At chez-Saurus I am always looking for thrifty ways to have fun and keep Kitty and Ozzy occupied and entertained. This week, whilst midway through a huge Spring clean of the house I came across and old pile of nursery rhyme cd’s that haven’t been listened to for donkeys years. Truth be told I suspect that now Kitty has started school, that nursery rhyme cds just aren’t that appealing, especially if the recent mania for Moshi Monsters is anything to go by. But what to do with them? A few ideas sprung to mind; hanging then on string from our apple tree to scare the neighbours cats away from the herb garden, passing them to a local charity or selling them, you can now sell stuff online for free don’t you know? All good options but I decided to kill two birds with one stone and re-cycle the cds and give my children a thrifty activity!

I raided my knitting and sewing drawer for wool and sparkly thread and set to work showing Kitty how to thread a cd. It’s super simple, just keep wrapping the wool through the center hole and around the outside, knotting the ends when the wool runs out. She picked it up very quickly and I was surprised at just how long she sat threading away, singing to herself. Watching her threading I realised just how good the activity is for fine motor skillz and coordination. Before long Ozzy came to join us and had a go too. I don’t think I give him enough credit sometimes, he is actually very coordinated and did a top job – although admittedly he got bored after 5 minutes and wandered back off outside to play!

Forty five minutes later and Kitty had finished her cd threading, now she needs to decide what to do with it. I though it might be nice to hang it by some wool by her bedroom window so that the sun can catch it in the mornings, but my idea was rejected by madame. ‘How about a coffee coaster for mummy?’ I suggested. Still no. Finally she decided – to give it to her teacher. It’s official, my daughter is a teachers pet!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Music Magpie

This week we’ve been getting used to the benefits of life with a microwave combi-oven, mainly being able to bake cakes. It’s tough but we’re soldiering on through it…

Kitty loves school and really loves her teacher. Not a day goes by where she doesn’t ask me to ‘print that out for Mrs B. mummy please!’ whilst pointing to photos of pretty things. Last night it was the photo of pink roses, above. Previously it’s been a home learning project to make an Alpaca box that she gave to her teacher to keep. But it seems that times are a changing and Kitty’s generous spirit is starting to dwindle a little for this morning, whilst handing over the roses print out, which she’d lovingly written ‘all my love, Kitty’ to her teacher she said:

“This is for you because you are my friend. You can keep it forever until Christmas”

It seems that Christmas is now the end of all time…

Do More for Less with the Children this Summer

Going on a big family holiday can be expensive, but there are plenty of alternative options, which can save you money and still ensure an enjoyable time for you and the kids. Look closer to home for fun summer activities, as well as surprisingly cheap getaways, and you’ll discover you can enjoy the summer break as a family without breaking the bank. Read our guide to some of the best and book now!

London for less

Going to the capital may strike you as a pricey option, but there are so many free activities and events happening this summer, that you’re bound to be spoilt for choice. The Horniman museum is a great destination for children and is set amidst landscaped gardens, which can be admired by parents. There are hands on activities, a nature trail, workshops and child-friendly exhibits. Or, in central London, kids will love the interactive features of the Science Museum, which is easily accessible by tube from wherever you are in the city.

The cheapest getaway

If going on holiday means taking your family abroad, there are still ways you can curb the cost. Using a price comparison site should be your first port of call, as many sites will compare the prices of hundreds of tour operators and airlines to find the best deal for you. Find a family holiday with Icelolly, by entering your destination and dates into the site and browse a huge selection of getaway ideas. A three night trip to Tenerife, for example, can be found through the site for just £129 per person!

UK camping

Camping in the UK is a great low-cost holiday option and children will love the freedom of being outdoors. Cornwall has scores of campsites within easy reach of sandy child-friendly beaches, stunning walking routes and quaint seaside towns. If you don’t fancy sleeping in a tent in the dodgy UK weather, why not consider upgrading to a more glam option? East Crinnis Camping and Caravan Park features a yurt which sleeps four and includes a kitchen space with a cosy log burner and outdoor barbecue.

Theme park fun

Going to a theme park for the day and packing tons of activities into a small space of time can be as satisfying for kids as a week away. Little ones will love Peppa Pig World at Paultons, in Romsey. The three acre site has a number of activities and attractions based on the hit TV show including rides and an indoor play area. Older children and teenagers can get their adrenalin pumping at Alton Towers, which has some of the UK’s most terrifying rollercoasters! This would also make a good choice for a hot day, as the site boasts a Water Park, with lazy rivers, water cannons and a Caribbean lagoon where kids can splash around and cool off.

