tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72990516337177855282024-03-05T17:47:16.175+00:00That Liz & Those Boys: A Family and Lifestyle BlogBringing up two boys in Bristol and blogging along the way.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-70756824157273105332020-06-01T16:54:00.001+01:002020-06-01T16:59:36.119+01:00[GIFTED] Gazillion Bubbles: We Put 3 Bubble Machines to the Test!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It goes without saying that being in lockdown is a strange experience for everyone but I’ve been determined to make sure that the boys remember this time as a happy one rather than a scary one. If you follow us on Instagram you will have seen that I’ve been coming up with all sorts of crazy ideas to keep them entertained - we’ve done everything from turning the house into a soft play to taking a pretend day trip to Disneyland Paris!<br />
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Our latest activity was easily the most fun (and the simplest to set up!) yet though - we decided to make the most of the summer sunshine and had an impromptu bubble party in the garden with Gazillion Bubbles machines!<br />
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Funrise Toys kindly sent the boys 3 different machines from the Gazillion Bubbles range to play with. Each one comes in the same vibrant green, yellow and purple design and gives out an impressive amount of bubbles, but we soon learnt that they all work in slightly different ways.<br />
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So which one did we like the best? Here’s what happened when we put them to the test:<br />
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<b><u>Gazillion Bubbles ‘Bubble Storm’ Machine</u></b><br />
We started by setting up the smallest and most affordable of the 3 Gazillion Bubbles machines. This was really straightforward and simply involved using a small crosshead screwdriver to undo 4 screws on the side of the unit, then inserting 4 x AA batteries.<br />
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Each machine comes with a reusable bottle of bubble mixture (it’s really thick, high quality mixture too - a world away from the watery stuff you’d usually find in party bags!) and two lids - one flat lid for storage, and one with a hole in the middle to attach it to the top of the bubble machine.<br />
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Tipping the bottle upside down and attaching it to the Bubble Storm made the machine whir into life, instantly sending a steady stream of bubbles up into the air. I don’t think Finley or Jacob were expecting so many bubbles to come out of it so quickly - the force of it made them jump back and sent them into fits of giggles!<br />
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They began running, jumping and dancing around the machine, trying to catch and pop the bubbles as they floated past them. It was amazing to see something so simple filling them with so much joy - both boys were grinning from ear to ear and didn’t want the fun to end!<br />
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When the mixture did eventually run out, we found it super simple to refill. All Gazillion Bubbles machines feature a drip tray with a lip which catches the mixture and makes it easy to tip it back into the bottle. Obviously this can only be done so many times but I was really happy that we weren’t wasting loads of mixture in one go.<br />
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<b><u>Gazillion Bubbles ‘Bubble Rush’ Machine</u></b><br />
Next up was the Bubble Rush, a slightly larger machine with a bit more power. I thought that the Bubble Storm was easy to set up but this one was even more straightforward!<br />
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This machine takes 6 x AA batteries but only needs one screw removing to get to them. The only slight difference is that the battery compartment is on the base of the Bubble Rush, so you need to make sure there’s no mixture inside before tipping it upside down!<br />
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The Bubble Rush also features an on/ off switch and this made the machine much easier for the boys to operate by themselves. Bubbles began filling the garden from the moment they pressed the button and, once again, the sheer amount of them appearing at once made the boys giddy with excitement!<br />
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We were all really impressed with this machine. I found it quite noisy in comparison to the others but the boys didn’t seem to mind (probably because they were whooping and giggling too much to notice!) and it was a small price to pay for the amount of bubbles that came out of it.<br />
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Thanks to the rotating motion of the motor, the Bubble Rush sent huge streams of bubbles out in every direction which made it loads more fun to play with and prompted both boys to run around the machine in circles, trying to catch the bubbles before they floated away!<br />
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I loved the design of this one - not just because it was so simple to set up, but also because it comes in two halves that can be easily taken apart for cleaning. The Bubble Rush also seemed to catch more of the mixture in its tray and lasted a lot longer before it needed refilling.<br />
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<b><u>Gazillion Bubbles ‘Whirlwind Party’ Machine</u></b><br />
The Whirlwind Party machine is the biggest of the lot and, put simply, it absolutely blew the boys’ minds!<br />
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This one was noticeably more powerful than the other machines but that did mean that it took a little while longer to set up - with 8 screws to get into the battery compartment, 8 x AA batteries needed to run and double the amount of bubble mixture, the Whirlwind Party doesn’t do things by halves!<br />
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Again, this machine’s battery compartment is positioned on the side and it has an on/ off button that was easy for the boys to access. As we fired it up, we were all blown away by the amount of bubbles that started streaming out of it (there were so many that I’ve since been told they filled the garden of our neighbours at the other end of the street!)<br />
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For a while, this machine stopped the boys in their tracks. Jacob stood gazing in awe at the sheer amount of bubbles surrounding him and Finley spent ages mesmerised by the mechanism turning around, trying to figure out how it worked. Of course it wasn’t long before they were back to chasing bubbles around the garden, but their reactions just go to show how impressive they found this machine!<br />
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Now it’s worth noting that the Whirlwind Party machine has a separate tray to catch the mixture which isn’t shown in these photos as I stupidly didn’t spot it until after they were taken. I thought it was strange that the mixture was running out so quickly, but when I spotted the tray hidden under a layer of cardboard in the packaging I soon realised why! If you’re planning to buy one of these then don’t make the same mistake as I did!<br />
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All 3 Gazillion Bubbles machines make for really affordable summer holiday treats, with the Bubble Storm retailing at £15.00, the Bubble Rush at £20.00 and the Whirlwind Party at £30.00.<br />
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It’s no surprise that both boys declared the Whirlwind Party their favourite of the 3 Gazillion Bubbles machines. They were seriously impressed by it and loved the vast amounts of bubbles it gave out! I can see it being perfect for family BBQs in the summer or children’s birthday parties all year round (it would definitely save on the cost of hiring one, too!)<br />
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However, from a parent's perspective I’d totally recommend the Bubble Rush machine. As well as being slightly more affordable than the Whirlwind Party, it’s also much easier to set up and maintain thanks to its two-part design and the need for fewer batteries. It’s also better suited to everyday use and adds an extra element of fun to simply playing outside!<br />
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Our Gazillion Bubbles machines were collected from Argos, who are still operating their Click & Collect service throughout lockdown with the appropriate social distancing measures in place. You can check out the full range of Gazillion Bubbles products and order online by simply heading to the <a href="https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/toys/outdoor-toys-and-activities/bubble-machines/c:30344/brands:gazillion/" target="_blank"><b>Argos website</b></a>.<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Products in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-1883286273391376012019-12-18T23:51:00.000+00:002019-12-18T23:51:00.043+00:00[GIFTED] Review: Lapland Letters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Receiving post is only really exciting when you're little but regardless of how old you are, you've got to admit that there's no delivery more magical than a letter sent straight from Lapland!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Christmas really is the most wonderful time of year for the boys - they just love everything about the build up to the big day, so when I discovered that<span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lapland Letters</span></a> </span>could arrange for Santa to send them a personalised letter just before Christmas, I just couldn't resist ordering one each!<br />
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The letters are beautifully presented and arrived in thick red envelopes, covered in stamps, postmarks and pictures. They looked very official so there was no doubt that they had been sent by the big man himself!<br />
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Jacob excitedly tore the envelope open whilst Finley carefully lifted the seal on his to reveal the most magical piece of post from Santa inside. The design and quality of the letters made them look and feel so authentic, which prompted the boys to handle them delicately as they took in the words.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUyH8zIofSiYdjBiGofHOi4NWQbqrBHqRj3xiSnxHDQ_Wb0RxfvfkHpDwRonJ8Hj5j4n5oOsWzLYVuhukZeM6mqhqFylKPydiBBTASq4GlW4hQcLegrQJNEsEBe1gJGoorFQFOQddmjE/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUyH8zIofSiYdjBiGofHOi4NWQbqrBHqRj3xiSnxHDQ_Wb0RxfvfkHpDwRonJ8Hj5j4n5oOsWzLYVuhukZeM6mqhqFylKPydiBBTASq4GlW4hQcLegrQJNEsEBe1gJGoorFQFOQddmjE/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-9.jpg" /></a></div>
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At first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking that their letters were exactly the same, but the boys actually received very different ones. The personal touch is definitely one of the best things about the fantastical service from <b><u><a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lapland Letters</span></a></u></b> - when I ordered the letters I chose from 6 designs, all of which featured completely different wording. Better still, these change every year so not only does it mean that no child will ever receive the same letter twice, but it also helps to keep the magic of Santa alive!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEJVL_NrH8Li9_czhH9Ir7g32emIHSNqCqVv5DOTyBQVMGtf6BrJtOMcrfuo-kZ9QpKHRLjaAQBHuAqMvaCTeXsR_EHWy1ehktCXtQGoXlWPBNLPvop9dS2o16Qt32_p-t8nkUo0bqaM/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEJVL_NrH8Li9_czhH9Ir7g32emIHSNqCqVv5DOTyBQVMGtf6BrJtOMcrfuo-kZ9QpKHRLjaAQBHuAqMvaCTeXsR_EHWy1ehktCXtQGoXlWPBNLPvop9dS2o16Qt32_p-t8nkUo0bqaM/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-4.jpg" /></a></div>
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As well as the theme, I was also able to select the boys' ages, present wishes, friends' names, their home town and more, to make sure that their letter were as personal to them as possible. There was also the option to have them signed from either 'Santa' or 'Father Christmas', depending on how he is known best in your household.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9yVag1J_hL3r9drkZWsfI-GjLrYOmw13JsuIJ9kF690-xN-f8sNg4h-wlIf2nzOCMtm7ml5gdoi-moZ000yAsD9WZ03TLYuS0ZpmL4Jm3kqf4sWQMyiizjgll7-fNbIHrZ-W1DFzh2E/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9yVag1J_hL3r9drkZWsfI-GjLrYOmw13JsuIJ9kF690-xN-f8sNg4h-wlIf2nzOCMtm7ml5gdoi-moZ000yAsD9WZ03TLYuS0ZpmL4Jm3kqf4sWQMyiizjgll7-fNbIHrZ-W1DFzh2E/s640/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The sweetest little touch by far was the personalised note at the end of each letter. Being 5 and 2 means that the boys are still firm believers, but these notes would be especially great for older children who might be starting to doubt the existence of Santa! I decided to ask him to mention something that the boys had done well recently, so Finley's note was about working hard at Maths in Year 1 and Jacob's was about settling into pre-school.<br />
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Even now that I've read the boys' letters again and again, I still can't get over how wonderfully detailed they are. Considering that they only cost £5.95 each (including delivery), you get an awful lot for what you pay for. The letters are such good quality and given that they'll stay in the boys' keepsake boxes forever, I think they're worth every penny.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTRBQIk6hpcWMiczU17gGX42OZXAw0u298y0VM06zzu1fYbVfw7GIK06yoX_rzqDYlD0wAw7V1A5QOe65v_J1aStIq1MP5c39UFsPscpoXaIaC703JRmBQYDmzJATKbLBZ3fb3iOaTGM/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTRBQIk6hpcWMiczU17gGX42OZXAw0u298y0VM06zzu1fYbVfw7GIK06yoX_rzqDYlD0wAw7V1A5QOe65v_J1aStIq1MP5c39UFsPscpoXaIaC703JRmBQYDmzJATKbLBZ3fb3iOaTGM/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Lapland+Letters-10.jpg" /></a></div>
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If you want to make your delivery even more special, then it's worth knowing that <a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/index.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Lapland Letters</span></b></a> also offer a whole host of <a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/letter_extras.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">magical extras</span></b></a> to add to your order. Since the boys have been especially good this year, Santa kindly sent them a bumper activity pack (£2.95) each along with their letters! These included the following:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Good Child Certificate</li>
<li>Wishing Stars</li>
<li>Activity Christmas Card</li>
<li>Thank You Santa Postcard</li>
<li>Activity Sheets</li>
<li>Colouring Door Hanger</li>
<li>Santa Stop Here Poster</li>
</ul>
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They were also lucky enough to receive one last little surprise, which they were both ridiculously excited about - a packet of magic reindeer food to leave out on Christmas Eve! Now, I've got to admit that I was a little worried about this as it made me wonder whether Santa had got the memo about keeping things eco-friendly in 2019. It seems that he's moving with the times though and I needn't have worried because this food is made from organic oats and doesn't contain plastic glitter, so it's totally safe for wildlife to eat (just in case the reindeer leave any behind!)</div>
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All of these little extra treats made the whole experience of receiving post from Santa that little bit more magical for the boys. As well as adding to the excitement that the festive season brings, the additional gifts would also be perfect for putting in Christmas Eve boxes or simply creating new traditions to remember forever. In fact, I've got a feeling that this will be the first of many deliveries from <b><a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lapland Letters</span></a> </b>to our door!<br />
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I'm terrible for leaving things until the last minute so, if you're anything like me, then you'll be pleased to know that there's still time to <a href="https://www.laplandletters.co.uk/buy_letter.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">order from Lapland Letters</span></b></a>! Letters can arrive as soon as 3 days after ordering (but due to the festive rush, Mrs Claus has recommended that you allow 5-7 working days from ordering for your letter to arrive!)<br />
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Last posting dates for Christmas 2019 are as follows:<br />
Standard UK Orders: Thursday 19th of December 2019<br />
Express (24 hour) UK Orders: last letter orders are on Monday 23rd of December 2019<br />
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The boys are I are signing off from the blog until the New Year now, but in the meantime we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Product(s) in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-78917085167231998492019-12-08T17:07:00.000+00:002019-12-08T19:32:17.407+00:00[GIFTED] Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt Arboretum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Imagine stepping into an enchanted land where fairies dance through the forest, trees light up and talk, logs turn into musical instruments and there are magical surprises around every corner. Now throw in a cosy mix of mulled wine, hot chocolate, vintage funfair rides and festive stalls and you’ll find yourself at <a href="https://www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/enchanted-christmas" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Westonbirt Arboretum’s Enchanted Christmas</span></b></a>!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Enchanted Christmas is night-time trail of twinkling lights and sparkling illuminations, set in the stunning grounds of Westonbirt Arboretum. It’s been a festive tradition for the last 21 years but despite having heard so many good things about it, we’d never actually been before. Last week, the boys are I were invited to an exclusive preview of this year’s trail, so you can imagine how excited we were to finally be experiencing it for ourselves!<br />
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Westonbirt is just a short drive away from Bristol and clearly signposted from the M4. We had no trouble finding it and since there’s loads of free parking (including a large overflow car park) right by the entrance, it was easy enough to get a space when we arrived.<br />
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The entrance is also right next to the toilets and baby change facilities so we were able to get the boys sorted before heading towards the start of the trail.<br />
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On our way over we were met with bright lights and cheery sounds of Christmas music coming from the cutest little funfair. Both boys were giddy with excitement and squealed at the sight of the ferris wheel spinning round! They darted around, not quite knowing where to start, before eventually agreeing that it might make sense to do the trail first.<br />
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We went in through a series of huge, glowing arches, which felt a bit like stepping into another world! As we walked along the path, we got our first little glimpses of the illuminations but it wasn't until turning a corner that we began to get the full effect. In fact, I think this is one of the things that made Enchanted Christmas so magical - each area along the trail was completely different and because the path was so windy, it was impossible to know what surprises would be waiting around the next corner!<br />
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From soft, twinkly fairy lights to bright, neon laser beams - every tree was lit up in a different way. Not only did this give each part of the trail a totally unique feel, but it also allowed us to see the surrounding woodland from a new perspective.<br />
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Out of every tree along the trail, the boys' favourite by far was the wise, old, talking tree. Finley got right up close and listened as it spoke, while Jacob cautiously watched from a distance before bursting into fits of giggles when the tree finished talking and fell asleep!<br />
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They loved dashing from one tree to the next and it was just amazing to watch their faces light up every time they discovered something new. I found myself constantly telling them to be careful as they ran but the ground was actually pretty flat, making it safe for little ones and easily accessible for buggies and wheelchairs.<br />
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Of course the boys have only got little legs so, when they started to get worn out from all the running around, we were relieved to find a little woodland hideaway half way along the trail. This dreamy, fairy-lit area was full of picnic benches and stalls serving hot chocolate, warm doughnuts, mulled wine and mulled cider, making it the perfect place to thaw out and break up the walk.<br />
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As we went deeper into the forest, we discovered that there were more than just lights along the trail - we found magical woodland characters waiting to meet us, too! Now I don't want to spoil any surprises so I won't go into too much detail about these interactions but let's just say that they definitely weren't shy! There were helpful elves, mischievous fairies casting spells over the trees and even Father Christmas himself, wearing his traditional green outfit. We thought this was a nice little touch as it meant he didn't look out of place amongst the trees and, with no formal grotto setting, the boys were able to go over and say hello to him at their own pace.<br />
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Both Finley and Jacob were awestruck throughout the whole trail but it was the interactive elements that impressed them the most. Finley giggled and whooped with delight when we found ourselves surrounded by sirens, smoke and flashing lights on Father Christmas' launchpad (I'm pretty sure he thought we were about to be launched into space!) and both boys were captivated by the musical logs that made twinkly noises and lit up the trees around them as they tapped them with a special stick.<br />
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The fun didn’t stop at the end of the trail though! The path took us back towards the funfair and Christmas village, where we found a festive choir singing some seasonal favourites in the snow. Jacob was totally mesmerised by all of this and spent ages dancing to the music and trying to catch the snow!<br />
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The Christmas village was full of festive stalls, including a cosy little yurt with free Christmas craft activities. The boys tried their hand at making tree decorations out of little wooden discs and coloured string, which they got to keep once they were finished.<br />
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After letting the boys have a few goes on the rides and taking a little wander around the stalls, we were more than ready for some food! With so many amazing smells coming from the seasonal food carts, we were totally spoilt for choice but eventually settled on hot dogs and chips to warm us all up. It's worth mentioning that these stalls can't accept cards and there are no cashpoints nearby, so make sure you take some cash with you!<br />
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We were genuinely blown away by Westonbirt's Enchanted Christmas. There was such a wonderful atmosphere throughout, with an air of calm and wonder along the trail, ending in a real buzz around the Christmas village. Seeing the boys' reactions to everything was truly magical and, given that it's the sort of event that they'll experience differently as they grow up, I've got a feeling that this will be the start of a new festive family tradition for us.<br />
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This year’s event will run on:<br />
Friday 29th November to Sunday 1st December 2019<br />
Friday 6th December to Sunday 8th December 2019<br />
Friday 13th December to Sunday 15th December 2019<br />
Friday 20th December to Sunday 22nd December 2019<br />
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All sessions take place between 5pm and 9pm (apart from selected ‘Relaxed Sessions’ where the trail will open early and be adapted to suit those with additional needs such as autism). There was so much to see and do that we were there for nearly 4 hours, so I’d recommend booking an early slot to get the full experience if you can!<br />
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Admission prices for Westonbirt Arboretum’s Enchanted Christmas are as follows -<br />
Adults: £15.00<br />
Concessions (students and job seekers): £13.00<br />
Children (aged 5-18): £7.50<br />
Under 5s: Free<br />
For a full list of offers, discounts and ticket types, head to <a href="https://www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/enchanted-christmas" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Westonbirt Arboretum’s website</span></b></a>.<br />
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Due to popular demand, tickets are only available by booking in advance. To get yours, just phone Westonbirt’s box office (03000 680 400) or visit the website: <a href="http://www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/enchanted-christmas" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/enchanted-christmas</span></b></a><br />
