Tag: galleries

Art Galleries, Children, Families, Family Life, Holidays, Kent

Egg Hunts And Seaside Trips 

by thejoyoffive7 Comments on Egg Hunts And Seaside Trips 

A typical British Easter bought with it the horrendous weather!  This said we managed to dodge the downpours and the wrath of Storm Katie and still have plenty of fun.

Our usual Easter Sunday started with searching for all the goodies the Easter bunny had left for us around the house and filled up on them with a super chocolaty breakfast.

Next up we donned our wellies and set off to Morden Hall in Surrey to take part in their egg hunt.

We always opt for a National Trust hunt put on by Cadburys as it gets the children interested in their natural surroundings while the adults can take in the beautiful settings.

   
 
We climbed over logs, played pooh sticks and jumped in muddy puddles while filling in our quiz sheets.

   
    
 
All filled in we made it to the finish line to collect our chocolate bunny prize.  The only downside we have here is that there is not an allergy friendly option, and although the hunts are put on by Cadburys I feel the National Trust could supply an alternative for those children that can’t eat chocolate.

 
 
After a sleepless night on Sunday with Storm Katie doing her worst by bringing down half our fence and sending a line of children in every few minutes telling us about the noise I still got up early to plan our trip to Margate, much to the dismay of my husband!

On our way down the winds settled a little and blue skies appeared which put a smile on everyone’s face.

We parked up and made our way for a bite to eat before making our way onto the beach.

   
    
 
The boys loved running into the wind and skimming stones across the sea.  I think the big boys enjoyed it the most!

   
    

Once we had had enough of the beach we headed over to the Turner Contemporary. This is a gallery I love and art is something I really want my children to be able to experience.

The children are always more taken by the vast open spaces but I always hope that they are taking something in from their trips.

   
  
 
Before making our way back home we took a stroll around the town looking at the quirky shops and street art and planning our next trip back.

   
  
 
What did you get up to this Easter?

  

 

Art Galleries, Cafes, Cakes, Carshalton, Children, Crafts, Education, Families, Family Life, Food, Holidays, Honeywood Museum, Imagination Play, Kids Days Out, Large Families, Memories, Parents, Surrey

Rainy Summer Holiday Trips In Surrey

by thejoyoffive18 Comments on Rainy Summer Holiday Trips In Surrey

I knew that my post on outdoor summer days in Surrey was tempting fate, and I was right!  A few days later we  have horrendous torrential rain.

For me a bit of rain never puts me off getting outside and to be honest all the places such as farms are empty which I love!  Unfortunately though even I have to give in sometimes and settle for indoor activities instead.

I’ve listed a few of my favourites for you here:

Mother Kitty’s

  

If you have under fives, nestled at the top of Rickman Hill in Coulsdon is a wonderful little softplay and vintage tea rooms called Mother Kitty’s perfect to relax and have a cup of tea whilst you watch the little ones play.

   
 

The soft play is only sutiable for under 5’s but I bring my older ones along as they are more than happy to sit and have a drink whist making use of the free wifi!!

  
If the weather holds out then there is a large park and playground that is great to have a run around in too.

Airhop

  

If you want your older ones to let off some steam and get away from their games consoles, Airhop is a fantastic place to visit.

Over 4’s can bounce around to their hearts content on the many trampolines, foam pits and basketball areas.

  
You need to book your hours session online and they do get full very quickly, so make sure you book well before your intended visit.

Little Street

I have only visited this fantastic place once, and it completely blew me away.  

The name says it all and once inside Little Street really is a mini town for your little ones to play to their hearts content.

   
 

They can do their shopping in the supermarket, go to the hairdressers, visit the doctors, pop to the cafe, drive up and down the street, work on the construction site and lots more.

   
   

This is a refreshing change to your run of the mill soft play area which I loved playing in as much as the kids.

   
 

You book your hours slot online as numbers are restricted to ensure your child can play in the best environment.

I couldn’t recommend this place more.  Really is a fantastic trip.

Honeywood Museum

We came across the Honeywood Museum last year after years of visiting Carshalton and were pleasantly surprised.

The entry is free and they simply ask for a donation as you leave.  The house is fasinating to explore and you can pick up question sheets from the front desk that the children can fill in as you walk around.

   
 
They put on regular craft sessions for the children that mine really loved taking part in.

I would suggest checking out their Facebook page to see what events they have going on before taking a visit.

  
Kidspace

Kidspace is a mega softplay area along the Purley Way in Croydon.

With a large age range in children places like this can sometimes be tricky for me, but this cover all ages for me.

There is a smaller area with a sensory play section, mini trampolines, climbing areas and slides that is sutiable for the little ones.

  
  
The main area homes a huge area that they can climb and slide around, a big ball shooting area, go carts and climbing walls.

   
   

It is more expensive than most soft plays, but it is worth the money.  

They have a lovely cafe serving hot and cold food that is a great addition to a great soft play.

The Lightbox

I love art and love to find places that the children can explore the arts in a fun yet educating way.

The Lightbox in Woking, Surrey is a small gallery perfect for children.  They  regularly change their exhibitions and always have something to capture the thoughts of little minds.

   

They have a craft room where they can get hands on and create their own masterpieces with the help of the lovely staff.

   
 

There is a all cafe serving a small selection of snacks and some wonderful homemade cakes.  Theses can be enjoyed in the beautiful garden to the front of the gallery of the weather is good.
I hope you have found something here that your children would love to visit; I would love to hear what you think.