Days Out – Page 3 – Mediocre Mum

Clever Lunchbox for Kids

What a clever design for a kid’s lunch box!

‘We absolutely love M’s new lunchbox!’ – dinner ladies

I was sent this Flatbox-Lunchbox from The Nicest Stuff a few weeks ago and I think it’s absolutely brilliantly clever! As you can see, it opens out flat so you can use it as a mini picnic blanket which is great for school and days out. It easily holds all the contents of her lunch and even her nimble six-year old fingers can cope with the zippers.

Cinch to Clean

But one of the things I like the most is the fact that it’s easy to clean. Anyone who has tried to dig crumbs out of the creases of normal lunch boxes will know what I’m on about. For the most part I can just open it up and give it a shake in the garden.

However, yesterday it had some yogurt on it from a rogue spoon. I tried to give it a little wipe, which works most of the time, but this time it didn’t. So, as it is neoprene, I just chucked it in the washing machine on a short cycle, hung it on the back of a chair and it was dry by morning which makes it much more hygienic than other lunch boxes.

Being neoprene it is also heat resistant and the dual layer keeps things cold for longer. It also comes in a selection of colours.

Currently on sale for £19.25 down from £27.50!

Disappearing Act

My only complaints would be that there isn’t a place to put her name on it. We have lost several lunchboxes in the past but luckily they resurfaced. One was in the child-minders toy box.

Other than that, I highly recommend it!

Rubbish – Children’s Play in London

Theatre for Kids in London – Easter 2014

My daughter rated yesterday as a 110 out of 10!

We popped into London yesterday to see Rubbish – a playful look at junk in the Purcell Room of the Southbank Centre by Theatre Rites. We took the train direct from St Albans to London Blackfriars and strolled along the Southbank in the sun. It’s only a short 5-10 minute walk and avoids using the underground.

I have to admit for the first 10 minutes I was wondering what I had agreed to as the characters each came onto the stage, without narration to plinky plonk type of music as they explored a mountain of rubbish. I was worried that it was going to be some arty farty presentation from Eco Warriors, but boy was I wrong. It was just a gentle way to introduce the characters, their friendship, set the stage with only a light environmental message.

One of the UK’s most celebrated theatre companies for children imagines a world that celebrates its rubbish; where at the touch of a puppeteer’s hand, the contents of a bin bag can come alive before your eyes.

It’s really hard to describe, but it’s all about the 4 friends who are excavators and take turns going through the different bags of rubbish and you’d be amazed what they found and brought to life. This is when the puppetry started at times all of them would be involved with bringing the garbage to life.

One of my daughters favourites was the tin puppy dog who wasn’t very good at playing fetch. My favourite was the lost glove looking for its pair. They magically recreate the skyline of London with rubbish and then cleverly make it look like he is walking down the street. You’d have to see it to fully appreciate how clever it was.

It’s playing from Friday 11 April – Monday 21 April 2014 with shows at 12 noon and 3pm. Running time is 75 minutes and is suitable for 5 years and up. Tickets are £12 for adults and £6 for children.

Disclosure: Tickets were complimentary for purposes of this review.

My First Ballet: Coppélia #review

Things to do in London with Kids during Easter

Apparently it doesn’t matter if you’re 6 or 65 years old, men in bulging tights are hilarious!

I took my mother who is visiting from Canada and daughter to see Coppélia by the English National Ballet on Monday night at the Peacock Theatre in London and the two of them spent the first act giggling. I have to admit I was slightly distracted as well. Once we got passed being juvenile we thoroughly enjoyed it.

‘My First Ballet series brings young audiences their first taste of ballet through the magic of fairy tales, captivating music and beautiful dance’

For the last 3 years the 2nd Year Students from the English National Ballet have been putting on performances based on traditional fairy tales to foster a love of the ballet from an early age. We’ve been to see Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

Coppélia was not one that I was familiar with and when I first started researching the story and it mentioned an eccentric toymaker who wanted nothing more to bring his doll to life, I initially thought it was going to be Pinocchio but that is where any similarities end.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Franz and Swanilda are set to be married, but Swanilda catches Franz flirting with Coppélia, Dr Coppélius life-size doll and in a rage calls off the wedding.

