Create Magic Sweet Selfies with Katjes Magic Candy Factory at Fenwick Newcastle this Easter

*This is a collaborative post & contains affiliate links

I don't know what your kids are like but my three are obsessed with 3D printers. Harry (aged 10) is especially into gadgets and technology and is always telling us about the latest developments he reads in First News. He asked for his very own 3D printer for Christmas but at almost £400 there's no chance of that any time soon. So when Fenwick invited us down to road test Katjes Magic Printer which is the world's first 3D gummy candy printer, I said yes straight away as I knew this would be one experience the kids would not want to miss.

Katjes Magic Candy Factory | Quick Facts

• You'll find Katjes Magic Candy Factory in the entrance of Fenwick Food Hall (near the beauty counters) until 23rd April 2017
• Opening hours are Mon - Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am - 7pm and Sun 10:30am - 5pm. 
• Gummy Selfies cost £10
• The experience lasts around 10-15 minutes and no booking is required
• The magic candy is available in 8 flavours with 3 finishes
• The candy's patented recipe is vegan, all natural, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, halal and kosher friendly

The first thing you notice is the attention to detail. The stand looks beautiful and passers-by can't help but stop and take a peek. There are tasty samples being dished out, friendly and helpful staff on hand to assist and lots of pre-made gummy treats to admire. If you visit, I challenge you to see how many Geordie celebs you can spot.

Heidi was up first and decided to create a gummy version of herself. There is a special selfie chair where a member of staff will help you and take a photo. They've thought of everything and even have a selfie light for the best possible lighting. I had selfie lighting envy (who knew this was a thing) and as soon as I arrived home, ordered my very own selfie light from Amazon. 

Then it's onto the flavours. You can choose from 8 different varieties and I love that kids can use the iPad themselves to pick their flavour. Choices include:

• Tasty Tropical
• Beautiful Blackcurrant
• Elegant Elderberry
• Gorgeous Green Apple
• Sublime Strawberry
• Luscious Lemon
• Marvelous Mango 
• Ripe Raspberry

You can then select one of three toppings:

• Glitter
• Sour
• Fizzy

What I love about this experience is that the candy is suitable for most allergies and lifestyles so the experience is inclusive. You can find out full nutritional information here, but as a quick glance, the candy is:

• Vegan
• All Natural
• Dairy Free
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Halal Friendly
• Kosher Friendly

You then watch the 3D printer create your selfie in candy. It's mesmerising to watch and see your face being brought to life in candy form. It only takes 5 minutes from start to finish which is pretty impressive! There is a small camera which films your creation being made and you are emailed a 15 second time lapse copy of the video at no additional cost too. Although at time of writing, we have not received our videos yet but I'll share them on my YouTube channel when we do.

Finally, Heidi's selfie was sprayed with edible glitter at her request before being packed into a lovely gift box and gift bag. This service is £10 which I think is pretty good value for money as an 'experience'. If the kids get any Easter money, they'll have fun spending it here.

We were impressed with Heidi's selfie and think it has a good likeness to her.

Harry wanted to try something a bit different. There are a few 3D shapes you can choose from ranging from an Octopus to a Dinosaur. Harry opted for a Gecko. The price to create the animals is also £10 and although Harry was super chuffed and loved creating his own Gecko, I think as an 'experience' a selfie provides better value for money.

Then onto Jack.......who also created his own sweet selfie.

Katjes Magic Candy Factory is not just about the end product - it's definitely a full experience. From the lovely staff, to the kids being able to use the iPads to select flavours and the thoughtful packaging. For £10, I think this is pretty good and our three all sang the praises of their sweet selfies and can't wait to tell their friends and teachers all about it at school tomorrow.

I'm pleased to report that the candy tasted good too! The kids took great joy in carefully peeling their body parts off and eating them! They all finished their full face straight away.

Insider tip: We would recommend you wear your hair down and pushed forward to get the more candy for your money. 

