, having seen what's available in Manchester I'm putting it on my to-do list. Reading this you'll realise not all our reviews are glowing! If you'd like to find out more about Manchester, here's a great site.

Legoland Discovery Centre: "What a disappointment. Crowded even at the quietest time due to the tiny layout... The cafe sold buns, juice, and old looking pasta and there was nowhere to sit. The soft play comprised of a big slide and that was it... We never managed to get into the 4D cinema as it was so busy. My son enjoyed the ride but it was only a small loop shooting at some computer screens. Even he was suprised at how quickly it finished."

The Trafford Centre: "A surprisingly good place to take children. Not only are there they shops for older children but there are also plenty of things for younger children to do. There is a play area which is suitable for 1-10 year olds, children are allowed in here under parental supervision and has a ball pit, slides and a little tykes area. There is also a crèche where you can leave children age 2-7 and they will be looked after by fully qualified staff."

Land of Play: "With the large climbing area for 3 and above and a section for babies and toddlers it was perfect for us... My daughter of 3 loved it. We also ordered food which was lovely - I recommend the panini!

The Lowry, Salford: "There's always something on for the young ones at the weekend, you just need to check their website to see the specifics. They have another room upstairs where the kids can draw, read and build blocks and they often have shows for them too. We recently went watching Peppa Pig which went down a storm!"

Chill Factore indoor snow centre: "Like a little winter wonderland with a slide and rubber donuts to check pulled around on. There are also big rubber blocks to build. You can hire snow boots too. After the snow play we went to Nandos for dinner which was a huge restaurant and great food... We really enjoyed ourselves."

Heaton Park: "We walked up to the animal centre which our daughters loved and nipped into the cafe for some chips and to warm a bottle of baby milk. They actually had a microwave for customer use and Avent bottle warmer which was great. They also had changing facilities and the toilets were quite clean for a park... Great park though, we will go back maybe when its a bit warmer as there is a lake where you can hire boats."

Manchester Museum: "A bit like a mini version of the Natural History Museum in London. There are displays of stuffed animals, mummies and dinosaurs which are very interesting, the fact that it is smaller than its London counterpart is a advantage in some respects as it means that younger children are less likely to get bored when walking around it. The museum is buggy friendly and has a café adjoining it with friendly staff and good food, there are also plenty of toilets and changing areas."

Manchester United Football Club: "We took our son (who doesn’t support them – although his dad does!) and he really enjoyed it. You get to go around the museum... then visit the ground itself where you get to see places you wouldn’t normally have access to such as the changing rooms, the players tunnel and the home/away teams dug-outs. It is quite expensive though – especially considering that it only really takes a couple of hours to go around."

Museum of Science and Industry: "The main interactive science section was actually closed due to refurbishment but the other sections were open. We went into the power hall first which was very cold but there was a little cafe with small selection so we grabbed a coffee to warm up. There was also a craft area where the kids could create a little something to take home... I would check the website to make sure all the areas are open before going along but it is all free so worth a trip."

The Manchester Wheel: "Like a mini version of the London Eye... The wheel allows you to have a unique view of Manchester and the surrounding area. The one thing to bear in mind if you are taking children on the wheel though is that it is not really suitable for buggies so you will probably have to leave them at the bottom and carry any children on board."

Wythenshawe Park: "The kids went on the play area which was nice and safe and we then headed over to the courtyard tea rooms for a cake and drink. We sat outside and it was lovely. They offer horse riding and treks which I would of loved to do but the girls are just to young at the moment. We visited the community farm and they had a brass band playing which gave off a nice atmosphere... We will definitely go again."

Create a pizza and win £5,000 with Pizza Express!

2010-08-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Pizza Express are looking for a new pizza and asking people to come up with a recipe. The inspiration can come from wherever you like and if it's chosen your pizza will feature in Pizza Express restaurants nationwide and you'll win a cash prize of £5,000.

Wow. This means I've got my thinking cap on. I like pepperoni on a pizza. And chillis. I like spicy pizzas. I think Pizza Express probably already do one similar to that idea so it's a real challenge coming up with something new.

We love to go mad with our pizza toppings in this country but when you go to Italy, home of the pizza, the toppings are kept very simple. One of the best pizzas I had was in Siena, the topping was artichoke and ham. That was all. It was lovely and I think the freshness of the ingredients has something to do with that. And in Italy the pizza base is firm so you don't get any flopping as you try to eat it and the topping falls off before you get it into your mouth. Okay I'm rambling now.

I'm going to have a constructive think about what I'd put on my pizza because I'd like to win £5,000. If you want to find out more about the competition visit here. Competition ends 13th September.

