Where Should I Go For My Holidays In 2014

Ok, So I know it is only a matter of weeks until Christmas, but I have already started to think of places to visit next year. Now obviously I would love a holiday abroad but with my current position at work being only temporary, holidaying abroad will have to wait for a more stable work front. I have however been looking at all the wonderful places within the UK that wont break the bank and still be an enjoyable and memorable holiday for us both.

More and more families are taking short breaks within the UK and Butlins has always been a holiday I wanted to take with Aalliyah. I think the thing that appeals to me most about a Butlins holiday is the vast amount of activities and adventures that there are to enjoy. Whether you are an active, sporty family or prefer to relax more on your holidays there is literally something for everyone in the family to enjoy on a Butlins holiday. Everyone knows that Butlins are most well known for there infamous shows that they put on but there a many other things to indulge in such as traditional fairground attractions, sports activities and coaching and plenty of water fun with their fabulous pools and slides. I know Aalliyah would be in her element and would jump at the chance to enjoy some professional sports coaching and would definitely enjoy trying out some activities for the first time like archery or rock climbing. A holiday is the perfect reason to try something new so what better way than taking part in some fantastic activities.

All this fun isn't just for the young ones either, there is plenty of fun to be had by the adults too with wonderful evening shows, aerial adventures, bowling or relaxing in one of gorgeous luxury spas. Plus who says you cant enjoy the fairground or the Splash Waterworld as much as the youngsters? I know we could have so much fun on a Butlins holiday and certainly have every opportunity to make some wonderful memories. After looking at the parks I think I would be most likely to visit the Skegness or Bognor Regis parks, both such beautiful places and perfect for beach sports. I am strongly considering booking a Butlins break and look forward to planning our break next year wherever it may be.

Have you started making holiday plans yet? Where are you planning to go? Why not find out more about 2014 UK Holiday Breaks at Butlins and see if its something you fancy for your family.

Center Parcs Family Blogger Club - #CPFamilyBreaks.

Center Parcs has always been a place I wanted to visit, In particular their Sherwood Forest village. There is just something magical about that place! With all the activities you are able to do at a Center Parcs resort I know it would make for a perfect holiday for Aalliyah, who likes nothing better than activity and adventure. Which is something I love too! But I fear I may enjoy the spa just a tad more :) Well I need to relax somehow after all the non stop action throughout the day. Bike rides, nature, sports... Fantastic!

We would love to become an official Center Parcs Family Blogger and have made a video showing how we like to have fun as a family. This is our entry into the Tot100 Center Parcs Family Blogger Challenge which you can find out more about by clicking here.

What ways do you like to have fun as a family?

Blackpool Bound..

As much as I would love to be going on a "proper" holiday in the summer holidays (and by proper I mean abroad and for at least a week) sadly its just not going to happen yet. Among other things money just isn't flowing too much right now. So while most of the summer holidays is going to be filled with swimming, cinema, picnics and country parks, I did want to have at least a night away somewhere just me and Aalliyah.

I decided on Blackpool as I havent been for years and Aalliyah has never been and with so many local attractions making Blackpool a very appealing choice we are all booked up for a 2 night break. We are really looking forward to all that Blackpool has to offer. Can you believe that Aalliyah is 10 years old and this will be the first time we have actually been to a beach together?? MADNESS!!

We will be visiting the Pleasure Beach and the Blackpool Tower and then the rest of the time I'm sure will be spent relaxing in the sunshine watching the waves. Being a MASSIVE Spongebob fan Aalliyah is super excited to visit Nickelodeon Land and we are both pretty nervous about going to visit the tower with its remarkable glass floor.

We are setting off on the 22nd of August and already counting down the sleeps...

Are you planning a trip to Blackpool? How about winning a ticket for 2 people for the Blackpool Tower!!

Valid until December so plenty of time to use it.

