30 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained ~ Through Lockdown and Beyond!

We’re now 3 months into travel restrictions and I’m sure you like me are

sometimes struggling to come up with something else to keep your children

entertained. As a Mam of 7 children ranging in age from newborn to 13 years old I pretty much have a child at every developmental stage so I have to be

resourceful and cater for all their needs.

As an addition to my recent NUK Baby Talk on Instagram I’ve decided to put together this list of 30 things to help keep your children entertained. I’m conscious like me some of you don’t have the time, energy or funds to be constantly buying or organising things to do so hopefully these ideas will help.

Lapland on a Budget ~ A Mums on the Run Group!

Oh, you want to travel to Lapland without breaking the bank do you? Long dreamed about a trip to the winter wonderland and home of the original Santa have you? Corrina has long shared her knowledge of how to do Lapland on a Budget on this here blog HERE. HERE and HERE , but of late has been gaining attention in mainstream media too - because she does what we've always tried to do - make the dream accessible for all! 

We've now added Lapland on a Budget to our umbrella of Mums on the Run groups and to say it's exploded is quite the understatement. Almost 7 THOUSAND members in a fortnight. If that's not indicative of a genuine Irish & UK desire to live the Lapland dream then I don't know what is. 

Bluestone National Park Resort Wales - Review!

When we got the mail inviting us to Bluestone National Park Resort in Wales I don’t know who was more excited me or the kids! I’d considered booking Bluestone a few times but something always stopped me I think it’s mainly because we love to keep going and exploring further afield as we have done on many of our UK road trips. Five hundred acres of rolling hills and woodland nestled in the Pembrokeshire countryside, I knew the kids were going to love everything about it, and that was before I told them about the Blue Lagoon!

Boston Fly Drive: Mums on the Run!

A lot of you will remember that Cherry Sue & I were literally Mums on the Run when WOW air flew us to Boston in October. While Sue left her two sons to fend for themselves (they’re grown men!) I left my 5 little ones with my husband while we ran away for a much needed break. You might think that travel to the US is expensive but with the arrival of airlines like WOW air, that’s all changed. Flights start at just €159.99, making a stateside escape well within your grasp. Stick with us over the next couple of weeks and I’ll share how you too can have a bargain road trip in Massachusetts.

How to do Lapland on a Budget & Make it Feel Like Anything But! (Part 5) Ultimate Tips & Ski Wear on a Budget

I promised I’d let you know where I got our Ski wear for our family of 7 for our trip to Lapland and how much I paid so you can have an idea how much it will cost for your family, so here it is! (If you're not up to date or fancy a refresher on all things Lapland, our posts are HERE)

First things first you really don’t need to go to a specialist shop and spend a fortune to buy branded skiwear as budget alternatives are every bit as good at keeping you warm & dry.

Mums on the Run ~ Your New Favourite, NO BS Groups!

That's us, literally being Mums on the Run on our US fly drive with thanks to WOW Air last month. There'll be a WHOLE lot more about that imminently but I'm here today to chat to you about our newest loves, probably the most rewarding thing we've done online to date, our Mums on the Run Facebook groups! 

Family Road Trip ~ North West UK ~ Part 4 Diggerland!

So far on our road trip in North West UK we’ve been to Llandudno, Liverpool and Blackpool. This week I’ll tell you about the highlight of our holiday, a trip to Diggerland in Yorkshire! It’s billed as ‘The Ultimate Adventure Park Experience’ and they’re not wrong.

Where is Diggerland?

Diggerland has four locations across the UK, Durham, Devon, Kent and the one we visited in Yorkshire.

What is Diggerland?

It’s only the best theme park we’ve visited so far in the UK and we’ve been to a lot over the past couple of years. Imagine waving bye to your little 5 year old as he takes off down a super muddy track driving a JCB Robot (JCB Skid Steer Loader) on his OWN! 

Well I did and he had such great fun that he immediately jumped back on the end of the small queue to do it again (and again). Kids get to drive and operate full sized construction vehicles, whilst there are restrictions on speed rotation etc it doesn’t take away from the thrill of operating a real digger. 

I don’t know who had more fun the kids or my husband. It’s not just for boys either my 10 year old twin daughters absolutely loved it and have decided it should be top of the list of places to go in the UK with kids.

Are there any height restrictions?

Yes there are restrictions on some rides so your smallest child should be over 80cm in height so they can go on rides and drives with an adult. There are also a few £1 coin operated rides for younger children but they have to be over 2 years of age to ride them. 

Diggerland is aimed at children aged between 4 - 14 years of age. We went with our 10 year old twins, our 9 year old, our 5 year old and our 2 1/2 year old and they all got to go on almost everything there. They didn’t feel like they missed out on anything. There’s a full list if height restrictions on their website diggerland.com

Would you need a full day at Diggerland?