What happens if your holiday company goes bust?

2010-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

With news that another travel company has collapsed it's easy to worry this could disrupt your holiday one day. On Tuesday Kiss Flights folded affecting the holiday plans of around 70,000 people. Personally I'd not heard of Kiss Flights but I had heard of Sun4U which collapsed last week. We went on holiday with them last year. Yes I know the name sounds cheap, it was a last minute deal to Lanzarote which we bought via a very well known travel site.

So what happens to your holiday plans when the company you booked with fails? If you booked an ATOL protected package holiday then the Civil Aviation Authority will get you home if you're on holiday or give you a full refund if your holiday hasn't started yet. If you're on holiday when the firm goes bust then the date and destination of your return flight may be altered but you won't have to pay anything, even for extra acommodation.

ATOL doesn't cover directly bought flights, I didn't realise this. So if you buy flights direct from an airline which then folds it's a bit trickier. If you're abroad you'll need to make your own arrangements to get home, and pay for them. Other airlines may offer very limited cheap 'repatriation fares' at a time like this and some travel insurance policies may pay out something. You may get a refund but it's not guaranteed.

If you're booking flights and want to be protected from the airline going bust, then it's best to buy via an ATOL registered travel agent or purchase them on your credit card. All credit cards offer consumer protection and a refund in these cases.

I think the collapse of small travel firms must make it harder for other small travel firms as holidaymakers seek the reassurance of booking through bigger names. But even big names go bust. And on that note, I still miss Woolworths.

The DirectGov website has more guidance.

Children's meal ideas from Sainsbury's

2010-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me and get stuck in a rut with your meal ideas then Sainsbury's may be able to lend a hand with their Tiny Taste Team. It's a campaign they've launched on Facebook which aims to inspire mums, dads and grandparents to create a range of children's meals.

It's been billed as “Junior Masterchef meets Ready Steady Cook" and features a series of recipe videos by the Tiny Taste Team. Viewers can comment on and share the recipes once they’ve viewed them on Facebook. The ideas include inspiring packed lunches for parents of children going to school in September.

My son starts school in September and I'm already wondering how I can create an interesting packed lunch for him every day. And I think everyone in our family could do with getting more excited about food. Neither of my boys are very interested in meals, they view them as interrupting their very important playtime. I'm sure this will change as they get older.

How do I feel about the Tiny Taste Team telling me how to cook nice meals? I'm already bossed around enough by young children as it is. But I'm willing to try some new recipes, there comes a point when I have to realise that cooking different shaped pasta doesn't count as variety.

Roman places: what our parent reviewers think

2010-08-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in the Romans there are lots of places to visit in Britain to learn more about them. Sometimes ruined stones don't capture the children's imagination, however these Roman places are proven to be childfriendly! Here's what our parent reviewers think about them.

The Walls of Chester, Cheshire: "We enjoyed looking down on the streets below (and the kids liked peering into the office windows!).. we headed back into town and just a short walk up the main street reached the Grosvenor Museum. It was billed as child friendly and free to go in! The children did enjoy it, especially the Roman bits."

Colchester Castle Museum, Essex: "My children had a fabulous time at Colchester Castle Museum since like all children they love to dress up and here there is plenty of opportunity. My children thought it was particularly funny to see themselves dressed in Roman armour and Togas and even managed to dress me up too!"

Roman Baths and Pump Rooms, Bath: "Children can enjoy the Roman Baths with their own special audio tour and this is included free of charge. Please bear in mind though that buggies aren’t allowed in the underground parts of the site so its not great for young children – you can get baby carriers from staff at the Baths though which help."

Roman Legionary Museum, Newport, Wales: "Interesting for adults but I felt that there should have been more to engage children. We were not fortunate to visit when there was a roman reenactment occurring as I felt this would have made our visit a bit more exciting. On the postive side I was impressed that entry was free."

Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire: "The museum itself is entirely on one level which made it brilliant for our buggy and the friendly helpful staff gave us a selection of activity sheets which kept the toddler happy. We loved looking at the skeletons and the mosaics. the shop is bright and has lots of the usual pocket money gifts."

Top tips for camping with children

2010-08-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

I've never been camping with our children. They're aged 4, 2 and 7 months and I find it stressful even thinking about it. We've set up our old two person tent in the garden and the children love playing in it. I know they'd love camping, I just need to feel brave enough. Maybe next year!

When we are ready to go I'll probably make use of these camping tips from Carolyn Budding of children's outdoor gear company Little Terra. Here are her Top Ten Tips to camping with children for the first time.

