North Hampshire

Safe and Friendly Playgroups with a code word!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Babies, Basingstoke, Classes, Dads, Group, Mums, New Parents, North Hampshire, Parents, Pre School, Things to Do, Toddlers, Vulnerable Mum's 0 Comment

I think it was last week when there was a discussion on “Louise nhm Smith” about some new Mum’s feeling very intimidated at baby and toddler groups. I’ve put a bit more thought into the “code words” idea and have come up with the following. (Yes, I know it’s a bit cheeky using NHM in the “code words” but there have to be SOME perks to what I do here ???).

The code words will be:

“NorthHantsMum sent me”

and when a new Mum says that to someone when she arrives, the organisers of that group will know immediately to take extra special care of her and ensure that she feels welcomed, etc.

If you run a local play group, toddler group or somewhere where Mum’s meet and would like to be included in the post that I am putting together of “Safe and friendly” local Mum groups, please drop me an email at NorthHantsMum@gmail.com.

Hopefully this will help those Mum’s who are new to local baby and toddler groups. Thanks!!

You can find more details for the playgroups and classes on the Activities pages on NorthHantsMum.co.uk.

Playgroups

Munchkins, Thursday 10-11:30 term time, sycamore centre, winklebury.

Basing Beans Lychpit Village Hall: Basing Beans, Lychpit Village Hall, Great Binfields Rd, Lychpit, Basingstoke RG24 8TF, Every Tuesday 10-11.30am, £2

Tuesday Tots: every Tuesday (term time) at Hall for all in Oakridge from 9:45-11:15am

Pop Up Play Village Basingstoke

Lynsey’s Little Stars parent,baby & toddler group – Old Basing

Classes

www.yogababes.co.uk

Jiggy Wrigglers classes in Basingstoke, Hook and Fleet.

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What to do when you first join the NorthHantsMum Community

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Basingstoke, North Hampshire, NorthHantsMum Community 0 Comment

Local Parents: What to do when you first join the NorthHantsMum Community

  1. SUBSCRIBE TO NorthHantsMum!!                                                                                                                       All you need to do is find the subscribe option on the home page and add your email address OR you can email me directly at NorthHantsMum@gmail.com and I will add you in. You won’t get spammed as you’re email is only used every time I publish a post. It’s also the only way to guarantee you don’t miss any posts on NHM. More details are in this post: Subscribe to NorthHantsMum
  2. Add me on Facebook as a friend at “Louise nhm Smith“. I share lots of information here that is helpful for local parents. Don’t worry, I never look at people’s fb profiles as I don’t have the time, energy or interest!
  3. Join the NorthHantsMum Questions group on fb. This is where I post anonymous questions from NHM Readers and where lots of lovely Reader reply with their wonderful insights or suggestions. If you have a question you would like me to ask anonymously for you, please just PM me at “Louise nhm Smith”.
  4. Join the NorthHantsMum: Support local Businesses!!! group. This is a great way to support local businesses.
  5. Check out the Classes page which lists all of the classes and groups for pregnant Mum’s, babies and children, by day, in the area.
  6. Have a look at the Important Info page which lists lots and lots of relevant information about the local area.
  7. Get involved!  Ask me a question that I can ask the NHM Community and start following the posts so you can see what’s going on. The NHM Community are an incredibly friendly and helpful community and frequently go out of their way to support other parents on their parenting journey.

Local Businesses: What to do when you first join the NorthHantsMum Community

  1. SUBSCRIBE TO NorthHantsMum!!                                                                                                                        All you need to do is find the subscribe option on the home page and add your email address OR you can email me directly at NorthHantsMum@gmail.com and I will add you in. You won’t get spammed as you’re email is only used every time I publish a post. It’s also the only way to guarantee you don’t miss any posts on NHM. More details are in this post: Subscribe to NorthHantsMum
  2. Join the NorthHantsMum: Support local Businesses!!! group on Facebook. This is a great way to publicise your business for free. You need to be friends with me on facebook to be added to this group. Please read the pinned post and only post once a month in this group.
  3. Get your business added to the NorthHantsMum Business Directory. For a free listing please just email the name of your business and a website or a facebook page. For a paid listing, please email NorthHantsMum@gmail.com for further details.
  4. Write a Guest Post for NorthHantsMum. These are ALWAYS free and are a great way to publicise your business to local parents.
  5. If it is appropriate the NHM Writers can Review your product or service in exchange for a Review post on NorthHantsMum.
  6. If you are a local Mum who runs a small local business, join the

    NorthHantsMum Networking: Mums running Small Businesses on facebook. This is a group to be used for asking questions of other local business owners and to network. This is not an area to share details about your latest offers. You will need to be friends with me at “Louise NHM Smith” to be added to this group.

  7. If you run a local class that is relevant to babies, children and/or Mum’s in the area and would like your classes to be listed on the NHM classes page, please email me the details so they look EXACTLY like they do on the classes page (we don’t have time to format them) and we will paste them in for you.

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Recommend Dance Classes for 4 and 8 year olds

Posted by juliet on in After School Clubs, Basingstoke, Children, Classes, Exercise, NHM Readers, North Hampshire, Older Children, Pre School, Sport, Things to Do 0 Comment

An NHM Reader recently asked “Are there any children’s dance classes that take mixed age children? I am looking for a class for a 4 year old and an 8 year old. It seems many places only start from age 5 also, my 4 year old will be in school from September.”

Many thanks to the NHM community for the below responses, which are in no particular order.

NHM Readers Recommend Dance Classes for 4 and 8 year olds

Paul said “not sure about dance, but I know Basingstoke Wolverines Cheer Squad are looking for people if that’s any good?”