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Making Plans

Ok, So the summer holidays are finally here! I have been waiting for them with such excitement for so long. I absolutely love all the school holidays and half terms. I genuinely enjoy spending every minute with Aalliyah. We have so much fun together you would think that we were best friends (minus the age gap) But even with all the excitement, I can't help feeling those pangs of dread. I'm anxious that I will not be able to organize many good things over the holidays. I worry that my limited budget will leave me with very few things to do and fear that the 6 weeks will fly by and we will have very few memories to show for it. So today I started mentally planning things we could do, even if it was one or two things a week, to ensure that Aalliyah would go back to school in September knowing she had an enjoyable summer. So far our plans include a day trip to Gullivers land and a few nights away in Blackpool, with lots of cinema, swimming and picnics days in between. 

What have you got planned for the summer? Anything nice? 

If you are stuck for inspiration or want to find out how you can have lots of summer fun on a budget then check out my Top ten of things to do this summer by clicking here

Summer Fun On A Budget

While the approach of the summer holidays brings excitement for us parents it can bring a sense of panic. Six week is a long time and for those who (like me) are living with "very" tight purse strings it can be hard to find entertaining things to do or places to go that wont break the bank. I have come up with a top ten of things to do in the holidays which are guaranteed to provide a fun filled day without having to file for bankruptcy.

1. Visiting Country Parks - You are never far away from a beautiful country park. They offer a gorgeous landscape to walk or cycle around, a place to picnic, a place to spot wildlife and a place to let your imagination run free. There are so many beautiful parks across England and further afield, why not check out where your nearest park is by clicking here.
2. Visiting Museums - Museums are a wonderful way to spend the day. They offer a fantastic way to inject some culture and education into a day trip. Also being that most museums offer free admission (most have a donation box inside) they prove to be a popular choice for parents. Lose yourself in the wonders of history or science and spend the day soaking up all that our British museums have to offer.My favorite has to be the Natural History Museum in London.
3. Go By Rail - Wherever you do go this summer ask yourself this..Can you go by rail? If the answer is yes then hop on board as most rail companies offer amazing discounts during the summer holidays like child tickets for just £1 as well as teaming up with attractions such as Legoland and Madame Tussauds to offer 2-4-1 entry when showing your rail ticket.
4. Bargain Movies - Everyone loves a trip to the cinema but lets face it, its not as purse friendly as it used to be, thats why Vue and Cineworld both offer a summer holiday (and weekend) service offering film showings at a hugely discounted rate of around £2. The movies are usually not much more than a month old and make is easy to fit in a cinema trip each as often as you like!
5. Sightseeing - Doesn't cost a thing and when its somewhere you have never been before can prove to be an exciting adventure. Take your camera or some binoculars and just have fun taking in your surroundings wherever you are. In the city? Hop on a local sight seeing bus for a more detailed tour.
6. Visiting Beaches - There is nothing better than lounging on a beautiful beach on a hot summers day. With the sea at your feet to cool off, beaches offer the perfect getaway to escape for the day(or longer) There are some beautiful beaches around us from the quiet secluded ones to the bustling family ones. Check out your nearest beach by clicking here.
7. Visiting Libraries - Libraries are a great place to visit at anytime but even more so in the school holidays. You will find that most libraries hold varied events throughout the holidays such as arts and crafts days and police workshops. They always hold some sort of summer reading challenge to get the children involved in and the many events they hold are guaranteed to get the children excited about reading. Visit your local council page to find out more about whats on at your local library.
8. Visiting Farms - Zoo's can prove to be an expensive day out for the family and one that is usually a once in a year event. So why not treat the kids by visiting your local farm? If they have a love of nature then they will love getting up close and personal to all the farm animals. They offer mini workshops and sometimes allow the children to help with certain task like cleaning or feeding. The kids will love being able to pet the smaller animals too!
9. Swimming - Not all of us have the luxury of a nice big garden with a lovely big pool to match. Head down to the local swimming baths during the holidays. Most of them have a specifically designed timetable for the holidays offering different swimming classes and discounts. Check out your local council page to check whats on at your local baths.
10. Camping- You don't have to drive hours and pay big bucks at a camp site. Short of cash? Pitch a tent in your back garden! Don't have a garden then borrow grannies! Have fun getting the blankets out and getting closer to nature. Spend quality time as a family telling stories and having some midnight munchies! Want to get away then check out your nearest campsite online.

