theme parks Archives - Journeys Are My Diary

This post is contributed by Alex.

When you have kids, your world completely changes. You’re not focused on entertaining yourself anymore, you need to keep them happy and entertained. It can also help if the way you entertain them also teaches them a thing or two! Here are my fave fun things to do with the kids. Take a look for some inspiration!

Picnics

I love going for picnics with the kids. They love it too, especially on a nice day somewhere beautiful. We take a cosy blanket, and healthy snacks as well as a few treats. I like to take flasks of tea too. I always invite other members of the family to see if they want to come along too. If the weather is bad, no need to panic; indoor picnics are fun too! On sunny weekends, we sometimes set up near the house pool, which adds an extra splash of fun for the kids. Keep your weekends free as Pools Etc. takes care of the grime.

Hiking

Hiking helps you to stay active and get some exercise as a family. I have a book that I like to pick routes from, so we only do one twice if we really enjoyed it. It’s always nice to explore new places in the area!

Arts and Crafts

I love doing arts and crafts with the kids. It helps to expand their imagination and improves so many skills depending on what we’re doing that day. We make jewellery, cards, and even just paint pretty pictures. It can get messy, but that’s what you sign up for when you have kids.

Theme Parks

If you want a fun day out with your brood, theme parks are a must. There are so many theme parks dotted all over the UK, so you have a lot of choice. There are nearly always bits especially for kids there too, with rides themed around programs like Wallace and Gromit. There’s nothing like watching your kids have an amazing time somewhere like this. And trust me, they’ll sleep well when you put them to bed.

Gardening

Gardening helps us all to get some sunlight and fresh air. The kids love to help me get rid of weeds and plant flowers. Even just water the garden! They learn all about bugs and things and take a real interest in gardening. You know what they say too, it’s good for them to get their hands dirty.

Cooking

Cooking teaches kids about what foods go well with other foods, different flavours, healthy meals, and so much more. They love creating things with me in the kitchen and then eating what we’ve made! We don’t always bake cakes and things; sometimes they just help me with the dinner.

Reading

Reading to kids helps them to expand their vocabulary and listening skills. If you take it in turn to read, they also improve their reading and speaking skills. You may also tell stories and introduce your child to countries of the world and their cultures, give them the right materials from little-global-citizens. You both will get to enjoy and have a great time together!

I guarantee you’ll have so much fun with your kids and love spending the quality time together. Make time for things like this at least a few times a week to help them develop and grow. Thanks for reading!

In previous years, Summer has usually been and gone by now. Well not really, but you know we’ve usually had that week in May where there’s a really hot week and after that, nothing really comes close, bar a day here and there. We were promised a heat wave this June and so far… well it’s a little disappointing to be honest. Sure, the sun is out and the rain has disappeared for a little while, but it’s still not HOT, is it?

When we were on holiday in Florida, in April, the weather was too hot. Us Brits just aren’t really built for that type of hot. That said, I really enjoyed how warm it was and other than worrying about hats and suntan lotions, myself and the girls really soaked up the sun. If the air conditioning had been working properly and we’d actually been cool in the villa, I think perhaps I could have lived with the Florida heat. Chris on the other hand grumbled the whole time, desperate to get back to the weather of our own country. Now we’re back I think I’ve been suffering from a bit of SAD. I need some nice warm days to get me back in a positive mood. I’ve sold all my Florida dresses on Ebay and it’s a little depressing. Would you believe I’m still wearing a leather jacket and a scarf most days?

So to get myself feeling a little warmer, I decided I would share with you some of the things I love most about summer!

Family Holidays – Two years ago we had a very impromptu holiday to Legoland. The weather was absolutely beautiful for majority of the day and even when it rained, we just got wet but not cold. I love having the kids off for six weeks, despite the fact they can get on my nerves a little at times. I always encourage Chris to book a week off in July/August so we can do something, even if it’s just for a couple of days.

Family Days Out – If we can’t manage a full holiday, we at least manage a few days here and there. Last year we went to Warwick Castle, Cadbury’s World, Eureka and National Forest Adventure Farm. Sometimes I take the kids by myself, other times Chris comes too and if all else fails, my mum is always on hand to tag along.

LFCC – Alright so I’ve only been once last year, but I’d love to go again this year too. In May we went to MCM Comic Con and it was great to see the difference between the too, but I’d still really like to head down to London in July and go again.

Learning new things – Last summer Megan finally learnt to ride her bike and I imagine this year Lily will too. Summer is always such a perfect time to learn to bike ride, swim, fly a kite etc. When the sun is out you always feel more inclined to do things. We always walk into town instead of drive too.

Adult Days Out – Normally the girls go away with their dad for a few days in Summer and he has them overnight at least once a week. This allows for adult days out and since these are so few and far between, I like to make the most of them. Last year we obviously had LFCC for a whole weekend but also I went to both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. As much as I love the kids, it’s great to have time without them too.

There are loads of other things I like about summer – BBQs, trips to the beach, being able to wear dresses and so on. However these are just some of my top picks. However instead of a sun hat and sandals, I’m far more likely to be wrapping myself up in cashmere and wooly jumpers. Luckily Summer is great time to grab some bargains on Winter clothes!