Planning our Travels for 2020

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As soon as Christmas is over, I am always keen to start planning the year ahead and plotting out when we might be getting some nights away and quality family time. We're not a family that has loads of disposable income, so I can't generally plan European short breaks and Florida summer holidays. I have to be a bit more creative with the money we have, and try to make it go as far as possible. It's also incredibly fortunate that I can secure some breaks away due to this blog.

2020 is panning out really well and I am feeling excited and looking ahead to the great times we'll have. The kids half term is next week and I'm always dubious to book anything much in the February half term as you can never tell what our weather will do. So, the kids and I will just be heading for February for a few days to spend time with my parents, and we always love doing that.

April - Spring Harvest at Butlins, Skegness
On Easter Sunday we'll head up to the in-laws to celebrate Easter and then on to Skegness for our yearly holiday at the Spring Harvest Christian festival. JJ won't be coming with us, as he will be staying with my parents and revising for his GCSEs that will start the next month.

So, it will be just the four of us and the one good point of that, is that it is cheaper, but I always miss my boy when he isn't there. I love this holiday as it is a mix of relaxation and fun, with swimming, the fun fair and chilling with my hubby, as well as great times of teaching and celebration. It is completely joyous and I haven't been to Skegness since 2011, so it will be great to experience the changes they've made there in the last decade.

Booking Your Airbnb Property - 14 Top Tips

Squirrel Hill Court, Bradford Airbnb, where we stayed May 2019

Christmas is over and I hope you had a marvellous time. If you're anything like me, your mind will now have moved onto the need to travel and get some holidays/ short breaks booked for 2020, so you can have something to look forward to.

In recent years we've booked a few stays in the UK in Airbnb properties and we've really enjoyed them. With a family of five, it is so good to have the right amount of bedrooms, some outside space and a lounge/ kitchen, rather than all being cooped up in a couple of hotel rooms.

We've been very lucky with the four properties we've booked and they've all turned into truly wonderful holidays with loads of memories made. Our breaks have been in the UK, but I know many friends who have booked abroad and been very happy. In fact I don't personally know anyone who has had an awful experience with Airbnb, but I know they are out there, you only have to google and you'll come across a load on the Internet (but my advise, don't bother!).

I think with some good research before booking, and trusting your gut when you interact with the property owner you can be as sure as possible of a good stay. Here are my top tips for booking your Airbnb property right now -

Review: Park Resorts - Camber Sands

This weekend we have been away for JJ’s 11^th birthday, we opted to stay fairly local as it was a school weekend and thus we headed an hour down the road to Camber Sands, East Sussex.  Situated next to the wonderful historic town of Rye, Camber has an amazing sandy beach and is a beautiful tranquil place to visit.

The Park Resorts Camber Sands caravan park is situated directly opposite the famous white sand beach and sits in an excellent position for access to the beach.

Pre-arrival

As I was booking this weekend for a review I was given a special code by the PR company but sadly the guy in reservations had no idea about this. He could not find me any accommodation to suit the specification they had given for reviewers to stay in.  So I asked if the next grade of caravan was available and he said he would have to check about supplements and someone would come back to me. Sadly I never heard anything back and even calling again and speaking to two different people on other occasions I was not given an answer. Then in the post came a confirmation saying I had to pay £50 for a stay that weekend coming.

I got in touch with head office and luckily a lady called Denise had some common sense and helped cancel this booking and booked this October break for me, she was the first efficient person I spoke to and perhaps the last as well!

The email confirmation and communication I received before arrival on the park was adequate and as I’d expect.

First Impressions of the park
We arrived on site at about 8pm on the Friday night and it was already dark so it was hard to see much. Reception was already closed by this time so I had to go into security and this was possibly one of the most disgusting public- facing rooms I’ve ever been in.  Think of a taxi office at 1am on a Saturday morning, over flowing bin, coffee stains on the wall and filthy carpet. The security guard was very friendly and helped me with what I needed but it was not the greeting I would expect. Apparently reception closes at 7pm on a Friday and this just seemed ludicrous, I saw at least 25-30 envelopes with arrival information for guests still to arrive.

