Literally Climbing the Walls

We've been promising to take Callum to Rock Reef since it opened nearly a year ago but with a 2 year old Millie around (4 is the youngest for climbing and 6 the youngest for most other activities) it hasn't been possible to do as a family so we thought a great opportunity would be for me to take Callum during the school holiday when Millie was at nursery.

After an initial disappointment thinking they weren't open during the day - I struggled to find out opening times on their website, Google told me the wrong opening times and then noone answering the phone when I called, I thought it wasn't going to happen. However, I'm grateful to the friends who shared the correct opening times and booked tickets for the next week at 10.30.

There was a range of activities and packages to choose from, some of which Callum was to young for and I didn't want to make it too expensive by having too many activities. I knew I definitely wanted to book the climbing and settled on the Pier Cave as a second activity. I did consider the zip wire but thought Stuart could take him on that another time.

Having signed the waiver online

in advance, along with the tickets being prebooked, entry was painless. We dumped out jumpers and my handbag in a locker (£1 non-returnable) then waited for the climbing instructor to run through the rules and set us up with a harness.

I've climbed a few times at a climbing centre in Guildford but not for a long while. Callum has been a couple of times at Lemur Landings, a nearby soft play centre in Poole and it was seeing him fly up the wall there and jump down again that convinced us we should take him climbing.

But faced with a full scale climbing wall about 15-20ft tall, that previous experience can all be forgotten especially when it comes to putting your faith in an automatic belay (the safety cable that enables you to get down from the wall once you reach the top or prevents you dropping like a stone to the ground if you fall). Even I struggled to let go at the top to make my way down. So it was no surprise Callum was a little apprehensive to start and didn't want to go too high. But, eventually, we built his confidence up and he scaled one of the highest walls made up of easy to climb large hexagon shapes. Understandably (though I did try to encourage him) he was too nervous to let go at the top so climbed his way back down again. There were so many walls to choose from to suit all levels of skill which meant there was plenty to keep us both happy and there were lots of walls I found too challenging to try. Even if you did find a wall too easy there were other challenges attached to the wall such as only using specific colour hand or foot holds. There were even two speed walls so you could race a friend or beat your own time (Callum reduced his first time of 63 seconds to 49, I got mine down from 19.52 seconds to 19.02). I was surprised how quick the time passed when climbing and could have easily continued trying different walls for another hour or so but before we knew it, it was time to go try out the Pier Cave. 

After reading the blurb online, I expected it to be a bit like a soft play activity with ball pools to drop in to all through (there was one ball pool at the start). I completely underestimated how tough it was going to be. It turns out I'm not as agile as a 6 year old and flexibility has never been my friend. My body turned and stretched through the tunnels in ways I didn't know it could and I collapsed unceremoniously, head first and without any grace, down the little drops and came out of it completely battered and bruised. In fact, when I noticed the young instructor sneakily sending us on different routes on our own instead of leading us like she did in the beginning I asked if I, too, could skip the last exploration and snuck out the back door with her. I would not recommend the cave if you are more than a little bit porky or are not particularly agile and certainly not if you are claustrophobic. Thankfully, I'm not claustrophobic, but even one of the teen girls in our group struggled with the close proximity of the cave walls.

At the end of the two activities we were both suitably tired but happy and really enjoyed the morning. 

Unfortunately, because you weren't allowed anything in your pockets etc when climbing, I had to leave my phone in the locker so didn't get to take any photos. 

For more information on Rock Reef on Bournemouth Pier, click here, but please note that all views are my own and this is not a sponsored post. 

Half Term Adventures: Thursday

Sorry, time ran away with me toward the end of half term there and I didn’t find the time to blog. So where was I? Thursday? Oh yes, Thursday! We made fossils!

In light of Callum’s homework…sorry home learning we are supposed to call it aren’t we?…anyway, in light of what he had been asked to do by the school over half term, create something on the theme of dinosaurs, and with minds full of the exciting things seen at the museum the day before, I we decided to make fossils! Actually, the fantastic idea came from a Twitter friend @Kellit1085. She suggested we make some salt dough and use Callum’s toy dinosaurs pushed into the dough to make the fossils.

