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Review 2018: Gymfinity

Posted by juliet on 7th November 2018 in Children, Hampshire, Reviews of Things to do, Things to Do 0 Comment

Thank you very much to S for today’s NHM Review! She’s done a fab job!!!

Review 2018: Gymfinity

About

Gymfinity is a kids activity centre.

They say: “Gymfinity Kids is the one-stop destination for active classes for kids. From budding gymnasts to natural born ninjas, all skill levels are welcome to join the fun!”.

They host all types of gymnastic classes, holiday camps, baby balance, Ninja Zone and parties.

There are several types of gymnastic classes ranging from beginners, intermediate to advanced and team gymnastics.

Ninja Zone was: ” designed to help children channel their boundless energy into something productive.

This fun and energetic class combines a mix of martial arts, freestyle movement and gymnastics. Every one-hour session includes warm-ups, games and rotations adapted to each child’s ability, plus a fun obstacle course. As their skill and ability grows, each child will advance through the different levels.”

Baby Balance sessions are: “”30 minutes of FREE sensory play for babies aged 3 months +. These are parent-led sessions where you can spend quality time with your little one, while catching up with other parents too!”

There are lots more details about each of the classes at the following link: https://www.gymfinitykids.com/locations/farnborough/activities/#gymnastics.

They have branches in Farnborough, Colchester, Reading and Leeds. I visited the Farnborough branch with my 8 year old son.

Every child has a free trial prior to signing up; this means that the child and parent gets to see if the facilities work for them, and it also gives the coaches a chance to assess the child’s ability and place them in the correct group for their ability.

Every coach is trained by a regional trainer regularly which means that they are all trained to the same standard. They also train coaches on the floor during classes so they receive on-the-job training.

Tips

Gymfinity is based on the upper floor of the Meads Shopping centre (above Sainsbury’s). I would advise you get to your session in plenty of time to get a parking space and pay for your ticket.

Food/drink

There is a vending machine and a hot drinks machine in the gym. These are usual vending prices.

Facilities

There is plenty of seating so you can watch your child during the class. There are a couple of tables. There are male and female toilets and disabled toilet with nappy changing facilities. They are very clean and well maintained.

There are two party rooms, both with disco lights which are very cool. I was told their unicorn themed party is very popular.

The gym itself has loads of equipment including balance beams, trampolines, assault course (with timer), vaulting horse, climbing wall as well as two slides which end in a massive foam pit.

Baby facilities

There are changing facilities in the disabled toilets

Parking

There is a car park which costs £2 for two hours. This can be refunded if you spend £5 in Sainsbury’s.

Prices

The trial session is free but if you decide you want to go ahead with classes these are prices as follows;

Pre-schoolers (up to 4.5): 25.95 a month with £30 annual membership fee
Recreational (4.5-16 years): 34.62 a month with £30 annual membership fee
Additional child: same monthly price but just £5 annual membership fee

Classes run daily and at weekends. At the end of each class children receive any awards and certificates they have earned.

Rating out of 5

5/5. Gymfinity is honestly amazing; it is well air conditioned without being chilly, light and airy. The gym itself is bright and colourful and very inviting to children (I was very tempted to dive headfirst into the foam pit after my son!)

The coaches are fantastic, really encouraging to the children and willing to throw themselves into the activity (my son certainly put his instructor through her paces). There are plenty of coaches on the floor who can help those children who need it and there is a maximum of 10 children per class.

Disclaimer: This post is a review of Gymfinity Farnborough. Our session was supplied free of charge for the purposes of the review. We were not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are our 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!

Busy Bees Toddler Group in Hook

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 12th October 2018 in Children, Group, Hook, Pre School, Things to Do, Toddlers 0 Comment

Busy Bees Toddler Group in Hook

I am a mum to a three-year-old toddler. Every week, we go to a toddler group called Busy Bees in Hook.

It’s brilliant and it provides a great range of activities for little ones including painting, play-doh, two crafts on a theme each week, a healthy snack, and songtime.