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If you can’t make it along to Enchanted Christmas this year then take a look at our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17859646024613837/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Instagram Story highlights</span></b></a> instead and see what it’s like!<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Our admission to Enchanted Christmas was kindly gifted to us by Westonbirt Arboretum, in exchange for social media coverage and an honest blog review. We were offered discounted food at selected stalls but we paid for our drinks, travel and all other associated costs in full. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-91018699614812685112019-11-28T18:10:00.001+00:002019-11-28T18:11:22.591+00:00[GIFTED] Stickerscape Christmas Range - Review & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUr8oTUONxDz9-M-6nEaxJTi6MnKc8ZBjXWZ__27T3N2qUNSGlT1YBUx3Gt5DbwD38ZY6LL_HxyvIWv0ZZGgFIue9uAyktmeH79xLeKqZ_NEYDL3R9O1LKeKOF8w37gjEAYvfCvKS1LkQ/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Stickerscrape+Christmas+Collection-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUr8oTUONxDz9-M-6nEaxJTi6MnKc8ZBjXWZ__27T3N2qUNSGlT1YBUx3Gt5DbwD38ZY6LL_HxyvIWv0ZZGgFIue9uAyktmeH79xLeKqZ_NEYDL3R9O1LKeKOF8w37gjEAYvfCvKS1LkQ/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Stickerscrape+Christmas+Collection-30.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's official - the Christmas decorations have started to go up in our house and I'm ridiculously excited about it! The boys seem to have inherited my love of the festive season so of course they've been desperate to help out. If you've ever tried decorating with kids then you'll know that it's a bit of a challenge (to say the least!) so this year I came up with the genius idea of giving them their own decorations to put up - a set of fun, festive, reusable window stickers!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I'd never actually used window stickers before because the only ones I've ever been able to find in the shops have all been a bit dull and dated looking, but the brand new range of festive designs from <a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/product-category/christmas-window-stickers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Stickerscape</span></b></a> are anything but boring!<br />
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<a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/product-category/christmas-window-stickers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Stickerscape's 2019 Christmas collection</span></b></a> is bang on trend with a huge range of window sticker designs to suit all tastes and decors. From delicate, understated snowflakes to bright, bold, colourful characters, there's something for everyone! The stickers come in different sizes too, so you can choose to either keep things subtle or really make a statement.<br />
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Since the boys were going to be decorating the window in their playroom, I let them choose the design themselves. After a lot of deliberation, they decided to go for the <a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/product/santa-snow-globe-scene-window-stickers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Santa Snow Globe Scene</span></b></a> (RRP: £7.45) which features a big Santa and Rudolph window sticker, as well as a selection of smaller Christmas trees and snowflakes.<br />
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The set arrived beautifully packaged in tissue paper and a starry cardboard box. Not only was it great to receive our order in plastic-free packaging, but it also meant that the stickers were delivered in perfect condition, all ready for decorating.<br />
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It didn't take long for the boys to work out what to do next - within moments of opening the box, they were asking to peel the stickers off of the sheets and trying to decide where to put them!<br />
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Putting the snowglobe scene together was super easy. All we had to do was make sure that the window surface was clean and dry then carefully apply the stickers. The instructions do say that they should ideally be applied by an adult but since the stickers are so safe and simple to use, I was more than happy for the boys to lend a hand.<br />
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To apply each window sticker, we had to slowly peel it away from the backing paper whilst making sure that it stayed clean and didn't fold back on itself. They're really durable so this process was pretty straightforward!<br />
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Next, we simply stuck each one to the inside of the window (it's probably worth mentioning that these aren't for external use!) The larger stickers needed to be pressed down to prevent air bubbles, but the smaller ones just went straight on.<br />
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The stickers are quite thick and slightly textured, which made it really easy for the boys to peel them off and re-position them with hardly any help from me. Not only was this handy when they couldn't decide where to place the Christmas trees (should they be in the middle of the scene or at the sides?!) but it's also reassured me that it won't be a pain to remove them when it's time to take the decorations down!<br />
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The other thing I noticed when we were moving the window stickers around was that they didn't leave any sticky marks behind on the glass! Obviously this is great news for the windows (and my stress levels!) but since the stickers are reusable, it's also great to know that they won't lose their stick before we've had the chance to use them again.<br />
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I can definitely see us using our Christmas window stickers year after year, but I've just got to remember to keep hold of the backing sheet so that they can be stored safely ready for next time!<br />
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Putting up the Christmas window stickers was such a fun little activity for the boys and I genuinely really enjoyed helping them to do it. Decorating together can be seriously stressful but because the stickers were so easy to apply, there was no danger of them getting frustrated or distracted from the task in hand.<br />
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I think it's safe to say that the boys are happy with their newly decorated playroom window! Using the <a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Stickerscape</span></b></a> window stickers was such a quick and easy way to add a touch of festive sparkle and, best of all, it gave the boys an opportunity get creative with their own little space in our home.<br />
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To order your own seasonal window sticker (or to treat someone else!) then just head to the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/product-category/christmas-window-stickers/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Stickerscape website</span></a>. </span>They currently have a fab festive offer with 40% off Christmas window stickers when you spend over £20 - just use the code FESTIVE40 (expires Monday 2nd December) during checkout. Orders over £50 are also eligible for free delivery!<br />
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If you like the sound of Stickerscape's Christmas range then why not enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher to spend <a href="https://www.stickerscape.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">on their website</span></b></a>?<br />
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To enter, simply fill in the Gleam form below. Good luck!<br />
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<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/jMdBg/stickerscape-20-voucher-giveaway" rel="nofollow">Stickerscape £20 Voucher Giveaway</a>
<script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
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<i><b>Terms & Conditions:</b></i><br />
<i>1. Competition ends on Friday 6th December 2019 at 23:59.</i><br />
<i>2. There will be one winner who will receive 1 x £20 Stickerscape voucher to be used on any products(s) across their website.</i><br />
<i>3. Winner's details will be sent to Stickerscape who will be responsible for sending out the prize. There will be no cash alternative. </i><br />
<i>4. Competition is open to UK residents only.</i><br />
<i>5. The winner will be drawn at random and contacted directly. </i><br />
<i>6. By entering you are confirming that you are at least 18+ years of age.</i><br />
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Disclaimer: Product(s) in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-86151655520258369162019-11-17T22:28:00.002+00:002019-11-20T14:21:47.991+00:00[AD] How to Make Your Own Toy Advent Calendar with Tonka Tinys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to Christmas trends, toy advent calendars seem to be the next big thing. They're the perfect non-food alternative for children who have allergies or simply don't like chocolate (a category that the boys definitely don't fall into!) but what if the shops don't sell an advent calendar that features your little one's favourite toy?<br />
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Well, we decided that the answer was to make our own!<br />
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If you've read <a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2019/10/cat-vehicles-review.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">our recent post</span></b></a> then you'll know just how much the boys love construction vehicles so choosing a theme for our advent calendar took no time at all. The trickiest part was deciding exactly which toys to use for it - they needed to be small enough to fit inside little boxes and varied enough for each one in the calendar to be different. We did a bit of research and eventually discovered the perfect toys - Tonka Tinys!<br />
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As the name suggests, Tonka Tinys are a fun range of collectable mini vehicles. There are loads of different types to collect - as well as construction vehicles, you can get police cars, fire engines, school buses, bin lorries, monster trucks and more.<br />
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Tonka Tinys are sold in packs of three or as individual blind packs. In both packs, each vehicle comes with a garage that can be used for imaginative play or to simply store them in as you build up your collection. The best part is that these little garages are just the right size to be a stocking filler or, in our case, to fill up a DIY advent calendar!<br />
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The boys had so much fun making theirs, so if you fancy doing a bit of festive crafting too then we'll show you how to make your very own Tonka Tinys advent calendar in 7 easy steps:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIYrl2GXIXZTtVEf-PEfIixWgdGUbMgLwWCsDpg1dJ_NpznXS3vasmARQQQmO1xuq3xE6D0AGSZIl1ygEAM4IrNKjEevS9VlKhTYOjOytwEr0JaCn9EixJMJAH6YwGRri1k9dDyLI8tc/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIYrl2GXIXZTtVEf-PEfIixWgdGUbMgLwWCsDpg1dJ_NpznXS3vasmARQQQmO1xuq3xE6D0AGSZIl1ygEAM4IrNKjEevS9VlKhTYOjOytwEr0JaCn9EixJMJAH6YwGRri1k9dDyLI8tc/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-27.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><u>You will need:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>24 Tonka Tinys vehicles</li>
<li>24 sheets of coloured A4 card</li>
<li>1 sheet of A4 paper</li>
<li>1 sheet of A3 sized cardboard</li>
<li>1 sheet of numbered stickers</li>
<li>PVA glue or Pritt Stick</li>
<li>Coloured acrylic paints</li>
<li>Paint and glue brushes</li>
<li>Paint and glue pots</li>
<li>Safety scissors</li>
<li>Pencil</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cRFhyphenhyphent_iUN4dSqgN1zaRb0yNnTt6kj8MLN9cIPOY7554hFXBufiW-MKgCmWm4U3ncxSlzVZDknNh1bbGk5E0x0YE9R1CIewKw6d-G1v2KMkGKUNlL8Cj0aGAR_jK-lHpsG4G2P9Q6Ks/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cRFhyphenhyphent_iUN4dSqgN1zaRb0yNnTt6kj8MLN9cIPOY7554hFXBufiW-MKgCmWm4U3ncxSlzVZDknNh1bbGk5E0x0YE9R1CIewKw6d-G1v2KMkGKUNlL8Cj0aGAR_jK-lHpsG4G2P9Q6Ks/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-19.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 1.</u></b><br />
Paint your sheet of A3 card in any colour or pattern you like (the boys chose gold because it looked like "sparkly mud for the vehicles to drive through!") This will form the base of your advent calendar so it doesn't have to be too neat. Once you're happy with your design, set it to one side and leave to dry.<br />
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<b><u>Step 2.</u></b><br />
Print out the outline of a box (we've created a handy template for you to download and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rjAK1KxM_b7iWw9DiCC6TnTqnq_eHr2I/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">print from here</a>!) and carefully cut it out. This will form a stencil to make your boxes with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_boTEXyXyy-4SrKSfjcL9nBQGlM2iXcpwWR4EoSL7qFJ3mkJjuvwguOf6Gtxiq2NW3aPb5FrqBYY_uNLXrA6AF7I6LiVjm_7QcYcL7EpPZ8ogDgokfHnZbAeQtfoD5guwCzBu-YnP5kE/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_boTEXyXyy-4SrKSfjcL9nBQGlM2iXcpwWR4EoSL7qFJ3mkJjuvwguOf6Gtxiq2NW3aPb5FrqBYY_uNLXrA6AF7I6LiVjm_7QcYcL7EpPZ8ogDgokfHnZbAeQtfoD5guwCzBu-YnP5kE/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-Tonka+Tinys+DIY+Advent+Calendar-5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 3.</u></b><br />
Use a pencil to draw around the template onto a coloured sheet of A4 card. Again, you can use any colour you like but we went for construction vehicle colours to match our theme.<br />
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<b><u>Step 4.</u></b><br />
Cut around the outline then fold along the dotted lines (shown on the original template) to form a box shape.<br />
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<b><u>Step 5.</u></b><br />
Glue along the tabs to stick your box together, but make sure you leave one side open so that you can put a toy in (and take it out again!) Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until you have 24 finished boxes.<br />
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<b><u>Step 6. </u></b><br />
Add a number to each box using your <a href="https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/anitas-mixed-silver-number-outline-stickers/560145-1002" target="_blank">sheet of numbered stickers</a> then glue the boxes onto your A3 board (which should now be dry!) in a random order.<br />
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<b><u>Step 7. </u></b><br />
Now it's time to add the toys! Open each door and place the Tonka Tinys inside. We used a mixture of single blind garages and packs of three (which we opened up and split the vehicles between different boxes). It's slightly easier and more cost effective to use the multipacks but personally I love the idea of adding an extra element of surprise by using the blind boxes!<br />
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So there we have it - our festive creation is all ready to go and the boys can't wait to start opening the doors (especially since they still don't really know what's inside!)<br />
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If you don't already then <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatliz/" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">follow us on Instagram</a> where we'll be revealing what's behind the doors every day throughout December on our Stories.<br />
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Tonka Tinys are aimed at children age 5+ and are available as single vehicles (RRP: £1.99) or three packs (RRP: £4.99). You can find these, along with a range of Tonka Tinys accessories and playsets, in ASDA stores or online at <a href="https://amzn.to/362ObjI" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Amazon</span></b></a> and <a href="https://www.ocado.com/search?entry=tonka" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Ocado</span></b></a>.<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: This is a paid post written in collaboration with Funrise International. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-83281822962792700702019-11-12T21:24:00.001+00:002019-11-12T21:44:32.302+00:00The Friendly Eco: A Brand New Cloth Nappy Shop for Bristol?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyLNttUnAbLZMefF2SLe-qtPr8lpiDBW8SKWqF_K5cLLkubs2HBuL8-zDSkxD4IfA8Wx1rVW1fvmQlFvpa2GNwpJm6usMxEp3StF83e53_-bo_4joRDwcRmOH0Qonh7eibPSTSezjydc/s1600/75534814_103135387810154_8912449789405167616_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyLNttUnAbLZMefF2SLe-qtPr8lpiDBW8SKWqF_K5cLLkubs2HBuL8-zDSkxD4IfA8Wx1rVW1fvmQlFvpa2GNwpJm6usMxEp3StF83e53_-bo_4joRDwcRmOH0Qonh7eibPSTSezjydc/s1600/75534814_103135387810154_8912449789405167616_o.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2019/04/6-reasons-why-we-love-cloth-nappies.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>We love cloth nappies</b></span></a> and we love supporting the local community so when I heard that crowdfunding had begun this week for a project that combines both of those things, I couldn't wait to find out more.<br />
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Thanks to two local mums, Bristol could be about to get its first ever dedicated cloth nappy shop but they need your help to make it happen!<br />
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Meet Freya and Kate, who are on a mission to open up an eco parenting shop that enables families in Bristol to shop locally and give cloth a go. Freya has a 7 month old called Finley (great name!) who has been in cloth nappies since the day he was born and Kate is a mum to Tom who's been in cloth full time since around 3 weeks old. Between them they've saved a whole lot of disposables from going to landfill!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-yz2Kwpb8LDat_MEaUixP56sdrK7THVyPCHKhyphenhyphenBxifW87-aAHSnqGuu0ZPNaHto-deAQXQbNhoNDr_fX5TM6IYRGYyYdH643Q5qnZyCSFUmbpSYBOB1OklUPMxoqx0MAXzczbzo2veg/s1600/1572622207_img_20190801_153240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-yz2Kwpb8LDat_MEaUixP56sdrK7THVyPCHKhyphenhyphenBxifW87-aAHSnqGuu0ZPNaHto-deAQXQbNhoNDr_fX5TM6IYRGYyYdH643Q5qnZyCSFUmbpSYBOB1OklUPMxoqx0MAXzczbzo2veg/s1600/1572622207_img_20190801_153240.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvOS6ejb-BEPxcH_dWD_XQbYE2LPxzrs3yKAS7mXtgOZdbdddhXRPLyOjhFALslozWuEm2a4Nsm14zGihGrx-fDICPdKHesxYknpEsiK4gAmDIc4SubQu2qOGJrV2ZQHpTzJxokKcXeE/s1600/1573421928_2019-11-10t21_25_07.722z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvOS6ejb-BEPxcH_dWD_XQbYE2LPxzrs3yKAS7mXtgOZdbdddhXRPLyOjhFALslozWuEm2a4Nsm14zGihGrx-fDICPdKHesxYknpEsiK4gAmDIc4SubQu2qOGJrV2ZQHpTzJxokKcXeE/s1600/1573421928_2019-11-10t21_25_07.722z.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" /></a></div>
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<b>So what made you both decide to start using cloth nappies?</b><br />
"Myself and my partner Joe decided to cloth nappy Finley after discovering just how many disposables go into landfill within the first 3 years of a child's life - it's around 5,000 disposables per child! Kate and her partner Chris began for similar reasons (not to mention the cost savings!)"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlP8VPBCshLk9b8QVFlv2BxzVh5RNck_ryRrVjF_S1pmwM1IQ3f3iMZPRu-MOZCyT_BRH8ycaXumvAsC80PmCtmm1fbmXjvneC8l-vPthVVgRF-ejm2mi3V8klaxY-FEO36Ezyaa2jWS4/s1600/1572625401_infographic_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1050" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlP8VPBCshLk9b8QVFlv2BxzVh5RNck_ryRrVjF_S1pmwM1IQ3f3iMZPRu-MOZCyT_BRH8ycaXumvAsC80PmCtmm1fbmXjvneC8l-vPthVVgRF-ejm2mi3V8klaxY-FEO36Ezyaa2jWS4/s640/1572625401_infographic_1.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>How did the idea for a cloth nappy shop come about? </b><br />
"We teamed up after realising that there was nowhere to buy a range of cloth nappies locally in Bristol or the surrounding areas. Sadly, a lot of parents don't know that cloth nappies are an option, let alone where to buy them from or where to go when they need advice. Many that do try cloth end up giving up as they can't get the support they need, so we want to give parents a place to browse, buy and get friendly advice on cloth nappies."<br />
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<b>Bristol is known for being a very green city - surely it must have loads of shops like that?!</b><br />
"That's the thing - there currently isn't a single dedicated cloth nappy shop in Bristol, despite the thousands of Bristol parents active on various cloth nappy groups across social media. The Friendly Eco would be the only one of it's kind (not just in Bristol, but the surrounding areas too) and would provide local parents with access to everything they need right on their doorstep."<br />
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<b>What will people be able to find in the shop?</b><br />
"We want to show people the fun, eco-friendly, and most importantly EASY world of cloth nappies! We'll be stocking well known nappy brands such as Tots Bots, Bambino Mio, Close Pop In, Little Lamb and more. We are also teaming up with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BristolClothNappyLibrary/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Bristol Cloth Nappy Library</span></b></a> to offer the best impartial support that we can, with the hopes of becoming a venue for their various classes."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlfBGoPgQWQJiQfXHU-hmDxyRbCN8Hvwl_MhRQjxiPHOPIqiy9RClB7rVolZmoyUKFHhz7jh8ZrOj7qhhdGB90YKUXgjFhcBqUujqyoCdbnhk9FVwSVGij96ZqzSZP2w1mwlre7taNI/s1600/1572622090_dsc01838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlfBGoPgQWQJiQfXHU-hmDxyRbCN8Hvwl_MhRQjxiPHOPIqiy9RClB7rVolZmoyUKFHhz7jh8ZrOj7qhhdGB90YKUXgjFhcBqUujqyoCdbnhk9FVwSVGij96ZqzSZP2w1mwlre7taNI/s1600/1572622090_dsc01838.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" /></a></div>
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<b>Can parents of older children visit too?</b><br />
"Yes! As well as a large selection of cloth nappies, we will also stock ethical clothing from bright and colourful scandi brands which are perfect for kids and adults alike. There will be a section for other eco parenting products such as cloth wipes, shampoo bars, reusable sanitary products, wet bags, sustainable wooden toys and wax food wraps (to name just a few!)"<br />
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<b>Sounds great! So when does it open?</b><br />
"Well this is where we need your help - it may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a city to start a cloth nappy shop! We need to raise money for the initial startup costs of the shop, such as the first few months rent, stock, a till system and shop fittings."<br />
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<b>The crowdfunding target is £15,000 - that's a lot of money!</b><br />
"We'd need to have a few months rent upfront to keep our prices competitive whilst we are still finding our feet. Stock is our biggest expense (around £6,500) to fill our shelves with a good selection of various nappy prints, types and brands. The rest of the money will be used for shop fittings, a till system, a comfy baby feeding area and all of the little things in-between that we need to open the perfect shop."<br />
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<b>How can I do my bit to help?</b><br />
"To help us open The Friendly Eco Bristol, you can <a href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/thefriendlyecobristol" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">donate via Crowdfunder</span></b></a> and share the page on social media so that your friends can get involved too. You can also claim rewards such as free shopping bags, metal straws, cloth wipes and nappies in return for your donation, so spread the word!"<br />
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The boys and I will definitely be visiting when the shop eventually opens. In the meantime, you can follow The Friendly Eco Bristol's journey on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thefriendlyecobristol/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Instagram</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span>or <span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thefriendlyecobristol" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Facebook</span></a> </span>and, most importantly, <a href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/thefriendlyecobristol" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">donate to this amazing project here!</span></b></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-whmQTr7hI4G5o88JNcgxaD0t5RHR1zoF48X9UCefXDpz3YiNuDrqxSSmIyOGmowSMYy4IkNb-rjwIzYa0Yqo0M1X1Qt8Kt82z2_7YLwk5ZJgshSZmigDhC8T_MxRuWW2y20bFmmIc1A/s1600/1572624459_blank_3.5_x_2_in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-whmQTr7hI4G5o88JNcgxaD0t5RHR1zoF48X9UCefXDpz3YiNuDrqxSSmIyOGmowSMYy4IkNb-rjwIzYa0Yqo0M1X1Qt8Kt82z2_7YLwk5ZJgshSZmigDhC8T_MxRuWW2y20bFmmIc1A/s1600/1572624459_blank_3.5_x_2_in.jpg" title="The Friendly Eco - Bristol Cloth Nappy Shop" /></a></div>
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-88951819379343928552019-11-08T23:08:00.001+00:002019-11-08T23:22:01.943+00:00[GIFTED] Review: Count With Peppa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's no secret that we're big fans of Peppa Pig in our house - both boys have grown up with her so she's practically one of the family now! Even though Finley's nearly 6, he still watches the programme, knows all the songs and constantly asks when we can go back to <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2019/03/12-top-tips-for-visiting-peppa-pig.html" target=""><b><span style="color: blue;">Peppa Pig World</span></b></a>.</span><br />
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The biggest Peppa fan by far though is definitely Jacob. He absolutely loves Peppa Pig and is instantly drawn to anything with her on so I'm sure you can imagine how excited he was when he managed to get his hands on <a href="https://www.trendsuk.co.uk/peppa-pigs-count-with-peppa"><b><span style="color: blue;">Count With Peppa</span></b></a>!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It's not often that educational toys are so appealing to kids but this Peppa-themed early learning toy from <a href="https://www.trendsuk.co.uk/"><b><span style="color: blue;">Trends UK</span></b></a> is exactly that.<br />
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Count With Peppa is an interactive money box that helps children to develop their counting skills as well as colour and picture recognition. Peppa also teaches valuable social skills such as following sequential steps and listening to instructions, making her the perfect toy for toddlers.<br />
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Inside the box you'll find a cute Peppa-shaped money box and ten chunky coins featuring coloured numbers and pictures of everyone's favourite characters from the TV show. These coins are the perfect size for little hands and have a slight ridge along one side, making them super easy to pick up. They're double-sided too, so children can interact with different pictures depending on their age and ability level.<br />
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The idea is to post the coins through the slot and into Peppa's purse. It's quite an intuitive action so Jacob picked this up straight away. He wasn't expecting Peppa to respond when he gave the coins to her though! His face lit up as she started to speak and once he'd got over the initial excitement, he began counting along with her.<br />
