Easter – the joy of five

Arts And Crafts, Children, Easter, Families, Family Life, Flowers, Gifts, Messy play

Pop Out Tulip Easter Card #BostikBloggers

February 24, 2018by thejoyoffive2 Comments

The first glimpses of spring have started to show over the past few weeks from longer evenings and sunny spells to my favourite blooms showing their pretty heads.

Daffodils and tulips are my absolute favs and with Easter not to far away I thought I would create a card that sums up the beauty and brightness of spring with a pop out tulip card for my #BostikBloggers project this month.

Pop Out Tulip Easter Card

What you need:

Ready made blank card and envelope
Yellow card
Green card
Pencil
Glue stick

Firstly take the yellow card and draw the shape of six tulip heads of the same size, then take the green card and draw four leaves and one stem for the bottom of the tulip.

Cut out each of the components and discard of the rubbish.

Take each tulip head and make a fold down the centre of each one, then take the glue stick and apply glue to one side and stick another of the heads to each side.

When they are all attached stick the flower into the top centre of the blank card.

From the bottom on the flower head stick the stem to the card. Then take the leaves and bend them slightly at the top and stick to the bottom of the stem.

Once everyone is in place then the card is complete.

* I was given a craft box from Bostik for the purpose of this review.

Charity, Children, Chocolate, Easter, Easter Eggs, Egg hunts, Families, Family Life

Easter Egg Hunt For George And The Giant Pledge

April 15, 2017May 6, 2017by thejoyoffive8 Comments

This weekend there will be hundreds of of egg hunts going on be it something small in your own back garden or larger organised events.

This year we decided to go along to Limpsfield Chart in Surrey to join in with a hunt that has been organised by George And The Giant Pledge, a charity set up to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Hospital in aid of a very special little boy called George who is currently fighting a primitive neuro ectodermal tumour.

The hospital has been of great support to him and his family and I know through personal experience with my own Mother and Aunt the service they offer is invaluable to so many people.

We have visited the Ridland Lane National Trust area many times to seek out all of the little houses that have been lovingly placed around the woods so I knew the children would love a visit to take part in an Easter activity.

The woods had been adorned with bunting and balloons and all the volunteers had really got into the spirit of things.

The hunt was £3 to take part in and it is being run on a first come, first served basis.

The children are given a map of the woods with a list of all the houses that they needed to find and stamp to say they had found each one.

They ran round at top speed filling in their sheets, hiding in dens, climbing trees and swinging on the huge swing.

Worn out and sheets completed we made our way back to claim our prizes and have their faces painted.

The hunt is running from 10-4 on the 16th and 17th April and as I said works on a first come first served basis.

If you are looking for a hunt this weekend I would highly recommend this fabulous hunt for a fantastic cause or if you would like to find out a little more about George And The Giant Pledge then take a look HERE.

Allergies, Allergy Free, Baking, Cakes, Children, Dairy Free, Diet, Easter, Egg Free, Families, Family Life, Food

Allergy Friendly Easter Cupcakes

April 13, 2017by thejoyoffive2 Comments

Easter is always a tricky time for Frankie and his allergies but this year he is feeling it even more so.

For a few months he had been allowed dairy and it had opened up his eyes to the world of real chocolate.

We had all really hoped that this would be the first year he would be able to get a Easter egg the same as his siblings but sadly this isn’t the case.

Stomach problems, bad skin and mood swings had all come on in force again and the doctors decided it was probably down to the dairy so we had to say goodbye to it again.

It’s been a hugely tough couple of months as he was so enjoying everything that came will the inclusion of dairy so this Easter I’m going to have to go that extra mile to make it special for him.

These cupcakes that mimic a chick cracking from an egg have really put a smile on his face and could easily be converted to your usual ingredients.

Allergy Friendly Easter Cupcakes

100g gluten free self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
100g dairy free spread
Egg replacer for equivalent of 2 eggs
1tsp baking powder
Pack ready roll fondant icing
12 decorative chicks
12 cupcake cases

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/400F and lay out cases into cake tin.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix with electric whisk until combined.
Place ingredients into cases as bake for 13/16 mins.
Once cook allow to cool on rack.
Whilst cooling roll out a small amount of icing to about a thickness of 2cm.
Cut out a circle slightly larger than the cakes and create a cross in the middle.
Lay on top of the cake and peel up edges of the cross to open a whole in the centre.
In this gap place one of the chicks to create the look of a hatching chick.

Banstead, Cafes, Children, Easter, Families, Family Life, Food

A Park Cafe Ready For Any Weather

March 25, 2016by thejoyoffive10 Comments

Today we thought we would make the most of the good weather and take a trip to Pistaschios In The Park, Banstead.

We have been regulars to this park for some time and love the spacious cafe with a great ajoining playground.

Today I meet with the lovely new manager Javid who showed me the fabulous new addition of a soft play area for toddlers which has made an extra bonus to an already great cafe.

They serve a selection of great hot and cold foods and fab coffee that I can vouch for.

With the weather being so good today we couldn’t say no to a delicious ice cream and a yummy lolly that was perfect for number four’s allergies.