Busy Bees Toddler Craft Group

9.45am – 11.15am –

Children of all ages welcome up to 5 years

Elizabeth Hall, Raven Road, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9HH.

£4 for children over 18 months. £2 for those under 18 months who are unable to do the crafts. Includes snack for children and hot drinks for adults.

Drop in, pay-as-you-go, no joining fee.

Santas, Pantos and Other Christmas 2018 events

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 27th September 2018 in Basingstoke, Berkshire, Children, Events, Family, Hampshire, Organising, Things to Do 0 Comment

Thank you very much to W for putting together today’s post on NHM! She’s done an awesome job!

Santas, Pantos and Other Christmas 2018 events

I know, I know it’s too soon but the kids are back at school, Strictly and the X Factor have started and several places are now taking bookings for Santa visits/experiences. If you need a weekend slot or you want to take advantage of early bird discounts the next few weeks are the best time to book.

Below are some of the local places to visit Santa, plus several other Christmas experiences that you may wish to book or put in the diary now. With school holidays starting late this year demand for weekend slots for Santa will be high so book early.

Experiences with a Santa Visit

More of the Good Stuff – Dummer. Now taking bookings for Breakfast or Tea with Santa

Wyevale Garden Centre – Sherfield on Loddon. Tickets are now on sale for Santa’s Grotto. They also normally do Breakfast or tea with Santa, keep an eye on their website for details.

Millers Ark – Nr Hook. Lots of Christmas events including a Santa’s Grotto, Carols in the Barn and a Nativity with real animals.

4 Kingdoms – Headley. Now taking bookings for their Christmas experience.

Finkley Down Farm – Andover. Booking now open.

Basingstoke Canal – Mychett. Booking opens 1^st Oct. Bookings by phone or in person.

Watercress Line – Alresford/Alton. Book now for the Santa Special.

Marwell – Winchester. Tickets on sale from September 17th.

Winchester Science Centre – Winchester. Bookings now open for their Santa experience.

Paultons Park – Ower. Tickets now on sale.

Lapland UK – Windsor. Tickets now on sale

Legoland – Windsor. Christmas tickets now on sale, discount for early booking.

Santa Grottos

Festival Place – Basingstoke. Details TBC. This is normally the cheapest Santa in the area. No Booking required.

Henry Street Garden Centre –Arborfield. Booking normally opens in October, weekends book up very fast.

Dobbies Garden Centre – Shinfield. Book via website.

Redfields Garden Centre – Church Crookham. Details yet to be released. Normlly book instore or by phone 01252 624444.

Other Christmas Events

Festival Place Lights Switch On – Basingstoke. Date TBC.

The Malls – Basingstoke. Date TBC. The Lights switch on is normally the start of a host of Christmas events in the Malls. See their website for details.

Festival Place Santa Parade – Basingstoke. TBC.

Milestones Christmas Market – Basingstoke. 8^th – 9^th Dec

Basingstoke Festive Fun Run – Memorial Park Basingtoke. Dec 16^th. Please check website for times.

Lantern Procession – Newbury. Dec 16^th. Join in or just admire and soak up the atmosphere as the candle-lit procession travels along Northbrook Street to the Market Place

Winchester Cathedral – Nov 17^th – Jan 2^nd. Check out the cathedral website for all the events at Winchester Cathedral including the Christmas Market and the Ice Rink.

Theatre

The Magical Christmas Toy Shop – Proteus Basingstoke. Dec 14^th – 24^th. Interactive Christmas performance, Santa normally makes an appearance. Early bird discount until September 30th. For pre-school children (although most infants love it too).

Reindeer on the Roof – Central Studio Basingstoke. Dec 14^th. Suitable for the whole family.

A Christmas Carol – More of the Good Stuff, Dummer. Dec 16^th A production for Children.

