Gem's New Blogspot

There are so many parks we are lucky to have so much open green area nearby but here are a few reviews on some local ones...(I think I will add to and update this one as there are lots more!) Kelsey Park Manor Way, Beckenham BR3 Kelsey is somewhere I always used to go as a child a lot.  There is a huge lake in the middle of the park with lots of ducks, geese and swans.  There are also loads of squirrels, so take monkey nuts with you to feed them with, they are very tame and often come right up close for a nut.  Its a great place to go for a walk as its a large park and the kids love feeding/spotting the wildlife.  There is also a very good play area with a small café, although the play area does get quite busy at weekends, we usually just do the park itself as its a lovely walk.  I'd highly recommend visiting this park.  I don't know if there is an actual car park, but we have always parked on the road somewhere near one of the entrances, you can usual...

Natural History Museum Cromwell Road Kensington SW7 5BD     I remember going to the Natural History Museum when I was at school, the things that stuck in my mind where going on the escalator up through the world sculpture, the earthquake simulator and the huge diplodocus skeleton as you walked in through the front door.  I hadn't been for years and then earlier this week we took Oliver.  Jay had taken Oliver last Sept when he was feeling brave - deciding to take him on his own (crazy man).  When they went Oliver was desperate to see Andy's clock. Andy is a character from his favourite program 'Andy's prehistoric Adventures' and the clock is his time travelling machine which takes him back to the time of the dinosaurs he wants to visit.  Andy works in the Natural History museum, hence that's where the clock lives.  In Sept the clock wasn't there, probably being used for filming but this week it was! He spotted it straight away, ...

Hobbledown Adventure Farm Horton Lane Horton KT19 8PT I've been to Hobbledown twice now, the first time Oliver was only tiny and not yet walking so it was mainly just to see the animals.  They have a good variety of animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, llamas, birds, sheep, chickens etc.  The second time, I went back was a few weeks ago and it was fantastic for Oliver's age! There is so much to do outside, lots of play areas, including a huge one for much older kids.  Oliver's favourite thing was the giant jumping pillows, that kept him entertained for ages with his friend bouncing about.  There are several slides (one quite high large wide one) lots of tunnels and play areas to explore with sand.  We found a little quiet area with a pretend shop, which they also loved! Lots of outdoor space to run around and of course the animals to see as well!   At lunchtime we headed to the main building where the café was, as w...

Godstone Farm Tilburstow Hill Road Godstone RH9 8LX     We love a farm and this year we've been to quite a few as animals are certainly Oliver's thing right now...especially chickens.  Godstone has everything you need for a good family day out.  It's pricey but when you see how much there is to do, you can easily spend a whole day there.  Adults and children over 2 years old cost £9.40 each, children 1 years £3.60 and under 1s are free.  You can make it cheaper for yourself by not adding to that and taking a picnic.  There are also sometimes deals on certain sweet packets or offers online if you keep your eyes peeled.  As well as all the usual farm animals that you would expect to see there are several play areas including a huge sandpit. In the summer Oliver spent an hour just in the sand pit.  There is indoor soft play as well which we hardly used but its a good size if the weather wasn't the best. Tractor ride...

Oxygen The Colonades Purley Way CR0 4RQ   no credit for the photo and no its not me   I had thought about taking Oliver here ages ago but I'd been putting it off because in my head he would get on a trampoline for 5 minutes, get off and want to leave.  But my friend had taken her 2 year old and said I had to give it a try, so we did and its fantastic! The first time we went Oliver was unsure to some extent because he'd never trampolined before but there is a lot to do there including the familiarity of some soft play, so at the very least they end up in there if they get bored of jumping.  But I was surprised, he jiggled from one trampoline to another for about half an hour and I got to bounce a fair amount too. He avoided the large foam pit and other areas the first time as it was a bit overwhelming.  But when we got home he was excited about it and saying that he'd been bouncing like Tigger.  So we went again the following wee...

Tilgate Park Tilgate Drive Crawley RH10 5PQ       We only discovered this park late last year.  Its a bit further than I would normally travel for a park but it has a lot to offer.  They have a nature centre, which I assumed would be comparable in size to crystal palace parks farm but it is enormous! There are so many animals that we did not expect to see including meerkats, wallaby, ostrich and loads more as well as standard farmyard animals.  We spent a good hour or more just walking around the nature centre, its more like a zoo, lots to see and for a very reasonable price.  £3.50 for adults, £2.50 for kids and under 2s are free.                                                     ...

Book Club began in 2012, we've read quite a few books! Some of them stick out for good reasons, some for not so good and some I have totally forgotten all about!! I think there are 3 missing that I can't recall or find written down but here's an archive so far of most of them!   Travels with Charley (John Steinbeck) The Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger) The Witch of Portabello (Paolo Coelho) Ghost Girl (Tori Hayden) Suite Francaise (Irene Nemirovsky) The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) Before I Go to Sleep (SJ Watson) The Colour of Milk (Nell Leyshon) The Slap (Christos Tsiolkas) The Old Man and The Sea (John Steinbeck) The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) The Colour Purple (Alice Walker) White Teeth (Zadie Smith) Tess of the D'Urbevilles (Thomas Hardy) Me Before You (Jo Jo Moynes) The Plague (Albert Camus) Everything's Cool (Justin Carroll) 11.22.63 (Stephen King) The Woman in Black (Susan Hill) Tiny Sunbirds Far Away (Christie...