Top Christmas Toys: Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit

About this time every year parents start trying to second guess what their kids will ask for this Christmas. There are usually a handful of must have toys and parents end up queuing for hours to get what their children really, really want for Christmas. Well, I can save you the bother, because if you’re 8+ and you like cars, then you’ll be wanting an Anki OVERDRIVE for Christmas. Order now to avoid disappointment etc.

Top Christmas Toys - Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit

I first saw and played with an Anki OVERDRIVE last year and I’ve been waiting for my little ray of sunshine to be old enough for us to get one ever since. I knew that he would love it and more importantly, I knew both his Dad and I would too. This half term we’ve been putting the Anki OVERDRIVE starter kit (£149.99 on Amazon) through its paces to see if it is the ultimate gift this Christmas (spoiler alert – it is!).

The Anki OVERDRIVE starter kit contains 2 Robotic Supercars; 6 curved track pieces; 4 straight track pieces; 2 riser pieces; 1 four-car charging system and 1 tire cleaner pack. The starter kit is suitable for ages 8+ but under supervision, our nearly 7 year old mastered it in minutes.

Top Christmas Toys - Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit

Before you start it’s best to download the free Anki OVERDRIVE app onto a Kindle, Apple or Android device and plug your cars in to charge up. The cars take about 8 minutes to fully charge up, which then gives you around 20 minutes of racing action.

The track is really simple to set up and change about when you want to change your track format. The pieces of track are called ‘FlexTracks’. They are bendy, flexible track pieces which can go over bumps (like where your carpet meets a rug) without having to build up the level underneath. They click together really easily and have magnetic connectors which keep them in place. The magnetic connectors mean they can be easily pulled apart and reconfigured if you want to re-lay your track.

The cars are have artificial intelligence and are essentially self-aware robots. You set up your track and they drive slowly around it, memorising every twist, turn and bump; ensuring that when they race they can do it almost faultlessly. There are two supercars in the starter pack, but you can buy more separately if you want to.

Top Christmas Toys - Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit

To race the cars you need to use your smartphone or tablet. The cars are easily controlled using the app. The more races you win and the better driver you are, the more features the app unlocks.

The Anki OVERDRIVE is a fantastic bit of kit. The starter kit contains everything you need to start racing and you can always add more track and cars if you want to extend the fun. It’s not cheap, but we’ve played with it fairly robustly (the dog spent some time jumping on the tracks chasing the cars around). I’m hopeful it’ll survive the rigours of family life in our house.

As far as I can tell there are no downsides to the Anki OVERDRIVE, apart from racing obsession. The cars do occasionally skitter off the track, but you just clean the tires and they’re good to go again.

My son loved it, especially building the track and finding different configurations. My husband loved it so much I’ve found him playing with it in the middle of the night. If you’re looking for some family fun this Christmas, something a bit more dynamic than a board game, then you can’t go far wrong with an Anki OVERDRIVE!

We were sent the Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own. Post contains an affiliate link.

Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

Getting kids to take their vitamins can be a tricky business. We’ve been trying Vital Vits and Smart Focus from Higher Nature – an independently owned business that’s based in the UK. Higher Nature make high quality, ethical and well researched nutritional products for the whole family.

After pushing for tests for a number of years, over the summer my son was finally diagnosed with having an iron deficiency. We were sent away with some dietary advice (which we’d already been following for forever) and told to come back in a couple of months for a re-test. What was clear that however good his diet is, he still needed top ups of iron and other vitamins to keep him healthy.

Giveaway & Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

The worry is that he has inherited a genetic blood disorder – Alpha Thalassemia Trait from my side of the family. There’s not a lot that can be done if he has, he will just need to look after himself, which means taking vitamin supplements and getting lots of sleep, amongst other things.

The problem is supplements are often boring or taste horrible. Kids vitamins and supplements have come a long way in recent years and are easier and more enjoyable to take. We’ve been trying some of the children’s health range from Higher Nature, specifically the Higher Nature Kids Vital Vits and Higher Nature Kids Smart Focus.