Santa’s Christmas Party – The Haymarket Basingstoke. Dec 7^th – 9^th ages 2 -7

Santa’s Christmas Party – Theatre Royal Winchester. Dec 17^th. All ages

Pantos

Snow White – The Anvil Basingstoke. Dec 13^th – Jan 6^th. All ages

Aladdin – The Hexagon Reading. Dec 8^th – Jan 6^th. All ages. With Justin Fletcher.

Beauty & The Beast– Theatre Royal Winchester. Dec 1^st – Jan 6^st. All ages

Jack & The Beanstalk – Corn Exchange Newbury. Nov 30^st – Jan 6^th. All ages

Dick Whittington – Mayflower Southampton. Dec 15^th – Jan 6^th. All ages.

And one for the Grown Ups

The Scummy Mummies Christmas Show – Theatre Royal Winchester. Dec 13^thAges 18+

Please let us know of any events you feel should be added to

For details of loads of other events follow Louise Nhm Smith on facebook and look up events.

NHM Readers Recommend: Getting Around with Kids without a Car

Posted by juliet on 27th September 2018 in Basingstoke, Family, Hampshire, Mums, NHM Readers, Parents, Travel 0 Comment

I recently had a question from a NHM Reader that I asked the NHM Community to help with: “For medical reasons I have been told I need to permanently stop driving. With 3 young children (1, 4 & 6) the thought of not being able to drive is utterly frightening and I am really struggling with it. I would really appreciate hearing from mums who don’t drive and how they find doing normal day to day things and special school holiday things without driving. I have no idea how we can continue with swimming, Beavers, football etc. I don’t have family to help and I don’t know what I am going to do!”

Thank you to the NHM Community for all of your responses, listed below in no particular order.

NHM Readers Recommend: Getting Around with Kids without a Car

Kathryn said “I don’t drive (hubby does) and was a sahm for the first 18 months of my second daughter’s life… Both of my girls love the bus. I found we were quite well connected, live in Popley, had nursery in town centre and attended various baby groups all over Basingstoke. I downloaded the network map on my phone so I could always check which buses went to somewhere before committing to going. Just had to allow time for longer journeys and the possibility that I couldn’t fit on the bus with the pushchair and having to wait for the next one… But it is doable”

Claire M said “I grew up in a family where my mum didn’t drive. I didn’t miss out at all, you will probably find your kids will become more independent as a result when they get a bit older. Trains are pretty good these days too with the 4 for 2 deals etc. As long as you live close to public transport you will be fine”

Claire D said “I have a 5, 3 and 2 year old (and an almost 18 year old). I am learning to drive but obviously currently dont. When I was with the kids Dad he drove but I still had to make my own way about when he was at work. I rely on buses, taxis and trains. I still am able to get to work and back and take the kids to school etc. I shop online, go and do small shops and also occasionally get lifts to do slightly bigger shops. I get by. It can get stressful, but the norm for me.

I also often have to navigate London with my 5 and 3 year old on foot and my 2 year old in a pushchair. When I have the pushchair, I find my route with buses and plan in advance. When I am lucky to have a babysitter for my youngest, I get the tube. Recently I had 4 London visits with the kids, to places that I didnt know, in two weeks. I survived, 2 visits were after night shifts.

Also a rail card is a great thing to have. £30 for a year and you get quite a saving on train tickets with it. They also do “buy one get one free” deals on entry tickets to places in London when travelling by train with a rail card https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/ https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/news-offers/days-out/”

Ruth said “I was going to recommend this too! 🙂and google maps – if you select directions, and the little bus/train icon before putting in where you want to go, it gives you all the bus/train route info plus how long to walk at each stage! And if you can afford to invest in a Merlin card then there is lots to do in London when they are a bit older, plus sealife centre in Weymouth on the pass is a great day out on the train. I remember doing all sorts by public transport with my mum as dad was the only driver and worked pretty much the whole summer hols”

Kate said “There is a service called ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ who are happy to transport kids and support anyone with getting out and about. Driving Miss Daisy Whitchurch”

Katie said “Speak to other parents at clubs and see if you can get lifts for your children from them. We share lifts to most clubs and would give lifts to non drivers as we are going anyway.”

