Wednesday 9 September 2015

Not back to school

As usual, the pace picks up in September.  We started with a home ed day at the Science Museum, though oddly it was before the schools went back so it was *packed*.

We spent some time in the pattern pod, and the launchpad.  We saw the Flash Bang Wallop show and enjoyed that.  But it was just too busy.  

Fred spent quite a while trying to build a bridge using counter weights.  He managed to get to 'amazing'!



In the pattern pod.




Zoe, Billy and Dallas came over, and we spent a happy few hours with them.

We went to a not back to school picnic at Aston Clinton.  We brought wheel this time so the kids could whizz around the skate park.







Today we went to World of Crocodiles in Oxfordshire.  We visited them before when they were in a smaller building and had a great day.   It's even better now they've moved to somewhere bigger.

They have a greater diversity of animals, including those that may share the same habitats as crocodiles, alligators, caimans and monitor lizards.  Favourites for the kids were the otters and the meercats.

The otters were inside, as the keepers were bringing some extra logs for them.  It meant we got to see them close up.  Later, we watched them being fed.



There is a viewing bubble in the meercats enclosure.  During the meercat talk, the keeper threw their food towards it, so the kids could were right next to them when they eating!




We also saw the nile crocdiles being fed.  They were very exciting to watch (but rubbish to photograph with my slow camera phone).

The visit included a workshop.  I've found these tend to be rather hit or miss, with more misses! This one was really good though.  The education officer was enthusiastic and fun, and kept the kids engaged pretty much the whole time.






It was a really worthwhile visit, and the kids enjoyed it.






Summer

Some summer highlights, with loads missed out!  Oh well - I need a break from blogging from time to time.

Meg's 5th birthday, spent at the splash park.











A day at beach, West Wittering in Sussex.  A glorious day.  Hardly any photos as we were having way too much fun!





Camp Mohawk, with the heated outdoor pool.





Really good new games, on offer at Amazon.  We particularly like Sleeping Queens, Forbidden Island and Castle Panic.




The amazing Carsten Holler: Decisions exhibition at the Hayward Gallery at the Southbank Centre.  We all (me, the kids, the group we were with) absolutely loved this.  Full on experiential immersion art.  Brilliant.

We hung out near the London Eye before and after.  Fred watched a couple of street artists, including a record breaking contortionist!





















A team games/assault course event in Milton Keynes.










Thames Valley Adventure Playground.







Our annual camping trip to Dorset with Zoe and family.










Betsy, Meg and I went to Monkey World while the others went to the Tank Museum.














Rob took Fred to his first Port Vale football match (and they won 3-0!).



A walk with the dog in the woods near Mum's.  The kids took turns in holding Freda's lead.






An extremely British bank holiday spent in the rain at the local steam railway, complete with picnic in the car.



Pretty much the rest of the time was spent playing with friends at home.