The drive to our caravan was interesting as there is minimal lighting on site and the roads are not named, so we were in W231 and the W stood for Willow Way but no-where did it say this to help us locate the caravan.

The caravan
We stayed in a Gold standard caravan, this is two up from the basic bronze and in general it was OK. I imagine when it was new it was considered quite fancy but now it isn’t. It was also very strange that the chairs were up on the table when we arrived, not very welcoming, almost as if they had forgot to put them back down and quite how 6 of us were supposed to eat with 4 chairs I'm not sure!

We were promised that our beds would be made up on arrival and the beds were but considering we also had two guests sleeping in the lounge we had no duvet cover, sheet or pillow slips for those people. In total there was only 6 pancake flat pillows in the whole caravan, so that is just one per person which is not adequate for adults, especially when they are so flat.

Our bed in the master bedroom looked like a king size and we were thrilled to see this but not so thrilled when we went to bed and dh discovered that it was a king mattress on a double bedstead!, pretty dangerous really as he nearly fell out of bed as the mattress sagged on that one side.

In general the cleanliness of the caravan was pretty good, there was no dust anywhere, nor hairs in the shower etc. The only thing that looked really grubby and used was the living room carpet and I did find it a bit odd to have carpet in the bathroom and toilet en-suite, not very hygienic at all.

The kitchen was well equipped with all we needed and it was good to see a full size fridge, freezer, oven and hob. Again little bits let it down like not having enough glasses for the 6 people booked, all the cutlery being random and not one knife matching any of the others and the drawer in the fridge having a big hole smashed through the front of it. The grill pan was also about one fifth of the size of the grill and there was no shelf to rest it on and the only baking tray was again a one person size.

On the plus side there was a radiator in each room and the heating was very efficient, there was plenty of hanging space and hangers were provided and the girls were very comfy in their twin bedroom.

My husband and I came to the conclusion that we were over staying in caravans, after a number of holidays where we have had chalet rooms we prefer those to the cramped corridors and paper-thin walls of a caravan, especially when on this site there was an awful lot of people who seemed to want to talk (or should I say swear) quite loudly at night close to us.

On the plus side the shower worked fabulously well and we had plenty of hot water, there was a small en-suite toilet for the main bedroom and the put up bed in the lounge was comfy.

Facilities on site

Arcade and Showbar - We went for an explore the first night and the kids loved the arcade area, this was probably the highlight of our break for Miss E. They each enjoyed a candyfloss for £1 as they liked to watch the machine make it for them and we went through to the showbar and the girls joined in with the entertainment and had a dance. We all enjoyed a coke and some chips while we sat there and thankfully I seemed to approach the bar at the right time as I only waited 10 minutes to get served as I saw others wait nearly half an hour. There was no such queueing issues in the attached chip shop thankfully.

Entertainment – Within our pack that we got on arrival there was two A4 pages with details of daytime and night rime entertainment. Sadly the print was so bad and small that you couldn’t actually read them. So I believe there was daytime activities going on, things like bingo, a quiz and archery (which had an additional cost) but I can’t tell you much as we genuinely could not read it. The evening entertainment that we saw consisted of a kiddie disco and games type fun called Madness and Mayhem and my girls really liked this and then we saw a talent show final which was just appalling. If these were the weekly winners you had to wonder how bad the other people were.

Swimming - On the Saturday morning our first activity was swimming and the actual pool is really quite nice, there are four different areas and depths to suit all people. The boys particularly liked the flume and there were a couple of in-pool spa pool areas which were great for a relax. The changing rooms were fine too, there was plenty of cubicles and lockers, it was shame you had to pay £1 for a locker and you didn’t get it back and the showers after you swim were a bit temperamental but in all we had fun.

Shop – We used the shop a few times for fresh baguettes (very nice), drinks and snacks. It is only a small shop but it had all the things we needed and the prices were not too bad.  The staff there were also the friendliest we came across.

Eating venues – We didn’t eat at the boathouse as the prices were pretty high, about £9 - £13 per adult meal and £4.40 for a child meal with fruit shoot. The food we saw come out looked fine, run of the mill mass produced pub food but not worth the money.  There is deals to be had on week days but as we were there on a weekend we choose to go off site and eat. The chip shop we did use on the Friday night and the food from there was fine but the actual restaurant itself lacked ambiance.