Hannah said “I won’t lie it is tough sometimes but my boy is only 3 1/2 And used to only going to places on bus/train with me. My OH drives but tbh if he is working a Sunday he has to miss his rugby because we can’t get there. I would definitely see if there are other parents who could help out with clubs etc”

Zoe said “I don’t drive and have the same age children as you. My husband drives but is only around the weekends so we rely on public transport and walking throughout the week. Don’t think my children miss out because of me not driving. I guess it depends where you live and how far away the clubs etc are from you?”

Kelly said “I do drive but my husband doesn’t anymore due to complications with his type 1 diabetes. You may be entitled to a free bus pass as you have had to stop driving for medical reasons. Online food shopping is vital too it saves carrying bags. As for clubs maybe ask friends to help or move lessons to the weekends so youre not getting home too late with tired children on public transport.”

Sharon said “I don’t drive, and live in the town centre partly for that reason. I do spend a fair bit of time finding activities I can access as a lot of these are out in the ‘burbs. To be honest I limit bus use as I find this a pain with my youngest (2) needing a buggy for longer journeys (and all the stuff we still have to cart around!) – there often isn’t room on a bus for us so I always go one bus early to allow for a fall back plan. We do the things we can get to. My mum or husband help with one-offs if they are around. We arrange further days out when hubby or parents are around, which to be honest works nicely as these are often too expensive to do often anyway! Best of luck sorting out the clubs side of things.”

Mindy said “Consider doing your sums and working out what you save on insurance, petrol etc and giving yourself a budget for taxis for some trips”

Mata said “I don’t drive and neither does my husband. We use public transport and taxis. We choose everything based on non-driving: where we live, work, what activities the kids do. Not driving is hard in Hampshire, especially in more rural areas. It is not too bad in Basingstoke. And the norm in London.”

Breastfeeding Support: Hampshire Breastfeeding Counselling

Posted by juliet on 25th September 2018 in Babies, Basingstoke, Breastfeeding, New Parents, Newborn, Vulnerable Mum's 0 Comment

Breastfeeding support from professionally trained breastfeeding counsellors in Hampshire – no appointment necessary.

Every Monday, 10 – 11.30am (closed bank holidays)
Blue Room, Sherborne Building, Basingstoke Hospital RG24 9NA

Every Monday, 1pm – 2.30pm (closed bank holidays)
Cutbush Children’s Centre, Cutbush Lane, Townhill Park, Southampton, SO18 2GF

Every Tuesday 10 – 11:30am (NCT run)
NEW venue same service The Maternity Centre, Andover War Memorial Hospital, Charlton Rd, Andover SP10 3LB

Every Tuesday 9:30 to 11:00 (NCT run)
The Salvation Army Church and Community Centre, 85 Whites Way, Hedge End, SO30 2GL

Every Wednesday 9:30am – 12pm (NCT run)
Lantern’s Children’s Centre, Bereweeke Rd., Winchester SO22 6AJ

Every Thursday, 9.30am – 11am
Baby Café at The Ashby Centre, Stratton Rd, Southampton, SO15 5QZ

Every Friday 10-11.30am (NCT run)
Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook St, Basingstoke, RG21 7RU

If you need phone support the National NCT Breastfeeding Helpline is open every day including bank holidays. 0300 300 0700 (8am to midnight every day of the year).

NCT Breastfeeding Counsellors are paid to work on the line and are happy to cover the bank holidays too, so are waiting for your call. If you have to leave a message, calls are generally returned within 2 hours. Any questions about opening hours please message us on Facebook and we will get back to you.

https://www.facebook.com/HampshireBreastfeedingCounselling/

Last Updated: September 2018

Messy Monkey Makers

Posted by juliet on 19th September 2018 in Babies, Basingstoke, Children, Classes, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses, New Classes, Pre School, Things to Do, Toddlers 0 Comment

Hi my name is Kerry and I am the owner of Messy Monkey Makers in Basingstoke, some of you may remember it previously being called Messy Monsters! I bought and took over the business in April of this year and since then I have been busy rebranding and putting lots of new exciting messy play classes, it’s all been very exciting.

