Sunday, March 27, 2011

New review: Peppa Pig World @ Paultons Park

I happen to have 2 daughters who live and breathe for Peppa Pig, so when the opportunity came earlier this month to be one of the first to have a sneak peak round the worlds first and only Peppa Pig world at Paultons Park (in the New Forest, Hampshire), I have to admit, I am not sure if it was me or Kitty who was more excited!
After numerous days of ' Is it time for Peppa Pig world yet?' (think a 7 month long journey complete with constant 'Are we nearly there yet?'s) countless bribes ('Go to bed/tidy up/behave NOW or there will be no Peppa pig world!') and me having to pack the car twice (sorry Katie, but there was really no need to attempt taking every single Peppa Pig toy that you own!) we were on our way.

Being a typical 6 year old boy, Will prefers pretending to be Ben 10 and spending his days defeating 'baddies' on his Nintendo DS than watching Peppa Pig which according to him is 'For Babies or girls, which means it is just not necessary Mummy' but even this big boy 6 year old could not suppress his excitement as we parked the car and caught our first glimpse of the Windy Castle Ride.
As we entered Peppa Pig World, it was clear that the quality and attention to detail was to be second to none. Without a doubt it is the best Theme Park of this sort I have ever visited in the UK. From the grass roofed buildings to Peppa's house complete with pancakes on the kitchen ceiling, no stone has been left unturned in making sure this is a day out for young fans to remember. All the characters have a place in the park, from George and Grandad Pig down to Suzie, Zoe and Madame Giselle there is something for everyone no matter who your favourite is.

Being a smaller than average 2 year 9 month old and by far and away the biggest Peppa fan in our house, I was slightly concerned that Peppa Pig world would be a let down for Kitty, she is a strong willed child and I really was not looking forward to being the one who would have to explain that she was too small for the rides. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the rides bar one were suitable for children 12 months plus as long as they rode with a responsible adult (I never thought I would be worried about park attendants turning my husband away from a ride!) and we spent a good few hours making our way round the seven rides,and various other attractions all of which are hugely relevant to the show. Our Favourite had to be Grandpa Pig's Boat Trip which was great for all ages!

Lunch just had to be at Daddy pig's Big Tummy Cafe, a name that has made my children laugh out loud as they seem to think it is named after their own Daddy who would like me to point out he has been working very hard to loose his own 'Big Tummy!' The sandwiches and snacks on offer were very tasty but I have to say I thought they were very expensive, especially the children's meal deal which came in at £4.05 for 5 items plus a piece of fruit. Times this by two, three or even (in our case) four and then add on food for adults and it adds a huge cost to the day. It is also worth noting that there was no food available for babies so if you are at that weaning stage it is a good idea to take something with you.

After lunch we headed off to George's spaceship Playzone, a great idea especially when the weather is not so good, I must say, the mere thought of indoor soft play is enough to bring me out in a sweat but it was very clean and the children had great fun although personally, I think it would have been a little too easy for a child to wander off outside if you lost sight of them for more than 10 seconds or so, something that is easily done when you have more than one child at Soft Play.
Outside, Mr Potato's Playground is a bright and fun park that again, the children loved. There were lots of great things to do including a play xylophone that I had to drag the husband away from, a roundabout, swing, tunnels and slides. It was very secure and relaxed and great for younger children too, something that is hard to balance in a park but Peppa Pig World have managed it perfectly.
Muddy Puddles, the outside water splash park ended our day, this too was great fun, though I have to add, I was slightly bemused that whilst in George's Spaceship Playzone I was asked to purchase socks for myself and Kitty so she could continue play (and I could run around after a very active Ollie!) yet outside, it was perfectly acceptable for many children to be stark naked in the splash area. Health and Safety at it's best I think, but never the less, it did not spoil what was an amazing, magical day.

I would strongly recommend looking at Paultons Park for offers if you are thinking of taking a trip here. Paultons Park itself is a great family day out but you could (and we did) easily spend a whole day in Peppa Pig World itself, I believe that there are currently offers on where you can stay at a nearby hotel and return to the park for free the next day so you can have a look at all the other amazing attractions this theme park has, a great idea if you are having to travel far http://www.paultonsbreaks.com/?agent=ppw01.

There really is something for everyone at Peppa Pig World, The look on 4 year old Ellie's face as we arrived and she met her hero's in the 'flesh' will stay with me for a very long time!
 I am already being asked if we can return in the summer and I have to say, I quite fancy it myself!

https://paultonspark.co.uk/

Tickets prices vary, please check the website for latest prices and offers!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

New Review: Jackson Reece Herbal Baby Wipes

What a busy few weeks. Having dealt with birthday parties, sickness bugs, infections, a teething baby and a toddler who has well and truly hit the terrible twos, I have to admit, I am near breaking point! You know things are tough when whilst making the children's dinner, you find yourself sniffing the wine bottle, longing for the moment when all four little darlings are tucked up asleep in bed and you can go back to fooling yourself how easy it is rearing four small children!
I have been slacking recently, having recovered from the sickness but I was less than delighted to discover that the 2 smallest children now had the other end of the bargain. Literally. Rather than 'ruin' my beautiful cloth nappies with the constant stream of poo coming from each child (yes, I am fully aware that they are there to poo in, however, I just couldn't bring myself to see my prettiest, softest nappies abused in such a way, ask any true cloth addict, they will agree!) I opted to use my supply of Bumgenius Flip nappies with their very well designed biodegradable disposable inserts (review to follow!) so to further save my washing pile (and quite possibly my sanity!) I thought now was a good time to review the Jackson Reece Biodegradable Herbal Baby Wipes.

Being honest, I am quite a fan of cloth wipes, it is easy to throw a pile of wipes in with a nappy wash and further saves on precious bin space -why am I the only one in the street who every week, without fail, has overflowing bins??? But another reason I like cloth wipes so much is that I can make them smell just how I like. Being my usual fussy self, I was yet to find a disposable wipe that had a pleasant fragrance and didn't leave a nasty sticky feeling on the skin. Until now.

Jackson Reece Herbal baby wipes are scented with Organic Tea tree oil, Aloe Vera and Lavender Oil giving a fresh and relaxing smell and as they do not contain any of the usual irritants normally found in baby wipes, they are much kinder to baby skin and there was no redness from use after.
It is a welcome change to see a baby wipes manufacturer making such an effort to help the environment. Jackson Reece are the first baby wipe company to use degradable packaging, joined with the bio-degradable, compostable wipes these are a fantastic alternative for those Eco Mummy's who are not fans of the cloth wipe.

I'm delighted to have found these wipes, I had never enjoyed taking cloth wipes out and about but these provide a fantastic all round friendly alternative and they are now a permanent feature under the buggy, with the added advantage that comes with all packet baby wipes, they are a great source of entertainment for an 8 month old baby in a restaurant!!!

retail around £2.25 per 72 pack

http://www.jacksonreece.com/