The only downside up until now has been the problem with water logging in the playground. I love getting out and about and covered in mud, but when it comes to puddles at the end of slides and under climbing frames it not so much fun! Thankfully this problem has now been resolved with a fabulous all weather surface covering the entire playground.

The children enjoyed climbing, swinging and slidding to their hearts content and it was only number five that managed to find and fall into the only puddle in the whole playground!

This Easter Monday they are having an Easter raffle which is being announced at 11 and some more Easter fun to join in with too!

So why not take a trip this weekend and try out the great new facilities. As the title of this post suggests this cafe is no perfect no matter what weather is thrown at us.

I would love to know what you all think of it so please let me know.

Box Hill, Children, Chocolate, Easter, Easter Eggs, Egg hunts, Families, Family Life, Farms, Garden Centres, Gardens, Holidays, Kids Days Out

Top Easter Activities In And Around Surrey

March 19, 2016by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment

Easter for us is time with the family, days out and of course lots of chocolate!!

Why not combine them all and plan a few day trips over the Easter holidays. I have compiled a few of my top activities that are either in Surrey or only a short drive away.

Priory Farm

Priory Farm in Nutfield is our go to place whenever we fancy good food and letting off some steam in the fresh air.

They have a wonderful coffee shop serving hot and cold food with an adjoining play area so you can relax while the little ones play. A huge pirate ship to climb aboard, garden centre and farm shop selling great products and the highlight for us which is the discovery walk.

From the 19th March until 11th April the discovery walk will have a spring themed quiz for the little ones to follow and on the 25th March you will be able to take part in their Little Bunnies Easter Hunt.

Tulleys Farm

Tulleys Farm in West Sussex is only a short drive and any event they put on is well worth the trip.

The farm itself has play areas, a huge farm shop and lots of small animals to take a look at.

Their events are slightly more expensive than most but you certainly get a lot for your money.

This year from 25th March to 1st April you can spot eggs whist on a wagon ride, take a look at some beautiful newborn lambs, take part in the egg and bunny hunt, have a go at the duck races and much more.

Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt, National Trust

If you are a follower of my blog you will know my love of National Trust homes and gardens. They offer the perfect environment to switch off from the fast paced world we live in and just enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.

Each year they put on fantastic Easter egg hunts that usually involve exploring the grounds looking for clues to fill in on your quiz sheet that can then be taken back to claim your prize.

Over the years we have been to Morden Hall and Chartwell, both of which are great. We tried Box Hill last year but unfortunately so did a lot of other people and we couldn’t get parked! Saying this the car park has recently been extended so might be worth a go.

Penshurst Place

I visited Penshurst Place in Kent for the first time last year and was taken back by its beauty.

The immaculately kept grounds are wonderful to walk round and make the perfect setting for Easter activities.

This year from 25th March to 10th April they have story telling sessions and crafts to take part in and an Easter hunt all about the animals that live in the grounds.

On Easter Sunday and Monday Ardvark Productions will be there telling a humorous story of the Easter bunny.

Bocketts Farm

Bocketts is top of my list for farms in Surrey. They have fantastic indoor and outdoor play areas, animal handling sessions, tractor rides and their famous pig races that the children love!

For their Easter Eggstravaganza they have a trail to follow which leads to to a chocolaty treat at the end, chick and duck handeling, and the chance to get up close to the newborn lambs.

They are also opening a brand new outdoor play area at the end of March that we can’t wait to try out.

Painshill

This year we had a trip to Painshill to visit Father Christmas and were astounded by how beautiful the whole place is.

There are exquisite follies scattered throughout the grounds to explore, with our favourite being the crystal grotto.

On Easter Sunday and Monday you can go along to take part in their egg hunt to find the eggs scattered through the the grounds to claim your prize at the end.

I hope that you have found somewhere that takes your fancy and I would love to know how you get on with all your hunting!

Alice In Wonderland, Cafes, Easter, Food, Groomsbridge Place, Kids Days Out, Photography, Picnics, Tunbridge Wells, Uncategorized

Alice In Wonderland At Groomsbridge Place

April 8, 2015April 19, 2015by thejoyoffive5 Comments

Aswell as having a huge family myself, so do the majority of my friends. So days like today create many a look as my friend and I were rounding up our troops at Groomsbridge Place.

This was my first visit here and luckily for us the had a fantastic free Easter event that was based on the old English Classic Alice In Wonderland. The Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Alice herself and many other characters were scattered around the vast gardens entertaining the children and staying in character really well throughout the whole day.

The trail was accompanied by several other activites that the children could join in with. Storytelling sessions, birds of prey displays and a fabulous show put on by the characters.

This was all just an added bonus to all that Groomsbridge Place has to offer. The extensive woodlands and gardens hide away giant swings, wooden fortresses, a gigantic wooden walkway and several other places to stop and play.

There is a lot of walking involved over a vast hilly area so sensible shoes are a must.

If you fancy a little rest then you can take a short boat trip which is a lovely addition to your trip.

The only complaint I would have is when we stopped for a well earned ice cream there were no options that catered for number fours allergies. The addition of some ice lollies would have made a fabulous trip perfect.