So more about Messy Monkey Makers, my classes are fun, exciting, sensory and messy exploration classes for age 6 months to 5 years!

Our classes offer your little monkey an environment to explore their imagination, concentration and freedom of expression in a fun, safe and non-restricted environment. We can offer them the chance to explore using resources such as sand, water, slime, paint, playdough and much more! This enables them to understand how things feel, smell, sound, taste all which can support their development.

At Messy Monkey Makers it’s not about the finished product, it’s about the process. We do not make things that are perfect we make things that are squidgy, squelchy, crafty, creative, splodgy, sparkly and most of all messy. Our aim is to empower children of all ages and ability through creativity.

Classes run during term time on a Tuesday and Friday starting at 10:30am and are ran out of Popley Fields Community Centre. I also run special events once a month on a Sunday and also have events during the school holidays.

Drop in’s are available for £6 but need to be booked in advance and are subject to availability.

For more information or to get booked on please go to www.messymonkeymakers.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/messymonkeymakers/
Instagram @messymonkeymakers
Or via email kerry@messymonkeymakers.com

Baby Paddlers

Posted by juliet on 17th September 2018 in Babies, Exercise, Guest Posts, New Classes, North Hampshire, Swimming, Toddlers 0 Comment

Baby Paddlers is a small swim school which has grown across Hampshire and is really excited to be opening a new pool in Odiham. Our teachers are trained and recruited to always be looking at the best way for you and your child to have fun in the water. Our values are honest, approachable, positive, progressive, exciting and encouraging….our own version of how to create lots of HAPPEE little swimmers! Cheesy as this sounds this is at the forefront of everything we do, we offer a flexibility with our unique catch up system to ensure customers do not miss a week swimming!

Our Milestones programme with our colourful characters was launched in 2017 and has been a fantastic way to track how all swimmers are progressing and gives teachers a brilliant guide to follow all our children through their development on a group and individual basis. We love seeing our preschoolers graduate at the end of their swimming years with us.

Our newborn classes are held in warm pools and focus on bonding with your baby, gentle activities to introduce them to the water at the right pace for each child. Teachers use the milestones programme and talk to parents to ensure this goes at the right speed and when they are ready to move on we can introduce them to the beauty of being underwater and to slowly learning how to hold on, play with toys and use their senses to enjoy the water.

Once they reach the right stage we move on to swooshing them around the water and lots and lots of jumping which the older babies and toddlers absolutely love and will giggle creating the fun environment which will set them up for a love of the water!

Our main aim is to develop water confidence using toys, songs and lots of fun. Word association and recognition is a big part of what we do, encouraging children to kick, paddle, swim, jump, hold on – all so important in the early years.

Our baby and toddler swimming classes have a maximum of 8 and our preschool classes a maximum of 6, this ensures that your child is in a fun group environment but has the opportunity for one on one time with the teacher.

The Milestones programme is designed to help you understand the stages and learning milestones that your child will progress through as part of the Baby Paddlers journey. Every stage has been created to ensure focus on a number of key development areas, from physical and sensory development to swimming milestones that they will reach during these early years. No two children are the same so the programme is designed to offer flexibility in teaching so our teachers can tailor their classes to meet the needs of the children. There are four stages and each stage has 3 levels.

At Baby Paddlers we absolutely love what we do, all teachers revel in teaching parents to have fun in the water with their children, come and find out more about us and get in touch to book a course or to come along to a summer special to see what we are all about.

Please visit us at https://www.babypaddlers.co.uk for more details.

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!

Drama Tots Basingstoke

Posted by juliet on 10th September 2018 in Basingstoke, Classes, Group, Guest Posts, Pre School, Toddlers 0 Comment

Hi, my name is Kate and I run Drama Tots Basingstoke, an award winning preschool activity for 18mnth-4 yr olds. Having trained professionally in musical theatre, I have worked extensively with children, both in a theatrical and teaching capacity.

