Tag: planning

Family beaches

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If you’re thinking of escaping to the coast soon, Kiddie Zone has pulled together a list of favourite family friendly beaches.

West Wittering, West Sussex
This beautiful sandy beach is a firm favourite with Kiddie Zone and is a great option if you’re looking for family friendly beaches. Near to Chichester, there’s ample parking and a long stretch of untainted sand. You won’t find much here in the way of shops, restaurants and activities, but that’s part of its beauty. So, pack a picnic, bring a kite, buckets and spades and settle in for a day of beach perfection.

Swanage Beach, Dorset
A gorgeous beach that have fantastic walks in the surrounding area. You can come across to Swanage on the little chain ferry from Sandbank which the kiddies will love. The beach itself is a calm and sheltered sand and shingle beach making it perfect for families. There’s a Victorian pier where you can go crabbing and loads to keep little ones entertained as well as a great selection of places to eat and traditional fish and chip restaurants.

Just across the road from the main beach you’ll find a little amusement park which makes for a good hour or so. You can also get the quaint Swanage Railway Steam Train from Swanage 6 miles up through the Purbeck Valley and past the stunning ruins of Corfe Castle. Corfe Castle is National Trust and well worth a visit, the kiddies will love exploring the castle ruins and the views from the top are stunning.

Highcliffe & Avon Beaches and Mudeford, Dorset
A must-do for families is this lovely stretch of beach, partnered with crabbing at Mudeford. You can park up at Highcliffe Castle and walk down to the huge sand and shingle beach where there’s plenty of space and a relaxed atmosphere. There’s also a nice tea room at the castle if you fancy a little stop on the way back. Closer to Mudeford you’ll find a small car park at Avon Beach with space for 100 cars, here the beach tends to be busier and stonier but plenty of fun for the kiddies and a short stroll along the promenade takes you right into Mudeford.

Famous for its fantastic crabbing, Mudeford is a great place to spend an afternoon. There’s a shop selling buckets, spades and all the crabbing gear, plus a café and toilets. You’ll also find a great fish shop, just about as fresh as it gets.

Brighton, East Sussex
Brighton has been Londoners favourite beach escape for years, and it’s easy to see why. There’s so much to do here you’ll need more than just a day. For starters, there’s a long stretch of stony beach great for walks and no better sitting when eating fish and chips straight out of the paper.

For children, there’s plenty at the beach to keep them entertained. There’s the Brighton Aquarium, the world-famous Brighton Pier with its numerous rides and attractions, the Lanes for even the fussiest of shoppers and loads of restaurants to boot. The sea can be rough and the pebbles don’t make for the most comfortable of sunbathing, but for many this is the quintessential British beach, and one that needs to be experienced.

Bournemouth Beach, Dorset
With 7 miles of golden sand this is renowned as one of the best city beaches in the UK and has long been one of the south coast’s most popular family beach destinations, and with so much to offer it’s easy to see why. The soft sand beach and tonnes of space make it the perfect destination for families, even if it can get pretty busy in the peak of summer.

Away from the sand, Bournemouth has plenty to shout about. Last time we went we had a go on the adrenaline fuelled PierZip, the world’s first pier to shore zip wire! Also at Rock Reef there’s loads for kids to do including indoor climbing walls, indoor caving and high ropes – perfect for adventurous little ones!

Littlehampton, West Sussex
Littlehampton consists of two award-winning, sand and shingle beaches which are a great spot for families to set up camp on a summer’s day, specifically East Beach is great for kiddies. As the tide goes out the perfect sandcastle making sand will be revealed! Littlehampton is probably best known for its entertainment off the beach though and has a great child-friendly funfair, the world’s longest bench, Stage by the Sea and a miniature railway.

Party games for toddlers

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Animals
This is game is fun for small kids who are naturally intrigued by animals and can’t cope with the intricacies of a more complicated game. Have a selection of animal masks or small wild animals– the same number as you have guests. Hold one up, one at a time. Ask all the children to imitate the animal. Continue, changing the animal just as soon as you feel the time is right! At the end of the game, give a mask or animal to each child. This could be a good ‘going’ home game if you’re brave enough not to hand our party bags!

