Go Ape for Younger Kids!

Outdoor Activities for Kids near Farnham

Act like a monkey and have fun!

When my niece was over from Canada about 8 years ago, when she was 12, I took her to Go Ape in SherwoodPines near Nottingham and we had a brilliant time. It’s always something I wanted to do with my daughter but always assumed she would be too young. I had no idea that Go Ape had a Junior Tree Top Adventures for slightly younger children at a few of their locations.

What to take?

On the weekend we went to Alice Holt Forest near Farnham, it’s only about an hour from St Albans, Herts. We also took one of her friends from school. They both had an absolute blast. It was absolutely chucking it down but it really didn’t affect their enjoyment, just make sure that you take some wet weather gear and a change of clothes. Gloves are also a must but you can buy them there if you forget to bring some.

Is it Safe?

The Junior Tree Top version is slightly lower than the original Go Ape experience, but the thing I like about it is that they are attached to the safety rope the entire way around, from the time they go up the stairs until the time they come back down via the zip line, unlike the older version where they have to unclip and clip themselves at different points.

Children as young as 6 years of age can do the course on their own if they are a meter tall and have a head for heights. However, even though the kids we took were both six – I would still encourage an adult to go with them. My daughter almost bottled it at one point but luckily as her dad was with her he managed to calm her down and persuade her to carry on. He did the course with them a couple of times then they were both confident enough to do it on their own and if I’m honest I think he enjoyed it as much as they did.

What about younger children?

Children younger than 6 years of age can do it as long as they are a meter tall but must be accompanied by an adult.

The woods surrounding the site in Alice Holt Forest are gorgeous and would be a perfect setting for a day trip and a picnic. There’s also a cafe in the forest. However, as I mentioned the weather wasn’t brilliant but we found an amazing pub about 3 miles down the road in Farnham called The Bat and Ball, the road is rather dubious getting to it but once you are there it has lovely open fires, enclosed garden with play equipment and the most amazing desserts.

We are already planning another trip to Go Ape with some of the mums from school.

Disclosure: The experience was courtesy of Go Ape for review purposes.

Things to do near Birmingham during the school holidays

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

During the school holidays we were heading to the West Midlands Safari Park near Birmingham for a day out so we thought we’d make a mini break of it as I had a few more days off left.

On route to Birmingham we stopped at Warwick Castle for a few hours. We had a fabulous time exploring the castle inside and out, the weather really made it. There is so much to see and do, we saw several of the live demonstrations; The Bowman, Flight of the Eagles, Battling Soldiers and Jousting. Unfortunately, we missed the Trebuchet Fireball as someone needed the toilet at that precise moment in time.

I’d really recommend a day out at the castle but my only suggestions would be to bring a packed lunch and if you decide to do the Horrible Histories Trail, finding the rats and collecting stamps, don’t wait until the last hour or you will be racing around the site with very tired legs.

Child Friendly Hotels in Birmingham

We stayed in the newly refurbished Jurys Inn in Birmingham, which have teamed up with some of UK’s biggest attractions to offer family packages that won’t break the bank. They currently have offers with Cadbury’s World, Alton Towers and The New Sealife Centre to name a few.

If I’m honest, when we first approached the hotel from Broad Street and saw it, you can’t miss it really, it looked like a circa 1960s concrete office block. However, once we made our way around to the car park, as it’s located on a one way street, you have to make your way down one block and then come back on yourself, we were truly impressed with the hotel. It’s recently benefited from a £4.7 m refurbishment and is very centrally located for exploring Birmingham.

The best part for us is that it is truly child friendly. In addition, to offering the Safari Park tickets as part of the package, they also have Jurys Little Library Service where you can borrow books for the duration of your stay. The restaurant ‘The Grill on Broad Street’ has a Healthy Options Kid’s Menu with all the usual suspects; Spaghetti Bolognese, Pizza, and Bangers and Mash but all freshly prepared.

Plus, the adults menu is rather impressive as well, I splurged and ordered a Rib-eye steak, obviously accompanied by a glass of red wine and it was cooked perfectly. I’m not normally a pudding person but treated myself to a piece of this gorgeous Maple Cheesecake.

And check out this chandelier! It’s got my name written all over it.

The package was on a B & B basis so we were able to fuel up with a cooked breakfast before our busy day out. What I really liked about the hotel is that, as a family, we can still stay somewhere that is classy and a bit more sophisticated but truly welcoming to children. There is no need to be relegated substandard budget hotels.

I also need to mention that the Hotel Staff were incredibly friendly and helpful throughout our stay.

Midlands Safari Park

We had a great day out at the Safari Park, which is a 4 mile self-drive route through Mini Africa in Bewdley, Worcestershire, where you will get up close and personal with White Lions, Cheetahs, Giraffes, Elephants, Rhinos and much more. The nice thing about the park is that you can drive around as many times as you like. At the end you can also park up and explore Mark O’Shea’s Reptile world, Sea Lion Theatre, Penguin Cove and an African Village you can walk through and see the adorable Lemurs and Meerkats.

