I have been sent a bazillion press releases about things that will be happening over half term, here are a few of the ones I like best for families...

I've holidayed several times in Greater Yarmouth, including in Autumn, and had an amazing time. It may not have the heat to lounge on the beach in your swimwear, but it has loads to offer to couples or families, indoor or out.


Here is a guest post from the Greater Yarmouth Official Tourism Website telling you about some of the places you could choose to visit, and where you can find their amazing giveaway to win a fabulous week long holiday for your entire family..

Any regular reader knows we're big Super Hero fans here, and we like Marvel a lot. It'll also come as no surprise to find that my kids like playing computer games and apps. Being asked to review the Marvel Kids Spiderman games was hardly a chore for my 7 and 5 year old boys.


There are 8 different games to play and they all start with a comic strip introduction to the story and the challenge ahead. The games are actually very different and compliment each other well. 

For the last couple of weeks we've had a horrid troll in our living room grunting and passing wind and being generally disgusting. And making my youngest son laugh - a lot. Og On The Bog is our latest family game review for Drumond Park, and he's proven a surprisingly popular hit.

Hotel Tycoon is a game designed for 2-4 players aged 8 and over. Using a traditional board and playing pieces, players travel around purchasing land, building hotels and then charging their opponents to stay in the hotels until all but one player has run out of money and you have a winner!


I'd heard of Hotel Tycoon before as it was previously released as 'Hotels' in the 1970's, but I've never seen it in person. The first thing to mention is just how complex and creative the new design is. The board is really big, and split into the various resort areas...

Last week I posted our review of the brilliant Paracords Survival Bands kit from Interplay. It's a great kit to make genuine Paracord Survival Bands for children and young people over 8 - and adults too.

Including a compass, carabiner, chalk and other items, the kit has full instructions on how to change a 2.4m long piece of cord into a useable item that can be unwoven in seconds when necessary.

6 Ways To Impress Your House Guest

Having friends or family over to stay can either be a stressful experience or positive, memorable one. We’re entering that time of year when family tend to start booking their reservations to stay at your home and why not give them the luxury hotel experience? Here are some tips to help create a stunning guest room.

Books

Storing as many of your books in your spare room as you can is not only a great way to give a really comforting space to your guests but it also frees up a lot of storage space around the rest of the house. A variety of books, some tasteful lamps and a comfortable reading chair to curl up in lets your guest know they have their own space where they can escape to guilt-free to just enjoy themselves with a good read.

This morning we were one of the lucky families at the Odeon Cinema in Manchester for a preview screening of Hotel Transylvania 2 arranged by Mumsnet. I really liked Hotel Transylvania, as did my 2 young boys, and so we were hopeful the sequel would be good. There are no spoilers in my review.


The story focuses on a vampire, Count Dracula, and his daughter Mavis, her partner Johnny and their families and friends. They run the Hotel Transylvania, a hotel originally a haven for monsters which now also accepts human guests.

Project Mc2 started as a TV show on Netflix in which a group of girls become spies and use Science and Maths to solve problems. It aims to help show young girls that 'smart is the new cool' and Science can be fun that's relevant to them. The people behind Project Mc2 have now released a range of accompanying dolls, each with their own scientific experiment in the box with them.

Our latest review for Interplay is one I have had my eye on since I heard about it. Paracord Survival Bands are survival wristbands made from carefully woven cord which can be quickly unwoven and is strong enough to be used in an emergency situation. We might not be about to face a zombie apocalypse, but how many times do you find yourself thinking that a piece of string or rope would have been handy?


The Interplay Paracord Survival Bands are made from "military grade parachute lanyard rope" or 'Paracord'. They are strong, they actually can save you in an emergency and as this is 7 strand Paracord it should bear around 400lbs+ of weight - more than enough to lift, pull or rescue any person.