The Art of the Brick is an exhibition of Lego sculptures made by American artist Nathan Sawaya. Like lots of children, Toby and Gabe love Lego and our house is full of it. So, when I heard about The Art of the Brick I thought it might be something fun for us to go and see.
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We’ve had our National Trust membership for over a year now and like to use it as often as we can. We’ve been to Sizergh Castle near Kendal in Cumbria a few times now but I’ve never written about it so I thought it was about time I did.
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Last October we visited the Farmageddon Glow Trail at Whinlatter Forest in the Lake District. I didn’t write about it at the time but with the release of A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon on DVD (affiliate link) last week I thought this was the perfect time to share our experience.
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**Collaborative Post
Everyone loves the zoo. The perfect family destination that’s got plenty of interesting animal sights and sounds for both kids and parents to enjoy, and a day that’s not too heavy on the pocket either. On top of that, a day at the zoo can usually tie in nicely to a wider trip, making it a perfect memorable holiday moment.
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We love going on holiday to the Lake District with our two young children – we’ve been at least once a year since Toby was born. All our previous holidays have been in cottages but when I won a two night stay in a glamping pod we were very happy to try something different. So what did we get up to in our 48 hours in the Lake District? Read more
**This is a collaborative post
Trying to entertain the kids during the school holidays when you’re on a limited budget can be really stressful! This is especially true if you live in or around the capital. London isn’t exactly known for its affordability! However, did you know there’s actually a huge range of things to do in the city that won’t cost you a penny? Read more
We have been talking about getting National Trust membership for a few years now and for one reason or another never got round to it. But when my friend Claire suggested we meet up for a family day out at Quarry Bank in Cheshire we finally bit the bullet and bought a family membership. Or rather my parents did – thanks for the early Christmas present! Read more
Toby and Gabe love dinosaurs at the moment so on Saturday we decided to go up to Rheged in the Lake District to catch the last weekend of their Dinosaur Encounter exhibition. The exhibition has been brought to Rheged by the Natural History Museum and features ten animatronic dinosaurs plus a few other activities. Read more
Not far from the A6, between Garstang and Preston you will find Brock Bottom picnic site. It’s a name I remember from my childhood and I’m sure I must have been there before but I don’t remember it. We are always looking for new places to explore with the boys so armed with a picnic and the camera we set off on Sunday to see what was there.
Unfortunately the information board which should have been on this stone was missing but if had been there it would have told us that this was the site of Brock Mill, a cotton mill built in the 1790s, along with 20 workers’ cottages. We actually didn’t see the remains of the mill as we set off in the opposite direction but I’m sure we’ll find them next time.
There is quite a small (but free) car park at Brock Bottom which was full when we arrived. We didn’t have to wait long for someone to leave so we could get a space though. There are a fair few picnic tables around the edge of the car park, and they all have a metal plate on the end where you can use disposable barbecues. On the disposable note though, there are no bins in the picnic area so be prepared to take your rubbish home with you. Read more
Last weekend, as Toby’s treat for reaching the end of his reward chart, we went to SEA LIFE Blackpool for a morning with the fishes. I lived in Blackpool for my whole childhood, and had spent plenty of time there visiting my parents until we moved back to the area last year but I have never been to the Sea Life Centre (as I knew it) before.
SEA LIFE Blackpool is just along the promenade from Blackpool Tower and there’s plenty of parking in the pay and display car park behind. As it was a bank holiday weekend we decided to get there in time for opening so it wouldn’t be too busy. We actually had to wait outside for the doors to open and were the second people in there!
SEA LIFE is fully pushchair and wheelchair accessible – there’s a lift to get up to the aquarium itself but once you’re up it is all on one level. Read more