Little Legends » Kids Isle of Wight

Toy Story 3 at a Cinema near you!

Vicky — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:30:45 +0000

The first two films were brilliant, so will the latest Toy Story live up to your expectations? You decide …

The Best Music Festivals for Families and Kids

Vicky — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:03:42 +0000

I was sitting on the train at the weekend and was listening to the conversation of a couple of Mums opposite me and I was surprised to hear one of them say that she had already booked her Family Yurt at Glastonbury this year. The more I thought about the idea of taking my kids to a music festival the more I liked it, so I decided to do a bit of research. Unfortunately, many of the 2010 tickets are already sold out, so this is an event to book well in advance. Nevertheless, there are a number of festivals which are suitable for families and so I thought I would share some of the details …

1. Latitude, Henham Park, Southwold Suffolk
The festival hosts an impressive bill of musicians and bands who perform on four stages – The Obelisk Arena, The Uncut Arena, The Sunrise Arena, and the Lake Stage – as well as including theatre, art, comedy and more. Children under 12 get in free with a ticket holder and there is a dedicated family campsite with special activities laid on. However, the main attraction for families is really the Kids Arena. In this area a magical mini-festival for kids takes place. It is as diverse as the rest of Latitude, with books, art, music and theatre, heaps of participation and fun, from drama workshops to an insect circus, making your own pizza to joining their Glee club.

2. Bestival, Robin Hill, Isle of Wight
Bestival is one of the smaller, boutique festivals. It has a special Bigtopmania Kidzone Team with a host of artists and activities designed to keep the kids happy and far from bored with all that adult partying!! There is a baby Big Top for the shows, a Crafts Marquee, a Toddlers Under 5s Area, Jan’s infamous Van, a dressing up tent, a bouncy castle, face painting, and an outdoor play area. The kids area is located right next to the family camp area and it is a bit of a peaceful haven for the kids to play in away from all the hustle and bustle.

3. Big Chill, Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Worcestershire
The Big Chill calls itself UK’s most family-friendly festival. Children under 13 get in for £4 and at the Kids Zone, children can enjoy performances from No Strings Puppet Theatre, Crazy Comic Club, Scamp Theatre’s production of Pinocchio, John Hegley and many more. There are also ongoing activities and workshops for kids in movement and dance, drum making, arts and crafts and giant 3D sculpture. There are several options for sleeping at The Big Chill 2010 – you can bring your own tent to camp, bring a camper-van, or you can try a bit of luxury camping in the form of a yurt or pod pad.

Other festivals worth checking out are WOMAD, Charlton Park, Wiltshire and Green Man, Glanusk Park, Wales, both of which let young children in free and are very childfriendly.

Top tips for when you are there include writing your mobile phone number on the back of their hands, packing plenty of baby wipes and snacks, ear plugs (for when you or the kids want some sleep!) but most importantly go with some other friends with kids so you can share this extraordinary experience.

Maybe I’ll see you there!

Museums at Night 14th-16th May 2010

Vicky — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:44:49 +0000

‘Museums at Night’ is a national campaign, led by Culture24, and funded by MLA and the National Museum Directors’ Conference (NMDC), to showcase the unique and vibrant museums, galleries, heritage sites, libraries and archives in the UK. Running over the weekend of Friday 14th May to Sunday 16th May, museums and galleries alike will aim to inspire fresh discovery by opening their doors to late night visitors.

Museums will be unrolling an imaginative array of activities across the country. From candle-lit readings, paranormal investigations, sleepovers, night-time tours, musical events and much, much more.

This year’s programme sees the return of firm favourites, like Cabinet War Rooms sleepover and the Old Operating Theatre at St Thomas Church, plus exciting new additions such as the; Helicopter Museum’s ‘Back to the Blitz’ experience, follow a night shift at Cornwall’s Geevor Tin Mine and the chance to see a ‘Light in the Night’ at Cromer’s Lifeboat Museum.

