Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, Oxfordshire

Cotswold Wildlife Park opened in the 1970's so @Readitdaddy and I have been going since we were little, we loved it then and still do now we can take Charlotte. The last few times we have been is on trips with nursery and was so much fun going with a little gaggle of 3 and 4 year old's but now Charlotte is at school age we went as a family.

Why we chose to go on a freezing cold January day I'm not quite sure, but thankfully there are a few indoors places to warm up (or hide from the rain). Considering the cold weather there were a lot of animals still out and about, and when they are all huddled in a group to keep warm they look extra cute. There were even some recent baby additions to ahh at (maybe not the crocodiles but the marmosets were).

Madagascar walk through

Some parts of the park haven't changed since I was little, but the recent changes are excellent. We love the Madagascar walk through area and the new giraffe house where you enter on a raised platform making you as high as the giraffe, you can look them right in the eye. There was another raised walkway taking you above the wolves, so you get a great view of them. Talking about little red riding hood at that point in time might not have been sensible. A lot of thought has been put into these new areas, and all areas are completely accessible for buggies and wheelchairs.
The shop has just had a refit and the restaurant is currently being refitted (January 2013).

Wolves from raised walkway

One of our favourite areas is the Children's farm/petting area. You can get into the little goat enclosure and pet them. Alongside are some pigs, sheep, larger goats, rabbits and guinea pigs. I'm reliably told by Charlotte that she will have 2 rabbits and 6 guinea pigs as they are so cute (once she has left home obviously).

Children's Farmyard with very well mannered goats

There is such a variety of animals, a manor house in the centre and wonderful grounds and gardens. And as with every best zoo or animal park there is a lovely little train ride (not included in entrance fee, and costs £1 per person extra).

Red Pandas

This is a real family friendly animal park that we will happily return to for years to come.

The park has a great little app too, along with directions and a map of the park there is a game to play and facts about the animals. Download from itunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cotswildpark/id525510563?mt=8

http://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/index.htm

Eden Project, St Austell, Cornwall

We love visiting the Eden Project, and was really surprised when I realised I've not reviewed any of our visits, as we have been about 4 times since it opened in 2001.

I'm not sure why but for some Eden is a bit like Marmite you love it or hate it, you get it or you don't. We love it, my brother doesn't, but we did mange to get him to join us when we visited between Christmas and New Year, and I think he even enjoyed himself.
It was quite a revelation visiting out of season, we weren't sure how busy it would be but turns out amazingly quiet and it was blissful. We have usually gone in the summer months and followed the flow of people round the biomes. It's an excellent day out what ever the time of year but having that extra time to explore and back track was nice. It also meant the Biomes (big domes in picture below) were cooler, a big plus with younger and older people.

Eden is built in a disused china clay quarry, and can't be seen from the approach. Once you are parked up, paid and through the door you can look down on the site and biomes. We love taking the winding footpaths down the hill with something different on every turn to look at and little steps for the kids to go down, where Charlotte would shout "I beat you" at every turn. There are sculptures to look at and spot, how many cows can you see, the giant bee etc. Even the gardens have themes, from finding out what goes into your painkillers, to an exotic kitchen garden.

Once your are at the bottom you can walk around the 2 biomes, you enter on a walk way above the cafes with the Mediterranean biome to your right and the rainforest to your left. The mediterranean one is the coolest and can feel peaceful and tranquil. You walk in and it feels like you have landed in Spain and a smell of citrus fruits greets you from the orange trees. There are boards to explain the different areas of the med you are visiting and the various plants from that region. A popular area is the chilli plantation, so many varieties each with a heat rating.
The rainforest biome is a lot warmer with a waterfall, bridges to cross, banana, cocoa, sugar and coffee plants to show children. There is a mini-paddy field of rice and a Malaysian hut. Something we haven't done before, we walked up the rainforest lookout. A wonderful view from a platform suspended from the ceiling taking you above the tree tops. Its high and daddy does struggle with vertigo but managed it ok, poor Charlotte was gripping my hand so tight it went red.