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Inserting the coins is a great way to improve hand-eye coordination skills as they fit quite snugly into the slot, which meant that Jacob had to really concentrate on the angle of each coin as it went in.<br />
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Once the purse was full, Jacob found it easy enough to open up and retrieve the coins, ready to start the fun all over again! When it was time to pack up, we found that Peppa's purse made for the perfect place to store the coins and stop them from going missing (anything that encourages the boys to tidy up gets a big thumbs up from me!)<br />
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Count With Peppa is fully interactive so as well as recognising the coins, Peppa also asks questions, makes noises and sings songs. To both of the boys' delight, one of her three songs is The Rainbow Song, which is their absolute favourite!<br />
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The songs and phrases really caught Finley's attention and it wasn't long before he was begging his little brother to let him join in! Peppa asks questions that range from basic ones like "Can you find a blue coin?" right up to things that require a bit more thought, such as "Can you find a coin with nine bottles of milk on it?" meaning that both boys were able to enjoy the toy on different levels.<br />
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It was clear that Jacob understood the instructions as he chatted away to Peppa while they played, occasionally stopping to say "Here you are, Peppa!" as he pushed the coins in. Being an educational toy, I hadn't really thought about how good Count With Peppa would be for imaginative play until the boys started making up games to play with her (they had great fun pretending to give Peppa money to go shopping with!)<br />
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Count With Peppa is educational on so many levels but if you want to choose what your child is learning then you can at the flick of a switch. There are two different modes to choose from ('colours' and 'numbers') which you can easily swap between using a switch on Peppa's side.<br />
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Parents everywhere will be pleased to know that as well as being able to change the settings, you can also turn the volume up and down! It's so rare to find a toy with a volume control and even rarer to find one that's so easy to access (unlike some that are hidden under the battery cover, this one is in plain sight on Peppa's back). Speaking of which, it goes without saying that Count With Peppa requires batteries (2 x AAA) but the good news is that the toy comes with them included.<br />
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Count With Peppa is suitable for ages 2+ but all of these different modes mean that she's fun for Peppa fans of nearly all ages and abilities. It's great to see a toy that helps to develop a love of learning from early on in life and gives children the chance to have fun whilst getting to grips with important skills.<br />
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For children who have reached the stage where they need little bit of independence while they play, this toy is just perfect. It's so easy use and understand (even for the littlest of learners!) and completely safe for them to figure out on their own. Both Peppa and the coins feel really sturdy and since there are no small parts to worry about, it's totally toddler-proof in every way.<br />
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Jacob has loved learning and making friends with his new Count With Peppa toy. He's so desperate to be just like his big brother (who knows all of his numbers inside out and back to front!) but with the help of Peppa, I don't think it'll be long before he's catching him up!<br />
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Count With Peppa is just £19.99 (RRP) and would make for an ideal Christmas gift this year.<br />
If you know a little Peppa fan who would like one then head to:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Peppa-Pig-PP11-Count-Toy/dp/B07C8XTQMZ" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Amazon</span></a></span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8587453" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Argos</span></a></span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.elc.co.uk/electronic-learning-toys/Peppa-Pig---Count-With-Peppa/p/534161" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ELC</span></a></span></b></li>
<li><a href="https://www.thetoyshop.com/baby-pre-school/electronic-learning/Peppa-Pig---Count-With-Peppa/p/534161" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">The Entertainer</span></b></a></li>
<li>or <a href="https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/pre-school-and-electronic-learning/peppa-pig/peppa-pig-count-with-peppa/p/167715" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Smyths Toys Superstores</span></b></a></li>
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<i>Disclaimer: Product(s) in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-77047496504676705812019-10-29T21:32:00.002+00:002019-11-12T21:44:41.345+00:00Pumpkin Picking at Poplars Farm, Bristol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now I'm not usually one for following the crowds but after seeing my entire Instagram feed full of pumpkin pictures lately, I decided that I needed to jump on the bandwagon and take the boys pumpkin picking this half term!<br />
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We'd never been to a pumpkin patch before and I didn't really know what to expect but after doing a little bit of research, it looked like Poplars Farm in Frampton Cotterell would be our best bet.<br />
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It's just a short drive from Bristol and so easy to get to. We arrived to find the car park nearly full but the place itself didn't feel overly busy. I'm guessing that this is because it also serves the café and farm shop, so not everyone was there for the same reasons as us.<br />
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We didn't have far to go to find the pumpkin patch and activities but even though everything was openly laid out, it wasn't very clear how to sign up or pay. Luckily a friendly passer-by saw us looking confused and stopped to explain where we needed to go!<br />
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It turns out that we had to start at the café (which kind of makes sense!) where I went to the counter and paid just £10 for both boys (£5 each) to take part in pumpkin picking and all of the activities on offer. Considering that supermarket pumpkins are around £2-3 each, I thought this was pretty good value! I also liked that there weren't any additional costs as it seems that a lot of places charge for each individual pumpkin on top of the entry fee.<br />
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The boys couldn't wait to choose theirs and raced off to explore the pumpkin patch! Unlike some of big open fields I'd seen on Instagram, this patch was quite wild and leafy which meant that a lot of the pumpkins were well hidden. This added a whole new level of fun for the boys as they loved searching for the pumpkins and discovering so many different sizes and variations (neither of them had ever seen green ones before!)<br />
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Even though we were lucky enough to visit the pumpkin patch on a dry day, the ground was still quite muddy so I was glad we'd worn wellies. If you're thinking of going pumpkin picking for the first time then I'd definitely recommend wearing waterproofs, wellies (even if you think you won't need them!) and gloves (some of the stalks were really spiky so the boys were a bit scared to touch them!) It's also worth taking a carrier bag or something to transport your pumpkins in as there weren't any wheelbarrows available.<br />
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We weren't quite so well prepared though, so once we'd chosen our pumpkins (a large 'Finley-sized' one and a smaller 'Jacob-sized' one!) I carefully carried them over to the car.<br />
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Next up, it was time for some activities! Among other things there was marshmallow toasting, a 'find the spider' competition, spooky sweets and free unlimited squash in the café. Finley decided that squash wasn't quite up to the job of warming him up after being out in the chilly autumn air and persuaded me to buy him a hot chocolate, while Jacob was more interested in the spooky skeleton biscuits they had on offer!<br />
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After we'd refuelled, we headed back out explore the rest of the farm. There was a pig pen right alongside the pumpkin patch which made the boys very happy! They named two of the pigs Peppa and George (very original, I know!) and took great delight in watching them eat their food and wander around the pen.<br />
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On the other side of the pig pen was the farm's play area. This was such a lovely space and had a great range of equipment, lots of which was made from re-purposed materials. There were tree swings, slides, a pretend tractor and even a wooden fort on top of a little hill!<br />
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The boys were in their element here - so much so that the inevitable happened and Jacob launched himself down a slide and straight into a huge muddy puddle! He was absolutely covered (typically the boys weren't wearing their puddle suits!) so I decided to call it a day and cleaned him up as best I could before bundling him into the car to wash the rest off at home.<br />
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The boys thought that having a bath in the middle of the day was the best thing ever! They got straight into their onesies afterwards and spent the afternoon snuggled up under a blanket watching films - the perfect end to a lovely little autumn activity!<br />
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Poplars Farm is situated in on the outskirts of north east Bristol in Frampton Cotterell. It's easy to get to as it's directly off of the B4058 (Bristol Road) and parking is completely free.<br />
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Being quite small, Poplars Farm was perfect for the boys at this age but as they get older, we might venture out to some of the bigger pumpkin patches. Other local options include:<br />
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Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park (Keynsham): <a href="https://www.avonvalley.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">avonvalley.co.uk</span></b></a><br />
Farrington's Farm Shop (Farrington Gurney): <a href="https://www.farringtons.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">farringtons.co.uk</span></b></a><br />
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm (Wraxall): <a href="https://www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk</span></b></a><br />
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In the meantime, we'll definitely be heading back to Poplars Farm once pumpkin picking season is over so that we can sample some more yummy treats in their café and say hello to Peppa and George again (and don't worry, I'll make sure the boys are wearing their waterproofs next time!)<br />
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Have you ever been pumpkin picking before? Do you have any top tips?<br />
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<i>(Disclaimer: We paid for our admission to Poplars Farm in full, as well as our food, drink and all associated costs. This post and its content is in no way affiliated with Poplars Farm.)</i><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-17167619389006206832019-10-24T23:49:00.000+01:002019-10-25T12:14:01.078+01:00[GIFTED] Review: Eye Spy With My Little Eye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the things that really grabbed my attention <a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2019/09/blogon-toys-2019.html"><b><span style="color: blue;">at BlogOn Toys last month</span></b></a> was a board game called 'Eye Spy With My Little Eye'. The boys love playing their own version of eye spy on the school run every morning so I thought it seemed like the perfect way to introduce them both to the idea of playing board games.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The game is made by <a href="https://www.cheatwell.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Cheatwell</span></b></a> (which is a pretty perfect name for a brand that makes puzzles, toys and board games!) who were keen to put this theory to the test and kindly sent us a copy to see what Finley and Jacob made of it.<br />
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The boys couldn't wait to get started and excitedly opened up the box to find four double-sided playing boards, a deck of cards with letters on them, a sheet full of colourful tokens and a leaflet explaining the rules of the game.<br />
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All of the pieces that come with Eye Spy With My Little Eye are big, bold and brightly coloured, making them visually appealing and easy for young children to handle. The boys were able to recognise what each part was for straight away and began helping me to set up the board for them.<br />
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Once we'd worked out where everything needed to go, it didn't take us long at all to get the game ready. The four square boards line up to form a large playing board (and each one is reversible, so no two games are ever the same!) The letter cards are shuffled and placed in a pile next to the board, then each player chooses a set of coloured tokens (Finley went for red and Jacob went for green!)<br />
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Next up, we needed to get our heads around the rules. These are printed clearly in a booklet alongside cheery, colourful pictures from the game. There were only a few short chunks of text to read so we soon had a clear idea of how to play Eye Spy.<br />
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So how does it work?<br />
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Well the aim of the game is simple: to be the first player to place all of their coloured tokens on the board.<br />
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To get to that point, each of the boys had to take it in turns to pick a letter card from the pile, read it out and place it face up in the middle of the board.<br />
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They then had to look for a picture beginning with that letter. The first one to put their token on the picture and call out what they'd found ended the turn and the whole process began again until one of them had all eight of their tokens on the board (making them the winner!)<br />
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It sounds quite straightforward but we soon found that some letters were a lot harder to match up than others! In fact it became even trickier as the boys got into the swing of the game and started thinking more creatively about the pictures. For example, the picture of a present could just be 'P' for present, but it could also be 'G' for gift or even 'B' for birthday depending on their level of understanding.<br />
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Being slightly older meant that Finley had the upper hand here, but it just goes to show that Eye Spy With My Little Eye is fantastic for children of all ages as it appeals to them on so many different levels.<br />
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For younger children like Jacob, the game can easily be adapted into a more basic version using colours until they're ready to start adding in letters. Once we'd finished the first game (which we decided was a draw, just to keep both boys happy!) I set Jacob up with a colour matching activity using one of the picture boards and some tokens. It was quite a basic task but it made him SO happy! In hindsight, perhaps I should've done this before he played the game because it was such a great way to familiarise him with the pictures.<br />
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Eye Spy With My Little Eye is actually aimed at ages 5+ so it's no surprise that Jacob needed a little bit of help to get started. Obviously Finley is used to structured play <a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2019/07/my-first-year-as-a-school-mum.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">at school</span></b></a> but, at the age of 2, Jacob is still learning. The biggest challenge was getting him to sit still for long enough to concentrate but since the game is quite fast-paced (and since he's so desperate to be like his big brother!) he didn't take much persuasion.<br />
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The boys have never really played a board game together before because there are so few out there that are suitable for both of their age groups. Eye Spy bridges that gap perfectly though and it's been great to finally find a game that they understand well enough to enjoy together. It's the sort of thing that they'll enjoy more and more as they get older so it'll be interesting to see how their understanding of the game develops over time.<br />
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For now though, the boys will be able to learn a lot from Eye Spy without even realising it. As well as improving their knowledge of the alphabet, it's also a great game for teaching social skills such as concentrating and turn taking.<br />
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These are all skills that will be put into practice when the boys are ready to include more players. Eye Spy With My Little Eye is designed for up to six people, so we can all play together as a family or even get friends to join in the fun when the boys have play dates.<br />
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I've always loved the idea of having family game nights so once the boys have really got the hang of Eye Spy, I'm hoping I can start introducing them to a whole host of other board games. In the meantime, with so many cold and rainy days on the horizon, I've got a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time snuggled up inside playing Eye Spy together!<br />
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Eye Spy With My Little Eye costs just £14.99 (RRP) and is on sale now through a range of independent and high street retailers such as The Entertainer, The Range, Waterstones and WHSmith, as well as online via <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheatwell-Games-Eye-Spy-Little-Eye/dp/B07MS9XMCK/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Amazon</span></a>. </span>For more information about where to buy your copy of the game, just head to the <a href="http://www.cheatwell.com/where-to-buy" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Cheatwell Games website</span></b></a>.<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Product(s) in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-22439529985826887632019-10-15T16:27:00.001+01:002019-11-08T14:25:36.819+00:00[GIFTED] Review: CAT Vehicle Sets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Toy vehicles have always been a firm favourite with the boys. It doesn't matter what shape, size, colour or type they are - as long as they've got a good set of wheels then the boys are happy! It's no surprise then that the brand new range of CAT construction vehicles have made it onto both of their Christmas lists this year.<br />
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Well, it seems that Funrise Toys must have some pretty good links with Santa because they recently asked the boys to put some of these new toys to the test and, as you can probably imagine, it was like Christmas had come early for them! </div>
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There are three new toys in the CAT vehicles range, all of which are designed to develop different skills and expand little imaginations. Each set gives children the chance to play the role of a construction worker and take on various jobs, putting them right at the heart of the action. </div>
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So what did the boys think of them? </div>
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Here's what happened when they got stuck in to their big box of CAT goodies: </div>
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<b><u>CAT</u></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">® </span><b><u>Junior Crew: Build Your Own Vehicle</u></b></div>
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We started with the smallest of the three toys - the Build Your Own Vehicle set. As the name suggests, this is a construction set that comes with parts to build and re-build your own unique vehicles. Inside the box we found a range of parts to create the vehicle as well as a screwdriver to secure the parts and an action figure to bring the whole thing to life. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Let's do the work!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The screwdriver secures the parts into place.</td></tr>
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Finley got the hang of this straight away and set to work without any instruction. Jacob was so eager to help with putting the dump truck together and came rushing over to join in. I really thought they would end up fighting over this but it turned out to be the perfect toy to get them working together! They each took turns to hold the parts in place while the other one used the screwdriver and they both chatted away about which piece should be added next as they went along.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-WWoSHLuOp8dqFSKNm5c1lMMMtGH-FttAZieefpzvYehruXJARbgAX2p8xUXMR9vMfO3FqOu8CnvMCh-aREJFiesyW5WBbnHxald_51-1zo-hlhtM7PmU1z1sSmYWjvN_cDgC2r9u6w/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-WWoSHLuOp8dqFSKNm5c1lMMMtGH-FttAZieefpzvYehruXJARbgAX2p8xUXMR9vMfO3FqOu8CnvMCh-aREJFiesyW5WBbnHxald_51-1zo-hlhtM7PmU1z1sSmYWjvN_cDgC2r9u6w/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-9.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamwork!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHACsCwZPOJDP4KpWgqL4AzvbU7WWuX6Q60b6-VQmQS65U6IsbA1ZkNT2d6YXoTnWfpoGaZp9wHlorSVOUebFRGzTmSBMJodpR7BB931P3w706FnD1Pu450cPEnUoJJY60HZKE6vb_3qc/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHACsCwZPOJDP4KpWgqL4AzvbU7WWuX6Q60b6-VQmQS65U6IsbA1ZkNT2d6YXoTnWfpoGaZp9wHlorSVOUebFRGzTmSBMJodpR7BB931P3w706FnD1Pu450cPEnUoJJY60HZKE6vb_3qc/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-14.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big, chunky pieces are perfect for little fingers.</td></tr>
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Given his age, it was no surprise that Finley understood the Build Your Own Vehicle set but what really impressed me was how quickly Jacob worked out what to do. He's nearly 3 and although this toy is aimed at ages 3+, I was more than happy for him to play with it under supervision. All of the vehicle parts are really chunky and there are no fiddly pieces to worry about as the bolts are attached to the parts, making it safe to build and play with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXBmdI3-4ro-TaxzENy5S9KiJ2tq9JyxtX5-QyMyTBCmqRw49ATDEcDRAoarcaUgRGhBpMo9CsKteQcSwuKE506nUz3SQl6Lhgv4Cjel2jq2KMZIHXLY4v8nIHLThH2RzeuLpfIM9TVk/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-15.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swapping the parts around means that the possibilities are endless.</td></tr>
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Both boys really enjoyed using the screwdriver to build their vehicle. Even when they'd finished building, they kept coming back to undo the parts and make 'repairs' to it. As well as being a great little tool to aid imaginative play, it also helps them to improve their fine motor skills without them even realising it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRu7ALJtuWlwUoOBp130NwiLTKdT2Sczu9DuDUqHTuRIZRt2rS3woNSXGHSYe9U6wzL07KBDyeEz-9T5GdU36eXjpmem4OKN6ZLHaBO9gLY9nDCKBbGqsxLNhaSM2uUKXUvttYRMmFzo/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-21.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The screwdriver is perfect for fine motor skill practice.</td></tr>
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Once the boys were ready to try out the next toy, we set about collecting up all the pieces. The Build Your Own Vehicle set comes in a reusable carry case which is ideal for tidying everything away and making sure that none of the parts get lost. With a handle on the top it's perfect for travel too, so I've got a feeling that this set will be joining us on lots of our caravan holidays!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBG8J-MNR0zPihAWSFGoRLjkv6k75LYoci3eR_QLjRH9QJLGW0q6ZYGPuD_PgwJy069WI7K-IwtxQbVd_dXZsi6OwRxYsQtN28QBUhSo45_MdTXbGo4neV7_hQGFp37NuFHUlaOUxbwg/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBG8J-MNR0zPihAWSFGoRLjkv6k75LYoci3eR_QLjRH9QJLGW0q6ZYGPuD_PgwJy069WI7K-IwtxQbVd_dXZsi6OwRxYsQtN28QBUhSo45_MdTXbGo4neV7_hQGFp37NuFHUlaOUxbwg/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-18.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not often that the boys share their toys like this!</td></tr>
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<b><u><br />CAT</u></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">®</span><b><u> Power Haulers</u></b></div>
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I've got to admit that I was really excited about opening this toy! Power Haulers are a range of realistic vehicles that feature lights, sounds and a whole host of moving parts. They're available in various different designs including a cement mixer, a dump truck, a front loader and a digger (which the boys were lucky enough to receive). </div>
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As we took the digger out of its box, the first thing I noticed was just how sturdy it felt. The boys have had a lot of interactive toys over the years and I've found that they can be quite flimsy but these Power Haulers are built to last. All of the buttons and levers have a really positive feel to them and the toy as a whole could definitely survive a battering from the boys!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqf5O5MbIbUJDiygSHVhyphenhyphencG3nzj7YjE23zm7ypQx4TI4A0nK0n-c_lF9_Gjg6oGpAnlEigXj-MY_pYQxDTd03N9aAQ3aZde3ftb26nAoiGZ_h0CZpwG3S0m5UwozvnmyOoI_-2s_OV8E/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqf5O5MbIbUJDiygSHVhyphenhyphencG3nzj7YjE23zm7ypQx4TI4A0nK0n-c_lF9_Gjg6oGpAnlEigXj-MY_pYQxDTd03N9aAQ3aZde3ftb26nAoiGZ_h0CZpwG3S0m5UwozvnmyOoI_-2s_OV8E/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-26.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power Haulers look just like the real thing!</td></tr>
