We were lucky enough to be invited to see Feld Productions Disney On Ice presents Passport To Adventure at Manchester Arena on Wednesday night. This show kicked off the Manchester run, which ends on Sunday 15th October.


It's safe to say we were all in good spirits and really excited about the show - especially seeing Peter Pan and of course the characters from Zootropolis! My children weren't in the mood for press photos, so we obliged.


The children were impressed by the Fit To Dance team and their boomerangs though - throwing and catching on skates is very skillful. I didn't see a single skater fall all night, it looked to be a near perfect performance.

Letts have recently updated their Key Stage 2 study books for the 2018 SATs tests. They've made them more friendly and less formal, and the chunks of text are smaller and less intimidating. It's a new look that should appeal to more children, as the revision and workbooks seem less like a test or school work and more like a traditional 'rainy day' puzzle book.


It's well known that I never force my children do homework unless they're off school ill or fall behind. As long as they are on target, I let them spend their free time doing (within reason) what they choose. Sometimes they choose to play LEGO or computer games, and sometimes they want to draw, write or fill in puzzle books. By having a range of activities available, it's often clear to see that your children really just want to explore and learn.


My two boys are completely different characters and I doubt it's ever been move evident than in the  picture above. My 7 year old launched into the page and answered questions without hesitation. My 9 year old sat and read the entire 2 page spread before he did anything. The Letts books suited them both equally and they both felt that this wasn't really 'work', it was more like a quiz.

Technology Will Save Us make really exciting kits for children that mix craft, science, technology and coding with play and fun. Each kit actually creates something useful and clever that your child can be proud of, while supporting their STEM learning in school and stretching their own understanding of the world and how it works. I'm a big fan.


We've been sent the Electro Dough Kit (4+) and the Thirsty Plant Kit (8+), and we also have the brand new Mover Kit (8+), so we'll take a look at that too. Each of the kits are housed in an attractive box and require no exotic extra ingredients, making them ideal gifts.

Brookside was filmed on a housing estate in Liverpool, I visited as a 14 year old. You could get as far as the end of the road without being on a pre-booked tour and as he left I managed a close sighting of Barry Grant (or Paul Usher as his Mum calls him). That was enough to please my teenage self. A real-live TV person in the flesh. Brookside and Neighbours were really the only things I really watched regularly and I was unlikely to spot anyone from Neighbours any time soon.


I'm contacted to work on some unusual collaborations sometimes and aside from my encounter with Brookside Close, being asked to write about locations for TV and Films in the NW for a #SeenOnTheScreen post had me stumped at first. I don't really watch a lot of TV nowadays and although I watch a ton of movies, I've never paid much attention to where they're actually filmed.

Brainstorm make great toys for kids who like to think and they've a huge range of toys for children with an interest in space. Tonight 7pm-8.30pm they'll be hosting a Space Week Twitter Party and they've sent me an awesome selection to take a look at ahead of the party. It's only just arrived, so I haven't been able to review anything properly unfortunately - however on the plus side that means my boys haven't seen it, so I can repackage and hide some of it for Christmas!


The Rocket Projector & Room Guard (rrp £29.99) is suitable for children aged 6+. It's really easy to open and has barely any plastic packaging, great for Christmas morning. It does take 3 x AA batteries (not included), so you'll need to get those ready plus a small crosshead screwdriver to install them.

October half term looks to be another cold and wet one, but there is still plenty to do and there are loads of places to go with family of all ages. Here are some of the events and activities on offer this year...

No spoilers - I don't agree with spoilers...

We had thought we'd missed out on any previews of the new LEGO Ninjago Movie as we couldn't get down to London, but then we got an amazing invitation to go and see it at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre!


We've been to the Discovery Centre at the Trafford Centre many times over the past 6 years, but rarely when it's closed to the general public, only once at night and definitely never to see a full length movie. When the boys realised where we were going, especially with it already being after tea, they were incredibly excited.

This year among the Rainbow Toy Awards entries is Mayka Tape - the original toy block tape. Made by a company called Zuru, Mayka Tape is available in 9 different colours, 2 stud wide or 4 stud wide rolls and 1 metre or 2 metre lengths. We've been sent a selection of different colours and sizes to review.


The first thing you notice about Mayka Tape is the packaging. Snap shut hard plastic cases protect the tape and make it look really attractive, so it's perfect for giving as a gift.


Actually the case serves another purpose, as the tape is spooled inside and held at both ends. That makes it easier for children to control and harder for them to 'accidentally' leave it somewhere it'll be ruined or trodden on.

This is our second review for the Scholastic Books Laugh Out Loud Awards, or the Lollies for short. My Gym Teacher Is An Alien Overlord by David Solomon is one of the 4 finalists in the 9 - 13 category, and my newly 9 year old and I have both read this separately.


This is the sequel to My Brother Is A Superhero, but it works perfectly well as a standalone book. It stars a young lad named Luke and funnily enough, his brother is a superhero.

Ora and Puffin Books (part of Penguin Random House) have teamed up for Space Week, and asked if I'd like to join in. Ora Kitchen Towel naturally lends itself to rocket-building, it's the perfect accompaniment, so along with my 7 and 9 year old boys, we've come up with some Space Week activities that won't break the bank!


1. Make A Space Station
Every Spaceman, Cosmonaut or Astronaut wants to go to the Space Station like Tim Peake. You can have your Space Station behind the sofa, or practically anywhere, but on this occasion we decided ours was going to be under the kitchen table. I prepared some construction materials and my 9 year old took on the role of designer.