Higher Nature Kids Vital Vits

The Higher Nature Vital Vits (£14.99 for 90 tablets) contain 19 of your essential vitamins and minerals (including Iron) and is a good all-rounder. They are suitable for children aged 3+ and you take just one a day. The Vital Vits are designed especially for fussy eaters to support their daily diet.

They come in three delicious fruity flavours with fun-shaped characters – mango robots, lime aliens and raspberry teddies. They are small-ish, chewable tablets and they’re really easy to take. These supplements are gluten, lactose and dairy free and don’t contain any artificial preservatives, colours or flavourings. They are also suitable for vegetarians and vegans and have not been tested on animals.

I’ve tried them and they’re really fruity and not at all chalky. My son really liked them too and would gobble them all up if we let him (which is why we keep them out of reach). These are a real winner for us; knowing he’s getting a daily vitamin boost is a weight off our minds too.

Giveaway & Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

Higher Nature Kids Smart Focus

These Higher Nature Smart Focus Jellies (£9.99 for 27 jellies) contain omega 3 EPA and DHA with omega 6 GLA, all of the essential omegas in one delicious fruity jelly. The jelly is free from added sugars and artificial sweeteners. The jellies have been formulated to help children keep focussed in the classroom.

Getting kids to take fish oil supplements can be tricky. Thankfully my son thinks these jellies are a bit of a treat. They’re intensely fruity flavoured and have no fishy aftertaste which is a bonus. They’re best taken with food, so we usually give my son one with his breakfast.

I think we all need a boost sometimes, especially with the cold and flu season coming up. My son needs an iron boost and taking a multivitamin every day will help him to absorb iron better too. It’s peace of mind for me and the building blocks of good health for him.

For more information about Higher Nature Vitamins and Supplements, visit their website.

We were sent these products for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

Christmas Crafts: Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

Christmas crafts are my favourite kinds of crafts. There’s something really lovely about sitting down with my son and making decorations for the tree, or little gifts for people. I’m always on the look out for new products to craft with and when I saw the Sellotape Glitter Tape I knew straight away they would be perfect to make some Glitter Tape baubles with.

Sellotape are currently celebrating their 80th anniversary and they very kindly sent me some craft goodies to have a little play with. I love this vintage style Limited Edition Sellotape tin too. Perfect for holding some little crafty bits and bobs once I’ve used all the tape!

Sellotape began life in 1937 and has been used in a wide variety of applications since then. It became a regular at the crafting table in the 1970s when it was used fairly extensively on Blue Peter. This iconic sticky tape is a year round essential, not only for wrapping presents, but for all manner of crafting and DIY jobs around the home.

Christmas Crafts: Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

In my hamper of Sellotape goodies was an assorted pack of glitter tape. I really liked the different designs and it seemed a waste of something so glamorous to use the tape for just wrapping presents.

The glitter tape tears really easily, so you don’t need scissors or a dispenser to use it. It was beautiful and shimmery, so I thought I’d see how it worked on a bauble.

The tape sticks really well to the styrofoam ball, but slightly raises at the edges, which creates an effect I actually really quite like. But if the cracked ice on a frozen lake look isn’t your thing, then you could paint it all over with PVA glue to seal it all down.

Christmas Crafts: Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

What I especially liked about this glitter tape was that the glitter stays on the tape. Not a speck of the sparkly stuff came off on my fingers, clothes or ended up shimmering on my face for three days. This sellotape glitter tape is really good stuff!

Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

You will need:
A roll of sparkly glitter tape
One styrofoam ball
Ribbon
Brass paper fastener

How to make your Glitter Tape Baubles
The Sellotape glitter tape is easy to tear by hand. Tear small pieces of tape and stick in random places all over the styrofoam ball. Make sure the ball is completely covered in the tape; cup the ball in your hand and squeeze it to make sure the tape is in place.

