• Summit at Ally Pally with teens
    days out - Haringey

    Summit at Ally Pally with teens

    April 9, 2026 - By 

    A few years ago we took the opportunity to climb up and over the O2. It was a fun experience which has stuck with us ever since, it’s not often that we find an activity that impresses the teens. We discovered that you could climb over Ally Pally, this is one of my favourite buildings in London, so we booked it for an Easter treat. Summit at Ally Pally with teens Ally Pally, or Alexandra Palace, is a beautiful historic building in Haringey. We visit it frequently for gigs and the theatre and the views over London are worth a…

  • sashiko pin cushion
    days out

    The Stitch Festival 2026

    March 25, 2026 - By 

    Last week I spent a day at The Stitch Festival at the Business Design Centre in Angel. Living in London means I am spoilt for craft shops and creative workshops, but I can’t resist seeing everything under one roof. The Stitch Festival 2026 As well as my ticket, I also booked my workshops in advance – choosing punch needle, adding embroidery to knits and a sashiko class. I love the opportunity to learn something new and thought these three classes would be fun. The punch needle class took place before the festival opened, so I had a very early start…

  • A half-term visit to Pause Cat Café in Bournemouth
    days out

    A half-term visit to Pause Cat Café in Bournemouth

    February 26, 2026 - By 

    Looking for family-friendly things to do in Bournemouth over half term, I found a Cat Café near where we were staying. Everyone enjoys a trip to the Cat Café (except the dog, obviously), so we booked a slot in advance so we could sit and relax for an hour during a busy day. Exploring Bournemouth for the first time We’d never visited Bournemouth before, but we spent a few happy hours on Bournemouth pier, in the seaside arcade, and a bit of retail therapy. We even found a branch of Scribbler tucked away on a side street and treated ourselves…

  • days out - London Borough of Westminster

    Elf The Musical at the Aldwych Theatre

    December 31, 2025 - By 

    We’ve been fortunate to book a couple of trips to the theatre over the Christmas holidays. Last weekend we went to Ally Pally to watch A Christmas Carol, and earlier this week we booked tickets for Elf the Musical. Elf The Musical at the Aldwych Theatre Based on the beloved 2003 film starring Will Ferrell, Elf is the funny and charming tale of Buddy, who mistakenly crawled into Santa’s bag as a baby and was raised as an elf! Way too tall and not so great at his job, Buddy is the North Pole’s biggest misfit… and knows he’ll never…

  • Camden - days out

    The Gingerbread City at Coal Drops Yard

    December 29, 2025 - By 

    It’s not Christmas without some gingerbread. We’ve been baking a lot of gingerbread over the last few weeks and decided to make a visit to this years The Gingerbread City. The Gingerbread City at Coal Drops Yard This is an annual exhibition of gingerbread buildings, organised by the Museum of Architecture. We try and visit every year and enjoy seeing what people have created from gingerbread. This year’s theme, The Playful City, celebrates the power of fun, curiosity and design to make our cities happier, healthier and more connected. From colourful, interactive public spaces to rewilded rooftops and buildings that…

  • A Christmas Carol A Ghost Story at Alexandra Palace Theatre
    days out - Haringey

    A Christmas Carol A Ghost Story at Alexandra Palace Theatre

    December 23, 2025 - By 

    Back in London for a third Christmas season, A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story is now playing at Alexandra Palace Theatre until 4 January 2026. This is one of the key GSCE English Literature texts so I booked tickets for us to go (a bit of revision during the Christmas holidays!). A Christmas Carol A Ghost Story Marley was dead: to begin with. It’s Christmas Eve, and the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge receives a chilling visit from the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley. Bound in chains for a lifetime of greed, Marley warns Scrooge it isn’t too late to…

  • days out - Harrow

    Headstone Manor Museum Christmas Light Trail

    December 22, 2025 - By 

    We love a light trail at this time of the year. It can be difficult to find an activity both the teens want to do. They are both into their photography and a light trail can be fun for everyone, especially if the dog is allowed to come too. Headstone Manor Museum Christmas Light Trail We usually have to travel quite far to find a Christmas light trail. In previous years we have been down to Christmas at Kew Gardens and a Halloween trail at Blenheim Palace, both fabulous but a good hour away from us. This year we discovered…

  • days out

    7 ideas to make the most of a trip to Belfast with teens

    November 19, 2025 - By 

    Over half term we had a couple of days away with the teens in Belfast. Here are our 7 ideas to make the most of a weekend trip to Belfast: 7 ideas to make the most of a trip to Belfast with teens The teens love to do a mix of activities on a city break. They both enjoy learning about new areas so we knew they would love a London black cab taxi ride to explore the Peace Wall and find out more about Belfast during the Troubles. We saw a lot of street art and murals, and our…

  • days out

    Planning a Family Road Trip from London to Sheffield: What to Check Before You Go – Including Tyres in Sheffield!

    October 20, 2025 - By 

    Planning a family road trip from London to Sheffield can be a lovely adventure — but, like any journey, it takes a bit of preparation and forward planning. Whether you’re setting off from the capital with excited kids or planning a quick stop-off in the North, it’s always wise to know which garages or service centres could be useful along the way, it’s a point in your favour to check which garages or service centres could be useful during your journey. One of the most important things to check is your tyres. After all, a comfortable and safe trip starts…