Tag: day out

pond at the living rainforest

Visiting The Living Rainforest

Posted on by Emma Reed

We discovered The Living Rainforest in Berkshire a few years ago and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of it sooner. Situated in Thatcham near Newbury, Berkshire this indoor gem is an ecological and educational centre which attracts visitors all year round. It provides a tropical environment based across 3 rooms in which you can discover wonderful plants, insects and animals all of which are becoming endangered in our rainforests today. If you love The Eden Project you will also love it here!

Continue reading “Visiting The Living Rainforest” →
Related Posts:
Review: Despicable Me 3 Cutlery and Crockery Sets
despicable me crockery review

*Gifted Products Jake is a huge Despicable Me and Minions fan so when I was asked to review Arthur Price's Read more

Parenting as a Team
Mum and child in the sea

*Collaborative Post Most couples that have children will have experienced a situation where one of you thinks that you should Read more

Review: Keeping Our Car Safe With A PAJ GPS Car Tracker
PAJ GPS Car tracker pack

*Ad A car is one of the most important purchases some of us make in our lives. However, when it Read more

Review: Room on the Broom
room on the broom image with writing across

*Gifted Tickets When I heard that the 'Room on the Broom' production was coming to The Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke, Read more

The national botanic garden wales

The National Botanic Garden Of Wales- A Great Day Out

Posted on by Emma Reed

We have just come back from a lovely break in Wales where we visited so many amazing different places but my favourite from the week had to be The National Botanic Garden Of Wales. Set in the beautiful countryside of Carmarthenshire these gardens are almost like a scaled-down version of The Eden Project. With stunning gardens of varying styles, a butterfly house, play areas, wooded walks, a waterfall to discover and the world’s largest single-span glasshouse there is something here for everyone. 

Continue reading “The National Botanic Garden Of Wales- A Great Day Out” →
Related Posts:
Visiting Moors Valley Country Park
Moors Valley Country Park

As a family, we love being outdoors and discovering new places. We first visited Moors Valley Country Park a few Read more

Vacations with an Elderly Parent
Lake Tahoe for vacation

*Collaborative Post Travelling with an elderly parent can come with some real challenges, but it can also be very rewarding. Read more

Choosing the Right Hotel: A Guide for Every Traveler
hotel room

Selecting the right accommodation is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning a trip. Whether you’re setting Read more

Review | Coral Reef Waterworld, Bracknell
coral reef waterworld

Image Credit Renovation Bay-Bee Coral Reef Waterworld was our favourite place for swimming when Jake was younger. I would happily Read more

collage of our day at isle of wight

The Isle of Wight in a Day? Here’s What You Can Get Up To

Posted on by Emma Reed

Visiting the Isle of Wight for the day may seem like an unachievable trip but, if like me, you live within an hour’s drive of the nearest docks, you can easily jump on the ferry, hovercraft or catamaran and be on the beautiful within 60 minutes. Your choice of transport will all depend on what activities you intend on getting up to when over on the island. If you want to be on the island in 10 minutes you can do so via the hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde. You can be on there in 22 minutes via a catamaran from Portsmouth to Ryde or 25 minutes from Southampton West Cowes. With both of these options, you won’t have your own mode of transport once on the Isle of Wight but there are bus services which can take you to the landmarks of your choice and the open top is a lovely way to take it all in on a summer’s day. We chose to take 1 car for 5 of us so opted for the ferry service from Southampton to East Cowes which takes 55-60 minutes. We booked online the night before (it was a last-minute, spontaneous decision), we selected our times for departure and printed out our ticket; all very easy and quick to do. On arrival, you simply show your printout and wait in your car until instructed to drive straight on. We paid extra for priority tickets, meaning we drove on and off first so there was no waiting around and no wasted time.