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Each Power Haulers vehicle comes with Motion Drive Technology, meaning that the features are activated by the child's interaction with the toys. It might sound complicated but it actually makes the toy really intuitive - all the boys had to do was play normally to bring the digger to life!<br />
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Finley and Jacob were both amazed by how many different things the digger could do at once. Driving it backwards and forwards made the caterpillar tracks turn and as they changed direction, the driver's cab made clicking noises. They controlled the boom and bucket by pulling the levers and made the lights flash by moving the parts around. Of course the boys' favourite feature was the realistic vehicle sounds (they especially loved pressing the button to hear the engine revving into action and making it beep to reverse!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxmiC8fatBnPjxpbAb4WjRgieFd-9xaRmu5knLYACW4QIis8HInxGpL7Wsfk3hVTKS9QqXkDwRyK3-PKx8Tx1ZkVh8uqtwS3jhkughjeQzLnopjPF7BGtRNhEgGPavwzaD83X9WVdn0Q/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxmiC8fatBnPjxpbAb4WjRgieFd-9xaRmu5knLYACW4QIis8HInxGpL7Wsfk3hVTKS9QqXkDwRyK3-PKx8Tx1ZkVh8uqtwS3jhkughjeQzLnopjPF7BGtRNhEgGPavwzaD83X9WVdn0Q/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-23.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are so many levers to pull, buttons to press and sounds to make!</td></tr>
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Controlling all of these parts at the same time not only put the boys multitasking abilities to the test, but it also gave them even more opportunities to practice their fine motor skills. </div>
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Again, this toy is for ages 3+ but we found it perfect for both of the boys' age groups. Being so realistic (right down to the smallest details) meant that it really appealed to them on different levels - Finley was in his element identifying all the parts, while Jacob loved chatting away to the digger and making up stories about it as he pushed it around!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihk4kWujt51zrFl-5RC_ByqZBxcOLPlpcOK2hwuq6roc8u1VbfeFTDlsGNDIMAI6NdYzKrnZ-2SibobSmNiqKsuTQvWkXcj1tS8XgmVW_J8sLcxbStV_My3I_mdmfCn5UhaFzOq0Q5Mw/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihk4kWujt51zrFl-5RC_ByqZBxcOLPlpcOK2hwuq6roc8u1VbfeFTDlsGNDIMAI6NdYzKrnZ-2SibobSmNiqKsuTQvWkXcj1tS8XgmVW_J8sLcxbStV_My3I_mdmfCn5UhaFzOq0Q5Mw/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-25.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multitasking at its finest.</td></tr>
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<b><u><br />CAT</u></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">®</span><b><u> Construction Fleet Sand Set</u></b><br />
After opening the third and final CAT toy, we headed out into the garden to put the Construction Fleet Sand Set to the test. Good quality, durable garden toys are hard to come by but this set is built to withstand the elements, making it perfect for outdoor play.<br />
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It comes with all the tools that little construction workers could possibly need for their imaginary building site, including a bright yellow hard hat, a shovel, a rake and a HUGE push along dump truck (which the boys were seriously impressed with!)<br />
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Because of its size, this set is suitable for children as young as 2 years old, so Jacob was the perfect person to test it out. The truck has a wide dump bed and handy carry handle, which made it super easy for his little hands to control and the big, grippy wheels meant he had no trouble pushing it along the path, grass and gravel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqvdKncNBVlOjiYfHKnk9tT5ut_OzrZZCjAxR1gMF-LKgk-1MleE0y7MU9lE-9TVFtHY2L48UGxbVpLq8J8ExKWBOXC-u7OMSbp7TJF4Po7T2TkOtM1-0asHibqARP_uZ5NdVuBZUIPw/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqvdKncNBVlOjiYfHKnk9tT5ut_OzrZZCjAxR1gMF-LKgk-1MleE0y7MU9lE-9TVFtHY2L48UGxbVpLq8J8ExKWBOXC-u7OMSbp7TJF4Po7T2TkOtM1-0asHibqARP_uZ5NdVuBZUIPw/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-28.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the littlest of construction workers can enjoy the Construction Fleet Sand Set.</td></tr>
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The boys imaginations ran wild as they played with this set. They each took turns to wear the CAT branded hard hat (luckily it's adjustable so I was able to make it fit both of them!) and Finley put himself in charge of the action, instructing Jacob to fill the dump truck with stones and empty it in various places around the garden.<br />
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The set comes with two tools that can be used separately or snapped together to form a pair of tongs. The boys started off using the hand tools to complete their jobs but eventually put them down in favour of getting their hands dirty (just like real construction workers!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4GVoiwrI5KMzDKAm3lFnyROErPVSlhdv0xWFSb8wHeQlfwIgF9AsYIzZfvny26k7KlHG0dthwRom1jzddg7MDuy4oICYf-ivlb9colocKh4aczq0KVwiCYWDoqPV5fXqbExpCmrV1YQ/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4GVoiwrI5KMzDKAm3lFnyROErPVSlhdv0xWFSb8wHeQlfwIgF9AsYIzZfvny26k7KlHG0dthwRom1jzddg7MDuy4oICYf-ivlb9colocKh4aczq0KVwiCYWDoqPV5fXqbExpCmrV1YQ/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-30.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard on their imaginary building site!</td></tr>
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Both boys agreed that the Construction Fleet Sand Set was their favourite toy but I think it's safe to say that all three CAT vehicle sets have been a big hit with them!<br />
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The real stand-out features for them were the realistic details on each toy and the robust design which meant that they could immerse themselves in playing without having to be too careful.<br />
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From my point of view, it was great to see the boys learning through play and developing a different set of skills as they explored each toy. I was also really pleased to see minimal amounts of plastic used in the packaging! Aside from the cable ties, all of the boxes that the toys came in were made from cardboard which is not only good news for the environment, but also for parents when it comes to opening them!<br />
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Above all, I love the fact that these CAT vehicle sets are great value for money. Each one is less than £20 which I think is really reasonable considering the quality and the amount of life they've got in them.<br />
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The CAT® Junior Crew: Build Your Own Vehicle Sets retail at £12.99, the CAT® Power Haulers Assortment at £19.99 and the CAT® Construction Fleet Sand Set at £14.99.<br />
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You can buy these sets along with the full range of CAT vehicles from Funrise Toys on <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat+vehicles+funrise&ref=nb_sb_noss_2" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Amazon</b></span></a> and on the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat+vehicles+funrise&ref=nb_sb_noss_2" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Funrise Toys UK Facebook shop</span></b></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpHuT9d0CmVVuGacdOZ3taUHpNybK0Ypocr2oldlYsnXnDhU80i8ad7itmBhCGJAbPhYwbNw2J_EdYGT1XL7T4Tv-d5jmAXJlsIaCqAEbkAjQa_aTBkVjK7zKi57KcT2DaytJtqcVodY/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpHuT9d0CmVVuGacdOZ3taUHpNybK0Ypocr2oldlYsnXnDhU80i8ad7itmBhCGJAbPhYwbNw2J_EdYGT1XL7T4Tv-d5jmAXJlsIaCqAEbkAjQa_aTBkVjK7zKi57KcT2DaytJtqcVodY/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+CAT+Vehicles+Review-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Disclaimer: Products in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review and social media coverage. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-26673068236112725102019-10-03T17:23:00.001+01:002019-10-14T22:53:14.839+01:00[GIFTED] Review: Snuggle Seat Bean Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQafAhtpGhBoOlwhvX927A4UPc6zwC7CGJYCrS_wY1ZWtwxXJ-a4O1i4X5m1v3_Dd4lQt3aTv1oNphpBMuhh15P9S0k-HRWZ9HnAd-CX-uYwp2cdzNFgAM-MvJ0eyIspIUPbYYoip99k/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-3-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQafAhtpGhBoOlwhvX927A4UPc6zwC7CGJYCrS_wY1ZWtwxXJ-a4O1i4X5m1v3_Dd4lQt3aTv1oNphpBMuhh15P9S0k-HRWZ9HnAd-CX-uYwp2cdzNFgAM-MvJ0eyIspIUPbYYoip99k/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-3-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Lately Jacob has been changing so rapidly that he seems a to wake up looking less babyish and more and more like a proper little boy every day! To try and keep up with all this growing, I've been spending some time trying to make his room more of a grown up space for him to play and relax in, so when <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Snuggle Seat</span></b></a> offered us the chance to try out one of their baby and toddler bean bags, I just knew it would be the perfect addition to Jacob's new 'big boy' bedroom!<br />
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The <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Snuggle Seat</span></b></a> is an award-winning bean bag that's designed to grow with your baby through the toddler years and beyond. You've probably seen similar products on the market but this one is a totally unique concept that came from real mums and dads who loved the idea of baby bean bags but couldn't find any that were safe, stylish or practical enough for their needs. What they've come up with is all of those things and more!<br />
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As well as being a really practical bit of kit, the Snuggle Seat is also a thing of beauty. The first thing that struck me as I took it out of the packaging was just how modern and smart it looks. We chose the '<a href="https://snuggleseat.com/collections/baby-boy-beanbags/products/zebra-baby-beanbag?variant=20652834848838" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Zebra</span></b></a>' design which matches Jacob's room perfectly, but there's a whole range of different patterns and colour combinations available to suit every type of decor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZpVeUGEH-DoHlHGNTpnkr1aRV-Lo_ndHJ32rOAtuBqfuQKHLmDjCGTiJ_U0_eCSYjlVEt_hYqKtDZvQmWgnPkB-q_rNG8YzA_nJ_mgky6LjmAQvJpJRCpxR9gEFmJLoY7FumCrKz634/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZpVeUGEH-DoHlHGNTpnkr1aRV-Lo_ndHJ32rOAtuBqfuQKHLmDjCGTiJ_U0_eCSYjlVEt_hYqKtDZvQmWgnPkB-q_rNG8YzA_nJ_mgky6LjmAQvJpJRCpxR9gEFmJLoY7FumCrKz634/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-2-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Snuggle Seat blends right in with the decor of Jacob's bedroom</td></tr>
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The black and white zig-zag patterned base is slip-resistant, which offers real peace of mind. It's made from durable, wipe-clean materials that not only keep the Snuggle Seat looking smart but also make it quick and easy to clear up any mess. By some miracle, Jacob is yet to spill, drop or wipe anything on it but given how clumsy he can be, I'm sure it's only a matter of time!<br />
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Of course it makes sense for the bottom half of the bean bag to be easy to clean, but I was surprised to find that the super soft cover on top is completely waterproof too. This is the area that's most likely to get dirty (especially during the sicky, dribbly, baby stage!) so it's reassuring to know that you don't need to be too precious about it.<br />
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If your little one does make a mess of the cover then all you have to do is take it off. The covers are really easy to remove with just one zip to undo and a protective layer over the filling to stop any beans from escaping. A gentle hand wash is enough to get the covers looking like new again and, as long as you follow the care instructions, then they should stay feeling soft and snuggly after every single wash.<br />
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Taking good care of your <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Snuggle Seat</span></b></a> is even more important when you consider that they're designed to be used from newborn right up until the age of 8. Over the years, I've wasted so much money on baby and toddler products that we only ended up using for a few short months, so it's really refreshing to find a product like this that's built to last (and won't break the bank!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0ENf5YX1_fdzK78rlLmtzS_lViuEUbaANWWooOmrBc-NdwIO3vPjCWKilAMmjCAJu-k_gJRabAGEq911gCdtHsxUdEvnizcJ2GA4D0ZIgjTeo6UoRZuqSa0Ao_CdT27F_sLLq71da5I/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0ENf5YX1_fdzK78rlLmtzS_lViuEUbaANWWooOmrBc-NdwIO3vPjCWKilAMmjCAJu-k_gJRabAGEq911gCdtHsxUdEvnizcJ2GA4D0ZIgjTeo6UoRZuqSa0Ao_CdT27F_sLLq71da5I/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's all in the details - even the Snuggle Seat's quick-release buckle is sleek and modern looking</td></tr>
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I'm confident that Jacob will get years of use out of his Snuggle Seat but it's such a shame that these weren't around <a href="https://www.thatlizandthoseboys.com/2017/07/my-birth-story-jacob.html" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">when he was a tiny baby</span></b></a>! Being the second child meant that I often needed to put him down in order to have my hands free to deal with his big brother (the poor boy!) so the Snuggle Seat would've been the perfect safe, cosy alternative to a cuddle.<br />
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What makes the Snuggle Seat so safe is its soft, padded harness, which is super easy to secure - you simply push two clips into the buckle (these are really sturdy and operate in a way that stops tiny fingers from getting trapped) then adjust the straps.<br />
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Once your baby is safely strapped in, the <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Snuggle Seat</span></b></a> will keep them in a slightly elevated position which can help to prevent flathead syndrome and ease the discomfort of reflux. Then when it's time to get out, just press the button on the buckle for a quick, one-handed release - a feature that's not only useful, but also vital in case of an emergency.<br />
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You've probably noticed that Jacob isn't using the harness in any of these photos. That's because at the age of 2.5, he's old enough to use the 'toddler' cover on his bean bag. The Snuggle Seat comes with two super soft covers - one for babies (with the harness attached) and another for toddlers and beyond (this is a plain cover in the same snuggly material, but minus the buckle).<br />
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As soon as your little one is ready to use their Snuggle Seat without a harness, all you have to do is swap the covers over. There's no faffing around with fastenings or unthreading straps - just unzip the old cover, zip the new one on and it's ready to go!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTfLWhOdX-DI92erqyb3q2lP9J_XSmfmE69WL_ymkac3yYSRK8SiuBsgQhy397C6FFZWFnglGp2tQO-5_EcojmRAfVDYw2em-AfMeK9ypyTbysGfLf0GaNhrIU5r9h5-ZunuCykmnJqA/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTfLWhOdX-DI92erqyb3q2lP9J_XSmfmE69WL_ymkac3yYSRK8SiuBsgQhy397C6FFZWFnglGp2tQO-5_EcojmRAfVDYw2em-AfMeK9ypyTbysGfLf0GaNhrIU5r9h5-ZunuCykmnJqA/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-1-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob loves sitting on his Snuggle Seat and reading books in his new chill out corner!</td></tr>
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All of these handy little features add up to the Snuggle Seat being a fantastic product for babies, toddlers and busy parents alike. I just love that the company have thought of every little detail and it's clear that they totally get what mums and dads need. In fact, they're so understanding that they even offer a money back guarantee if your little one isn't happy with their new bean bag.<br />
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So with that in mind, the big question is - does Jacob like his new <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Snuggle Seat</span></b></a>?!<br />
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Well, since having it in his bedroom, Jacob has started taking himself off to sit on the Snuggle Seat and read to himself, which is just adorable! He uses it to lean against while he plays, sits on it to get ready for bed (often stroking the soft cover while he waits) and carries it into his big brother's room (it's surprisingly lightweight!) to join him for story time.<br />
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Finley actually has a plain, standard style bean bag of his own but that hasn't stopped him from eyeing up the Snuggle Seat (and wishing that his had a funky pattern, too!) whenever Jacob brings it into his room, so I think it's safe to say that it gets the seal of approval from both of the boys!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGK-Mop_JjvG3CDPFuNo1j93lE0VS6QRA3lb06oaZYHg4DBbYRS2kugLF89Pw5hfU8awUZj2PA4QpMb_73_1XbLCJOYqg2J8tmLnC2h6R7DBtM8q0HdjImW0f9JHlsv3rFuS4LW63x7g/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGK-Mop_JjvG3CDPFuNo1j93lE0VS6QRA3lb06oaZYHg4DBbYRS2kugLF89Pw5hfU8awUZj2PA4QpMb_73_1XbLCJOYqg2J8tmLnC2h6R7DBtM8q0HdjImW0f9JHlsv3rFuS4LW63x7g/s1600/That+Liz+%2526+Those+Boys+Blog+-+Snuggle+Seat+Review-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything about the Snuggle Seat is bold and stylish.</td></tr>
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The Snuggle Seat bean bag is available in a variety of different colours and designs. They usually retail at £89.99 but, at the time of writing, <b><u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://snuggleseat.com/" target="_blank">Snuggle Seat</a></span></u> </b>are currently offering up to 50% off all bean bags so don't miss out!<br />
To buy one or check out the full range of styles and accessories, head to the Snuggle Seat website: <a href="https://snuggleseat.com/collections" rel="" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>snuggleseat.com</b></span></a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Product(s) in this post were gifted to us in exchange for an honest blog review. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i><br />
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<i><span style="color: white;">This blog has been verified by Rise: Rbcf118c1c9da93e76ad150718fcf57a9</span></i><br />
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-3022904580860720892019-09-26T13:14:00.002+01:002019-10-09T16:53:06.888+01:00BlogOn Toys: What Did I Learn at my First Ever Blogging Conference?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEgFx18ZNMI7PrOW8eF-cT58pHXfqQt2h9IJ4-peaS2JhAaIyfZH90TMd0Pq-u4ZepHowI5j9QNCeAf4ljn1wbC67fV-cfru-4weJCPmRED2C29pGTqd0IEtW_VeCzF6zPRtNEdou5ew/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEgFx18ZNMI7PrOW8eF-cT58pHXfqQt2h9IJ4-peaS2JhAaIyfZH90TMd0Pq-u4ZepHowI5j9QNCeAf4ljn1wbC67fV-cfru-4weJCPmRED2C29pGTqd0IEtW_VeCzF6zPRtNEdou5ew/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've been blogging on and off for six years now, which sounds like a long time but in reality I still feel like I've got a lot to learn. With that in mind, I decided I wanted to up my game this year and booked myself a ticket to my first ever blogging conference, <a href="https://blogonuk.com/blogon-toys/" rel="" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>BlogOn Toys</b></span></a>!<br />
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BlogOn Toys is a festive-themed event that celebrates the build up to Christmas with fun activities, informative talks and the opportunity for bloggers to link up with brands to discover the biggest and best toys on offer this Christmas.<br />
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The conference was held at the <b><a href="https://www.coppidbeech.com/" rel="" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Coppid Beech Hotel</span></a> </b>in Bracknell, where I arrived (slightly behind schedule!) on Saturday morning. A lot of attendees had stayed overnight so I approached the main reception feeling a little bit nervous as I'd got it into my head that everyone would probably already know each other!<br />
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I needn't have worried though, because as soon as I'd collected my name badge and goody bags I ended up bumping into a few bloggers who I recognised from chatting to online. As we nattered away, I soon discovered that there were a lot of first-timers there and most of them were just as nervous as I was (phew!)<br />
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After popping out to stash the HUGE goody bags away in my car (those travelling by train were advised to bring big suitcases to transport theirs and now I can see why!) I made my way through to the first talk of the day - the welcome speech.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZajG0cwwQMhlEhrbP6i9WxnNZjjEIcu8x8AuqGZLoBTUebIbGBOF-BL4xtGUnrmLH0zZiCnapf_ar7s1hgcojc0Y_4B1bZTVwfnL4mzQYzjEF2REaNh1RovrUB3HzaGfot6eutLfsic/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZajG0cwwQMhlEhrbP6i9WxnNZjjEIcu8x8AuqGZLoBTUebIbGBOF-BL4xtGUnrmLH0zZiCnapf_ar7s1hgcojc0Y_4B1bZTVwfnL4mzQYzjEF2REaNh1RovrUB3HzaGfot6eutLfsic/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura from <a href="https://tiredmummyoftwo.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tired Mummy of Two</a> delivering the BlogOn welcome speech</td></tr>
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From this point onwards, the day was a total blur of festive activities, food, photos, chatter, learning and laughter. It was a fantastic experience and I came away feeling really inspired, but what exactly did I learn?<br />
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<b><u>Bloggers are a super friendly bunch!</u></b><br />
The day started with a Christmas tree decorating ice breaker activity which was a great way of bringing people together and providing them with a talking point. Turning up to an event where I didn't know anyone made me feel a bit like I was starting school all over again but everyone was so chatty and friendly that there was no danger of feeling left out. In fact, everyone was so lovely that by lunchtime I'd made several new blogging friends and the nerves had completely disappeared!<br />
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<b><u>Plan ahead (but not too much)</u></b><br />
Before the conference I made a note of which sessions I wanted to go to. It felt a bit over the top but I'm actually really glad that I did because, with so much going on, I wouldn't have known where to start otherwise! The day absolutely flew by so next time I think I'd try to leave a few more gaps in my schedule to give myself chance to step back and take it all in.<br />
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<b><u>There's something for everyone</u></b><br />
Throughout the day there were opportunities to attend sessions on a range of different blogging-related topics. I went to three of these and found each one really interesting. I was able to pick and choose which sessions I went to, meaning that my BlogOn experience was completely tailored to me and my blog. Of course most people were choosing the sessions that were most relevant to them but I thought it was great to have the option of learning some brand new skills as well as building on existing ones.<br />
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<b><u>Conferences are thirsty work!</u></b><br />
I found myself reaching for a drink of water every 5 minutes - partly because the venue was quite warm and partly because I spent so much of the day talking! After leaving my reusable water bottle in the car, I was so pleased to find a shiny new <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://sodastream.co.uk/" rel="" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">SodaStream</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span>bottle in my goody bag. As well as water coolers dotted around the venue, we were also lucky enough to have access to two sleek, stylish looking SodaStream machines to keep us going throughout the day (and, better still, there was a selection of festive-themed gins on offer during one of the refreshment breaks!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3q3fu9lX067Xp2bV4Fv54cEPX_rh7FEK7pf6gq_r8kucTgDwUpM1cTcG48Jv7fDxXSxHsqZSEGD0e0DFhOSMOev8mJgk-75frct4X2IgAY90-4R0PY6a_hn79OWaWyMOjL2fbPoOCRA/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="739" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3q3fu9lX067Xp2bV4Fv54cEPX_rh7FEK7pf6gq_r8kucTgDwUpM1cTcG48Jv7fDxXSxHsqZSEGD0e0DFhOSMOev8mJgk-75frct4X2IgAY90-4R0PY6a_hn79OWaWyMOjL2fbPoOCRA/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The restaurant's centrepiece - a colourful Awesome Bloss'ems cake from <a href="http://www.spinmaster.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spinmaster</a>!</td></tr>
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<b><u>No event is complete without cake</u></b><br />
As well as an array of different drinks, we also got to sample some yummy treats during the breaks. The centrepiece was an amazing, colourful, tiered vegan cake from <a href="https://www.spinmaster.com/brand.php" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Awesome Bloss'ems</span></b></a> and although I didn't get to sample it, I did try a slice of Batman celebration cake towards the end of the day (which was delicious!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_PLMd0_DdXYnCrW1ZSi8UOfFCsrTgHvOStr3vlD_rog_69hOUtwBK9Sr0IgpalshlT3Rp5_BagQxuAIW7woLfutlXxhXgvgCgpWAXyVuobMxaNNGbT4DYffK3qMqOZyl3putREYp0sA/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_PLMd0_DdXYnCrW1ZSi8UOfFCsrTgHvOStr3vlD_rog_69hOUtwBK9Sr0IgpalshlT3Rp5_BagQxuAIW7woLfutlXxhXgvgCgpWAXyVuobMxaNNGbT4DYffK3qMqOZyl3putREYp0sA/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really loved the look of this Disney 'Guess the Film' game from<a href="https://www.jumbo.eu/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Jumbo</a></td></tr>
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<b><u><br />Kids are going to be spoilt for choice this Christmas</u></b><br />
