Treetop Fun: Go Ape at Chessington

I was reading recently a study on the importance 

of outdoor play for children: 

the close contact with nature 

encourages children's perception of the world, 

it enhances the mastering of important physical skills 

and makes them appreciate and respect the environment.

With that in mind, this summer has been all about planning 

entertaining outdoorsy activities with them, 

and, undoubtedly, one of the most fun we've had 

is the Go Ape Tree Top Junior Adventure at Chessington.

Set in the woodland next to Chessington World of Adventures, 

Go Ape's Tree Top Junior course 

is especially designed for younger children over 1metre tall; 

since there is no age minimum an adult on a 1:1 ratio
is required to be on the course for children under 6 years-old, 

which meant you can join on the treetop fun too! 

The 5year-old and I arrived just on time for our allocated slot 

{the booking is for a one hour time slot} 

and were quickly set up with the harnesses 

{remember to dress the children and yourself appropriately, 

with suitable clothes and closed flat shoes}. 

We were told the safety rules, given a quick demonstration 

and off we went; so, here is where I confess that, 

while the Kid was confidently climbing the stairs to the treetops, 

I started wishing I had sent Mr K instead. 

The course is made of tricky and easier parts, 

strategically combined to build up self confidence and the fun. 

It is quite high at six metres above ground, 

but the harness gives a good sense of safety.

Be prepared to do very wobbly plank crossings, 

to climb on wall frames and crawl through nets 

before a fantastic descent on the zip wire. 

I was truly amazed at how much fun and enjoyment 

all the kids were having at Go Ape, 

and their sense of achievement every time they finished one crossing.

We will definitely be doing that again 

{Mr K. that is, because I will be watching them from below}!

In a Nutshell: a fun, adventurous way for families 

to spend time outdoors and build up confidence and self esteem.

Tree Top Junior at Go Ape Chessington (just next to the theme park), for children of all ages above 1m tall

Tickets are £18 for children and over 18s.

Disclosure: We were invited to review the Tree Top Junior Adventure.

All views and wording my own.

Sun Safety for Kids: Five Useful Tips

Did you know that when our skin tans 

it is actually being damaged? 

The body's natural response to UV radiation 

is to produce more melanin, 

which causes the skin to change colour. 

So, in this glorious summer 

we are having here in the UK, 

it is vital to know how to protect our skin 

and especially children's skin from the dangerous 

consequences sun exposure can have. 

Cancer Research UK and Nivea Sun 

have created this easy guide with tips 

for families to enjoy the sun safely.

Take C.A.R.E

C- Cover Up: wear a T-shirt, hat, sunglasses

A - Aim for the shade between 11am to 3pm

R - Rub on sunscreen of at least 15SPF

E - Enjoy the sun safely

What is the Best Time to be Outside? 

UV rays are strongest between 11am and 3pm 

when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. 

Try to find shade around that time 

or plan your outdoor adventures 

early in the morning or late in the afternoon. 

Teaching Kids the Shadow Rule 

A good way of teaching children to understand 

when the sun is strongest is to show them the shadow rule: 

when their shadow is short, 

that's when they are most likely to burn. 

Choosing the Right Gear 

Make sure children are covered up when the sun is strong. 

Long sleeve tops, shady hats and sunglasses 

are essential for enjoying the sun safely. 

Choose garments and accessories

 made from natural fibres, like cotton and linen.

Picking the Right Sunscreen 

We always use a SPF50 on ourselves and the children. 

The recommendation is to use a sunscreen 

with at least SPF15 and 4 or 5 stars on parts of the body you can't cover.

Use a generous amount and reapply frequently. 

For wriggly children, the new roll on sunscreen 

is a life saviour and even makes sunscreen applying fun.

Being the Good Example

Show your children how to apply sunscreen 

and teach by example, 

by protecting yourself with shade, clothes and sunscreen first.

I always do a funny face with sunscreen on my face, 

which makes the children want it too.

Nivea Roll On sunscreen, £4 | Available in Boots and Pharmacies

Flamingo Hat £5, Yellow Swimsuit £5 & Cover Up £7, all from Nutmeg | Available in Morrisons

Thank you to Cancer Research UK & Nivea for the sun protection guide and creams.

Thank you to Nutmeg for the summer essentials.

All views and wording my own.

The Gruffalo at the Chessington World of Adventures

It's no secret that we love Chessington World of Adventures.
It is our go-to place for family fun, laughs and lots of adventure
and we are lucky to be a short ride away from it.

But we are even luckier to have been asked
by CWOA to become blogger ambassadors,
meaning we will be testing all new rides
and going on amazing adventures
before reporting back to you.

So, when we heard that a new ride 

featuring the boys' favourite baddie

opened at Chessington World of Adventure, 

we packed our bags and got ready for an adventure.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson 

is one of the kids' all time favourite books;  

I cannot tell you how excited they were 

when they found out that they were going to join Mouse 

on an adventurous river ride to meet the Gruffalo.

The Gruffalo ride is for families with children of all ages

{babies in arms are welcome too} 

and feature all the ingredients for a fantastic adventure. 

Firstly, explorers have to board a little boat 

and sail down a river in the middle of a dark wood; 

secondly, there are amazing visual and sound effects 

that make this journey truly magical and immersive;

thirdly, there are surprises at every turn 

that add to the fun and the excitement. 