"1. Get the kids interested in the trip by getting them involved. Build their excitement and anticipation and plan the camping trip together. Get them to help out by looking for places to go on the internet and then build their map reading skills by asking them to look them up on the map. If they enjoy shopping get them to choose their own equipment like a child sleeping bag that is just the right size for them.

2. Ask the children what they would like to do or learn when they are away. Depending on their ages get them to write a list and plan certain things you can all do each day of your trip.

3. If your children are not that used to the outdoors, dip a toe in the water before you go by trying a few outdoor activities with your kids. Get them familiar with the outdoor life in order to eliminate their fears. Take a walk in your local woods, visit a nature reserve or go fishing at a nearby pond or stream.

4. Buy some new books on camping or borrow them from your library – you can get them for all ages and even if they can’t read they will love looking at the pictures and imagining it’s them.

5. Try a campout in your garden before you go for the first time. This will

Teach the kids how to set up a tent
Try their hand at some outdoor cooking
Experience a night outdoors in sleeping bags
Show them how to use some camping equipment like children’s torches.
Get them accustomed to the many, and often eerie, night sounds

6. Take the necessary gear and supplies – although you may find you’ll need a bigger car! You’ll need:

Warm children’s clothing - it may get chilly especially in the evening so take plenty of layers
Lots of extra clothes, raincoats, wellies and spare pairs of shoes
Insect repellent
Sunscreen--they'll be outside all day in the promised sunshine!
First aid kit--for those little accidents
Toys, games, activities
Familiar bedtime items--pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, dolls etc
Flashlight/glow sticks or children’s torches in fun designs like Little Terra’s ladybird torch - just in case they get afraid of the dark
Lots of snacks and drinks
Don’t forget hand sanitiser, a toilet roll and plastic bags

7. Make your travel fun

Don't travel a great distance for your first camping trip and make it quite short – perhaps only two or three nights
Take toys and activities to keep them busy
Play car games such as spot the license plates, singing etc
Take plenty of snacks

8. Try to make camp chores fun for kids. They will love helping Daddy put up the tent, collecting firewood, filling water containers, hammering in tent pegs and cooking sausages on the camp fire. You can even make the camp chores extra fun with contests for gathering the most kindling, best meal of the trip, most organised gear, fastest clean-up and so on.

9. Create memories – if they have their own camera make sure they take it with them, if they don’t give them their own disposable camera each, remembering to take extra films and batteries. If your children are old enough encourage them to keep a daily journal, capturing their thoughts and feelings about the trip and the activities you did, include drawings, bark rubbings, pressed flowers and photos.

10. This is England after all so always plan for wet weather days and alternative activities. It won’t hurt to do something inside once in a while. Just don’t forget to pack the childrens waterproof clothing."

And I'd like to add the weather isn't too predictable in the rest of the UK either! If you can withstand the journey then heading for Southern Europe gives you more certainty about the sun. Just the thought of taking all that stuff on a long journey is something I'll have to come round to...

Castles: what our parent reviewers think

2010-08-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

If your children have energy to burn then letting them run around castle battlements having pretend swordfights is probably a good way for them to let off steam. This isn't an exhaustive list of castles in the UK, they're ones which are parent reviewers have visited so far. Castles are a good family day out although some of the steps may be tricky for pushchairs. Some of the castle excitement may be lost on the very young who may well view ruins as just a pile of old stones.

Hever Castle, Kent: "Fantastic for all the family catering for the very young to those that need a little more adventure. Pick a sunny day though as most of it is outside."

Rochester Castle, Kent: "Rochester Castle in Kent is a good place to take children for a day trip. It is on the top of a hill and is a great place for boys (and girls!) who like to play at being Knights and fighting."

Cardiff Castle, Wales: "A great place to take the kids with plenty of places to explore including the Norman keep high up on a hill (you can climb right to the top and the views are amazing)"

Ogmore Castle, Bridgend, Wales: "A substantial set of castle ruins as it was occupied until the 19th century. It is surrounded by a large moat and your children will have hours of fun running around these ruins."

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire: "Warwick Castle is perfect if you have a child who loves the wonder of medieval history... It IS a costly day out though and in my opinion there is little to offer preschoolers, perhaps worth saving your pennies until they are older and can really appreciate it."

Windsor Castle, Berkshire: "Interesting place to take children, but it is better for children over the age of five as some of the areas of the castle are a bit difficult to negotiate with a buggy."

Dartmouth Castle, Devon: "Had we not been Heritage members and got in for free, I might have been a little miffed at the speed with which you cover the castle. Good views down the Dart though and some excellent cannons, the chain pulling thing was a great hit."

