Tag: national trust

Cafes, Children, Christmas, Cinema, Craft Fairs, Crafts, Families, Family Life, Farms, Food, Gardens, Kids Days Out, Large Families, London, National Trust, Parents, Southbank, Surrey

Days Out With The Kids This Christmas

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Days Out With The Kids This Christmas

Yes I know we have only just put our sandals and summer dress aways but before you know it Christmas will be upon us and if you want to get those special days booked in then you really do have to start thinking about it now!

Christmas is by far my favourite time of year and I have compiled a list of a few of our favourites that I hope you might enjoy:

Lapland UK – This one just had to be top of my list as I have experienced nothing like it before. We were lucky enough to have our first trip there last year and we were absolutely blown away.

From helping the elves in Father Christmas’s toy factory, icing biscuits with Mother Christmas, taking to the ice in the most beautifully setting and finally meeting the main man himself who Frankie has named ‘the real’ Father Christmas it was sheer magic.

It brought a tear to my eye and I don’t think that day will ever be topped!

Hever Castle – For me Hever brings you everything you would imagine when you think of an English christmas celebration. The traditional fairground rides and beautiful christmas trail are perfect for the little ones, whilst the stunningly decorated castle is a sight that everyone will enjoy.

We are off there at the end of November so keep an eye out for what they have in store this year.

Chessington World Of Adventure – The Winter’s Tail event at Chessington World Of Adventure is always a fantastic day out. There is the chance to visit Santa in his grotto, ride on a few selected rides that are specially opened including our favourite – The Gruffly River Ride Adventure, decorate festive treats in the Gruffly kitchen and something new this year will be The Gruffalo Christmas Groove.

alongside all of this they are also offering sleepover packages and we can highly recommend a stay in their fantastic hotel.

Painshill Park – This one for us has the ultimate wow factor when it comes to the grotto. After a walk along a pretty lit walkway you find your way to the crystal grotto where Father Christmas is waiting to hand out his gifts.

It is certainly different from the norm and gets booked up extremely quickly so don’t leave it until the last minute.

Southbank – If you are looking for a day out with festive foods, quirky gifts and the perfect London backdrop then the christmas market at Southbank if definitey one for the list.

Hobbledown – I am so sad that I won’t be going along to the toddlers lunch with Father Christmas this year.

I have visited for many years now and it is the perfect trip for preschoolers where they decorate a biscuit, have some lunch and meet Santa in the cutest little wooden hut.

Winerville – We had our first trip here last year and it really exceeded our expectations. It is an uber cool experience in the heart of Clapham common offering a bit of everything from great food and drink to ice skating, roller skating, fairground rides, crazy golf and a whole lot more.

Disney On Ice – This has become somewhat of a tradition for us to visit a few days before christmas. The culmination of all our favourite Disney characters, the chill of the ice and the excitement of Christmas makes for a great day out.

National Trust – We have visited a fair few properties over the festive period and each one has its on unique and wonderful christmas feel. They offer visits to Father Christmas, crafts galore christmas markets and brilliant trails to wear the kids out which is always a bonus!

CBeebies Christmas Show:Thumbelina – Getting cosy in the cinema is perfect at this time of year and when its to watch a classic such as Thumbelina put on by some of your favourite Cbeebies characters then its always going to be a hit.

We are off to see this later in the year so keep an eye out for what we think!

RHS Wisley – Now the illuminated trail at Wisley is something I’ve heard so many good things about but haven’t actually got there yet. I think it will have to go on my list for this year.

Winter Wonderland – If you want Christmas on a grand scale then this is the place for you. Winter Wonderland is a huge area in Hyde Park full of fairground rides, food stalls, gifts, ice skating, shows and bucket loads more. We had our first trip there last year and had an amazing time!

Bocketts Farm – I love a farm visit over the christmas period and Bocketts offers an amazingly festive day out complete with a trip to santa in his hay barn.

The Snowman – My children laugh at how much I love The Snowman in any form. My first love was of course the illustrated character and I have loved watching how he has evolved over the years. We watched the stage show a few years ago which was absolutly spell binding and keep the attention of my younger two for over two hours which is no mean feat. This year there is also a magical exhibition at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, an immersive experience at The Backyard Cinema, a special story telling session at Bath Pavilions by the talented author Michael Morpurgo and a the most magical showing of the animated film at the Royal Albert Hall accompanied by the Royal Philamonic Orchestra.

