UNIFORM PURCHASING REMINDER!

With the majority of children being absent from school for 6 months, there could be a surge in buying school uniform ready for September. Will there be parents fighting over grey socks/tights instead of toilet roll? Probably not, but it’s a good idea to try and find out what your children can still fit into.

A change in demand could be caused by 6 months of no school or changes in school uniform policy.

One school requested different shoes for the indoors and outdoors and another school has made the tie completely redundant. So we maybe decorating Christmas trees with ties instead of tinsel. All schools seem to have their own new uniform and equipment policies so please check your school website/e-mail for the correct information.  

The deadline for online embroidered clothes firm, Brigade Clothing, has a shorter than normal cut off point because they are expecting an increase in demand. Their deadline is the 7th of August for clothes to be delivered ready for September. Brigade Clothing also explained in their recent e-mail, that they have a reduced staff number due to social distancing requirements, so items may take longer to be delivered. Supermarkets do continue to supply uniform throughout the summer and most uniform firms do continue to supply throughout the year. So if you can’t find anything on the rail its worth enquiring instore or online.

Some schools have requested all children to provide their own stationary, even for as young as reception. So let’s hope there’s no fights over that last fluffy unicorn pencil case!

Finally if there are changes in uniform shopping, this could affect demand for clothes labels so make sure you dig them all out of your bottom draw.

Good luck troops.

Louisa x

SUMMER 2020  THINGS TO DO SORTED!

Throw the home-schooling out the window, force lockdown a distant memory, you deserve a summer full of fun family days out and wear the kids out at some amazing memorable summer camps.

So here is your guide to what’s on this summer, I've been working behind the scenes to make sure your summer holidays are action packed. There are family activities and days trips with all the latest information on things to do, how to book and what it’s like when you get there.  Some summer camps are still running too so please follow the link.

We’ve got skate-boarding, tennis, trampolining, horse riding, football and more. I have added notes to assist you as not all the information is available on their websites.

There are limited places due to the social distancing rules so book now to avoid disappointment.

SUMMER CAMPS
 

BUCKDEN TENNIS CLUB

Over and In kids summer camps. Fun sessions for your kids to learn or develop their tennis skills. Coaches are LTA qualified and hold a current DBS certificiate. Junior coaching is available from 4-16 years upwards. Bookable weeks only Monday to Friday.Starting 20th July until the end of August. Book to avoid disappointment.

FOOTBALL FUN FACTORY - Boys & girls aged 5-12 can join the FFF for a truly unique football experience in the school holidays.There is a reason kids come back again and again. With games and a little footie training the kids love it.

HUNTINGDON GYMNASTICS CLUB

Join the gymnastic summer camps and watch as your child has fun and learns how to jump across trampolines and perform routines across the floor. Open to age 5+ open to members and none members. Click the website to find out more and book. Summer Camp 1 - 3rd August 9am -12, Summer Camp 2 - 17th August 9am -12pm.

NORTHBROOKE HORSE RIDING - Summer Camp Days available throughout the summer with plenty of jumping, pole work and fun. 

SPLATZ KIDS CLUB - Holiday Clubs for children aged between 5 - 12 years at the crackerjack nursery.

Things to Do - Local

XTREME360 TRAMPOLINE PARK – St. Neots

With something for everyone, Xtreme360 a mass of trampolines, Lunch pads, angled walls and into foam pits….

Watch your kids bounce from the balcony whilst enjoying a food and drink, charging points and free Wi-Fi. They’ve also launched Xtreme Virtual Reality. They also have fitness classes, host parties and toddler groups sessions but we have to wait for those bits. Booking is essential.

ST. NEOTS FAMILY TRAIL - Run by the St. Neots Museum

Download our 'Hidden St Neots' family trail to discover the exciting history of St Neots, via a short-guided walk through the town centre. Discover the site of an ancient Priory and strangely carved creatures hidden in the town centre. Simply download the trail from the museum website.

LETS GO SKATE - Skate boarding lessons are available throughout the summer. Anyone can learn to skate, we offer groups sessions, private sessions and parent’s can try too.

MILLSIDE CANOE HIRE - Godmanchester
Explore the River Great Ouse a slow meandering river with plenty to see. Plus boating is really good fun with lots of giggles. Hire out hourly or for a full day. You should allow 15 minutes prior to departure for fitting of buoyancy aids and a safety briefing. All clients must be able to swim to a basic standard. Children must be accompanied by adult.