I'm not sure I would recommend for younger children, but for those aged 5+, creating your own magic sweet selfie is a unique experience that they'll really enjoy. I think teens will also love it and it's worth remembering that you're never too old for a selfie. I can just imagine a multi-generation set of selfies taking pride of place on a few family fireplaces around the North East this Easter. They are certainly a talking point.

If you'd like to try this service out for yourself, remember to visit Fenwick Food Hall before 23rd April.

A FREE Day Out | Easter Holiday Activities & Bones Exhibition at Hancock Museum, Newcastle

After our trip to Exhibition Park and Sunday lunch at Wylam Brewery last weekend, we decided to pop into the Great North Museum (or the Hancock as us kids of the 80s call it) to check out their Bones exhibition. The Hancock Museum and the exhibition is FREE to visit and continues until 14th May. 

 Easter Holiday Activities at Hancock Museum, Newcastle 

We think a trip to the Great North Museum is perfect for the Easter holidays, especially if you are watching the pennies and looking for a purse friendly afternoon out. There are a few additional activities planned too:

• From 8th April | Hadrian's Cavalry 
• 10th April | Discover Animal Bones
• 11th - 12th April | Babbling Vagabonds
• 13th April | Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
• 18th April | Shadow Puppet Workshop
• 19th April | Animal Handling and Relaxed Early Opening
• 20th April | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• 20th April | Roam Around Hadrian's Wall
• 21st | Meet Dr Tom Hill

Most of these activities are FREE and drop-in but some do have a small charge and need to be booked. Check out the Hancock Museum's website for details. 

We have visited the Hancock Museum on numerous occasions so skipped most of the permanent exhibitions. If this is your first visit/you haven't visited in a while, I'd certainly recommend checking out the rest of the museum. There's a replica of Hadrian's Wall and a section on Roman History, lots of information about local and worldwide wildlife (including some fab models) and even a real mummy! Onto the Bones exhibition though.........

You'll find the Bones Exhibition on Level One and it takes up most of the length of the museum. It's a nice open space with lots of interesting things to see, read and do. The exhibition focuses on skeletons, how they work and a few secrets too. We visited with children aged 6, 8 and 10 and I think this is the perfect age for visiting as they can read all of the information and absorb/understand everything themselves. I would also say that it is fantastic for adults. Sometimes museums can be a little boring but I found the exhibition to be fascinating and would visit again myself without the kids. Finally, Babyfoote visited the exhibition with pre-schoolers recently and also recommends. So basically, all ages will take something from a  visit.

By the exhibit entrance there are a couple of activity sheets (pack a pencil) and I would recommend having a wander around the exhibition first (there is so much to see) and then coming back and working through the sheet which helps you discover facts you may have missed.

Heidi was obviously straight over to the dressing up station and spent a lot of the time walking around the exhibit incognito.

There is lots of simple, hands-on fun for older children and little activities dotted about for them to get involved in learning. Harry is using a flip chart to learn how an animal's spine might move in water and Heidi is using the prompt above this mirror to watch the way her own spine moves as she wiggles about.

We also discovered how the kids size up against various animal bones. Harry is just a little taller than an Ostrich leg.

The best part of the exhibition for me was being able to see the actual real life bones and skeletons from various animals up close. At one point three animal skulls are lined up together and it was super interesting to see just how similar they were. Check out this Hippo (or Rhino??) skull below. I wouldn't want to get too close!

I loved the wall of antlers too and there is a spot on the floor where you can stand and get the perfect selfie. Obviously I need no excuse to take a selfie!

Being able to see the detail in various skeletons is just incredible. I honestly don't know if I was more blown away by the huge whale bones or the tiny skeleton of a bat more?

There are lots of prompts for discussion and questions to be answered around the exhibition for curious minds. You'll learn why birds can fly and how a snake can move when it doesn't have any feet.

If you're looking for a free day out this Easter, I recommend catching the Bones exhibition at the Hancock Museum while you can. It continues until 14th May 2017.