Doune Castle, Stirling, Scotland: "My boys loved visiting this castle. It is very much in its natural state and it does have a limited display of items on show. It was used for filimg Monty Python's Holy Grail."

Stirling Castle, Scotland: "It is a very interesting castle with plenty of history - I learnt a lot! I did think it was expensive- unless you are members of Historic Scotland and then it is FREE. We did most things and only spent a couple of hours there."

Photo: Warwick Castle

Events at English Heritage and National Trust places

2010-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for events to take the children to this week, here's what's happening at English Heritage and National Trust properties.

English Heritage

TIME TRAVELLERS GO…ROGUES & VILLAINS

Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Mon 9- Fri 13 Aug, 10am - 4pm
Could you be a fearsome highwayman? Your training starts here! Take part in a thrilling musket drill, listen to the myths and legends surrounding our favourite rogues, plan your ambush and join in a mini battle to defeat the rebellious Jacobite army! Then be ready to stand and deliver your answers to the clues to find the hidden highwayman treasure stash!
Price: Adults £7.40/ Concessions £6.30/ Children £3.70/ Family £18.50
English Heritage Members: Free
(+£1 for every child over five participating in this event, members and non members)

FAMOUS FIVE GO TO TINTAGEL
Tintagel Castle, Cornwall
Tue 10 Aug, Readings at 1.30pm, 2.15pm and 3pm
Secret signals, mysterious happenings and lashings of ginger beer! Our new Famous Five storytelling event has all the trappings of a classic Enid Blyton adventure. Talented Cornish Bard Mike O’Connor will help visitors relive the exploits of Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and Timmy the dog in “Five Go to Sea” as they solve a mystery which involves flashing lights, suspicious goings-on and an amazing performing horse! If you enjoy humour and adventure rolled into one, make sure you don’t miss this special one-off event.
Prices: Adults £5.20/ Children £2.60/ Concessions £4.40/ Family Ticket £13.00
English Heritage Members: Free

ROMEO & JULIET
Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Wed 11 & Thu 12 Aug, Gates open at 7pm, performance starts at 8pm
Bring chairs, picnics, wine and friends and enjoy an enchanting evening as Miracle Theatre takes on Shakespeare's timeless play for the first time. A story of young love - innocent, intense, intoxicating, and deadly - the play is adapted with relish, passion and a sense of humour. A cash bar selling alcoholic beverages and soft drinks will be provided by the castle tearoom.
Pre-booking essential – Tel. 01872 262 466/ online
Price: Adults £10/ Concessions £8/ Children £8
English Heritage Members: Adults £10/ Concessions £8/ Children £8

BORDER BATTLES ON HORSEBACK
Birdoswald Roman Fort, Cumbria
Sat 14 & Sun 15 Aug, 11am - 4pm
The infamous Border Reivers return for a weekend of 16th century raiding, reiving and conflict. Hear border ballads and Tudor music, fascinating storytelling of rescues and raids, discover the secrets of Reiver weapons and see dramatic re-enactment of raids from these lawless lands of the 16th century. Plus, there are also hands on activities for junior raiders.
Pre-booking recommended –Tel. 0870 333 1181 / online
Price: Adults £5.50/ Concessions £5/ Children £4
English Heritage Members: Free

National Trust

ERDIGG COUNTRY HOUSE, WREXHAM, WALES
Between 8 August 2010 and 30 August 2010
A variety of activity days including our Victorian Tuesdays, Wild Child Creating Days, the Victorian Toy Playground, and Punch & Judy. Additional charges for some activities.
Price: Adult £10.30, Child £5.15, Family £25.75, Group £7.90

SHEFFIELD PARK AND GARDEN, EAST SUSSEX
From 8 August 2010
Bring a picnic and take a stroll along the family trail, stopping to discover our new playful places, made from natural materials, fun for all the family.
Price: Access free all year round, no Additional Charges

FELL FOOT PARK, LAKE DISTRICT
Between 8 August 2010 and 24 October 2010
Wild Child. Build a den, construct a dam, climb trees or splash in the lake. a unique experience for our younger visitors. Tracker packs are available. Rowing boats on the lake and crash through the undergrowth.
Price: No Additional Charges

LANHYDROCK, CORNWALL
Between 8 August 2010 and 31 August 2010
Amazing Park Maze. Try and find your way through the long grass!
Price: No Additional Charges

CORFE CASTLE, DORSET
Between 8 August 2010 and 31 August 2010
Go on a quest around the castle to find the shields to find the answers. Find all the shields and get your special quest badge from the shop. Over 7 quest badges to collect!
Price: No Additional Charges

