Posts Tagged ‘family fun’

Entertaining the kids this summer needn’t cost the earth!

August 10th, 2011

The thought of keeping your children occupied this summer might seem like a daunting prospect, so we’ve put together a list of fun free activities to inspire you and your family.

1. Nature walks
Embark on a countryside expedition at your local park or woodland and captivate your kids with the magic of wildlife. Hunt for ‘treasure’ such as pine cones, acorns and wildflowers or investigate what insects you can spot. Take a magnifying glass for seeking out animal footprints, or go foraging for blackberries in the hedgerows.

2. Kite flying
Make a kite with recycled materials and watch it soar through the sky! All you need are some sticks, tape, string, scissors and plenty of fabric or paper. Be creative with diamond or box shapes and crazy colourful designs.

3. Get active!
There are hundreds of sports activities that will keep your family fit this summer. Why not try rounders, back garden bowling, frisbee or hide and seek? Splash about with water fights and bubble chasing, or build your own obstacle course in the garden.

4. Make the most of your garden
Kids love the excitement of waiting for a seed to sprout, and gardening is a great way for them to learn about plants. Herbs, vegetables and sunflowers are perfect for first-time growers, and if you don’t have a garden, try a window box.

5. Get creative in the kitchen
Have some culinary fun making summer foods, like homemade ice-cream, fruit juice lollies or fresh fruit salad. Then enjoy your picnic feast in the sunshine!

6. Catch your own dinner
Take a net down to your local riverbank or harbour to see what’s biting. Don’t forget to take a picture of your first big catch! Or for a truly British seaside pastime, try crabbing – all you need is string and some bait, but watch out for nasty nips!

7. Summer sledging
Why wait for winter? All you need is a flattened cardboard box and a hillside and you’re all set for some summer tobogganing. Budding adrenaline-junkies will go crazy for the thrills, and it’ll channel some of that endless energy into a fun-focused activity.

8. Build a den
Have a holiday in your own backyard by pitching a tent in your garden, or simply hang sheets over the washing line to create your very own teepee. Have a barbecue, tell stories, play games and have a campfire sing-along – it’s the perfect way to spend some quality time together as a family.

9. Beach-combing
Scour the seashore for some littoral loot such as seaweed, shells, interesting pebbles, driftwood or sea-smoothed glass and then use your treasures to make a sea-themed collage. Or have a sandcastle-building competition to see who can sculpt the finest fortress.

10. Fossil-hunting
Find your local sedimentary rock spot and search for ancient dinosaur relics! Coasts, quarries and farmland are the best places to look, and all you need is a keen pair of eyes.

Return to LEGOLAND

June 15th, 2009

This weekend, armed with three tickets, a picnic and big dreams of reliving last year’s fun, I took the family to Legoland for the day. The sun was shining, Stanley was practically wetting himself with excitement and the lovely Mrs Lane was no longer “with child” – fun times were ahead.

Last time we went to the park, Land of the Vikings had just opened and the place was packed. We queued for up to 45 minutes to get on some of the better rides.

Now, I’m not sure if it was because of the new area, Kingdom of the Pharaohs, or if Legoland just wasn’t as busy as before, but the queues were significantly smaller this time round. A quick look at the board on entry showed waiting times were reduced to 15 minutes on average. Was it because there were more rides to choose from?

Anyway, we took advantage of this and went on as many rides as we could while trying to sample the few we didn’t make it on last time around.

And we did it as well. This made me realise that Legoland Windsor is actually a great place to take the family for a short break as well as a day out destination. The only ride we didn’t get on was Jungle Coaster – at five years old, Stan was still slightly too small to go on it.

If there was one attraction that was the highlight of our day, it had to be the Bob the Builder show in 4D. It was only 15 minutes long, but the show was actually (as my boss would say) awesome. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will say this: the effects were spot on and there is a lovely little surprise at the end of the show.

We left the park at 7pm (the same time as every other Tom, Dick and Harry) and proceeded to sit in the car for another 30 minutes as we tried to get out. If you like traffic jams, you can stop reading now. But, if you want to escape the rush, hang back for a short while. Eat some food, wander round the shops for a bit, practice speaking foreign languages – whatever – the point is, leave later. You will escape the crowds and still get home at the same sort of time.

Legoland Windsor was nothing short of brilliant once again – I really can’t stress how great the place is, you just need to go there and see it for yourself. If you have small children and live the South, there is nowhere better to take them for a treat. I look forward to going back there next year when Stan will be old enough to ride the Jungle Coaster and checking out the new zone for 2010.