New Beach Factory Voucher Code – free shipping!
We know you’re all starting think about the summer now the sun has decided to shine – and our pals at The Beach Factory would like to help it on it’s way to your house.
So we think you should rush right over there and stock up on all your summer essentials. But don’t buy that hat up there please – I need it for me…
Read MoreSun sun sunny sun… Slip Slap Slop Wrap
Lookie look! The SUN is OUT!
Naturally, sitting out for some much needed brightness with my lunch I managed to scald my cheeks an attractive lobster shade… Which is a bit sore, but did remind me that we were going to run a series for ‘Sun Awareness Week’ a little while ago – which we didn’t. Because it was raining. Would’ve been stoopid.
But now the sun is shining (and yes, my nose is smarting) so here – from our resident experts at The Beach Factory; a quick reminder on keeping the family safe in the sunshine, whilst still managing to enjoy it.
- Slip on a shirt
- Slop on sunscreen
- Slap on a hat
- Wrap on sunglasses.
The SunSmart message is really simple to implement for all ages and if you follow the “Slip-Slap-Slop-Wrap” code there is no reason for sore shoulders, burnt faces, fractious kids and permanent sun damage.
1. Nothing can spoil a family holiday quicker than sunburn! Sun protection UV swim shirts and UV sunsuits, tested to the maximum standard of UPF 50+, are ideal products to wear as sunscreen only has to be applied on exposed areas (Laura says – we fell in love with these in 2008, and have never looked back)
LOVE this Lion in the Sun sunsuit which is on sale at under £20, age 2-8yrs.
2. Carry a pocket size Sunsense roll on sun cream in your bag, useful for days out when it starts off cloudy and then the sun comes out. Perfect size to pack in school bags too so older kids can apply their own cream when at school.
FAB idea - roll on sunscreen in your bag. No more leaky tubes!
3. Don’t forget sun hats whether you are at home or abroad. Wide brimmed sun hats and legionnaire style hats are ideal to wear to school and in the water.
LOVE these reversible Tuga hats (£15) which are good for in the pool too.
4. Eyes are so vulnerable; make sure you use sun glasses tested to UV 400. Kids Banz glasses with adjustable straps stay on younger children, J Banz and Squids suit older children.
I know my boys would totally wear these £13 JBanz. Cool, no?
5. Try to stay out of the sun at least between 11-3pm by either hiring or buying a big parasol or investing in a UV tent which will shield the family from harmful UV rays.
There's no point in having the children nicely in the shade while you sizzle, is there?
Spotted! Perfect Car rug.
One of the things I’ve learned as a parent is that a blanket of one’s own is invaluable.
You drag them downstairs with you on a chilly morning, you use them in bed for a little extra snuggability, you curl under them in the corner of your room when you read (or are in trouble…), you lay on top of them when you’re sorting out your soldiers, you take them in the car for sleep-comfort on long journeys, you take them when you visit anywhere overnight for a little feel of home…
Invaluable.
And this rather lovely one from John Lewis is great – soft, big enough, and not too babyish to still be in use when they’re 9.
We love it.
The Here, There and Everywhere Cars Throw is £20 from John Lewis.
Read MoreA Lesson Learnt – A Child’s Hand Luggage
Over Easter we had a lovely week’s holiday away, catching some sun. Not only did we relax and have some precious family time together but we also learnt a very important lesson about how valuable the smallest small things can be and what not to put in a sleepy child’s hand luggage.
We flew back late on a Saturday night, the plane landed just before midnight. As we waited for our suitcases to be plucked from the baggage carousel, myself and our two sons sat down on a bench, eldest son shed his backpack and forgot to pick it up again. Sigh. We discovered this sleepy error when we were back home, about 1.30am.
The next day we went back to the airport, spoke to all sorts of helpful-and-some-not-so-helpful people and gained an understanding of the lost baggage procedure. This basically meant waiting a few days for the giant slow moving cogs of a large organisation to turn before something gets to where it’s supposed to be.
In the meantime, as I waited (im)patiently, I started filling out the insurance claim form, just incase the bag was not to be found. To my shock and horror the total value of stuff in his backpack came to a whopping £950!! Who knew that a few (17) DS Games, two DS consoles (his and his younger brother’s), a Kindle and a few other bits and pieces could add up to so much?!
This story does have a happy ending; the backpack was found and handed in (eventually) to the lost baggage office. Phew. If you’re heading to distant shores this Summer, take heed and put valuable items in your own hand luggage (less likely to be left on an airport bench).
Random photo of my two boys at the airport on our way to the holiday...