Our classes use original music, props, puppets and our imaginations to take you and your little ones on new and exciting adventures each week. Having been designed with the EYFS curriculum in mind, many of our activities have educational benefits as well as being lots of fun. Our nurturing environment means that our classes help to bring confidence to shyer children as well as harnessing the creative sides of those who are already more extrovert.

Classes start back from Monday the 10th September and run on a weekly basis during term time. We offer 3 week trial packages for £12 which give you a good overview of what it is all about.

I will also be doing a taster session at Playdays soft-play on Tuesday the 18th September at 10am, (normal entrance fee applies) where you can take part in a class and have time in the soft play as well.

For more information and to book a trial please see our website: www.dramatots.co.uk
Facebook page – Drama Tots Basingstoke
Instagram- @dramatotsbasingstoke
or contact me: kate@dramatots.co.uk

Review 2018: CarFest South

Posted by juliet on 5th September 2018 in Events, Family, North Hampshire, Older Children, Reviews, Reviews of Days Out, Things to Do 0 Comment

Thank you very much to R for today’s NHM Secret Review!!!

Review 2018: CarFest South

Wow. Our day at CarFest was certainly one to remember! Ha ha. I will explain…

CarFest doesn’t do anything half-heartedly. It gives 100% to the atmosphere, to the entertainment, to the food, to the music, to the cars and to the fundraising. It really is impressive. Unfortunately, on our day visit, the weather also decided to give 100%… 100% rain!!! All day. From start to finish. It rained. And rained. And rained some more. It was relentless.

Now you would think, with all the problems that the weather was creating, that the event would be a washout. However, I am pleased to report that it definitely wasn’t getting the better of this very British affair. We had an amazing time at CarFest and, weirdly, the crazy torrential rain made the whole experience even more unforgettable!

Top Tip: Be prepared for all weather conditions (take suncream, hats, layers, waterproofs, picnic blankets/chairs, umbrella, etc) as this is largely an outdoor event.

About

CarFest South is a fantastic weekend of family fun, awesome cars, delicious food and great music. It was founded by Chris Evans and raises money for BBC Children in Need.

It takes place over the August bank holiday weekend each year.

It is located on Laverstoke Park Farm, near Overton in Hampshire, clearly signposted from Basingstoke. We didn’t encounter any issues with traffic or queuing at all.

There is plenty of parking onsite.

Top Tip: Please note that it is a long uphill walk from the car parks so choose suitable comfortable footwear. Also make a note of which car park you are in to make it easier to find when you return in the dark!

Since its start in 2012, CarFest has raised £10.5 million for BBC Children in Need! The purchasing of CarFest tickets, adding to the collection buckets, buying merchandise from the Pudsey shop and getting raffle tickets, all contribute to this wonderful charity helping disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

What’s On

The weekend is jam-packed with family-friendly entertainment. I couldn’t possibly include everything in this review but here is a quick overview to give you an idea of what’s on:

Family
Farm Olympics, Steam Fair & Rides, Car-nival Parade, Kids’ Theatre, Inflatables, Kids’ Driving School and so much more.

Cars
Race track, Cartopia & Wall of Death, Vintage Village, Motorshow and Pudsey Bear Dream Rides.

Music
Wigwam Stage with performances from new and unsigned acts.
Main stage – headline acts this year included James Bay, Paloma Faith, Clean Bandit and Status Quo.

Food
Food Fair, Kitchen Stage (with live cooking demos from celebrity chefs) and caterers/cafes/food stalls galore!

Top Tip: Find out what’s on and where from the Daily Planners. Plan ahead and schedule your day so that you don’t miss out on any of your favourite activities, acts or displays. Some of the children’s activities, such as milkshake making and biscuit decorating, require booking a timeslot.

Top Tip: The use of ear protection for young children is recommended at CarFest due to the loud cars and music performances. These can be collected from the Organiser’s Office.