Children’s activities – As with many holiday parks, these were pretty expensive, it was £3 per person to play crazy golf, £4 to go on the bungee trampoline and £4 per half hour for a go-kart. The boys really enjoyed the go-karts but £8 for 2 of them to have a half-hour activity is quite a lot and if we had let all 4 kids have a go that would have been £16.

There are a couple of parks on-site, one was very close to our caravan and it felt a bit tired and dated but was useful as the kids could use it whilst we stayed in the van. The one in the main entertainment area was better equipped but the whole area was very messy and glasses and used food plates etc stayed on the tables for hours. We sat there from 2.30-4pm on Sunday afternoon and not one table got cleared in that time.

Customer service

The welcome really lacked at this Park Resort, from the security guard on arrival, to no welcome card or pack in the caravan. Even when we left Sunday afternoon and I took the key back the guy on reception just said thanks and bye. Where was the ‘did you enjoy your stay?’  I do have to wonder if they get so many complaints that they have stopped asking for fear of the response.

As I mentioned we did not have enough bedding for us all to sleep on the first night so we headed back to the security office to advise them and ask for covers and more pillows. The lady I spoke to was very non-committal that they could help and said a number of times ‘we will try our best’ to which I informed her that what they provided was not adequate and we expected more. I just got the same answer and you know when you realise what you need won’t be coming! We came back to our caravan a couple of hours later to find a duvet and sheet outside the caravan door (lucky it didn’t rain as forecast) despite saying they could go into the caravan if we were not there. No pillows and no covers sadly.

The next morning I did go to reception and asked again for pillows and covers and this time they came quickly. I also reported that the toilet in the en-suite was continually filling and that the noise was not bearable.  When we came back to our caravan three hours later it was fixed and a nice note left by the door to say it had been fixed. Great service on these two points.

Generally the service across the park was poor and my husband and I wondered if they had trouble recruiting as many staff did not appear to want to be there and were pre-occupied or quite rude when you spoke to them. Particularly bad was the young lady on the pool reception who made out you were putting her out by asking questions as it was your first time visiting.

Conclusion

Would we stay at Park Resorts, Camber Sands again? No, I wouldn’t say it is likely. The location is fabulous and the actual caravan was OK but the park itself feels tired and there appear to be quite a lot of owned caravans which I often think gives a caravan park a completely different feel. People obviously had money as the cars parked by the caravans were brand new and expensive models but many of the caravans just looked like there was no care or pride in their property.

The cost of this Gold 2 bed caravan, which sleeps 6 was £239 for this time of year (out of season) and if we had paid this I would have been really disappointed.

Other Park Resorts Reviews -

I asked some other bloggers if they had any links to share for reviews they have done of Park Resorts sites and here they are -

Adventure Mummy reviewed California Cliffs park near Great Yarmouth.

Julie's notebook reviewed Cayton Bay in North Yorkshire. The Diary of a Frugal Family also reviewed that same site.

Rock and Roll Pusscat reviewed Eyemouth holiday park in Scotland.

Disclosure: We received our stay free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

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Bexhill on Sea - my favourite seaside in the UK

We moved to East Sussex just over a year ago now and there is one place that we go to time and time again. The seaside has always been a place that my husband and I love to visit together, we met by the sea and whenever we needed to get away, it is the sea we always headed to. Even when the whether is bad the cobwebs get blown away and our souls feel refreshed.

It is for this reason that I jumped for joy when I realised we were only about 8 miles from our nearest seaside town. At first I wondered what Bexhill-on-Sea would have to offer us as it is pretty old-fashioned and parts look a little run-down but actually I have grown to love it so much.  I visit here alone, with all my family and with friends too.

As I said before it is quite old-fashioned but in a quaint, times-gone-by sort of way rather than being out of date. It does not have lots of neon signs, nightclubs or arcades like many UK seaside resorts and I think more people that come here are locals rather than holidaymakers and I like that. I can wonder round the town and check out the many charity shops and grab a bargain and then go to the Sovereign Light Cafe for a good cooked breakfast.