Wendy said “They should be able to attend together for Irish Dancing. Contact below for times (I believe Basingstoke is a Tues evening) http://www.boyleodowda.com/contact.html“

Helena said “Petite school of dance (ballet, tap, Acro) are from preschool to senior school! Very friendly and relaxed but excellent dancing achieved!”

Paula said “JLD school of dancing are amazing – http://www.jldschoolofdancing.co.uk/ Main studio in Kingsclere, other classes are at Cranbourne school in Basingstoke Cranbourne Primary School“

Carlie said “North Hampshire Academy of Dance is an excellent dance school, my son and daughter have been there for 10 years and have thrived there. Free trial classes and qualified teachers. Highly recommend.”

Charlene said “JG Dance Basingstoke. My daughter is 6 and has been attending for 2 years now and does several styles of dancing on Saturday mornings. Lovely teachers and all the parents are friendly”

Sarah said “Happy Feet Dance Academy“

Julie said “The problem of them being together in most dance schools is that the exam structure is usually based at the beginning around ages – so your 8 year old could be waiting a long time for the 4 year old to be old enough/capable of doing the exams. If you wanted something informal and fun I think that Chandelle Stage School do a mixed modern/tap/ballet class in Winklebury that covers a broader age as they do IDTA dance awards rather than the formal RAD and ISTD ballet and tap etc.”

Julie said “For actual RAD and ISTD there is also Basingstoke Academy of Dancing at Houndmills”

Debbie said “www.lyndendance.co.uk“

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

Review 2018: Studio 1314

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Babies, Children, Family, Family Photographers, Gifts, New Parents, Newborn, North Hampshire, Older Children, Parents, Pre School, Pregnancy, Reviews, Reviews of Things to do, Things to Do, Toddlers 0 Comment

I reviewed Studio 1314 on NorthHantsMum in 2016 when they were just starting out.

You may have seen their Lemon Face promotion (which will be starting again in April 2018) on Facebook, which has been hugely popular.

Click on the pictures themselves to see them in detail

I LOVED the pictures that they did for our family in 2016. Absolutely loved them. You can even see one of them at the top of my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook. So when Wayne invited me back to review the studio, to see what had changed, I LEAPED at the chance.

Wayne and Lucy are also very kindly offering a Special Offer just for NHM Readers, which is listed at the bottom of this post.

About

The team at Studio 1314 believe in the personal touch, not just in their pictures, but also in the way that they conduct their business.

Once you have made a booking you receive a very professional confirmation email which confirms your booking and provides a link to a slideshow of some of their pictures, a link to a Pinterest board which is a great source of inspiration.

The email also has a really useful section about what to bring to the photo shoot and which clothes would work best.

I really love that they encourage accessorising and personal items as these make the photos even more meaningful.

A few weeks before our photo shoot, Wayne phoned me and we had a really good chat about what to expect and what to bring for the photo shoot. I love that Wayne was interested in what I wanted to get from the photo shoot as well and that he had some great ideas of what to bring along.

The photoshoot

Having been to several family photo shoots since Miss NHM was born(which I am extremely grateful for!) we kind of know what to expect.

However, it’s always a NIGHTMARE the morning of the photo shoot. Trying to get everyone mobilised and in the car and not forget any of our outfits. Mr NHM nearly forgot his outfit this time (facepalm).

When we arrived at the studio (about 15 minutes drive from Hatch Warren) we were all quite harassed as there had been a couple of “discussions” in the car on the way there.

It was sooooo nice to just arrive at the studio and plonk ourselves on the lovely squishy sofa’s.

Wayne was very welcoming and let us catch our breath before looking through the outfits that we had brought with us. He gave us advice on which outfits he thought would photograph the best.

The photoshoot lasted 90 minutes and that time just FLEW by. Miss NHM absolutely loved being the centre of attention (no comment) when Wayne took lots of pictures of her. We also had several family photo’s taken which are just awesome.

I really loved that when Miss NHM was “doing her thing” (total poser. I blame her father!!!) we could just sit and watch on the lovely sofa. It was so nice to see someone else entertaining Miss NHM and to be able to just sit back and enjoy it.

Wayne was very patient with Miss NHM and he made her giggle lots. She’s very photogenic (yes, I am a bit biased) but she can also be VERY stubborn if she doesn’t want to do anything but Wayne had no problem at all with getting her to do the things he needed too, to ensure that the pictures are perfect.

(No, that isn’t Miss NHM. Lol!)

It’s brilliant that the studio is split into several areas. Miss NHM is getting to that age where she’s conscious about her body and doesn’t want to undress in front of someone else, so it was really useful having the dressing area to change in but still be able to talk to Wayne and Mr NHM.

On our way home, I asked Mr NHM if he enjoyed the photo shoot and he said that he did because it was very relaxed and fun. (I often drag him along to these kinds of things and he’s not often that enthusiastic but that previous sentence is high praise from him!!)

Miss NHM talked for the WHOLE 20 minutes that it took us to get home, about how she liked “the man who was really funny” and she liked having her picture taken. So high praise from her too! Lol.

A couple of weeks later we went back to the studio to see the final pictures in the viewing room. This is a lovely big room with a large TV screen, another fab sofa and an area with toys for little ones to play with. It was awesome to see the pictures on a big screen and we are soooo pleased with them!!!

Special Offer for NHM Readers

Wayne and Lucy are also very kindly offering a very special offer for NHM Readers. (Thank you very much!!!)

The first 10 people to contact the team at Studio 1314 and book before May 2018 will receive a Free family photoshoot, a mounted 7×5 inch prints of their choice and a digital file of the same image.

This would normally have a value of £150.

This offer is ONLY open to the first 10 people who book and ONLY available to NorthHantsMum Readers. Yay!

Tips

Make sure you read through the confirmation email and have a look at the pinterest board and the video.

Plan the outfits that you are going to take with you at least a few days before.

