Things We Did This Summer Holidays – 2019

*Please note while this feature is not an AD, and written to simply to share some of my happy memories of the summer. Some of the trips we went on were part of paid collaborations*

I don’t know about you, but the summer holidays feel like quite a long time away now. But, they were awesome and always are one of my favourite times of the year. Each year, I like to write a mini diary of the things that we got up to. To remember all of our little adventures. I am completely late with this this year, but I still want to do it. My husband being away, the family getting colds and moving host providers last week has affected my productivity a little bit. But here are some of my fab memories from the summer.

A Trip to Paradise Wildlife Park

We were lucky to be invited along to Paradise Wildlife Park as part of an Instagram campaign they were doing in the summer. We invited the children’s cousins along too. It was a really wet day, but we still had lots of fun. We saw a talk about wolves, a bird display, tiger feeding and saw some super cool dinosaurs. (I love this pic!)

Going to The Lexicon to meet their T-Rex

More dinosaurs! At the beginning of the summer we were invited by The Lexicon, to come and spend a day there and see their super cool visitor for the summer holidays – an animatronic T-Rex. We did a dinosaur trail, had lunch out, had faces painted and lots of fun.

Camping out in the Garden with Daddy

I’m not a camping fan, I honestly do not see the appeal of camping, where there is bound to be a jolly good hotel around the corner. But my children wanted to go, so Daddy came to rescue with a tent and a night camping in the garden. I don’t think they got much sleep, but that’s what the summer’s about, isn’t it?

Aria got her Ears Pierced

This one had been in debate for a while. Aria asked to get her ears pierced earlier in the year and after chatting about the fact it would hurt, they would need to be looked after etc. I told her to think about it and if at the beginning of the holidays she still wanted them done, she could have them done. In the end she had a medical appointment that meant she may have needed an MRI so we had to hold off until she was given the all clear. It was completely her choice, even when we walked into the shop I gave her the option to change her mind, but she was determined and delighted.

Going to the Bracknell Fun Days

Every year we go to the free Bracknell Fun Days. They are brilliant given that there is at least one a week and so many free and fun things for the children to do there. From bouncy castles, laser quest, circus skills, holding owls, football and gymnastics and this year they even had talent shows, which the children loved (Logan and his friend even decided to enter). It’s also a great place for them to meet up with friends and run free.

The pictures here are from a really fun dressing up and activities stand, where they could dress up and make things from all sorts of bits and pieces which really sparked their imagination.

A Trip to see Great Grandma

Every holidays I try to always take my children to see my Grandma, their Great Grandma who is 93. They always love going to see her and usually they meet with their cousins while they are there too. The photos I take when we’re there are really special I think. My Grandma always has such amazing stories to tell of the days that have past and takes such pleasure in seeing the children. We even wheeled her around to the local park so she could watch the children play.

Horse Riding Lessons

We worked with Great British Racing through the summer and as part of this collaboration, the children got to have their first ever riding lesson. Aria in particularly really took to the lessons and grinned all the way around, and found the trotting which made her bounce all over the place, as she’s so little, hysterical.

A Day at Windsor Races

Again, as part of the above collaboration we were invited to enjoy a family day at the races in Windsor. The races is something my husband and I have never been to before, but it was a fun experience, and there was so much there for the children to do too. Plus, the most amazing food.

Holiday to Wales

I’ve written a whole separate post with our holiday highlights. But it seemed wrong to write a post with the highlights of the summer without mentioning what a wonderful family holiday we had away in Oxwich Bay, Wales.

What Else Did We Get Up To?

The summer was jam packed, where I can I try to do as much low cost options as I can, because the summer can become an expensive business. I feel so grateful to have had the time with the children and the fun things we did.

Other things we got up to were: completed the summer reading challenge, Aria completed a fast track swimming course and got her 15m badge. We played in the paddling pool and the garden. Logan had some extra guitar tutoring to push on with some more classical skills and liked it so much he is now continuing bi-weekly. The children’s school run a forest school which we love and they did two days at forest school and came home suitably mucky and full of smiles. Bodhi had his last baby sensory class and his big brother and little sister came along too. We had play dates with friends, trips to the park, ice cream from an ice cream van (an essential part of summer) – which Aria was super excited to discover they now stock vegan ice cream.

So How did we do with our Summer Bucket List?

At the beginning of the summer, the children and I wrote a summer bucket list. So did we manage to achieve everything? Not quite… but not too bad either I don’t think?

• Aria – have her nails painted and make her make her own jewellery kit she got for her birthday – (she had her nails painted but we didn’t manage the jewellery kit)
• Aria – have her ears pierced ✔
• Go to Wales on holiday (all booked) ✔
• Do a Lego set with Daddy ✔
• Take part in the library’s summer reading challenge ✔
• Go to Legoland ✗ (but we did go the weekend after the summer holidays)
• Have an ice cream ✔
• Meet up with cousins ✔
• Go to the park ✔
• Aria – learn how to ride her bike without stabilisers ✗ (work in progress!)
• Have a playdate with NCT friends ✔
• Logan – have a nerf war with his cousin ✗ (we saw them several times though)
• Have a chill out day ✔
• Go to California country park ✗
• Go for an explore and play in the woods ✗
• Make sail boats ✗
• Visit the children’s Great Grandma ✔
• Go to the zoo ✔
• Make cookies or cakes ✗
• Have a picnic ✔
• Play with bubbles in the garden ✔
• Build a sandcastle ✔
• Paddle in the sea ✔

Thanks for a great time summer. I have to admit I was really sad when you came to an end and was in a bit of a funk after back to school for days. Although the children seem to have settled back into their back to school regime well. Thanks for the great memories and now it’s time to think about Logan’s birthday, halloween and half term.