Half Term Happenings

Half term has come round surprisingly quickly this year. What with the disrupted routine at school due to the snow and ice, it's probably come at the right time for them to have a week off to try and reset themselves next week.

With their balloons.

The only problem with half term is trying to find something to entertain the kids without spending a small fortune. I started off by thinking that I could take them to see Wreck It Ralph at the cinema, but closer investgation revealed that it was going to cost the best part of £20 for the three of us and that's before you start including drinks and food.

Fortunately, I then had a facebook update from the council telling me what they had going on, so I think I've found some activities that will keep them happy for a bit. However, this was about 9.15am and only two of us were dressed, so a quick hurry-up later and we were out the door and looking for Hamstead Library in Great Barr, where the kids went to Ron Popple's Magic and Balloon show.


I had two activities planned for Tuesday, but despite being fine when she woke up, around 9am, G declared that her neck was aching and this pretty much ruled out the activity I had planned for her. By lunchtime she was feeling better, so in the afternoon, we headed out to the Oak House in West Bromwich, where they were having a Pirate Day.

The kids managed to pick up some more balloons, this time in the form of pirate swords and we completed a treasure hunt around the building before heading out to the pirate ship play area at the back. It was the first time I'd been to Oak House and there really wasn't a lot to occupy us for any more than an hour, but it seemed an interesting place. All S wanted to do was run around and fiddle with everything, which meant that I couldn't investigate anything in detail. Still, the kids had fun and came away with a chocolate coin and a finger puppet as their reward for completing the treasure hunt.

Climbing the rigging

Ideal for "Titanic" fans

In the crow's nest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the small pool at Smethwick is huge!

The plan for Wednesday morning was the rescheduled plan for Tuesday morning. This was only an activity that G could do, but I knew it was one she'd enjoy and so for the first time, she played Water Polo. There were only five children either side and it looked like she was the only one playing for the first time, but she had a huge grin on her face all the way through, which was fantastic to see.

In the afternoon, I had another surprise in store for the children as I had found that one of the local libraries was running a Moshi Monsters Quiz. The kids have been obsessed with these things for ages and I still have no real idea what they are, but they seem to know enough for them both to come third in the quiz! G managed to win the resulting tie-breaker to win a small prize, which she was chuffed about.


The following day was quiet day for Daddy whilst the kids used their energy at the local soft play area and in the afternoon it was movie time courtesy of BT Vision, which included Madagascar 3 (Circus... Afro...) and when Friday came, it was time to decamp to Liverpool to see the Grandparents. For the first time, the trainset came out and the children loved playing with that after the adults had spent some time playing with it setting it up (cough).

All in all, it was an enjoyable half-term, which went past far too quickly!