Sleeping Lions
Surprisingly loved by a huge age range, this is a great ‘calming down’ game before handing your guests back to their parents. Ask the children to ‘sleep’ on the floor like a sleeping lion. The moment anybody moves they are ‘out’. In reality, you can ignore the odd twitch and your guests can stay ‘sleeping’ until somebody comes to collect them! You will look marvellously in control and the children will have calmed down into a contented and peaceful state.

Air Balloon
This is more of a time filler than a game with a winner and is enjoyed by everybody because it doesn’t matter how good or bad you are! It’s a good way to start a kids party whilst you are waiting for everybody to arrive. Before the party, insert a small, light-weight gift such as a Stretchy Smiley Men into the opening of a balloon before inflating it. Then, blow air into the balloon and repeat until you have a balloon for each guest. The children have to try keeping the balloon in the air for as long as they can just be using their head. Once given the go ahead they can enjoy bursting the balloon and retrieving their prize!

Pass the Parcel
Before the party wrap a gift into a layer of paper. Now wrap it in another layer and repeat until you have the same number of layers as you do guests. (If you have more than about 15 guests it’s more fun for your guests if you play the game with 2 parcels). Seat everyone in a circle and play some music for a short time. When the music stops, the person holding the parcel removes ONE layer of wrapping. (Have a bin bag ready so you can keep tidy from the start!) Repeat until the last layer of wrapping has been removed. The winner keeps the present.

Fun and educating days

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Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth
There’s so much to see and do at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with indoor and outdoor children activities suitable for the whole family. All our tickets include an annual pass valid from your first visit date so you can return as many times as you wish! Attractions include HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, Action Stations – indoor interactive attraction with Ninja Force assault course, climbing wall and more!

Fleet Air Arm Museum, Ilchester, Somerset

An all-weather attraction for aviation lovers this is Europe’s largest aircraft collection. Step on board the first British Concorde, look into the cockpit and also step inside a Sea King helicopter. The kids will also love the adventure playground inspired by HMS Queen Elizabeth.

DC Exhibition: Dawn of Super Heroes, The O2, London

Superhero and Supervillain fans will love this exhibition. Featuring an extensive display of comic book, TV and film memorabilia, including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, plus many more! Displays in the multi-room exhibition include costumes, sketches, props, video scenes, models and even a Batpod!

The National Showcaves Centre, Swansea, Wales
Explore the incredible natural wonders that are the caves, there are three in total including Dan-yr-Ogof, Bone Cave and Cathedral Cave. Also onsite is the museum where you can watch experienced cavers make their way through the further reaches of the cave

Don’t overthink a children’s party

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If you are organising a celebration for your child’s birthday here are some things you may want to avoid.

Inviting Too Many Guests
Whilst it’s often a good idea to invite everyone in your child’s class, to avoid anyone feeling like they have been left out, this will ultimately depend on the space you have available and the amount of other parents you have managed to rope into helping you out. If the party is going to be staged in a small room or you only have limited help available, it may be wise to restrict the number of little guests so that things are a bit more manageable on the day.

Trying to Do Everything Yourself
Although you will be proud of the party you have planned, there is a danger that doing everything yourself will make it a much more stressful process. This is especially true on the day. After you have put in all the effort prior to the occasion, why not take some time to relax during the actual event?

Eating too early
One of the most anticipated and important parts of any kid’s birthday party is the food, but if you offer this up too early then you could struggle to regain order. Instead, it is a good idea to build up to the food and have it near the end of the event. This way if anyone spills anything down them they haven’t got to sit through the rest of the party in dirty clothes, and you won’t have to try and get them settled again before they go home to their parents.

Ignoring The Wishes of Your Child
There is little point in wasting money on expensive decorations and gourmet food if all they would like is a few balloons and their favourite snacks. It’s always a good idea to ask them their preferences for the party – maybe give them 3 or 4 suggestions to choose from so it helps with the decision making process, and then you can guarantee they are going to love whatever you plan for them.

More importantly, it also means you’ve involved them in the process and it makes them feel much more like it’s their party. Try to avoid going to the other extreme though and allowing your child to have all the say.

The Perfect kids party venue

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There are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to host a children’s party in your own house. Either you don’t have enough room in your house for a whole classroom of children, or you don’t want your house to get damaged. Perhaps you don’t have the time to clean up after a party.

Getting your party organised in the right location is of great importance. Organising a children’s party that is too far from anywhere is not a good idea, as other parents have to consider the cost of transport. Other considerations for your setting may include disabled access, the size of the hall itself and the cost.

