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The Penguins of Madagascar at Chessington World of Adventures

We’ve been fans of Chessington World of Adventures for several years now, and were super-excited to have the chance to stay at the hotel and take a look at their new Penguin themed family rooms, and to check out their Year of the Penguins’ spectacular.Penguins of MADAGASCAR kidschaos

With the Penguins of Madagasar movie out 30th March 2015 on DVD and Blu-ray, Chessington has a whole host of penguin fun to celebrate at the theme park as part of their ‘Year of the Penguins’.

penguins-cheezy-dibbles-logoThey even have a ‘Penguins Live’ Show based om DreamWorks Animation’s PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR which is a singing and dancing spectacular indeed!

So Chessington’s Year of the Penguins features:

A new Penguin Bay and the arrival of six new Humboldt Penguins in April for the new Penguin Presentation (too cute!)
NEW Penguins of Madagascar themed hotel rooms at the Safari Hotel
The new Penguins of Madagascar Mission: Treetop Hopper ride experience
A celebration of the partnership with DreamWorks Penguins of Madagascar and the new show: Penguins of Madagascar Live! Operation Cheezy Dibbles!
It is running for the whole year and tickets start at £26pp for the day click here

If you have a chance to visit, or indeed stay at the hotel, your kids won’t be disappointed – the rooms really are rather special and the boys couldn’t wait to get into their bunk beds. On a grown-up note, I have never had such a comfy night’s sleep in a hotel, and to wake up to see wild safari animals roaming around outside our window was really quite special!

Disclosure: We were invited to this event courtesy of Dreamworks and Chessington World of Adventures for the purposes of this review and it was my birthday too. 🙂

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and FunCraftsKids.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR – ON DVD AND BLU-RAY

Penguins of MADAGASCAR DVD kidschaos If you’re a fan of the Madagascar Movies, you’ll be familiar with the penguin characters Skipper andKowalski so in their own fun film, The Penguins of Madagascar.

The film is available on DVD and Blu-ray and opens with a young Skipper, Kowalski and Rico leaving the other penguins to rescue a runaway egg. This egg hatches (hoping this doesn’t spoil the surprise!) into cute little Private, and they set off together on their adventures as one big happy family!

There was much hilarity at the penguins addiction to Cheezy Dibbles – a rather brightly coloured orange cheesey puff snack (the kids couldn’t wait to act out the scenes!).PenguinsofMadagascar_4028x2692_4

And there is also a rather hilarious character Dr Octavius Brine (part man, part evil octopus) and his plans to take his revenge on the world voiced by John Malkovich.

The film is action packed, and as a grown up, you really have to pay attention to keep up, yet the kids LOVED it, and can’t wait to watch it all over again now they have it on DVD.

Penguins of Madagascar is out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD on 30th March from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and FunCraftsKids.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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Every month we run a craft challenge on a theme – February is #Sheep #Crafts.

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Share your Sheep Crafts photos on Instagram, or over on Twitter, using the hashtag #GetYourCraftOn, add your link to the linky below, and we’ll pick the best ones to feature here on the host blog the following month. (and on our Pinterest board too)

The photos you share do not have to be of the finished article – let’s see your work in progress as well as your completed masterpieces! Anything related to the #Sheep crafts or #SeantheSheep (! if you’re Aardman animation fan) topic. Just tag them with #GetYourCraftOn and follow and tag us too so we know you’re taking part) Our team’s four Instagram accounts are: @incredibusy (that’s me!), @redtedart @bluebearwood &@missielizzie.

This month’s Craft Challenge is #Sheep #Crafts. #GetYourCraftOn, and add your link to the linky below and check out our Pinterest board too.

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As MASSIVE Harry Potter fans – the boys were soooo excited to hear that we were going to visit Hogwarts in the Snow Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour for 12yo’s birthday treat…Hogwarts in the snow

Hogwarts in the snow castleThe creative team have gone to town with the most fabulous snowfall covering the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, we were blown away with just how beautiful the Hogwarts castle model is covered in a blanket of snow.

It was our first visit to the studio tours, so we felt really honoured to see the castle’s festive makeover up close as well as the iconic Great Hall decorated for Christmas – the two long dining tables are dressed for this seasonal feast with turkeys, hams, fruit, vegetables (ENORMOUS bowls of peas!) and snow cakes. Harry-Potter-Warner-Studios-6-KidsChaosHogwarts in the snow Christmas DinnerHarry-Potter-Warner-Studios-7-KidsChaos

So be quick, and treat someone special to a gift ticket this Christmas, the perfect present for the ultimate Harry Potter fan! Hogwarts in the Snow runs from Friday 14th November – Sunday 1st February 2015. Book online at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk

Incidentally, the shop is AMAZING – we spent ages in there, and it’s as beautifully merchandised as some of the sets themselves – We loved the vast array of clothing available and we treated 12yo to a really cool Gryffindor™ Hooded Sweatshirt.

