Family Days Out

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9
Sep 07

Family Days Out: Enjoy the Cinema with your Toddler/Baby

Did you know that many cinemas run special early showings for parents with young children? For obvious reasons these showings are often called “The Big Scream”. It is a great way for parents to relax in front of the screen and indulge in a bit of hollywood escapism. The best bit is that they turn up the volume so no one minds if your kid cries!

We have numerous cinemas listed on our site so why not find out if your local one runs a similar event. If so, perhaps you could let us know the details so everyone can benefit. Here is a good example.

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1
Sep 07

Family Days Out: How to entertain the kids on long journeys

At this time of year, many families are returning from summer holidays and have long car journeys ahead of them. I thought it would be useful to put together a small selection of games to keep the kids amused.

1. Yes/No Game
In this game everyone takes it in turns to answer questions. The person answering must not say Yes or No. If they do, then it is the next person’s turn. Sounds easy, but can be surprisingly difficult if the questions are being asked very quickly, one after another.

2. I went to the market …
This is a memory game. The first person starts by saying “I went to the market and bought a newspaper”. The next person repeats this and adds another item eg “I went to the market and bought a newspaper and some eggs”. This continues with every person repeating the shopping list and adding another item. If someone forgets what’s on the shopping list then they lose.

3. Story Time
Everyone in the family takes it in turns to say a word. The word must follow on from the last one to make a story. For example, Mum says “Once”, Dad says “upon”, Billy says “a”, Emma says “time” etc

4. Karaoke Fun
Everyone sings along to a song they know, such as a nursery rhyme. Then the volume on the music is gradually turned down until it is silent, whilst everyone continues singing. After a minute or two, gradually turn the volume up again and see if everyone has managed to keep in time with the song.

5. Make me Laugh
One person at a time is chosen to be serious. That person is not allowed to crack a smile or laugh. Everyone else does their best to tell funny jokes, pull silly faces etc to make them laugh. Someone should be in charge of the timing and see who can last the longest.

Have a good trip :)

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18
Aug 07

Family Days Out: Are we nearly there yet?

The AA, the UK’s largest motoring organisation, carried out a survey of 1,300 parents to find out the best ways of avoiding family meltdown on long car journeys. What they discovered is that after one hour and forty five minutes or approximately 93 miles uk parents begin to reach breaking point with their children.

So, what can you do to avoid the stresses of holiday journeys? Well, there are several easy steps to take:

1. Check tyre pressure, oil and coolant levels BEFORE you go and top up the windscreen wash
2. Drive during children’s nap times or after their bedtime if you don’t mind driving at night
3. Take plenty of drinks and snacks (but not too many sugary ones so the kids stay calm)
4. Take some great sing along cds as well as story cds
5. Plan your route before you go
6. Keep some toys to one side to present when you are well into your journey
7. Make sure you have sun screens for the backseats
8. Finally, as you might expect having read the above, take breaks every 1 hour and 45 minutes!

If you don’t fancy stopping at a motorway cafe, you can always find a childfriendly pub that is en-route by searching our site

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13
Aug 07

UK Parents:Most British Hotels Not Family Friendly

According to a recent survey published by Mother & Baby Magazine, families who holiday in Britain feel they are treated as a nuisance and that the UK desitinations are too expensive.

Three quarters of parents say most hotels in Britain ‘don’t cater for families with young children’ (76%) and say their seaside break was a ‘rip-off (76%).

Seventy per cent of parents say ‘a week in a hotel abroad’ is ‘cheaper’ than ‘a week in a hotel in Britain’ (70%) – and with the average family hotel room in Britain costing a whopping £120 a night it’s not surprising.

Only 42% of parents with a baby or young children say they received a warm welcome at their British holiday hotel

Parents voted Blackpool as the worst place to spend a family holiday, followed by Hastings and Bognor Regis.

The best place to spend a holiday was Center Parcs.

Well, this means that the service that Little Legends is a much needed tool for families. To date just under 1000 childfriendly hotels across the UK have been included in the listings and now other places such as good beaches and B&Bs are being added too.

Do let us know your favourite British holiday destinations and we will add them for you :)

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25
Oct 06

UK Parents: Ten tips for Car Travel with Kids

Source: monozygotic@flickr

Preparing yourself for a long car journey with your kids can make it much more bearable. So, don’t forget:

1. Snacks: Pack lots of little snacks, such as raisins, crackers, juice packs or drinks in a spill proof container

2. Entertainment: Bring a cassette or CD with your child’s favourite story or music on.

3. Essentials: Pack babywipes, a dishcloth, plasters, a bag for rubbish and a roll of loo paper. This will help if there are any spillages or your child suddenly needs to go to the loo.

4. Toys: Let your children bring one or two easily portable toys together with their comforter if they have one. It will probably help if you keep special “activity packs” ready for when they get bored eg paper crayons. [Reading is not recommended if your child suffers from car sickness]

5. Ideas for games: Don’t forget family games such as I-Spy. You will find some more ideas on this Chrysalis blog post

6. Car Sickness Remedies: If your child complains of car sickness, open the window and get them to breathe deeply. You may find sickness wrist bands help if your child is a regular sufferer. Stop the car if you can, but if not, encourage your child to concentrate on something outside of the car. Avoid your child eating rich or sickly foods during the journey.

7. Sleeping/Routines: If your child has a regular routine, it might be worth travelling when they are due to have their nap. Alternatively, you might want to consider travelling in the evening when they will fall asleep. For toddlers, try taking a pillow to help support their heads while they sleep. Remember to wake up your child a few minutes before you stop to give them a chance to adjust.

8. Take a break: It is a good idea to have at least one break on the journey just to break it up. Not only can you have a much-needed loo stop, but you can stop for a meal and just let your kids run around and burn off some of their energy. These days most motorway cafes are well equipped. [In the UK, look out for Moto cafes which have special children's areas with balloons and healthy snacks]

9. Potty Training: Bring your child’s favourite potty with you, together with baby wipes and loo paper. In the early days you might want to consider putting your child in a pull-up nappy to prevent any mishaps. Alternatively, they now have these wonderful super-absorbent mats which you can place on top of the car seat. Take a couple of sets of spare clothes and stop regularly for a loo-break. The common sense rule of asking your child to go to the loo before you start your jouney goes without saying.

10. For older children: Plan your route, and give your child a map so they can follow your progress. Take advantage of your time together and chat to your child. Also, it might be an idea to have a designated quiet time for everyone’s sanity.

If you have any tips, please share them :)

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