When I wasn't listening to talks, I was exploring a treasure trove of toys and games in the Brand Den. We were able to get an exclusive look at the toys that will be top of everyone's Christmas lists this year and even try some of them out in the Demo Zone, before voting for our favourites in this year's <a href="https://blogonuk.com/blogon-toy-awards/" rel="" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Toy Awards</b></span></a>. I honestly felt like a kid on Christmas morning in here! As well as discovering all the cool new releases, I was really excited to see lots of childhood classics in the Brand Den, such as Playmobil, Lego, Sylvanian Families and, my personal favourite, Nintendo!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8_ZkrfZzbqlv_nDQks1BNWd7T5O9RSHA9OjzGB5oeeWN-C2NYk7NXbPjT0jhWcnPz8c3ZnfZ43GMFfheo6CafdZN0K5uZy-P8sn3wDksjb_v9y5J9yngfkgMof3X-5v0nAQA3a2XwwM/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8_ZkrfZzbqlv_nDQks1BNWd7T5O9RSHA9OjzGB5oeeWN-C2NYk7NXbPjT0jhWcnPz8c3ZnfZ43GMFfheo6CafdZN0K5uZy-P8sn3wDksjb_v9y5J9yngfkgMof3X-5v0nAQA3a2XwwM/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting to grips with Mario Kart on a brand new <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/switch/lite/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nintendo Switch Lite</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New vs old! The Switch Lite comes in three eye-catching colours</td></tr>
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Since I grew up playing video games with my brother, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the brand new <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/switch/lite/" rel="" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;" target="_blank">Nintendo Switch Lite</a>, which had just been released the day before the conference. I'd never actually played on a Switch before and given that my gaming skills were a bit rusty, I was fully expecting to need an in-depth briefing before having a go! That wasn't the case at all though - it was so easy to just pick up and play! I was so impressed with the Switch Lite's intuitive design and since there are a range of family-friendly games to go with it, it would be the perfect introduction to gaming for children of all ages (never mind the boys though, this one's going on my Christmas list!)<br />
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Speaking of toys for big kids, can you imagine how excited I was to find a Bat Cave in the Brand Den?! To celebrate Batman turning 80 we were able to get up close to the Bat Bike (yes, the real thing!) and explore the huge range of licensed Batman goodies available, from toys to clothes, homeware to gifts and everything in between.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's Batman merchandise for superhero fans of all ages!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long live the bat! The moment I got to see Batman's ACTUAL Bat Bike up close</td></tr>
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<b><u><br />Expect the unexpected</u></b><br />
Celebrating Batman's birthday wasn't the only surreal part of the day! During my time at BlogOn, I also found myself inside a giant inflatable snowglobe trying to catch floating petals (it felt a bit like being on The Crystal Maze!), chatting away to one of my favourite mum bloggers about Disney (shoutout to the lovely <a href="https://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/" rel="" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">brummymummyof2</span></b></a>!), laughing at mischievous elves who squeaked at everyone they met and bumping into giant Sylvanian Families rabbits and Playmobil characters in the corridor!<br />
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<b><u>You'll go home with a crazy amount of goodies!</u></b><br />
As previously mentioned, we were gifted with not one, not two, but THREE goody bags on arrival, packed full of toys, games, snacks, drinks, toiletries and household bits. Throughout the day there were loads of opportunities to enter competitions and, to top it all off, the conference ended with a HUGE toy raffle. There were literally hundreds of prizes on offer and although I didn't win anything, it was all for a good cause, as proceeds from the raffle tickets go directly into the BlogOn Community fund to help those in need.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NA5F0zzYalGpsO0J1T24v1jVZBIuKwvIsDV5nmfA4dBbQv2DECV0mlBdRvNnQ6wfWr6fyLZ56UVrOISdScIXWmwrQCuz6TiT0taot3sSGygkCma5YQbv8YqHPpSF9RWF482oJaAdMjE/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NA5F0zzYalGpsO0J1T24v1jVZBIuKwvIsDV5nmfA4dBbQv2DECV0mlBdRvNnQ6wfWr6fyLZ56UVrOISdScIXWmwrQCuz6TiT0taot3sSGygkCma5YQbv8YqHPpSF9RWF482oJaAdMjE/s1600/That+Liz+and+Those+Boys+Blog+-+BlogOn+Toys-4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a tiny fraction of the contents of my amazing BlogOn goody bag!</td></tr>
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Being a complete conference newbie, I found BlogOn Toys to be the perfect introduction to the blogging community. I had so much fun testing out new toys, met some really lovely people and learnt loads about how to make the most of my little corner of the internet.<br />
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As the day drew to a close, I found myself wishing that I was sticking around for the Christmas party in the evening to make the day last a bit longer. From start to finish, BlogOn provided so much to do that I just couldn't fit it all in so I'll definitely be back again to experience it properly and join in with the festivities. Roll on next year!<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-30153832403026426212019-09-16T18:25:00.001+01:002019-11-12T21:44:52.752+00:00[GIFTED] Bouncy Fun at AirHop Trampoline Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Getting back into routine after the summer holidays has been far from easy! The thought of going back to reality left us all a bit down in the dumps so to cheer us up, <b><u><a href="https://www.socialightapp.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Socialight</a></u></b> invited the boys and I along to AirHop Trampoline Park, where we could bounce away our blues and jump into happy!<br />
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AirHop is one of the world's biggest trampoline parks and a firm favourite with the boys. Not only do they love going there but I really enjoy taking them because it's so reasonably priced and so easy to get to! It's just off the M4 at Cribbs Causeway, with a huge car park right outside that's completely free to use. If you don't drive then there are also regular buses to and from the Asda supercentre across the road.<br />
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As we walked through the doors and into the brightly coloured foyer, we were met with the sound of laugher and upbeat music which really set the tone for our visit! Even though it was quite busy, we were able to walk straight up to the desk and get checked in. Our booking had been completed online so the whole process only took a couple of minutes which saved the boys from getting impatient and me from getting stressed - happy faces all round!<br />
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If it's your first time at AirHop then you'll also need to sign a waiver to confirm that you're aware of the risks involved with trampolining. Again, this can be done online before your visit so all you need to do is turn up, check in and get ready to bounce!<br />
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After stashing our things in a locker and changing into our special grippy socks, there was just one last step before we were allowed onto the courts. Everyone who bounces is required to watch a safety briefing which gives you a rundown of the all important do's and don'ts. I was impressed at how well the boys listened to this but if you're unsure of anything during your session then it's handy to know that there are lots of friendly, experienced members of staff around to help.<br />
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We were all raring to go by this point so it was no surprise that the boys raced off as soon as we were allowed onto the courts. Neither of them could decide where to start though - there was SO much to choose from! As well of hundreds of trampolines that line the floors and the walls (yes, really!) there was a whole host of other activities for us to launch ourselves into.<br />
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Our first stop was the AR (augmented reality) games which worked in a similar way to a Nintendo Wii or an Xbox Kinect. I didn't actually get a turn on these because the boys were having so much fun jumping around and trying to pop balloons on the screens!<br />
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Next we headed over to the basketball courts where there was a row of hoops at varying heights and a trampoline under each one. The boys mostly stuck to the lowest one to give themselves a better chance of getting the ball in, but it didn't take them long to get the hang of it. The next court along was the dodgeball court, which the boys loved as it gave them an excuse to throw soft foam balls at each other (I think we've got a long way to go before they understand the rules though!)<br />
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One of their absolute favourite areas was the huge, colourful foam pit which had a line of four trampolines that they could launch themselves in from. We spent ages here as the boys took turns to jump in from the same trampoline and had races with each other on separate ones.<br />
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Being 5 years old, the session was perfectly suited to Finley as he had the confidence and physical ability to do everything that was on offer. Jacob is a very energetic toddler and although he's desperate to be like his big brother, he's still only 2 (and a half) so he can't always keep up with him. Luckily AirHop caters for all ages so there was plenty to keep Jacob happy from start to finish. He loved whizzing between the courts on ride on toys and playing in the baby and toddler area, which was full of soft shapes and sensory toys.<br />
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The only thing that was off-limits to him was the AWESOME gameshow-style obstacle course, complete with tunnels, ramps and super fast slides. It's suitable for ages 5 and upwards so, to make up for Jacob being a bit too little for it, Finley had great fun showing him how it was done! There are three lanes to race your family and friends through the course so in a couple of years I'm sure Jacob will be making up for lost time...!<br />
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Speaking of age restrictions, it's worth mentioning that we were there for a Family Takeover session which is designed for ages 2-12. This age bracket was perfect as it meant that the boys were able to enjoy the trampoline park at their own pace without the worry of anyone bumping into them (and it stopped me from worrying about the boys ruining other people's fun, too!) It also gave them the chance to bounce around to some familiar songs as the soundtrack was full of holiday club hits, Disney classics and, of course, Baby Shark!<br />
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Family Takeover sessions are an hour long, which sounds like a decent amount of time but it went by so quickly. We were all completely exhausted by the time our hour was up, so I'm not sure we would've lasted much longer anyway!<br />
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Unsurprisingly, we were all pretty hungry by the end of the session so once we'd collected our things from the locker we made our way upstairs to AirHop's café. It was so calm up there compared to the chaos of the courts, making it an ideal place to unwind and refuel after bouncing. The boys were spoilt for choice with a wide range of drinks (including slushies!) hot and cold food, cakes and snacks on offer. They eventually chose a snack and a drink each and we found a quiet little corner to sit and eat.<br />
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I was able to take in our surroundings from where we were sat and noticed lots of little Bristol-themed touches across the café, which really made me smile! These included a cityscape along the wall and hot air balloons etched into the windows. From our spot in the café we were also treated to great views across the whole of the trampoline park. If you've got older children (age 12+) and don't fancy bouncing yourself then this is the perfect place to keep an eye on them from (there's even free WiFi to keep you occupied while you wait!) Obviously I haven't quite reached this stage of parenthood yet but with a small soft play area and an arcade outside the café, there was plenty to keep the boys happy while we were upstairs.<br />
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Whether you've got kids or you're just a big kid yourself, I'd definitely recommend a visit to AirHop! If you're planning to go for the first time then take a look at our top tips before you go:<br />
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<li><b>Wear comfy clothing</b> - It can get very warm jumping around so you won't want anything too thick or heavy! I usually wear leggings and a baggy t-shirt and put the boys in jogging bottoms or shorts. There are changing rooms on site so you can change into something smarter afterwards if you need to. </li>
<li><b>Bring a water bottle</b> - Getting warm means you'll also get thirsty! There are water fountains outside the courts but if you don't want to stop bouncing for too long then it's quicker and easier to just take a drink with you.</li>
<li><b>Use the lockers</b> - Having somewhere to store all our stuff means that AirHop is one of the easiest places for me to take the boys on my own as it leaves both of my hands free! There are loads of lockers available and they all use a combination code so there's no need to faff about with padlocks, coins or tokens.</li>
<li><b>Keep your socks </b>- It's worth mentioning that you can't wear socks from other trampoline parks at AirHop. You'll need to buy a pair of AirHop branded socks (£2 per pair) but if you take them home after bouncing then you can wear them again on your next visit - it's more sustainable and saves you money, so everyone's a winner!</li>
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Going to AirHop was such a great way to round off the summer holidays. I loved that there was something there for all ages (I had just as much fun bouncing as the boys did!) but the best part was that it gave me the chance to have some real quality time with both boys at the same time. I was able to jump around and get fully involved in playing together without any distractions, which was way more fun than just watching from the sides!<br />
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We'll definitely be returning for some more bouncy fun there soon - in fact, now that Finley's back at school and we have less time for family days out, it's great to have the option of somewhere that offers a quick burst of activity together. It's all indoors too, which means there's no danger of having to reschedule our weekend plans and makes for a perfect family activity whatever the weather.<br />
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Family Takeover sessions cost £8 for one adult and one child. Additional participants are charged at £8 per person. Socks cost an additional one-off charge of £2 per pair and are yours to keep for your next visit.<br />
For a full list of offers, discounts and details of which sessions are available, hop on over to the AirHop website: <a href="https://www.airhop-bristol.com/prices-offers/prices/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>www.airhop-bristol.com</b></a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Our admission to AirHop was kindly gifted to us by Socialight, in exchange for social media coverage and an honest blog review. We were given complimentary snacks, drinks and goody bags during our visit but paid for our own travel. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-54877735035924620402019-09-05T00:08:00.000+01:002019-09-05T00:08:28.580+01:00[GIFTED] Day Out at Newquay Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've just returned from a fun-filled family holiday in Cornwall, which has been our go-to destination for the last few years. With so many beautiful beaches and exciting attractions for the boys to explore, it's the sort of place that's just impossible to get bored of!<br />
This time around we made it our mission to visit loads of places in and around Newquay, but the best day out by far was spent at Newquay Zoo.<br />
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Newquay Zoo is tucked away within the gardens of Trenance Park, just outside of the town centre. There are car parks directly outside the entrance, which also serve the nearby parks and other local amenities. Being a public car park meant there was a charge to park there but we agreed that it was more than worth it for the ease of access to the Zoo.<br />
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On arrival we were welcomed by a smiley, friendly member of staff. She told us everything we needed to know about our visit and handed us the clearest, most detailed map I think I've ever seen at an attraction! We used this to plan our day and find out when the feeding times were. The boys were also given free activity booklets, which were full of colouring pages, puzzles and a 'then and now' trail to celebrate the Zoo's 50th anniversary.<br />
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Armed with lots of information, we headed through the gates and into the Zoo. The first thing I noticed was that it was quite busy (this was no surprise really, given that it was the middle of August!) but it didn't actually feel crowded at all because of how well spread out everything was.<br />
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Throughout our visit we were really struck by how many opportunities there were to get up close to the animals. Our first stop was the Tropical House and straight away we had birds flying over and hopping around our ankles (Jacob spends nearly every school run trying to sneak up on pigeons, so you can imagine how happy this made him!) Downstairs we found the Amphibian Room which was home to chameleons, snakes, frogs and geckos. The boys were totally fascinated by these animals and loved by how clearly they were able to see them.<br />
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Next up was the Village Farm where we found some more familiar animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and pygmy goats. This was a lovely, calm area of the zoo, making it ideal for younger children. We were able to get right up close to these animals too and the boys even had the opportunity to walk amongst the goats (although they got as far as opening the gate before changing their minds!) Instead, they spent ages stroking two baby goats who both seemed to love all the attention! We didn't have far to go to get the boys cleaned up afterwards as there was a hand washing station right by the exit to the farm, complete with large sinks at child height and lots of antibacterial soap.<br />
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Of course most zoo animals aren't for stroking but, even still, it felt like we were within touching distance of them because of the way the enclosures were designed. I've mentioned in previous posts that the boys' attention spans aren't the best (especially when there's so much to see and do around them!) but being able to get such a good view of the animals meant that they were constantly entertained at Newquay Zoo. In fact, some of the enclosures had multiple viewing areas so we could see animals doing different things depending on where they were. The best example of this was the lynx enclosure which was on two levels and allowed us to catch a glimpse of a brand new cub playing with its parents!<br />
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By this point we were starting to work up an appetite so we decided to stop for some lunch. It took us a while to decide where to eat though as there was so much choice! Picnics are welcome at Newquay Zoo so if you're planning ahead then it's worth knowing that there are plenty of designated picnic areas all across the site.<br />
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For snacks and ice creams, there's a Snack Bar in the far corner of the Zoo with a play area right next to it, making it perfect for a quick pit-stop.<br />
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Right in the middle of the Zoo is the Lazy Lion Grill, which serves burgers (including vegetarian options), snacks, drinks and ice creams to take away.<br />
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Near to the entrance and exit is Cafe Lemur, where we eventually chose to eat. Out of all the food outlets, this one had the widest selection - there were freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, paninis, salads, pasties, homemade soup and jacket potatoes for adults as well as lunch boxes for children. After ordering our food we found a shady spot to eat by the lake, with lovely views across the water to Lemur Island. The boys' new activity books kept them happy while we waited for our lunch to arrive (which wasn't very long at all) and when it did they were giddy with excitement as a friendly peacock came over to join us (that was until it came closer and they started to fear for their crisps...!)<br />
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Once we'd finished our own lunches, it was time to go and see the lions eat theirs. Without a doubt, the feeds and talks were the highlight of the day for all of us - not only was it amazing to see the animals being fed and behaving as they would in the wild, but it was also fascinating to learn so much about them.<br />
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It was clear just from watching a small part of their day that the team at Newquay Zoo are really knowledgable and genuinely passionate about what they do. As we watched the lions, a member of the Education Team (Alex) addressed the audience. He was so engaging and instead of just reeling off facts, his talk felt more like an informal chat. He addressed a lot of common misconceptions, such as how much space the lions need (it turns out that they actually spend around 20 hours of the day sleeping so they don't need as much as you'd think!) and how happy they are there (the lions at Newquay Zoo were born in captivity so they've never known anything different).<br />
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I've got to admit that I've always had mixed feelings about wild animals being kept in captivity but I can honestly say that all of that changed during our visit to Newquay Zoo. I was so impressed with the information that the Education Team delivered and with the work that's being done by the Zoo to protect animals from the threats they face in the wild.<br />
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Our absolute favourite animals were the penguins and we had so much fun watching their feeding time! Alex was also on hand to deliver this talk and we were really impressed that he knew just as much about them as he did the lions. As he talked, one of the penguins followed his shadow around and wouldn't leave him alone no matter where he went, which the boys found hilarious!<br />
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There are 23 Humboldt penguins that live at Newquay Zoo, each with their own personalities. We learnt a little bit about some of the stand-out characters in the colony and, more importantly, what can be done to protect their counterparts in the wild. Being so little, it's hard to know how much of this information the boys took in but it was fantastic to see the Zoo actively teaching children (and their parents!) about wildlife conservation.<br />
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After a few more animal encounters, there was just enough time for the boys to explore the natural play areas hidden amongst the trees. Alongside the African Savanna was a Dragon Maze made from hedges that they loved running through and giggling whenever they went the wrong way! Once we'd successfully made it out of the maze, we climbed the steps to the Tarzan Trail - an woodland obstacle course for children (and big kids, too!) Finley was so happy up there and although Jacob was a bit too small for some of the obstacles, they both LOVED whizzing down the giant slide at the end of the trail!<br />
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We were all on foot during our visit but, since the path to the Tarzan Trail led us up lots of steps, I did notice that this was one of the only parts of Newquay Zoo that wasn't suitable for buggies or wheelchairs. The vast majority of the site is fully accessible but if you want to plan ahead then there's loads of <u><b><a href="https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/plan-your-visit/accessibility" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">information on the Newquay Zoo website</a></b></u> (there's even a detailed accessibility map that you can download!)<br />
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There was so much to see and do that we couldn't actually fit it all into our visit (which is really saying something considering how quickly the boys darted from one area to the next!) They loved that there were so many animals to see and so many different environments to explore, each one with a completely unique feel to it. We all had so much fun and left wishing that we could stay even longer, so if you're thinking of visiting Newquay Zoo then make sure you get there early and make a full day of it!<br />
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As we left the Zoo, there was one last thing that really impressed us. The exit took us through the gift shop so we stopped to have a look around (and treat the boys to some animal figures!) and discovered that all of their sweets were wrapped in biodegradable alternatives to plastic and there was no unnecessary packaging to be found anywhere in the shop! Better still, all profits from the gift shop go directly towards supporting the Zoo's conservation work. It was fantastic to visit a place that not only sets a brilliant example but also shares our own values, so well done Newquay Zoo! <br />
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Newquay Zoo is open every day of the year (except Christmas Day) from 10am. At the time of writing, ticket prices are as follows:<br />
Adult (16+) - £15.95<br />
Child (3-15 years) - £12.00<br />
Child (under 3 years) - Free<br />
Saver Ticket (2 adults, 2 children) - £49.95<br />
Reduced admission rates are available for senior citizens, students, visitors with disabilities and carers.<br />