You could do it in a half day if the park isn’t busy but you’d be rushing around, we took a full day to make the most of our visit. Our 5 little ones got to ride nearly all of the rides, the ones they liked they got to go on twice and the rides they loved 4 or 5 times! 

Diggerland also has an indoor soft play centre, a Little Tikes wheelz play zone, café and shop. I was very impressed with the prices in the shop as they had Diggerland branded kids t-shirts from just £4.95 & lots of pocket money priced bits and pieces for kids such as pencils & rubbers, they even had Diggerland medals for 99p! Needless to say we left with a few bags of clothes, toys and souvenirs for our 5 that cost a lot less than I thought it would.


How much is admission to Diggerland?

On the day prices: £19.95/€22.37 per adult/child over 90cm tall, over 65’s £9.95/€11.16 however you can avail of discounted tickets by booking online in advance of your visit. Adults & children over 90cm tall are £16.99/€19.05 while over 65’s are £7.99/€8.96. Children under 90cm are admitted to the Diggerland free of charge, there’s also ample free car parking. Sign up to Diggerland’s newsletter as they occasionally send out special offers. For our visit we received a complimentary family of 4 pass so we paid for 3 of our children.

Stone Travel Tip:

If you’re planning on going with a couple of friends you should look into booking a birthday party to make it extra special and save a few pound too. Parties are priced at just £16.99/€19.05 per child with a minimum booking of 10 children. 

For that price you receive, personalised party invitations, unlimited rides and drives, free entry for 4 adults per 10 children, party food for all children including free Diggerland lunch bags to take home, Diggerland balloons & a certificate for each child. Or you could book standard admission and avail of a group rate (minimum 10 people) by booking online at least 14 days in advance of your trip for £13.99/€16.69 per person.

Where to stay?

We visited Diggerland as part of our UK road trip so we had our Mammy van. We stayed in Holiday Inn Express Leeds East paying £46/€51.59 per room for 2 adults & 2 kids B&B. The hotel suited us just fine; it was clean with friendly staff and free parking. While the breakfast had limited options cereal, toast and tea did the job nicely. 

We made the mistake of going to the Toby Carvery that’s right beside the hotel; it was way overpriced for what it was. We should have gone to Leeds city centre for dinner instead. Diggerland is located just 5 miles away from the hotel so it was less than a 10 minute drive. If you like Haribo there’s a Haribo factory nearby where they sell large bags at a discounted price.

How do I get to Diggerland?

Diggerland Durham: Newcastle airport would be the closest airport at 26 miles distance.

Diggerland Yorkshire: The closest airport is Leeds Bradford 24 miles away from Diggerland.

Diggerland Devon: is located just 14 miles from Exeter airport, Flybe regularly fly this route from Dublin airport.

Diggerland Kent: You could fly into any London airport and get the train to Kent or hire a car however Gatwick is the closest airport at a distance of 40 miles.

Have you been to Diggerland? What did you think?

Check back next time when we conclude our UK road trip with a visit to Leeds Royal Armouries and the medieval city of Chester!


*** Disclaimer: 

As advised above
we received 4 complimentary tickets 

to Diggerland. As usual all thoughts 

are my own, I was not asked to write 

this review. As ever neither free services 

nor payment would ever sway my opinion.***

Spike Island Wins Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction 2017 - Peek Inside 1300 Years of History on “Ireland’s Alcatraz”

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Spike Island is prison, as it is said to be “Ireland’s Alcatraz” but peel back the layers of history and you’ll be surprised lies beneath. So impressive is the attraction that it has just been named Europe’s leading tourist attraction at the 2017 World Travel Awards! The former prison was up against some of the world’s most well-known attractions including the Eiffel Tower, Roman Colosseum and Buckingham Palace.

We’ve been to Cobh many times as Cork is one of our favourite counties to visit in Ireland. Every time we go though I am drawn in by the Titanic Museum or the Titanic Bar & Grill or some of the other superb things to see & do in Cobh. This time however we left Kildare in Mammy Van with our sights firmly set on the mysterious Spike Island.

Family Road Trip ~ North West UK ~ Part 3 Blackpool Pleasure Beach!

We’re onto our third destination of our road trip across the North West of the UK, we’ve already covered Llandudno & Liverpool, this week it’s the turn of Blackpool. Located 55 miles north of Liverpool it took us just under an hour and a half to drive to Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Family Road Trip ~ North West UK ~ Part 2 Liverpool!

Welcome back to our family road trip across the North West UK. Last week I told you about Llandudno in North Wales, after we whooshed down the side of a mountain on a toboggan we buckled our 5 little ones back into Mammy Van for the 1 hour and 20 minute drive to Liverpool.