And the grown-up bearded one bought a rather stylish Hufflepuff™ V-Neck School Cardigan – suits him!

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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Cookie Cutter crafts – cookie on the side of a mug

We’ve made these before and never photographed them, eaten too quickly!
Super simple with the Holiday Season coming, and the kids (and grown-ups) love them!

Basically use a star shaped cookie cutter, and I used another piece of a letter ‘l’ from a alphabet cookie cutter set to cut the slot that fits over the edge of the mug, but you could use a knife to fashion the same effect…

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Ingredients for the cookies and the royal icing here and if you enjoyed playing with cookie cutters, check out our snowman sandwich after-school snack here!

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Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

Homemade Thursday

Tasty Tuesdays on HonestMum.com

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PC Protection: Keeping Your Kids Safe Online with Free Software

child using laptop

 

More than 20 million homes in Britain have internet access in 2014 – that’s more than 80% of all homes in the UK. Parents who are concerned about online safety should remember to implement safety precautions; available for free through internet service providers.

Safe fun online

The internet is of course an excellent learning resource as well as a great way for kids to amuse themselves and stay in touch with friends. There are however some online areas that aren’t suitable for kids, and unfortunately these websites can be stumbled upon by accident.

If you’re going to compare phone and broadband deals make sure to check that your provider offers good anti-virus software as part of your internet package. You can also talk to your Internet service provider (ISP) about parental control options that can allow you to block specific websites or even put a blanket ban across certain types of content.

The importance of virus protection

Your children probably know more about computers and the internet that you do but protection from online viruses seems to be one thing that doesn’t concern them too much. If the family computer has suddenly become filled with pop-up adverts or you’re being redirected to strange websites it usually means you have some form of PC infection. Viruses are very harmful to your computer and in many cases you won’t actually know that they’ve been downloaded; a virus can be implemented into you PC simply by clicking on a link. Hackers can easily take control of your computer, steal personal and financial details, and can even remotely shut down your computer via a virus.

Ask your PC provider

Make sure to ask your PC salesperson about the types of online protection available. Most computers today should have some form of protection already installed, which will save you money and there are also online companies out there that will provide this antivirus service for free.

Online mobile devices

Remember that children also have access to the internet through their mobile phone, and safety precautions should be be taken across any devices that can be used to get online.

Parental control software is available and this will filter out harmful websites and also allow you to choose which sites to block and allow. Your (ISP) should be able to provide all parental control software and anti-virus protection for free as part of your package.

Having good online protection

Putting protection in place is extremely important and you should consult with either your PC provider or your ISP to ensure you have access to this type of software. There’s no need to pay an arm and a leg for these facilities if you’ve already taken out or are going to take an online package through an ISP.

This is a commissioned post
Sources – pcadvisor.co.uk
Symantec.com
Cnet.com
Young Girl using Laptop” by Picture Youth” licensed under CC BY 2.0

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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Pom Pom garland diy

Using our trusty pom-pom maker again! We selected five wool colours and got creative – and these are so easy to make – and look really effective!  Our pom pom garland diy…pom-pom garland

Once we’d made the pom-poms and trimmed them up nice and neat with shart scissors, we set about creating the pom pom garland diy for the bedroom… And using rough jute string which EVERY household should have, we simply tied each of the pom-poms onto the string, and moved them into position along the length of the string, so that they are equidistant.

pom pom garland on the wall

We’re sure you agree that these look rather stunning!
Check out Red Ted Art for more Pom Pom making ideas, and a link to our wonderful video where I show you how to make this on YouTube!

pom pom garland close up

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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Plan B: How to Reuse Those Old Socks

We’ve all got some extra socks. Whether it’s from a sock lost during a wash, or it’s starting to get holes, there are at least a few stray or unusable socks in your drawers. The thing is, you don’t have to throw these away. In this day and age, almost anything is recyclable, including socks! Now, with the weather turning colder, it’s the perfect time to do some crafts with the kids and turn those old socks into something fun.

Setting the scene

Imagine going on a walk with the kids; it’s nippy outside, and after enjoying the falling leaves you decide to head back home. Instead of each person retreating to their designated spot in the house, how about more quality time together? What better way to finish off the evening than with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, and spending some more time with the kids doing crafts? You can have fun with the old socks and then stock up on some NEW hiking socks!

Sock Puppets!

What you can make

Sock puppets! Who doesn’t love a fun sock puppet?! They offer endless ways to use your imagination, plus they keep your hands warm on a cold night! Just make sure to wash them first!

So, how do I make these sock puppets?

Good job you asked. It’s simple. First, you need to start off with a sock (duh). Hiking socks work best, as they’re the most durable, otherwise any old sock will do. So that’s step one.

Step 2: Have everyone assemble their materials into a large shoe box. This keeps you from wasting time constantly searching for things. At the bare minimum you need your sock, needle and thread (or a trusty glue gun), and scissors, plus any decorating items that you want, like googly eyes, glasses, jewelry, buttons etc.