I’d forgotten about Callum’s dinosaurs and, what was better, part of his collection included a skeleton dinosaur as his set was part of a archaeology themed set. Perfect! With that, we also visited our shell collections (Callum has his chosen shells and stones and then I have my own special collection haha) to look for ones that would make good fossil like impressions.

Check me out! Twice in one week I’m crafting with my child in a stress free manner – not to mention the baking also achieved! I’m going to need a holiday after this half term!

Of course the fun starts at the dough making stage, getting fingers all sticky and then beating up needing the dough. Following a tip from this site I’d found on the internet, we also added food colouring to make the dough a browny colour.

Once smooth, I broke off a piece and shaped it and Callum (with maybe a little guidance from me) pushed one of his smaller dinosaurs and the skeleton dinosaur into the dough. Then we tested out all the shells too. I classed this first one as our Callum’s practice fossil. The remaining dough I split in 2 and tried very hard to let Callum do what he liked with one of the pieces while I possessively made my own fossil impressions in the other piece.

When we were happy with our creations, I baked them in the oven for about 1.5 hours at 200 degrees (hotter than I’d usually bake salt dough for but the advice in the above site was a higher temp and I figured it might add to the authentic brown look) then I left them in the oven for another hour while the oven cooled.

Here are our finished fossil creations:

Callum has taken them into school today. I’m so excited about them, I wish I was there to see how they are received.

Half Term Adventures: Tuesday

Here we are, day two of half term and I don’t think I’ve counted another grey hair! Whoop!

The plan today was to bake bread and see The Lego Movie, with the added bonus of a cousin, Sofia, and Daddy joining us for the afternoon!

Sofia was expected about midday and the film was at 2.30pm. Sofia and Callum were all excited about the bread making when I decided to change the plan to see The Lego Movie so I had to try to get both activities in.

Therefore, after dropping Millie at nursery and Stuart at work, the first task was to make the dough (well actually, after the usual dishes, laundry and cat related chores…there are always chores to do first kids!).

Once more, I had to keep a lid on my inner-control-freak and remember ‘I was doing it for the kids!’ So Callum helped me measure out the ingredients and got his (clean) fingers stuck in to mixing – OK so there was a bit of “let me just see if it is all mixed” and “let me pull in the dry ingredients at the bottom” oh and “Ill start off the needing”…what? Neither of us got stressed. I count that as progress!

He helped need the dough a bit before he thankfully got bored. Then off we took it to the airing cupboard to prove.

That took us until 9.30…still another couple of hours or so until Sofia due, what next?

We played games (while I continued with the odd chore). We played Jenga (which I lost), then Walk the Plank (which I won ) and then I had to teach Callum about the difference between a good loser and a bad loser…

Soon it was lunchtime, ‘Fia arrived and then it was time to get back to the bread making!

They both loved it, treating the dough like play dough and making different shapes and…er…lumps of things. They got covered in flour, wrote their names in the flour and I may have started a flour fight. We each made one thing to put in the oven then the remaining dough I had intended keeping for myself to make another masterpiece *cough* but I relented and let them share it between them for more doughy fun.

After the bread had been baked there was just enough time for a quick taster before we had to head out to pick Stuart up and head to the cinema.

The movie was enjoyable enough – definitely only for those that share an affiliation with lego as the comedy moments are centred around the trials and tribulations of lego crafting. I thought they could’ve played more on those and had a few adult humour moments like they do in the Pixar animations but I found it enjoyable and Stuart had a couple of LOL (while I slunk down in my seat) moments. Callum, bless him, doesn’t get on too well with the glasses, or any glasses for that matter (we went to the 3D version) which I think is down to his little nose which doesn’t have much of a bridge to hold a pair of glasses. He kept taking them off which meant he didn’t get to appreciate the full experience and he seemed to struggle to retain interest for the last half hour but he says he really enjoyed it and that it was his favourite part of the day. Sofia also said she enjoyed it but I saw her fidgeting for the last 20 minutes too. At 5 and 7, I think it is still a long time to expect them to sit still and pay attention. I think what kept Callum’s attention was the inclusion of his favourite characters, Batman, Superman and ‘The Green Ninja’.

Overall, it has been another good day. I’m still surprised at just how upbeat I am after such a miserable winter (both my mood and the weather). Like they say ‘a change is as good as a rest’. That is proving so true this week!