Facilities

Toilets and Baby Change
First Aid
Lost Child Point
CarFest encourages the use of reusable bottles to help protect the environment so there are drinking water points across the site.
Public Wi-Fi (all proceeds from Wi-Fi connections donated to Children in Need – £1 for 1 day, £3 for full weekend access)
Cash Machines (NB withdrawal charges apply)
Information Points
Electric Scooter & Wheelchair hire

The following must NOT be brought onto the festival site:

Dogs (except assistance dogs)
Alcohol, Glass, BBQs.

Exhibitors

All the wonderful folk volunteering and working there must have been so wet and cold but it didn’t dampen their spirits at all. Everyone was so kind, helpful and enthusiastic.

This was particularly true of one stand “Milk & More” who kindly welcomed us to shelter from the rain for a while. It was very interesting to learn about their service and sample some of their products. Milk & More source milk and other fresh produce from Britain’s farms and deliver them to doorsteps nationwide.

They are passionate about encouraging people to eat well and live sustainably and it was inspiring to hear their story. I love the idea of waking up to fresh milk from a glass bottle. They were even providing the weekend’s campers with lovely fresh tasty breakfast hampers! Their website is definitely worth a look.

https://www.milkandmore.co.uk/

Highlights

Chris Evans himself injected so much energy and fun into the weekend’s events. He is very much present and actively involved in everything that’s going on. He is clearly passionate about CarFest and about the Children in Need charity and it was great to see him compere the evening’s entertainment and interact with all the performers.

Tickets

http://www.carfest.org/ticket-information

Tickets for CarFest South in August go on sale in the previous November.

Prices vary depending on the number of days you wish to visit and whether or not you will be camping. A 1-day family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for the Friday this year was £143.

Children under the age of 6 can enter free of charge but you must order them a ticket.

Top Tip: CarFest tickets are in high demand each year and can prove tricky to get your hands on. You will need to set your alarm, be prepared and get online in plenty of time. If possible, use various devices and get friends and family on the case too! Keep pressing refresh to see the latest information.

Rating

My rating of CarFest has to be 5 out of 5!!! We really hope to return to this fantastic family event again next year. We will also be hoping for a bit more luck with regards to the weather.

Reminder of Top Tips

- CarFest tickets are in high demand each year and can prove tricky to get your hands on. You will need to set your alarm, be prepared and get online in plenty of time. If possible, use various devices and get friends and family on the case too! Keep pressing refresh to see the latest information.
- It is a long uphill walk from the car parks so choose suitable comfortable footwear.
- Make a note of which car park you are in to make it easier to find when you return in the dark!
- Find out what’s on and where from the Daily Planners. Plan ahead and schedule your day so that you don’t miss out on any of your favourite activities, acts or displays. Some of the children’s activities, such as milkshake making and biscuit decorating, require booking a timeslot.
- The use of ear protection for young children is recommended at CarFest due to the loud cars and music performances. These can be collected from the Organiser’s Office.
- Take picnic food and snacks with you to save some money as purchasing food onsite can be pricey.
- Be prepared for all weather conditions (take suncream, hats, layers, waterproofs, picnic blankets/chairs, umbrella, etc) as this is largely an outdoor event.

Disclaimer: This post is a review of 2018 CarFest South in conjunction with MilkandMore. The tickets were supplied free of charge for the purposes of the review. We were not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are our own.

Review 2018: Gymfinity

About

Tips

Food/drink

Facilities

Baby facilities

Parking

Prices

Rating out of 5

Busy Bees Toddler Group in Hook

NHM Readers recommend where to go to pick pumpkins

Wendy said:

Kathryn said:

Siobhan said:

Amy said:

Amanda said:

Sarah said:

Yvette said:

Laura said:

Santas, Pantos and Other Christmas 2018 events

NHM Readers Recommend: Getting Around with Kids without a Car

Review 2018: CarFest South

About

What’s On

Facilities

Exhibitors

Highlights

Tickets

Rating

Reminder of Top Tips