New Pokémon TCG are coming: BLACK & WHITE — DARK EXPLORERS! Eeeps!
I have three boys. Ergo, I know ALL about Pokémon. It seems you can’t have one, and not the other.
But actually – I have a bit of a soft spot for Pokémon. It’s a well-branded series, it is highly moral in it’s storylines, the games are absorbing and never-ending (LOADS of play value) and the Trading Card Games take them off screen and into really good interactive games with each other. Really – what’s not to love?
So, you can imagine the excitement when I announced I’d had a press release about the new Black & White Trading card game about to hit the stores in May – calling something ‘Dark Explorers’ is just going to have small collectors everywhere spontaneously combusting with excitement.
So here’s the lowdown on the new set (yes, it’s all very very tedious. Unless you’re 9, in which case you will lap up every word, I promise):
DARE TO EXPLORE THE DARKNESS OF THE POKÉMON TCG: BLACK & WHITE — DARK EXPLORERS!
In stores May 9th 2012 | Theme Decks RRP: £9.99 | Booster Packs RRP: £3.49
As you explore the darkness, the Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion ushers in the return of the immensely powerful Darkrai-EX and a lineup of Darkness-type Pokémon, like Zoroark, Umbreon, and Sableye, to knock your opponent’s lights out! Playing with Trainer cards like Dark Patch, included in the expansion to help give Darkness-type decks an edge you’ll not only navigate the darkness, you’ll rule it!
The fifth Pokémon TCG: Black & White expansion also continues an impressive run of featuring Unova and non-Unova region Pokémon-EX cards, more powerful Pokémon that deliver devastating attacks to your opponents. Darkrai-EX is joined by Tornadus-EX, Kyogre-EX, Raikou-EX, and Groudon-EX, all featured as Pokémon-EX cards and rare Ultra full-art Pokémon-EX cards!
Key features of the new Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion includes:
• Six more Pokémon-EX from the Unova region and beyond
• New strategies for Darkness-type Pokémon
• More than 100 cards, including three Shiny Secret rare cards
• More Restored Pokémon options
• First Eevee cards since the Pokémon TCG: HS — Undaunted
• Parallel foil card guaranteed in each booster packEach new theme deck and booster pack includes an in-pack code card that unlocks virtual cards for play in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. Expand your personal deck and battle against others from around the world! Battles are taking place now at www.pokemon.co.uk/tcgo.
For more information about the Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion and Pokémon TCG Online, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.
Okiedog Changing Bag review
I love this changing bag! I have been sent Okiedog’s Urban Mondo bag in red… and I also have a six week old baby alongside two other children – four and six.
When my older two were tiny my changing bag was heavy and thicker in material; so you not only had nappy weight and all the other things that go in but also the actual weight of the bag.
The Okiedog however is incredibly lightweight (but robust) and the strap is wide and comfortable on the shoulder. It’s incredibly well made, and has the necessary gazillion pockets that cater for what you need. I particularly like the hook for keys in one of the front pockets – in fact I have commandeered both front pocket for MY ‘stuff’ – diary, phone, purse, lipstick and keys etc, which still leaves ample room inside the bag for the baby stuff.
I also like the bottle pocket with its carrying case, and the accessories bag, the handy hooks to go on the pram, the fact the milk bottle case is designed to hang from one of the straps if so desired… the bag is just very well thought out and practical to use, which in the end is all you’re looking for in a baby changing bag. And I love the fact that mine’s red!
The 2012 Okiedog range is available from Mothercare – there’s different styles in different fabrics, but all in the same strong lightweight design.
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The Dad & Son Road Trip
Anyone who follows us on twitter knows that last week was the Big Event. The Father Son Road Trip, from Dorset to Manchester. Well, Old Trafford, to be precise – the belated 10th birthday present for Boy, our footballing No.2 son.
Excited? NOT the word…
It’s a 216 mile journey. His first video blog was created… um…8 miles from home… (watch as he tries to figure out how far they’ve come in 15 minutes…)
There were numerous ‘motorway updates…’ which I won’t bore you with (numerous comments when he was actually allowed to eat his lunch, you’ll be pleased to know), and four hours later they arrived at the Premier Inn in Knutsford… Apologies in advance for the toilet detail and fascination. He’s 10. What can I say?
And then there was just time to nip into the attached Brewers Fayre for a quick meal ridiculously HUGE feast of mammoth proportions before the match…
You may spot that Boy was quite excited by the fact that a) he was reviewing for me and therefore they weren’t paying for the sheer lavish extravagance of a 3 course meal, b) he was getting chicken GOUJONS for a starter, no less and c) there was COKE involved. Big coke. Nay – GOOD coke…
Chicken GOUJONS!