We stopped in the cafe between the biomes for lunch, selection of sandwiches, pasties, hot meals and wonderful cakes, with excellent lunch bags for kids.

We headed back through the gardens and past some of the temporary "whats on" items. While we were there was an excellent ice rink which looked like so much fun but half the family can't skate so we skipped that and a Arctic gnome art installation. We then arrived at the education centre  with lots of hands on things for the children, and adults. A video about how Eden was born and above is a lovely little cafe. Outside is a garden to explore and then take the glass lift to the top for a kids play area (or whilst we were there to see the reindeer) then across the bridge and a short walk back up to the where you started.

New in 2012 was the SkyWire, which I was kind of interested in going on but was not running the day we went, secretly I think I'm pleased... looked very high up and long! Adults and children over 7 can have a go at rock climbing.

There was a wonderful story telling session going on in the Mediterranean Biome with singing and a few actions that had the kids and parents gripped for 20 mins. As it was Christmas time it was about an Inuit fable being told which was fascinating. This is what Eden is good at, bringing something different and unique but making it inclusive for all.

The whole site, even though on a steep slope, is accessible. The footpaths are wide. There is a land train to take you from the visitor centre to the biomes, and one from the car park to the entrance. There are some steps in the Rainforest Biome with an alternative walkway for those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. Even a chill out room for those getting a little warm (we have used this in the summer).

Eden is a place we are happy to go to again and again, your ticket will give you free entry for a year which is great if you live local or visit the area often.

Baby Wearing

The weather is too wet at the moment for a lot of our walks, so here is a post about how we used to "wear" Charlotte when she was little.
Whilst pregnant I was looking into other ways of wearing my baby other than structured baby carriers, having read about how they don't offer enough hip support (I don't know if this argument is still ongoing but in 2008 it was). There was also a programme on tv at the time regarding different parenting types and one of the mums had a moby wrap.

I did lots of reading up on moby wraps and also how easy they are to make from websites like the babywearer, headed to the shops with my mum for a very long piece of material. My mum hemmed the edges and also did a join down the middle (some sites advise against this, but we triple stitched and wouldn't wear when she got "really" heavy). I started wearing Charlotte from a month old, just round the house and then trips to the shops. A few months later we were often putting her in the wrap instead of the pushchair as it was so much easier. She settled really easily and the wrap is so versatile. A few different type of carries for front holds, and also back holds when she got that big bigger. I never did master a hip hold though.

When she was 9 months I decided to make a mei-tai type carrier. I mocked up a little prototype which Charlotte then carried her teddies in, and then went on to do mine.

Again the babywearer website was great for ideas and I did a slight modification of the "Man Tai". Instructions were really simple to follow and the results were great.

We both used it until Charlotte was 3 years old, first for front carries and then back carries when she was that much larger. If you go for a long day out it rolls up in the bottom of a bag and when they are tired in a few mins you can have them on your back falling asleep. No dragging that pushchair around when its not going to get used.

And here she is at almost 5 years old still fitting in the mei tai, little bit heavy for a long walk but she thought it great fun to be carried again.

Ice Skating at Millets Farm, Frilford, Oxfordshire

So its a cold wet winter day and we decided to go ice skating. Completely mad I know, and the rink is uncovered, but it was so much fun and ideal for kids of all ages. So long as they can walk they have skates to fit.
The ice rink was a real ice rink not fake at all, so feels realistic and is easier to skate on. You book in for a session (usually starting on the hour) and the session lasts 45mins, which is plenty of time and if you need a sit down or rest you can step of the rink for a bit.
Spaces are limited to a set number for each session so the rink is never going to get over crowded, plenty of space for all.