Baby on Board - 10 Things You Need to Know About Flying with Babies!

By now many of you will know that I’m a Mammy of 5 little people and we travel a LOT. The youngest I’ve taken them on a flight is about 3 months old so I’ve oodles of experience with the logistics involved with taking babies & toddlers on-board a flight. So in answer to first time family fliers I’ve decided to dedicate this post to the in’s & out’s of family flights. We have a post on Tips for Flying with Tots that you can read HERE but this is more concentrated on the basics of first time flights.

Family Road Trip ~ North West UK ~ Part 1 Llandudno!

Today I’m going to kick off our road trip across North Wales & into the North West of England. As usual I’ll tell you where we went, how long it took to drive there, where we stayed, what we did & exactly how much we paid so you can work out how much it’ll cost you to do the same trip. Barod? (that's Ready? in Welsh *blows knuckles*)

Living the Dream on Lough Derg!

It’s been a dream of mine to stay in a real thatched cottage with the kids so I couldn’t believe it when I saw a deal HERE for Lough Derg Thatched Cottages in Tipperary for just €149 for a 3 night stay for up to 6 people (!). I had brought the kids to the Co Clare side of Lough Derg during the mid-term break but we had to cut the trip short due to illness, so I promised the kids we’d go back. You can catch up on that trip HERE.

Killarney Family Fun ~ The Perfect Staycation Spot!

Killarney is one of those places you’ll return to time and again, whether it’s for the stunning views out over the Killarney lakes, the sound of the water crashing over Torc waterfall after a downpour or the clean fresh air that embraces you at the Gap of Dunloe, there’s no end to the reasons you’ll return. Oh and the shopping, how could I ever forget the shopping?! 

If you're looking for a last minute staycation that won't break the bank, let me tell you why Killarney is the ideal spot!

Cherry Pick of the Week ~ Rimmel #Insta Fix & Matte Powder!

Cherry Pick of the Week this time out is a budget translucent powder that works as effectively as a product five times its price. The #Insta range from Rimmel haven't been making huge waves online, to the point that until I picked this up in Boots a fortnight ago I didn't even know there was a #Insta range from Rimmel, but this lightly scented mattifying dream has piqued my interest in trying the rest. 

The Ultimate List of Oakwood Tips! ( Oakwood? Oakwouldn't!)

Welcome back to our Epic England Road Trip, this is the final instalment as we’re now over the border back in Wales. When I was planning this adventure I thought a trip to Oakwood Theme Park would be a great way end our trip but boy was I wrong. 

There were some good points but unfortunately not enough to outweigh the bad. If you’re one of the many families who follow our footsteps all is not lost as I’d recommend you go to one of the many castles, gardens, beaches or take a day trip to Folly Farm, the Secret Owl Garden or Manor Wildlife Park instead.

Epic England Road Trip ~ Part 2 ~ Somerset!

Welcome back to our Epic England road trip across the south of England. Last time I told you about getting the ferry from Rosslare to Pembroke and driving down to Devon to visit The Big Sheep, you can catch up on all the fun HERE. This week I’m going to fill you in on our trip to Yeovil in Somerset.

Expert Travel Tips for Travelling with Babies & Toddlers!

I think we've established at this stage that I've been bitten by the travel bug good and proper, yes? So many people ask me how things have changed since the arrival of our five little ones and the honest answer is, not by much.

Organisation is still key and, while I'm not advocating you feel bad about not venturing outside your door for the first year of motherhood, I am advocating that you give it a shot. Here's my top tips that've seen all seven of us around the world twice over.

 

Newgrange ~ Visiting Ireland’s Ancient East!

Newgrange in Co Meath is somewhere I’ve wanted to bring my kids for a long time, as I remember really liking it when I went on a school trip many moons ago. We tried to visit a few years ago but only got as far as the visitor centre to be turned away as all the tickets were sold out. They limit the amount of tickets sold per day for conservation reasons. 

Tickets are not available to purchase online so it’s first come first served, we needed to be there early if we wanted to secure a place on a tour. That meant booking an overnight stay in the area and in the hopes that there wouldn’t be too many people visiting Ireland’s Ancient East we went off season.

A Weekend in Warsaw - How To!

Due to family commitments we had to take Sue’s annual birthday trip a week early this year but by mid January we still hadn’t decided on a destination well that was until we were invited to the Polish Embassy in Dublin to sample the wonderful hospitality of the Polish people. 

While we were there we learned a lot about Poland as they showcased some of their beautiful cities. We decided there & then we were going to Poland so I started researching the best city at the best price for a visit in early March, I quickly realised Warsaw was our destination!

