FREE Stuff to Do with the Kids!

OK, this is a slightly short and cheats version of my fourth entry into the NaBloProMo by BritMums (essentially encouraging us all to post on our blog every day in November - only another 26 to go!!)

Anyway, my post the other day was about thrifty or free things to do in East Lothian with the kids this weekend - it's Guy Fawkes, it's autumnal, and the forecast (here anyway) isn't too bad.  So, I thought I'd do a little update (partly because I know what the weather is likely to be like and partly because I missed something...)

FREE Fireworks - if you're in East Lothian or Edinburgh, take a trip along to the Racecourse at Musselburgh for their free fireworks display - doors open at 6pm and the display starts at 8pm.  Let's just hope there's no horse racing!



Tyninghame Beach - this is my favourite beach in the whole of East Lothian so, if the kids have had their fill of their Hallowe'en sweets and need to burn off some of that sugar, get along to Tyninghame for a spot of bracing fresh air - and a view of the Bass Rock that you might not have seen before.

Hailes Castle - fab wee castle ruin about 2 miles from Haddington on the road to East Linton.  Great for the kids to explore (although next to a stream so explore with supervision only) and, if it's dry enough, a picnic in amongst the ruins is always fun.



Butterdean Wood - will no doubt be a bit muddy underfoot but get your wellies on, take along a couple of bags and get the kids collecting all sorts of leaves, seeds, acorns - and maybe even the odd chestnut.  Great for exploring with little ones as you can make the walk as long or short as you'd like.


Whatever you're up to, enjoy the weekend.  Personally, I'll be spending the entire weekend at Lennoxlove Book Festival - a book festival on my doorstep, I'm in heaven - as they are one of my clients for my 'other' job.

Enjoy!

Family Fun in East Lothian!

Well, with Guy Fawkes coming up this weekend there's loads to keep the little ones (and bigger ones) amused if you live in lovely East Lothian - like me!  And apologies if you don't and feel jealous - but perhaps you should visit if you're near enough?


Anyway, my two thrifty recommendations for the weekend:


Lennoxlove Book Festival - OK, now the main events are not necessarily cheap BUT you can get a Family Book Festival pass that gives 5 people (2 adults and 3 kids) entry to the Festival on either Saturday or Sunday (although I think the Saturday has sold out).  For the bargain price of £22, the 5 of you can get entry into 5 events including Julia Donaldson, Sir Charlie Stinky Socks author Kristina Stephenson and Funny Food with Nick Sharratt.  Or, if you're not sure what you're up to this weekend and would like a bit more flexibility, there are free Storytime and Bookbug Rhyme Sessions - all in the gorgeous surroundings of Lennoxlove House just outside Haddington.


Pencaitland Fireworks - the best fireworks display this side of the Edinburgh Festival, it's a fantastic achievement by Pencaitland Primary School PTA to put on THE fireworks display in everyone's calendar not just those who go to the school.  This year it's on at 6.15pm on Saturday 5th November and tickets are £5 for adults and £3 for children on the door.

My Pet Peeve...

This week's Brit Mums Blogging Prompt got me thinking - for all of 5 seconds!  Because my pet peeve is such an obvious one...

Homework!

Not so much for Toots - she's just started P1 so it's all reading books (Biff and Chip anyone?) and key words and lovely learning to read stuff.  No, it's Cheeky Boy's homework that really gets me- and he's only in P4 (all of 8 years old!).

Ever since P2, we've been bombarded with homework.  And this year is the worst yet!  Spelling or writing on a Monday (he'd rather stick pins in himself than write a story - especially after a day at school) .  Reading on a Wednesday and Friday.  Maths on a Thursday.  And the occasional piece of project work thrown in for good measure too.  Correct me if I'm wrong but if they need to do this amount of work at home, what on earth are they doing at school?!