For children under a shoe size 10, they get skates that strap onto a shoe (Bob-Skates), these worked well with trainers but don't think they would work well with boots. They also have 2 blades so more chance of keeping young ones upright. The strap-on skates shorten or extended to the required length, probably up to a shoe size 12 if needed. A standard single bladed boot is available from shoe size 10.

 Quite a lot of families had hired Bobby seals, suitable for up to the age of 8. They looked a really good idea for some of the less confident children who were on single bladed skates, and parents can also push kids around on them (few races going on too).

There were always helpers on hand if you had fallen over to get you back up again, and take a nice group photo for us too. Friends and family joining you at Millets but lacking the balance for skating can watch you from the viewing platform, or grab a cake and coffee from the cafe next door (where we all dived in later for a hot chocolate to warm up... and what a wonderful hot chocolate it was).

We had such great fun and it was excellent to see Charlotte really skating and even managing to do a lap of the rink not holding anyone's hands.

Tickets can be booked in advance online or at the booking desk. In November they are doing half price tickets for some days, book online or in person you will need the voucher from the Millets magazine which you can pick up at the customer service desk. The rink is open until 8 January 2013.

Christmas in Oxfordshire

Its almost December and Christmas is just around the corner. The weather is getting colder (or should that be wetter) and the shops are filling up with tinsel and goodies for all. But for the little ones the all important bit is... Father Christmas is coming!

So where in Oxfordshire can you meet up with Father Christmas or take part in some Christmas activities?


Christmas lights are being turned on around Oxfordshire, and most towns are having special celebrations. Take a look to see when your town is being lit up.

Local family friendly Millet's Farm, for the fist year ever, have an ice rink, and it's already open. It will be there until 8 January. Santa has already arrived and his grotto will be open weekends until 10 December. From 10th December he will be in his grotto every day upto 24 December. We really want to try out that ice rink and I've been told by Millet's that's its suitable for all ages, so long as they can walk they can skate.

Oxford playhouse is showing "Where's Father Christmas?" from 11 December to 30 December (book your tickets early as it sells out). Last year we went to "Dear Father Christmas" and it was so much fun, all the kids, and adults, loved it. See our review of Dear Father Christmas.
The Playhouse also has an excellent pantomime every year and this year is Dick Whittington. Charlotte is getting to go with school and i'm so jealous, would love to go with her.

Staying on the theme of theatres the Cornerstone Didcot is showing Miki  - based on the bestselling book by Stephen Mackey. This is for 3 - 10 year old so all the family can go along from 17-23 December.
And something Charlotte spotted in a magazine is Cinderella at the Kenton Theatre, Henley on the 21-29 December. They are also showing a puppet version of Rapunzel on 9 December.

How about getting the kids to do some Christmas crafts, drop into the Oxford Town Hall between now and the 6th January. There's also local craft stalls for present ideas, costumes to try on and a tree to decorate. How about a visit to Santa in his grotto on the 15, 20, 21 & 22 December?

The Pitt Rivers Museum and Museum of Natural History are doing letters from Santa with special post boxes from 22 December - 6 January. On a side note: The Natural History museum is closing on the 30 December for a year to restore its very leaky roof. The entrance and shop will remain open and the Pitt Rivers will not be affected.

Half Term Activites in Oxfordshire

So its almost half term, wondering how to stop the little ones getting under your feet. Take a look at just some of the (mostly Halloween themed) things going on in Oxfordshire.

BBOWT - Family fun days at College Lake, Woolley Firs and Sutton Courtenay. This years theme of course is haunted habitats and Halloween hallalabloo. As we have said many times before we LOVE the BBOWT family fun days as do many others.

Millets Farm - has a Halloween howl attraction all week where the maze is transformed into a spooky world along with bouncy castles, trampolines, chocolate apples and CSI:Millets. Something for every age.

Oxford Playhouse - for the younger ones there is story telling and craft activities or for those older children who love amateur dramatics or need some confidence building there are a number of drama workshops.