To plan your visit and find out more, go to: <a href="https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">newquayzoo.org.uk</a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Two adult tickets were kindly gifted to us by Newquay Zoo in exchange for social media content and an honest blog review. We paid for Finley's ticket in full and Jacob's admission was free as he is under 3 years old. We covered all associated costs including parking, lunch and souvenirs. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own. </i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-59871705724454452332019-08-17T16:48:00.002+01:002019-11-12T21:45:03.278+00:00[GIFTED] Day Out at Little Giggles Soft Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you think all soft play centres are noisy, sticky, stress-inducing places then think again - Little Giggles has set out to change all of that!<br />
Like most parents of young children, I've been to a lot of local soft plays but even though it had been recommended to us countless times, we'd never got round to visiting Little Giggles before. Thanks to <b><u><a href="https://www.socialightapp.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Socialight</a></u></b>, we finally got the chance to go this week but did it live up to the hype?<br />
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Little Giggles is based in Yate, just on the edge of north east Bristol. It's part of a leisure complex with a huge car park, where you can park for free for up to 4 hours. If you're travelling by public transport then there's a bus station just across the road, making it super easy to get to.<br />
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Our first impressions of Little Giggles couldn't have been any better. As we stepped through the door we were greeted by a cheery member of staff who was happy to answer our questions and made us feel really welcome. The admission process was quick and easy and within moments the boys were running off to play.<br />
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Despite being busy, I was really struck by how relaxed and friendly the atmosphere was inside. A group who were getting ready to leave offered us their table and I felt confident that our shoes and coats would be safe there as I went off to join the boys.<br />
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The play area itself was clean, bright and fully air conditioned (which was an absolute godsend, especially once I was running around with the boys!) Along with its modern pink, blue, white and green colour scheme, this gave the whole place a really fresh feel and made for a welcome change from the dark, stuffy soft play centres we're used to.<br />
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I'm one of those people who's quietly terrified of getting stuck in a soft play (I blame that episode of Peppa Pig!) so you can imagine how happy I was to find that the whole play area was really open and spacious, making it easy for me to get in and join the boys while they played. Better still, the whole place was all on one level so if your children are a little bit older and more independent then you can sit back and relax in the cafe area while still being able to see them. This was easily one of my favourite things about Little Giggles and left me wishing that all soft play centres were laid out like this!<br />
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There were so many other things that made our experience at Little Giggles totally unique. Being a family run business with years of experience in working with children, it's clear that they know exactly what kids (and parents!) need.<br />
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All of the play equipment is designed to develop both confidence and gross motor skills so, as well as being active, children are constantly learning (without even realising it!) as they play.<br />
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We also noticed that there were opportunities for sensory play everywhere we looked. Both boys have a real eye for detail so they loved all the little touches like fans blowing balloons, touchy-feely panels on the ball pit and flashing lights on the rides.<br />
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Yes, that's right – there were rides too! All of them lit up, sparkled and spun around, inviting the boys to explore different ways of interacting with them. I was surprised to find that the rides moved on their own too, which was great as it meant that Finley was able to play independently while I played with Jacob - multitasking at it's finest!<br />
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Speaking of juggling two kids, it can be tricky to find places that appeal to 2 year olds as much as 5 year olds, so seeing them both enjoying themselves in equal amounts was a rare treat!<br />
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Little Giggles is designed for ages 0-8 years. There's a fairly strict maximum age limit but from our experience I would say it's best suited to children between 1 and 6 anyway. For younger visitors, there's a baby area with a play house, ball pit, foam shapes, huge bouncy pillow and a sensory wall. Jacob liked taking a break from the faster pace of the main area and spending some time in here, which worked out pretty well as it was right next the biggest indoor bouncy castle I've ever seen! Finley loved letting off some steam on this and, again, it was perfectly positioned for me to be able to keep an eye on both boys while they were doing different things.<br />
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After a couple of hours of non-stop playtime, the boys were starting to flag so we popped over to the cafe to refuel. There was a range of hot and cold drinks on offer here, as well as jacket potatoes, toasties, paninis and various snacks. The boys stopped to eye up the slabs of delicious looking cakes but eventually settled on a kids' lunch box each. These were reasonably priced at £4.30 each and included a sandwich, crisps, a cake, a yoghurt, a piece of fruit and a carton of juice (all of which they were allowed to choose themselves). Our food arrived quickly and both boys ate loads, which was really impressive considering that Jacob can be quite a picky eater and Finley usually wants to dash off to play!<br />
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In terms of other practical facilities, there was also a child sized toilet (as well as an adult sized one, of course!) which Finley was amazed by! Next door was a separate baby change room which we found to be very clean, bright and roomy. Downstairs was a HUGE buggy park - we didn't need to use this on the day but I did notice that it stopped the seating area upstairs from getting too cluttered.<br />
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All of these little touches made our first visit to Little Giggles a really comfortable one. We all had so much fun (which is saying something, coming from someone who usually spends the summer holidays trying to avoid going to soft play!) In fact, we were there for nearly 4 hours, which I think is the longest we've ever spent in a soft play (and even then I struggled to get the boys to leave!)<br />
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I've got a feeling that this will be the first of many visits to Little Giggles and with loads of special evening events coming up, including night glows, Nerf fights and character meets, there's plenty to keep the boys coming back for more!<br />
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If you'd like to visit Little Giggles too then make sure you plan ahead as entry prices can vary depending on the time of year and the age of your child. At the time of writing, entry for non-members is:<br />
Under 1's - £2.00<br />
Over 1's - £4.50<br />
Over 2's - £6.50 off-peak (Mon-Fri, Term Time)<br />
Over 2's - £7.50 peak (Weekends and Holidays)<br />
These prices may seem a little more expensive compared to other soft play centres but, as previously mentioned, Little Giggles isn't like any ordinary soft play and we found the overall experience was totally worth the price. If you're local then it's also worth considering their membership deals as these give you discounted entry on each visit.<br />
For more information and an up to date price list, head to the website: <a href="https://littlegigglesbristol.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>littlegigglesbristol.com</b></a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Our admission to Little Giggles was kindly gifted to us by Socialight, in exchange for social media coverage and an honest blog review. We were offered complimentary lunches during our visit but paid for our own travel. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own.</i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-5673802880661190402019-08-09T17:15:00.000+01:002019-11-12T21:45:15.296+00:00Top Tips for Visiting the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta with Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Balloon Fiesta is one of the biggest and best events in the Bristol calendar and it's taking place right now! It's spread across four days and with so much to see and do there, it's taken us a few trips to really make the most of everything that the Fiesta has to offer for kids.<br />
If you're planning to visit over the weekend (which you totally should) then make a note of our top tips before you go...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><u>Book your parking space in advance</u></b><br />
I can't stress this enough! The Fiesta itself is completely FREE to attend but if you're travelling by car then you'll need to pay to park on site. The car parks are huge but they fill up quickly so make sure you book in advance to avoid disappointment. Check for road closures before you set off, too!<br />
Alternatively, if you're planning your route to the site via public transport then the easiest option is to get one of the regular shuttle buses from Bristol Temple Meads station, which drops you off near the entrance to Ashton Court. If you've got older children then you could also walk or cycle from the city centre but it's a bit of a trek for little legs!<br />
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<b><u>Buggy, baby carrier or both?</u></b><br />
If you need to bring a buggy then make sure it has big, chunky wheels. I say this from experience as I took a lightweight stroller first time round and it was a nightmare! There are lots of paths leading up to the main part of the site but most of it is on grass with lots of very steep, hilly areas to navigate. You might find it easier to bring a baby carrier (or put a younger child in a carrier and an older one in a buggy, which is what we did to sail through the crowds last year!) Either way, it helps to have something to carry younger children around in as Ashton Court Estate is HUGE and the main arena is a long walk from the car parks and shuttle bus drop off points.<br />
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<b><u>Up, up and away!</u></b><br />
Watching the balloons take off is easily the most spectacular part of the Fiesta so make it your mission to go to one of the mass ascents! If the weather conditions are right then the first balloons will take off at 6am. You can make the early start a little less painful by packing a bag the night before, getting the snacks ready (we usually take a breakfast picnic but there are plenty of food stalls on site if you'd rather grab something when you get there), finding the picnic blanket or camping chairs (the grass can be a bit damp because it's so early) and laying all the clothes out. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I've found that putting the boys in onesies over their PJs saves a lot of time and means that we can get on the road straight away. Of course if you'd prefer to have a lie-in then it's worth knowing that mass ascents also take place at 6pm on certain evenings too!<br />
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<b><u>Let the kids stay up past their bedtime!</u></b><br />
Stay up late to watch the Night Glow - an amazing display of regular shaped balloons firing their burners in time to music. The atmosphere is great but it can get very busy and obviously very dark so bring glowsticks, torches and any other light up toys you have - as well as making your kids more visible so that people don't bump into them, it will also keep them occupied while you're waiting for the show to start.<br />
Speaking of waiting, you might find yourself doing a lot of standing around as the roads into the site are closed off a couple of hours before the Night Glow begins, so you'll need to be in before then. A 2+ hour wait is easier said than done when you've got young children but you can ease the stress by bringing a picnic blanket and/ or chairs, lots of snacks and a potty to save queuing up at food stalls and portaloos (the queues for these can get ridiculously long before the Night Glow!) Ear defenders are a must too, as the show ends with a fantastic firework finale.<br />
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<b><u>Experience it all</u></b><br />
Believe it or not, there's more to the Fiesta than just balloons! No matter how old your kids are, there's plenty to keep them entertained and you can easily spend a whole day there. In the main arena you'll find performances, demonstrations, model aircraft displays and tethered balloons in a range of special shapes.<br />
Across the rest of the site there are different activities everywhere you look - this year's highlights include live music from Jelli Records, model making workshops with Aardman Animations (the Bristol-based creators of Wallace and Gromit!), a pop-up breakfast bar from Eat Natural, interactive games from Aerospace Bristol and a FabLand experience with a giant ball pit, slides and mazes (I'm SO excited for this!)<br />
There's also a whole host of fairground rides plus a big observation wheel for the whole family to view the site from. I'd recommend bringing some cash for these but if you forget then there are cash machines dotted around the site (they do charge a small fee though).<br />
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<b><u>Take a break</u></b><br />
One of the Fiesta's hidden gems is the NCT baby change tent which is just around the corner from the big wheel. In here, you'll find changing stations, potties, feeding areas, bottle and food warmers as well as sticker sheets, paper and crayons for slightly older children. There are friendly volunteers on hand and a really lovely, welcoming atmosphere which makes it a nice little space to escape the hustle and bustle of the event for a bit.<br />
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<b><u>Treat yourself!</u></b><br />
Don't leave the Fiesta until you've been for a wander around the stalls alongside the balloon launch field. With so many food stalls, bars (Thatcher's cider, anyone?!), trade stalls (most of which have freebies and competitions) and locally-produced goodies, you'll be spoilt for choice!<br />
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If you're heading to the Balloon Fiesta this weekend then I hope you have an amazing time and find these tips useful!<br />
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Have you been to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta with kids before? How did you find it? Let us know!<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-44467861682156476522019-08-07T14:15:00.001+01:002019-11-12T21:45:25.664+00:00[GIFTED] Day Out at Wild Place Project - Bear Wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wild Place Project is one of our absolute favourite places to visit, so when we heard they were opening up a brand new exhibit this summer, we couldn't wait to check it out! Their newest attraction is called 'Bear Wood'. It's a totally unique wildlife conservation project and, thanks to the lovely people at <a href="https://www.socialightapp.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Socialight</b></a>, we were among the first visitors to experience it.<br />
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Put simply, Bear Wood is nothing like any other wildlife enclosure we've ever seen before. In fact, it's less of an enclosure and more of an experience! Ours began as we entered through a 'time chamber' which transported us back to the year 8000 BC when the woodland was home to brown bears, lynxes, grey wolves and wolverines. All of these species have been brought back to live at Wild Place Project and you can see them up close as you travel through time during your visit. I deliberately haven't included any photos of the time chamber because it's the sort of thing you really have to see for yourself, but trust me when I say that it was seriously impressive!<br />
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We stepped out of the chamber and onto a stunning raised walkway which takes you on a journey through the woodland. It's built entirely from wood which really adds to the natural feel of the space and gave the boys a safe, open area to explore. The highest parts are around 4 metres tall but you lose all sense of perspective once you're up amongst the trees because the whole place is absolutely HUGE! It's hard to give a sense of the sheer scale of it all in photos but you really do feel as if you're out in the wild, exploring the bears' natural habitat.<br />
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There are little viewing windows dotted around the walkway at child height, which I thought were a really nice touch. The boys loved peering through these and trying to spot animals below them. At the ages of 5 and 2, their attention spans aren't great but they surprised me by spending a fair bit of time watching and waiting here. You have to concentrate quite hard and, because the animals have so much space, there's no way of knowing if or when you're going to see them at all, which made for some really rewarding moments when we finally did!<br />
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If the breathtaking views from the walkway weren't enough, you can also go into a bear viewing den which has floor to ceiling glass windows and allows you to get right up close to the animals. We saw two bears chasing each other through the woodland from this spot but I noticed there were marks all over the glass, meaning that they had been over over to say hello at some point!<br />
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We were really lucky on our visit and managed to see all four of the bears that live in Bear Wood. As well as the two chasing each other, we also spotted one having a swim in a lake, which was just magical as he was completely oblivious to the people watching from a distance. The other one took us by surprise as we turned a corner and spotted her up a tree, right in front of us! Both boys gasped at the sight of her and were so excited to see a real life bear up close. This excitement soon turned to cautiousness though and Finley told me he was worried she might jump down onto the walkway (to be honest, I was also starting to wonder how far bears can jump!) so we stepped back and watched from a distance until they felt brave enough to go and say hello.<br />
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Sadly we didn't spot any other animals in the woodland but the boys were just happy to have seen the bears. We probably could've spent longer waiting to find more but the boys' attention spans just weren't up to it by this point!<br />
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If you're not sure what to look for or just want to know more about the different species that live in Bear Wood then it's handy to know that there are a team of expert rangers on hand to point out where the animals might be hiding and answer any questions.<br />
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There was so much to learn and everywhere we looked there were facts to find, trails to follow and interactive features to play with. These were visually stunning and all cleverly built into the walkway. I was really struck by how they were designed to blend into the surroundings without disturbing the animals. The educational elements of Bear Wood are great for all ages - Finley liked reading the animal facts and learning about how trees work, while Jacob enjoyed pressing buttons, pulling levers, identifying sounds and gazing at flashing lights!<br />
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Of course Bear Wood isn't just for children! I learnt so much about the history of British woodland (for example, did you know that only 2% of it has survived being cut down?) and got a harsh reality check in the process. The exhibit is designed to inspire every visitor to do their bit to care for the wildlife and woodland around them and preserve what's left for generations to come. There was a lot of information about what can be done to help and I came away feeling really inspired.<br />
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The last stops on our journey through Bear Wood were the two natural play areas tucked away in the woodland. Again, these were built seamlessly into the surroundings and hidden from the animals' view. It takes roughly 45 minutes to go through the exhibit so a bit of play time really helped to break up the walking and gave the boys a chance to let off some steam. Jacob especially liked identifying the creatures carved into the logs whilst Finley climbed over, under and around each one!<br />
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At the very end of the walkway we came across a block of very smart, clean toilets and changing facilities (which was handy because both boys needed to use them!) These were the only ones in the whole of Bear Wood though, so if you're visiting with children then you might want to take a trip to the loos in another part of Wild Place Project before you go in.<br />
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We also spotted a 'Bearries & Nuts' kiosk serving snacks and smoothies by the exit, which makes for the perfect place to refuel. The boys were keen to keep exploring though so instead of stopping here, we wandered a bit further and enjoyed drinks at the 'Base Camp Pizzeria' near the entrance to Bear Wood. This place was amazing - it overlooked the cheetah enclosure and was all under canvas, lit up by twinkling lights. They serve freshly made stone baked pizzas (vegan and gluten free options are available), snacks and cold drinks (including beers and ciders - yes please!) here too. It's worth noting that both of these places have limited opening times though, so I'd recommend checking the website before you visit.<br />
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Another thing to note before your visit is that nearly all of Bear Wood is buggy and wheelchair friendly. The only parts that aren't are the treehouse and the bear viewing den, which can only be accessed via stairs. If you're planning to explore other parts of Wild Place Project then I'd suggest bringing a baby carrier rather than a buggy if you can as there are some areas that can get quite muddy and bumpy.<br />
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Speaking of mud, you've probably noticed from our photos that the boys wore puddle suits and wellies during our visit. Typically the weather was forecast to be wet all day and although we were lucky enough to avoid the showers, I probably would've dressed them like this regardless. There's a lot of puddle jumping, tree climbing and exploring to be done at Wild Place so I usually go prepared for them to get messy!<br />
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Every day out we've ever had at Wild Place has been completely unique and this one was no exception. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this particular visit was one of the best days out I've ever had with the boys! Bear Wood kept them constantly entertained from start to finish and gave them the perfect environment to learn and explore without limits.<br />
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We were so impressed with the whole exhibit and can't wait to see how the bears grow and adjust to their new surroundings. The boys have already been asking when they can see the bears again so we'll be sure to keep coming back to see how they're getting on!<br />
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Wild Place Project is a fun, family attraction just off J17 of the M5. At the time of writing, ticket prices (including Gift Aid) are as follows:<br />
Adult (age 15+) - £11.25<br />
Child (age 2-14 years inclusive) - £9.00<br />
Child (under 2) - Free<br />
Carer - Free<br />
To save money by booking your tickets in advance or to simply find out more about Wild Place Project, head to their website: <b><a href="https://www.wildplace.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.wildplace.org.uk</a> </b><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: Our tickets to Wild Place Project were kindly gifted to us by Socialight, in exchange for social media coverage and an honest blog review. We paid for our travel and all associated costs. All views expressed within this post and across social media are our own. </i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-80276994101939411442019-07-18T10:56:00.000+01:002019-08-04T18:07:07.119+01:00What I've Learnt In My First Year As a School Mum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In just a few days, my biggest boy will have finished his first year of primary school and while I'm sitting here feeling all emotional about how quickly it's gone (a total cliché, I know!) he's already getting excited about going into Year 1.<br />
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This time last year I was feeling the pressure of getting Finley ready for Reception. I knew he'd be fine but I was more worried about how I'd handle it! I felt like I really had to step up to the mark - it's almost like I'd been playing pretend for 4.5 years and that having a child in school would suddenly make me a 'proper' mum! With that in mind, I thought it was time for a little look back on what I've learnt in my first year as a school mum:<br />
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<b><u>Free school dinners are totally worth signing up for</u></b><br />
Not only have they saved me a fortune in packed lunches, but they've also saved me the stress of having to make them the night before (or, realistically, at the last minute every morning!) I really like knowing that Finley gets a well balanced meal every day and eating with his friends has encouraged him to try loads of new things.<br />
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<b><u>Clarks still make bloody good school shoes!</u></b><br />
I can still remember being dragged around shoe shops, waiting for what felt like forever to be measured, moaning that my feet hurt and generally complaining about the whole process (sorry mum!) It was always worth it to get good quality Clarks shoes though, so of course I did the same for Finley. Typically, he had a big growth spurt after turning 5 so they only lasted from September until January. I ended up buying a cheap pair of supermarket own brand ones to tide him over until I could go shoe shopping in half term and they fell to bits pretty quickly - lesson learnt!<br />
