Paint your own...

Our invite to Paint it Yourself Pottery's 15th Birthday celebrations couldn't have come at a better time. Located on Winchcombe Street, we often pass it on our walks to and from town and recently, Honey has been taking an interest in the brightly coloured sign and inviting interior and had told me that she would like to make some Christmas decorations there soon (always planning ahead that girl).

 

We didn't make any festive decorations on Saturday, but from the moment Honey took her coat off, to the moment we left, she was busy creating her very own masterpiece! On arrival, I took in the space with multiple tables set up, each containing everything one needs to create a piece of pottery perfection and with plenty of high chairs and a Bumbo readily available if required.

The staff are really friendly and approachable and explained the process to both Honey and I (Ace had already set to work making sure all the resources ended up on the floor) then left us to get on but remained visible so we could call upon their expertise at any time (and we did - lots)!

Honey chose plates for herself and Ace then got on with her paper plan. There were flowers, spots and even a T-Rex thrown in for good measure! She then transferred it onto a plate using felt tipped pens and finally painted over the pen to complete her design.

 

A mere 4 days later, we were invited to collect our plates and they look great! The colours have really popped and the sheen brings out every detail.

I would absolutely recommend Paint it Yourself Pottery to anyone with children who enjoy craft and painting. If you have a baby, I would suggest leaving the buggy at home if at all possible as we kept having to squeeze past them or move them out of the way but, as previously mentioned, there are plenty of high chairs so you will have somewhere to pop baby while you sort yourself out or paint your own piece.

 

It terms of time, I thought that the hour and a half set aside for our session sounded like a long time but the time flew by and I ended up having to help Honey finish off her painting as she'd spent so long engrossed in the design phase! Drinks and snacks are also available to purchase, so allow extra time if you plan on taking advantage of this. There are also books and toys to keep little ones entertained while you eat, drink or paint.

 

Thank you so much for inviting us to join you for your birthday celebrations, we will definitely be back! If you'd like to Paint Your Own Pottery, click the links to find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Honey wears... Denim dress by Zara

Ace wears... T-Shirt by The Royal Shakespeare Company

 

 

Towering above...

Having grown up in The Cotswolds, I've been to Broadway Tower a time or two but never as an adult and never in charge of children! It wasn't busy when we arrived so we parked up on the side of the road, but there's a large Pay and Display car park on site and fees are refundable when you spend £5 in the cafe or shop. 

We took a leisurely stroll up to the tower, taking in the amazing views and waving to Honey's friend (who totally couldn't see us but who lives nearby so...) This time, we didn't go inside as Honey was feeling tired and therefore wasn't in the best mood, so we wanted to make the most of being outdoors. You can buy tickets to go inside and children under 6 are free. We wandered a very short way along The Cotswold Way and did some wildlife spotting, Honey had an I-Spy book to fill in and Ace just chased a load of sheep!

The terrain was gentle enough for Ace to come out of the sling and have a good run around, followed by a short, downhill hike, although I've no idea how he resisted picking up all the sheep poo! 

When we'd had enough wandering, we headed to the cafe and indulged in (very reasonably priced) cakes and gingerbread men. There are tables inside and outside, I only spotted one high chair but there may have been more hidden away. Other attractions included a Pooch Playground for those of you with canine friends and a nuclear bunker dating back to the Cold War, so I'd say there's definitely enough to keep everyone occupied for a couple of hours or more if you take a longer walk down The Cotswold Way!

Honey wears... Flamingo t-shirt by JoJo Mamas Bebe
Ace wears... Red shorts by Frugi

Thanks a bundle...

Just a quick post to let you know that we have been chosen as Bundle Bean Brand Ambassadors! We can't wait to receive our parcel and get started and we will also have a discount code to share with you very soon! 

Just to appdate you...

Honey is still at the age where a turn on Mummy's iPad is a real treat. She absolutely loves iPlayer Kids and is a pro at exploring CBeebies Playtime Island, so when KidoLand got in touch to offer her a 6 month subscription, her answer was a resounding (and very polite) WOW, YES PLEASE! 

I downloaded the app and sorted out the settings (3-4 age group selected,repetitive background music = OFF) then handed the iPad to Honey. She immediately started to navigate her way around the user friendly interface, exploring different sections and excitedly showing us what she had found. There are countless nursery rhymes and educational songs, games to help little ones practise their colours, shapes, letter formation and more, as well as stories which the children can either read to themselves or hear read aloud by a narrator.

Mummy likes...

• Age appropriate content for 1-5 years. Content can be narrowed down for younger children.
• Well organised content, making it easy for children to navigate between games, stories and songs independently. 
• No ads so I don't hear "please get this off Mummy" every 5 minutes. 
• Playlist creator to keep all Honey's favourites together.
• Downloadable content for car journeys, camping trips or other non wifi situations (no wifi, whoooo?) 

Mummy says...

• The music over the top off the 'read to me' stories is a bit loud. Having said that, this didn't bother Honey.
• This is an American app so some of the vocabulary and the accent used reflects this.

The app itself is free, but you can choose from a menu of subscriptions which gives you access to the full content. Download the app from the Apple, Google or Amazon app stores and get in touch if you'd like Honey to give you a tutorial!

* Although we were kindly gifted a 6 month KidoLand subscription for the purposes of this review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Honey wears... Flamingo jumpsuit by Next