The bride to be and her friends sneak into the Toymakers house to discover that she is simply a mechanical doll and cruelly fool the doctor into thinking his doll has finally come to life…..

The My First Ballet series is an excellent way to introduce both young and old to the ballet. It will be playing at the Peacock Theatre from the 8th – 19th of April.

Visiting The British Museum with Kids

British Museum with Kids

My daughter’s topic at school at the moment is ‘Digging up things from the past’ which includes art. So we thought it was the perfect opportunity to pop down to the British Museum to see the Eldorado Exhibit, to show her we are interested in her learning and support what she’s doing in school. It’s only a short hop from St Pancras International, you could walk it or jump on the tube to Russell Square.

Enduring tale of a city of gold

‘The exhibition delves into the legend of El Dorado and features over 200 objects from Museo del Oro, Bogotá, and around 100 from the British Museum’s collection.’

If I’m honest, she wasn’t too taken with the exhibit, albeit it was rather impressive collection for adults, but didn’t have the ability to grab and hold her attention. Do bear in mind she is only 6 but she did enjoy working out what the objects were made of and what they may be used for, which is exactly what they’ve been doing in school.

However, we are grateful for the introduction to the British Museum. I’ve been in the UK for 15 years and have never been. I’ve been to the Science Museum and Natural History Museum but never the British Museum. You’d remember if you’d been to the British Museum, the columns as you walk up to the museum are impressive but when you enter the inner courtyard it takes your breath away.

Get the most out of the Museum

After the Eldorado Exhibit, we wondered around a bit lost, not actually lost, just not sure where to start, but then we were pointed in the direction of the Families Help Desk, where the staff were incredibly helpful. They introduced us to a selection of Museum Trails for kids age 6-11, that were only about 45 minutes long which was perfect.

Museum Trails for Kids

Surprisingly my daughter chose the one about Ancient Egypt (Sailing the Nile), even though she previously suffered from a fear of mummies, so much so that she hid all her books that had any reference to them. It was the perfect length, gave us a focal point and helped her to engage with the exhibit.

It’s Free!

We will definitely be going back to try out a few more of the trails. Thanks to American Airlines and the British Museum for this opportunity.

Note: The places to eat inside the Museum are decent, plus there are loads of pubs and other eateries dotted around the Museum. Or if the weather is nice take a picnic and eat on the stairs out front.

Breakfast with Father Christmas

An intimate audience with Father Christmas

‘Mummy, that wasn’t the real Santa as he had green eyes and the real Santa has blue eyes’

This was the second year in a row that we’ve been rumbled. Last year, it was a dishevelled beard that gave it away. However, she was happy with the explanation that Father Christmas can’t be everywhere and needs helpers. Phew!

We were going to go to our local Farm to visit Santa’s Grotto, which is beautiful, but you have to go early to avoid the queues and it is very expensive. So this year, we decided to drive a bit further afield to Royston Garden Centre for breakfast with Santa.

No Crowds and a Fry Up!

I really rate it. It’s a much smaller more intimate visit with Santa, there was less than 10 other children there. When we arrived there was a table waiting for us and luckily for us, Santa likes a full English Breakfast served by extremely friendly elves and of course a Christmas Fairy. There is also a soft play area so they can toddle off while you finish your breakfast.

Santa arrives after breakfast and has time with each of the children, no professional photographers so you can snap away without being pressured to buy overpriced photos at the end.

We finished off our visit by making gingerbread men and on the way out we had to buy this dancing hat!

Perfect for kids who hate crowds

If you have a child who would really like to visit Santa but really doesn’t do well in crowds, I’d really recommend a visit to this garden centre.

And on a side note they also do events for Easter and Halloween.

Have a fabulous Christmas!