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<b><u>School mum friends are lifesavers</u></b><br />
Honestly, I couldn't have survived this year without my little group of mum friends! I know not everyone is fussed about the social side of school and besides, making friends as an adult is hard, but I really embraced the chance to get to know some new faces. It's been so nice to have people to chat to at the school gates, sit with at birthday parties and just generally check in with about school life ("When does this trip form need to be in by? Have you started on the homework yet? Could you let the teacher know I'm going to be 5 minutes late at pick-up time?!")<br />
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<b><u>You'll be handing out loose change left, right and centre</u></b><br />
I've had to start saving my change in a jar for Finley because he seems to need money for something every 5 minutes. You'll need to send in money for snacks, trips, PTA events, non-uniform days, charity donations, the list goes on...<br />
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<b><u>Preparation is key</u></b><br />
It sounds obvious but having everything laid out the night before has made the the mad dash to get ready for school a million times easier. I did this from day one but then I saw a tip on Facebook about organising school uniform into a 5 drawer storage tower, so off I went to B&Q in search of one (for some reason, most places only seem to do them in 3s or 4s) which I labelled up with each day of the week and it's ruled my mornings ever since. It hasn't stopped us from being late but it's definitely helped!<br />
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<b><u>There's always something to dress up for</u></b><br />
With World Book Day, Christmas Jumper Day, Children In Need, Red Nose Day and an assortment of random non-uniform days popping up throughout the year, you'll need a well-stocked dressing up box for all occasions. Failing that, Amazon Prime and 24 hour supermarkets are your friends (and yes, I am talking from experience!)<br />
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<b><u>Watching your child perform on stage will make you burst with pride</u></b><br />
I'd been to nursery performances before so I wasn't expecting things like harvest festivals, assemblies and nativities at school to make me emotional, but I couldn't have been more wrong! There was a definite lump in my throat as I watched Finley twirling around on stage and singing his little heart out during the nativity play. He's always been quite shy but school has given him so much confidence!<br />
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<b><u>The mum guilt will creep in at some point</u></b><br />
I've been invited to so many parent events, activities, assemblies and school trips throughout the year but going to every single one of them just isn't feasible. I work every day and although I've been able to swap a few hours here and there, poor Finley has had to learn that I can't always drop everything to come to school in the middle of the day. I've been lucky that other people have covered the things I couldn't go to (Grandma went to sports day and some of my mum friends took photos of him receiving prizes in assembly!) but the times that I did manage to make it in were pretty special.<br />
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<b><u>Expect to hear the words "I don't know" or "I can't remember" on a daily basis</u></b><br />
It doesn't matter how many different ways I phrase the question, whenever I ask Finley what he's been doing at school the answer is always the same! Of course he suddenly remembers and wants to tell me every single detail of his day as soon as his head hits the pillow at bedtime...!<br />
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<b><u>It's one of the most rewarding years of your life!</u></b><br />
I've been amazed at how much his class have learnt in such a short space of time. Since September, Finley's gone from scribbling to drawing proper pictures, from writing just his name to writing full sentences with capital letters and full stops, and from "I can't read!" to confidently reading entire chapter books. It's totally blown my mind and made me so ridiculously proud.<br />
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This year has been exhausting and amazing (for both me and Finley!) in equal measures but I'm told that Year 1 is a whole different ball game so I've got a feeling I'll be back at square one come September. In the meantime though, I'm off for celebratory drinks with the school mums tomorrow night then it's time to start enjoying the summer holidays. Bring it on!<br />
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-33965398353502321292019-05-21T14:04:00.002+01:002019-10-18T14:02:19.071+01:00Our Top Tips for Caravanning with Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With half term just around the corner and the summer holidays looming on the horizon, there's no better time to book a last minute family getaway! It doesn't have to be somewhere expensive, exotic or even very far from home, which is something we quickly learnt when we bought our first caravan.<br />
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We picked up the keys to our little holiday home on wheels two years ago. It was a very spontaneous decision but not completely out of the blue as my other half has worked in the caravan industry for years - he's an expert at fixing other peoples' caravans but we'd never really considered owning one ourselves until the boys came along.<br />
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Of course they absolutely love it - having the freedom to explore outside, going on a different adventure every day and still being surrounded by home comforts has made them both big fans of caravan holidays.<br />
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But where do you start if you've never done it before? It took us a while to really get the hang of caravanning with kids so let me save you some stress by sharing what we've learnt...<br />
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<b><u>Try before you buy</u></b></div>
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Hire a caravan first to find out if it's right for you. One of the most important things to consider (whether you're hiring or buying) is the layout as not all of them are suited to family life. You'll need to make sure it has enough beds for everyone, easy access to the toilet and plenty of storage space. Ours has fixed bunk beds at the back so the boys have their own little bedroom which can be closed off with a sliding door. </div>
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<b><u>Stay local</u></b></div>
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Start off by travelling shorter distances - it'll give you the chance to practice getting everything set up at your own pace, rather than rushing around after a long drive. We really enjoy staying at local sites because they open up the possibility of long weekends away (and to be honest, the boys are just happy to be on holiday no matter where we are!)<br />
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<b><u>Pick the right site</u></b></div>
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Do plenty of research in advance to find out how child-friendly your chosen site is. Think about which facilities are important to you and what will suit the age of your kids - some have arcades, soft play areas, swimming pools and evening entertainment but that can bump up the price of your stay (which is a bit pointless if you're not going to use them!) The boys are starting to need a wider range of activities to keep them entertained as they get older but, up until recently, they've been content with anywhere that has a good play area and plenty of space to run around.<br />
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<b><u>Choose your pitch carefully</u></b><br />
If you're able to choose your pitch then it's worth asking for one that's as safe as possible - think about how much shade it has, its proximity to roads, whether there are any surrounding hedges and how far it is from the play area. Of course it's all about personal preference but, given the choice, I'd rather be pitched slightly further away from other vans so I don't feel too guilty if the boys are being noisy!</div>
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<b><u>Little helpers</u></b><br />
If your little ones are old enough to help with setting up then let them! It will probably make the whole process take a lot longer but it'll keep them occupied and they'll be learning along the way. Finley's favourite job is winding the caravan's legs down and Jacob loves to help with filling up the water!<br />
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<b><u>Safety first</u></b><br />
Childproof your caravan in the same way that you would your home. Obviously each child (and caravan!) is different so I can't cover every single safety aspect but a good starting point would be to fit bed guards to your children's beds, socket covers over any plug sockets within their reach and safety catches on the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen area. Check that your caravan has a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher, a working smoke alarm, etc. and keep a well stocked first aid kit to hand (don't forget to top it up with lots of plasters and a big bottle of Calpol before you set off!) </div>
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<b><u>Don't let the weather get you down</u></b></div>
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The idea of a wholesome, outdoorsy holiday is all well and good in theory but the reality is that it will probably rain at some point (sorry!) As well as packing books, games and iPads, it's also handy to have a small TV/ DVD player to keep everyone entertained while you're sheltering in the caravan. You probably won't want to spend the whole day inside though, so take wellies and raincoats for everyone too. If you've got some room to spare, I'd also recommend packing onesies for the kids so that they can play in the awning on chilly mornings or go for an evening bike ride around the site.<br />
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<b><u>Invest in an awning - the bigger, the better! </u></b></div>
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This is a must if you're caravanning with kids! Being in a confined space can be full on for even the closest of families, so adding an awning to your setup will give you all a bit of breathing space. It also creates extra storage space and makes for a nice place to eat meals together (<b><a href="https://www.attachmentmummy.com/2018/05/what-to-cook-on-self-catering-holiday.html" target="_blank">you can find some great ideas for what to cook on a self-catering holiday here</a></b>) or chill out with a drink once the kids are in bed. The added bonus of an awning is that you can turn it into a safe little play area, too. Ours usually ends up full of train tracks but we've seen other people with ride on toys, a folding tunnel and even a small slide in theirs!<br />
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<b><u>Pack and prepare</u></b></div>
You're bound to forget something when you're trying to pack at the same time as chasing around after little ones, but that's exactly why I've made myself a packing spreadsheet (sad, I know!) You don't have to go to that extent, but it's worth making a list of essentials that you can refer back to each time you go away. As well as all the obvious things, I'd recommend packing a travel high chair for smaller children, a baby bath or flexi-bucket for washing kids down after beach days (some sites have family bathrooms but if not then this is the next best thing!) and a large laundry bag to bundle all your washing into the boot at the end of your holiday.<br />
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<b><u>Make a toy box for your caravan</u></b></div>
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Consider making up a small box of toys, games and DVDs that lives in the caravan. Not only will it make them seem like a novelty, but it'll give you one less thing to pack when the time comes (just don't include anything with lots of little pieces or you'll end up spending half your holiday tidying them up!) </div>
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<b><u>Embrace the chaos!</u></b><br />
Caravanning with kids can be messy, noisy and occasionally a little bit stressful, but I promise it's all worth it! The boys are only 5 and 2 but they've already had so many great holidays in our little caravan and it's all because we've learnt to go with the flow when we're away. There's no magic formula to making it work but if you're prepared to be flexible with routine (especially at bedtime when the evenings are lighter and it's noisy outside) and take each day as it comes then you'll have a van full of very happy campers! </div>
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Have you taken your kids on a caravan holiday before? How did you get on? If you've got any tips to add to the list then let us know! </div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-82751378402563921062019-05-13T18:04:00.000+01:002019-08-04T18:08:09.730+01:00How to Make Money at a Nearly New Sale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As much as I hate to admit it, it's pretty likely that we won't be having any more babies. I think I'll always be a little bit broody but these days I find myself spending less time reminiscing about the boys being tiny and more time embracing all the milestones and watching them grow.<br />
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So what will we do with all the baby things that won't be needed any more? The boys' first outfits and other little keepsakes are tucked safely away in memory boxes but with everything else taking up valuable space in cupboards and the loft, I decided it was time for a clear out.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The answer was to sell as much of it as possible at a nearly new sale. Not only are they the perfect place for new and expectant parents to buy pre-loved goodies but they also provide a great opportunity to make money from all your old baby paraphernalia in one place - basically, everyone's a winner!<br />
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So far this year I've done two sales and made around £100 at each one. They both went really well but required a little bit of planning, so thought I'd share what I've learnt in case you're thinking of selling at a nearly new sale too.<br />
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<u><b>Before you book a table:</b></u><br />
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<li>Do your research by having a look at which nearly new sales take place in your area, when they are and how easy they are to get to. If you're in Bristol then the most popular ones locally are <a href="https://www.mum2mummarket.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b>Mum2Mum Markets</b></a>, <a href="https://www.cheekimonkeys.co.uk/home" target="_blank"><b>Cheeki Monkeys</b></a> and <a href="https://littlepicklesmarkets.co.uk/bristol-and-gloucestershire/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Little Pickles Markets</a>.</li>
<li>Go along as a buyer to get a better idea of what to expect. You'll be able to see how sellers lay out their stalls, how they price their items and how much space you're likely to be allocated. </li>
<li>Find out how much it costs to book a stall - this may vary from one sale to the next and can depend on the size of your table. You'll also need to take into account some of the other costs of running a stall, such as a clothes rail, hangers, boxes, tags and labels. Add it all up and make sure that you've got enough to sell to offset that initial cost, otherwise it's not worth the hassle! </li>
<li>Start getting all your items ready well in advance (this took a LOT longer than I was expecting it to!) It can take a while to wash, clean, label and organise everything so give yourself a head start by pulling things together as soon as you've booked your table. </li>
<li>Not sure where to start? Big ticket items such as buggies, cots, jumperoos and playmats are the most sought after so get those ready first! </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyjTtKHVdpiEpn1D_wtMkEsa2BDsurICMkyJ1-1_GD_XqzqBXconjKUhTv1zQciXndlwtvsEYrXbuk5G76NRlV3BNC0b364ozGNJTX7tU6ZdoT9LO9BJZAeQst1E-tl7z7CWnjx57XfU/s1600/IMG_5785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="second hand maternity clothes for sale on labelled hangers" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyjTtKHVdpiEpn1D_wtMkEsa2BDsurICMkyJ1-1_GD_XqzqBXconjKUhTv1zQciXndlwtvsEYrXbuk5G76NRlV3BNC0b364ozGNJTX7tU6ZdoT9LO9BJZAeQst1E-tl7z7CWnjx57XfU/s1600/IMG_5785.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Preparing to sell:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Be picky! Only sell things that you'd want to buy yourself - the rest can go to the charity shop!</li>
<li>Try to group similar items together. At both sales, I found that bundles of clothing sold really well as people wanted to get more for their money (especially those who were on the lookout for certain sizes). </li>
<li>Make it easy for buyers to see what they're getting. I did this by neatly folding my bundles of clothes and sealing them in medium sized sandwich bags, but you could create a smarter (and less wasteful) version of this by using string or ribbon to tie everything together. </li>
<li>Consider creating a bargain box! If you find yourself with lots of leftover items after making up your bundles then it's worth labelling up a box of things for a set price, such as 'everything for £1'. This was something else that proved to be really popular, not just at my stall but on several others as well. </li>
<li>Label everything in advance - it will save SO much time on the day! Knowing that your items are already labelled will also help to keep your stress levels down when you're rushing around trying to get your stall ready. I used sticky labels for the smaller items but found these to be a bit hit and miss as they stuck to some items better than others. For the larger items and boxes I used brightly coloured card to make signs and, judging by the feedback from buyers, these worked much better. </li>
<li>Price things to sell. This might sound obvious but it really does pay to be realistic about how much you're likely to make from each item. I spent a fair bit of time looking on eBay and Facebook Marketplace to get an idea of what similar items were selling for and used those figures as a starting point. It's worth baring in mind that people will want to haggle too, so label things at your highest price but prepare to be flexible.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Bu3X1CC3ozoVA-9tRFwpJE0yUDAlv7l5hekVtj_7qg1oTE0PZ5aiB7B4_T02Vq7UnQTGKkiAQX7neY3xObBdSmO-rqUfLW5YU-CbeX0Yuqh7zZoxxkmlGuu-GjPDvi6yx6VV_25jESI/s1600/IMG_5792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="assorted second hand baby and toddler clothes in boxes at a table top sale" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Bu3X1CC3ozoVA-9tRFwpJE0yUDAlv7l5hekVtj_7qg1oTE0PZ5aiB7B4_T02Vq7UnQTGKkiAQX7neY3xObBdSmO-rqUfLW5YU-CbeX0Yuqh7zZoxxkmlGuu-GjPDvi6yx6VV_25jESI/s1600/IMG_5792.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b><u>On the day:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Arrive early and give yourself plenty of time to get set up. At each of the sales I did, I had an hour to get sorted (which sounds like ages, but trust me when I say that it flies by!) so chances are that you won't have long. Things can get hectic with lots of people moving around so try not to let yourself get flustered and just focus on your own stall. </li>
<li>Take someone with you - even if it's just so you can pop to the loo or grab a drink! Not only will you need an extra pair of hands to set up, but it can also be useful to have two people on your stall so that you can talk to even more buyers. I say this as someone who had help with the setup but spent the sale itself flying solo! </li>
<li>Presentation is key - the easier it is for buyers to find what they want, the more likely they are to part with their cash! If you lay things out neatly and keep your stall clutter free, people are guaranteed to stop for a look. In fact, without wanting to sound too big-headed, I had a lot of comments on how organised my stall was so I can vouch for that! </li>
<li>Keep things up high if you can. I used the space underneath my table to display toys and books but found that people were less likely to crouch down and have a proper look in these boxes (and don't forget that a lot of your buyers will be pregnant, so bending down is out of the question!) Instead, use upturned boxes to add levels to your table and make everything more accessible. </li>
<li>Take something to store your cash in - either a tin or a bum bag will do. It's worth filling it up with around £50-100 of change before the sale as you can guarantee that people will want to pay with notes (especially at the start!) It also helps to have carrier bags on hand in case your buyers have forgotten them and a marker pen so that you can alter your prices if needs be. </li>
<li>Prepare for the first hour to be the busiest. Speaking from experience as a buyer, I know that most people will turn up early to try and nab the best bargains so expect a big flurry of buyers once the doors open! </li>
<li>Enjoy your profits! Not all nearly new sales operate in the same way, but the ones that I've done allow you to keep all of the money you make on the day. I found it helped to have clear idea of what I was going to do with the money so that it didn't end up being spent on day to day stuff (in my case, I took out a small amount to reimburse myself for the cost of the stall and split the rest between my boys' savings accounts). </li>
</ul>
If you're gearing up for your first nearly new sale then good luck! Have fun and don't be too disheartened if you don't manage to sell everything at once - with everything already labelled and packed up, it's easy enough to just book a stall at the next one and try again!<br />
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Have you ever been to a nearly new sale before? How did you find it? I'd love to hear all about your best bargains!<br />
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<i>(Disclaimer: This post contains my own thoughts and is in no way endorsed by or sponsored by any of the brands/ companies mentioned.)</i><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-87810397919115331512019-05-05T09:18:00.003+01:002019-08-04T18:08:28.672+01:00Getting Started with Cloth Nappies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbjdOmIWYyrNJ7rtSSUhN6gO1b40ElCkjkEK695PfusYE1DIjrLjRIDQ_w_SLHNofyXM6LpOhjqBrIVClGQ-sAsPoLQXj8fX83UyT9SdtfRoY4kituhzoOm1FiQ8HyguM6KC0ojn3rmQ/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="toddler wearing a bumgenius cloth nappy and standing on a bed" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbjdOmIWYyrNJ7rtSSUhN6gO1b40ElCkjkEK695PfusYE1DIjrLjRIDQ_w_SLHNofyXM6LpOhjqBrIVClGQ-sAsPoLQXj8fX83UyT9SdtfRoY4kituhzoOm1FiQ8HyguM6KC0ojn3rmQ/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-8.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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I've been blown away by the reaction to this year's Real Nappy Week (Fortnight) and it seems that more people are showing an interest in switching to cloth than ever before!<br />
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There have been so many positive conversations around cloth nappies on social media over the last couple of weeks, which has led to quite a few questions landing in my inbox. Since so many people have been asking similar things, I thought I'd answer them here by putting together some tips on how to get started with cloth nappies:<br />
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<b>Choose your nappies</b><br />
First thing's first, you'll need to decide which nappies will work best for you and your baby. That might sound a bit daunting as there's a lot of jargon surrounding reusable nappies, but what it all boils down to is that there are different types. Your best bet is to go along to your local nappy library, where you'll be able to see every type of nappy close up and have a go at using them yourself. You'll also be able to get expert advice and hire trial kits to see how you get on. You can find your nearest one <a href="http://www.uknappynetwork.org/find-a-library.html" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.<br />
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If you don't have a nappy library nearby then the next best thing is to fill in The Nappy Lady's <a href="https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/advice-questionnaire.html" target="_blank"><b>advice questionnaire</b></a>. This is an online form that you can send off to determine which nappies will suit your needs. There's a lot of questions to answer but it's worth doing as the results will give you a really good starting point.<br />
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Another option is to just pick up an all-in-one style nappy and go for it! The design of these nappies means they're very similar to the disposables that you're familiar with and don't require any explanation to get started. You can find Bambino Mio's '<a href="https://www.bambinomio.com/en/miosolo-nappy" target="_blank"><b>Miosolo</b></a>' nappies in Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, so it's easy enough to just grab one off the shelf when you're doing your weekly shop and see how you get on.<br />
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<b>Check the fit</b><br />
Right, now it's time to put that nappy on! Most all-in-one nappies are designed to fit babies from birth right up until they're potty trained which means that they're fully adjustable in length and width. You'll need to have a play around with the fastenings until you find the right fit for your baby but the good news is that once you're happy with the length, you can leave those poppers done up ready for the next nappy change. Cloth nappies tend to fit quite snugly so if you're used to disposables you might find yourself worrying that it's too tight, but unless you're getting bright red marks then it's probably ok (elastic marks are fine though - a bit like the ones you get when you take your socks off!) This handy little guide explains things a bit better and acts as a great point of reference:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhdmtFm1hjnvxIz0H_kTUCeDLyKOxaRg7HuHy0DnceFpA44eqSkiVyvTIlI7jfXXzhrYGXdqiAtfxL975r6MhPd9G3dO2zoBjUkNfohxHq6KMv9wCQpnUEdqlg3RGwvUFArKV8SoHTZY/s1600/inCollage_20180504_121706012-01_grande.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhdmtFm1hjnvxIz0H_kTUCeDLyKOxaRg7HuHy0DnceFpA44eqSkiVyvTIlI7jfXXzhrYGXdqiAtfxL975r6MhPd9G3dO2zoBjUkNfohxHq6KMv9wCQpnUEdqlg3RGwvUFArKV8SoHTZY/s320/inCollage_20180504_121706012-01_grande.jpeg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bohobabesnappies.com.au/pages/ensuring-the-perfect-fit" target="_blank">Photo via Boho Babes Cloth Nappies</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Extra bits and bobs</b><br />
