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!
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
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 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
This secret beauty spot is on the very edge of Birmingham, I consider the canals at the Hopwood to be the border, I don’t know if that’s official or not but we always used to cross the canal and joke “now we’re in Brum, and now we aren’t” because when I was a kid it … Read more
When you’re half way into the holidays and running out of ideas for things to do then a trip to the local park is the easiest thing to organise. Take a backpack with your lunch and some water, pop the bike or scooter in the car boot and away you go. You can keep kids … Read more
The Mac has done it again. Our first experience of live theatre in over a year was simply delightful. We were transported in to the whimsical world of Sarah and Duck, the BAFTA award winning children’s show for an hour on a summer afternoon. The setting for this performance is the outdoor amphitheatre at the … Read more
This blog is going to be full of pictures, and I’m not even going to apologise for it. The confetti fields have become some what of an Instagram sensation of recent years because of course it’s so beautiful everyone wants to get themselves the perfect new profile picture (including me). I first visited with Arlo’s … Read more
Finally one of Arlo’s favourite places to visit in Birmingham has re-opened – Thinktank – home to Mini Brum, the science garden and so much more – and we were delighted to visit and explore this weekend. Navigating around the ever changing roadworks in the city centre was a nightmare but eventually we found the … Read more
Yesterday we visited All things Wild, a family attraction based near Evesham in Worcester. I have nothing but positive feedback for this place as we had such a wonderful time yesterday and we can’t wait to revisit. Of course yesterday the sun shone down and for the first time in forever we were wandering around … Read more
We had a wonderful day out last week at Warwick Castle. The unpredictable weather we’ve been experiencing lately seemed to settle for one day and the sun shone down on us as we explored the castle grounds. I booked our tickets online in advance and the trail was included in the ticket price. If you … Read more
Embark on a Safari Adventure at West Midlands Safari Park West Midlands Safari Park, nestled in the heart of the British countryside, is not just a destination; it’s an immersive journey into the wonders of the wild. As you approach the park, anticipation builds for the four-mile self-drive safari, a thrilling odyssey through African and … Read more
Now that spring has finally made an appearance there’s an abundance of colour bursting in to life at the Botanical Gardens. We have been visiting the gardens since the 1980’s when I was a little girl so trips to the gardens are always nostalgic for me. There’s some areas of the gardens which remain unchanged … Read more
We had a wonderful afternoon at Kingsbury Water Park, we opted to hire bicycles to make sure we could see as much of the space as possible – and with fifteen different lakes and 600 acres to explore we will most certainly be coming back again. Open from 1st April every day (subject to the … Read more
This beautiful Manor House and it’s grounds is certainly worth a visit if you’re in the Midlands, it’s just around the corner from Kingsbury water park, and makes for a delightful couple of hours outdoors. The hall is currently closed due to covid restrictions but with spring in bloom there’s plenty to explore within the … Read more
We have been out and about again today and this time our travels took us to Trentham Gardens, which are amongst the finest in Britain. A week ahead of Easter there has been a Beatrix Potter themed trail added to the grounds. You can book online to visit the gardens. Tickets are £12 for adults … Read more
Bodenham has become another one of our most favourite outdoor places to explore, and is a hidden treasure of the Midlands. As you turn in to the main drive you’re greeted with a landscape of rolling hills and in spring time there’s plenty of lambs to see skipping in the fields. The visitor centre is … Read more
Spring has sprung and the days are now mild enough to enjoy a walk in the great outdoors. Cannock Chase Gruffalo Trail is one of our favourite places to visit for a wander and is great value – as all you really need to pay for is the car parking. We usually park up near … Read more
Just before Christmas 2020 many of our planned activities were cancelled. I felt heartbroken for all of the businesses struggling amidst the chaos of 2020 and was delighted to see places such as Umberslade Farm try to make the most of things. During the summer we visited and went on a 5k trek around the … Read more