Using the brass paper fastener; pierce the ribbon and create a hanging loop with your ribbon and press the fastener into the top of our bauble. Hang on your Christmas tree and enjoy.

Remember the tape does curl a little on the edges, but it doesn’t come off. I’ve had my bauble hung up for a couple of days and it looks the same.

Christmas Crafts: Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

I really like my Glitter Tape Baubles, they’re a bit different and look quite stunning when the light catches them. I enjoyed working with the glitter tape, which does not shed and tears really easily. Watch this space for more Christmas craft ideas!

Christmas Crafts: Make your own Glitter Tape Baubles

We were sent a small hamper from Sellotape in return for this blog post. All images and opinions are our own.

Meal Planning Monday: What’s in my shopping trolley?

I’ve started doing Meal Planning Monday again. Partly because it’s quite interesting for me to look back and see what we’ve eaten. Partly because I’m really busy (and skint) and need to feel a bit organised when it comes to feeding my family. This week I’m also sharing the contents of my shopping trolley and asking for your thoughts.

Although I do like to cook from scratch almost all of the time, I sometimes reach for convenience when I’m in a hurry. This week is half term and I’ve got a million things to do before I even think about cooking dinner, so I’ve reached for a packet of frozen chicken kievs and some breaded plaice. I’ll also be pulling some of the beef stew I batch cooked a few weeks ago out of the freezer. I’m not going to even start beating myself up about it, because life is too short.

Here’s what we’ll be eating this week…

Meal Planning Monday: What's in my shopping trolley?

On Saturday night (because I am such a party animal) I sat and did an online shop from Morrisons. I’m not able to drive and I can’t carry heavy bags home from the shops, so once or twice a month I like to do a big-ish shop and stock up.

I thought you might like to have a look at the shopping I ordered on Saturday night. The grand total of £118.59 not including delivery for my bumper shopping trolley. This is quite a big shop for us, I’ve bought lots of extra snacky things because it’s half term and I have a hungry mouth to feed during the day. I’ve also been running my pantry down a little and it needed topping up.

There’s not a huge amount of meat in my shopping trolley, purely because I went to the butchers on Saturday and bought meat to put in the freezer. I also bought quite a lot of nice looking veg from the grocer and I didn’t need much more than I had.

So that’s it. What do you think of my shopping trolley? I’d really love to know your thoughts.

What’s in my shopping trolley?

Cupboard
1 Morrisons Sliced Fruited Teacakes £0.80
1 New York Bagel Co. Cinnamon & Raisin £1.60
1 Blue Dragon Dark Soy Sauce £1.00
2 Branston Baked Beans (pack of four) £3.30
1 Dr Oetker Vanilla Extract £3.00
1. Green Giant Baby Cobs Sweetcorn (410g) £1.40
1 Hartley’s Lime Jelly £0.55
1. Heinz Squeezy Tomato Ketchup £2.16
1 John West Tuna Chunks in Spring Water (4x160g) £3.50
3 Morrisons Corned Beef £5.76
1 Morrisons Golden Breadcrumbs £0.74
1 Morrisons Green Pesto £1.00
2 Morrisons Macaroni £1.10
1 Morrisons Penne £1.00
2 Morrisons Pineapple Slices In Juice (425g) £1.50
1 Morrisons Prawn Crackers £1.00
1 Morrisons Red Pesto £1.00
4 Morrisons Sardines In Sunflower Oil (120g) £1.80
1 M savers Chocolate Hazelnut Spread £0.80
1 M savers Honey £1.00
2 M savers Mushy Peas £0.50
1 Nestle Carnation Cook With Condensed Milk £1.27
1. Snack a Jacks Caramel Flavour Jumbo Rice Cakes £1.00
1 Cadbury Fairtrade Drinking Chocolate £2.00
8 Diet Coke, Delivered Chilled £10.00
4 M savers No Added Sugar Orange Squash £1.32
1 Dr. Beckmann Glowhite Intensive Whitener Powder £1.47
1 Aquafresh Big Teeth 6+ Years Soft Toothbrush £1.00
2 Colgate Triple Action Toothpaste £2.00
2 Morrisons Cool Mint Mouthwash £1.00
1 Radox Feel Uplifted Shower Gel £1.50
1. Right Guard Xtreme Cool 2 in 1 Shower Gel £0.90
1 White Glo Coffee & Tea Drinkers Formula Toothpaste £3.87
1 Huggies Pure Baby Wipe Single £0.72
2 M savers Fragrance Free Baby Wipes £0.92
1 Morrisons Halloween Balloons £1.00
1 Morrisons Halloween Wicked Wig £5.00
2 Morrisons Dog Loaf Chicken Beef Lamb & Turkey £9.50

