Capable Child

Gimme 5 Family Friendly Activities!  Some are free and others are reasonably priced. All are designed for families The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is open again. It sits on the University of Birmingham Campus and this summer has a week of family activities. Many of the activities are free or low cost. Some are drop in and others must be booked. Take a look at their website for more details.  https://barber.org.uk/learning/for-families/ The Big Wild Pyjama Party is back at Sandwell Valley's RSPB reserve. This is a very popular event so book soon for the evening of 3rd August. Various prices dependent on whether you are a member. https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/72695 Have a go leather craft activities are available for just 1.50 per child throughout the summer at Walsall Leather Museum. Sessions are drop in. Details here  https://go.walsall.gov.uk/events?category=All&venue=221&search_param=&field_event_dates_value_1=All&page=2  Wildside Activity Centre in Wolverha

Liverpool is the UK city with most museums and art galleries outside London and 12 of them are absolutely free to visit. This was one of my top reasons for picking Liverpool for a budget family friendly adventure. We drove up from the Midlands in under two hours and parked up in our pre booked slot from Just Park. Parking in the city centre can be pricey but this was a great way to choose a reasonable option. It's also an easy train journey with trains from Birmingham or Wolverhampton. When we arrived, we were ready to stretch our legs and started exploring. We found Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral which is a modern building. We received a really warm welcome and found out that families could explore the building by scanning a QR code and following a trail round. This was perfect for my 4 year old who was spotting colours and objects and leading us round. Bonus for families that the toilets are clean and free to use. The area around the cathedral was full of students and we discov

The author Michael Morpurgo is a brilliant story teller and his Farm Boy story is no exception. This production has at its core a story that hooks you in and keeps you captivated. A grandfather and his grandson talk you through stories from their family that intertwine with the history of World War One and life on a farm. This play had parts that made me smile and chuckle but more parts that gave me goosebumps and a ripple of emotion. When grandfather made a confession and called on his grandson to help him, I was hooked waiting to hear the burden that he had born for his entire life. No spoilers though, come and see the play for yourself. The music in Farm Boy is an original score written by Matt Marks. It enhanced the story telling evoking memories and pictures in my mind. This combined with the strength of the story is clearly the reason the show has been at the Edinburgh Fringe and 'off Broadway' in New York. Throughout the show, there are just two actors on the stage: Gran

My youngest daughter is not deterred by rain, wind or cold. She is happy out side in all weathers and I just have to wrap her and myself up warm. Even then, she often tries to discard gloves, hats and scarves.  If you have a free range child who loves being outdoors, here are my Top 5 suggestions for outdoor family activities this February half term. 1. Wild Families Nature Wonder Hunt and Crafts at The Wolsley Centre on 13th February between 10am and 12 noon. £7.50 for the first child, then others are £4.50. https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/events/2024-02-13-wildfamilies-survival-skills-wolseley-centre 2. Crafts, story telling and Stick Man screenings are on from 12th to 16th February to complement their excellent Stick Man trail at The National Memorial Arboretum. This means that you can warm up before heading outside again. All activities are free. https://www.thenma.org.uk/what's-on/events/february-half-term 3. Campfire fun and Hot Chocolate at The Parkridge WWT centre in Sol

If you love a special offer, here are the best family deals available to book now. All the offers come with their own terms and conditions so please have a good read before you book anything. Please do let me know if you take advantage of any offers. I love hearing what you get up to.  Hoo Zoo in Telford For animal and dinosaur loving kids Hoo Zoo is a great combination. There are currently discounts available on Wowcher and Groupon starting at £42 for 2. https://www.hoo-zoo.com https://www.wowcher.co.uk/deal/birmingham/activity/animals/e/hoo-zoo-animal-experiences https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/wills-wild-animal-encounters-23 Twycross Zoo There is an amazing offer currently available direct through the Twycross Zoo website- pay for a day and visit free for 12 months. To take advantage of the offer, you must purchase your ticket in advance online. Twycross zoo has some big animals such as giraffes, orangoutangs and a snow leopard. There are also a number of outdoor play areas and the

                                                           An introduction to family theatre at its best!  As we came out my 11 year old declared, "I really, really enjoyed that!" So too had my 4 year old who was full of excitement and talking about her favourite character. Two happy, satisfied children counts as a huge win for me. I believe the Little Red Riding Hood show was an all round hit because it highly engaging. The actors were out and about before the show, putting the children at ease and helping them to know what to expect. The show was a mix of speaking, singing, music and sign language. The whole audience was encouraged to join in, shout up, sing out and join in the Makaton signing. This was just what an auditorium of excited children need to keep them thoroughly engaged for the whole show which lasted just over 50 minutes. Makaton signing was integrated within the show. Whilst the whole show wasn't signed lots of it was and we all learned the sign for the b