In the last few years the promenade has been made over and it is a super flat concrete prom great for walking, running, scooting, dog-walking or bike riding. Unless there is a special event going on it is never that busy and you can walk for miles and miles without any issue. The parking along the sea front is plentiful and free too.

You'll see that the beach is a stony one but when the sea goes out you do get areas of sand and also wonderful rock pools, so lots of beach fun can be had here. You often see people wind surfing, fising or boating.

When it was refurbished some fabulous play equipment was put all along the prom and the kids adore running along and stopping to use the equipment.

One of our favourite places to visit with the kids in Bexhill is Egerton Park, this is just a few moments walk from the seafront and is full of fantastic play equipment. It is one of the best play parks I've seen and great for all ages with toddler equipment, sand play, zip wire and loads of equipment for the older kids. As well as an Adidas gym area, football field, bowls, boating lake and cafe. Also next to it is the Bexhill Museum which has some good children activities during the holidays.

On the seafront is the De La Warr pavilion that hosts loads of local cultural events and has a great art gallery too. You can go on the roof and enjoy the fabulous views and take in the Art Deco architecture. Underneath the theatre are some nice shops, a big tea room with beach front outdoor space and also some dancing fountains that the kids love to play in.

Often for the price of a donation your children can join in with arty activities. Last week Miss E spent an enjoyable hour making a collage and then she added it to the artwork on the wall, as one day she wants to be exhibited there.

Probably our favourite activity as a family in Bexhill is eating and we can highly recommend the homemade gelato on sale at Di Paolos opposite the De La Warr or fish and chips from Marinos or Mini Berthas and of course they need to be eaten with the sea in View. There is some lovely grass space next to the De La Warr which is our eating area of choice.

I used to think the sandy beach at Bournemouth was my favourite UK seaside but Bexhill has stolen that place in my heart and I'm very glad to live here and be able to sit and watch all the sailing boats out at sea as well as my kids having a ball.

Have you ever visited before? What did you think?

And while I love the beaches in the UK Liz at Cambridge Mummy has been off enjoying snorkelling with her family at the Mark Warner Levante resort.

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How was the food at @PottersResort?

The Garden Resturant

I know some people are not fans of catered holidays but I love how easy they make it. In my opinion holidays are supposed to be enjoyed by the cook too, so to turn up at a restaurant, get well fed and then walk away and leave the table is my idea of bliss!

Included in the price of your Potters holiday is breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight supper and our family were really happy with what we were offered.

Most people eat in the very large Garden restaurant but during busy times the Gallery restaurant is used too and all food and service levels are the same. You will be allocated a table for your party and this is yours for the duration of your stay, this makes things very easy come meal times and my kids enjoyed getting to know the people around us. Your waiter/ess also remains the same for your stay and you can thus develop a rapport and also Tracey, our waitress got to know our likes and preferences, so tea would just appear at the table. She really was a character and a great server too.

On the first day there was a wine display and you are encouraged to book your evening meal wine in advance to help make service smooth. You can also book celebration packages in advance, likes balloons, banners and cakes and lots of the tables were decorated for the duration of our stay.

Breakfast (arrival time 8.30 -10am)

You can order tea, coffee, juice, toast and porridge from your waitress. There is a massive continental and cooked selection for you to self-serve and there are also cooked items that you can order, such as kippers, veggie sausages, poached eggs etc and no extra cost for any of it.

Lunch (arrival time 12.30 - 1.30pm)

This can be a three course affair if you are hungry or something much lighter if that suits, the choice is yours. Starters generally are fruit juice or soup and a roll. The buffet has jacket potatoes, a couple of choices of hot mains, omelette's cooked to order and a fabulous selection of cold meats and salads. There are also three main courses cooked to order, such as the salmon goujons and skinny fries I had one day.

Dinner (arrival time 6.30 - 7.30pm)

For dinner you have the choice of three good starters, a roast from the carvery, a buffet hot dish and three dishes you can order. During family breaks there are also specific children's options such  as spaghetti and meatballs or make your own chicken wraps. Children can eat what they like though, from the main menu or children's menu or mix and match as mine did many times.

