Summer Fun 1

Three’s a crowd!

By Tori JP

Entertaining three boys of different ages (12, 6 and 3) can be a challenge. I’m not a particularly crafty mum and therefore I like to get out with the kids as much as possible. Over the years, we’ve been to many indoor and outdoor venues, so I’ve learned a fair amount about what works for all three of them.

Days out that have gone well for us tend to have certain elements in common; there’s somewhere to run around (burning off some energy first!), their interest is sparked and, of course, it’s suitable for a range of ages.

Here are my favourite venue types for great days out for all ages:

A nature trail can tick every box

Check your local National Trusts, arboretums and country parks. We loved hunting for the Gruffalo at Queenswood Country Park in Herefordshire and exploring the deep dark wood at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.

An activity farm

The National Forest Adventure Farm in Burton on Trent was described by my husband as one of the most successful days out we’ve had as a family. The kids absolutely LOVED the potato digging event. This type of venue can also be great for wet weather days as there will often be an indoor play area and inside activities to enjoy. For a summer day, try your local fruit picking farm for guaranteed edible fun.

An interactive science museum

These are generally really engaging for children of different ages

Divide and conquer

If you are staring a six week summer break with two, three (or more) kids in the face and feeling daunted about how you are going to keep everybody busy and happy, try to find ways in which you can spend time with just one or two of the children at a time. Can you still take advantage of your little ones’ nursery days to do activities that are suitable only for the older ones?

It’s also worth looking for reasonably priced or free clubs provided by local schools and community centres – these have worked well for me. Try your council website and local leisure centres for their offerings too.

Can you allow an older child to go to a movie with friends whilst you take the littlies to see a different film on another screen in the same cinema? Or do playdate swaps with other families?

I’ve found that the weeks are easier when I have a clear plan. Don’t rule out making a spreadsheet!

Good luck. and many have activities during school holidays too.

The Science Museum in London or the The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester are obvious examples. If you can, look for somewhere that also has an outdoor area so you can tick the physical activity box.

An outdoor adventure centre

Something like the Habberley Trail in Kidderminster is ‘days out with the kids’ gold. Think a two mile long obstacle course with obstacles generally suitable for kids of all ages. Places like The Crocky Trail in Cheshire and Nets Adventure at Moors Valley in Dorset are also great. You also can’t beat an adventure playground or splash pad!

Don’t forget to factor in naps, snacks, spare socks and hats, porta-potties and any other contingencies you might need for a successful day out. It’s also sensible to check out parking, pushchair friendliness, baby change, available deals or discount codes in advance. As with most things, good preparation is key.

Find more from Tori JP on Instagram @girlaboutbirmingham

Team up

There’s no need to go it alone. The chances are that there are many local parents who will be in the same boat as you. There aren’t many things more exciting for kids than playing with another child’s toys, so why not arrange playdates with friends who have children similar ages to yours?

Or perhaps a group picnic to the park? It is definitely ‘the more the merrier’ where the summer holidays are concerned and I find that my children play much more nicely together when they each have a friend their own age present. Find out from your school network who else is looking for holiday activities.

Whilst you’ll probably find that lots of regular groups don’t run during the holidays, some local parent groups do continue to meet. Blaze Trails (www.blazetrails.org.uk) is one group that operates nationwide.

We’ve become accustomed to staying very close to home over the last couple of years but try to reach out again to your network this summer. Remember, it takes a village….

Game on!

How to get involved with the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

By @girlaboutbirmingham

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are almost upon us. If you are looking for some family and budget friendly ways to get involved check out the ideas below! Visit the Venues

Many of our favourite locations around the Midlands are being used for the Commonwealth Games events. Some venues such as the Alexander Stadium have been fully revamped, but we’ll have to wait until the start of the Games to see them. However, others are still accessible, so get a sneak preview and take a trip to one of the following: Cannock Chase, Staffordshire will set the scene for the mountain biking, but there’s still time to hunt for the Gruffalo or complete the Superworm trail. What’s really exciting is that the forest has been able to improve its cycle routes: in particular the ‘Pedal and Play’ trail which sounds fantastic for families with kids!

forestryengland.uk/cannock-chase-forest /pedal-and-play-trail

Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield - will host the triathlon event. A beautiful park to visit - particularly at this time of year. Why not see the developments that have been made specially for the games before feeding the ducks in Powell’s pool?

birmingham.gov.uk/suttonpark

Moseley Cricket Club, Solihull - has been chosen as a training venue for the women’s cricket teams competing in the games! Their facilities are currently being upgraded to bring them into line with those at Edgbaston. The club is accepting applications for new junior cricketers aged 7+.

