pond at the living rainforest

Visiting The Living Rainforest

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:
Messy Me Splash Mat and Bib Review
messy me splash mat and bib review

*Gifted Products Weaning has begun in our household and it's messy! My first child, Jake, was a fusspot from day Read more

Review | Personalised Rustic Wooden Pet Bowl Holder From BoutiqueGifts
Border Terrier sat next to her rustic wooden pet bowl holder

*Ad If you currently follow my blog, you'll know that we welcomed a gorgeous Border Terrier pup into our family Read more

Review | Jody and Lara Sustainable Kids Swimwear

*Ad When it comes to sourcing our clothing I am trying my best to seek out either pre-loved or sustainable Read more

Beeutiful Vanilla Geranium Cleansing Balm Review
Beeutiful Geranium Cleansing Balm review

*Gifted Product Beeutiful skincare is a brand that I came to love last year. I met Carly, the business owner, creator, Read more

dinosaur world

Review: Dinosaur World at The Anvil

*Gifted Tickets

Jake is a huge dinosaur fan, so when Anvil Arts invited us along to review the new show Dinosaur World we jumped at the chance. The show is suitable from the age of three and runs for 50 minutes with no interval, which works out well. With this being our third theatre show of the year we have started to learn how long Jake can hold his attention for and anything over an hour has him wriggling in his seat. However, this show is completely different from your usual one. The lights remain up through most of it and photos are permitted throughout which is a nice change.

The Dinosaur World show is performed by Miranda who tells her story of how she came to live on an island inhabited by dinosaurs. She grew up around them and learnt all she could from her parents. She is extremely enthusiastic throughout the show and her on-stage energy keeps the children’s attention. She encourages the audience to shout out and join in as well as asking selected members to join her up on stage to help with each dinosaur.

Continue reading “Review: Dinosaur World at The Anvil”
Related Posts:
The Benefits Of Developing Your Child’s Skills From An Early Age
child and mother looking at a map

*Collaborative Post Every parent wants the absolute best for their child, but sometimes it’s hard to find the balance between Read more

Time to Ditch the Dummy?
a dummy

When it comes to the dummy, or the 'nun nun' as it's known in our house, it can be a Read more

Review | Leaf and Root Luxury Eco-Friendly Cosmetics
leaf and root bath bomb, scrub and deodorant on the bath

*Gifted Products Being more eco-friendly doesn't stop with ditching those plastic bags or using natural cleaners, for me it is Read more

How To Stay Healthy During Your Pregnancy
healthy pregnant woman

*Collaborative Post The way you take care of yourself while pregnant plays a vital role in determining if you will Read more

little house of science

Making Learning Fun with Little House of Science

*Collaborative Post

Back in the day, when I was at school, you were there to learn and this meant the classes were usually pretty serious. I always did well in the interactive classes– Music, Science, English– but I struggled with Maths from the start. For me, it was always explained in a very complicated way. If I can relate information I am given to practical situations and it seems logical to me I can take it all in and learn and perhaps if it had all been made more fun I may have been much more engaged. It wasn’t until I failed my Maths GCSE and had to re-do a year at college that I found a teacher who finally made it all ‘click’.

Continue reading “Making Learning Fun with Little House of Science”
Related Posts:
5 Outdoor Learning Activities for Children
kids playing outdoors

As parents, it is important to keep children in a learning environment throughout their developmental stages. This doesn’t mean keeping Read more

6 Ways To Help Your Kids Get To Sleep
a sleeping baby

*Collaborative Post Most parents go through the difficult phase of getting their little ones to drift off to sleep. While Read more

A Day as a Toddler
toddler laughing

Imagine your how your day would go if you acted it out as a toddler. I watch my son every Read more

What is Plastic Free July?
plastic free July

Plastic Free July is an international movement that encourages individuals, communities and businesses to reduce their plastic consumption and adopt Read more

Mr bloom's Nursery Live

Review: Mr Bloom’s Nursery Live Show

*Gifted Tickets

When we were invited along to review the new Mr Bloom’s Nursery Live Show I was just as excited as Jake. We had really enjoyed his very first trip to the theatre last month to watch Room on the Broom and as he is a Mr Bloom fan I knew he would love to see him on stage.

We chose to watch the show in Reading at The Hexagon Theatre as this was the nearest venue to us. We were greeted at the box office to collect our tickets and were offered a booster seat for Jake so he could get a better view which I thought was a brilliant idea (these were £2 to hire and you received £1 back after the show– although there wasn’t anyone manning the desk when we left and we chose not to hang around for the sake of £1). Once we sat down the veggies took it in turns to speak and let us know how long it was until the show started which got the kids in the audience very excited. Once the show begins the lights do dim but the stage is so brightly coloured there wasn’t any upset from the children in the audience.

