Summer is here!

The summer is here and school is broken up. Of course that makes little difference to me since Michael is a toddler. However we do make some great use of the sun(when we have it!)

The park is great for all children. I am lucky that I have a really good park just 5 minutes away. It has a pond with ducks, a great playground on sand, splash zone and cafe. So needless to say, we spend a lot of time there. Michael loves feeding the ducks(one of his few words) and finding squirrels. A picnic means we can spend a good couple of hours there.

Swimming also is another great summer activity. Again luck mean I live in walking distance to a newly built leisure centre with two swimming pools, gym and play area. I think swimming is a key skill and Michael has taken lessons since he was 3 months old. He really does love it.

Visiting the beach is a little harder for us but it is only around 40 minutes on the train. We try to go at least once in the summer and make a day of it. It does not have to be expensive. Take a picnic with you and your bucket and spade and you have a great day. 

What activities do you plan for the summer?

H. 

Activities with Children In London:Part 2

So I have already shared some great places to visit in London with your kids if you are on a tight budget. However if you do have some money to spare over half term then here are some of the places I enjoy visiting with Michael.

1.Discover Children's Story Centre-Stratford. Adult/Child- £5. Free for under 2s.

I visited this for the first time last week with Michael and we really enjoyed it. He loved the indoor and outdoor area. There was puppets, dress up, a secret cave, slides, a pirate ship, crafts and lots more. We happily spent a good couple of hours there and had lunch in their outdoor seating area. I do love a good packed lunch! Really enjoyable if your children love their books like Michael does. It is a great place for imaginations to run wild.

2. London Transport Museum-Covent Garden. Annual Membership- £16.50. free for under 17s

I remember visiting this museum as a child and really enjoyed it so recently I decided to take Michael there as he is obsessed with cars and trains! Some of it Michael was too small to interact with but there was the All Aboard Play areas for him and play tables with trains to enjoy. Children can also have a go at being bus and train drivers and this was very popular. You pay for a ticket and this gives you entrance for a year so we will be making use of that!

3. London Zoo- Nearest station-Camden Town. Adults- £24.30 Kids-£17.10 free for under 2s

London Zoo is quite expensive but it is a great zoo to visit. There is so many animals to see! The gorillas, the Penguins, hippos, Tigers, the meerkats. The list is endless. We wanted to take Michael somewhere special for his first birthday and so this was our choice. He liked looking at the animals and it was a great day out. I would advise either avoiding the zoo shop or taking some extra money because the souvenirs can be pretty expensive. I personally like souvenirs only if they have the place you have visited written on them. So we avoided the stuffed animals we could have bought anywhere and bought Michael a children's cup for about £8. He still uses it now. 

4. Sea Life Aquarium- Southbank- Prices range from £15.90.

I am not a massive fan of the aquarium myself, not a fan of sea life! However Michael really enjoys it. It holds the largest collection of global marine life in Europe and you can see all sorts of sea life here from seahorses to sharks! If your child enjoys looking at animals, then they will enjoy the aquarium. Afterwards you can walk along the Southbank watching the street performers and pointing the boats out along the Thames. You can also see Big Ben and the London Eye. Along Southbank there is usually a carousel to ride which Michael rode last week when visiting the Transport Museum. 

5. Madame Tussauds- Nearest station-Baker Street- Adult-£33 Child £28.80

Michael has technically visited this place when I went when I was 8 months pregnant. My mother had a 2for1 voucher from The Sun newspaper so off we went. I really enjoyed having my picture taken with all the celebrities from David Beckham to the Queen. There are loads of wax works there to see. I enjoyed James Bond myself! There is also now a Marvel Super Hereos 3D experience that is a great show. Really enjoyable. I don't think I would take Michael for a few years yet, not until he can really appreciate he is seeing celebrities but for a older child, it is a great place to visit for a half term treat.

If you have any other suggestions then share them in the comments below.

Enjoy the half term!

H.