Dessert is off the menu and there tended to be a hot option, cold option, ice cream with sauce or cheese and biscuits.

Here is an example days menu and the weekly kids menu

Midnight supper

I did not have midnight supper any night as generally I was tucked up in bed by then but the first night I did go by just as it was being served and it was meat or veggie chili, rice and nachos and it looked every nice but after three hearty courses just a few hours before I could not manage it. Plenty of people were though!

What was it like?

I can honestly say that I really enjoyed every meal I had at Potters, I went home absolutely stuffed and you really do not need anything in between meals. There was plenty of choice and healthier options were available. I really liked the fact that the kids were not made to have kiddie food and Miss M enjoyed her duck leg and Miss E her daily roast dinner. Probably the only thing I was not fussed on was the leek and potato soup I had for starter one night, it was just a bit watery for me. The kids did not really the pizza but dh said it was very nice, I just think they are used to a thin base and this looked like a thick homemade bready dough base. Apart from these two minor points we had fabulous food and a fabulous time and our family is really happy to recommend Potters Resort as a wonderful place to stay.

Disclosure: We were staying at Potters for three nights for the purpose of viewing the holiday resort. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

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Potters Resort - worth a visit? (@pottersresort)

Potters Resort advertises itself as Visit Britain's (AKA the tourist board) first 5 star holiday village in the UK. It has held this 5 star award for 12 years now and that speaks volumes. It is also telling when you look at Trip Advisor that you find more good reviews than bad. This site is notorious for being brutally truthful and it is good to see that in the case of Potters Resort the truth is positive.

Whilst Potters has some aspects that duplicate other holiday villages we have been to before, my overriding feeling is that it is really unique and pretty darn special too, I suppose some of that might come from it being the longest serving and still privately owned holiday centre in the UK (the Potters family built and opened it in 1920). When we first drove onto the site we were greeted with the hotel with its balconies and posh looking penthouses at the rear and then you look right and see all the bungalows and yes on the outside they are not that attractive and the paved floor is a bit gloomy but you get inside them and see the luxurious finish and forget about the outside facade.

A walk up to the main complex takes you past tennis courts, adventure golf, an outside bar and a beautiful pool. Everything looks fresh and new and it is clear Potters have an ongoing renovation plan and a commitment to keeping the place updated.

Once in the main building we were first greeted by the enormous garden restaurant, which looks as if it should be on board a luxury cruise liner and then shortly after a small over 18's and children's amusements area and I commented to my husband we were in little Vegas as much of the decor looks a bit mock Grecian. Next up we caught sight of a Zumba class and a group of women and girls following the dance instructor and for a moment I was transported to Kellermans and Dirty Dancing. It really it is a little bit of everything.

On reflection the next day I actually think that the main complex in Potters is like an up-market David Lloyd fitness centre; you can enjoy a beer or coffee whilst watching various sports or children's activities. It was great that all the main areas link and we could allow the children to make friends and go off for short times, this definitely added to their holiday experience and Buzbys basement was particularly appreciated as this allowed them a kids only play and chill out zone.

I can't believe that anyone could be bored at Potters Resort, I understand that organised fun is not for everyone but if you are a sporty family then you can independently book for darts, golf, pool, snooker, table tennis, tennis, squash, badminton, bowls, segway, archery, football, swimming and so many other activities that I can't even recall. Oh and do not worry they are all included in the price you have already paid.

Our family is not really a sporty one but there was still loads to keep us entertained too. The kids enjoyed soft play, an inflatable assault course, the play park, laser quest, the climbing wall, skateboarding, adventure golf, meet the animals, back stage tour, village fete on the green and various activities at their kids clubs like 5 aside football, nail art, crafting and dancing games.

Everyone was exhausted on the first day so we headed home at 9pm after the kids clubs but on the second day after the back stage tour there was no way the kids were going to let us go. So we found seats to watch the show and I'm so glad we did, as the entertainment is really high end. The performers could easily have been in a West End show and after watching once we of course went back the next night too!