Monster burger
All together now... "Good Coke!"
Yes the bottomless 10yr old was actually unable to finish (this NEVER happens). In his own words
“Well done Premier Inn. you’ve outdone yourselves”
(don’t worry though, he did manage to squeeze in the hot chocolate fudge cake with ice cream dessert… #justplaingreedy)
Then they were off to the match – be warned it took a good hour in the Match Day traffic to actually reach Old Trafford’s car park, but they made it in time for the obligatory visit to the shop before they found their seats for the game.
Getting back was easier, and they were back at the Premier Inn in under 40 minutes even though they were stuck in the immediate Old Trafford surroundings for a good 20 minutes.
After an exhausted nights sleep (despite the Inn being right on the main road, there was very little in the way of noise from the traffic to disturb them), breakfast was equally as popular as dinner the night before
“…oh, I’d eaten so much the night before I could only manage a bowl of coco pops. And some bacon and sausage. And a muffin…”
And two slow-moving boys started the long trek home.
They had a total blast, and the ease of booking, the positioning and the facilities gave them everything they needed. Would they use a Premier Inn as a stopover for a boys road trip again? In a heartbeat.
Read MoreSpotted! The totally brilliant MusucBag *want*
Isn’t that just awesome?
Would your child ever actually get out of it?
It’s so well designed – form zips you can undo form the inside to ‘ventilation zips’ on the legs (to stop sweaty-knee-syndrome we think) and non-slippy feet.
Brrrrilliant.
(and yes, before you ask - there are grown-up-sized ones too!)
All for a squish under £40 from MusucBag.com.
Read MoreThe one where Keris tries the Skoda Roomster
(And no, don’t you dare click away in boredom at a CAR review – this was written by Keris so you just KNOW it’ll be worth a quick squizz through…)
After falling so much in love with the Skoda Yeti, we were all very excited about the prospect of the Skoda Roomster. As wonderful as the Yeti is, we thought it was maybe a bit too big for us and that the Roomster would be more fitting. We looked at it online and squeaked about the big windows and the concept of separate “rooms” for the grown-ups and kids (I may have over-played this in my head – I practically had it as a little house on wheels).
So when it arrived, we couldn’t wait to test it out. I picked Harry up from school and he said, “How about we go for a little drive in the country?” So we did. And we really liked it – honestly – but it just didn’t compare to the Yeti for a few reasons:
1. No map. The Yeti has a built-in satnav that Harry and Joe adored. They loved watching the progress of our car and when the Roomster arrived the first thing Harry asked was “where’s the map?” No map.
2. It was roomy, yes, but it didn’t seem any roomier than the Yeti. Also I didn’t really get the rooms concept. It just seemed like, you know, a car.
3. It was noisy. Now that Harry is really tall, he likes to sit in the front so one day I let him sit in the front while David was driving, which meant I sat in the back with Joe. And I couldn’t believe how noisy it was. I do think we were driving on particularly rattley roads, but even so.
Like the Skoda, there were lots of things we liked – huge boot with a pull-down handle and little “fireplace” for stopping the shopping rolling around. The extra-big windows in the back were great – on the night I sat in the back I noticed how bright the stars were and we drove to somewhere completely dark to let the boys have a look. I never would have noticed that with normal-sized windows. (In contrast, I found the windscreen really small. I’m only short, but I found myself leaning forward and peering over the steering wheel like a mole.)
(no Keris post is complete without the obligatory Cute Factor from her boys...)
So all in all, we enjoyed it, but we didn’t LURVE it like the Yeti. In fact, when it went back Harry said, “Bye, Roomster. When are we getting a Yeti?”
(Skoda Roomsters start at £11,775.00 ‘On The Road’)
–
Keris Stainton
OUT NOW! Jessie Hearts NYC <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jessie-Hearts-NYC-Keris-Stainton/dp/1408304287/containsmil04-21>
“A breezy summer rom-com, with oodles of New York glamour.” The Bookseller
Twitter @keris
KerisStainton.com
Girls ? Books
The Big Zeroes
Ready for Ten
Bestest Christmas Gift Ideas – Lulu Australia Roses Shopper Bag
*WANT*
That’s all, really.
I know this is a beach bag, in theory, but what a fabulous every day shopper it would make. Those amazing roses, and Lulu’s trademark ultra glossy finish.
The two handles are part canvas, and it closes with a magnetic popper, and the inside is lined.
Just bluddy gorgeous!
£55 from our friends at The Beach Factory.