DOLAUCOTHI GOLD MINES, PUMSWAINT, LLANWRDA, CARMARTHENSHIRE, WALES
Between 8 August 2010 and 31 August 2010
Roman Gold. Specialised Roman Tours into the Roman Adits, with a Roman guide. Activities to include experience being a Roman miner, a working day, food, clothes and tools, dressing as a Roman miner.
Price: Adult £3.60, Child £1.80, Family £9

SHERINGHAM PARK, NORFOLK
Between 8 August 2010 and 31 August 2010
Tracker Pack Family Days. Borrow a Tracker Pack from visitor reception and see how many birds, animals and trees you can identify in the park. The pack contains binoculars, bug pot and lots of other fun stuff to help children find out more about wildlife. First-come-first-served basis for packs.
Price: No Additional Charges

Our childfriendly restaurant survey and latest meal deals

2010-08-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

At Childfriendly we recently carried out a survey asking "Just what is it that you look for most in a childfriendly restaurant?" Here are the results. And read on after them because I've rounded up the best meal deals available at the moment.

23% - A good and varied children's menu with plenty of healthy options
17% - Friendly, helpful, and flexible staff who welcome children
14% - A colouring or activity pack on the table
7% - High chairs and booster seats (clean and of a good quality)
7% - Space for buggies and high chairs
7% - A relaxed environment - ok if the kids are a bit noisy!
5% - Clean baby changing facilities
5% - Separate play area
4% - Child sized portions of adult meals
4% - Quick service
3% - Good food on offer for parents (after all we do pay the bill)
2% - Value for money
1% - Children's food served before adults
1% - Breast feeding welcome

It can be pricey eating out as a family, we've found some great meal deals being offered at high street restaurants. Some of these require you to complete a voucher so visit the link if you're interested.

Pizza Hut - kids eat free

Kids eat free at Chiquito

Brasserie Gerard - kids eat free

Two for one at Strada

Prezzo - buy one main course, buy a second for £1

Ask - two meals for £10

For more ideas on places to eat you can check out our family restaurants page.

Strange things left behind in holiday villas

2010-08-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Father Christmas trousers and a beard, a false leg, a bongo drum and a full sized rubber face mask of George Bush are some of the bizarre things people have left behind in holiday villas.

Other commonly left things include essential items such as false teeth, toupees, cash, passports, travel documents, credit cards, car keys and prescription medicines. This is according to survey by holiday lettings company Owners Direct.

Personally I don't think I've left anything strange in a holiday villa. When you have children it's easy to lose little toys they have with them. I think the main thing we've had to leave behind is food. If you're holidaying abroad you can't take it back home with you and it somehow seems impossible to buy the right amount so you eat it all up by the end of your holiday.

Sometimes you can donate your spare food to holidaymakers staying on another week, otherwise you have to leave it. Do the people who clean and manage these villas eat it or throw it?

I'm still trying to work out why you'd leave some Father Christmas trousers in a holiday villa. Maybe it's because I'm in a summer mindset. If the Father Christmas trousers got left at Christmas time well that wouldn't be strange at all would it? Well maybe a tiny bit strange.

Events at English Heritage properties this week

2010-08-02T00:01:00.001-07:00

If you're stuck for something to do with the children this week, here are some events taking place at English Heritage properties.

TIME TRAVELLERS GO… PIRATE ACADEMY

Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire
Mon 2 Aug - Fri 27 Aug, 11am - 5pm
Pirates, privateers, buccaneers and smugglers join the Time Travellers in the big top at Whitby for some nautical summer fun. Dress up as a pirate and handle a real cutlass, listen to stories, take part in sword practice and enjoy arts and crafts too.
Price: Adults £5.80/ Concessions £4.90/ Children £3.90/ Family £14.50
£1 for every child over five participating in this event, members and non members

THE SECRET GARDEN
Kenilworth Castle & Elizabethan Garden, Warwickshire
Tue 3 & Wed 4 Aug, Gates open at 6.30pm, performance starts at 7pm
Bring chairs, picnics, wine and friends and enjoy an enchanting evening of outdoor theatre, as Frances Hodgson Burnett's poignant tale of a proud and headstrong girl discovering some of life's lessons as a consequence of stumbling upon her Uncle's secret garden, is brought to life by Heartbreak Theatre. Suitable for 6yrs upwards.
Pre-booking recommended – Tel. 01926 852 078 / online
Price: Adults £14/ Concessions £12/ Children £10

MEDIEVAL GUIDED TOUR
Eltham Palace, London
Wed 4 Aug, Tours at 11.30am & 2pm
Join one of our guides on an inspiring tour around the palace focusing on the medieval history of the site. Learn about the restored Great Hall and the remains of the medieval palace built by Edward IV in the 1470s.
Price: Adults £8.70/ Concessions £7.40/ Children £4.40/ Family £21.80
English Heritage Members: Free
Please note that places are available on a first come first served basis and due to capacity limitations we cannot guarantee places. Tickets will be available to purchase at the event site on the day and are not available to book in advance.