Wallet Warning!

There is a Leisure Park with rides at the end of the Safari Park and there is no way you are going to get out of going on a few rides. I’m not sure why, but I originally thought it was included as well but it’s not. However, I had already promised my daughter a few rides beforehand, so I bucked up the entry cost, which wasn’t extortionate. If I’m honest, I wasn’t overly impressed with the Leisure Park, there weren’t a huge amount of rides and they looked tired, but this may have something to do with the fact that we’ve recently been to Thorpe Park and Legoland, so it’s not really fair to compare. But most importantly my daughter loved it.

Disclosure: Our Stay at Jurys and Safari Park Tickets were complimentary for review purposes. One night’s B&B based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing with tickets to the West Midlands Safari Park from £104.70

Creating Childhood Memories in London

Things to do with kids in London

In association with Direct Rail

‘We recently took the girls into London and had a fabulously random day! ‘

Taking children to London can provide then with memories that will last well into adulthood. For children, central London can seem like a giant playground. Everything looks like it’s on a much large scale, from the lions in Trafalgar Square to just the sheer size of the buildings towering overhead.

Whereas other cities have their own unique charm, no other UK city can compare to London in terms of scale, history and the ability to create lasting memories.

We love the Natural History Museum!

London also has a lot for children to do, so much so that you could spend an entire week there and still find new things to keep your little ones entertained. Child-friendly museums abound in the city, which is a fantastic way of making learning so fun that children won’t even realise they’re having an educational day out.

The Natural History Museum is a must for children of all ages. Seeing the life size model of the Blue Whale will be a memory that will stay with them for a long time, while kids love seeing the roaring T-Rex. Another popular destination is the British Museum where encountering real life mummies will satisfy most children’s fascination for the macabre. While the child friendly, HMS Belfast offers a unique and fun day out.

Travelling around London with Kids

Even just a simple trip on the Underground will often seem like an adventure for children. The old tunnels will capture their young imaginations, while the novelty of travelling underground provides an extra thrill. It is also a great opportunity to tell them stories about the history of the city and how Londoners would shelter in the dark tunnels during the Blitz.

Children love stories and London’s thousands of years of history provide lots of stories to tell. You can bring some of these to life by visiting places like the London Dungeon and the Tower of London; they will also help to capture children’s ghoulish imaginations.

Sometimes by sheer chance and luck you’ll be in the city on the day of a big occasion or ceremony, but even if this isn’t the case London has a lot of daily traditions that are great to watch. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, although you will probably have to navigate through tourist crowds for a view.

Memories will also be created at London’s theatre district. Musicals are a great way of introducing older children to the theatre, while if you want to start them even earlier look out for productions inspired by much loved children’s books. Introducing children to the theatre at an early age not only provides them with a special treat, but also means that when they are older a night out at the theatre won’t seem as intimidating.

Children also delight in seeing street performances, so if you get a chance head to Convent Garden, again this is a great way of introducing them to art and culture while also providing them with childhood memories that will stay with them for years to come.

Written by Derin Clark, a writer, editor and blogger

Full disclosure policy can be found here.

My Top 7 Tips for a Successful Birthday Party!

How to organise a stress-free birthday party

I’ve always been adamant that I wasn’t going to get caught up in the whole Birthday party thing; inviting the entire class and spending a fortune. However, I don’t mind paying a bit more for a small group to do something special.

Last year we didn’t have a party when our daughter turned 5. It was her first year at the school, her birthday is in September and we didn’t know enough people to invite. So, we had a quiet family party and spent the day with one of her closest friends. However, after attending a plethora of parties this year there was no way we were going to get away with it this year.

I’ve had a party at the house once and if I’m honest it cost nearly as much, was stressful and I was left to clear up the mess at the end. Plus our house is tiny.

1.) Find the right venue!

This year we decided to go sledging at the Hemel Snow Centre near St Albans. It’s not cheap at £19.95 per child, but after I booked I had a nosy at other venues, mostly soft play and it was only about £3 cheaper a head and you didn’t get a warm buffet.

However, the sledging party included:

45 minutes sledging
2 party hosts
Hot Buffet
Visit from the Snow Cat
Party room for an hour
Invitations
4 Adults can join in

Plus, for an additional £30 you can have waterproof clothing for all the kids, which I think the parents appreciated. All we really needed was a pair of wellies or snow boots.

2.) Get down and boogie

I was a bit nervous about what we were going to do in the party room with 10 hyper kids for an hour. However, the time flew by, by the time they ate we only had about 30 minutes to fill. You can bring your own music as they have a docking station but do bare in mind the new Iphone 5s don’t work.

Prior to the party I put a little birthday party playlist together of songs that I thought would get them dancing. I did check out a few kids party albums, but they really did make my ears bleed.