Tomorrow it is the family outing (Stuart and Millie included) to London to check out the Natural History Museum which, despite me thinking of it before I saw Callum’s homework book, fits in nicely with Callum’s half term homework project!

Half-Term Adventures: Monday

It’s half term and, where I’d usually be filled with fear about how we were going to spend the time, keep busy and not just waste it looking out at the rain, struggling to muster up enough motivation to make a cup of tea, I’m actually really looking forward to this week.

I think the reason is because Millie (apart from Wednesday) will still be at nursery each day.

I don’t mean that to sound unfair to Millie. Since Millie was born, I’ve not had much opportunity for mother and son bonding. The odd day or trip to the park just the two of us or, more often, a trip to the supermarket (whoop whoop) while Millie naps at home with Daddy.

Therefore, I’m really looking forward to having fun with my boy and re-establishing the mother and son bond and thought it would be a good blogging opportunity write about our daily half-term activities.

It wont all be just the two of us, we have play dates with my niece and an old nursery friend of his in the pipeline but there’ll be plenty of bonding time.

I had intended to be proactive at making plans and to go out every day but I failed that on day one! The shopping was planned to arrive in the morning and when the weather is grey and wet (like it was today) I really struggle to get motivated to go out in the afternoons. But not all was lost and I think Callum really enjoyed our activity!

It started with the words “Can I keep this to make something with it” as Callum poured the last of a packet of cereal into his breakfast bowl and waved the empty box around.

Now I love the ‘idea’ of crafting! I love sparkly glitter and the opportunity to be creative but the reality of crafting with children rarely meets expectations. I’m too much of a control freak and lose interest when Callum doesn’t see  my ‘vision’ of what I thought we were going to create. Oh, ok, I also struggle to just ‘let go’ when the silver glitter gets mixed in with the gold glitter and he decides to use EVERY feather in the brand new pack, and no don’t put blue paint all over the lovely pretty picture you’ve just created, I don’t think it’s a good idea to make it ‘rain’! (there were a lot of ‘…’ words in that paragraph!)

However, today went well. As we were scrolling through ideas on the ipad, Callum spotted a guitar and I thought, actually, why the hell not!? I had an empty tube from wrapping paper too, I had wool, we could paint it – this could work!

There was enough ‘grown up’ bits that only I could do to meet my control freak fix plus enough that he could do on his own to nurture his creative flair. I’m also keen to encourage anything music related, whether for real or role play (yes, I hope to live my dreams through my child and yes, I do hope he’ll make us millions one day).

Even better, I got to ‘try’ to teach him how to finger knit and also attempt to teach him how to play cats cradle (we didn’t get past the third step and then he lost interest) so more opportunity to regress for me.

Callum was chuffed with the result of his guitar and then enjoyed putting on a concert for me, pretending to play along to the CD player. Thankfully, no rock-star style guitar smashing moments – I think I would’ve cried and vowed never to craft again!

Aside from guitar making, we also had fun doing orange peel smiles and learning about dinosaurs for his homework book – Callum drew a picture and wrote how we are going to London to see dinosaurs. Future dinosaur related craft to come!

Tomorrow my niece, Sofia, is coming over and Stuart has the afternoon off work. Hoping to be able to squeeze in bread making and go to see The Lego Movie at the cinema. Will be back to blog about it tomorrow!

Happy Half Term Adventures All!

Bournemouth Family Adventure Festival

I love active outdoor sports, not that you’d know it! I do very little but mainly because when you have kids you either don’t get the opportunity or if you try to get them involved it gets very expensive. However, if I’m ever going to get the opportunity again it’s good to get the kids interested early! We are lucky enough to have a skate park in the park behind where we live where the local kids ride their bikes and scooters. Callum loves going there to watch the older boys (not seen any girls there yet) and he can have a little scoot around and vows he is going to do stunts like they do when he gets bigger. I told him he needs to get a little braver first as there’ll be lots of falls before he masters any of the tricks and I started showing him YouTube clips of the professionals to show him how they fall off and jump straight back on again!

As a result I found out there was going to be a Family Adventure Festival at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Animal Bike Tour was going to be there. Callum was very excited so I purchased a couple of tickets. An adult 2 day pass was £9 (£5 for a day) and under 5’s were free which I thought was very reasonable so I purchased the 2 day tickets.