Potters is set right on the beach and you can easily walk down to the beach from the football field or golf course. The beach is truly stunning but I see at the moment they are redeveloping the beach to put natural stone breakers in this, this of course spoils parts of it at the moment but once it is all done it will be even better.

As we leave Potters Resort to go home my overriding feeling is one of sadness; I could just do with another couple of days here. I think this is probably JJ's best holiday ever as the park is small enough and he is now old enough that he could go off with his new mates and have so much fun. The girls have tried all sorts of new activities and stayed out for their latest holiday bedtimes ever and Miss M is now convinced that she will be a famous performer one day! And dh and I? We have done what we do best on holiday, we have enjoyed our children having a wonderful time and got to relax and chat together.

I always like to do a balanced review and to tell you the good with the bad. At the moment I'm struggling to find any bad points to talk to you about. The jolly join-in kind of atmosphere might not be for everyone but we did not find it over the top and the staff really do seem to care and enjoy their work. As I mentioned the bungalows do look quite old fashioned on the outside but from my point of view who cares, they are fabulous inside and really practical. I suppose the one thing that was the most annoying for me was the wi-fi was a bit patchy in the main building. At times it was brilliant and I could download to iPlayer at others I struggled to get connected to the cloud and I'd really of liked the option to have wi-fi in my room (but I suppose that was just because I'm a blogger).

I asked dh what his recommendations were to make our stay better and he suggested an optional welcome talk, as there is so much going on it would be great to find out all about it at the beginning of the stay and then we could have planned better and also he said booster seats in the theatre (like you get in a cinema) would have been a great addition and I think he is right.

Thanks so much Potters Resort for having us, we have had a wonderful time and as we left today the kids kept telling their friends they would see them next year so we need to get saving!

Here is just a few more memorable moments from our stay and I'll post about our eating experiences at Potters Resort next week. You can also see our intial reaction over here.

Disclosure: We are staying at Potters for three nights for the purpose of viewing the holiday resort. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

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Making plans for our stay at Potters Resort, Hopton on Sea

I've mentioned already that we will be heading off to Potters Resort on the coast between Norfolk and Suffolk at the end of August and like I always do I've been showing the kids the website and brochure so they can start to plan what they might like to do when we are on holiday.

I'll be honest I'm starting to get a little worried that a) we won't have enough time to do all the activities that the children want to and b) that I will go home completely and utterly exhausted!

I have been really pleasantly surprised just how many things you can do at Potters Resort and what has surprised me most is that practically everything is included in the price. They sure are packing a lot into their 65 acre resort, even a private sandy beach!

This is what we have already decided upon -

• JJ - laser quest, crazy golf, pool, rally karts, gaming zone and bowling (which does have a small charge) he is also super keen to try out Buzbys basement which is a kids club for over 8's and does not start until 9pm!
• Miss M - swimming, country fayre, 35 metre inflatable assault course, climbing wall, electric go-karts and giant swing
• Miss E - Jewellery making, playbus, parachute games, art attack and a backstage tour from the Potters theatre company
• Me - I can't wait to get my hands on a gun. That sounds terrible doesn't it?  But I love clay pigeon shooting and I want to try indoor air rifle shooting as well
• Dh - he will just come wherever we all go and enjoy joining in as he is that kind of relaxed guy, which is why we all love him

We are not a particularly sporty family in general but Potters caters really well for those who are, with sports coaching in the summer months, racket sports, bowls, football and so much more.

I've seen that the kids will each be given their own special Potters passport when they check in and this will be their ticket to great fun whilst on their summer holiday. I know the girls especially will love the novelty of this and also of having their own dedicated check-in desk when they arrive. Why to go Potters Resort, this is how you make little people feel really special!

As well as loads of inclusive activities we are looking forward to the evening entertainment with times dedicated to our children and then later on there are shows from the Potters Theatre company which look to be really professional and if the reviews on Trip advisor are anything to go by we will not be disappointed.



Of course I'm sure the food will be a highlight as well. The chance to eat four meals a day is appealing, although I'm not sure how many of the nights I will be up at midnight to enjoy that feast! lol

Just look at the garden restaurant, when my kids see this they are going to be jumping for joy.  They think the Premier Inn is posh!