Make sure you have everything ready to go the night before your photo shoot so you don’t have a frantic morning like we did!!!!

Food

Wayne has a lovely stash of biscuits and a very wide range of drinks, including tango orange!!

They even had gluten free biscuits available for Miss NHM, which I thought was such a lovely touch!

Facilities

I think Studio 1314 are the only family photography studio in Basingstoke.

The studio itself has a large area where pictures are taken with a couple of sofa’s on where you can sit and watch what’s happening.

There is a separate viewing room which has a very large flat screen TV where you can review pictures and has an area for toys for toddlers and little ones. The sofa is fab in here too! lol.

There is a toilet within the studio and changing area.

Baby Facilities

The team at Studio 1314 are parents so they TOTALLY get what it’s like having children. They even have a baby changing mat available for you to use!

Parking

Is free, ample and next to the studio.

Prices

Please see the website for more details.

Rating out of 5

Definitely 5 out of 5. It’s clear that Wayne is very passionate about what he’s does and ensuring that the customer gets what they want.

Final Thoughts

We LOVE the photo’s that Wayne and Lucy take. Absolutely love them and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have another photoshoot with them.

Contact details

www.studio1314.co.uk

www.facebook.com/studio1314

www.instagram.com/studio1314

Wedding Page: www.waynekahnphotography.co.uk

Disclaimer: This post is a review of Studio1314. The photoshoot was supplied free of charge for the purposes of the review. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

Review 2018: Riverside Bowl, Andover

Posted by juliet on in Family, North Hampshire, Older Children, Outings, Reviews of Things to do, Things to Do 1 Comment

Thank you very much to today’s NHM Secret Writer for today’s post and to Juliet for formatting this on wordpress!

Riverside Bowl, Andover

Riverside bowl is a bowling alley, arcade and glow in the dark golf centre.

They have 8 lanes of ten pin bowling, various arcade games and 10 crazy golf holes based around the world (London, New York, China etc).

They also have function rooms and a bar/diner.

Tips

Riverside bowl is on the high street in Andover, next to Wilko. You have to go up 3-4 flights of stairs but there is a lift if you struggle with stairs (wheelchair/pushchair etc).

Food

There is a 90’s style diner and bar serving freshly prepared burgers/hot dogs and chips.

Food was as you’d expect in this sort of venue; not haute cuisine but edible and presented in a fun way (in baskets).

They also have an extensive milkshake menu (chocolate, butterscotch, jelly baby and caramel to name a few). I’ve given up chocolate for Lent so I went for butterscotch and it was very nice

Facilities

Male/female and disabled toilets available. Clean and perfectly usable. I didn’t use them but hubby did and said they had hot and cold running water and were perfectly adequate.

Parking

There is no specific parking for Riverside. We parked in the Chantry Shopping centre as we had a meander through Andover before going to the venue as we were early.

Parking is charged Mon-Sat up to 4pm and is free on a Sunday. This is probably the next place to park for Riverside as it is a 3 minute walk from the car park.

Prices

We paid £15.50 for three of us (2 adults, one child) to play golf. We paid £25 to eat burger and chips each (child meal was £5.50 and included a drink). My milkshake was £3.20 and probably about same size as a cooler drink from Costa/Starbucks).

We also paid £17 for a game of bowling – we haven’t done this for a long time so not sure if this is average price or not.

Rating out of 5

I would give it 3.5 out of 5. It was nice enough but for what it is I thought the price was a little bit steep.

The bowling lane broke down while we were on it and we had to be moved. The golf I was a little disappointed in as the way the holes are set up, it’s pretty impossible to get a hole in one. You have to get the ball through a structure and it has quite a slope to get up.

I think the next hole we played was done in four or five shots and this was hubby who is a dab hand compared to me and LO.

We also had a family behind us in the golf who let their son start playing while we were still on the hole.

There is no staff actively monitoring this section (there are CCTV cameras).

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

Swimming Schools and Lessons in North Hampshire

Posted by shona on in Children, Classes, Exercise, North Hampshire, Swimming, Things to Do 0 Comment

Thank you very much to Shona for putting this post together!!

Swimming Schools and Lessons in North Hampshire

Alton Sports Centre

Swimming lessons start from 3 years old (Stage 1). All lessons are taught by qualified instructors who help children to develop confidence in and around the water.

Alton Sports Centre

Judy Sporle School of Swimming

Based in Winchester, Judy Sporle provides parent and child classes (3 months – 3 years), pre-school classes (3 years – 5 years) and also after school classes (3 years plus). In the parent and child classes they provide introduction to the water, safety, songs and games and water confidence. Pre-school classes have a maximum of 4 children to a class with the teacher in the water. After school classes have a maximum of 8 children in a class and promote water confidence and teach techniques.

Judy Sporle

Turtle Tots

Operating through Reading, Wokingham and Caversham, Turtle Tots run a baby programme and a toddler programme. The baby programme can start any time from newborn to 14 months old. You learn to swim with your baby above and below the water and help teach your baby confidence in the water. The toddler programme has been designed with a set of activities including swimming technique, safety and floating. The toddler course is suitable from 18 months.

Turtle Tots

Angela’s Swim School

Angela’s Swim School has small classes to allow for individual attention and feedback from each session. They offer swimming lessons for all the family with a wide range of lessons for children, adults and babies from 4 months. There are sessions available nationwide, locally they are held at Aldershot, Petersfield, Bordon and Hook.

Angela’s Swim School

Everyone Active

Having more than 70,000 children learning to swim through their swimming Programmes, Everyone Active helps children learn the skill of swimming. They are available 50 weeks a year (2 week break over Christmas and New Year), suitable for children aged over 5 months, all teachers are DBS checked and don’t run “terms” so children can join at any point throughout the year. Locally this is run from Hart Leisure Centre in Fleet, although it is a nationwide brand.