Fridge
2 Cheestrings Original £2.00
1 Morrisons Baby Corn £1.00
2 Morrisons Breaded Plaice Fillets £5.00
2 Morrisons British Salted Butter £2.90
1 Morrisons Broccoli £0.43
1. Morrisons Butternut Squash £0.76
1 Morrisons Cheese Singles 20 Slices £1.90
2 Morrisons Lake District Mature Cheddar £8.00
1 Morrisons Low Fat Smooth Strawberry Yogurt £1.00
1 Morrisons Mature Grated Cheddar £3.21
2 Morrisons Pumpkin 16 – 22cm £1.00
2 Morrisons Seedless Red Grapes £3.00
1 Morrisons Selected Pink Lady Apples £1.20
1 Morrisons Shortcrust Pastry Sheet £1.00
2 Morrisons Unsalted British Butter £2.90
1 M savers Low Fat Fruit Yogurt Multipack £0.33

Freezer
1 Morrisons Eat Smart Oven Chips £0.98
1. Morrisons Nacho Cheese Dippers £2.00
1 Quorn Frozen Mince £1.00

Toy Reviews: Hasbro Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys

With the new Marvel film, Thor: Ragnarok being released later this month, we’ve been taking a look at some of the toys and merchandise from the film. Hasbro have recently unveiled their range of toys to coincide with the release; including the Hulk Out Mask, Hulk Smash Fx Fists and Thor Rumble Strike Hammer.

Toy Reviews: Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys from Hasbro

The Thor: Ragnarok Hulk Out Mask (£24.99) is a heavy duty Hulk mask with chin activated eyebrows. The mask has really good adjustable straps and is suitable for children aged 5+. I have quite a small head so it could fit me too. There is padding around the eyes and a chin paddle which you operate by opening your mouth. Pressing the paddle down with your chin opens the mouth and wiggles the eyebrows.

The wiggly eyebrows are what makes this mask for me. When you wiggle them, Hulk looks really angry, which makes me giggle. The mask doesn’t make any noises and doesn’t require batteries, so you do need to make your own Hulk sound effects, which is the best part.

My son (aged 6) loved the look of the mask but wasn’t that keen on wearing it, saying it squashed his nose a bit. I tried it on and it was fine for me and I have a much bigger nose and face than him. I do think it looks cool and would look brilliant if worn as part of a Halloween costume.

Toy Reviews: Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys from Hasbro

The Thor: Ragnarok Hulk Smash FX Fists (£33) set includes 2 fists which are perfect for Hulk smashing. There is one standard fist and one electronic fist which has three ways to smash and activate Hulk sound effects.

You can punch the air to set off the motion-activated whooshing and punching sounds, or punch down on a hard surface to activate the smash sounds and growling. If you continue to punch the surface repeatedly you will make the smash and roar effects noisier and wilder.

The Hulk Smash FX Fists are suitable for ages 5+ and come with demonstration batteries included, so they’re good to go as soon as they’re out of the box (you’ll need 2 AA batteries at some point to replace them though).