GRAND MEDIEVAL JOUST
Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Wed 4 & Thu 5 Aug, 11am - 5pm
Enjoy the thrills and spills of medieval jousting and cheer on your favourite knight as our competitors break lances in real mounted combat. The knights' teams compete in mounted skill at arms, and further entertainment is provided by our own jester, wand.
Pre-booking recommended – Tel. 0870 333 1181 / online
Price: Adults £8.80/ Concessions £7.10/ Children £5/ Family £22.60
English Heritage Members: Adults £2.50/ Concessions £2/ Children £1.50/ Family £6.50

MEET THE HEAD GARDENER: HISTORICAL
Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Thu 5 Aug, 5.30pm - 8pm
A great day out for those with green fingers! Visit the magnificent gardens at Osborne House and take a stroll through the walled garden, pleasure grounds and Italianate terraces focussing on their history and restoration carried out over the last 15 years.
Pre-booking recommended – Tel. 0870 333 1181 / online
Price: Adults £25/ Concessions £25/ Children £25
English Heritage Members: Adults £25/ Concessions £25/ Children £25

LIVING HISTORY: SAXONS & NORMANS
1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, East Sussex
Sat 7 & Sun 8 Aug, 10am - 5pm
Step inside a world of Saxons and Normans, Witness soldiers preparing armour, see tradesmen carrying out woodwork and learn about traditional cooking methods.
Price: Adults £7/ Concessions £6/ Children £3.50/ Family £17.50
English Heritage Members: Free

Do you fancy glamping?

2010-07-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you're not brave enough to camp then you can glamp. It's becoming a popular family outdoor holiday with a hint of luxury. You can glamp in a Mongolian-style yurt, a bell tent, a safari-style tent, a gypsy-style caravan or anything which is a temporary outdoor structure more glamorous than your average tent.

These places are well equipped, they often have double beds, woodburner stoves, a kitchen area and sometimes a bathroom facility. Beats walking to the toilet block in the middle of the night doesn't it? Locations are often on farms where you can join in with day-to-day activities and indulge in the local produce.

Camping has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years with the Camping and Caravanning Club reporting a boost to their membership numbers. But if you haven't camped before or the thought of doing it with children is too much than glamping is an easier way to enjoy the outdoors. The accommodation is likely to be drier and warmer than a tent and you'll have facilities you don't have to share with hundreds of other campers.

There will always be traditionalists who reject this softer side to camping and will prefer to stick with their gas burner stove and a ten minute walk to the toilet or wash-up area. For these people the simplicity of camping will always appeal. But for others, myself included, glamping gives you a chance to get outdoors with some of the comfort you're accustomed to. I can see myself as a happy glamper.

This Guardian article has some more information on places to glamp.

Photo credit

Did you know this week is Love Parks Week?

2010-07-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week a range of events are being held in parks to encourage people to use the green space around them. Love Parks Week is the brainchild of the charity GreenSpace and has been running since 2006.

Apparently last year 600 events were held in parks across the country and over 400,000 people got out into their local parks during the week. Visiting the park is a great thing to do with children, especially if you live in an urban area. A bit of green is good for everyone. I know my children run around as fast as they can when they're in a large open space. Better there than in the supermarket!

If you want to find out more then you can visit the site Love Parks Week where there is a listing of events being held.

Childfriendly Scotland

2010-07-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you live in Scotland or are planning to visit, here are some of the places our parent reviewers have written about. I remember visiting Scotland as a child and one of the most memorable places for me was Culloden Battlefield. I remember it being really interesting and eerie at the same time as the battlefield was covered with mist. One of the places which helps bring history alive. It doesn't have any reviews on our site yet, I would write one myself but it was a few years ago now. Time to hoof it back to Scotland and visit some of these places I think!

Camera Obscura, Edinburgh: "Lots to keep adults and children occupied, without it costing the earth. We really enjoyed seeing the camera obscura in action and our baby daughter was fascinated by the guide apparently picking people up which was part of the optical illusion."

Edinburgh Zoo: "Although its built on a hill there's a FREE safari bus to take you up to the top which is a big help for little legs. Fortunately it remained dry when we were there I wouldn't think it would be as enjoyable on a wet day although there is plenty of shelter where you can still view the animals."