Where:
Consider church halls, or community centres that have their own kitchens so you can cater too. Decide how much space you will need. Do you want outside space too? Some of these party venues mentioned are quite reasonably priced.

How much?
If you would like to find out how much a centre costs, you should ask the centre first if they charge by the hour or by child. Some centres do charge per person and this can become very expensive if you are looking to host a large number of friends.

If you have found the best location for your children’s party, then why not look on our blogs for amazing ideas. We’ve plenty of knowledge and experience in giving inspiration to your little one’s party.

Different Birthday Party ideas

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Looking for a children’s birthday party with a difference that won’t break the bank? Here’s our roundup of some amazing attractions and venues from across the UK that are sure to provide lots of lovely memories of their big day!

Farmer Palmers Farm Park, Poole, Dorset
£14.95 per family
This lovely farm offers so much fun for little (and big!) animal lovers alike. You’ll get to see live milking demos, pig races, have a go on a bouncy castle and more! Tickets include one child, two adults, food and drink, a tractor ride and full use of the park… which would normally retail at £35 each!

AMF Bowling, Various Locations
From £7.99 per child
What could beat a round of bowling for a fun, competitive and much loved classic kids birthday party? Fab food is all included in the price too!

Go Ape, Various Locations
From £17 per child
Swing, zip, balance and jump your way through the trees on the Tree Top Adventure courses, suspended high above the forest floor. Younger adventurers will love Tree Top Junior, a lower and easier version.

Adventure Wonderland, Christchurch, Dorset
Various Price Packages Available
With over 30 fab rides and attractions, Adventure Wonderland offers lots of fun for everyone! Battle it out on the Battle Boats (be prepared to get wet!), go on the Dragon’s Drop Megaslide or even go see some adorable animals in the Cuddle Corner Farm.

Mattel Play! Albert Dock, Liverpool
£15 per child
With over 13,000 square feet of themed exciting entertainment, including well known characters such as Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder, kids will love exploring this amazing play centre! Yummy party food is included.

The Rainforest Cafe, Piccadilly Circus, London
£15.50 per child
Bringing together the fascinating sights and sounds of the jungle, this fab cafe is the perfect place for a wildlife mad partygoer! See the animals brought to life, experience thunderstorms and, of course, eat lots of super yummy food too!

Go Air Trampoline Park, Ty-glas Avenue, Cardiff
£16 per person
With 60 minutes of pure trampolining fun in their open space, 40 minutes in their dedicated special party room, socks, invites AND food (you’ll get either a choice of Papa John’s pizza or a delicious deli sandwich), Go Air is the place to take your active little ones looking to blow off some steam on their big day!

Funky Monkeys, Cityside, Belfast
From £8 per child
With jungle themed play rooms, an interactive kitchen area, car track with crazy coupe cars and more, Funky Monkeys will not disappoint and is sure to provide lots of fun on your little monkeys big day! There’s a range of party options available to suit all needs, so be sure to check out their website!

Waterworld, Newquay, Cornwall
From £17.99 per person
With a 6 lane 25m pool, tropical fun pool, 2 water flumes, cannons, tippers and a snake fountain, this is the perfect place to host your pool mad little ones party! Prices include unlimited pool use, small buffet package, free return for the birthday child, 50% off future visits for all guests and more!

Sea Life Centre, Great Yarmouth, Norwich
From £10.50 per child
Sea Life is fab for aquatic mad little ones! Price includes entrance to the centre, a dedicated VIP tour by one of the crew, hot meal, free local annual pass for the birthday child, free downloadable invites and more!

A stress free Family day out

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We’ve come up with some top tips for making sure everything goes smoothly and everyone has a day to remember for all the right reasons!

Plan ahead
Plan your journey to avoid the stresses of getting lost on route with excitable children in tow! It also helps to pack the bag you’re taking the night before to stop the morning scramble.

Pack some spare clothes
No matter how old your children are take spare clothes with you, then they can relax and get messy or wet even if it wasn’t in the plan. Take a unisex variety so that it doesn’t matter who ends up wearing them!

Snacks to the rescue!
You can never take too many snacks! Keep separate snack boxes/ bags for each child to avoid arguments! Even better if they can pop them in their own backpack.