There is a warning (which bears repeating), not to punch or swing at people or animals and to use away from breakable objects. Although these are made from robust foam, if swung with enough force they could do a bit of damage. The battery compartment on the electronic fist is disguised as a glove which Hulk wears in the Thor: Ragnarok film

The fists come with an internal strap which you grip. Obviously they’re designed for children, but I had no trouble using them and didn’t find them too small (maybe I just have tiny presidential hands). The Hulk Smash FX Fists were a really big hit and we all really enjoyed playing with them. Out of the three Thor: Ragnarok toys, this was by far our favourite!

Toy Reviews: Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys from Hasbro

Lastly there is the Thor: Ragnarok Thor Rumble Strike Hammer (£19). This hammer is designed to look like the mighty Mjolnir from Thor: Ragnarok. It features spring-activated sound effects, which means there are no batteries required.

The Rumble Strike Hammer looks very similar to Thor’s Hammer but has rubber ends; so in theory it should do no damage if you get bashed with it. However if you get accidentally thwacked with the hard plastic sides of the hammer, it does hurt (speaks from experience).

The hammer is really sturdily made and the crashing sound effect is good, if a little samey. It is great for role playing and my son loved it; I just felt it was a little one dimensional, especially for the price.

Hasbro have some really interesting Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys available. Each of us liked different toys for different reasons. I loved the mask and my son and husband loved the Hulk Smash fists and Thor’s Hammer, so there really is something for everyone. Any one of these would make a great present for a Thor or Hulk fan this Christmas.

If you love Thor, you might also like this – Meet the new Schleich Marvel Thor Figurine.

Disclosure: We received these Hasbro Marvel Thor: Ragnarok Toys for the purposes of writing this review, all opinions and images are our own. Contains Amazon affiliate links.

Review: Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD

When it comes to children’s DVDs, for me compilations are always a winner. There’s a little bit of everything they like and enough variety to keep them interested. My son loves these kind of DVDs too and was super-happy to get his hands on the new Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD.

Giveaway & Review: Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD

The Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD features the biggest and brightest stars in pre-school television from Channel 5’s Milkshake! The Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD guarantees over two hours of fabulous fun, magical mischief and awesome adventure.

This new DVD collection by Abbey Home Media is released on Monday 23^rdOctober. The Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD features some real pre-school heroes, including PAW Patrol, Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, Poppy Cat, Noddy, Toyland Detective and Bob the Builder.

Episodes featured in the new Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD include…

PAW Patrol – In ‘Pups Save the Paw Patroller’, Mayor Humdinger has swiped the PAW Patroller! The pups need to get it back and save that meddling mayor too.

Bob The Builder – In ‘Where’s Pilchard?’, when Muck has to shoo Pilchard out of his way, she suddenly vanishes. Leo and the machines run around trying to find her before Bob realises she’s disappeared.

Peppa Pig – In ‘Playing Pretend’, when Peppa’s bike gets a flat tyre and needs fixing, Peppa and her friends have fun riding their imaginary bikes and jumping in pretend muddy puddles.

Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom – In ‘Lucy’s Elf & Fairy Party’, Lucy celebrates her birthday with an Elf and Fairy party. Lucy’s Dad does a magic show but things get a bit out of hand when Princess Holly and her friends join in…

Fireman Sam – In ‘Best Sleepover Ever’, Norman, Mandy, Sarah and James are having a sleepover at Mandy’s house. Norman is determined that it will be the ‘Best Sleepover Ever’.

Puffin Rock – In ‘Mossy Impossible’, Oona is in danger. She’s tangled up in fishing twine near Seagull Cliff and the seagulls will be back soon! Mossy and Bernie try to free her, but they need help from Mama and Papa Puffin.

Noddy, Toyland Detective – In ‘Broken Crystal Memory Game’, Noddy needs to find out who broke the Crystal Memory Game before the start of the Daredale Challenge Obstacle Race!

Thomas & Friends – In ‘Toby’s New Friend’, Philip spots Toby and assumes that he is a diesel boxcab just like him. Convinced that they will become best friends, Philip rushes up to introduce himself, but Toby finds him rather overwhelming.

