And just like that, Christmas is here! Our tree is And just like that, Christmas is here! Our tree is up, the Santa hats are out and the first doors on our advent calendars are open.

I love this time of year. It is my favourite. And it’s one of the few times still full of magic even as an adult. I’m going to be soaking up every minute of joy the next few weeks bring and I hope December is full of moments of joy for you too.

Happy December! 🎄
AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell and there’s so much to entertain the whole family whilst you do your Christmas shopping! 

Visit The Lexicon Glow Room for a magical light experience that will dazzle you with 20,000 LEDs. It feels like the room goes on forever! Then, take a dip in the Light Pool, a magical ball pool with golden balls to be found and prizes to be won!

If that wasn’t all, have a photo in the giant Christmas bauble ‘sparkling selfie station’ and follow the Twinkle Trail, spotting baubles in shop windows to collect the clues and enter to win fabulous prizes this Christmas. Plus, share your sparkling selfie station pictures, tagging #thelexiconbracknell or email them to marketing@thelexiconbracknell.com and you will automatically be entered in a competition for the chance to win a restaurant gift card too. 

There are also special performances from local choirs, bands and singers and even the chance to meet Bluey, Hey Duggee and Chase from Paw Patrol! You can be sure that a trip to The Lexicon will have something for everyone over the festive season this year. We loved our visit to The Lexicon last weekend and know we’ll be back again before Christmas!

Find out more on @thelexiconbracknell website.

#TheLexiconBracknell #Merry&Bright
AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! We had our first Glow Marwell experience tonight - and we loved it. It may even be the best light trail we have been to.

We spent well over two hours at @marwellzoo, enjoying the light installations, indulging in the food stalls and cafe, toasting marshmallows and even meeting Father Christmas! 

Glow Marwell was such a nice way to kick off the festive season - and it’s on all the way through December! If you’re looking for a really nice festive activity the whole family can enjoy, this could definitely be it!
AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparent AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparents this year? @famileo_uk is a wonderful gift, giving the recipient a personalised gazette of family news regularly throughout the year - and it costs from just £5.99 a month. 

Multiple family members can use the same subscription, all posting messages to be added to one gazette - and sharing the cost of the subscription too! It’s great for parents, siblings and children to all share their news with grandparents each week, fortnight or month. 

We’ve been sending my dad Family gazettes for a while now and he absolutely loves them. It means we tell him all the little things that are happening and not just the big news you remember to mention in phone calls. The children get to upload their own messages to their grandad and it’s definitely made them feel closer, building a stronger relationship despite living far apart.

Find out more about Family over on the blog - link in bio - and buy a subscription for your nearest and dearest this Christmas. It’s a gift they will definitely love to receive.
Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing the Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing these updates every week but I like having somewhere to put all these photos!

They’re now three months old, super loving and happy, making biscuits and purring constantly.

They stay in ‘their’ room overnight but explore the house during the day, getting more confident as time passes. They even got to the point of relaxing on the sofa with us last night.

Fred & George are now very much part of our family and I can’t imagine them not being there now - even at 7am when they’re miaowing at the door for breakfast!
AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your kids will love? Claim your FREE Banjo Robinson activity pack today!
 
Reading for pleasure is a key indicator of a child’s future success, but if your child doesn’t love to read, what can you do? We know it’s not always easy keeping kids entertained and away from screens, so we’ve partnered with the award-winning @banjorobinson to gift you a FREE activity pack, worth £9.99.

Here’s a little look at the Banjo Robinson subscription - Troy loves it! Travelling to world with Banjo is so much fun! You can read our full review over on the blog and claim your free activity pack too - link in profile.
A whole week of Fred & George. We weren’t meant A whole week of Fred & George.

We weren’t meant to get more cats just yet but sometimes the universe sends you things when you don’t expect them.

These little guys needed a home and a family to love them. And we had a home and a lot of love to give. We still miss Leia but this pair are definitely helping make me feel whole again.

They are both used to us now, and love us. They’re less nervous, give us cuddles and let us pick them up. They’re still living in our spare room but starting to explore the rest of the house under supervision. 

They play fight constant. Love toys, especially a crinkly feather thing on a string attached to a stick, and love being up high. They are an awesome pair and we are so glad to have them.

Thank you @millbrook_rspca @rspca_official for trusting us with ‘Lonestar and Starfish’. We could not love them more. 

#catsofinstagram #catstagram #catsofig #catsofinsta #catlovers #adoptdontshop #rspcarescuecat #kittensofinstagram #kittens_of_instagram
[AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing abo [AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing about our half term break at @pottersresort and it’s over on the blog if you want to go have a read.