Read MoreSpotted! Perfect Handbag Pouch
Have you caught on to these yet? Such brilliance – already HUGE in the States and Australia.
You keep your phone/keys/purse in this – and then just switch it between whichever bag you fancy using.
Plop it in your baby bag, and when you want to nip to the shop alone, you can just take this with you.
Keep it in a large bag at work, and it’s ready with your essentials when you nip out to check those shoes you saw in the window this morning on your way in.
Obviously also great for make-up, or switch it about and use this for a spare nappy/wipes in your normal bag.
Endless possibilities, and endless design options. This one from MaddieKay Handbags on Etsy is a particular fave of mine.
Just under £12, with a mere £3.20 to get it here for the US. Quite frankly, it’s tricky to choose just one…
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Spotted! Owl Lunch Tin (thanks to @HelenW71)
As @icklebabe_com said on Twitter – “Oh My Cuteness! I Want one!”
Really, what more can I add?
Slightly baffled looking owl with the MOST gorgeous 70′s flower-do. Love it.
And don’t tell me that lunch time wouldn’t be a nicer place with him looking after your peanut butter and jam sandwich.
(This Owl Thing we were doing for a bit of fun last week? Yes – it might be here for a while yet…)
Blafre Tin Lunch Box Red Owl is available from Lunchbox World for a mere thirteen of your pounds.
Read MoreKeris does the i’coo pluto review
I'll just pause to let you absorb the supreme cuteness of Joe...
I resisted this buggy for quite a while. I was using a backward facing buggy and loved being able to chat to Joe and keep an eye on him whenever he was eating (he does a lot of buggy-based snacking), but then Joe started kneeling up and looking forward over the back of the buggy and so I realised it was time.
The first time we used the Pluto, I didn’t like it. It felt flimsy to me, I wasn’t sure if I’d managed to put it up correctly and the wheels were making a clicking sound. After another break of ignoring it and using the backward facing, I bit the bullet and set off on the walk to school with the Pluto and it was a revelation.
MUCH lighter than the buggy we had been using. Easier to steer and easier to get up and down kerbs. Joe seemed to love facing forward – happily spotting “Postman Pat” and attempting to direct us (“This way! Dot dat way!”) – and I only had to run round the front to check he wasn’t choking ten or twenty times…
Rainy days have been a bit of a problem – the Pluto doesn’t come with a raincover so first I used the universal cover I already had, but it was too flappy. Then I bought a Pluto cover, but Joe pushed and pushed it with his feet until the plastic separated from the edging and we had to throw it away. At the moment, we’re alternating between Joe holding an umbrella or just getting wet (he really doesn’t seem to mind!).
The buggy folds up easily (when I remember to unclip it, which oddly I hardly ever do) and opens even more easily (you can open it one-handed no problem, but you need two hands to fold it). It’s pretty compact when folded. The basket underneath is roomy and it has separate handles you can hang bags on. There’s a large pocket at the back of the seat below a mesh bit for peering through at the back of your child’s head (???). Oh and it reclines really easily – you can do it one-handed no problem, but then when the child sits up the back comes up with them and stays up. So if, for example, I was trying to convince Joe to stay lying down and go to sleep I wouldn’t have much luck, because each time he sat up I’d have to recline the seat again.
All in all, it’s a really great compact, lightweight buggy. And in a lovely shade of blue too.
(The I’coo Pluto is available from most high street retailers – we saw it on Mothercare in three colours for £190 )
Keris Stainton
OUT NOW! Jessie Hearts NYC <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jessie-Hearts-NYC-Keris-Stainton/dp/1408304287/containsmil04-21>
“A breezy summer rom-com, with oodles of New York glamour.” The Bookseller
Twitter @keris
My website http://www.keris-stainton.com
Girls ? Books http://girlsheartbooks.com
The Big Zeroes http://thebigzeroes.wordpress.com
Ready for Ten http://www.readyforten.com/users/Keris/posts
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Travelling with Children (Book review, not horror story. Honest).
I find booking family holidays incredibly stressful. In fact I always find myself considering not going rather than continuing with the stress of finding the perfect location, accommodation and date. And then when you actually set off…
Catherine Cooper’s book – Travelling With Children: A Parent’s Guide – is an entertaining and practical guide to, well, travelling with children. The book will help you work out which holiday is best for your family: from when to go, where to go, what to do and how to get there. It features family-friendly travel companies and case studies from real parents.
I particularly enjoyed the section on City Breaks and how to make the most of them with children. I’d pretty much resigned myself to not having a city break for a few years, so it’s good to know it’s not completely out of the question. With chapters on camping, skiing, cruises and spas, there’s something for everyone, and it’s all written in a clear and straightforward style.
