Holiday Ideas to keep your Kids Happy!

 

Have some good ideas on standby when they start telling you they are bored or when they are driving you up the wall!

What are you doing with your kids this holiday?

 

These are just SOME of the things you can so with your little ones this holiday. I found myself making a list a week ago in preparation and thought I would share them with you. Please reciprocate by sharing some of your ideas with me and everyone else by commenting.
 

 Visit a Farmyard/ Animal Farm

There are few options here:

Duck 'n Deck - Assagay

The Animal Farmyard - Botha's Hill

Winsome Farm - Summerveld

Or you can travel out to the North Coast and visit Flag Animal Farm?

 

For Nature/Adventure Lovers:

Drive out to Crocworld Conservation Centre - Scottburgh

Tala Private Game Reserve - Eston

Botanic Gardens - Durban or Pietermartizburg

Makaranga - Kloof

Giba Gorge

1000 Hills Bird Park
Hike through Krantzkloof Nature Reserve
Umhlanga's Lagoon Nature Reserve walk - start at the end of Lagoon Drive

Visit a farm (we will be visiting my parents)

Take a trip to the beach and walk/cycle Durban's 'Golden Mile'
Putt Putt at Piggly Wiggly - Kloof

Fun at Home

Board Games

Baking

Crafts (Mr Price Home usually has nice bits and bobs to buy)
Making jewellery

Practice reading, writing and maths (that is on our list!)

Do a scavenger hunt (I am busy coming up with one for my daughter)

 

Others:

Visit the Durban Museum

Inchanga Choo Choo

The KZN Science Centre - Gateway (my daughter loved this when I took her here last year!)
Groovy Balls - Cliffdale
Markets
Shongweni Parkrun every Saturday morning (register online)

Child Friendly Restaurants:
I started putting a list together starting with Lucky Bean and then this stumbled into my Facebook newsfeed and saved me the trouble.
We have been to a few on the list so can comment on those:
Arts Cafe - Glenwood
Nice vibe, quirky little shop and bit thick quiche slices.
Circus Circus - Beach Cafe
Nice but nothing wow. I would rather get Afro's Chicken
Lucky Bean - Assagay
See below
Oil & Oil - Hillcrest
Wasn't wowed by the 'kiddies area'. It was basically just a small room with a Wii
Cafe Jiran - Beachfront
BEST hamburgers we have ever tasted. Well priced. Been twice and didn't see a play area and nothing was mentioned to us either?
Primi Polo - Hillcrest
I always enjoy a good pizza and my little one loves playing with the dough and getting them cooked. Heaven for a little girl!
Piggly Wiggly - Midlands
It is a great day out and VERY kiddie friendly. You could also visit Piggly Wiggly in Kloof and play putt-putt. There are so many child friendly restaurants and stops in the Midlands such as Lavender & Trout, The Junction, Caversham Mill and so on...
Giba Cafe
We haven't eaten there but have been to the Play Market and to parties and love it!
Yellowwood Cafe
Beautiful view of the Howick Falls and great fun for the kids
Hooters
Can't say that I have been there with my little one but have seen other kids having a ball there. In fact your husband will be put out as the kids generally get loads more attention than the men!!
 

Play at Lucky Bean - Assagay

LB offers some free holiday craft activities offered to the littlies (2-6 years) throughout the holiday. I am still sad Akimbo closed. I digress. Lucky Bean is great for smaller kids but with a 7 year old I feel we have officially outgrown it.

July Markets

Plan some market visits with the Hillcrest Country Market, Play Market at Giba Gorge and The Meeting Tree in Shongweni. Of course there is also the Shongweni Farmers Market every Saturday morning too.

 

 

 

 

 

Print this voucher out and you can get in for free!! I am such a sucker for a freebie! Unfortunatley I won't be able to make this one as I will be watching my husband play Indoor Hockey in Durban against Namibia that day. I am very excited about it though!

Take a look at this interesting article entitled 13 Food and Craft Markets in Durban by Rooms for Africa.com for some new inspiration or in case you want to get out of Hillcrest for the day.

 



3 + 1 = 4 (excitement!)

Hello everyone!