Are you looking for other FREE days out in the North East? Check out these ideas:

• 20 FREE Family Days Out in Northumberland
• 10 FREE Days Out in NewcastleGateshead
• A FREE Art Trail at Plessey Woods
• A walk around Ladyburn Lake
• FREE activities and days out in the North East for April by My Boys Club

I'm linking this post up to Pigeon Pair and Me #CulturedKids 

Exhibition Park, Newcastle | Miniature Railway, Wylam Brewery, Urban Green Cafe and Play Park

Exhibition Park is a park and green space managed by the charity Urban Green Newcastle . It is FREE to visit and in the heart of Newcastle City Centre. It is super easy to get to by both car and public transport. 

Expect lots of flowers and green space, a brand new cafe (opening 25 May), a brewery, playgrounds, sports courts, lake, skate park and more...... It really is a lush spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. 

How to access free tennis sessions for kids across the North East this summer

*This is a collaborative post

I look back at myself as a child and although I would never describe myself as athletic (I was one of those kids who would do anything to get out of cross country), I did really enjoy team sports and until I was around aged 12 I played netball and hockey for our school team. We didn't have a home computer or even a TV in our own bedroom to distract us back then and I'd spend every weekend playing out with my friends. I have fond memories of spending hours at our local tennis courts in the summer and I used to love wearing my Adidas tennis skirt (wish I had a photo) and thinking I was going to make it as a pro tennis star. I even used to keep my spare tennis balls in my skirt waistband just like the players on TV.

20 ish years later and times have changed so much. I try and fill Heidi's life with positive female role models and want her to look up to women in sport and encourage her to be strong, happy and healthy but with so many outside influences, it's not always easy.

If you watch my Instagram stories, you'll know that Heidi's pretty active. As soon as she gets home from school she'll pop her roller boots on and spend her evenings skating up and down our street and she's the first to volunteer herself to climb up a tree if a ball gets stuck up there. Heidi is turning 8 this month and I am really keen to encourage this sporty attitude as much as I can (and while I still can) which is why I am very interested in the Lawn Tennis Association's #TennisForKids sessions.

Tennis is a fun activity and something the whole family can enjoy. We loved playing together as a family last summer and as Steve and I are out of practice, we were pretty much at the same level as the kids. We're definitely planning on enjoying a few games together this summer too.

Why you should book FREE tennis sessions for kids

We're trying to save as much cash as we can this year and clubs for the kids have been one of the things we've cut back on. At an average cost of £5 per child, sporting activities can easily set us back £15 per week which works out at £64.50 per month or £774 per year. Yikes! Anything that is free really catches my eye and is something I'm keen to get on board with.

Book your FREE tennis for kids session here

The Lawn Tennis Association are providing 20,000 FREE tennis sessions across the UK this summer. Places include a FREE tennis racket and no experience/extra equipment is necessary. Places should be pre-booked and are available on a first come, first served basis. If you're interested, make sure you sign up sooner rather than later.

How to sign up to FREE tennis sessions for kids

• 20,000 places are available for children aged 5-8 years old
• You can reserve your FREE space by visiting the ClubSpark website here
• The sessions last for 6 weeks and are aimed at children who are brand new to tennis. Coaches are passionate and encouraging and all participants will receive a FREE tennis racket
• There are a range of sessions available at times to suit parents including weekends and after school
• There are 93 ClubSpark venues across the North East where you can play tennis and 26 courses to choose from

North East Venues include:

• Gosforth Garden Village
• The Northumberland Club, Jesmond
• Westoe Tennis Club
• Blaydon Tennis Club
• Boldon LTC
• Sunderland Tennis Club
• Durham Moor
• Eldon Grove Tennis Club, Hartlepool
• Tennis World, Middlesbrough
• Yarm Tennis Club
• Stokesley Tennis Club

The #TennisForKids programme has been designed for kids who have never picked up a racket before (or have only played a couple of games like Heidi). There will be lots of games to develop hand-eye co-ordination, softer balls which have been designed for children and games will be played on smaller courts with specially trained coaches. This sounds perfect and I know it is going to be the best way to encourage Heidi into taking up and developing enthusiasm for another sport this summer.