Now that they're in P4, they're also expected to write tdown what their homework tasks are and when it's due in their school diaries (CB's makes it home about twice a week if I'm lucky even though it should come home daily!) and the teacher doesn't check that they've done it.  Because they're supposed to be responsible enough to do it themselves.  Right.  Last week, I made the mistake of asking the teacher why they hadn't had homework (as it was so unusual I was starting to suspect something was up).  And I was right.  He'd missed not 1 but 4 pieces of homework - all due the following day!!!

And, perhaps it's just my son (but I don't think so) but he's neither mature enough or focused enough to take himself merrily off to do his homework as soon as he gets in from school - unless it's maths (but sadly, it very rarely is).  More often than not it's spelling - which requires input from me; project work - which requires digging around the recycling for craft materials, researching the internet or generally helping to hunt down either raw materials or information.  And frequently, we fall out over it.  I haven't seen him all day - it would be nice to spend some fun time with him.

There seems to be no recognition that a) they should be doing the work in school b) most parents work so don't have the luxury of long afternoons to get homework done and c) kids have other things going on besides school - like playing, going to the park, going for walks, sports, visiting their relatives - that kind of thing.  All part of life's rich experience and all that - or is that just me?!

I'm 40. I've got O'Grades, Highers, a Degree and a Postgrad (this isn't me boasting just illustrating a point). Point being?

I'VE DONE MY FLIPPIN' HOMEWORK!!!!

Thrifty Ways to Get My Groove Back

Listography - 5 Games I Used to Play

Encouraged to get writing again - I've been a bit quiet for a while - I was inspired to link to Kate Take 5's Listography of games I used to play - mainly as a challenge to see whether or not I could actually remember the rules of any of them!  And of course, also because they illustrate the main aim of this blog - thriftiness!  (It being the '70's and early '80's when I was growing up and the chances of parents splashing out on expensive toys were extremely low).


1. What's the Time Mr Wolf?
One person turned their back on all the other kids while they tried to sneak up on the person who was 'it' and get to them quietly without them noticing.  'It' would turn around at various points during the sneaking to catch someone moving and you all had to freeze.  If caught moving, you were sent back to the beginning.  (Sounds completely rubbish now when writing it down but it was great fun!)

2. British Bulldog
This sounds like a version of Kate's Red Rover and was so rough it was actually banned at my primary school!  Anyway, one person was 'it' and the entire class had to charge from one end of the playground to the other without being caught by him/her.  If caught, you then joined forces to help 'it' catch other members of the class until they were all caught.  (It was banned at school because vast numbers of little ones were knocked over like bowling pins in the ensuing charge!)

3. Kiss, Cuddle & Torture
I think everyone knows how to play this game.  You run away from the boys (or girls depending on your gender) and if caught can go for the option of kiss, cuddle or torture.  Torture was usually either a Chinese burn (ouch) or being tickled until you screamed.  Most of us opted for a cuddle (unless particularly cute boy was on the other end - then we were all terribly forward!!)

4. Kerbie
Game played with football/basketball where two opponents stand on opposite pavements and throw the ball to try to hit the kerb.  If you catch the kerb at the right angle, the ball will bounce straight back to you and you get 10 points.  If it hits half heartedly, it'll only come part way towards you and you get 5 points and stand in the middle of the road(!) to try to hit kerb again.  And of course, if you're rubbish, your opponent gets it and it's their turn.

5. Chinese Ropes
I have no idea what was Chinese about these ropes.  Basically someone (never usually me) had loads of elastic bands that had been tied together into a huge loop.  Two (girls usually) would stand - as if at opposite ends of a skipping rope - with the bands wrapped around their ankles and another girl would jump around in the middle trying not to get caught up in the ropes.  From memory, it was a kind of glorified skipping with a bit of hopscotch thrown in.


Having written down all of these it's made me realise why we were bored by week 2 of the school holidays!  And in the end, I think we just played endless games of hide and seek - the old ones are the best ones after all.