 

Firstly, I apologise for being such a useless blogger. Life has been crazy busy with work, Geoff's hockey, the little ones busy schedule (Grade 1 has been a learning curve for both her and I) and the bun in the oven.

 

I am 24 weeks pregnant!

 

Baby size: Baby is the size of a aubergine/eggplant, 30cm long and about 600grams

 

Weight gain: At my 22 week scan I discovered (and was shocked to learn) that I have put on just over 4kgs!

 

Maternity clothes: It is so difficult to find and buy maternity clothes in Durban these days. Woolworths and Edgars no longer have maternity sections although Mr Price does. I have shopped clever and purchased items like maxi skirts and leggings from places like Cotton On. I did make two 'maternity' buys from Truworths and Mr Price. I have a great pair of black cigar pants from Truworths maternity and a grey winter shirt from Mr Price which is still a bit too big for me.

 

Stretch marks: None (yet!)

 

Sleep: I had an afternoon sleep every weekend during the 1st trimester and can see myself heading that way again as I approach the 3rd. The 2nd has been a breeze and sleep has been ok.

 

Gender: Keeping it a surprise!

 

Best moment this week: Going on a date (without kids) to Lupa with Geoff. He is so busy with hockey 4 days/nights a week so it was so nice to actually spend time together.

 

Looking forward to: Our 4D scan in 4 weeks time.

 

What I miss: Walking normally and wearing skinny jeans comfortably.

 

Movement: Yes! Lots! This little one loves to kick 'down' into my crouch area. It can be very awkward at times!

 

Food cravings: No real cravings as such. I have never had to send Geoff out into the night because I feel like something in particular but I do love bacon more than ever! 

 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not anymore

Labour signs: Nope

 

Symptoms: Stuffy nose and sinus issues

 

Belly button in or out: flattening out

 

Weddings rings on or off: On

 

Mood: I have been very happy and easy going since passing the first trimester

 

Nursery: All the big things done and in the room but no decorating yet.

 

Workouts: I have been quite bad about this. It is so hard even going for a walk during winter as I leave for work when the  sun is just coming up and get home after 4:30 then rush into homework and dinner and it is dark so early! My husband only gets home (earliest) at 5:30 so it is dark by the time he gets back. He isn't happy with us girls walking alone. I did start doing preggie yoga with Isabel from Blissful Bellies but she is off to Argentina for a month and will hopefully get back to that when she gets back as I was really enjoying that. I went to 4/5 sessions.



12 Weeks



17 Weeks - Beautiful Alien Face



22 Weeks - Baby lying upside down

I made the 'announcement' when I was past 14 weeks and after telling work.
What do you think of the way we revealed our exciting secret?

 

 

Original photo was taken by photographer Jacki Bruniquel which I then butchered (sorry Jacki) from my cousins wedding last year September.

 

My daughter is OVER THE MOON! She has been an only child for so long now (will be 7 years and a half years by the time the baby arrives).

We are keeping baby's he/she moment to the day he/she is born for the fun of it. We love the idea of a surprise although it is hard not to just find out every time we go for a scan.

We will be having baby at Hillcrest Hospital and will definitely be sharing my experience with you all afterwards.

 

So far we have got a cot, compactum, travel set (pram, car seat and car seat base), highchair and a few other smaller bits and bobs. The spare room has very quickly been swopped into a nursery in the making and it is so exciting to walk past it everyday and imagine that in just over 3 months our new little one will be here.
 

We found the most lovely lady who sells baby goodies from her home in Kloof. Her 'shop' is called Baby Boutique and sells a variety of 'almost new' or new stuff. You will find no crap here. In fact one of the prams we went to look at she had contacted the supplier and had completely recovered the entire set (still had tags on!). We bought of travel set, cot, cot mattress and donut from her. She sells brand new goodies for less than what Baby City etc sell the EXACT things for. Kitty is great! Contact Kitty and go and she what she has if you are looking for things for your baby. Visit her website here or phone her on 083 412 9641. You might stumble across some of her goodies for sale on Gumtree so her website is not very comprehensive.

Have you got any good sugestions for us? A must buy or a must have? Do you have a baby shop/product you would like me to visit or try out? Please pop me a mail or comment below.