I wanted to put some of my favourite photos on the grid too as the kids did so many fun activities - they had THE best time. 

Giant swing, segways, climbing, archery, laser clays… there was so much to do that we couldn’t fit it all in - we need another trip!
And there ends our October half term - well, apart And there ends our October half term - well, apart from Troy who has a bonus week off!

This half term has been pretty lovely. Troy had his school residential the first weekend and then we had a really lovely few days in Norfolk before heading home and picking up two new members of our family - Fred and George. 11 week old rescue kittens who have pretty much stolen our hearts.

It’s been so nice to have a chunk of quality time with this pair and now I’m looking forward to the Christmas holidays. These two are the best company and I really do live for the school holidays. 

How has your half term been?
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Guest Posts · September 29, 2023

Unleashing Fun and Imagination: A Guide to Children’s Soft Play | AD

*This is a collaborative guest post

If you want to provide your little one with a super fun yet safe playing experience, soft play is the perfect way to do so. Aside from sheer enjoyment, soft play offers plenty of developmental advantages that are important to your child’s growth!

So, what exactly is soft play and how can it benefit your toddler? 

What is indoor soft play?

The perfect playing environment for toddlers and young children, soft play refers to crawling and clambering safely amongst cushioned foam elements, including ballpits filled with smooth colourful balls and obstacle courses made up of padded ramps, tunnels, and steps. 

Children can play among the above in public play areas and from their own homes!

Is public soft play good for my children?

Soft play can be experienced at public activity centres that are filled with exciting equipment for children of all ages – but they are often noisy and overwhelming and because they mix children’s development levels in the same areas, leading to boisterous play around very little ones. 

For this reason, many families prefer to experience soft play from the comfort of their own homes, allowing children to engage in soft play more safely and calmly whenever they please. Furthermore, any hygiene concerns associated with public play areas are avoided with at-home soft play.

Why is soft play beneficial to your little ones?

There are several fantastic advantages to soft play, ranging from physical advancement to creative stimulation: 

Physical development

Soft play offers a thrilling exercise experience for your child, contributing to the enhancement of their fine and gross motor skills.

As they ascend steps, navigate through tunnels, and emerge from the ball pool, your child actively engages their leg, arm, and torso muscles, encouraging strength development and honing their gross motor capabilities.

Moreover, grasping, clutching, and rolling plastic balls actively engages their fine motor skills, which promote the coordination of the small muscles in their hands and fingers. Over time, these activities will aid your child in acquiring essential skills like tying shoelaces, dressing independently, and confidently holding crayons during their time at nursery.

Imaginary play

As your little one develops their quirky personality, they’ll begin to create their own stories and scenarios as they play amongst soft play elements. 

Your child could venture into soft play ready to explore the high seas, pretending to swim amongst soft plastic balls or they could turn the elements into race ramps for their toy trucks, tunnels to a fantasy land or even the entrance to a medieval fort.

Their options are as limitless as their imaginations.

A full sensory experience 

Soft play goes beyond providing an enjoyable physical activity for children – it also engages your child’s senses through sleek plastic balls that offer a unique touch sensation.

If you create your soft play area at home, you could even select velvet elements that provide a smooth and delicate sensory experience. The plush feel of the fabric also serves as an excellent tool for soothing and comforting your child who may feel frustrated or anxious. 

By immersing themselves in the sensation of the gentle tufts around them, children can alleviate their stressors, allowing them to gradually fade away.

Social development

Soft play is a fantastic activity that can be enjoyed alone or with friends. Whether your little one plays with other children at activity centres or playgroup peers visit your home for a play date, soft play can boost social skills and etiquette from an early age.  

Your tot will learn to share, communicate, and listen to different ideas aside from their own through playing and taking turns playing with each element.

Indoor soft play for home – building your own play area

It’s incredibly straightforward to create your soft play area at home – simply select the indoor soft play equipment you think your child will enjoy the most and arrange them around their room close together and away from any doors. 

You could even purchase full play sets that feature a complete soft play area to save you the hassle of ordering separate pieces – each features a ball pit, ramp, tunnel, and coordinating steps.

We do recommend buying soft play equipment from a trusted retailer with plenty of experience supplying parents with the safest and most robust children’s play products. To check if a company is reliable, be sure to check their customer reviews through sites such as Trustami and Trustpilot, as this will give you impartial opinions from previous customers to consider before you make your choice.

Unleashing Fun and Imagination: A Guide to Children's Soft Play

In: Guest Posts

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Hi everyone! I'm Donna. Mummy. Blogger. Social Media Manager. Traveller. Lover of stars, rainbows and gin. Firm believer that tea and cake can fix most things.

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