North East Family Fun

We're off on a multi-generational pirate-themed holiday to Majorca

This weekend we're jetting off to Majorca for the week. Well I say we but I actually only mean half of the family. I'm heading to Santa Ponsa with Heidi and Jack (who are still in Primary School and if you've read my post about my stance on term-time holidays, you'll know I don't mind taking them out of school every couple of years for 5 days when they are little).

Pirates village Santa Ponsa - Credit | Jet2.com holidays

A Guide to Gateshead Sculpture Day - A FREE Family Day Out | 30th September - Saltwell Park

*This is a paid collaboration with Gateshead Alive

If you're looking for something to entertain the whole family this weekend, look no further than Gateshead Sculpture Day. This year marks the event's 33rd anniversary and the theme is 'Around the World in 80 days'. I think the event's tagline says it all - 'Hammers, Wood, Nails....Make Things'.

This guide is written in advance - please remember that changes can be made and to always double-check details before heading out. Some of the events mentioned require pre-booking.

7 Ways to save money at the airport when travelling with kids

We've spent a fair chunk of this summer in airports and next week, Palma will be the 8th airport we've visited this year. I'm always surprised at how much airports vary in both style and facilities, from the grand scales of Schiphol and Charles de Gaulle to the smaller regional airports like Genoa, they're all different in their own way yet have one thing in common - they're all so expensive!

Weekend smoothies your kids will love #EatLikeAPro

*This is a paid collaboration with Beko

We're proud to be working with Beko as part of their #EatLikeAPro campaign this year. Beko has teamed up with nutritionists from FC Barcelona to create healthy recipes for kids and the whole family to enjoy. The aim is to make healthy food fun and get us all eating more fruit and veg. You may remember at the beginning of the summer, we had fun creating these plate faces - this is something we've continued and is now a treat that the kids look forward to. This week though, we've turned our hand to making smoothies with the help of the Beko Vacuum Blender.

Weekend smoothies your kids will love #EatLikeAPro

10 Fang-Tastic Halloween Events in North East England for Older Kids aged 8+

Halloween is fast-approaching and it's a time of year which my children love. Harry, Heidi and Jack are actually gutted that we're not going to be in the North East this year (we're taking a North West road trip during October Half Term) and I know they'd be happy with any of these events. Let me know if you 've booked anything yet.

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland - what to see and do during a half day visit

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland is such a magical place and somewhere I think everybody should make the effort to visit - especially if you are local. Shamefully, our last trip was in 2014 and we were well overdue a visit.

The Pros and Cons of Blogging Full Time

Next month marks my third anniversary of working as a blogger full-time. It just seems like yesterday that I was handing in my notice into the NHS and I can't believe it's been three years. It's been quite a journey but I honestly wouldn't change it for the world.

Scamp Theatre presents Private Peaceful | A Review

*We were provided with press tickets in order to review this show

Steve and I absolutely adore going to the theatre and every time we're lucky enough to catch a show, we always spend the rest of the evening wishing our lives away to a time where babysitters and commitments aren't a problem and we can visit the theatre on a more regular basis.

10 of the best family walks in North East England with a cafe and play park nearby

I love going out for walks with the family. It's always nice to get some fresh air into your lungs, it's good for your health and walking provides the opportunity to chat with each other and re-connect with the great outdoors.

5 Reasons I Love Caravan Holidays

I am pretty sure that we've taken a caravan holiday every year for as long as I can remember. Our first ever holiday with Harry was to Reighton Sands Holiday Park near Scarborough when he was a few months old and it's a tradition that has continued over the years. Caravan holidays with toddlers are very different to caravan holidays with older kids but they're both have their benefits. There is a certain type of snobbery around caravan holidays but I honestly think I'd still enjoy the odd break away in a van if I was a millionaire. I love it.

A family visit to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

Today we have another guest post - this time by Amy Smith featuring the Northumberland seaside town of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. Now can you believe I've yet to visit here? I keep meaning to take the kids but then never seem to get around to it. I'm going to make a real effort to visit before the end of the year as it seems lovely and reasonable too. Plus it's just up the road! Over to Amy....

Why you must visit the Fortune Cookies Chinese Van in Morpeth

Have you heard of the Morpeth Chinese Van? If not, you're missing a treat. It has to be the best place to visit in Northumberland for a cheap yet satisfying lunch. Fortune Cookies has been there for as long as I can remember and we visit a couple of times a year (I'd be there every week if I lived in Morpeth). Everyone you speak to who knows about Morpeth's secret will rave about how good it is.

What to do in the North East with Kids | September 2018

September is a lovely month to get out and about and enjoy a walk with the family. Here are a few of my favourite woodland walks to try with kids:

A Short Stay in Windsor with Kids

This post contains affiliate links (marked with a *)

Windsor is somewhere I have always wanted to visit so when planning a trip to LEGOLAND® this summer, I decided to add an evening in Windsor onto our trip. I would have loved to take a tour inside of Windsor Castle but unfortunately, time wasn't really on our side and it wasn't meant to be this time - perfect excuse for another visit though! Return train travel booked the week before for 5 of us was £270 using our friends and family railcard*. We travelled from Newcastle to Kings Cross then caught the tube to Paddington before catching a 15 minute train to Slough and then a 6 minute train to Windsor. The whole trip took around 4.5 hours from the North East and was pretty straightforward.