Everyone Active

Water Babies

Water Babies is aware that swimming is one of the few things that you can do with your baby from birth. Water Babies encourages babies to swim underwater whilst having fun. They run locally across Berkshire and North Hampshire and teach from 21 swimming pools.

Water Babies

Swim Expert

Swim Expert runs from the Apollo hotel in Basingstoke. They can provide private 1-2-1 swimming lessons to improve children’s swimming more effectively as well as running small group lessons with a maximum of 3 children per class. They will do lessons for anyone over the age of 2 years.

Swim Expert

Rushmoor Royals

Rushmoor Royals provides swimming lessons from 2 ½ years old in Farnborough, Aldershot and Yateley. Lessons are held over 3 terms and normally run for 12-14 weeks. There are badges for each stage and once achieved, children can move to the next stage.

Rushmoor Royals

Kim Chapman Swimming School

This swimming school is run from Queen Mary’s College in Basingstoke. They provide adult and baby/toddler lessons from 4 months. They also do pre-school lessons for children aged over 3 years. With qualified teachers, the classes are fun using a mixture of toys, nursery rhymes and games to help children learn to swim and be confident in the water.

Kim Chapman Swimming School

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SNOW!!! Things to do with little ones whilst it’s snowing…

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Babies, Basingstoke, Children, Family, Free, Newborn, North Hampshire, Older Children, Organising, Parents, Pre School, Things to Do, Toddlers 0 Comment

Yay! It’s snowing! I know this is a complete nightmare for LOTS and lots of people but I LOVE the snow so I’m very excited about it, even if we did only last 10 minutes because my extremely strong willed 6 year old refused to wear her gloves and got very cold hands very quickly. Sigh!

I’ve also been up since 6am stressing about keeping everyone updated on which schools and pre-schools are opened or closed so I am exhausted! lol.

You can check on this post for more details about which schools are open still and the times that they close: HCC School Closure Website

Anyyyyywaayy, this is my impromptu list of suggestions of things you can do with your little ones today whilst it’s snowing.

Whatever you end up doing…HAVE FUN!!!!!

Outdoors

  • Make snowmen snowwomen, snowbabies, snowchildren
  • Build an igloo
  • Make coloured ice balls (balloons filled with water and a bit of food colouring and leave outside over night)
  • Snowball fight/gentle throw
  • Sledging
  • Snow angels

Indoors

Other Useful Posts

What would you add to this list?

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NHM Readers recommend: Cooking classes for six year olds

Posted by juliet on in Basingstoke, Children, Classes, Education, Food, NHM Readers, North Hampshire, Older Children, Things to Do 0 Comment

An NHM reader asked “Hello! I’ve been hunting for cookery workshops/classes to attend with my nearly 6 year old son. I’ve found options for preschool age but can’t seem to find anything in the area for his age range. He wants to make real food, not just decorate biscuits or cakes now. Do you know of anything out there? Thanks!!”

Thank you to all of the NHM readers who responded, these are listed below, in no particular order! Thank you also to Juliet who put this post together!! 

Tot Cross Buns

Tot Cross Buns

Michelle said “Tot Cross Buns run by Allison Woolford. And now they’ve got Kerry on board too.”

Louise said “Tot Cross Buns is awesome!”

Kerry said “Please send us a message and we would be happy to talk to you about our Saturday kitchens which you and your son can come along too, we have lots of fun and are passionate about cooking and want to pass on this passion to children – giving them confidence with food and encouraging them to try new tastes and have fun in the kitchen with mum and dad. We look forward to hearing from you”

Cookery Doodle Doo North Hants

Cookery Doodle Doo North Hants

Alison said “My daughter loves Cookery Doodle Doo.. Highly recommended”

Katie said “Hi, I run Cookery Doodle Doo. For primary school aged children we offer the monthly Sunday Pudding Club. Drop your child off with us for 2 hours in Laverstoke and collect them proudly bearing a large pud to share at your family Sunday dinner. I also offer affordable private cookery lessons for any age child (and a group of their friends if liked) – why not get a group together for ad hoc or regular Saturday morning sessions?! They could make their own tea!”

Inspero

Inspero

Becky said “Check out this page, it’s a charity that does fab cooking and gardening clubs”

Sarah said “Check out inspero. Kids gardening and cooking”

Newlyns

Newlyns

Lyndsey said “I’m not sure if they do many kids classes but Newlyns Farm Shop in Odiham have a cookery school & run some kids events that might be worth looking into”

Marie said “We struggled with this for my youngest. As a cake baker and decorator, and old school home cook, she needed more than the basic stuff at that age. Didn’t find anything, but stuck it out til this year, her 8th birthday, and she has a cookery class at Newlyns cookery school in Warnborough. My eldest has done classes there, and they’re amazing. 2/3 course meals!”

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

Things to do with a baby in North Hampshire

Posted by shona on in Babies, Basingstoke, New Parents, Newborn, North Hampshire, Parents, Things to Do, Vulnerable Mum's 0 Comment

There are so many classes for babies that you could go to. Take a look at these, bare in mind though that some of these will be pre-booked only.

Thank you VERY much to Shona for putting this post together!

Things to do with a baby in North Hampshire

Newborn classes to meet other mums

NCT Coffee groups

Basingstoke NCT runs coffee groups that meet regularly to support parents-to be and parents. Anyone is welcome, you don’t have to be a member of NCT and is open from pregnancy right up to pre-school age. Opportunities to meet other people and talk to them about their experiences and make new friends.

No fee to attend, there is a collection towards the work the NCT do.

NCT

NCT Early Days

This is a group that meets in a supportive, relaxed and friendly atmosphere to openly talk about life as a mum. You can discuss challenges, tips and the reality over the expectations you had/have. You will meet other parents, make friends and gain support and tips. Courses run over 4-6 weekly sessions for new mums. They are aimed at new mums with babies under 6months. There is a fee for this course – enquire via link below.