Money Money Money
Take loose change with you, especially £1 coins and keep it handy. Many attractions have ‘extra’ children’s activities you can do such as; feeding animals or rides and often this costs £1 or so, plus there might be parking charges.

Take wellies/walking shoes
Some places might get muddy when it has rained and no one wants to get their shoes caked in mud. Also, take plastic bags to put the wellies in after so you can keep the car clean!

Sun protection
With the weather always being changeable it is a good idea to always carry sun cream, sunglasses and sun hats.

Let’s have a BBQ

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The best bbq spots to keep you in the know!

London Field, Hackney, London

In the heart of the big smoke, London fields has a designated BBQ area, as well as a cricket pitch, heated 50m lido and lido cafe, grass areas, a BMX track, tennis courts, a table tennis table and two children’s play areas!

Tatton Park – Knutsford, Cheshire

This 1,000-acre parkland provides ample opportunity to walk, run, cycle, fly a kite, horse ride and of course, have a BBQ! There are beautiful trails and a sound garden to explore. With over thirty rides, Tatton Park adventure playground is one of the young ones main reasons for visiting. BBQ’s should only be used in the designated areas.

New Forest, Hampshire

Originally a royal hunting preserve, the thriving working forest that you see today has survived for nearly 1,000 years. BBQ’s are welcome in the picnic areas at Bolderwood, Blackwater and Wilverley. If you are catering for bigger parties, then there are also two sites for hire in the New Forest at Anderwood and Wilverley. Both these sites have BBQ’s that will cater for up to 100 people and are a great for large family get-togethers.

The Meadows, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh are the place to be on a sunny afternoon for visitors and townsfolk alike! There area has over twenty BBQ spots across its expanse to ensure that you can enjoy a BBQ in this glorious spot, whilst only being a stone’s throw from the sights and sounds of this beautiful city.

Kielder Water and Forest Park, Northumbria

Home to the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe and, at over 250 square miles, Kielder Water and Forest Park is the perfect BBQ spot for nature loving families! There are three great visitor centre’s, at Tower Knowe, Leaplish or Kielder Castle. Leaplish Waterside Park has a designated BBQ site with panoramic views of the reservoir. This is the ideal base to recharge and refresh with your friends, family and favourite flamed foods!

Constantine Bay, Cornwall

With its breathtaking beaches and dunes, Constantine Bay is an amazing spot to have a family BBQ! Take in the beauty of the wild Atlantic whilst enjoying the grilled delights of fresh fish from the nearby fishing village of Padstow.

Pembrey Country Park, South Wales

Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Gower Peninsula, this glorious 500 acre parkland overlooks the coastal scenery of Carmarthen Bay! There are a number of designated BBQ sites throughout the park.

Picnic BBQ Tips
Make sure there are no restrictions where you intend to cook.
Take care in the hot dry part of the year that you don’t cause fires.
Don’t leave the BBQ unattended.
Keep a close eye on the kids.
If using a disposable BBQ, let it cool down before removing.
Take all litter home and leave the area as you found it.

Have fun!!

Things to do this summer

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Here we have rounded up some fun family days out near the capital. We’ve got the best ideas for things to do with kids.

Legoland Windsor Resort
Play, watch, build and ride at this adventure theme park within the rolling Berkshire countryside. With Duplo Valley (playgrounds, gentle rides and puppet shows), Miniland model village -for the smallest visitors- Adventure Land aquarium, Imagination centre and Lego City boats, cars and ‘Fire Academy’ for juniors plus rollercoasters for the older kids, there’s something for everyone. New highlights for 2017 include Lego Ninjago The Ride – a 4D interactive ride plus a ‘training camp’ with Zane’s Temple Build and Cole’s Rock Climb.

Rides and play things high and low, for kids big and small.
London to Legoland 1 hour 5 mins by car.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort
For generations Chessington boasted a charming zoo and a few slides, but anyone visiting from the 1970s wouldn’t recognise the place now – rollercoasters swoop around the theme park, the updated and expanded zoo is complemented by a Sea Life Centre and there are several accommodation options for those making an overnight stay of it. New for 2017 is The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure taking you through the deep dark wood to come nose to snout with the mouse and his fellow furry creatures. You can stay in Gruffalo themed rooms, too.

Lions, tigers, roller coasters and the Gruffalo.
London Waterloo to Chessington South 35 mins by train then 10 mins walk.

