“Friday Night Bites” by Karen Berman

Karen Berman is an American writer and editor who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She has worked on various books and publications, including the New York Times. A mother of one, she was looking to find activities, that don’t involve television, for the whole family as well as to encourage children to eat healthier food. That is where Friday Night Bites comes in. She has created twenty themed family meals, with names such as Teddy Bear Picnic, An Evening at the North Pole and Dinner on a Pirate Ship. Entire dinner parties are planned for you along with recipes, craft projects, educational conversation ideas and after-dinner activities, plus suggestions on how children can get involved with the preparation of the food. However, each menu is customizable with a starter, main course, side dishes and a fun dessert, meaning that you can choose when to prepare certain parts. With the inclusion of over a hundred recipes, flavours are designed to be pure and tasty, without being too spicy or strong. Plus, Berman has also included lots of fruit and vegetables to help kids get to their five-a-day in a fun and delicious way!

The idea behind the book is to make Friday night ‘Family Night’. It is Karen and her daughter’s favourite night of the week, as they cook, giggle and bond at home. It’s the perfect way to end the week and start the weekend.

The book is available on Amazon UK and currently costs just £8.09.

Classic Toys for Timeless Playing: Classic Pedal Car

Do you remember Brum? The little yellow car that used to drive around Birmingham and entertain children up and down the country?

Well, here’s a super stylish version of the usual kids toy car. If your child is already developing expensive tastes and wants to roll around in an open-top vintage vehicle, then we may have found the solution! This Classic Pedal Car from smartstart-toys.co.uk is the perfect choice for young motoring enthusiasts and those who cannot wait to get out on the road! Suitable for ages 3 and up, the design is strong and traditional, meaning kids can ride up and down all day long!

The Motorcycle Diaries: Diesel Kids AW09

Attitude is the word-of-the-season for Diesel’s AW09 childrenswear. The styles are street-savvy style with heavy motorcycle boots mixed with sporty denim. On the runway, we saw skinny black jeans with puffed and leather jackets and gilets. Boys had oil smeared on their faces creating a tougher look and girls looked edgy in headbands and long, fingerless gloves. Leather aviation hats and flat caps formed the boys’ headwear. T-shirt designs include tyre marks and urban logos in reds, blues and greens to complete the workshop/garage theme, whilst girls were dressed in lighter colours, such as pink and yellow with metallics and neon-flouro prints.

The collection boasts a brilliant choice of warm clothes for winter combining practicality with streetwear style. The range is hardwearing, functional and trendy. Perfect for an active kid!

You can buy Diesel Kids at alexandalexa.com

Half Term: Fowey Hall Hotel, Cornwall

Fowey Hall was the inspiration behind Toad Hall in the classic children’s tale Wind in the Willows. The hotel sits in a spectacular location on the South Cornish coast, close to the local town and beach at Readymoney and overlooks the sailing and fishing port of Fowey. Sitting within its original walled gardens, the views are magnificent over the river estuary and out to sea. In terms of things to do, The Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are within easy reach.

The hotel boasts brand new exclusive spa facilities to pamper mum and dad, whilst the kids take part in a whole range of activities from the Four Bears Den for the little ones to a games room for older children. And don’t worry about leaving the dog at home, as pets are welcome for an extra £7 a night! The restaurant has magnificently crafted menus with classic European dishes for you and the kids to enjoy in beautiful surroundings. After dinner, why not sit and chat in front roaring log fires during the winter time?

Fowey Hall is one of the best luxury hotels in Cornwall. An extremely child-friendly place, which is recommended by luxury hotel specialist mrandmrssmith.com, it is perfect for a relaxing, family-oriented half-term break.

Explore and Eat at The Rainforest Café

Rainforest Café, located in London’s West End, is a popular choice for families. It is the largest family restaurant in London. It is very child-friendly and boasts an exciting kids menu with fun names such as their Bamba’s Bangers sausage and mash and Maya’s Meatballs served with spaghetti. By recreating the sights and sounds of the rainforest with various special effects and life-like animals, Rainforest Café is the perfect for a city-centre tropical hideaway! Explore life in the rainforest with a whole host of characters including chattering gorillas, fluttering butterflies and even a menacing tree-bound jaguar! There’s even a little shop for picking up Rainforest souvenirs. Something for everyone.

Address: 20 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EU

Tube: Piccadilly Circus (Exit 4)

Tel: 020 7434 3111

Website: www.rainforestcafe.co.uk

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