I am loving this monthly subscription box. Not only does it give me a continuous stream of stationary to use, it also means that I don't splurge on unnecessary things. Each Papergang box has a theme and different bits that I would never think of buying.

This time last year, an opportunity arose to join the Young Women's Trust advisory panel. The Young Women's Trust are a charity that supports and represents young women who are at risk of being trapped in poverty by work, education and inequality.

This summer has flown by. It's hard to believe that in 10 days Max will be running off into year one with all of his school friends. Luckily we have crammed the summer holidays with more than we could have ever imagined so it's full of memories for us to look back on.

When it comes to raincoats we have a very specific requirement. They need to stand the test of time as we walk to school every day, whatever the weather and they need to be bright enough that we will never lose it. When Muddy Puddles asked us to test drive their Puddleflex jacket we couldn't wait for it to arrive.

Harry Potter is one of those magical things in our house that we never tire of.  We've already been to the Warner Bros Studio Tour but when we were invited to experience their new Finding The Philosopher's Stone event we grabbed our Floo Powder and headed there as soon as possible. This time however, we took Max's best friend Rubi and her family as they are just as mad about the boy who lived as we are! We hopped in our flying Ford Anglia and were there in a flash.

 There's not many TV shows that can unite generations, but Scooby Doo seems to be one that has stood the test of time and is still loved and adored to this day. In our house, it's a show that we can watch time and time again without getting bored. So when a Scooby parcel arrived on our doorstep I couldn't wait to have Max open it!

Now Max is 5 we tend to treat him to something every now and again if he has been good at school and helped out at home. He's massively into collecting so this is a great way to treat him for some good behaviour and also not let the collecting get out of control. We try and stick to a budget and make sure it's series that he is actually going to get a use out of. Here's some top ones we recommend.

The play sets itself are gender neutral meaning that there's no princess castles or pirate ships. It's all things that children know from around them. I personally think this is fantastic. Max absolutely loves roleplaying with his toys and to use things he knows makes it even easier for him to create those stories.

What I loved the most was the attention to detail. The little pigeon that can perch on the news stand, the variety of magazines and papers on offer and the little bits of money. It was a huge hit in our



At the moment Playpress is funding via Kickstarter. I can honestly say that this is one of my favourite projects that I've seen on Kickstarter and I can't wait to see it reach it's goal meaning I can buy some sets to add to our collection! It's the perfect toy for when kids need to unplug and let out some of their creative energies. We can't wait to see what happens to them next.

Max doesn't seem to have an off button. So much so, that we sometimes joke that he could outlast a Duracell bunny. So when we were invited up to Oxygen Freejumping in Southampton we honestly couldn't say no! Oxygen Freejumping is a giant trampoline park, filled with different spaces and activities for visitors to enjoy. With everything from parties to toddler sessions, freerunning nights and exercise classes, there is really something for everyone.

We were booked into one of their freejumping sessions, meaning that we had the run of the park to jump to our hearts content. I say we but I opted out (someone has to take the photos!) and we invited Scott's brother Lewis along who's a bit of a pro at trampolining thanks to his cheerleading background.

It's recommended that you prebook to avoid disappointment as they can only allow a certain number of people jumping at any one time. When you get there you are required to sign a waiver, basically saying that you know that jumping can be dangerous. You are also required to purchase some special socks for £2. This isn't to make you spend more money, the socks themselves have grippy bottoms ensuring you don't slip and slide on the trampolines.


Before you enter the park, there are plenty of free lockers for you to leave your shoes and other belongings in. Once that is done you are given a brief instructional video explaining the do's and don'ts of the hour ahead. The staff are really friendly and help you if there are any questions. For those not jumping, you are allowed into the park to watch either at the side of the trampolines or in the viewing platforms that doubles up as a gorgeous cafe. The one in Southampton gives you a great view of the air mats.

The boys absolutely loved jumping. There is such an amazing atmosphere and everyone is so welcoming. I loved the way that even though Max wasn't the greatest, he was still allowed to do as he wanted and jump about to his hearts content. I loved that the staff were on hand at all times and were always there in case things went wrong or people were struggling. Lewis showed off his acrobatic skills whilst Max and Scott gave their own attempts (I'm impressed with Scotts flips!).



After an hour of jumping the boys were well and truly tired out. A fantastic evening spent flipping, running, jumping and tumbling to their hearts delight. As soon as we got into the car Max turned to me and said "can we go again tomorrow". I think that gives you an idea of how much we loved it! Thank you Oxygen for such an amazing evening.

One of our favourite things about Moors Valley is the variety of things to do. Not only do they have the famous Go Ape highropes, there is also the play trail full of wooden climbing frames, steam train, play areas and enough open spaces to completely get lost. This means that you can really spend your whole day here, and we did just that.

We started off by going along the play trail, this is a great way for the kids to have an adventure whilst being in a fairly enclosed space. We love the fact that each activity on the play trail is a completely different challenge. It really makes the kids think logically as to how they can really get the most out of it. The rope course was definitely one of their favourites.


Of course kids need a spot of lunch, so we popped over to one of their designated picnic areas and wolfed down more food that we could fit in before we headed off on a walk around the Moors Valley lake. The lake is one where people are allowed to fish in so we encountered many different people and the kids loved discovering new things.

Once you've toured the edge of the lake you reach the Moors Valley Railway. A miniature steam train that takes you on a trip around the reserve. We opted for a return journey which the kids loved as they got to wave at everyone passing by! An ice cream topped off their day along with a well deserved sit down.


I loved our day out with our friends, we've already planned the next one! Fingers crossed we can grab a picture of them all a bit happier on the spider.