Step 3: Glue or sew on the eyes wherever you would like. If your child is young, you might have to do this part for them. Experiment with a few placements before you glue them, as they might look good somewhere unexpected. Remember, this is your child’s chance to let their imagination run wild!

Step 4: To make the tongue, you can cut a small V out of felt and place it accordingly. The same goes for the nose, although this should be an oval as opposed to a V.

Step 5: For hair, it’s as simple as taking a pile of string and gluing it on top. If your child wants to get adventurous, they can cut pieces of felt in V shapes for spikes or scales and glue it to the head.

Step 6: Add in the extras! If your child wants whiskers, that’s as simple as cutting a few pieces of string. Or do they want to give the puppet glasses?! It really is up to their imagination.

Making a sock puppet is a great way to spend some quality time with your children, and lets you do something with those old socks. So what are you waiting for? Get crafting!

Image by Jodimichelle, used under Creative Commons license. This is a commissioned post. Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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Ethical grown up Christmas gifts

Always the romantic {for romantic, read ‘procrastinator’}, I do tend to leave my Christmas Shopping to the last minute, so along with sorting my tax returns, I promised myself that I’d get cracking and get both things completed BEFORE the end of October… How about that?!

Tricky thing is, I keep seeing things I’d like for MYSELF – but don’t they say that that’s a sign of a good pressie? My sister’s Christmas gifts from me, are always identical to the ones I’ve treated myself to… funny that!

So lets start with Christmas gifts for myself, I’ve discovered this website in Brooklyn, which has more or less everything in one section with my name on it, click here to have a look – It’s right up mine, and my vegan sister’s, street…  called www.uncommongoods.com, it’s a lovely privately-owned store which features unique designs and hand-crafted gifts created “in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people”.

cookbook iPad holderWell, as one who ALSO allegedly is trying to get more organised with meal-planning, I would treat myself, coughs, I mean my sister, to this rather lovely reclaimed wood cookbook stand here to prop my (her) iPad when browsing for recipes

Next, (another one of those, “oh, I really need those” pressies) – I LOVED the idea of these magnetic bike lights here – having cycled back from a PTA meeting in the dark last night, genuinely, I SO need some bike lights I can pop in my pocket, with no fiddly faffing to attach them to my bicycle!

Magnetic Bike LightIn fact, there were LOADS of fab, not explicitly gender-specific ‘Christmas gifts for women’ here, which really pleased me as someone who gets so annoyed to see the stereotypical girlie gifts – very heartening thank you uncommongoods!

And on that point, fair enough, the Christmas Beard Oil might best sit in this ‘Christmas gifts for men section’ enough said on that…

Having older parents and in-laws, we know too well that (A) we’ve completely run out of ideas for things to get them for Christmas (if they are anything like mine, they are slowly clearing their own houses of clutter and gifting you all sorts of curious pieces of crockery and randomness from their lives). 

My life story journalAnd (B) Their favourite subject for conversation is the good-old-days – Getting this recorded is often tricky, and encouraging them to do so with this wonderful ‘my life story’ journal will hopefully furnish their ancestors with all sorts of amusing stories and revelations! A fab gift for my Father in Law if ever I saw one!
http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/my-life-story-so-far 

Made by hand, as with more than half of the product uncommongoods sell on their website, this is a beautifully handcrafted journal.

So only another two weeks to get that Christmas list sorted, I see a large parcel winging its way to us soon!

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

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FREE printable Witches hat patternwitch's hat template
witches hat template 1 - 4
1) Cut two ‘doughnut’ shaped rings (we draw around a tea plate) alternatively, you can print this page out twice! this will be your brim. 

2) and 3) Fold the circles in half gently andcut out the centre of the circles (we used a coffee mug as a template)

4) Using a dinner plate as a template,cut out about 3/8ths of the circle to create a ‘curved triangle’ which will be the cone shape of the Witch’s hat) (see page 2 of the attached PDF for template) Cut slits about 1,5cm up into the curved edge of your ‘triangle’

witches hat instructions5) and 6) Pop cone into the 1st doughnut, and turn back the slits and glue to the underside of the brim.

7) Glue the second doughnut shape to the first brim to make it look like a nice tidy witch’s hat!

You can add elastic to the hat to make a little under the chin strap to hold the hat on to your head, or if you are using on the paper pom-pom we’ve made here, push the string through the top of the hat, the cone will have left a small natural hole in the very point of the witches’ hat.

Halloween-witches-hat-template-page-1-and-2-Kids-Chaos-1Click here >> to download your FREE printable Halloween witches hat template page 1 and 2 © KidsChaos.com it’s a fab witches hat pattern! and here for the Witch Pom pom face

If you have a thing for giant paper pompoms, click here to see our crepe paper version, with raindrops!

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!