I found a couple of reviews from previous bloggers to share with you and now I'm even more keen to get there -
Edspire
Tired Mummy of Two

Book now
If after seeing what is available you realise you want to try it out for yourself why don't you take a look at what Potters resort are offering this summer and maybe book a break? They have a whole variety of short breaks ranging from two nights to four nights and in fact there is even a special one night break at the end of August to finish off the holiday season!

I shouldn't be wishing our summer away but the end of August can't come soon enough as we are looking forward to our break at Potters Resort.

Where are you going this summer? Do you take your holidays here in the UK or fly off somewhere with the kids?


Disclosure: Our family will spend a complimentary 3 night stay st Potters Resort in August to honestly review their facilities. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

Imaginative tips for entertaining your children during long car journeys

Planning a holiday? Because of the state of the UK economy, more and more families are choosing to holiday right here in our own beautiful country, opting for cheaper breaks which may involve a long drive to get there. Thankfully, a combination of new technology and old techniques might just balance out the time and keep the kids interested and occupied until you reach your destination.

A favourite from when we were children is good old ‘I Spy’. Keep it inside the car, or choose objects outside for more of a challenge. Alternatively, put a twist on and spice it up by doing your research before you go away, and make a list of landmarks and items you may pass on the way. Set the kids the challenge of spotting the items and crossing them out as you pass them. It will keep them aware of their surroundings but will also give them something to focus on. If you are feeling especially creative, turn it into a Bingo card, with images of the landmarks so they can mark them off. Why not give a small prize for the first one to get a row and a full house?

If your kids have hand-held game consoles or tablets, be sure to pack them! Games and apps provide not only hours of fun, but a massive variety of activities which can even be educational. Have a look for games or apps which tell a story and get your child to follow, learn and discover.

For the especially creative parents, an exciting activity would be to make a model of the journey. Use cardboard for the base and build it up with egg boxes, Papier Mache, and anything else that helps to create the scenery you will pass. Using Google maps or equivalent as a guide, try and reconstruct the landscape almost as accurately as you can. When travelling, use this model to show the children where you are and how far you have come, as well as how far you have left to go! Give them their own little map print-off too if you like and see if they can follow it with you.

Remember pipe cleaners? Have a pack handy for emergencies, and watch the kids create some of the weirdest things you might ever see, using just those furry little wires we all loved as pre-schoolers!

If your kids become stressed or fussy, take time to pull over, let them eat, use the bathroom and generally have a run about and blow off some steam before resuming your journey. Alternatively, travel during the night and hope the kids take a nap!

It’s not the easiest thing in the world, travelling with children, but it will all be worth it once you get to your much deserved holiday. Where will you take them this year?

About the Author

This article was written on behalf of Galt Toys. Galt Toys have been manufacturing toys for over 175 years, and know a thing or two about toys…and having fun!

This is NOT a paid-for post, I have hosted it for free as my children enjoy Galt toys and I think some of the ideas above are excellent, I will certainly be taking pipe cleaners for our next long journey. In fact, here is Miss M painting her Galt tea set that she got for her recent birthday from Nanny.

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Sand Le Mere Holiday Village, East Yorkshire - A Review

Last week we took a 4 night, 5 day break at Sand Le Mere Holiday Village in Tunstall, East Yorkshire. This was quite a drive for us and took about 5 hours from Hertfordshire; at about 180 miles this is probably the longest car journey we have braved with the kids and I have to say it was nowhere near as bad as I had feared.  The journey to Hull was simple and the road signs good but the part from Hull to the holiday village was much more difficult, the signage is not great and the roads become country lanes. We reached Sand Le Mere about 3pm on the Monday and were greeted by a lovely receptionist in the bright and spacious newly built complex.

Within minutes we were heading off to find our luxury lodge, dh took the car round and the kids and I walked the 2 minutes it took to get there. I was pleased to find we had an allocated parking space right outside our lodge and that the lodges were attractively arranged with a good amount of space between them. 