With a run time of 133 minutes and with a U Rating, this is a brilliant DVD for Milkshake! fans. You can dip in and out as you wish, or watch it all in one go. There are 14 different shows on the DVD, so there’s plenty to keep young ones occupied and interested, especially as it’s currently available for just £5.99 on Amazon! At that price it’s the kind of DVD that would make a great little gift or stocking filler for a pre-schooler!

Giveaway & Review: Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD

Veeno Manchester Selezione Wine Tasting Experience

We were invited guests of Veeno Manchester and we were not asked to pay for our experience. All images and opinions are our own. Please note that Veeno Manchester is now closed.

Last week I visited Veeno in Manchester with a friend to try their Selezione Wine Tasting Experience. Veeno is an Italian Wine Café which first opened in Manchester in 2013 and now has 15 cafés across the UK. We went along to try one of their wine tasting experiences, but what did we think?

The tasting experience we opted for was their Selezione wine tasting which costs £26.90 per person. This features five wines from their family vineyard in Sicily. Each wine is paired with a range of spuntini appetisers; an array of meats, cheeses and other appetisers imported from strictly selected Italian producers and presented on a sharing platter.

Veeno Manchester Selezione Wine Tasting Experience

We arrived at Veeno Manchester and we were shown to our table by Sam, our wine guide for the afternoon. We were offered a glass of prosecco (£6 each) and we chatted and looked at the list of wines we were going to try during the next two hours. All of the Veeno “family wines” come from Caruso & Minini, the family vineyard in Sicily and the wine list is extensive and well considered.

Sam soon came over with our Italian nibbles. He explained that each element on the platter would be paired with a wine, so we resisted the urge to eat the whole platter in one go. A remarkable show of restraint on our part.

Veeno Manchester Selezione Wine Tasting Experience

We began with a small glass of Grillo, a soft, buttery white wine which paired beautifully with the mozzarella and was dangerously easy to drink. Next up was a glass of Zibibbo, a delightfully and surprisingly floral wine which reminded us both of Turkish delight, which was a good thing. This was one of my most favourite wines from the afternoon. Again this was matched with a cheese, this time a delicately smoked scamorza affumicata.

Moving on to the Syrah Rosato Tasari, I’m not a great fan of rosé. I worry that all rosé is cheap, nasty pink stuff made for people who don’t really like wine. I need to get over that prejudice and this helped. The Syrah Rosato Tasari was matched to the parma ham; which as a veggie I couldn’t eat but made an approximation from the mozzarella and olives.

Veeno Manchester Selezione Wine Tasting Experience

Our next tipple was a glass of Perricone, a hearty but not heavy red with beautiful black cherry flavours. This was matched with some bresola, which again I couldn’t sample but nibbled at the cheese and olives instead.

Last of the wines was the Nero D’avola which I described as “not shy”. This was rich and fruity, almost like Christmas cake fruits. This was paired with Gorgonzola and walnut which was almost a revelatory experience. The Nero D’avola was so intensely flavoured, it felt like it needed to be sipped in front of a roaring fire. What a find!

To finish off our Veeno wine tasting experience we were given a large portion of tiramisu to share and a small glass of Marsala wine each. The tiramisu was a great end to the meal and the Marsala sent us out into the cool autumn chill with a nice warm glow.

Veeno Manchester Selezione Wine Tasting Experience

The experience took around two hours. It was nicely paced without either of us feeling pressured into downing our drinks to move on to the next one. Each glass was a 70ml measure, which was plenty. The experience costs £26.90 per person and we felt it was a fair price; especially given the quality of food, drink and expertise on offer.

Sam was excellent, very helpful and knowledgeable. He took us through each wine; explaining about the grape, how the wine is made, what kind of things we should be getting when we taste the wine and also what foods work well with each wine variety. The experience was excellent and all the better for having Sam talk us though it all.