SOUTHLAKE AQUA PARK – Little Paxton
An inflatable obstacle course on a lake. 6 years plus (1.1m +), young children must be accompanied by an adult. Children will be required to wear a safety helmet and all participant must wear a buoyancy aid. You will have to book in advance to go but viewing is allowed if you are accompanying your family ie someone can watch whilst Dad tries to keep up with kids. haha.

TREASURE TRAILS - Kimbolton
A real-life adventure that fires up the imagination and gets you exploring.. For all the family. The trails are a challenge that combines mind-twisting clues and fascinating stories for adventure. Follow a self-guided trail through the backstreets and hidden corners of Kimbolton. Crack the clues along the route to unlock incredible stories from the past and solve the mystery at the end. Buy your trail pack online.

CONNECTIONS YOUTH BUS – Little Paxton
The Connections Bus will be visiting the village on Wednesday evenings during the school summer holidays. The bus is a free youth club and is aimed at school year 7 and above. What' s on bus - internet access, games consoles, x box, craft activities, tuck shop and advice.Call 01480470193 for more information.

CRAFTY MONKEY’S POTTERY – St. Neots
A great place to take the kids with a variety of things to do such as pottery painting, foam clay and build a bear. You can book online with slots available 15 minutes apart (this is to allow for choosing your piece and settling in). Full details can be found in my tried and test article here.

SUMMER READING CHALLENGE – This years theme is Silly Squad. A great website full of games and activities, where they receive badges and unlock characters for reading any book to reach their target number of reads online. A great way for kids to keep up their reading and have some fun over the summer. 

Things to Do – Elsewhere

STANWICK LAKES

Stanwick Lakes has a massive playground on sand, fun obstacle course walk, lots of walking routes with great flat access for buggies & cyclists in a 750 acre nature reserve in Nene Valley. The visitor centre, with café, shop and function space, hosts events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year. The only thing closed is the water play. You pay to park but that’s all.

SKYLARK MAIZE MAZE AND FUNYARD - MARCH
We have two mazes. One for big legs thanking the NHS and one for little legs. Both are buggy and wheelchair friendly, although a little bumpy in places. The funyard is included in your ticket along with access to 10 or more unlimited access activities. Book online. 

MONSTER HERO SAFARI - STEVENAGE
A high street experience where families are tasked with hunting down 10 monster superheroes, displayed in public windows, and learning their names, origin stories and powers. Children will delight in spotting the cute, colourful characters and learning all about them. They will be even happier when they spot all 10 and win a free e-book with the characters first team-up adventure. The Safari works by downloading an App for £2, you can choose to give an extra donation to an NHS charity too, once you’ve downloaded the app the safari can begin and you can use the app as many times as you like.

BURGHLEY HOUSE & GARDENS - STAMFORD
It’s a great chance to explore some of the new sculptures, watch the kids run around, enjoy a picnic and eat some yummy ice-cream from the Garden Shed. The Garden Shop is also open 10:30 -4:30 and closed for lunch. The garden and sculpture trail are booked for 2.5 hour slots, even if you have an annual pass and for all members of the family. There is no water play allowed but the good news is for annual pass holders it’s still free. Non-annual pass holders will need to purchase an annual pass and time slot together. Parkland is still open access 7am – 6pm. The house remains closed.

SHEPRETH WILDLIFE PARK -Bargain tickets at the moment!
Follow the Wildlife Walk you may get a close encounter with a Sumatran tiger splashing around in a pool, meerkats squabbling in families & see ring-tailed lemurs....sunbathing! Booking slots are sold in 5 minute slots between 10am - 3:30pm for the family. Under 2's are free and do not require a slot/ticket.Prices are reduced. The indoor areas are open and accessed with masks. Food & drink are available.

WIMPOLE ESTATE- NATIONAL TRUST -ROYSTON
Parklands and gardens are open. The farm, house and shops remain closed. You can enjoy the walled garden, topiary flower beds, the meadow flowers and 600 acres of parkland with woodland belts, ponds, ditches and streams. Not to mention the deer, cattle and huge mature trees. Everyone must book in advance a time slot (these are every 30 minutes) and the tickets are released every Friday for the following week. Members can still gain free entry and non-members can enjoy a reduced fee. Children under 5 do not need a ticket.

MOUNTFICHET CASTLE -STANSTED
Replica Norman wooden castle, motte and village. There's so much more to this than you realise there's animals roaming freely throughout such as goats, deer and ducks. There is over 10 acres to explore with lots of out buildings, armoury and battlements. The site is also close to the Toy Museum with lots of fun things to see and do (if you're brave enough). Booking not required.