It opened at 10am and we got there on the Saturday about 11am. There were stalls and displays going on across 2 rooms which included High Ropes (Go Ape style), vertical slide, climbing wall, the Animal Bike Tour display, Bush Surival demonstration, the Animal Man talk, Slacklining display, plus various stalls providing information on various activities, opportunity to buy clothing etc. Outside they had a Zip Wire.

This is how we spent our day:

• Vertical Slide (took Callum a monumental effort to climb up to the top of the slide but he was fearless going down).
• The Animal Man talk – fantastic show where the kids got up close to a number of animals - Giant African Snail, Tarantula (yes I did say Tarantula), Snake, Bearded Dragon, Pancake Tortoise, Meerkat, Owl, Chinchilla, Skunk. The Animal Man, Nick, really engaged the kids and would ask for a couple of volunteers to go up and hold or touch the animal – including the tarantula. The kids were very brave and the animals were so well behaved. Here is a poor photo of Callum stroking a Chinchilla.
• Animal Bike Tour – we caught the end of Martin Ashton, Blake Samson, James somebody on the bikes and another guy demonstrating parkour (free running). As this was the main attraction for Callum we went back to this again later to see the whole show.

 

• Zip Wire – we then headed outside to the zip wire. This was free to festival goers but also open to the public for £3 a ride. The queue wasn’t too long but we did have to wait about 20 minutes as it took time to put the harness & hats on everyone. Callum was so brave and followed instructions from the guys really well. Here’s a video of him coming down the wire and as soon as he got off he asked if he could go again. We didn’t immediately but we did go back to it at the end when Stuart went on it too.

Callum going down the Zip Wire

 

• Lunch – we ate in the cafe at the BIC outside of the exhibition. It filled a hole! Nothing amazing!
• Climbing Wall – Callum had a couple of goes trying to climb the wall. Both times he started well and managed to get to about 7 ft high before getting stuck but I’m really proud of him for trying and the lady said he was probably the youngest child they’d had on the wall.
• Slacklining – Portlebay UK Slackline Open competition was being held on the day we visited where ‘trickliners’ each performed their best high skill tricks against one another to compete to win a cash prize.
• 
  Animal Bike Tour – we left the slacklining competition to catch the full bike display. Having been to the bike tour down on the beach at the Bournemouth Airshow a couple of years ago, the display itself was much the same but with a few additional tricks and the extra couple of guys added a bit more diversity to it. I don’t think Callum really remembers seeing the show at the airshow anyway so he enjoyed it. Blake Samson was also kind enough to pose for a photo with Callum.
• Zip Wire – just before leaving we headed back out to the zip wire so Callum could have a second go. He insisted Daddy went with him this time and Stuart agreed that it was good fun!

We didn't visit many of the stalls as we weren’t interested in buying anything or signing up to any subscriptions or clubs. There were a number of freebies being handed out during the festival too. There was a bag with a few sample waterproofing products as we went in, a few freebies being thrown out to lucky people during the bike tour and you got a free waterbottle if you entered their competition to win a bike, there was a free bottle of the really good (in my opinion) P20 sun block and packets of flavoured popcorn (the bacon and maple syrup was rather salty but quite tasty) and juice were the things we picked up.

I would have liked to have caught the Bush Survival demonstration as they were showing how to skin an animal but then I’m rather gruesome like that. Otherwise we were happy with what we had seen when we left around 4pm. I did feel a bit sorry for Millie who had to just sit in her pushchair and watch – although she seemed happy enough to play with Callum’s balloon for a bit. I was a bit gutted there weren’t more activities that the grown ups were encouraged to try as, after all, it was a ‘family’ adventure festival not just a kids one but Callum said he enjoyed himself.

Although we had a good day, we felt one day was adequate and so gave away the tickets for the Sunday. Unfortunately, the feedback was that the demonstrations weren’t so good on the Sunday so sounds like we picked the best day, just a shame my friend and her family didn’t get to enjoy their visit as much as we did.

The Festival also held a number of free ‘fringe’ events during the weeks leading up to the main event in nearby Bournemouth boroughs. Callum and I headed to the Boscombe event being held on the Wednesday the week before where Callum got recorded throwing a tennis ball at 18.6mph (very good for a 4 year old apparently) but I wasn’t overly impressed with the small number of activities happening in the fringe events but the main event more than met expectation.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own (or those of my family).