Continue reading “Review: Mr Bloom’s Nursery Live Show”
Related Posts:
Popper or Velcro Cloth Nappies?
a mixture of popper and velcro cloth nappies on a white background

The popularity of cloth nappies is clearly growing and for me, this is a great sign! I love seeing more Read more

Seven Ways to Handle Baby Waking Up Early
a baby asleep in a parents arms

Is your baby waking up through the night and far too early in the morning and refusing to go back Read more

5 Lessons about Inclusivity That Young Kids Should Learn in Preschool
kids laying on a floor looking up

The modern world is more interconnected and culturally diverse than ever before. Consequently, inclusivity and respect for diversity have never Read more

Toddler Tantrums? The Solution is Actually Simple
toddler tantrums on the floor

Toddler tantrums are all fun and games, aren't they?! We have been through the pre-stages of the well-known 'terrible two's' Read more

lifes little bugs logo

Review: Life’s Little Bugs

*Gifted Products

As soon as I heard of the concept of the Life’s Little Bugs books I just knew they were right up our street and was over the moon when Tina, the author, asked me to review a set. She has brought together education with fun rhyming stories to teach children the importance of looking after themselves, one another and the environment. There are 7 books in the series and each has been entirely written plus illustrated by Tina. The illustrations are most definitely the first thing that draws you in. Each cover is a bright shade of green which not only catches your eye but also gives the sense of fun. The main character of each book also appear on the cover and they are all just so brilliant! Well, you can take a look for yourselves…

Continue reading “Review: Life’s Little Bugs”
Related Posts:
Why It’s Not as Stressy Having the Second Child
2 boys and a dog in a living room playing with toys

Just the other day my sister said to me, 'You're not as stressy as you were the first time around' Read more

4 Self-Care Tips for New Moms
a mum wtith 2 kids laying a on bed

As the new mom of a beautiful bundle of joy, it can often seem as if every waking second of Read more

Essential Adulting Lessons You Need To Teach Your Kids
Mum and 2 children

*Collaborative Post The truism that the hardest job is being a parent has never been more relevant than now. Raising Read more

How to Support a Foster Child’s Transition into Your Home
a child with two foster parents

Embarking on the journey of fostering a child is a profound act of compassion that requires thoughtful preparation and a Read more

the twirlywoos from the TV

Why TV isn’t always a problem

How many times do you read headlines on social media: Turn off the TV and gadgets and do more activities with your child OR Why our children are becoming addicted to TV OR TV is the new babysitter? TV for kids is a problem. But is it?

Being A New Parent

Before having a child I would have thought exactly the same way, but then I had never seen CBeebies or any of the new kid’s TV shows. I was at work full time and hadn’t been around kids very much. When Jake came to the age of starting to want to watch TV his first love was (unfortunately) ‘Peppa Pig’… it became the biggest pain in my day, the theme tune along with the bing bong song – anybody else singing this in their sleep then as soon as you wake up?!! However, over this last year I, have noticed how much he actually relates back to her. He remembers the episodes and the activities they carry out and it’s made me come to realise how many words he has probably learnt from it.

Continue reading “Why TV isn’t always a problem”
Related Posts:
Private School vs. Homeschool: Which is Best?
3 children in woods doing home school activities

Depending on what your child's needs are and where you live, the public school system might not be the best Read more

Sometimes I just want to be able to…
sometimes I just want to be able to title over an image with a lady holding a cup of coffee

There were some areas of your life that you just used to take for granted before having kids. Strange things Read more

Why I Was Wrong About Co-Sleeping
why I was wrong about co-sleeping

Before you become a parent you know it all, don't you? I mean, how many times did you look at Read more

Hippynut Reusable Nappy Review
hippynut nappy review

*Gifted Product We made the switch to cloth nappies over 2 years ago now and I will still say that Read more

Jake's garden sign

Kid’s Garden Ideas: How We Built The Perfect Toddler Garden

As Spring is here we decided to come up with a kid’s garden idea to keep our little guy busy and entertained whilst we are outside. We chose to make him his very own garden that he can dig and play in, a place where he could maybe grow some strawberries and also an area of his own to stop him destroying all my flower beds!

Continue reading “Kid’s Garden Ideas: How We Built The Perfect Toddler Garden”
Related Posts:
5 Ways To Marble To Your Home for A Timeless Look
marble bathroom

Are you yearning to infuse your home with a touch of opulence? Look no further than the timeless allure of Read more

Has Yours Reached “Toddlerdom” Yet?!
boy sat on ground- toddlerdom

*Definition* Toddlerdom- The term used to describe the final transition from cute baby to full-blown crazy toddler. Not quite yet Read more

Maximizing Your Furnace’s Lifespan: Regular Maintenance and Timely Repairs
thermostat

In today's increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, having a reliable heating system is essential. Your furnace plays a crucial role in Read more

What Do You Really Need After Being Involved in a Traffic Collision?
a car after a traffic collision

No one wants to be part of a traffic accident, but even the most diligent drivers can find themselves in Read more