NCT Early Days

Little Tots Poppins

This is an Art and Messy session followed by Music and Movement.You don’t register, just pop in. The sessions are run on Thursday mornings from 9.30am to 11am and costs £3 per session. The sessions are term time only.

Little Tots Stoney Heath, White Lion Court, Hollybush Farm, Stoney Heath, Ramsdell, Tadley, RG26 5SL. 01256851398

Little Tots Poppins

Little Munchkins Baby

These are Baby Massage and Baby Yoga classes which help you to feel relaxed, happy and confident with your baby. Baby massage helps build bonds and will help you become more in tune and confident with your baby’s needs. The course is taught in 5 weekly session (1 hour long each session). Suitable from birth. It runs on a Tuesday from 11am to 12pm at Tadley Community Centre.

Little Munchkins Baby

Baby Sensory

These are nationwide so have a look online for your local session as there are quite a few in Basingstoke. They offer a musical world of sensory experiences for both parents and children. There are light shows, bells, bubbles, puppets and signing to name but a few of the activities. The class is split into three phases so there is a free play session in the middle where you can play with the toys and activities set out and sit and talk to other mums and dads. Sessions run term time only and the course is £70 per term you wish to take up.

Baby Sensory

Tots Play

This is a 6 week course suitable from birth to 6 months. You learn fun ways to play and communicate with your baby using massage, music, signing and is also a great way to meet other mums. The class runs from 11.20am to 12.20pm and you must book in advance.

Tots Play

Barn Tots

This is a friendly play session from birth to pre-school. They meet at Viables Community Centre on Tuesdays from 10am to 12pm and Thursdays from 9.45am to 11.45am. It is term time only. There are different toys each week and a great soft play area for babies. There is singing and storytime and music and movement too. It costs £2 per session and includes refreshments for adults and a cold drink, fruit and biscuits for the children.

Active Mums

This is an hour long class which starts with a warm up walk which moves up to a power walk. There are exercises throughout the class to strengthen and tone. The route is suitable for any buggy and it’s a great session to get some exercise and meet other mums. The classes run at 11am on a Monday and Wednesday at Basing Wood. It is all year round and no booking is required. 1 session is £4 or you can book 10 sessions online for £35.

Active Mums

Take a look at NHM’s activity pages too for additional classes you could go to

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Go out for something to eat

You could go out with baby for a bite to eat too. There are lots of ideas here.

Little Roses Tea Room and Gift Shop – Elm Park Garden Centre, Aldermaston Road, Pamber End, Tadley, RG26 5QW

Open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4.30pm

  • Lovely Little cafe with lovely people and great service.
  • Has a baby changing unit in its disabled toilet with nappy sacks and baby wipes for you to use!
  • Sit upstairs if you have toddlers or want to sit on comfy sofa’s – no gate at the top of the stairs though.
  • Lovely cakes and very reasonable placed.
  • Recommend to avoid the Valley of the Dolls shop next door. Unless you are into that kind of thing of course
  • Cafe is situated at the back of the garden centre to the right and has parking next to it.

Wyevale Garden Centre – Wildmoor Lane, Sherfield on Loddon, Basingstoke, RG27 0HL

Open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays

  • Bit hit and miss with quality of food. Week days better than weekends
  • Join the membership scheme as it’s amazing how quickly you rack up discounts which get you money off future purchases.
  • They have a car cleaner on site, so you can have your car cleaned for a very reasonable price whilst you enjoy lunch or coffee and cake.
  • Baby Changing facilities are in the ladies

Departure Lounge Cafe – Basingstoke Road, Alton, GU34 4BH

Open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm on weekends.

  • This cafe is next to a Garden Centre and has part of an aircraft (!!!) at the back of the cafe.
  • Was very impressed as it didn’t look much from the main road.

Newlyns Farm Cafe – Lodge Farm, North Warnborough, Hook, RG29 1HA

Open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm on Saturdays and 9am to 12pm on Sundays

  • Eaten here several times but not with baby so not sure what baby facilities are like. Anyone else been here with their baby?

Squires Garden Centre – Badshot Lea Road, Badshot Lea, Farnham, GU9 9JX
Open from 9am – 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays.

  • Lovely cafe here with a room for children with toys and high chairs in which is quite nice.
  • Good quality food
  • Baby changing facilities in the disabled toilets

The Portsmouth Arms – Hatch Warren Lane, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 4RA

Food served from 8am to 9pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 10pm Friday and Saturday and 12pm to 9pm on Sunday

  • Wooden climbing frame and swings for children.
  • Unsure if Baby changing facilities available

Millstone Pub – Barton’s Lane, Old Basing, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 8AE

Food served from 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 9pm Monday to Friday and from 12pm to 9pm on weekends

  • A country pub haven, yet only 5 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Basingstoke town centre, the Millstone is set within a conservation area near to the historical Basing house ruins.
  • Children’s Playground next door. Unsure if Baby changing facilities are available.
  • The Millstone hosts a quiz every Thursday from 9pm.

Giraffe – Festival Place Shopping Centre, Basingstoke, RG21 7BB

  • Check vouchercloud.com for discounts before going
  • Reasonably priced kids menu
  • Current deal on for Kids main course, dessert and drink for just £6.50 (correct as of December 2016) all day everyday
  • Step free access which is great if you are taking a pushchair or two.
  • Kids parties are available too.