Recommended!
Keris Stainton
OUT NOW! Jessie Hearts NYC – “A breezy summer rom-com, with oodles of New York glamour.” The Bookseller
Twitter: @keris
My website: www.keris-stainton.com
Girls Heart Books
The Big Zeroes
Ready for Ten
Sigg Bottles. Just a Brilliant childs Flask.
We LOVE Sigg bottles.
And when I say ‘we’, I don’t just mean the grown ups round here.
No, the four smaller-but-in-charge-really people LOVE Sigg bottles.
We started off with this uber-cute little 0.3l bottle for Pink to take to pre-school. She LOVED it, and all the mums were oooh-ing at it in the crate. But as she headed towards proper school we found it was just too small to last all day for her, so now she has the 0.4l size (Pink. With Hello Kitty. Naturally.)
This size is really practical – the 8 and 10yr olds each have one too (though theirs are less pink and Miss Kitty-ish…)
And the 12yr old even takes his 0.6l version – with no embarassment – to high school. Though he prefers the classic screw top.
So what do we like about them? Well – really, whats not to like? Practically indestructable is the biggest thing in my book. I can’t even begin to think about the number of plastic bottles I’ve bought the children over the years – finally I refused to buy any more character-branded-and-breaks-in-two-weeks versions and resorted to re-using water PET bottles. Though, of course, then came the news of the health risks associated with that… (you may not want to Google it – it’ll scare you if you’re big on re-using plastic bottles). Siggs are totally recyclable, and they changed their linings nearly three years ago to be totally BPA, phthalates and allkindsofnasties-free.
So using the Sigg bottles mean my green-conscious is eased – along with my pocket. The only part my troop have managed to break are the lids. The 10 yr old continues to use his domed lid ‘with crack’. The 12yr old managed to break his ‘Active Top’ (far right in the pic below) – but replacement with the screw top cost only £4. I’m pretty sure it’s totally unbreakable now, even by him, and apparently its far more socially acceptable too. Win win.
Yorkshire Moors. Somewhere.
These bottles come with us everywhere now – it’s automatic. Family days out, up mountains, to the beach, walking the dog, to school, long car trips… The bottles aren’t cheap at £14 for the smallest ones, I know that. But when you think how long they last, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell every parent they should have one. Though you might want to think carefully about the design you choose, as that bottle will be in use for a very very long time to come. And sweet little bumble bees aren’t so cute when you’re a footie-mad 10yr old…
Which brings me nicely to my final point.
It just has to be said.
Sigg have THE best bottle designs on the market.
I mean it.
A VAST array of really truly cool, cute or just plain beautiful versions are there to choose from (there’s even a range of Vivienne Westwood ones).
And the website is totally brilliant too – along with the ability to browse the entire range (and replacement parts and accessories), you can also enlarge the design itself so you can see all the way round the bottle too. Oh, and prices INCLUDE delivery. Not looking so expensive, now, huh?
Sigg bottles available from their online shop if you click right here…
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Camp Bestival. Oh how we do love thee.
We couldn’t make Camp Bestival this year – so we sent our intrepid roving reporter WitWitWoo. Who quite frankly did a better job than we would have done. She camped and EVERYTHING. This is her account of her first ever festival – grab a coffee before you start, you may be here some time…
I have officially made it back from my first ever camping trip in one piece. Quite frankly, I surprised even myself because, let me tell you, if you’ve never been before, camping is not easy!
Camp Bestival is considered the most family-friendly festival out there and after going, I can understand why.
The plan was that I would drive our two boys (7 & 16,) down to Dorset on the Thursday morning and my Other Half would meet us at the campsite that evening. Of course, best laid plans and all ….
We had intended to leave at 9am and ended up eventually leaving at midday – par for the course when you have children. It took us four hours to get to Dorset from Kent, including the obligatory stop-off at the motorway services where I had to trade in a child just to afford a Starbucks latte. Twenty quid down already and I hadn’t even got to the festival.
We arrived at 4pm … complete with crampy ankles, an irritable teen and a hyper 7 year old. All quite normal really. The original plan was that we’d obviously be able to park really near our tent, it would take probably an hour to pitch the tent and before you could say, “Mine’s a double vodka & Diet Coke,” we’d be cooking the rapidly warming sausages before you knew it. As I said earlier, all good plans …
In reality, because the site was already so busy (it had taken us nearly two hours driving through the town of Wareham and onto the site before we managed to park up,) that we were directed to park at the top of a very big hill. Me and hills do not get along. We hadn’t really thought through the whole ‘transporting luggage’ issue and found ourselves miles away from the first area of spare land to camp on.
