2020 has been an extraordinary year and one where, most of us, have had our holiday plans disrupted. If you are thinking of booking a staycation or holiday abroad to get a well earned break from the monotony of coronavirus life, take a look at my top holiday planning tips to help take the stress out of booking a break during the COVID-19 pandemic. ​

My kids grew up watching Paw Patrol, Shimmer and Shine and Dora the Explorer (my eldest spent most of her younger years shouting 'Backpack! Backpack!') so it is safe to say Nickelodeon is a firm favourite in this household. How wonderful it would be if those shows could be brought to life... Enter Nickelodeon Adventure which has just opened at Lakeside, Thurrock. We were very lucky to be invited to celebrate at the launch event of this brand new play space along with our Paw Patrol obsessed nephew Little A.

The health benefits of practising yoga have long been established, and recently there’s been a surge in popularity for taking those weekly sessions one step further; by getting away from the stresses of everyday life by embarking on a longer-term yoga retreat.

Little E turned 8 last month and there was only one thing she wanted to do for her birthday: Go Ape.

We have a Go Ape centre close to us at Tilgate Park, Crawley and the Tree Top Junior course is suitable for children over 1 metre tall. E had chosen two of her school friends, two cousins and her little sister to join her on the course. For every two under 6yr olds one adult is required to participate. As Little I had just turned 5 Husband volunteered to join in the fun. You have to pay for parking at Tilgate Park so make sure you have change and allow plenty of time to find a space as it can be very busy at the weekends and during school holidays.

If you’re looking for somewhere to take the kids for short break away, Bognor Regis may not be your first choice. However, despite its not so glamorous reputation, the town actually has plenty of great family-friendly entertainment. It’s also known to be Britain’s sunniest town.

So, if you’re looking for a staycation idea that’s affordable, family-friendly and which gives you the best chance of enjoying a nice sunny getaway, Bognor Regis is definitely a town to consider. Here, you’ll discover how to enjoy a great staycation in the town on an affordable budget.

If it’s cold, wet, snowy or all of the above outside then your first thought might not be ‘let’s go out!’.

But there are plenty of great winter activities for you and your family to go out and enjoy. After all, we all have happy memories of playing in the snow as children; it’s a fundamental part of growing up.

Picking the right activity is one part but being well-prepared is equally as important. Here are a few things that will help your outdoor adventure go smoothly.

At some point throughout the year, you’ll need a holiday. A time for you and your little people to get away from it all and recharge the batteries. The so-called warmer UK months can often be a bit of a damp squib (this summer was an exception – don’t get used to it!) so an injection of vitamin D is ideal for some all-important rejuvenation.

Now, the idea of a holiday is great – the idea of planning for one, less so! Making sure you have everything you need is nerve-shredding and making sure you get there with all your faculties intact is a mission unto itself. Fortunately, there are a few things that can help ease the pressures of planning for a holiday. Keeping your offspring as happy as they can be on the journey is key to starting things right. If you can beat the travel blues, you’re onto a winner.

Here are three Travel Hacks every single parent should think about…

Over Christmas we like to take the girls up to London for a special family day out. Last year we went to see Disney on Ice at the O2 which was great fun. This Christmas we were invited to review KidZania London at Westfield which had the girls hopping about with excitement! KidZania is an indoor city for kids aged 4-14yrs which blends together reality, learning and entertainment. During your 4hr visit kids can try out different role play professions from over 60 activities, testing their skills and having fun. Here's what we thought of the city run by kids...

Keeping kids moving and engaged in winter months can be a challenge as it’s very tempting to just stay indoors and keeping warm. However this can not only make the children antsy but is also a surefire way of getting cabin fever for you too! There are plenty of activities to keep the kids busy and entertained during the winter months. These activities are the best ones I’ve found to bond with your children this Winter rather than letting them just bond with the TV!

Hen Parties are changing - whoop whoop! Thankfully we are no longer stuck with the choice of a night in an awful club wearing L plates or a pretty boring girls pamper night in. The choices for activities and the expectation of a bit of quality mean things are certainly much more appealing to the hens and the guests. But one thing activity seems to be out competing them all and it is, in it’s own way, somewhat traditional and that’s Hen Party Life Drawing. But what is it all about and is it any good?