THE HOUSE ON THE HILL TOY MUSEUM- STANSTED
This is a vast toy collection and if you're a nostalgic TV fan then this is the place to view your memories including toys from TV from James Bond, The Avengers, The Saint, Batman, Dr Who, Star wars, A'Team and Star Trek. Have a giggle at the most ridiculous of merchandise too. There's life size dinosaurs near the palaeontology house and the Haunted Manor to give you a scare if you dare.

HENRY MOORE (Sculpture Trail)- PERRY GREEN
Book a 60 min arrival slot. Experience the iconic work in the beautiful countryside with a visit to the artist’s former home, studios and sculpture gardens. See some amazing art to fire the imagination of all ages, eat tasty food and see the sheep that inspired some of his work. Government guidance, the Studios & Gardens are now open on Wed - Sun & Bank Holidays until 1 November 2020. 11am – 5pm

HAMERTON ZOO - SAWTRY
Follow the animal trail around the zoo and enjoy close encounters with Bengal tigers, cheetah’s, monkey’s and wallabies. A huge range of animals and birds from all over the world. The café is open for food and if it’s a hot day and the shaded spots have been taken, there’s also a couple of extra benches by the parrots enclosure (first left after the play ground). Book online for your morning or afternoon slot. The train is currently not running but most of all the indoor animals that can be outside are outside for you to view.

This website is updated daily with events and things to do, so you will never be short of something new to try.

Have a fantastic summer! Louisa x

BUMP, BABY & TODDLER GROUPS OVER THE SUMMER

It has never been so hard to be a mum-to-be or a parent of babies and children. The support groups you would visit are unable to meet, you can’t make the network of new ‘mum friends’ to share with the joys of parenting and the lows of sleep deprivation. 
Well all is not lost, Lockdown may have been the advent of business Zoom meetings but it has also means that you have the convenience of Zoom mum groups, baby and toddler classes. You are not alone, you have a choice of lots of groups and classes to help you and your little one. Some of which will start moving outdoors so you will get that face to face.

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Need some help deciding where to go and what to do? Read about the places we've tried and tested...

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Tutankhamen - Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh (FREE)
28th April 2020-04-28 2020-09-04 - 4th September
Your Home, Via Internet

Summer Reading Challenge (FREE)
24th June 2020-06-24 2020-09-12 - 12th September
St. Neots Library, St. Neots

St.Neots Family Trail (FREE)
28th June 2020-06-28 2020-09-30 - 30th September
St. Neots Town Centre, St. Neots

Monster Hero Safari
10th July 2020-07-10 2020-08-31 - 31st August
Stevenage Town Centre, Stevenage

Skylark Maize Maze & Funyard
18th July 2020-07-18 2020-09-06 - 6th September
Skylark Garden Centre, March

A Wild Welcome Back
3rd August 2020-08-03 2020-08-28 - 28th August
Paxton Pits Environmental Education Centre, Little Paxton

Teenage Summer Reads from the Book Trust (FREE)
3rd August 2020-08-03 2020-09-02 - 2nd September
Your Home, St. Neots

Love's Farm Adventure Hunt (FREE)
5th August 2020-08-05 2020-09-02 - 2nd September
Love's Farm, St. Neots

Grafham Water Pay & Play
6th August 2020-08-06 2020-08-31 - 31st August
Grafham Water Centre, Perry

Mini Tots Festival - Online Event for Under 5's (FREE)
7th August 2020-08-07 2020-08-09 - 9th August
On Line, St. Neots

St Neots Farmers Market (FREE)
8th August 2020-08-08 2020-08-08
Outdoor Market, St. Neots

Dinosaur Day
8th August 2020-08-08 2020-08-08
Kwellers Coffee House Cafe, St. Neots

Baby Wearing Dance Park
10th August 2020-08-10 2020-08-10
Little Paxton Village Hall, Little Paxton

Baby Yoga Course
11th August 2020-08-11 2020-08-11
On Line, St. Neots

Connections Youth Bus (FREE)
12th August 2020-08-12 2020-08-12
Village Hall Car Park, Little Paxton

St. Neots Market (FREE)
13th August 2020-08-13 2020-08-13
Outdoor Market, St. Neots

More events

Under 5s drop-in groups

If you are running a local event for families or children you can add the details to our site for free.

EAT OUT HELP OUT IN ST. NEOTS

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EAT OUT HELP OUT IN ST. NEOTS

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Take time out and read through some of our articles...

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