Zizzi’s – 1 London Street, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 7NT

  • Check vouchercloud.com for discounts before going
  • Bambini Kids Menu – 3 courses and a chococino for £6.75 (correct as of December 2016)

Wagamamas – Festival Place, Basingstoke, RG21 7BB

  • Baby Changing facilities are available in the Disabled toilet
  • Seating is on benches and generally not comfortable for breastfeeding
  • Fast and healthy food
  • If you sit at the tables near the entrance, there is enough parking for pushchairs next to the tables at the back.
  • Disabled access can be used for pushchairs.
  • If you are pressed for time (evening feeds, etc.) you can check out your local Wagamama menu on the iPhone or iPad Wagamama application or check online in advance. The Mobile Applications allow you to place your order so it is ready when you arrive. You can also order takeaway using this option.
  • Excellent air con, so if it’s hot outside, this is a great place to be!
  • Reasonably priced kids menu available

Pizza Express – Unit R9, Lower Ground, Festival Place, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 7BB

  • Children’s menu available with 3 courses for only £6.95 (correct as of December 2016)
  • Pizza making parties can be booked for adults and children!
  • They are running an incentive to get children cooking and are encouraging school visits to learn.

Pizza Express – The Whitehouse, Winchester Road, Basingstoke, RG22 6HL

  • Baby Changing facilities in Disabled toilets, with cover for babies to lie on
  • Parking in car park is very small. Alternative parking is available at the football ground which is 3 mins walk away, however, you will need your pushchair as it’s too far to carry the car seat from.
  • Dyson hand dryers (it’s the little things that count!)
  • Very friendly people who like babies!
  • Check vouchercloud.com for discounts before going
  • Children’s menu available with 3 courses for only £6.95 (correct as of December 2016)
  • Pizza making parties can be booked for adults and children!
  • They are running an incentive to get children cooking and are encouraging school visits to learn.

Pizza Hut – Brighton Hill Retail Park, Winchester Road, Basingstoke, RG22 4AN

  • Unlimited salad, unlimited squash and unlimited ice cream factory… how can you argue with that?
  • They have two children’s menus with pizzas, pastas or chicken followed by a drink and Ice Cream factory or a fruit juice ice lolly. Prices start at £5.49 (correct as of December 2016)
  • Baby changing facilities are good here too.
  • Balloons and activity books with crayons are available to keep children busy whilst they wait
  • Children’s parties are available too
  • They also have bottle warming facilities
  • High chairs available too

The Harvester – Winchester Road, Basingstoke, RG22 6HN

  • Some tables aren’t big enough for Pushchairs
  • Baby changing facilities are available in disabled toilets.
  • Menu shows the calorie content of each item
  • Starting from £5.99 there is a children’s menu with meals for small children up to 10 years old.
  • Unlimited salad cart too
  • Activity pack with colouring and games to do whilst waiting for food
  • Staff have always been lovely when I’ve been with my child

Mcdonalds  – Brighton Hill Retail Park, Winchester Road, Basingstoke, RG22 4AN

  • If you’re feeling more slummy mummy than yummy mummy and can’t be bothered to mobilise the army, this is a very quick place to get lunch
  • Many more options than used to be, children can have burger, cheeseburger, chicken nuggets or fish fingers. They can also have fries or carrot sticks and for drinks they can have milk, orange juice, fruit shoot or any of the draft drinks.

Nelsons Diner – Newbury Road, Newbury, RG20 4TA

  • I love Nelsons for breakfast. They do a great American breakfast, pancakes with maple syrup. If you aren’t watching your waistline, I totally recommend the milkshakes. Totally moreish. (I may regret putting up such a raving review next time we try to get a table! :-D)
  • Kids menu is available and a meal deal is only £6.95 (correct as of December 2016) which includes a starter, main course and a desert as well as a drink.
  • Children’s parties can also be booked here.
  • Staff have always been really friendly when taken my family there.
  • Changing facilities are basic but adequate.
  • Not much space for pushchairs but there is parking right outside so shouldn’t be much of an issue
  • Highchairs available
  • Play area outside if the weather is nice

Sainsburys – 3 Wallop Drive, Basingstoke, RG22 4TW

  • Children’s meals are developed for ages 5 to 10.
  • They do sell pouches of baby food
  • High chairs are good and have always been clean when we’ve visited
  • Dedicated baby changing room with a toilet in for parents too

Debenhams – Festival Place, Festival Way, Basingstoke, RG21 7BA

  • There is a baby room next to the Restaurant.
  • They also offer a special children’s menu and provide baby food and bottle warming facilities, free bibs and wipes.
  • Two types of high chairs including ones for smaller babies

Morrisons – Worting Road, Basingstoke, RG21 8BJ

  • Fairly limited kids menu but have always been accommodating when I’d asked to adapt it.
  • Children’s lunch boxes are good as there is a choice of contents.
  • £3 kids meal which includes any children’s meal, a fruit bag and a drink
  • Children eat free after 3pm with a full paying adult meal
  • High chairs, microwave and disposable bibs available
  • Baby changing facilities are further from the restaurant right near the store entrance but have always been clean

Olivers Fish and Chips – 39 London Road, Old Basing, Basingstoke, RG24 7JE

  • They have an early Bird Deal at the moment.
  • The restaurant is open every day until 10.30pm, but check the website to confirm this.
  • They do have baby changing facilities and colouring and crayons for bigger children as well as books by the door.
  • Not much space so pushchairs won’t really work.
  • Maybe a place to visit if you are lucky enough to have a night out alone with your partner/husband.
  • Children’s meals are priced from £3.45
  • High chairs are available
  • There is also a takeaway menu for children

Marks and Spencers Cafe – Chineham Shopping Centre, Great Binfields Road, Chineham, RG24 8BG

  • Baby changing in both the male and female toilets
  • High chairs are available and have always been clean
  • Not too cheap but good for a nice treat or even just a coffee and a cake
  • Always clean and tidy
  • Plenty of parking