Needless to say, the children were over the moon 

and asked "When are we doing it again?" 

as soon as it ended. 

For more Gruffalo fun, there are screenings of the movie, 

Gruffallo themed rooms at the Chessington Safari hotel, 

a Gruffalo gift shop and food outlet

and a Meet and Greet with the Gruffalo himself!

In a nutshell: the Gruffalo river ride is a must-do 

for all Gruffalo fans, small and big!

The Gruffalo river ride is included in the CWOA entry ticket (from £28 | under 3s go free)

This Saturday 17 June CWOA will remain open from 6.30pm to 9.30pm for Roar and Explore, an exclusive fund raising event which supports the Chessington Conservation Fund (CCF) and which has raised £400,000 to date, to protect the future of nature and wildlife through conservation work and education within the local community and worldwide.

Disclosure: We were invited as Blogger Ambassadors 

to review the Gruffalo ride and were not paid to do this review.

All words and opinions our own.

Top Tips to Make Children Love Reading

A recent survey* of 42,000 schoolchildren 

showed that the percentage of children 

who enjoy reading are at an all time high. 

This research, conducted to celebrate the 20^th anniversary 

of the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme, 

shows that the longer children enjoy reading, 

the greater the benefits are in the classroom: 

children who enjoy reading have a higher reading age** 

than their peers who don’t.

The truth is it can be tricky for parents 

to instill in their children the love of reading. 

The key is to be patient and follow your child's lead and preferences, 

as this top tip guide for making your child love reading 

from the National Literacy Trust shows.

Image via

Top Tips for Parents 

who want their child to love reading

1. Make time to read: read a bedtime story with your child every night or set a regular time to read together during the day. Little and often works best: a good ten minutes reading together is better than a difficult half hour!

2. Let your child choose what to read: your child is more likely to develop a love of reading if they are able to choose the books they read with you. Join your local library for free and your child can pick from a wide selection of books that suit their interests or play to their hobbies, such as football or animals.

3. Explore different reading materials and formats:  as well as fiction there is a world of comics, magazines, ebooks, read-along audio books and non-fiction to discover.

4. Get the whole family involved: encourage your child to read with other family members like grandparents, brothers and sisters, and aunts and uncles.

5. Bring stories to life: when reading stories out loud with your child, give characters different voices that match their personalities. You could pause the story and ask your child what happens next, or even try acting out parts of the story together.

6. Create fun reading challenges at home: on a rainy day you could organise a treasure hunt around the house; give your child a list of things to find and see how quickly they can read the list and collect all the items.

7. Be positive: praise your child for trying hard at their reading and let them know it’s alright to make mistakes.

8. Be a reading role model: your child learns from you, so seeing you enjoying and valuing books can be a great inspiration.

*The research report is based on findings from the National Literacy Trust’s seventh Annual Literacy Survey. 42,406 children and young people, aged 8 to 18, responded to the survey in November and December 2016. Of these, 9,754 children were in Key Stage 2 (aged 8-11).

**10-year-olds who enjoy reading have a reading age 1.3 years above their peers who do not enjoy reading (10.8 years vs 9.5 years)

12-year-olds who enjoy reading have a reading age 2.1 years above their peers who do not enjoy reading (12.6 years vs 10.5 years)

14-year-olds who enjoy reading have a reading age 3.3 years above their peers who do not enjoy reading (15.3 years vs 12 years)

Adventures in Wonderland Review

Imagine being led into a magic maze by a White Rabbit,
who then asks you to drink a potion
and follow him to to meet a crazy Queen
and a disappearing Cheshire Cat...

Adventures in Wonderland, the critically acclaimed, 
multi-sensory experience, from the award-winning 
children's theatre company Les Petits, 
returns from 13 May 2017 to 3 September 2017 
and it is an experience not to be missed. 

Set inside the mysterious tunnels underneath Waterloo station,
a magical and weird maze transports children and adults
to the crazy underground world of Alice.

Aimed at children from 5 to 10 years old,
this is a theatrical experience not to be missed,
as I'm sure the Kid would tell you
after attending the press morning.

Do not expect to find seats or 'Please be quiet' signs; 

this is immersive, interactive thespian art 

where the spectators follow the story's journey  

and enrich it by participating in it. 

The journey begins in an antique-filled room, 

where Alice invites us to find her in the Wonderland. 

On entering this magic world, a choice has to be made: 

the White Rabbit invites the audience to choose 

between 'Eat Me' or 'Drink Me', 

a choice that will determine one's unique path into the maze.  

The maze is an immense multi-room set, 

decorated with exquisite details in such an imaginative way 

that the Kid kept asking me if we were near the centre of the Earth {!}

But what really steals the show 

and makes this one of the best theatrical experiences for children 

are the performances by the very talented actors 

{our favourite was the capricious Queen 

and her wicked sense of humour}. 

In a nutshell: an unforgettable experience
for children and adults alike
{and, hurry up, tickets are flying fast}.

Alice's Adventures Underground, from 13 May 2017 to 3 September 2017 
The Vaults, Launcelot Street, London SE1 7AD
Tickets from £15.50 | Family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) £71

*images ©Rah Petherbridge Photography

Disclosure: We attended the press preview. 

All views and wording my own.