This is my main gripe about Camp Bestival. You end up parking so far away from your tent that the round trip to bring luggage down from the car ended up taking an hour. Times that by three and suffice to say, I was a little hacked off by Thursday evening.
My teen gallantly offered to do the last two trips on his own and Dexter, my youngest, and I, attempted to look like we knew what we were doing with the tent and airbeds back at Base Camp. We didn’t. For a start, we’d forgotten the foot pump and it wasn’t until after forty minutes of manually blowing up a double airbed that a fellow camper finally took pity on me and lent me their foot pump. Good job I’ve got a good pair of lungs on me.
The whole putting up the tent thing didn’t work either but thankfully, someone else offered to help.
Next problem was getting my Other Half into the campsite when I had his wrist band. Which brings me onto my second gripe of Camp Bestival.
I know I’m not the only one who felt this because believe me, when people are hacked off, they talk, but every steward I spoke to over the weekend did not have a clue whatsoever as to where anything was on the site. It really was a case of, “Errr … sorry, but if you ask Bob in the Magic Meadow, he might know.” You get the picture.
To cut a very long story short, I managed to finally find my Other Half by the castle. By fluke more than anything. We finished pitching the tent, we ate scrambled eggs by candlelight and we slept hard … on a rapidly deflating airbed.
The best thing about Camp Bestival is that there is so much to do. This can also be the worst thing because you can’t see/do everything. There were things I wanted to see but completely epic failed all over the place because I went to CB with the ethos of not getting too hung up on cramming everything in. However, if you have military precision like planning, you’ll fare better. But be warned. The site is massive. I mean … it took us over half an hour to walk from the first part of the main festival area back to our tent. And this is where the trailers come in handy again.
Now I obviously didn’t get the memo about a trailer being necessary not only for transporting too much luggage across mountainous terrain but for schlepping your kids around from one field to another to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. In fact, most canny parents not only decorated their trailers but padded them out with blankets and pillows and their kids slept in them whilst Mum and Dad partied all evening. (Some people just have too much time on their hands quite frankly.)
At the main ‘Hi-Di-Hi’ stage, children’s TV presenters, Dick and Dom, did a great job compering the children’s entertainment, introducing such live acts as The Gruffalo, Zingzillas and Mr Tumble (Mr Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumblllllllle!)
We had watched The Gruffalo live before, (it’s great, catch it if you can,) so we decided to have a lazy morning. I hadn’t slept well but the world always looks better after a fry-up – even one cooked over a single ring stove. Granted, it may have taken slightly longer to cook this way but when you consider that a bacon roll was more than £4, and there’s four of us, you’ll understand why we tried to cut corners where we could. Besides, cooking outside is what you’re meant to do when you camp, right? I’m sure it’s in the Camping Rulebook. So I sat on my camping chair, with my little stove, and cooked breakfast every day. I didn’t mind as my Other Half did the washing up. The kids? Well, they just ate the food, so nothing new there.
We’re a pretty laid back family and so there was no pressure on any of us to have to do anything. Our eldest had already made friends with the kids from the tent next door and so we barely saw him all weekend – apart from when he wanted money or feeding. Typical. But we were happy with that because we really didn’t want him cramping our style, (or is it the other way round?) Our youngest is seven and I had specifically not told him about any of the acts that were appearing because I didn’t want to feel beholden to be anywhere at a specific time. However, you could buy a programme, which came with handy lanyard, which outlined who was on and when. Would have helped if I’d bought myself one really.
Three things Dexter loved:
1. Jousting: In fact, he loved it so much that he not only watched it three times, but watched it on the Ferris Wheel to get the perfect view. Now that’s dedication.
2. Bubble Guns: They were everywhere. You couldn’t walk a metre without being smacked upside the head by a giant bubble or five. At £9 per gun (I say gun, more of a sword really,) they’re not cheap but the kids loved them.
3. Fancy Dress: Every year, Camp Bestival has a theme – this year was medieval. If your child is anything like me, they love dressing up. Most of Dexter’s costumes are so small now that the trousers are ¾ length and the tops are crop tops. He doesn’t care at all. Dressing up as a knight at Camp Bestival was a whole lotta fun for Dexter. If you’ve forgotten to bring an outfit, there’s even a fancy dress shop on site, Smiffy’s – but get there early because they soon run out of the most popular items.