Priory Farm – This has been our Christmas Eve tradition for a few years now. We stop off in the cafe for a mince pie and a warm drink, get the last of our foodie bits at the fab farm shop and a trek round the discovery walk to wear out the over excited little one.

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

Easter Egg Hunt For George And The Giant Pledge

by thejoyoffive8 Comments on Easter Egg Hunt For George And The Giant Pledge

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.

Country Kids

Children, Dinosaurs, Education, Families, Family Life, Gardens, History, Imagination Play, Kids Days Out, Learning, London, National Trust, Outdoor Play, Reviews, Stately Homes, Uncategorized

Dinosaurs Invade London At Jurassic Kingdom

by thejoyoffive14 Comments on Dinosaurs Invade London At Jurassic Kingdom

Who would have thought that tucked away in a suburban part of town there would be grand Georgian house with stunning grounds homing a whole host of dinosaurs!

Last week we went on the hunt for them and wasn’t disappointed.

After a more than a little fraught journey to from South London we made it to Osterley House in Isleworth, which a a stunning National Trust property with acres of beautiful land that is just perfect for hosting Jurassic Kingdom which is there from now until the 17th April.

It is accessible by public transport but a long walk from the train station for little legs or a short bus journey but the buses are only scheduled every 20 mins which was a long wait for my impatient children.

The car park however is huge and free to National Trust members of £7 all day.

Time slots are available to book easily on line for the event and I would suggest you allow yourself plenty of time as there is lots to see and do.

The Jurassic Park style entrance paved its way into the attraction itself which has you following a path through the grounds spotting dinosaurs as you go.


Some are static but the majority have moving limbs and sound effects which the children loved.

It is a far more interactive experience than I had imagined and there are dinosaurs that you can climb onto, a sand pit that lets the little ones try their hand at becoming an arciologist and digging out bones and an education tent where you can sit and watch a short show that explains a little more about dinosaurs.

As far as eating goes the places is perfect for picnicking as there are so many great places to pitch up. There is also a small selection of fast food stands where Izzy count resist the churros!

The children also has a great time making us of the National trust facilities which are always a winner by tree climbing, den building and swinging on the rope swings.

All in all it is the perfect day out for dino fans and even those that aren’t so keen could easy make us and enjoy everything else Jurrasic Kingdom has to offer.

*we were given tickets for the purpose of this review and they are all my own, honest opinions.

Country Kids

Children, Exercise, Families, Family Life, Flowers, Gardens, Kids Days Out

My Top Five Places For Snowdrop Hunting In Surrey

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on My Top Five Places For Snowdrop Hunting In Surrey

One of the biggest things I love about the UK are our changing seasons. 

I may moan continually about the amount of cold weather we have here but once those first signs of Spring start to show I get super excited about the warmer weather we have to look forward to, and start plans for when we are going to get out and enjoy the longer days and the glimmers of sunshine.

For me one of the first signs that Spring is on its way is the arrival of the pretty snowdrops and here are my top five places to go and enjoy them for the short time they are around.

Gatton Park, Reigate

We took a trip to Gatton Park the other day as always were really pleased with the display of snowdrops and pretty yellow aconites that cover the banks and are scattered throughout the stunning Japanesse gardens.

There are often activities put on for the children too. We didn’t see any on our trip last week but enjoyed some snowdrop related crafts last year.

Painshill, Cobham

Painshill is a favourite destination for us at Christmas time but is also very special at this time of year.

You can take in the sights of the beaufiful spring flowers whist visiting the stunning crystal grotto and gothic towers that Painshill is so rightly famous for.

Wisley, Woking

The snowdrops at Wisley cover a few different areas and are a beautiful sight to see.

Whist you are there a trip to the butterflies is a must, as well as taking in the sights of the vast, gorgeously cultivated gardens.

Polsden Lacey, Great Bookham

The magnificent home and gardens of Polsden Lacey make the perfect home for a beautiful trail of snowdrops that line Lime Walk all the way from the reception to the grounds at the back of the house.

A trip to the adventure playground is also well worth a visit!

Winkworth Arboretum, Godalming

Another National Trust favourite for snowdrop hunting is Winkworth Arboretum that hosts thousands of varieties covering the beautiful grounds that are perfect for exploring at this time of year.    


Children, Families, Family Life, Kent

My Sunday Photo:Beautiful Deer

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on My Sunday Photo:Beautiful Deer

For ages I have been meaning to take a trip to Knole House in Sevenoaks, and with it being such a beautiful autum day we took a trip to try and find some of their infamous deer.