Thorpe Park
Whereas Legoland and Chessington best suit ages from toddlers to 11-year-olds, many of the rides here are designed for teens and older children, with height restrictions and thrills to match. That said, parents with young (or short) children will find plenty to do and a handful of more laidback rides. Teenagers will love the white-knuckle rides like The Swarm and Stealth, and franchises offer some brilliant branded adventures including Angry Birds Land, a ride themed to ‘I’m a Celebrity’ with a restaurant to match (crickets, locusts, and mealworms at Bush BBQ restaurant anyone?) and the park’s newest addition Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon.

Rollercoaster thrills and ‘Celebrity’ jungle spills.
London to Thorpe Park 1 hour 10 mins by car.

Hobbledown
This former farm park has been transformed into a mystical themed adventure land. There are still animals to meet and play areas for running about (including an indoor area for rainy days), but there is also a landscape of quaint huts and abodes belonging to the curious medieval-looking Hobbledown folk who care for the animals and ‘work’ in the crystalline mine. An interactive treat with seasonal special events for children of all ages.

Farmyard fun for your little ones.
London to Horton 1 hour by car.

Family beaches to explore

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Studland Beach, Dorset

This National Trust owned beach, located a short five minute chain ferry journey from Poole Harbour, is a lovely family day out! This beautiful beach has four miles of protected golden sands and a stunning view of Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight. It’s perfect for a variety of watersports and for exploring lots of exciting wildlife, including deer, insects and birds! For rumbling tums, visit the Knoll Beach cafe.

Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

This famous activity and event packed beach offers something for all of the family… even a zip wire from the pier to the stretch of seven glorious miles of sand! Hosting events such as the Bournemouth Air Festival, Arts by the Sea and more, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Head to one of the many cafes and restaurants nearby, including West Beach and Harry Ramsden’s for traditional fish and chips by the sea!

Luskentyre Beach, Scotland

Luskentyre Sands, located on the west coast of South Harris in the Outer Hebrides, is a stunning beach boasting beautiful white sands and amazing green-blue water. You’d be mistaken for thinking you’re in the tropics! Luskentyre is a dog friendly beach.

Montrose Beach, Angus

This famous beach runs north from Montrose to the mouth of the North Esk River with beautiful clean sands. With a short promenade and lots of parking available, as well as a Seafront Splash play area, this beach makes for a lovely family day out! The beach also has a shop, amusement centre and family run cafe nearby.

West Cliff, Yorkshire

This picturesque Blue Flag beach is the perfect seaside escape. With free and pay and display car parking available nearby, as well as Whitby’s train station a short walk away, this beach is easy to get to… after a stop for fish and chips in the town centre that is! West Cliff has cafes, toilets and a lost child centre, as well as a first aid post. See if you can spot the famous Whale Bone Arch!

Druridge Bay, Northumberland

This seven mile stretch of glorious sand has lots of sand dunes and rock pools to explore, as well as the 100 acre Ladyburn Lake with surrounding woodland. Pop into the nearby cafe (open on weekends and during the summer holidays) or their visitor centre for more information on the fascinating wildlife you can spot in Druridge Bay many nature reserves!

Formby Beach, Liverpool

This beautiful beaches dunes are a certified Site of Special Scientific Interest! You can even spot some prehistoric human and animal footprints and visit a red squirrel reserve… the last one of its kind in the UK! Ice creams, snacks and drinks are available from vans on site during peak periods.

Barafundle Bay, Pembroke

With crystal clear blue waters, this popular National Trust owned beach is the perfect place for a more relaxing day out. It’s your very own staycation Mediterranean escape! There’s no direct road access to the beach itself, but this allows you to take in the beautiful surroundings on a fifteen minute walk from the car park to the coastline.

Constantine Bay, Cornwall

Whilst more commonly known for being one of the most popular spots for surfing in the UK, this stunning beach has lots to offer for families! With unbeatable views of the Cornish coastline, this beach also has lots of rock pools… perfect for exploring and discovering how many beach critters you can spot! Dogs are allowed all year long.

Botany Bay, Kent

This Blue Flag beach offers amazing views of the white cliffs and impressive chalk stacks! When the tide is out, it’s perfect for fossil hunting and rock pool exploring. There are kiosks on site selling ice creams, or you can pay a visit to nearby cafes offering hot food and drinks. Dogs are not permitted on this beach from 10am to 6pm from May 1st until 30th September.