We had a very pleasant afternoon at Veeno. I tried some excellent wines and ate some lovely food. I learned a few things about wine and wine making and we managed to have a gossip and a catch up whilst watching the world go by. We liked it so much that we’ve booked to go again next month!

For more information about Veeno and their wine tasting experiences, visit their website.

How to organise a successful charity bake sale

Over the weekend I organised and ran a successful charity bake sale. We raised £275 in a little over an hour for a worthy cause. I really had no idea how to go about organising a charity bake sale, but with some help and organisation, what we did was a success.

Here’s my guide to organising a charity bake sale…

Enlist the help of keen bakers who are sympathetic to your cause.

As soon as I realised I had been put in charge of organising the bake sale I contacted a group of my friends and asked them (begged them, I actually begged them) to help. They all very, very kindly offered to bake crumbles, cakes and gingerbread men for the big day. I also asked for someone to help manage the stall during the sale and my kind friend Sarah offered her services.

How to organise a successful charity bake sale

Sell little bit of everything.

If you can, try to have a good variety of cakes, bakes and biscuits on sale. I baked 50 butterfly cakes which I sold for 50p each, a low-cost item will sell well, especially to children who want a little treat. Individual bakes sold well; flapjacks, brownies, buns, cupcakes and gingerbread men all disappeared quite quickly.

Try and have a range of products of different sizes and at various price points which will appeal to different people. Large crumbles and whole cakes sold well, with many people taking them home as a nice family treat. Also, don’t forget to bake some things suitable for vegans and people who are gluten-free or dairy free.

Be organised.

I’ve never done anything like this before so I knew I had to be organised. I made a list of things I’d need. Such as £20 in change as a “float”, aprons and latex gloves, kitchen towel, knives, paper plates, sandwich bags and larger plastic bags, stickers to write prices on and a couple of pens. I also bought a tablecloth, which I forgot on the day. I’m not as organised as I thought!

Ask for extra help.

Although I had my friends baking away for the sale, we asked the rest of the church to help out if they could. Several people brought along excellent cakes, tarts and crumbles. When I laid everything out it seemed like there was far too much and I’d never sell it all. How wrong I was.

How to organise a successful charity bake sale

Advertise your charity bake sale!

Spread the word. People generally love homemade cakes, especially if they’re being sold in aid of a charity or cause they support. In our case the charity bake sale was mentioned in the church newsletter and we spread the word on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Believe!

Reader, we sold the lot! Well almost everything, the very few items that were left I bought and brought home to feed my hungry hoards.

Together we raised £275 in just over an hour of sales after one church service. We had billed it as a one-off harvest festival style bake sale. I think if we ran one on a regular basis it wouldn’t be quite as popular, but we did well. We did really well. Huge thanks to everyone who baked and everyone who bought.

There’s still a long way to go before we hit the £50k target we need to raise before the end of the year, but we did our bit. We baked some cakes, raised some money and spread a bit of cakey joy throughout South Manchester.

How to organise a successful charity bake sale

Days Out: Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall

At the end of August I took the small boy away for five days at Ribby Hall in Lancashire. We had a brilliant little break, but one of the highlights was visiting the small independent zoo which is on the site, Wild Discovery. We’ve been to zoos large and small, but never have we experienced anything like the interactive and hands-on experience we had at Wild Discovery.

Days Out: Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall

From our cottage at Ribby Hall we could see some of the enclosures at Wild Discovery, which is quite special if you’re staying in the village. We set aside an afternoon to spend exploring Wild Discovery. It’s the kind of thing you can whip around in half an hour, or you could easily spend a day exploring and interacting. We went twice during our stay, which tells you how much we enjoyed it.

There are lots of different animals and birds at Wild Discovery; from farmyard animals like rare breed pigs, pretty little calves, a reindeer, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep and even an orphan duck. There’s an exotic house with bats, insects, reptiles and some fish, as well as tortoise, armadillo and lovely little marmoset monkeys.

