Last weekend we were treated to an exclusive early morning visit to Sealife at the Trafford Centre in Manchester to have a look at their new visitors, the Octopi! Annoyingly they like to lie in and are more active later in the day, so weren't really in the mood for photos. Sealife are well aware of how temperamental they can be, and the Octopus area is somewhat wittily called Octopus Hideout.


We've been to Sealife several times as we've been Ambassadors for the last year and had an annual pass. It's always really handy to promise the young lads a trip to Sealife 'just after we've done this shopping...' Incentive always helps little legs from getting too tired. It's also calming after a visit to the more hectic LEGOLAND Discovery Centre next door.

We had an awesome time on Saturday visiting both Sealife and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at intu Trafford Centre in Manchester. This year the staff really have made a huge effort to ensure your experience this Halloween is special.


It is the staff who make these attractions so great for us. Every single time we've been, the staff have been absolutely lovely. Helpful and kind, attentive to the children and generally appreciating the fact you've probably spent your budget on entry fees and driven a while to get there.

This Summer Sealife Manchester at intu Trafford Centre is offering visitors a chance to spot a few very famous marine celebrities as the characters from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Dory pay a visit....


Hank the Octopus from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Dory is hiding in some of the tanks along with a secret letter and visitors who spot him, take note of the letters and solve the anagram puzzle can take home a small reward.

We've been looking forward to the new SEA LIFE Centre in Manchester's Trafford Centre opening for a long while. We've followed their progress via their Facebook page with anticipation, and on our last two visits to Legoland Discovery Centre we've stopped and looked at the advertising boards excitedly.


It was brilliant to find out that Blogs Up North had managed to secure a visit BEFORE it even opened to the general public, and during half term week too!

Six Children And Me - On Our Way

The impressive full wall of artwork that greets you in the Barton Square Car Park

When we arrived we were a little early, and it was lovely to get together four Izziwizzi Kids Toy Testers in one photo, including two who I have never met - Tami from Mummy Of Two and Zoe from My Mummy's World, plus Pippa from Red Rose Mummy


We were even joined by Alex Winters, the CBeebies presenter and his family, and if you ever get the chance to meet him then please do because he is an incredibly patient and lovely man, and he told me off for suggesting that boy no.3's curls need cutting!


In the foyer, where you may have to wait for entry, are a map and a big tank to whet your appetite...

A really impressive tank, and this is only the foyer!

After entering you immediately go through to a long room where a really accessible and fun talk is given about Turtles, their eggs and hatchlings. It's all done with fantastic lighting effects and was very impressive. The children are encouraged to join in and, when we asked him to tell Daddy about it tonight, even my 3 year old could explain how the city lights make the baby turtles go the wrong way looking for the sea!




After the show you enter an amazing round room with a tank running all the way around it. There is a huge shoal of fish which constantly swim through the water. It was stunning.

There are an array of different tanks, windows and tunnels

And even a talking turtle who will answer your questions

Unfortunately the soft play area wasn't quite ready for us but, if the Legoland Discovery Centre next door is anything to go by, it's certain to be a hit!

The walls are full of information and great artwork

There is a huge square tank full of Rays....

And a fabulous Touch Pool where we looked at Hermit Crabs and Shore Crabs

Something to excite my youngest...

....Conger Eels!

 The SEA LIFE Centre was still in the final stages of preparation when we visited, but one of our children spotted something very exciting....

A Green Screen for special effects filming

The Sealife Centre, Manchester entry cost is £16.20 or £12 online per adult or child and combi tickets with the Legoland Discovery Centre are also available. It is open from 10am until 7pm daily, with last entry at 5pm.


Manchester SEA LIFE Centre will also be the first SEA LIFE Centre in Europe where you can experience SEATREK - with the use of a special dive suit with a waterproof helmet actually getting into the tank with all of the sea life!

"The SEA TREK experience will cost £60 per person (including admission to the attraction) and is available
to guests aged 8 and over.  The experience will last for approximately one hour with 10 minutes under the
water.  A maximum of five people can be in the tank at one time and they will be accompanied by support divers at all times.
All wet suit equipment is provided, guests just need their own swimming costume and towel.

I'm not certain it's for me, but I know a few people who'd jump at the chance - how about you?


Before we went back to the van we had to return to Cadwalladers 3 doors away for another ice cream. Today they were selling a child's cone in any flavour for only 50p! You can't ask for more really. The perfect end to a perfect afternoon.

We're really lucky in that we get to work with some amazing companies, and try out lots of exciting new things, sometimes before they're even in the shops. Sometimes I work with a company once, and other times I have an ongoing relationship. Today I can tell you about two new Ambassadorships for the coming 12 months.


Today I'm delighted to announce that we will be spending the next year as Ambassadors for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Manchester and it's neighbour at Barton Square in the Trafford Centre, SeaLife, Manchester.

This Easter there are absolutely tons of Easter activities and events for families in the NorthWest UK, here are a few of our favourites mainly from the Manchester area...these are still the most inexpensive I can find, and all require you to get out and about. If you prefer something closer to home (or inside your house!) please see my 10 Alternatives To Eating Chocolate This Easter post...

Manchester Museum Of Science And Industry is hosting Play it! and it looks set to be awesome! Over 180 games systems and consoles plus thousands of games in one room. We loved last year's and will be previewing this year's (so watch out for my post). Opens to the general public on Friday 25th March (Good Friday). Entry to the museum is free, Play it! tickets start at £4 for 90 minutes. Age 5+, children must be accompanied. Find out more on the Museum Of Science And Industry website.

