Arlo is the type of child who will not sit still and wakes up first thing in the morning asking me where we are going and what he can pack in his lunch bag. As a single working parent I try to make sure we make the most of all the time we have together and we both love to explore the Midlands.
I do drive and so we tend to head out and about in the car most of the time and visit places within about an hours drive of Birmingham. Arlo loves creatures great and small so we have lots of animal attractions in this blog including our top farms in the as well as some wonderful outdoor spaces to explore – some more off the beaten track such as our route around Bittel Reservoir and fresh for summer we have a list some of the midlands most glorious flower fields .
I’m very conscious now more than ever of trying to find budget friendly places to explore and I have a huge list of local parks.
Most of the time we will pack a rucksack with our snacks, a bottle of water and a change of clothes – (or at least a spare pair of socks) as we love to splash in puddles or streams no matter the weather. This makes for a free day out and most of the time you can catch us with a ball or a scooter – no matter the weather.
I’m a huge learning through play advocate so in the bag we also include things like magnifying glasses to hunt for bugs, and story books for some immersive gruffalo hunting and a little sack for nature treasures which we then use to continue our adventures at home with craft activities.
I’m quite conscious now of making sure we get value for money and last year managed to compile a great list of summer holiday days out for under a tenner which we be updating with new offers this year. Another great way to save money is to look for discounts – from 241 tickets and newspaperor supermarket vouchers or taking advantage of annual pass offers. I put together a list here .
We hope you find some new places to explore – if you have any questions please get in touch or if you want to see what we’ve been up to most recently then check out the instagram grid.
As and when we revisit places I do update the blogs but before you visit anywhere please double check with the venues for ticket pricing and opening items because these things can change at the drop of a hat!
Have an amazing adventure!
Roxy Ball Room will open next to Victoria Square whilst their Digbeth site will re-brand and become a Roxy Lanes Roxy Leisure have announced plans to open their second site in Birmingham in February 2023 whilst their Digbeth site will be re-branded and become a Roxy Lanes, to mark the shift in focus from ball games … Read more
Quite possibly the most beautiful festive experience we have ever had. It’s impossible to describe just how magical the light trail around the riverside gardens is but I will do my best – my pictures do not do the enchanted garden at Webbs of Wychbold justice at all. Arlo at age four was enthralled throughout … Read more
I’ll meet you by the bull bab! What can I say about last night?! I was in two minds about taking Arlo to such a big event and was really worrying about the logistics of travel but the opening ceremony of the commonwealth games was too important an experience to pass up. I can’t even … Read more
Give The Gift Of Adventure – Moms In The West Midlands Recommend – a collated list of memberships and annual passes in Birmingham – featuring some much loved UK based attractions for all to enjoy throughout the year – the gift that keeps on giving. This year has been the year the world opened back … Read more
Step outside, summertime’s in bloom! Well we have had one day of a heatwave and it’s got me all excited dreaming about running through flower fields in floaty dresses and taking some glorious pictures for Instagram. I have my favourite flower fields in the West Midlands and thought I’d collate a list for you to … Read more
A friend of mine yesterday asked me about which football grounds you can visit in the Midlands. Her son has decided that he wants to visit as many of the U.K. based football grounds as he can and get a treat from each gift shop along the way. This is a huge challenge as there … Read more
Look out for Zog and more flying into Warwick Arts Centre this February break! There’s plenty to keep families occupied this Spring Half-Term at Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre, including classical music and the arrival of the mighty Zog! Zog and The Flying Doctors (24-27 Feb 2022) is the roar-some sequel to the best-selling Zog, by Julia Donaldson and Axel … Read more
We have had the most wonderful time at the play barn. We love it here anyway with one of the biggest indoor soft play areas and all the usual farm animals to meet and greet but it’s had a festive make over which makes it all the more magical. When we arrived we were greeted … Read more
We love all things spooky – Halloween is bigger than Christmas in this household and so we jumped at the chance to attend a press day at Warwick Castle at the launch of their Halloween extravaganza. With all sorts of spooky attractions there’s great fun for all the family to enjoy with the castle providing … Read more
I’ve written previously about how I lost a sense of self over lockdown. A year of sitting at home with nothing to do but bake really had an impact on my waist line which in turn had an impact on my identity. As the world tentatively re-opened I decided I needed to turn things around … Read more