Collaborative postDo you have a packing list for family days out? It sounds super-organised, but in my experience it’s an absolute must!I’ve had my fair share of disasters in the past, when what should have been fun family days out have suffered from my shoddy packing. I’ve learned from experience that it’s important to avoid lugging around lots of unnecessary stuff, but at the same time you need to take a few essentials to ...
Ideas for multigenerational days out
Collaborative postThe school holidays are in full swing, have you got any days out planned?I’m very late with the summer activity planning this year. I usually have lots of things planned before the schools break up, but we went camping as soon as term ended, so all my focus was on that trip. Now we’re home I need to get myself organised!Whether you’re juggling childcare, heading off on holiday, or planning a staycation, ...
5 fun, low-cost family days out
Collaborative postThe school holidays are almost upon us - are you ready?!I really look forward to having some much-needed downtime as a family at this time of year; everyone is usually pretty frazzled by the time we get to the end of term! But that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit around getting bored this summer; we’ve got a camping trip planned, and we’ll definitely be heading off on a few family days out.You probably know ...
My highlights from RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2018
Show season is in full swing in the gardening world, and today sees the gates open at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in Derbyshire. I went along yesterday for a sneak peak at what's on offer, and boy did I get a flower fix!The show is in a fantastic setting, with Chatsworth House as the backdrop, and the showground arranged around a beautiful river. There's a huge amount to see, including five show gardens, a selection of long borders, eight ...
Supporting nature: the Yorkshire Fish Pass Scheme from Yorkshire Water
If you’re a regular reader of the blog you’ll know how much we love getting outdoors and enjoying nature as a family. Whether it’s exploring our amazing countryside, helping our native wildlife or just a good old stick hunt, outdoor adventures are a big part of family life for us. They’re also a brilliant way to encourage the kids to learn about and care for our environment. It’s always great to see organisations making positive changes to ...
Kitting your kids out for spring adventures
Now that spring is finally here, a lot of you are probably getting busy kitting your family out for the warmer weather. We're in the process of going through the kids' wardrobes, checking what still fits and making a shopping list for spring and summer. All this organising means it's a good time to take a look at the type of clothing retailers like Fashion World have available for children. Here are some suggestions for what to go for when ...
Exploring the UK with The Discovery Adventures by Land Rover
Isn’t autumn a fantastic time of year for getting outdoors and enjoying nature? We try to squeeze in as many outdoor adventures as we can in autumn; whether it’s a day trip to a specific location, or just a family walk in the local park, we all love the chance to really interact with everything that the season has to offer. Conker hunts and leaf collecting always feature rather heavily! I do think that it’s all too easy to let busy family life ...
School holidays: ideas for keeping the kids busy
School holidays are always around the corner, as my children keep reminding me, and I’m afraid if I don’t find us something fun and active to do things will rapidly descend into chaos! I’ve been thinking of some ideas that will help all of us relax, learn and have fun during the school holidays this year. Have you got any of these on your list?Create a game If you have to work or don’t have lots of budget to do anything outside the ...
A winter feast at River Cottage
I'm sure we're all familiar with the River Cottage TV series, headed up by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and famous for championing seasonal, ethically produced food. There's probably a River Cottage cookbook or two on your kitchen shelf. But have you ever visited River Cottage HQ itself? This week I got to do just that. I joined the HIBS100 team for a fabulous day at River Cottage, exploring the wonderful ingredients they use in their food, ...
Five tips for increasing family time outdoors
Do you spend much family time outdoors? We all know the benefits, don't we: it helps keep us fit, allows us to engage with and learn about nature, combats stress, and stimulates creative play, to name just a few. We try and get outdoors together as much as possible, but the hectic pace of family life sometimes makes it tricky to fit it in. Inevitably there are days when we have other commitments and an outdoor trip just isn’t possible, but in ...