We weren’t disappointed as there were herds of them everywhere we turned and we were all astounded by the beautiful, majestic creatures.

Number four was the bravest and spend the afternoon trying to get in for a cuddle and wasn’t even put off when a stag came charging for him at one point!

Yes we went not realising it was rutting season and stags should be kept at a safe distance!

Photalife
Craft Fairs, Families, Family Life, Farms

Our First Country Fair Of The Year

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Our First Country Fair Of The Year

The beautiful sunshine came out for us yesterday to make a trip to our first country fair of the year yesterday.

Years ago we used to visit Merton Abbey Mills and decided to take a trip there in with the Country Fair at Morden Hall.



Sadly the buzzy atmosphere that there used to be at Abby Mills is no more with a real lack of stalls.  It’s such a shame and would be great if some kind of regeneration project could be started there as its such a great area.

That said the boys had fun picking themselves a toy from one of the stalls, there are plenty of good restaurants to chose from and popping into see the water mill working is always great fun.


From here we walked to Morden Hall to see what was going on at their Counrty Fair.  It is a fair walk but all flat and takes you past Dean City Farm which is always worth a visit.

We made our way into the grounds where people were picnicking and playing pooh sticks from the many bridges the grounds home.

The fair itself is a real mixture of the traditional attractions that I love such as coconut shys, willow weaving, bee keeping, magicians and many more with the big rides that the older ones love.


The steam engines were wonderful to see and everyone loved the huge display of KNex that had been set up as a miniature fairground.


There were plenty of food stalls to choose from and a couple of great Pimms and traditional cider stalls.

The highlight for the youngest two was the medieval area where they got to watch the Knights complete in full armour.  Number four said it was the best thing he had ever seen!


This was the perfect start to the spring for us with so much to see and do inside and out of the fair.  It is running again today if you fancy popping down to take a look!

Bluebells, Children, Families, Family Life, Flowers, Kids Days Out

Popping Back To Find Peter Rabbit

by thejoyoffive6 Comments on Popping Back To Find Peter Rabbit

Last year we took a trip to Limpsfield Common, Surrey to take a walk in the bluebell woods where we were over the moon to discover the wooded area was home to some magical little homes that housed Peter Rabbit and his friends.

I had caught sight of some bluebells popping their heads up over the past few weeks so decided to make a return visit today.

Number four was so excited about going and this time decided he wanted to write a letter to leave in the little post office when we got there.  It had clearly left an impression on him last year as it could recall it all perfectly.

We first came across the pretty little home of the hedgehog’s that number five was most taken with.


We didn’t stop here for long as number four had a firm grip on his letter that he was eager to leave for Peter Rabbit.


We made our way through the delicate bluebells in search of more of the miniature houses that the children so love.

The bluebell weren’t so abundant this year but I’m not sure if we were a little early.

Number four caught sight of the tiny post office and made a beeline straight for it.

He placed his letter inside and both the boys had a little cuddle with Peter Rabbit.  There was more than a little strop when number five realised he couldn’t take it home with him!

Strop dealt with they made their way over to a large area that was covered with felled trees.  They love nothing more than clambering on tree trunks and picking up sticks so this was perfect.

We finished off our trip with a swing on the newly added ‘Squirell Nutkin’ tree swing.  It is in such a tranquil spot  I could have sat there all day.

Everything about this place is simply stunning and well worth a visit with or without the bluebells.


Box Hill, Bug Hunting, Children, Christmas, Families, Family Life

Muddy Walks And Pub Lunches

by thejoyoffive11 Comments on Muddy Walks And Pub Lunches

Our festive celebrations wouldn’t be complete without a muddy walk to blow away the cobwebs and get rid of some of that guilt for all the over indulgence of the past few days.

We took a trip up to Box Hill to take in the beautiful views and get more than a little muddy.


We only had the youngest two with us today so it was very quiet trip but lovely to have a bit of quality time with them.

We took part in the trail today which is something we normally miss out on and we are so glad we did.  The boys climbed trees, ran along logs, hunted for bugs and built our own balance beam which came to a nasty ending as number five slipped and came straight down onto it.


  
  

I love walking along with the family just chatting and planning the year ahead.

Just to pile on a few more pounds we stopped off at our new favourite haunt The Old House in Dorking for some dinner and board games.  They are really child and dog friendly here and we love the cosy relaxed atmosphere.  I really wish we could drag Christmas out for that bit longer!

  
  

Monkey and Mouse