The Best Way to Visit Warsaw on a Budget:

My first port of call as usual was Skyscanner; it took me less than 2 minutes to work out that Warsaw was the cheapest to visit in March so I booked return flights from Dublin to Warsaw costing just €55.38pp flying out on Friday 10th March at 17:15 returning Sunday 12th March at 21:45.

Where to stay in Warsaw:

I completed the usual search of hotel comparison sites like Trivago, Hotels Combined etc but it was on Amoma.com that I found a great bargain. Two nights B&B for two at the four star Hilton Warsaw Hotel for just £117/€134. The hotel is fabulous; it boasts numerous bars & restaurants along with a swimming pool, spa & gym also onsite. We had a spotless, deluxe room on the 19th floor with beautiful views over the city.

They were so kind to us and sent a bottle of wine to our room when they learned that we were celebrating Sue’s birthday. The bathroom was high end luxury complete with separate enclosed shower unit & bath. Breakfast was one of the finest spreads I’ve seen in a hotel way outstripping other Hiltons we’ve stayed in around the world. The Old Town is a 20 minute walk from the hotel or grab a taxi from the rank at the front door of the hotel for 17zł/€4.


How to get from Modlin Airport to Warsaw:

There are numerous buses operating from Modlin airport, you can buy a return ticket online or directly from the driver for roughly €16pp return for the 45 minute journey. You can also get an Uber but be careful as flights arrive in Modlin the prices increase drastically likewise the wait times. We priced a taxi and were quoted approximately 320zł/€76 by one driver even though taxi fares are supposed to be fixed from the airport. 

Luckily another driver overheard and offered his services for 160zł/€37, having given him sufficient side eye, we arrived to our hotel in style in a luxury blacked out Mercedes van. I made sure to get his card for our return journey, Zbigniew Kolacz, Tel: 0048 512007960 or mail zbyszek0_3@wp.pl to book - Tell him the crazy Irish ladies with the side eyes sent you!


Out and About in Warsaw:

Warsaw is not a city that you fall in love with at first sight you have to learn about its history and then you’ll have a deep compassion for the city & its people. We did just that on an Orange Umbrella free walking tour. It’s a very unusual city unlike most other European capitals. The New Town has a wonderful skyline that could easily compete with parts of New York for the amount of skyscrapers in such a small area. 

The Mermaid of Warsaw, fabled to be a Sister of the Copenhagen be-scaled one keeps watch over Warsaw

The Old Town is actually not that old. It was rebuilt less than 65 years ago by the people of Warsaw under Soviet influence after 85% of its buildings were raised to the ground during WWII. The Old Town is now the youngest UNESCO listed Heritage Site, due to the diligence of the restoration!

In the heart of the Old Town you’ll find Market Square and the monument of the Warsaw Mermaid the city’s symbol. Our guide Martyna was a fountain of knowledge and she held everyone’s attention for the full 2 hour tour of the Old Town. You'll see a clip of our tour HERE. There are lots of other tour routes and indeed other companies that run walking tours of Warsaw but one thing is for sure, you’d be mad not to join one!

On Sunday we visited the Uprising Museum located a 5 minute walk from our hotel. The museum tells the history of the events preceding, during and after the uprising in Warsaw with hundreds of photographs, film footage from eye witnesses and a 3D audiovisual recreation of the destruction of Warsaw during WWII. 

As soon as you enter the museum the sights & sounds transport you back to 1944 Poland. They’ve an impressive amount of artifacts and a replica B-24 Liberator. With men & women recounting their own tales of rebel fighting and their entire city rising up, if you want to learn about the determination of the Polish people this should be on your list of places to visit. Normal admission is priced at 20zł/€4.66pp, entry is free on Sundays.

Where to eat and drink in Warsaw:

During our tour Martyna told us all about milk bars that you’ll still find dotted around the capital, they are small, inexpensive restaurants serving traditional Polish home cooked meals costing about €3 for a 3 course meal. Pop into any bakery for Polish cakes and coffee costing less than €4 each.

We stumbled upon a Bobby Burger joint and decided it looked good for lunch, it was delicious. We had burgers, fries & beers that cost us just €15 in total! 

We were lucky with the location of our hotel as Tapas Gastrobar was right next door; it was so nice we ended up dining there twice with our bill never topping €20 for oodles of Tapas & wine. 

The Pierogi (dumplings, a popular Polish dish) are superb in Karmnik a trendy bar/restaurant in the Old Town. It’s a bit more expensive because of its location but still reasonably priced at €16 for two servings of Pierogi and two drinks.

Well that was our wonderful weekend in Warsaw, have you been? Did we miss anything?

One thing is for sure though; Warsaw was the first of many visits to Poland for this Travel Writer!