Three things Teen loved:
1. Ed Sheeran: One of the many strings to my ever-expanding bow, is that I’m also a music reviewer (as is the teen now,) and so there were some acts appearing that we definitely had to see. Ed Sheeran was one of them. Not only was his main show amazing but I managed to find out about a secret gig that he was playing straight after the main show. After managing to blag our way past security (“You’re name’s not down ….”,) we were privy to a gig to no more than 100 people and Ed played us his new songs. A really mellow affair, in the middle of the woods, apparently at someone’s wedding (!) and we felt privileged to be there. The teen could barely speak when he came out (he was front row,) only to tell me that I was the best mum in the entire universe. Hey – tell me something I don’t know!
2. Girls: Nuff said. Lots of teens were at Camp Bestival and I know some people were a bit upset that they seem to have been able to allowed in on their own, without an accompanying family. But the certainly didn’t cause me any bother – but then I’d deliberately camped miles away from them!
3. Chilling: He felt safe enough to wander about on his own without any hassle. These days, just walking the streets at home, there’s some little runt that wants to have a go. There wasn’t that vibe at Camp Bestival at all. Everyone was there to listen to music and have fun and there was absolutely no trouble at all (that I saw.)
Three things Other Half and I loved:
1. Atmosphere: No, they’re not a folk band (although that’s a great name,) but my Other Half and I lead pretty hectic lives, we haven’t had a holiday for over four years and so Camp Bestival was the first chance we’d had in years just to ‘be.’ So, for us, just spending time together in a place that felt like a mini community full of like-minded people, was wonderful.
2. Dancing: My Other Half and I met dancing – in a salsa club to be specific, and it was what brought us together. Nine years on and … well, we don’t get to dance much these days. At Camp Bestival there are lots of dance classes put on and everywhere you look, there’s always music to dance to. We took full advantage and really let our hair down. Our eldest was grateful he wasn’t around to see us raving and after initially not knowing what to make of it, our youngest just joined in! It was good for him to see Mum and Dad letting their hair down. At least I think it was.
3. Happy Kids: When we’re at home, there’s always some squabble going on between our boys. It’s normal, right? (Please agree!) At Camp Bestival, admittedly because they weren’t in each other’s space all the time, they were just happier when they were with each other. Yes, there were a few disagreements, but overall, they rubbed along together nicely. Both got to do what they wanted to do (within reason,) and that led to a relaxed atmosphere. Most of the time. Happy kids = happy parents.
I missed out hearing any comedy, (ahem, bar my own of course,) Sara Cox speak, James Vincent McMorrow and Ms Dynamite. But we ate at River Cottage, loved Katy B and had a great time on the Helter Skelter. We didn’t see Shrek, the Insect Circus or Nero (they cancelled twice – the teen is still vex!), but we ate some great food, I had the best facial ever at the Khiels stand and we saw some amazing bike tricks at the Skate Park.
Camp Bestival is host to 30,000 people and if, for some reason (*cough* money *cough*) they make it bigger next year, I think that would adversely affect the whole experience. I’m hoping they don’t.
There are things that could be improved at Camp Bestival – it’s not perfect – but what is? Overall, I have to say, I’d recommend it to anyone.
Camp Bestival 2011 rocked – even though I barely slept, spent a fortune on food and felt like I’d walked a thousand miles.
Read MoreThe Powermat. A little slab of genius.
You know how, sometimes, you come across somehting, and wonder what you ever did before you had it? The PowerMat? It’s definitely one of those things.
We tried the Powermat 2X Charging Mat with a powercube, and I’ll be honest – it didn’t come out of the box for a while as I simply didn’t get it at first. Why would I want to plug in a square block to charge my camera/phone/DS on, when they all have a perfectly good system which plugs into the wall all by itself?
But then… I went on holiday.
And suddenly, like a big ole lightbulb going ping over my head, I got it. I really did.
In my case I packed the PowerMat. Oh, and the DSlite extension back.And I was good to go (well, okay, I added a few luxury extras like clothes and wash gear, but you know what I mean).
I did NOT pack a phone charger, three different camera chargers, a video Camera charger, an ipod charger, two MP3 chargers or a DSlite charger.
The one powercube has the array of lead ends, so it fits pretty much any device you may have (we haven’t found anything yet that we ourselves possess and it doesn’t charge). Spare ends can be popped into the small storage cube, so they don’t roll around and get lost either. With the twin mat you can charge two items at once – we got the DSlite back in addition to the above set, and it works perfectly, though it took some getting used to as you can’t play while it is charging (though a certain 10yr old of my acquaintance has now figured out that actually, he can…).