There are so many things to do this summer that don't have to cost a fortune. Whatever you choose to do this summer, stay safe and have fun!

My Easter Break - In An Egg Shell

Ok, So we are done with the snow, ice and freezing cold temperatures of winter and Easter came to mark the beginning of spring, sunshine and an indication that summer was on its way! The only problem was that when I woke up on Easter Sunday morning ready to forget the diet for one whole day and devour everything anything in sight, I was greeted with the not so pleasant site of lingering snow which had been laying around taunting me and my thoughts of summer for days! Looking out of my window I could see the wooden bench in the garden topped with snow and my flower pots each with a frozen layer of ice. I turned around expecting to see gifts under the tree, not chocolate eggs and daffodils. Needless to say I was not dreaming of a white Easter and I'm pretty sure no one else had banked on it either given the sizzling temperatures this time last year.

Yes I realise I have moaned for a whole paragraph about the weather, but hey.. I'm british and thats what we do best!

Anyway, In spite of the weather, both myself and Aalliyah still managed to have a wonderful Easter as I hope you all did too. There was the typical roast dinner. I opted for a nice joint of pork for the ever so selfish reason that I hadn't had roast pork since starting weight watchers in October, so we were having it.. End of story!

Me and Aalliyah had lots of fun making some Easter inspired treats for her class, which she gave out on the last day of term, when she also came home with some goodies for winning first place in the egg decorating competition.

No Easter is complete without a bit of bonnet making.. Aalliyah also made her very own town called "Chick-ville"

Plus we had a beautiful Easter stroll in the Spring sunshine snow. There is just something so "British" about seeing a beautiful blooming daffodil..poking out of 4 inches of snow! 

Surely we have had the worst of it now? We have put up with an Arctic Winter and now Sprong (Spring gone wrong) Can we please just have a sizzling summer full of sunshine, sunshine and that other thing that went missing last year... Oh yes.. SUNSHINE! 

Good luck to the first person that moans when it's too hot!! You know there will be someone!

How did you spend your Easter? I hope what ever you did you had a wonderful time celebrating.

Learning Resources Hot Dots Hands On Review

Learning Resources offer a fantastic range of learning aids and toys, with their main customer base being teachers and other workers in the education field. They manufacture a varied range of items which have been specifically developed to aid in children's learning and development.

As a parent I think it is extremely important that my child learns through play, so when we were given the opportunity to review something from Learning Resources Hot Dots range, I was delighted.

We were askled to review a Hot Dots pen and set of accompanying flash cards which were the Hot Dots Junior - Numbers and Counting set.

The pen is very easy to use. Easy to hold onto - even for little hands, and with only 2 buttons, not overly complicated for children to operate. One button switches the sound on and off while the other alternates between sound effects and sound effects with voice (For when you get an answer right or wrong)

The cards are brightly illustrated and feature a question and a multiple choice answer selection. Each answer has a corresponding dot next to it, which when you place the pens nib and push down onto it will let you know if you have got the correct answer or not. To do this it will either light up green or red and will actually speak and tell you if you right with phrases such as "Err No!" and "Good Job!" They come in a handy little box making them easy to carry around and perfect to take with you anywhere.

This innovative new idea, is a fantastic way of letting children check there own answers and with so many different card sets available, which cater for a range of different ages and levels, the fun never has to end.

Take a look at the following video which shows how easy the set is to handle, use and understand.

As I mentioned before there are a wide range of card sets available which covers topics such as Spelling, Vocabulary, Numbers, Counting, Telling the time, Mathematics and more. Click on the link below to be taken to the Learning Resources site, where you can view the full range of Hot Dots Accessories.

Buy Hot Dots Now

Fancy winning a Hot Dots pen and set of Hot Dots Junior cards? Head over to their Facebook competition now by clicking the link below, but hurry as the closing date is Friday 16th November. Good Luck :-)

Win A Hot Dots Set

Overall I was really impressed with the pen and cards. They are a fantastic learning aid for children at all levels and I would definitely recommend them to teachers and parents alike.

Please note: I was not paid for this review and it is all of my own honest opinion.