Cafes, Crabbing, Easter, Easter Eggs, Egg hunts, Fish, Food, Holidays, Kent, Kids Days Out, Parks, Photography, Resturamts, Seaside, Shopping, Whistable

A long weekend In Wonderful Whitstable

April 7, 2015June 29, 2015by thejoyoffive3 Comments

Thanks to my fabulous Mum and Dad we spent Easter weekend in the beautiful seaside town of Whistable. We only discovered this quaint little town last year and we are so happy that we did. Whistable has so much to offer, you will find something new everytime you visit. We started off our trip with a pit stop at our favourite little coffee shop which is nestled between the abundance of shops where you can pick up anything from beautiful one off clothing, wonderful gifts, fantastic children’s clothes, scrumptious food and so much more. Ready and refulled we made our way down to the harbour which is famous for it’s seafood, especially their delicious oysters. This is where we would be spending our weekend in a wonderfully converted fishermans hut right on the seafront. Once inside we were really taken back by the fabulous way they had been converted and the views from the bedroom were breathtaking. There was everything you could need for your stay there and we were really looking forward to everything we were going to be getting up to in the weekend ahead. So we quickly unpacked the car and set off to explore a little more! Unfortunately we weren’t blessed with great weather for the first day, but that didn’t stop up skimming stones across the water, collecting shells and watching all the splendid boats. We finished off our first day by grabbing some fish and chips and award winning doughts from the hut right outside where we were staying and cosying up for the night. The huts are run on a bed and breakfast basis so after a good nights sleep we took a short walk to the Hotel Continental where we were able to pick from a vast selection of breakfast items whist taking in another great sea view. We burnt off some calories by taking a long walk out on a great stretch of beach that cuts into the sea. From there we took another short walk to Whistable Castle which had very pretty grounds and a fab playground for the children. For our final evening we went to the Royal Native Oyster Stores which was by far the best fish resturant I have ever visited. The food was outstanding, the decor was beatiful, the staff were super friendly and catered for all our allergy needs and finally they were extremely child friendly which I was not expecting. The sun joined us for our final day so we made the most of it by having an Easter egg hunt on the beach and soaking up the sun whilst doing a spot of unsuccessful crabbing! Sorry to have bombarded you with so many photos but we really did have a fabulous weekend and I wanted to show you that England really does have some fantastic seaside towns that you can get away to and enjoy the simple things in life.

Dorkong, Easter, Easter Eggs, Egg hunts, Egg Painting, Kids Days Out, Leith Hill, National Trust, Photography

Egg Rolling At Leith Hill

April 6, 2015June 21, 2015by thejoyoffive2 Comments

Getting back from a weekend away and deciding to paint boiled eggs was not one of my best ideas! My mind was more on my huge piles of washing, which resulted in a lot of mess and number five sticking his finger right through the middle of his egg.

As I have said in a previous post my favourite egg hunts are put on by Cadburys at National Trust venues. We set off to try Box Hill this year but unfortunately hundreds of other people had the same idea and we were turned away due to the carpark being full.

Luckily enough Dorking is home to many beautiful countryside attractions so we made our way to another National Trust site called Leith Hill.

We got out of the car and loaded the buggy up, but as we started our three quarters of a mile climb we soon had a change of heart and opted for a shoulder carry for number five as it was not really suitable for a buggy as the terrain is very uneven.

My children are not great fans of walking but there are plenty of trees to climb on the way up to take their mind off of it.

Once at the top the views are truly breathtaking. We grabbed a drink at the snack kiosk and found a bench to take in the sights while the little ones went hunting for eggs in the undergrowth. As we missed out on the egg rolling at Box Hill we made our own on the many slopes at Leith Hill.

The main attraction for the children was to be able to climb the gothic tower to check out the immense views of the majestic Surrey Hills.

It was a not the best idea for my sister and I to take three bounding, over exited children up there as neither of us are great with heights and were both a bag of nerves.

This is a must see place for anyone that loves spectacular views with something a little different with the added attraction of a spectacular tower to add to your visit.

Box Hill, Chartwell House, Chocolate, Easter, Easter Eggs, Egg hunts, Kids Days Out, Morden, Morden Hall, National Trust, Tadworth, Westerham

National Trust – The Perfect Easter Egg Hunt

March 17, 2015March 17, 2015by thejoyoffive2 Comments

I’ve had quite a few emails over the past week asking for advice on where to go for Easter egg hunts.

In my experience you can’t beat one of the National Trust homes or gardens. We have been to both Chartwell House in Westerham and Morden Hall in Morden. Both of which come highly recommended.

Your start the trail by going to collect your map from the start position which is put on by Cadburys. You then get the chance to trail the beautiful grounds searching for clues to complete your quiz.

We always find that they are really well run and it never feels to busy so there is plenty of space to for the kids to run around looking for clues without the fear of them getting lost in the crowds. We have never paid more than £5 and last year for this we got our trail maps, a cute hat to wear and a yummy Cadburys chocolate egg to collect when you have completed your trail. They also put on a variety of activites for the children to take part in such as ball games, crafts and hook the duck.

We are hoping to try out Box Hill in Tadworth this year as you can try your hand at egg rolling.