Luxury Lodge - 10/10

I'll share with you my top 10 features of the luxury lodge home we stayed in -

1. Our master bedroom had an En suite with super shower, we don't even have that at home!
2. They provided the little extras in the kitchen, those that really made a difference like a full size dishwasher and built-in radio.
3. The lounge had patio doors, so we could really feel as if we were outdoors.
4. Gorgeous meadow view.
5. The 2 sofas were full size and very comfy, dh and I were happy to cuddle up and watch a DVD on the flatscreen TV once the kids were in bed.
6. All the beds were full size and super comfortable.
7. The lodge was fully double glazed and that meant we did not listen to the evening entertainment after we had left the complex.
8. Every room had an abundance of hanging and storage space, so very different to caravans.
9. The close proximity of the lodges to the main complex, we were definitely the privileged ones.
10. The lodge really was sized and equipped to fit 6 people (even if it was 6 adults).  There was a massive dining table that was very well used.

Sand Le Mere: What have we got to look forward to?

You may have read that I am going on a review trip to Sand le Mere Holiday Village with my family at the end of July. I am a bit like a little kid about it, as I am super excited.  Now let me just say my idea of a perfect holiday for me is not in Britain and not at a holiday park...  but and it is a big BUT, as a mum, the kids really do come first and when it comes to holidays this is their idea of a perfect holiday and thus dh and I are happy too.

So with only a couple of weeks left to go I have spent a good hour or two today investigating the park and also the local area and I thought I would share what I have found out, in case you fancy visiting there too.

I'm looking forward to a warm welcome in the brand new £4Million venue.

Some peace and quiet in the beautifully landscaped village.  Do you think I am aiming too high with this one, I will have 3 kids with me after all?

Maybe I can dump them in here to play with dh while I read a good book?

Or if the British weather lets us down (surely not, hey?) then they can try out the brand new soft play area.

I have been really good recently with my exercise, so I think I ought to take the opportunity of dh being there as a babysitter and make sure I use the new gym too.

But I am pretty sure one of my favourite parts of the holiday will be the times we spend as a family in the pool.  The simple stuff is where the best memories are made I find.

and this slide does not look too scary, so maybe they can get me on here too!

Ohh we are going to have so much fun!




Disclosure:  My family is holidaying at Sand Le Mere for 4 nights for free for the purposes of reviewing the park.

The Calm after the Storm! #TheGallery

Last week we were away on holiday, we had a super amazing time and looking at this picture you would be forgiven for thinking that we went to a really hot and exciting foreign destination.

Sandy beach, blue sky, blue sea, never-ending coastline, strange child wearing a hoodie when it was nearly about 80 degrees!

These pictures were actually taken at Sandbanks a beautiful white-sand beach in Poole, Dorset. For the cost of £4.50 parking we had 3 good hours of family fun on the sand.

This was one of those days when you made memories. Simple and special memories. Of 3 generations taking time out to be together, no media, no books just old-fashioned fun! 'Mum, do you remember when you buried JJ and Dad chucked sand right in his mouth!' 'or what about when we went wave jumping Mum and Nan and Grandad were there too?'. Nothing expensive, nothing too fancy but oh so special.

We built Miss E a special sand chair for Princesses (look at that smile, priceless)

Nanny and Miss M seemed to like it too!

The girls got brave and fed the seagulls.  Only when Mummy went looking for the packet of chocolate chip cookies was it revealed that Daddy had passed those over as good bird food! (If you ever see a fat seagull, you'll know why now!).

and like I mentioned we buried JJ and he loved it, he wanted his hat on like Daddy Pig does in Peppa!

Perhaps you are now wondering why I titled this post the calm after the storm?  It is not metaphorical, nothing clever about the title.  It is very literal.  These beach photos were all taken on Friday 12th August (World Photography Day) and the very day before Bournemouth and Poole had freak storms and flooding.  Just look at this photo below, have you ever seen water gushing from the prom onto the beach and back into the sea?  No, me neither!

Image Credit

This one day record of a day in our family life is my entry for this weeks Gallery.  Tara asked all participants to take a photo/ capture a moment on World Photography Day for this weeks Gallery.  Fancy taking a look through a virtual photo album? Head over to Sticky Fingers then.