The favourites with the children were the meerkats, obviously. The family group at Wild Discovery are great fun, especially at feeding time. We were lucky enough to be there a few times when they were being fed. They are such funny, cheeky little creatures.

Days Out: Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall

There is a safari walk which takes you past all the birds, past the Asian small-clawed otters, the capybara, pelicans, alpaca, wallaby’s, rhea and the porcupine (adorably called Pricklelilly).

My son was particularly taken with the Asian small-clawed otters Ollie and Geoff. During a keeper session we helped to put together an enrichment activity for them, putting live mealworms into a ball for the otters to play with and eat. We ended up spending quite a lot of time watching Geoff and Ollie playing in their enclosure and ultimately adopting them both. (We’re planning to visit them again soon).

Days Out: Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall

There are regular sessions throughout the day which you are free to join in with. The sessions are listed on their website, but they currently include; the Farmyard Talk; an Enrichment Activity; Otter Talk and Feed; Pelican Feeding Talk; Meerkat Talk; Farmyard Talk; Armadillo Talk and Meet the Keeper.

These sessions are what made Wild Discovery so special for us both. We really loved that you could spend time with the staff learning about the animals. The keepers would often let you touch the animals or feed them if appropriate. One of our highlights was discovering a freshly laid (unfertilised) rhea egg and getting to touch it while it was still warm.

Days Out: Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall

We learned so much at Wild Discovery, it’s such a friendly place and so hands on. It’s still quite new, I know they have plans to build and extend what they have and add new animals over the next few years or so. It’s such a great place to visit, even if you’re not staying at Ribby Hall.

Wild Discovery will also feature on popular the Cbeebies TV programme “Fern & Rory’s Vet Tales” in 2018. The programme will feature Wild Discovery and showcase several of the animals in the zoo. They will also feature a behind the scenes look into the work of the Exotic Veterinary Team. Worth looking out for!

Tickets to Wild Discovery (with unlimited access for one day) are £7 for adults and £6 for children. Under 3’s go free. For more information about visiting Wild Discovery visit their website.

We paid for our tickets to Wild Discovery. We’ve not been paid to write this post. We are just sharing a lovely experience of a great attraction.

Review: Storytime Magazine for kids

Sometime last year we were given a copy of Storytime Magazine to read with the boy. I was immediately impressed with the beautiful illustrations and the stories which were just the right length for a bedtime story. Each issue was filled with stand alone stories with some related activities. The boy recently picked up a copy and with his new-found confidence with independent reading, read it over and over and over, to the point of near obsession.

At first I wasn’t sure how he would feel about reading a magazine instead of a book (because he can be a bit funny like that sometimes), but he went nuts for it. Every night he would race to bed so we could read several stories together. Each story was the perfect length for a bedtime story and beautifully illustrated. Overnight, Storytime Magazine became a firm favourite with us both.

Giveaway & Review: Storytime Magazine for kids

Storytime Magazine is a kids’ magazine full of great stories. It’s packed with fairy tales, myths, poems, and much more; all of which are beautifully written and illustrated, with puzzles, games and colouring in too. What I really like about it is there are no adverts. I always find adverts quite distracting, so it’s nice not to have to fend off an attack of the I wants when you’re reading together.

I feel like we’ve stuck gold with Storytime Magazine. Every story is interesting, exciting and seems very different to his school books, but at the same time it’s all linked to his curriculum. At this point reading, all reading is great for him and if we can instill a love of reading then it opens up wonderful, fantastical worlds for him to discover.

Giveaway & Review: Storytime Magazine for kids

My son really loves his Storytime Magazine. He likes to flick through and really study the illustrations before picking out a story for us to read. We’ve always enjoyed reading together. These magazines are a bit different and in a world full of school books and reading schemes. Reading these stories together isn’t a chore, or like homework. It just feels like we’re reading for pleasure and that is such a lovely gift to share with your child.

For more information or to subscribe to Storytime Magazine, visit their website.