Museum of Oxford - has activities for the big draw going on and for the Halloween theme there is a Halloween Horrors Exploration Station, make your own vampire bats and witch's cat masks, and Halloween Hauntings.

Abingdon Museum - has something different organised on 31 October “Creative Clay” where an artist will help children draw on clay tiles, taking inspiration from the museum objects and exhibits.
The finished tiles will be taken away at the end of the day to be fired in a kiln and will return to the museum to form a big ceramic drawing.

Oxfordshire Museum - 30 Oct and 1 December there are activities for the Big Draw inspired by the museum.

River and Rowing Museum - has a big big bug experience which sounds excellent and for older ones learning about weather. Again they have activities for the big draw inspired by the museum.

Science Oxford Live - Now this sounds exciting "The Halloween Show" for kids 6+ on the 31 October.

Cotswold Wildlife Park - has lots of pumpkin people and a pumpkin trail along with interesting facts about bats, owls and wolves.

Cornerstone Didcot - has so many workshops going on paper penguins (which will go into their Christmas exhibition), sound effects for film, clay sculpture, mash-up choir and youth dance.

Oxford University Museum of Natural History - Winnie's Dinosaur Day, how fun does that sound for young ones. Witch and Dinosaur activities and Korky Paul visiting.

50 Things - Or if the weather is good why not go out and explore and tick off some of the things on the National Trusts 50 Things site. I'll start you off with some ideas of where to visit.

Trunki: Penelope the Princess Carriage

When we brought Charlotte a Trunki (Penelope) for her birthday we were a bit unsure of how much it would get used. She's 4 years old so we were wondering if she was still in the right age group for a Trunki. Would her legs be too long for pulling around? Would we ever use it for sitting on? Would it just be in the back of the cupboard for ever?
Well 9 months later and its been used plenty. We brought it knowing we had some holidays coming up, and its first trip was to Lanzarote. Charlotte loved filling it with her toys and hiding Barbies' shoes in the secret pockets (which I thought would be too small for anything useful but kids find a use), we downloaded the activity packs from the Trunki website and packed that along with lots of colouring pencils.
At the airport she was happily pulling "Penelope" along, oblivious to the people shooting in each direction not wanting their ankles bashed by her mad weaving. As the airport filled up we decided her pulling it was not the best idea so it was on our shoulder the rest of the trip.

On-board the plane and Trunki easily slipped under the seat on board our Thomson flight and was great for toys and snacks to keep her entertained. Our only downside with the really limited space on-board short haul flights you have to be good at opening and closing well without everything tipping out, but the clips for the case could do with being the other way around. You need the teddy bear straps to be on the top but when you go to close it the closing clips trap in the side. Took a bit of mastering that one.

"Penelope" happily sat in our apartment all week being ridden around on and storing our weeks worth of toys and books and colouring bits. We did the trunki diary every day and also learnt a bit of Spanish thanks to the trunki passport downloads, excellent idea that.
On the way home "Penelope" really came into her own, we were the last bus for our fight arriving at the airport and stuck at the back of an hour long queue. But with wand in hand, tiara on head and a princess carriage to sit on the hour long queue went easier than you can imagine, and she didn't have to stand up when the queue shuffled ahead at a snails place. More a princess glide on "Penelope". We even got comments of how well behaved our daughter was!

Since "Penelope's" first outing she's also made it to Disneyland Paris, a few trips to Cornwall and plenty of overnight stays at grandparents. Its big enough to fit clothes in for a 2 nights overnight stay, or enough small toys, books and teddy for a longer trip. Its amazing what we can squeeze in.
Was she a good buy, overall yes. We may not use her for the pulling along but she is great for sitting on in airports, wonderful for kids to get involved in the packing (if it doesn't fit in "Penelope" it doesn't get taken) and the designs are really appealing. I think we will still get a few more years use out of "Penelope" before she wants something a bit more grown up.