Tennis is such a fun way to build self-esteem, keep fit and have fun and we can't wait to get involved this summer. Let me know if you manage to secure a free place for your kids and I might see you at a tennis court soon.

Book your FREE tennis for kids session here

Disclosure: I’m working in a paid relationship with the Lawn Tennis Association on their #TennisForKids campaign. 

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6 questions your children may ask about UK Easter traditions

*This is a collaborative post

Easter is one of my favourite times of the year. The sun is starting to shine, the birds are tweeting, flowers are blooming and it's an excuse to eat chocolate. What's not to love! From a personal point of view, I just love taking part in the Easter traditions that I grew up with and passing these onto my children. I love the nostalgia of decorating hard boiled eggs and it really transports me back to my own childhood. Today I am sharing my 6 favourite UK Easter traditions and answers some of the questions you will no doubt get asked by your children over the next few weeks:

Why do we eat hot cross buns at Easter? 

Hot cross buns mark the end of the lent and the cross symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus with the spices representing the spices that were used to embalm him at his burial. Who knew? These days there are so many different varieties available to try and we always eat hot cross buns on Easter Sunday. I highly recommend the chocolate orange flavoured buns from M&S - delicious!

Spring Table Linen and Easter Bunny Tray available from a selection at TK Maxx

Why do we eat chocolate eggs at Easter? 

I had no idea why we indulged in chocolate eggs at Easter time until I read up about it. Apparently, the tradition started with eggs not being able to be eaten in church during Holy week (the week leading up to Easter). So eggs that were laid that week would be saved up and decorated before being given to children as a gift. Over the years, these eggs have evolved into chocolate eggs.

It's a little tradition in our house to create an egg hunt around our home and garden on Easter Sunday morning. The kids love it! This year, we are using a box of chocolate eggs and an egg hunting stickers from TK Maxx. These stickers were only £1.49. What a bargain!

Chocolate Eggs and Egg Hunt Stickers | TK Maxx

Where can I take part in egg rolling this Easter? 

Egg rolling is a game traditionally played on Easter Sunday and involves rolling decorated, hard-boiled eggs down a hill. If you're looking for a local competition, check out Gibside who are holding daily egg rolling competitions from 12 noon between 14 - 17 April. See here for details.

Why do we eat fish & chips on Good Friday?

Traditionally, Christians abstain from eating meat on Good Friday in order to mark the bittersweet significance of Jesus' death and that's why fish is eaten on this day instead. Fish and chips on Good Friday is one of my favourite traditions. I recommend booking a table at your favourite fish and chip restaurant if you'd like to avoid the queues. We visited the Black Horse Beamish for fish and chips last year and would definitely recommend. There's a play park in their beer garden too.

Check out our recommended places to buy fish & chips in the North East here

Where does the Easter Bunny originate? 

The Easter Bunny has roots in German folk law and dates back to 1682. The Easter Hare would judge children and evaluate whether children had been good or bad at the start of Easter. He would then deliver decorated eggs, candy and presents to the homes of children, much like Santa Claus.

These days, we think the Easter bunny is super cute and I find it hard to resist anything with the Easter Bunny's face on it at this time of year. My latest find is this adorable cup and saucer from TK Maxx, perfect for a cup of tea on Easter Sunday I think and I can't wait to pop this Easter bunny bunting up over Easter weekend. 

Easter bunny tea cup and saucer | TK Maxx

Easter Bunny Bunting | TK Maxx £2.99 and Chocolate Bunnies | Aldi 79p

How can I decorate an egg this Easter? 

First of all, check out these tips from Recipetips.com which detail exactly how to prepare an egg for decorating. If you are stuck for ideas, my friends are a creative bunch and I've put together a little egg inspiration from you. There's everything from Wrestlemania to a JLS concert, the Olympics and Finding Nemo.

Thanks to Marie, Kelly, Karen and Emma for the inspiration. 

Let me know if you'll be joining in with any Easter traditions this year. 

This post is a collaboration with TK Maxx who have a lovely selection of Easter homeware, gifts and treats available to buy in store now. 

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