Brick Or Treat is an annual event at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at October half term leading to Halloween. Running until November 4th this year, we were given free entry and it was such a good visit that it would be rude not to tell you about it.


Brick Or Treat this year includes a pumpkin patch where you can add your own creation, a ‘Scarevenger’ hunt, spooky stop motion animation, Halloween character meet and greet, scarily themed mini land and until they run out, limited edition pop-badges and factory bricks!

Not only that but each paying adult can take one child who is dressed in Halloween costume with them for free!

It barely seems like moments since the Christmas round up, but February half term will be here before you know it, so here is my Spring round up for families of all ages in the North West UK. It's theatre heavy mainly because it's not the weather for spending hours outdoors at the moment!

This half term it seems everyone is pulling out the stops to cheer up what is likely to be yet another windy, rainy week. If you want to get out and about in Manchester this half term then here are a few places you can go which won't break the bank....

Manchester Area:

Imperial War Museum North, Salford Quays, Manchester have Potato or Pike? for half term. Pack your sandwiches and dust off your pike. Discover what life was like in the Home Guard – also known as ‘Dad’s Army’. A week of free family activities this half term at IWM North between 13 and 21 February. Entry is free.

Here are some of the things you could be getting up to with your family in the North West this Easter....

If you have an April event to add, please email it to me with the subject April 2017 and I'll add anything appropriate - we are particularly fond of those which are low cost or free....

It's less than 3 weeks until the Geronimo Children's Festival at Tatton Park in Cheshire, and tickets are still on sale for the 3 different days - Saturday May 23, Sunday May 24 and Monday May 25. At only £75 for a family ticket admitting 4 people, it's a great price for a full day's entertainment.


Geronimo is especially for children up to 12, and since my last update when I announced we were going to be ambassadors, lots of new announcements have been made.

As ever I've prioritised cheapness and quality (and my personal favourites). Everything is in Manchester or within an hour's drive. There is masses to do all year round, but here are some of the special activities you can take your children to over this Autumn half term week 22-30th October...

In Manchester Centre

England’s largest Science Festival will be jam-packed with fun and largely free, hands-on family activities for all ages throughout October Half Term. Produced by the Museum of Science and Industry supported by Siemens and the University of Salford and featuring about a million different events (maybe) around Manchester including:

Sleep Lab – The Chronarium - which will be sited in Manchester Arndale, transforming the hectic shopping centre into a communal haven for relaxation and well-being. Lie down, rest, and relax on hanging swings and hammocks whilst partaking in an experience aimed to reset circadian rhythms for a better, more harmonious sleep.

Last weekend we were treated to early morning access to the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Manchester for the launch of The LEGO Movie 4D: A New Adventure. The film is an exclusive 12 minute movie which can only be seen on screens in official LEGOLAND attractions.


It's been a heck of a while since we went to a preview of a new 4D LEGO short film, in fact it was March 2013 to see the LEGO Chima 4D Movie. We loved The LEGO Movie, so we were looking forward to seeing Emmet and Wyldstyle again! I hadn't realised just how much until went inside and they were there - apparently it made my partner's day...

It's taken just under 3 1/2 years, but I've reached my 1000th blog post. That means almost every day I have written and rambled and documented what we got up to. I started The Brick Castle as a place to store reviews for Orchard Toys, and I assumed it would be a handy place to also keep together a record of what we got up to with our 7 children. In fact, it has documented far, far more than any of us could have imagined...

16 Orchard Toys reviews.
55 recipes, 110 LEGO posts, 200 giveaways.
1 holiday to the Isle Of Wight, 2 days out in Blackpool, 3 festivals.
4 Silver Sharks, 2 rescued house-rabbits, 1 Gary the surprise cat.
2 cases of Chicken Pox, many cases of headlice.
1 ice cold jelly bath, 1 sport relief cycle, 1 emotional support trip to the Race For Life.
1 visit to Guinness Book Of Records HQ, 2 trips to Britmums Live, 3 trips to BlogOn Conference.
3 Christmases, 27 birthdays
2 new school starters, 3 school leavers. 4 sets of GCSE's, 2 lots of A levels.
1 child moved out to go to uni, 1 child came home. 
2 car accidents, 1 broken knee.
1 case of Meningitis, 1 Hernia, 2 operations.
1 child's death.
18 collections of monthly smiles.

Blogging can give you some great experiences, and we've been really lucky - and busy - over the last couple of weeks having a look at some of the events running over Summer in the North West. One of the things we've really enjoyed is meeting the Moshi Monsters who have taken up residence at Manchester Trafford Centre Sea Life this Summer.

There are fabulous events and activities for families this half term all over Manchester and the Northwest. People have spent months planning and putting together shows, workshops and theatre. Why not try something new...

 Here are some of our favourites - if you have anything to add, please email it to me..

Don't forget your local museum and library, entry is usually free and they arrange all sorts for the holidays - here is a great post by Jollies And Jaunts with 10 quirky items you can find in Manchester Musems.

MANCHESTER AREA

We've been to Coral Island in Blackpool more times than I can possibly remember. A very popular spot for us, up between the tower and central pier, and an ideal place to escape the sun, wind or rain for half an hour, or stop in to have lunch. We reviewed 18 months ago, we loved our day out, and they invited us back again this year as guests, to check they haven't changed...


Coral Island is Blackpool's biggest free admission attraction and it's all indoor. I love Blackpool, and it can be hot and sunny at times, but often it's bracing and Northern. An indoor drop-in attraction is a great thing. You can find my 2018 Coral Island Blackpool review here - where we spent £20 per person for the entire day, including meals. Prices were roughly the same then, as they were this year...