Once you're ready to change the nappy, you'll need somewhere to put the used one. We use a bucket lined with a mesh bag when we're at home and a wet bag for when we're out and about (although some people prefer to use wet bags at home as well as on the go - it's all about personal preference!)<br />
When you're putting the fresh nappy on, you might want to consider adding a booster (a super absorbent piece of material) to make the nappy last longer between changes. You could also add a liner (either disposable or fleece) to catch any poo and make it easier to dispose of.<br />
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<b>Night time</b><br />
It's worth mentioning that you're likely to need different nappies for night time use. Now, I say this because to begin with, I naively thought that adding extra boosters to our normal nappies would do the trick - it turns out I was very, very wrong! Since most all-in-ones need to be changed every 3 hours or so, they're just not absorbent enough to last all night. It turns out that the best combination for overnight is a fitted bamboo nappy with a waterproof wrap over the top (we use a <b><a href="https://www.totsbots.com/category/bamboozle-night-time-nappies" target="_blank">Tots Bots Bamboozle</a></b> with a <a href="https://lizziesrealnappies.co.uk/collections/mother-ease-airflow-wrap-nappy-cover/products/mother-ease-airflow-wrap-designs?variant=22579628736570" target="_blank"><b>Motherease Airflow wrap</b></a> and I'm yet to find a more leak-proof combo!)<br />
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<b>Washing</b><br />
If you're stocking up on new nappies then you'll need to give them a quick pre-wash before they go on to make them more absorbent (a bit like towels, really). Once you've started using them and have enough for a washload then just pop them all in the machine - first on a cold rinse cycle, then on a long, hot wash (either at 40 or 60 degrees, depending on your nappy's instructions) and hang up to dry. It's as simple as that! The only thing to keep in mind is that washing powder works better on nappies than liquid and you should never use fabric softener on them as it affects the absorbency.<br />
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<b>Anything else?</b><br />
That's it, you're good to go! Just remember that switching to cloth nappies isn't an all or nothing process - you don't have to change all of your habits at once and you don't have to use cloth full time if you're not able to for whatever reason (for example, we still use disposables when we're on holiday - partly because there's not always access to washing facilities, and partly because I feel that holidays should be a break from doing chores!)<br />
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My number one top tip is just to stick at it - it's so easy to feel disheartened if you get leaks but getting the fit right can take some practice (this was exactly what happened when we tried cloth first time round and I wish someone had told me that then!) so just keep going and I promise you'll be glad that you did.<br />
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If you've been inspired to give cloth a go then good luck! I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have about using cloth nappies but if you're after some expert advice then I've made a list of some useful links below:<br />
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<b><u>Nappy Libraries:</u></b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.uknappynetwork.org/" target="_blank">UK Nappy Network</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BristolClothNappyLibrary/" target="_blank">Bristol Cloth Nappy Library</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bathclothnappylibrary" target="_blank">Bath Cloth Nappy Library</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClothConnectionsSGlos/" target="_blank">Cloth Connections (South Glos)</a></b><br />
<b><a href="http://northsomersetnappies.org.uk/" target="_blank">North Somerset Nappies</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWSClothNappyLibrary" target="_blank">Somerset & West Somerset Cloth Nappy Library</a></b><br />
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<b><u>Advice:</u></b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.fill-your-pants.com/frequentlyaskedquestions.html" target="_blank">Fill Your Pants</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoRealNappyInfo/" target="_blank">Go Real</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.nappyeverafter.co.uk/reusable-nappy-advice-34-w.asp" target="_blank">Nappy Ever After</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.thenappygurus.com/" target="_blank">The Nappy Gurus</a></b><br />
<a href="https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b>The Nappy Lady</b></a><br />
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<b><u>Facebook Groups:</u></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/472934562806883/" target="_blank">BriSGlos Nappy Users</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/cbmadvice/" target="_blank">Cloth Bum Mums - Fluffy Advice & Chat</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/454035041410073/" target="_blank">Go Real UK Cloth Nappy Chat and Information</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenappygurus/" target="_blank">The Nappy Guru Place</a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TNLParentGroup/" target="_blank">The Nappy Lady Pregnancy, Baby & Parenting Group</a></b><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-73206633699350177022019-04-28T16:55:00.002+01:002019-11-01T13:31:23.818+00:00Real Nappy Week 2019: Discounts, Offers and Freebies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pdGmYiBauKT0VGC5mn2Xk3oBqmQLifhyDd5vwh17D0xTj0uu9QNtohM0Zi-100OzjJVHt3AuUJszE_MGI8fLT3VduNF2dmkGxm2e9Gw6PbLM4jIGrKiBDSQqjhfdAg5vVp51E6YffLk/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="shelf full of colourful patterned cloth nappies" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pdGmYiBauKT0VGC5mn2Xk3oBqmQLifhyDd5vwh17D0xTj0uu9QNtohM0Zi-100OzjJVHt3AuUJszE_MGI8fLT3VduNF2dmkGxm2e9Gw6PbLM4jIGrKiBDSQqjhfdAg5vVp51E6YffLk/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-5.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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As well as being a great excuse to shout about the benefits of cloth nappies, Real Nappy Week is also the perfect opportunity to bag yourself a bargain!<br />
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Many eco-friendly retailers celebrate Real Nappy Week by offering discounts or free gifts so if you're new to the world of cloth nappies then there's no better time to start building your stash as you can pick up all the essentials for a fraction of the cost. There are also tonnes of giveaways, competitions and prize draws across social media so it's worth keeping an eye on the <b>#realnappyweek</b> hashtag if you're feeling lucky.<br />
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Of course it's not just about those who are new to reusables - if you've already got enough cloth nappies (is that even possible?!) then you'll be pleased to know that a lot of deals also include nappy accessories too (I've currently got wet bags, boosters and cloth wipes on my shopping list!)<br />
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I've trawled the web for this year's best deals but, as always, if you spot something I've missed then please send me your links so I can add them to the list:<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.babipur.co.uk/real-nappy-week-2019" target="_blank">Babi Pur</a></b><br />
Receive a free gift when you order anything from the reusable nappy section and checkout with a basket total of £25 or more (29th April - 5th May)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.bambinomio.com/en/" target="_blank">Bambino Mio</a></b><br />
20% off everything (29th April - 5th May)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.cheekywipes.com/" target="_blank">Cheeky Wipes</a></b><br />
25% off everything (22nd April - 2nd May)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.ecopipo.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ecopipo Cloth Nappies</a></b><br />
15% off all products using code 'RNW19' at the checkout (22nd April - 3rd May)<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.fill-your-pants.com/real-nappy-week-2019.html" target="_blank">Fill Your Pants</a></b><br />
Discounts on selected products plus a free gift with orders over £20 using code 'FREEBIE' at the checkout (29th April - 3rd May)<br />
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<a href="https://www.freshbaby.co.uk/shop" target="_blank"><b>Fresh Baby</b></a><br />
10% off your order with code 'FRESHBABYGO' plus free gifts with orders over £40 (including fleece liners and nappy keyrings)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.growupgreen.co.uk/product-category/nappies/" target="_blank">Grow Up Green</a></b><br />
20% off kits and starter packs plus 15% off nappies and accessories with code 'RNW2019'.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.littlegreenbee.co.uk/shop-19" target="_blank">The Little Green Bee Co.</a></b><br />
Discounts on selected products.<br />
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<b><a href="https://littlelambnappies.com/" target="_blank">Little Lamb Nappies</a></b><br />
Refer a friend and you'll both get 30% off site-wide (29th April 2019 - 29th May 2019)<br />
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<b><a href="https://lizziesrealnappies.co.uk/collections/december-discounts" target="_blank">Lizzie's Real Nappies</a></b><br />
Discounts on real nappy trial kits, washable baby wipes, reusable swim nappies, washable breast pads and more, as well as discounts on the following brands: BumGenius, Tots Bots, Peenut, Baba and Boo, Flip, Charlie Banana, Pop-In, Little Lamb and Bambinex.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Nappy Lady</a></b><br />
20% off site-wide (29th April - 3rd May)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.naturalbabyshower.co.uk/collections/nappies-training" target="_blank">Natural Baby Shower</a></b><br />
20% off selected reusable nappies.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.tickle-tots.com/tickle-tots-shop" target="_blank">Tickle Tots</a></b><br />
Up to 20% off selected products.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.totsbots.com/" target="_blank">Tots Bots</a></b><br />
20% off reusable nappies (excluding the new 'Songtime' range) and wipes (29th April - 5th May)<br />
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<b><a href="https://yesbebe.co.uk/" target="_blank">Yes Bébé</a></b><br />
Up to 20% off across many popular nappy brands, up to 20% off wet bags, change mats and reusable wipes, giveaways, competitions and a 'digital scratchcard' with all qualifying orders.<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-38058214787729784812019-04-26T13:28:00.001+01:002019-08-09T20:57:33.275+01:00Best Clothes for Cloth Bums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_r4qeiQKnZHW5W2lJHSq3u8syoCGxERPFtMpIFeF4aWDHsV9xj77pH3iYFDeIelL-IoJazdd3UVKx9H6wMPEZA7dcgdcuojAgxlqjrJg-QI3Jc1sRSelpDESOstjtz628On62eraKSE/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close up of a miosolo cloth nappy being worn by a toddler playing outdoors" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_r4qeiQKnZHW5W2lJHSq3u8syoCGxERPFtMpIFeF4aWDHsV9xj77pH3iYFDeIelL-IoJazdd3UVKx9H6wMPEZA7dcgdcuojAgxlqjrJg-QI3Jc1sRSelpDESOstjtz628On62eraKSE/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-2.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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One of my favourite things about this time of year is that the weather is finally getting warm enough for Jacob to wander around the house in just a t-shirt and a nappy! I realise that probably doesn't make me sound like the greatest parent ever, but hear me out - not only does it give me less washing to do but it also means that everyone gets a little glimpse of his colourful cloth nappy collection!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Given that we live in the UK where the sun is never on our side, I should probably point out that he does spend most of his time fully clothed! But what do kids in cloth nappies wear? Well, in short, the answer is normal clothes.<br />
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One of the things that puts people off of trying reusable nappies is the idea that they'll have to buy special trousers to fit over them but that's simply not the case. Reusable nappies do tend to be bulkier than single use nappies so there are certain things that won't work (super skinny jeans, for example!) but generally speaking it's pretty easy to find stylish, comfy and affordable clothes for kids in cloth.<br />
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The only thing to keep in mind if you're shopping for cloth-friendly clothes is that they'll need to be a bit roomier around the bum - anything that's too tight will compress the nappy and cause it to leak. Some people work around this by just buying the next size up but, depending on your child's proportions, this isn't always an option (Jacob is tall and slim so although bigger sizes would fit over his nappies, they'd hang off him everywhere else!)<br />
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If you're still not sure where to start then take a look at our round-up of the best places to find clothes for cloth bums:<br />
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<b><a href="https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/kids.html" target="_blank">H&M</a></b><br />
A firm favourite amongst most cloth users, H&M is great for trousers, jeans, joggers, rompers and shorts, which all seem to be quite roomy around the bum. There's no special range to look out for, although a lot of people swear by their 'Conscious' brand which has the added bonus of being more sustainable. It's also worth mentioning that their vests are a great fit over cloth too!<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.next.co.uk/" target="_blank">Next</a></b><br />
Although they seem to get mixed reviews from other parents, we've found that Next's jogging bottoms (especially the harem style and drop crotch ones) are a great fit over Jacob's nappies. Their jeans are a little less roomy but it's possible to find ones that fit well if you choose the right styles. We've found that the trick is to go for drawstring waistbands (which a lot of their trousers seem to have) as they allow room for bulky bums but stop them from falling down around slimmer waists.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.welovefrugi.com/" target="_blank">Frugi</a></b><br />
If you're after something a bit brighter and more colourful than your average high street staples then Frugi have the answer! All of their clothes are specifically cut for cloth (in fact, the brand started life as 'Cut4Cloth'!) meaning that they're a guaranteed to give a perfect fit over reusable nappies. They are slightly pricier than other brands but with such beautiful designs and high quality, organic materials, you really do get what you pay for here.<br />
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<b><a href="https://maxomorra.com/" target="_blank">Maxomorra</a></b><br />
Another great choice for organic children's clothing is Swedish brand, Maxomorra. As well as trousers, they make a huge selection of other cloth-friendly clothes including rompers, onesies, dungarees, leggings, vests and even pyjamas. Their clothes are available in both plain colours and a range of bold, colourful patterns so you can mix and match to suit your child's personality.<br />
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<b><a href="https://fredandnoah.com/" target="_blank">Fred & Noah</a></b><br />
It's no secret that this is one of my favourite children's clothing brands! Fred & Noah's gorgeous leggings are handmade here in the UK and are all cut for cloth - if you look closely you'll notice that the seams are stitched up the sides of the legs rather than though the crotch, meaning that they don't press on the nappy. Their leggings are soft, stretchy and come in an ever-changing range of stylish patterns (which is terrible news for my bank balance!)<br />
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Of course there are loads of other amazing brands out there who aren't as well known as the ones I've listed, so if you've got a small business that makes or sells cloth-friendly clothes then feel free to shout about it in the comments!<br />
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<i>(Disclaimer: This post contains my own choice of products and is in no way endorsed by or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.)</i><br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-73005541267820395602019-04-22T18:32:00.001+01:002019-08-09T20:58:20.174+01:006 Reasons Why We Love Cloth Nappies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPXszvBUGHrVnLG6laVlBj2w_mEPY4LsrBQ8Shg2iopVQPxwVk3HeWyhcuO8XZqBlBO97fPiDJ3UJRZKh1Vw583hxBFFzbKK_XRygeveZ5vcd3zxOn8rfkXBaFdGuqoKVj9SRXqxuBR4/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hand and arm with star tattoo holding a pile of three colourful cloth nappies" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPXszvBUGHrVnLG6laVlBj2w_mEPY4LsrBQ8Shg2iopVQPxwVk3HeWyhcuO8XZqBlBO97fPiDJ3UJRZKh1Vw583hxBFFzbKK_XRygeveZ5vcd3zxOn8rfkXBaFdGuqoKVj9SRXqxuBR4/s1600/ThatLiz%2526ThoseBoys-RealNappyWeek2019-1.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Today is the first day of Real Nappy Week (although it's actually being stretched out to a fortnight of celebrations, information, advice and discounts this year because of when Easter falls) so you can expect lots of posts from us over the next few days!<br />
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If you've followed our blog for a while then you'll already know that we're passionate about using cloth nappies. We first gave them a try when Finley was 16 months old, then started again when Jacob was 10 weeks old and have been using them ever since.<br />
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Making the switch to reusable nappies ended up being one of the best decisions we ever made (quite a grand claim, I know!) but why do we love them so much?<br />
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<b>1. No more nappy rash</b><br />
Since Jacob has been in cloth, I can count on one hand how many times he's had nappy rash (and all of those have been a result of his poo rather than the harsh dyes and chemicals that are found in disposable nappies). The materials that his cloth nappies are made from also make them more comfortable for him to wear and feel really soft against his skin.<br />
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<b>2. Reliability</b><br />
I'm sure most parents would agree that an explosive poo is one of the worst things you can end up dealing with during the baby stage, but the great news is that with cloth nappies, poosplosions simply don't happen! Because they're designed to fit more snugly than disposables, there's no room for any poo to escape so it all stays contained within the nappy and gives us real peace of mind (especially when we're out and about).<br />
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<b>3. Running out of nappies is a thing of the past</b><br />
Having a constant supply of nappies at home means that it's been ages since we last had to do a late night dash to the supermarket to pick up a new pack (or worse, run out of nappies when the shops were shut!) Every so often I fall behind on the washing and don't have as many nappies to hand as I'd like but it's reassuring to know that there's no danger of running out completely!<br />
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<b>4. Kinder to my bank balance </b><br />
Obviously the initial cost of cloth nappies can add up (ours cost just under £400 in total) but they've definitely saved us money in the long run. Having a stash of cloth nappies has saved us from spending £10-15 per week on disposables for the last 2 years, which would have totalled approx. £1000-1500! Not only have we managed to keep costs down while Jacob is in nappies, but we'll also be able to sell them on to make some money back once he's potty trained.<br />
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<b>5. Better for the planet</b><br />
Whether it's an episode of Blue Planet, the shocking images in National Geographic or just a post that someone has shared on Facebook, I'm sure you've seen something that's opened your eyes to how much our rubbish is damaging the world around us. Given that around 6,000 tonnes of nappies are thrown away every day, it feels good to know that we're doing our bit to bring those numbers down. In fact, if you switch to just ONE reusable a day you can save over 900 nappies from landfill!<br />
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<b>6. Cloth nappies look super cute! </b><br />
Modern cloth nappies are available in so many bright colours and cute patterns that it's impossible not to like the look of them. I just love showing off Jacob's nappies at any opportunity and I've got to confess that, more often that not, I try and match them to his outfits too! Of course now that he's a bit older, Jacob likes being able to choose which nappy he wants to wear which makes changing him a lot easier (and if that's not a good enough reason to use cloth nappies then I don't know what is!)<br />
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299051633717785528.post-58300911187657499462019-03-23T09:00:00.000+00:002019-08-09T20:58:34.298+01:00Alder Hey Children's Charity: Daniel's Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It might be nearly 200 miles away from us here in Bristol, but word of the amazing care at Alder Hey Children's Hospital spreads far and wide.<br />
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Over the years, several of our friends and their families have received vital treatment and support at Alder Hey so we're always keen to help raise awareness.<br />
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There are so many ways that you can get involved too and since the launch of Alder Hey's new Running Hub, it's now easier than ever to do your bit for charity!<br />
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But why do they need your help? Find out what Alder Hey Children's Charity have to say:<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"</span></b>Childhood should be filled with happiness, laughter and fun but when a child becomes ill, they often have to be brave and grow up quickly. At Alder Hey Children’s Charity we want to support all of the children who come through our doors. Everything we do is with our amazing Alder Hey patients and their families in mind.<br />
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Just ask Daniel Bell, and his mum Rosalind.<br />
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When three year old Daniel was diagnosed with a brain tumour he was rushed to Alder Hey, a centre for excellence on brain conditions. The tumour was the size of an adult fist and there was a possibility that the surgery which would save his life could also rob him of key motor and mobility skills.<br />
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Thankfully, his surgeries were aided by Alder Hey’s state of the art 3-T MRI scanner. The device, which was paid for by the charity, allows surgeons to scan the brain during surgery and assess the success of the operation in the operating theatre and shortly after recovery. The equipment was featured recently in an episode of Hospital on BBC2 (again, in a lifesaving situation).<br />
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Daniel is now a healthy and active six year old boy, and a budding actor besides, who was recently seen in a production of Little Shop of Horrors with his local Performing Arts Club.<br />
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He also raises money for Alder Hey and was proud to be named a Young Ambassador for the charity. So far, Daniel and his family have raised more than £22,000 for Alder Hey by collecting people’s Christmas trees. But this is just one example - there are many other fun and exciting ways that our fundraisers can help out, from bake sales and charity car washes to exhilarating park runs.<br />
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All of our Alder Hey Children’s Charity ambassadors help to raise money for the charity so that we can continue to provide vital funding for life-saving medical equipment and facilities that make a real difference to families every day.<br />
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Recently we have installed distraction technology within our wards to help focus the attention away from the treatment or examinations that need to be carried out by our medical professionals and entertain young patients with colourful, bright and positive images projected on the walls of the room. This immersive technology helps to transform a white walled ward into a magical world where children can escape from reality and be free from fear and anxiety.<br />
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To be able to continue to provide innovative solutions such as the distraction technology and provide vital funds for Alder Hey, we rely on the support and kindness from the public - and that's where you come in! Alder Hey Children’s Charity has recently launched a brand new Running Hub to inspire and motivate people to run for charity. There are delicious recipe ideas, running tips and even detailed <a href="https://www.alderheycharity.org/run-for-charity/running-guides-advice/running-training-plans/" target="_blank"><b>running training plans</b></a>.<b><span style="font-size: large;">" </span></b><br />
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If you think you're up to the challenge of running a 5k, 10k or even a marathon then make sure you check out the <a href="https://www.alderheycharity.org/run-for-charity/" target="_blank"><b>Alder Hey Running Hub</b></a> and get involved!<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by, affiliated with or endorsed by Alder Hey Children's Charity and have not been paid to share this post. </i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276326772151706030noreply@blogger.com