Top 10 songs for Children’s Party

Get the Party Started – Spacer
Firework – Katy Perry
Dancing Queen – Abba
What Makes you Beautiful – One Direction
I like to Move It – Madagascar
Dance With Me Tonight – Olly Murs
Gangnam Style – PSY
Mama Mia – Abba
Call My Name – Cheryl
YMCA – Village People

3.) Kids Musical Party Games

As an ex-teacher the thought of children running riot with no structure terrified me. However, I didn’t want to go down the road of bringing loads of equipment to play games, wanting to keep it as simple as possible. As I had the Ipod with us I decided on musical games. As soon as I thought they were going a bit ‘doolally’ we gathered them together and played a quick game of Musical Bumps.

However, I’d also planned:

Musical Chairs
Musical Statues
Limbo

Don’t forget to bring prizes for the winner. I opted for little bags of gold coins that cost .45p each.

4.) Don’t forget the cake!

I know some parents are hell bent on baking their own cakes for their kid’s birthday parties, I applaud them and I’m sure the look on their faces is worth it. However, as I’m domestically challenged, if I baked a cake for my daughter I’d definitely remember the look of sheer disappointment on her face. I’m a strong believer of paying the professionals and knowing ones limitations.

In St Albans, we are blessed as we have the lovely Lucy from Heavens a Cupcake who is incredibly talented. All I said to her was that it was a sledging party and I needed 12 cupcakes. Aren’t they gorgeous! She makes all the toppings by hand and they not only look amazing they taste amazing as well.

5.) Say no to Party Bags!

As I’ve mentioned before I’m not a huge fan of party bags. I hate seeing parents waste money on bags full of plastic tat that ends up in the recycling bin when the kids aren’t looking. I originally was going to just give out books. I bought a 10 pack of Horrid Henry Books for Early Readers from the Book People for £9.99 but then had a wobble as I thought the kids may be disappointed as they would be expecting a party bag.

So, I popped to the Mr. Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in St Albans and bought little bags of traditional sweets (£1 each) for the kids. In the end each party bag cost just under £2 which I think is reasonable. Do consider buying an extra one just in case.

6.) Phone a friend

I was absolutely blessed that the parents that came to help out, were not only friends but they’re also the type of people to jump in and help at any point. They could tell I was a little befuddled so jumped right in setting up the room whilst the rest of us were traipsing up and down the hill. Thanks ladies!

7.) Thank you cards

I’m a big stickler for thank you cards, but we all know that it can be incredibly stressful and frustrating to get an early writer to write 10 thank you cards. I tend to cheat, I use services like Photobox, where I can upload my own photo and create our own thank you card using the post card option. Each child then ends up with a photo to remember the day by.

Did I miss anything? If so, please do leave a comment below.

Disclosure: The Wellies were courtesy of Start Rite Shoes for review purposes but aren’t they gorgeous. I want a pair for myself.

Short Breaks for Families near St Albans, Herts

Bracknell Forest – Lookout Discovery Centre

In my quest to find things near St Albans, Herts to do with my daughter this summer we found ourselves at the Lookout Discovery Centre in Bracknell Forest, which just over an hour away. It has over 90 interactive science exhibits to explore with your kids. There is also a café, which is a bit average but a fabulous Adventure Playground right outside. It’s fairly reasonable at £6.95 for Adults and £4.75.

Parking was a bit of a challenge as it was a beautiful day in the park. However, you can claim the £2 for parking back at the Discovery centre if you take your parking stub in with you. I couldn’t be bothered walking back to the car to get it.

However, I had no idea that the Science Centre was in such a beautiful setting, 1000 hectares of woodland. If I went again on a nice day I’d just take a picnic and our bikes and explore the woodlands. There are approximately 55 miles of off-road cycle paths. For more information check out Cycling in Bracknell Forest.

Budget Places to Stay near Windsor

We stayed at the Millennium Copthorne Hotel Slough Windsor. For some reason I thought we were staying in Windsor and was a bit surprised to find ourselves in Slough just off the M4. However, the hotel was perfectly adequate and reasonably priced. We stayed in an Executive Suite (£145 a night), which was two adjoining rooms, with a double bed and sofa bed, it also included breakfast, access to the leisure centre (pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and gym) and free parking.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. However, the hotel, even though it is decorated nicely did seem a bit ‘tired’. The pool area could use some updating and was a bit grotty, but my daughter enjoyed a swim before dinner and I enjoyed the Jacuzzi. Do bear in mind that if you want to use the pool during busy times (e.g. school holidays) you will have to book a time slot.

The hotel staff recommended dining in the Bugis Street Oriental Brasserie in the hotel, which we did. I personally found it a bit overpriced and lacked a children’s menu so made choosing dinner for my daughter and I challenging. But she did have fun trying to eat with her chopsticks.

The hotel is conveniently located and just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle, Legoland, Thorpe Park and Heathrow Airport so would make a good stopping place for a night or two.

Unfortunately, the hotel is not currently offering packages that include accommodation and entrance into the local attractions.

Disclosure: Our stay in the hotel was complimentary for review purposes.