Nando’s  – Festival Place, Basingstoke, RG21 7BB

  • Open until 11pm most nights
  • Has baby changing facilities
  • They do make you leave push chairs near the door, not always near you which makes me nervous
  • Nandino’s meals for under 10’s – choose one main, a marinade (plain-ish or PERi-tamer), two side and a dessert for £5.65

Spruce Goose – Basingstoke Leisure Park, Worting Road, Basingstoke, RG22 6PG

  • New and improved kids menu
  • All children’s mains come with 1 of your 5 a day
  • Meal deals start from £4.75 and come with a free squash
  • I’ve always found service to be slow when I’ve been there so perhaps better with older children

Queens College Arms – Aldermaston Road, Pamber End, Tadley, RG26 5QR

  • Recommend booking in advance and asking for the “big” table.
  • They have baby changing facilities onsite and bottle warming facilities.
  • Very friendly and welcoming of Mum’s and babies.
  • For bigger children, there is a climbing frame in the pub garden.
  • Meal deal for children includes any meal plus a tub of ice cream or sorbet for £5.75

Dobbies Garden Centre – 166 Hyde End Road, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9ER

  • If you fancy going a bit further afield or live near Reading, it’s worth checking out the restaurant of this Garden Centre.
  • They have a large restaurant with a big outside eating area.
  • Seems to be quiet because it’s outside of central Reading.

The Cafe Project, Brighton Hill Parade, Off Sullivan Road, Basingstoke, RG22 4EH

  • Open Tuesday to Friday’s from 9.30am to 2pm
  • Fabulous cause, supports adults with learning difficulties; they train the students to gain experience in hospitality and catering and then they go on to find further work experience or paid employment
  • Small children’s menu
  • Friendly and welcoming
  • Lots of high chairs
  • Baby changing facilities

Conkers Garden Centre – London Road, Old Basing, Basingstoke, RG24 7LJ

  • Early Bird Meals with children

Go for a day out

You could go out for the day to one of the places we have looked at below…

Legoland – Windsor – Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 4AY

Under 3’s are free – £55.40 for adults (although annual membership is only £100 so two visits and you are already quids in). Rides for little ones too as long as they can sit up. NHM review 2014

The Look Out Discovery centre – Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7QW

Under 4’s are free and adults are £7.30. They also run a parent and toddler offer, so you can get a bonus card and when it is stamped, your 6th visit is free. This is only during term time and Monday-Friday.

Marwell Zoo – Thompson’s Lane, Colden Common, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1JH

Prices during winter are £15 per adult and free for under 2’s. NHM review 2014

The Hawk Conservancy – Visitor Centre, Sarson Lane, Weyhill, Andover, SP11 8DY

  • Was a bit skeptical about this place before going but it was an absolutely brilliant day out.
  • Loved the Bird Displays, the Ferret Racing and the opportunity to have an eagle sit on your arm!

Prices for an adult entry are £14.50 and under 4’s are free. NHM review 2013

Paultons Park – Ower, Romsey, The New Forest, Hampshire, SO51 6AL

Children under 1 meter are free. Adults and children over 1 metre are £27.25 if booked online in advance.

Playdays – 2 Stewart Road, KingsLand Business Park, Basingstoke, RG24 8NF

Indoor soft play area with cafe. Under 1’s are free. You can download the app too for discounts. There are also meal deals for children.

JJ’s –  Unit B, Morse Road, Basingstoke, RG22 6NE

Indoor soft play area with cafe. Varying prices for entry depending on age of child and whether it’s peak or off peak.

Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway – Wide Lane, Eastleigh, SO50 5PE

Adult ticket (return) is £3.50 or you can get 3 rides for the price of two. First class is only 50p more. Children under 2 ride free. There is also a cafe here. NHM review 2013

Finkley Down Farm – Andover, SP11 6NF

Under 2’s are free. There’s so much to do here, soft play, farm animals, outdoor play areas and many more. There is a lovely cafe with plenty of seating. Open all year round too. NHM review 2013

Beale Park – Lower Basildon, Pangbourne, Berkshire, RG8 9NW

Closes from November to February.  Under 2’s are free. There are outdoor play areas (with some specifically for toddlers), indoor play areas, animals, walks, cafe and even a pool in the summer. Adult admission is £7.

Bucklebury Farm – Bucklebury, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 6RR

Lovely big play areas for children, a bus to play on too. Slides inside and also tractor rides out to see the deer. Lots of animals to see too and you can also feed animals. Children under 2’s are free. NHM review 2015

Manor Farm  – Pylands Lane, Bursledon, Southampton, SO31 1BH

Under 3’s are free. Car parking is pay and display. There’s a historic farm, you can meet the animals and do lots of woodland walks. Interactive too, you can feed the chickens and help with milking.

RHS Wisley – Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB

Under 5’s are free. Lots of lovely gardens to explore.

Birdworld – Holt Pound, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4LD

Under 3’s are free. Lots of birds to see and also flying displays and other activities to watch/take part in. NHM review 2013

Rainy day activities

If the weather isn’t very good, there are some great ideas of rainy day activities here too.

Treasure baskets

I have recently published a post about treasure baskets and the benefits for little ones. Have a read of it here.

Sensory activities

Having previously worked in a nursery, Shona recommends using everyday things around the house to do different sensory activities. You can buy a tuff spot from Wickes which is great for letting babies explore with their whole bodies in just a nappy. You can use things like custard powder and water, small amount of water mixed with different food colouring, cooked pasta/spaghetti, baked beans, different fruits/vegetables, sand with spoons/scoops. The lists are endless! You can also use different dry items. Use old baby food jars and poke holes in the lids then fill with things like mint, lavender, lemon etc. Make your own play dough with this recipe and play with spoons, rolling pins etc.

