Summer Fun

We all know that summer in Britain can be hit and miss, some days having several different types of weather. Come rain or sun, it's all about being prepared.

So what have we been getting up to this summer and what do we have planned? 

If it's raining, how about some 'design your own' t-shirts? We bought some fabric pens from Ikea but they are available from lots of shops and with some old vests, it's a great way to spend an hour plus, you have something you can wear afterwards!

Or how about some mess free water painting? Grab a cup of water and a paintbrush and 'paint' on the walls outside or on the floor, you don't have to worry about changing clothes or getting messy.

We are lucky enough to a local park with a tropical house, it's always worth checking out your local council website for lists of parks, we have found so many great places that we knew were there but have just never thought to go to.

How about some messy play, getting children in touch with nature, here we got out our tuff spot, added some soil, sand, leaves and shells, then added some dinosaurs and got mucky playing with them.

Heading to the beach is a great way to burn of energy and have fun, if you don't live near the coast then it is worth looking out for beaches inland. We are lucky in Nottingham to have a beach in the city centre over the summer months, but there are a few others locally or how about a local outdoor paddling pool. Grab a picnic and get outside, for a mum sometimes just being out of the house makes a difference.

Having fun over the summer is all about finding things to do, so many smaller attractions these days having their budgets cut, it's good to support them, so why not mix some free activities with some paid for, check out local council websites for attractions and see what you can find. We spent a wonderful day at Snibston Discovery Museum in Coalville, Leicester. Lot's to see and do and supporting an attraction I remember visiting when I was younger.

An easy option for a cheap and cheerful day out is scooting or walking in the park. If the weather is good, take a picnic and get some fresh air. Free and fun!

What fun do you get up to in the summer?

Scooting at Lakeside

We headed out last weekend with the intention of visiting the new park at Wollaton Hall but there was an event on so instead we ended up going to Lakeside at University Park in Nottingham.

It's a favourite for us, a nice flat path to scoot on, lots of wildlife, a park and cafe too, so it's a great place to spend a few hours.

The rather friendly squirrels followed us for a few hundred yards and were kind enough to let me photograph them. There is a pretty waterfall at one end and stepping stones which me and my son stopped on to take some photographs.

You can boat on the lake too, there were lots of baby ducks to spot and the tree's were all so fabulous and green, it was nice to be out in the fresh air.

We had a great few hours before being rained on and had to run back to the car, not the best end to the trip but we live in England so it's expected right. Since I didn't get to take many pictures of the children on the park, I shall leave you with another picture of a friendly squirrel.

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