Do you sometimes feel that you don’t have time to fit in everything that the kids want to do? Going to the cinema is something that’s incredibly hard to fit in when you have two older kids and a little one who wouldn’t last 20 minutes sitting still! I usually rely on DD and DS’s older cousins to take them to the cinema – they were as keen to see Toy Story 3 as DD and DS. We never managed to get to see …

Are you looking at the winter holidays with dismay? If you’re not sure what to do with the kids, especially when faced with bad weather, check out Whattodowiththekids.co.uk . The site’s days out search facility lets you to search within over 4,700 activities and attractions around the UK to find something to do that will keep YOUR family happy and busy, whatever the weather.

These quick tips are designed to help you help your children develop a positive attitude towards travelling and holidays particulaly primary school children.  Our tips are in addition to the usual sudocream, UV protection, antiseptic wipes, calpol sachets, insect bite cream, plasters…etc.

We pitched up at Manchester’s Trafford Centre a little late, but very excited. The entrance to the new Legoland Discovery Centre is, inevitably, via the Lego shop, but I managed to steer Harry to the queue.

My kids love Lego and if we were a bit further north would be keen to go to the new LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. If you’re able to get to the Trafford Centre, Manchester, check out the Legoland shows that will be running during half term (15-18 February).
Help Duncan the Stock Control Officer and Ollie the Dragon as they track down the last things they need in order to open the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre on time.

With half term coming up, yes it is only a few weeks away, are you getting away with the kids? We’ve got a short break at Butlins as the children liked it so much last time. It’s not too far, but that’s still a couple of hours in the car with a 10m old, a 4 year old and an 8 year old, so I asked on twitter for some tips.

D and J love face painting, and D, 7, wants to do it herself. J is easy to please, but sometimes it helps to get some tips on how to do it better. Today we’re trying out a cat with some instructions from Snazaroo. D has a Hallowe’en craft class booked for Friday and has to go in Hallowe’en costume so let’s hope it works as well as it does in the instructions. If I upload an image later you’ll know if has worked well: if not ….
How to…… Cat 
Stuck for …

Do you need something to keep the kids busy for 5 minutes this half term? Why not get them to enter a competition from Milly Bee?
Milly Bee, the online children’s art gallery h is celebrating its first birthday and to mark the occasion,  is running a ‘Get Colouring’ competition in association with The Big Draw (an annual campaign encouraging people to draw).
The ‘Get Colouring’ competition invites young children to express their creativity by colouring in a Milly Bee train picture as imaginatively as possible – spots, stripes, zigzags – any pattern …

Just in time for half term and Halloween family activities, fantastic new searchable website www.animaldaysout.com has been updating their events section to include UK-wide activities this October and November at nature, wildlife, water, insect and other animal attractions all around the UK.
A one-stop online mine of information for finding attractions and days out, Animal Days Out only promotes those venues and activities which have strong links with animal welfare, conservation and education, ensuring parents and teachers can trust every venue to be socially responsible. 
Director Victoria McHolland-Pilcher says, “We set the site …