Do a mini photoshoot

We all love taking pictures of our little ones so grab your camera and do a mini photoshoot with things you have around the house. Baskets, blankets, lights. It’s a great way to bond and make lots of memories you can save for a lifetime.

Libraries

If your baby is on the move and exploring things, a library can be a great place for them to have a look through some books and come home with a couple of new ones.
Local Libraries

Aquariums

Babies really enjoy the sensory experience of visiting an aquarium. The bonus being that they are indoors too! Perfect for a rainy day.
Blue Reef – Portsmouth
Oceanarium – Bournemouth

Softplay

Softplay – Active Tots has areas for small babies.

Swimming

Swimming – Basingstoke Sports centre has a small pool that is kept at 32 degrees and open between 12 and 1.30 on a weekday and is an open session.

I would also check out the QMC pool as we swam in there last year and it was really warm! Also check out my 2013 review of Basingstoke Aquadrome.

Pots2Paint

Pots 2 Paint – Viables Craft Centre

A great way to get some special Christmas (or birthday) presents done. Handprints or footprints of your little one whilst they are tiny, will be treasured forever!

Baby Massage Classes

We did a baby massage class through our local children’s centre and I really enjoyed it. It was a great opportunity to bond with my daughter when she was tiny.

There are also several Mum’s in the area who run their own Baby Massage classes. I posted a list of them HERE.

Find some Mummy friends!

There are lots of Mum groups in the area who are on Facebook.  It’s a great and easy way to keep in touch. If you are feeling a bit lonely, then post something up and you will be overwhelmed with the response. You can find some of these groups HERE.

North Hampshire Mum’s are VERY friendly and supportive :-D.

Grab a coffee and cake

There are LOADS of little cafe’s in the area which are very supportive of new parents. My favourite for new parents is Elm Tree Garden centre (which I haven’t been to for ages!) which even supplies wet wipes in emergencies!

I also really love the Parlour Tea rooms, but it’s very popular now (for a good reason!) so you need to book in advance. It can get VERY busy.

There is also a tea room in Whitchurch, The Curiositea Room, which I hope to check out soon as it looks lovely! I still haven’t been to the Tea Bar at the top of town either, which looks lovely too! More recommendations by NHM readers can be found here.

Go for a walk

Yes, I know it’s raining. Sometimes though, it’s just good to wrap up and get out of the house. Put the waterproof cover on the pushchair and just go out of the house and get wet. It’s not going to hurt either of you to get some fresh air, just make sure your baby is well covered. There’s no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing!

We love Basing Wood and the Lime Pits (as I’ve raved about before!) but there is a great list of local walks suitable for pushchairs HERE. You can also see a reviews I’ve done on Alice Holt and Farleigh Mount.

Go (window) shopping

There are lots of local independent shops in the area. You can find a list of them HERE.

Also, you can’t go wrong in Festival Place. It’s mostly covered and sometimes it’s nice to just wander around or people watch.

Debenhams cafe has a bottle warmer and microwave if you are weaning.

Go swimming

I asked for recommendations for warm swimming pools to take babies in the area on my NHM facebook profile. Here are the recommendations.

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Review 2018: West Green Fruits

Posted by juliet on in Cheap, Children, Family, Food, North Hampshire, Reviews, Reviews of Days Out, Reviews of Things to do, Wellbeing 0 Comment

Thank you very much to today’s NHM Secret Reviewer!

West Green Fruits review – pick your own fruits, Hartley Wintney

West Green Fruits

 

One of my friends had recently told me about how she had asked her little boy where strawberries come from, he answered “the supermarket” (he was a little more specific but I didn’t want to seem bias!)

As it happened, I had already heard of a place called West Green Fruits where you can pick your own produce, and my friend’s experience made me keen to try it out! I had never been to a PYO before, I had been blackberry picking in ‘the wilds’, but I was really intrigued by this and thought it would be a great introduction to where food comes from. My boys were 2.5 yrs so I was a little concerned they would be a bit too young to get it. Fortunately, I was very wrong.

About

West Green Fruits is situated just outside Hartley Wintney, about 15 minutes from central Basingstoke. They are open during the PYO season, which started on 10th June this year. It is a family run business set in 20 acres of farmland and offers a range of fruit including strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, gooseberries, tayberries and more. There is a small shop selling their own homemade jams and Jella’s Ice Cream, made with their produce. They also have produce ready picked for those who would rather not pick their own.

The area consists of a car park, small building and acres and acres of fields. It is a stunning setting. There is also a picnic area and grass labyrinth, although we didn’t get to see these. You collect your punnets from the building by the car park. This is also where you bring back your produce to weigh and houses the shop. The produce currently available for picking are displayed on a board and the lovely ladies – and I do mean lovely, so helpful and chatty with the little ones too – point you in the direction of where to go.

It was wonderful to see both my boys happily trotting along, excitedly carrying their punnets, following the trail. The available fields are well marked out and there was an abundance of fruit to pick. Amazingly both my boys loved the experience, carefully picking out each fruit. I say amazingly as one of my boys is not very good at standing still, so to see him delicately choosing and picking each piece of fruit was incredible. After quite some time we wandered back to the kiosk to pay, and definitely needed to deposit into the ‘sin bin’ (an honesty box for ‘lost’ fruit and the contents going to charity) – red streaked faces making that pretty obvious!

We’ve been twice now, strawberries then raspberries, and will definitely be going back soon before the season ends.

Tips

West Green Fruits is seasonal, you will need to keep an eye on the West Green Fruits Facebook Page for their opening dates and for the produce that is currently available. Current opening hours are also displayed there.

Facilities

Worth noting, there are no facilities on site.

Prices

You pay for what you pick, prices are available at the kiosk and based on weight.

I think this is brilliant, as the picking is an experience in itself yet all you are paying for is the produce.

Rating out of 5

5, totally unique experience that we all loved.

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