Top trick for me is that the black slab is magnetic, and the little charging square (powercube) zooms into place and hangs on in there – your items won’t just stop charging if a baby elephant 4yr old happens to brush past.
Since we’ve been home I have left it available, and have noticed it is used more than any devices own plug. It’s just too darn convenient!
They’re not cheap at £70 for the Powermat 2X Charging Mat, but it’s strong, reliable, and if you travel a lot I’d say it’s a really worthy investment.
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The Yuu Bag. Genius.
The Yuu Bag.
Not really a bag, as such. More an experience in a Rucksack.
The Yuu bag isn’t a school bag (though my 10yr old insists on using his) – it’s just a bit too big for lugging to school. No, this is a travel bag for your child.
And it’s flippin genius is what it is.
Now you can, of course, visit the Yuuworld web site and order a bag for your child.
But that’s really chopping half the fun out of the equation.
What you need to do is buy them a golden ticket.
Then THEY can go to the site, and create their OWN bag.
You start with four choices – same bag, different colourways (actually my ONLY criticism of the Yuu bag – there are three very masculine designs, and one so pink it makes my hair hurt. I’d like to see something a little more gender neutral for the non-girly girls).
Then you go through the options, accessorizing the bag in stages – desk colour, plain or lined writing pad, small toy choice… So that when the bag arrives, it is exactly as they would have designed it themselves.
The bag itself is a sturdy rigid backpack, with masses of padding around the neck, back and shoulder straps – it’s designed for age 7+, and younger than that the bag will in all honesty be too big and heavy. Outside there are two pockets, one moulded and shaped to hold a flask/bottle perfectly (no in-bag drink spillage, see?).
The flap zips around three sides, and folds out to create a desktop to work on… this is where the travel ideas really start to work. The ‘flap’ contains a rigid piece of plastic which you can leave in the bag to work on, or slide out to use on your lap in the car.
Totally protected against the padded back panel there’s pouches for DS’s and MP3′s (or playmobil pirates), and huzzah – there’s a zipped pocket for those masters-of-loseability DS games too. There’s even a secret compartment, too…
A detachable pencil case is a fab idea (although it needs popping inside the back pockets to stop it constantly sticking to the velcro straps). Those pockets are big enough for the A4 pad (and lots and lots and lots of drawings)… there’s even a magnetic snakes & ladders game which is ace in the car.
Now.
I have a confession.
I was sent the Yuu bags *cough* LastSummer *cough*.
I know. Shockingly outrageous reviewer service *hangs head in shame*
BUT.
As I was packing them for the holiday, and realising they haven’t had their review, it does mean this – I can, unequivocally, without doubt, irrefutably say – these bags are Brilliant. And more importantly will NOT fall apart in five minutes. Jolly (8) keeps his in his room, supplied with ‘essentials’, ready to grab for any likely looking car journey. Boy (10) has used his every. single. day. for school. Battered and booted it is. And still in perfect working order, not a broken zip or corner of peeling velcro to be seen.
They are not cheap – £43 – but I do think they’re worth it. So do a lot of others – they completely sold out within weeks of launch last summer.
Available exclusively from the Yuuworld site.
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Spotted! Classic Card Games Set
As a family we LOVE playing card games. They’re just the ultimate toy, aren’t they? Small enough to go anywhere, simple rules everyone can master easily, endlessly flexible in terms of age range, and big belly laughs guaranteed.
So I whooped with glee when I spotted this triple pack over on Little Bundles – three great games in one! Animal Rummy (which I’m guessing is a child’s version of Gin Rummy), Old Maid and Go Fish. Classics all.
I’m certainly going to be scooping up a pack (actually, I already did before telling you to make sure there were some left) for our holidays next week.
Available from Little Bundles at a bargainous £6.99
Read MoreTotally Fab Travel Hangman.
When those brilliantly marvellous people at Wee Gooseberry heard we were taking the small people to France they sent us this, saying they thought it might help.
It did.
It’s brilliant.
A wooden board, with the alphabet displayed on elasticated blocks. The pen you need is attached – and even has a rubber on the top.
I presented it with a flourish when we were about half an hour into the journey from Cherbourg, and I don’t think it was actually out away until the ferry. Going the other way.
Hangman is an enduring family travel game for a reason – it’s simple, easy, and there’s no limits on the number of players. This board simply makes it slightly more fun.
Boy (9) and Jolly (8). One long car journey. And one whole HOUR of peace. Truth.
We unanimously love it.
It’s well-built too, and has been carefully stowed away for all long car trips of the future. Actually, I can see it still coming out for the grandchildren…
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