We absolutely love going to festivals. We were gutted when we didn't get to go to any last year, Max was under strict instructions to stay indoors due to his back. It did mean that we rocked out to many a festival on the TV though.

This year we opted against camping festivals. We absolutely love Camp Bestival and Isle of Wight but nothing beats curling up in your own bed at the end of a tiring day rocking out. We have already been to a few local festivals and are super excited to head to Victorious Festival in Portsmouth at the end of the month.

Victorious Festival is a 2 day festival set in the gorgeous Southsea, Portsmouth. Full of fantastic music such as Noel Gallagher and Manic Street Preachers, you will literally pinch yourself at the £35 per day entry ticket! Not only do they have brilliant music, but they also have an amazing kids area filled with famous faces such as Cook and Line. There is also some treasures such as Happy's Circus and even Portsmouth University with some brilliant astronomy activities. We honestly can't wait to pop down.

Unlike camping festivals, day festivals like Victorious are a perfect way to ease yourself into the idea of a family friendly festival. Not only do you get to avoid camping and dodgy showers, but you also get to experience the full festival atmosphere.

One thing to note is that there are normally a few differences such as parking (we have paid extra for a pre booked parking space close by, Victorious has some fantastic transport links though) and food (no pre-bought food is allowed on site, same goes for opened drinks). However we have put together some of the things that are going into our bag when we head off to Victorious Festival.

• Fujifilm Instax Camera - We literally take this everywhere. It's a fantastic way of taking instant memorable photos. Of course we have our phone too, but it means that we won't be carrying around an expensive bit of kit alongside everything else.
  
• Water Bottle - We love this one by HydrateM8 as it shows you how much you should be drinking on the bottle. Being at a festival, the time can run away with you. So having a bottle with a reminder can keep your kids topped up no matter what!
  
• Fjallraven Kanken Classic Bag - This is my favourite bag ever. Not only is it incredibly lightweight, it is also hardwearing and is deceptively bigger than it seems. Perfect for cramming in all those baby wipes and other festival essentials.
  
• Pac a Mac - A pac a mac is a must. Even if you only bring one for the kids. We take one everywhere, especially at festivals as there really is little shelter when the floodgates open. I normally have one for Max and throw some disposable ponchos in the bag for me and Scott.
  
• Sun Hat - Since Max got his burn, we are ultra careful when it comes to sun care. A hat is a must for a festival, even if it seems overcast! Normally there's still lots of UV rays that can damage your skin. Teaming a hat with regular sun cream use means that we can ensure he is covered (and cool) as possible!
  
• Ear Defenders - This is a vital in my opinion. Kids ears are much more sensitive than adults, so ear defenders are perfect for keeping the ears protected. Max has had his since he was 6 months old and they still fit him now so are a fantastic investment. We don't use them all the time but certainly make sure he has them on when he gets close to the stage at events. 

Not only do Brantano fit your shoes, they ensure that all their staff members attend a structured training programme and then supervised fittings until they are experts in the field of fitting! For all of their fittings they follow a 6 point check to ensure the best fit for your child's shoes. This definitely gives me the peace of mind as a parent as I know that Max is walking into school with the best shoes to fit his feet.


With brand new shoes, there is nothing left to do but run around the shop to give them a test drive! What we love most about shopping at Brantano is the fact that all the shoes are on the shelves in size order. It means that you can go shopping to your hearts content and don't have to wait to check if something is in your size. Another perk is the fact that there are so many brands under one roof. From Adidas to Clarks with Start Rite thrown in for the mix there is definitely something for everyone.

We did find a fantastic pair of sandals that we loved but unfortunately were slightly too small for Max. Abby offered to order the pair in for us and suggested getting the next size fitted properly when the correct size arrived. This was fantastic service and she definitely went above and beyond what I expected!

Every now and again a toy comes along that becomes a big hit. One that the parents love, the children love and most of all is fun and educational. We are a family that love toys that provide a learning tool to them as well as being fun. For us, we think the Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar is definitely that pre-school learning toy we all need.


The Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar is the latest addition to our ever growing toy collection and has firmly become our favourite. It takes the basic fundamentals of coding and programming and pops them in an adorable caterpillar to help your little ones learn the basic principals and create endless combinations of movements.

Despite Max only being in reception, he has been learning coding in the classroom using things such as programmable robots and tablet games. The Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar was a perfect addition to his learning at home. It's crazy to think that kids are learning coding from the age of 5, we just had a huge Acorn computer with the same game you could play over and over.


The Code-A-Pillar is one of the easiest toys we have ever had to set up. The box comes with the adorable caterpillar head and lots of command pieces that slot together via USB. I was a bit concerned that Max would find slotting each piece together a bit tricky but they are designed for little fingers and he managed to put them together perfectly. Each piece has a different command on it and the aim is to ensure that the Code-A-Pillar goes from the start disk to the end one.

We have spent hours setting up traps and obstacles for the Code-A-Pillar to weave and wind around and have loved every minute. This summer holidays it has definitely been the biggest hit amongst Max and his friends, with the cute caterpillar making it's way through our flat with shrieks of glee trailing it! You can also buy some additional expansion packs enabling you to do things such as 180 degree turns and make wacky noises. This is definitely something we are looking into for Christmas as it's been such a big hit in our home.

One thing to consider is that the Code-A-Pillar does need quite a lot of space. We have managed to work this to our advantage by utilising the whole of our flat but we also do shorter trips using only two or three segments at a time. Safe to say though that this is one cool toy and I think I might even be learning something along with Max too.

A video posted by Laura (@_laura) on Jul 16, 2016 at 7:42am PDT