You can find up to date listings at the Culture 24 Website

Family Days Out for August Bank Holiday Weekend

Vicky — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:57:38 +0000

The researchers who recently conducted a holiday survey for Total Greek Yoghurt have put together a list of places for a family outing this coming August Bank Holiday weekend:

A NEW DAY OUT Bewilderwood, Norfolk
ADRENALINE RUSH Dalby Forest biking trails, Yorkshire
ALFRESCO BATH The Samling, Cumbria
ANIMAL ENCOUNTER Monkey Forest, Staffordshire
BANDSTAND Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham
BEACH CAFE East Beach Café, Littlehampton, Sussex
BEACH FOR KIDS Crantock, Cornwall

BOATING The Thames at Richmond, Surrey
BREEZY HILLTOP Great Hetha, Northumberland
CAMP SITE Budemeadows Holiday Park, Cornwall
CLIFFTOP COTTAGE Whitby lighthouse, Yorkshire
COASTAL WALK Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland
CREAM TEA Southern Cross tearoom, Devon

DEGUSTATION Valley Farm Vineyards, Suffolk
DONKEY RIDE Maggie’s beach donkeys, Weymouth, Dorset
DRIFT DOWNSTREAM River Wye, Wales
FAMILY CYCLE Loch Katrine, Trossachs, Scotland
FAMILY HOTEL Fowey Hall, Cornwall
FISH AND CHIPS Ben Ledi Cafe, Callander, Stirling, Scotland
FLYING International Kite Festival, Portsmouth, Hampshire
ICE CREAM Morelli’s, Broadstairs, Kent
LAKESIDE PICNIC Buttermere, Cumbria

MOONLIT WALK Seven Sisters, East Sussex
PICNIC CONCERT Battle Abbey, East Sussex
PUNCH AND JUDY MAN Codman’s, Llandudno, Wales
RIVERSIDE PUB The King’s Head, Northamptonshire
ROCKPOOLING Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset
SAFARI Cairngorms, Highlands, Scotland
SEA BREEZE Yachting on the Solent, Isle of Wight
SEAKAYAKING Beara Peninsula, Co Cork, Ireland

SEAL BOAT TRIP Searles, Hunstanton, Norfolk
SEASIDE PIER Southwold Pier, Suffolk
SEA-VIEW ROOM Mullion Cove Hotel, Cornwall
SECRET GARDEN Hawkstone Park Follies, Shropshire
SOLAR-POWERED STAY Mesmear, Cornwall

SOLITUDE Sandwood Bay, Sutherland, Scotland
STRIP Morfa Dyffryn Beach, Snowdonia, Wales
TOPLESS DRIVE A686, Penrith to Haydon Bridge, Cumbria
VILLAGE CRICKET Hambledon, Hampshire
WOODIE Oakwood Theme Park, Pembrokeshire, Wales
WILD SWIM Angle Tarn, Cumbria

Family Days Out: Youth Hostels for Families

Vicky — Sun, 20 May 2007 09:45:52 +0000

Believe it or not staying at Youth Hostels is a very affordable way to travel the UK with families. Comfortable rooms with en suite bathrooms and breakfast are available from around £18.50 per adult and £13.50 for kids. That is pretty good and cheaper than many B&Bs.

Youth Hostels that are particularly family friendly include:

1) Bellever, Devon – a former farm near the Bellever forest and Dart River. Miniature pony centre nearby.

2) Oxford – a centrally based Youth Hostel, ideal for exploring this beautiful city of dreaming spires.

3) Sandown, Isle of Wight – walking distance from the beach and lots of family attractions nearby

4) Derwentwater, Cumbria – mansion situated next to Derwentwater with stunning views. Large outdoor area for kids to play in

5) Golant, Cornwall – this youth hostel overlooks the Fowey estuary and is close to the Eden Project and Bodmin Moor

6) Bristol – another city youth hostel based on the quayside. You can walk to most attractions from here.

7) Lee Valley, Hertfordshire – believe it or not they have waterside log cabins here. Lots of watersports on offer.

Arundel, West Sussex – another youth hostel that is close to the beach. Attractions such as an outdoor swimming pool and castle nearby.

9) Poppit Sands, Pembrokeshire – close to beach with lots of activities on offer nearby such as horse riding, fishing and cycling.

10) Danywenalt, Powys – a former farmhouse with lovely views. Some great walks and pony trekking close by.

Thanks to Families South West for pointing these out.