Sensation Dundee: "We really enjoyed our day out here and found there was alot to occupy both adults and children. The Science centre was very much like a Techniquest with lots of practical exhibits, which children can get involved in and learn from."

Scottish Sealife Centre, Barcaldine, Argyll and Bute: "The boys loved this centre but overall it wasn't that big. It may be because the weather wasn't great so it wasn't possible to play in the park in amongst the woods which looked like it could be a lot of fun on a better day."

Culzean Castle and Country Park, Maybole, Ayrshire: "Just three words... Lego Man Hunt!!! Culzean Castle is just stunning, we all loved it! We were greeted by a friendly National Trust guide who informed us that the children could take part in the hunt to spot the small Lego men, which could be spotted anywhere around the vast gorgeous castle."

East Links Family Park, Dunbar, East Lothian: "Fantastic day out. The kids had a ball travelling on the train, feeding the animals, riding the bikes, playing in the playpark and so much more."

The Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, Drumnadrochit, Inverness-shire: "You get to see information about the history of Scotland in general as well as specific information on the Loch itself including its history, ecological issues and the arguments for and against the existence of the ‘Loch Ness Monster’ including a display on the different legends concerning the monster."

Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre, Crieff, Perth & Kinross: "Visited here twice already and plan to go back, lots to look at great playpark. Great for a sunny day, we took a picnic to save costs. Could spend whole day here. Downside there are lots of steep hills, not so good for people with mobility problems."

Armadale Castle Gardens, Isle of Skye: "We did find the material and information in the museum a bit dry... It also seems to be aimed at adults rather than children. I would advise families to avoid the museum, unless you have a specific interest in this subject and just enjoy the nature trails."

Doune Castle, Stirling: "My boys loved visiting this castle. It is very much in its natural state and it does have a limited display of items on show. It was used for filimg Monty Python's Holy Grail."

Stirling Castle: "It is a very interesting castle with plenty of history - I learnt a lot! I did think it was expensive- unless you are members of Historic Scotland and then it is FREE. We did most things and only spent a couple of hours there."

Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Livingston: "Its great fun for little ones. You take your buggy everywhere and the you can get really close to the animals so the children can see them without any problems. My boys who are tractor mad love the play park which all has a farm theme."

How to find a childfriendly place to eat

2010-07-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

I keep meaning to eat out with the children more often, but it's a bit of a headache. They're very fussy about food, hate waiting for it and when it arrives they eat it within minutes then want to go and do something else.

We still try to eat out now and again. I think it's important for children to eat in different places with different people. And they always enjoy it. Some places to eat are more childfriendly than others though.

You know you're in a childfriendly place when they have a good, varied menu for children. I'm not a fan of places which assume children are happy with chips and fish fingers or sausages. My children hate chips, and this is nothing intentional on my part because I love chips. They love pasta. Many cafes now offer lunchboxes where children can select four or five items and put them in a lunchbox. I think this is a great idea and the children love to choose their food.

Places with grimy highchairs aren't great. They leave the highchair cleaning to the parents so you have to clean off other people's grease and crumbs before putting your child in. Childfriendly places usually clean the highchairs as well as they clean the tables. And they make sure they have lots of highchairs available too.

Paper and crayons is always a good touch. They buy us a few extra minutes of eating time as the children do a bit of colouring and drawing. Play areas are good too. As long as you can sit fairly near them. Otherwise you have to take it in turns to go off and supervise the children on the play equipment while the other one eats. Not really a relaxing, sociable meal.

A baby change area is important and not many are as clean as you'd like. Luckily I think most parents leave a baby change area as they'd expect to find it. Unfortunately many places only seem to empty the nappy bin when it's full. As soon as it has any nappies in it needs to be emptied at least daily. Putting the nappy in the nappy bin is now the last thing I do before leaving the baby change, otherwise you're trapped in a small space with an overwhelming stench. Okay, moving on...

You know you're in a really childfriendly place when they provide complementary baby food, a microwave and a bottle warmer for you to use. At the weekend we went to the cafe in the National Trust headquarters in Swindon. They provided baby food, a microwave, spoons, bowls and disposable bibs. I'd brought these things with me anyway (apart from the microwave) and I thought it was a nice family friendly place. They also had children's lunchboxes and paper and crayons.

I'm not one of those parents who insists everywhere you eat should be childfriendly. Some places aren't geared up for families so when I'm with the children I go elsewhere. And on those rare occasions when you don't have the children with you it's nice to go somewhere where you're unlikely to come across children. It's nice to be child-free occasionally.

The Childfriendly site has lots of pubs and restaurants on it which parents have reviewed for their childfriendliness. Here's one of my favourites.