Scamp is growing fast, growing in height and growing in confidence. This afternoon she brought home a certificate from school, accompanied by a beaming face and news that she is the class ‘Star of the Week’ for ‘reading confidently’. We made a huge fuss of her, we are super proud at how she’s come on in leaps and bounds since her grommet operation going from being unable to pronounce certain sounds to reading us a book at bedtime. It’s just amazing the difference that grommets have made.

So this evening as we sat on the sofa, cuddled up with a large plate of marmite on toast she turned to me and said:

“Guess how much I love you?”

‘I don’t know Kitty, how much?’

“I love you twenty past three. Maybe tomorrow I’ll love you twenty past four”

And that is my funee this week!

I love this photo because it’s not staged, I didn’t ask her to pose, I was knelt on the floor unpacking our bag and looked up and she was daydreaming, gazing towards the window and the views of London. So I snapped her and she is just beautiful, even if I do say so myself!

Their little noses pressed to the glass fronted tanks, they gave ooos and ahhhs and squeals of excitement seeing tortoises, tarantulas and bearded dragons. Then on to the fish, and the Wot So Funee moment…

“Look Mummy it’s Finding Emo!’

Having babies and children is an expensive business  and the media loves to report on just how much that costing is from time to time – just to rub it in. At a time where more and more of us are turning to a more frugal way of life and making the most of online money-saving websites you may like to check out Quidco. Quidco is an online cashback and vouchers site where you can earn money by shopping . Simply sign up for free, browse the retailers and offers on the site. You click through from Quidco to the retailer and buy as normal, and then the good bit happens – Quidco get paid a comission from the retailers which gets paid straight into your bank account.

I honestly can’t believe that another half term holiday will be upon us in just four weeks time, this year is flying by so fast and before I know it Ozzy will be starting school in September. This past week has seen the emergence of Spring with bouts of sunshine and dare I say it? Warm weather! I must admit it’s made me really yearn for the Summer months and in particular a holiday… I can still remember the heat of Portugal last year…

We are super-organised this year and have our family holiday planned for August. It’s the first time that we’ve had the constraints of the school holidays to factor in to decision making so it’s been quite a learning curve. But August seems so far away! I long for a break from routine and a little time away.

In an ideal world I’d love a little break in the half term holidays, somewhere in the UK, always staying in a holiday cottage. Having seen so many lovely photo posts on blogs recently it’s given me a real itch to explore more, visit new places, show the children new things and maybe take a few photos myself too. As a child my family always holidayed in the UK, from Wales to Devon to The Lake District to Scotland and I’m aware of what precious memories can be made whilst away from home with ones family.One place to check out holiday and breaks from is Regional-Cottages.co.uk , they have late bargains, special offers and a two person discount as well as holiday ideas for those  who are a bit like me and not sure exactly where to go. Another great benefit is they have pet friendly options too!

Booking a  holiday cottage give you a great ‘base camp’ to explore the area you choose to visit and offers the flexibility and freedom for you to come and go as you please. Fancy eating out? Eat out! Want to save some money on eating out – shop locally and pack your own picnic. In my experience holiday cottages also offer the easiest transition for children being away from home as it’s a home environment… and never underestimate  how handy it is to wash your own clothes!

At the moment you can enter to win £350 to spend on a cottage break with Regional Cottages over on Mumsnet by naming the four places they show you – further information including  terms and conditions are available  on the Mumsnet site.

Special Poppy Cat content has been created for the website with some lovely, bright and engaging downloadable activity sheets for children aged 2-6 years old – perfect for taking on family outings to the woods… we were sent some of the sheets to look at and use and I must say they are a lot of fun – as soon as the weather dries up we’ll be using them!

Talking of woods did you know that VisitWoods.org.uk has information on over 11,000 woods in the UK that are open to the public? You can search by location and custom fields such as ‘toilets on site’, wheelnchair access and ‘Access Guide available’.

Poppy Cat fans can continue the adventure at home as Nick Jnr. are showing  nature themed episodes every day from the 18th April at 7.15pm for two whole weeks. You can also visit nickjnr.co.uk for Poppy cat clips, games and activities!