Continue reading “The Isle of Wight in a Day? Here’s What You Can Get Up To” →
Related Posts:
13 Sustainable Extracurricular Activities for Children in 2025
kids dancing

As parents and educators look for ways to raise children who are both engaged and environmentally conscious, extracurricular activities are Read more

How Can You Support A Family With A Baby In NICU?
family in nicu

It can be difficult for people to know what the right things to say or do when a family welcome Read more

Common Issues That Couples Go Through During Pregnancy
pregnant woman looking ar her scan

Pregnancy is a wonderful, miraculous thing. You’re bringing a whole new life into the world. You’re starting a new chapter Read more

What To Bring To A Cabin In The Woods Vacation
cabin in the woods

*Collaborative Post Some vacations are great because there is a lot of excitement. Sightseeing the major tourist attractions, going on Read more

collage of southsea activities

Why Southsea is a great day out for all the family

Posted on by Emma Reed

I have lived in Hampshire all my life and spent a lot of my childhood visiting the great places it has to offer. Certain places hold special memories for me and the coast, especially Southsea and Hayling Island, were two of my Mum’s favourite destinations. 

Southsea is located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island and is most well-known for its castle, its naval history, the events which take place on the common and its pier. Each time I visit there seems to be a new gem to discover. As a child, I would enjoy the funfair, arcades, the Pyramids Centre and I adored the model village. As an adult, I have loved going down there for a long dog walk and to pick up a treat of honeycomb for the journey home! Since having Jake we have found Southsea to be a perfect place to visit from being baby up until now at three.

Continue reading “Why Southsea is a great day out for all the family” →
Related Posts:
How To Make Homemade Playdough
homemade playdough

Playdough is a great activity for a wide range of ages. It sparks the imagination, it allows children to be Read more

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Long-Term Foster Carer?
foster carers

Choosing the path of a long-term foster carer is both rewarding and filled with responsibilities. It requires resilience, dedication, and Read more

11 Ways To Be More Eco-Friendly As A New Parent
parent's hands around a baby's feet

When I became a parent the first time around (almost 7 years ago now!) the products I was told about Read more

Make This Summer A Summer Of Family Adventure
mountains and blue sky

*Collaborative Post We might be in coronavirus lockdown mode right now, but it’s not as if life is going to Read more

Jake at Little Street doing the activities being a fireman, sitting on a digger and working in the shop

Our Trip to Little Street

Posted on by Emma Reed

Little Street is an indoor play centre with a twist:

“Responding to children’s love of role play, we have created a realistic street designed with little people in mind. Featuring a supermarket, construction site, cafe, beauty salon, fire service, medical centre and more; our Little Street is a scaled down version of a typical town, inspiring children to explore life in the world around them”

Little Street Website

After I featured it in my post 10 Activities To Do With Your Kids In The Winter I felt that it was only right that I visited Little Street and found out exactly how good it was for myself… we were not disappointed.

Continue reading “Our Trip to Little Street” →
Related Posts:
How to Prepare to Move into a Cabin
cabin

Moving into a cabin is a big transition, but you can make it easier to feel at home in your Read more

What to Do Once You’ve Bought the Perfect House
a couple and child sat around boxes for moving house holding up part of a box like a roof

For many people, finding the perfect house for them and their family is a dream come true. Buying this house Read more

Hairstyles That Can Damage Your Hair
hair

Experiencing hair loss or thinning can be a worrying time for anyone, whether you’re a man or woman. This has Read more

Recipe | Easy Peasy Banana Bread
banana bread

If you need to use up your old bananas in order to prevent food waste or if you are like Read more

sunset across the sea at Hythe

Wherever The Train Takes Us: Visiting Hythe

Posted on by Emma Reed

Visiting Hythe was a last-minute decision for my birthday this year but I am so glad that my husband suggested it. Jake had begged and begged us to take him on a train so we decided to combine my trip with his – he is train mad! We had originally planned a trip to London but with colds and tonsillitis getting to us we opted for the closer city of Southampton which provides an easy gateway across to Hythe.

Continue reading “Wherever The Train Takes Us: Visiting Hythe” →
Related Posts:
Children and Dogs
child and dog

We have a family dog. She has been around a while but was my first baby so when we added Read more

Choosing the Right Hotel: A Guide for Every Traveler
hotel room

Selecting the right accommodation is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning a trip. Whether you’re setting Read more

How to Maintain Heart Health While Traveling
a lady traveling and eating well

Traveling can be one of the most enriching experiences you’ll have, but it doesn’t always do your heart any favors. Read more

My baby is growing up
a baby

We all have those weeks where we tend to notice more changes in our bubba's, especially when they are very Read more