moseley.play-cricket.com/home

Wyndley Leisure Centre, Sutton Coldfield - a training venue for hockey, triathlon, and para-triathlon. Improvements have been made to the running track to ensure they are brought up to the World Athletics standards. It’s possible to book a session on the track if you want to run on the ground where the athletes will tread!

birminghamleisure.com Soak up the culture

The Birmingham 2022 CG Festival is already in full swing! If you haven’t managed to catch any of the events yet, then go online to check the calendar. Key to the City - Time is running out to pick up your key to the city. The keys are available from New Street Station beneath the departure boards until 10th July.

wearefierce.org/key-to-the-city/

Children's Poetry Festival - A display of local children’s poetry inside Birmingham Cathedral and Cathedral Square which has been inspired by the Commonwealth Games. July – September.

It’s a marathon not a sprint!

If you haven’t bought tickets for the games but do still want to have a slice of the action, then plan ahead early to attend some of the free events.

birmingham2022.com/visit The finish line

Just a couple more final tips from me. Check birmingham2022.com/mascot to find out all about Perry, the Mascot for the Games. Also, I’ve noticed that there are some Commonwealth Games activities happening at local libraries on 26th July. Get involved on social media by following

@birminghamcg22. birmingham2022.com/festival/events

iit visit

.www di disscov ddl dudleer .org.uey k

s loe’Ther ts to see and do in the bo ough of Dudleyor

Low-cost summer fun

Something different

Enjoy a wild swim. When it’s warm, it doesn’t get much better than taking a dip in the sea, lake or river. If you live in a big city, don’t be put off! You’ll be surprised how many wild swimming spots are nearby. www.wildswimming.co.uk Let’s fish! The Canal and River Trust is running free fishing taster sessions over the holidays, with professional angling coaches on hand to teach the basics. www.canalrivertrust.org.uk Go geocaching. This is a real outdoor treasure hunting game that uses an app. You navigate to a set of GPS coordinates and try to find the treasure at that location. www.geocaching.com Borrow a doggy. Join Borrow My Doggy to let your kids bond with a dog that need some love while their owners are out at work. It’s a great way to get the kids walking in the school holidays. www.borrowmydoggy.com Free tennis coaching and court usage. You can net free tennis sessions or coaching as part of Big Tennis Weekends, organised by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), at venues across Britain. www.lta.org.uk

Outdoors

Join in National Play Day. National Play Day takes place across the country on 1 August. Children and families have the chance to play at hundreds of community events, from mass adventures in woodlands to street parties with games. Find your nearest ones at www.playday.org.uk Go fly a kite! They’re cheap and easy to buy or you can even make your own. Read up on tips about how to fly them. www.thekitesociety.org.uk Go for a bike ride. Cycling is a great way to reconnect with nature and get off the beaten track. Take a ride on a local cycle path or if you’re a bit more ambitious, why not take a family bikepacking trip somewhere a bit further afield? Find the Gruffalo. If your kids love Julia Donaldson, there are themed walks based on her books up and down the country to take the family to visit. Find out more details on these trails at www.forestryengland.uk/gruffalo Woodland adventure. Explore your nearest woodland and enjoy adventure play areas, natural play, off-road cycling and lots of space to create dens. Find your local wood or forest at www.forestryengland.uk

Water fun

Sponge water bombs. So easy to make! Just cut sponges into strips and tie them together in the middle with string in order to make fun water soakers, perfect for little hands. Flower soup. Give your child a basket and pick lots of flowers and petals. Then fill a bowl or tray with water. Let them pop their flowers or petals in, one at a time to see if they will sink or float. Petal potions. Ask your child to gather leaves, seeds, petals and grass. Then give them a pestle and mortar to grind their leaves and petals in. Give them a jug of water and little jars so that they can make petal perfume or potions. Pouring fun. Fill a paddling pool or large tub with water and add a selection of pouring jugs, ladles and funnels. Add some food colouring to make it extra fun. Sprinkler fun. Turn on the sprinkler and fill the paddling pool while your children run through the sprinkler water! Guaranteed excitement.

Crafty capers

Paint some rocks. Find some smooth and fairly flat rocks and paint them in vivid summer designs. They’ll brighten up the garden, or you can use them as paperweights.

Flower Pressing. Flower pressing is a great way to preserve and study flowers. Once the kids have pressed their flowers, they can make them into greetings cards or bookmarks. Make a sundial. Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to pinpoint north. Then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves. Create pictures with melted crayons. Do something with all those broken, used-up or otherwise useless crayons. Remove any paper or plastic wrapping. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art. Leaf and petal nature kebabs. Give your child a kebab stick and tell them to find leaves and petals to poke on the sticks to make a nature kebab.