Aquariums: what our reviewers think

2010-07-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Aquariums appeal to children (and parents!) of all ages and they're the perfect rainy day activity. Here are the ones parents have reviewed on our site so far.

Anglesey Sea Zoo, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey, Wales: "A well thought out, friendly, informative and entertaining aquarium... This place has got it all and would happily keep the children amused for a good 2-3 hours"

Blue Reef Aquarium, Bristol: "Walk through the under-water tunnel and see fish swimming over your head, or get up close to sea life in viewing pools... The aquarium is baby-friendly with changing facilities, it's accessible for pushchairs, and multi-level displays means everyone gets a great view."

Blue Reef Aquarium, Hastings, East Sussex: "Fun, not too big, but with enough in its tanks to entertain children of all ages.. But one of the best things about the Blue Reef Aquarium at Hastings is where it is – right on the beach where the Hastings fishing fleet pulls itself up onto the pebbles."

Lakes Aquarium, Newby Bridge, Cumbria: "Quite small and it can get really busy so at times, it can feel a little crowded... The children loved going over and under the huge tanks and the little ones were fascinated by the diving ducks!"

National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, Devon: "A great place to spend a couple of hours with children. It is renowned for being the UK’s largest aquarium and has a vast number of displays including three large tanks."

Sealife Centre, Scarborough, Yorkshire: "There are lots of different species of sea life to see... There is also a soft play area right next to the café which is a good place to end your visit. We found that it was very child friendly and an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours."

Silent World Aquarium and Reptile Collection, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales: "Holds a suprising array of Fish, Reptiles, Molluscs and other insect life. It is also reasonably priced but it is not very buggy friendly... This meant we had to carry the babies all the way round but this is due to the constraints of the building. There are also no toilet facilities."

St Andrew's Sealife Centre, Fife, Scotland: "This was far too expensive for what they had on offer. The gift shop was a disgrace and we didn't even enter into the cafe as the rest of the place wasn't particularly clean."

The Deep, Hull, Yorkshire: "Worth visiting again and again for its friendly and helpful staff, safe facilities for children of all ages as well as a comfy cafe with light bites and views over the city. You must try the lift through the aquarium at the end of the tour, worth every penny of the entrance fee for that alone!"

Do you use everything you pack on holiday?

2010-07-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

When you have children, it's tempting to pack everything when you go away. This can be tricky when you're flying. I've found out the hard way that airlines charge a lot of money when you go over your luggage allowance. So if you're more organised than me, you probably pack enough to be just under your limit.

But apparently only 16% of us actually use and wear everything we've packed. And over a third of us don't use 25% of the things we take away. This is from a survey carried out by Thomson and First Choice.

Our bulging suitcases also apparently have an environmental impact. If a third of holidaymakers left the extra 25% of their unused luggage at home it would save 7,537 tonnes of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere each year. The equivalent to taking 2,216 cars family cars off the road each year.

Thomson and First Choice have launched a sustainable holidays campaign called Holidays Forever. There's not much on the website yet, but apparently it brings together twenty sustainable tourism initiatives.

If you care about the environment then it can be hard justifying the environmental impact of flying abroad. It seems that travelling lighter can help alleviate the guilt. A little bit.

Where to go on a rainy day

2010-07-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

We recently ran a competition on our Facebook page asking our page members for their suggestions on where to go on a rainy day. As we got lots of good ideas I thought I'd put some of them down here:

The Deep, Hull: A multi-award winning aquatic centre. One of our parent reviewers says: "The children have never been so quiet and consumed as we past all the giant built in fish tanks with an array of coloured fish swimming right past our eyes!"

The Science Museum, London: a review from a parent, "We love the Science Museum, we’ve been there loads as we tend to end up there when the queues next door for the dinosaurs are horrible."

Milestones Living History Museum, Basingstoke: a recreated historical street with shops and characters. We haven't got this on our site yet so I might pay a visit myself!

Museum of Childhood, London: one of our reviewers says, "What a fantastic place! There is so much to do at The Museum of Childhood and it’s always a good choice on a rainy or cold day when parks are out of the question."

The Horniman Museum, London: A review from our site, "The museum is very child friendly with lifts everywhere and lots of pushchair bays so you can go off and explore. The museum and gardens are absolutely free, they sometimes have one off exhibitions, which you can choose to pay and see. A great day out! "

National Space Centre, Leicester: Britain's largest and most modern space museum with the latest interactive exhibits to engage the children's imagination

Other suggestions include soft play, swimming, bowling and outside splashing in the puddles. So next time it rains, you've now got some ideas!