When I saw that Ugg were inviting bloggers to post about their Classic Day Out, I sat down and tried to work out what the most important ingredients for a great day of family fun were. We're always having adventures (in a 4, 9 and 12-year-old's eyes anyway !) so I looked at what made certain trips out so successful.
First of all, we need a good dose of the unknown - although I always have a rough plan of where we're heading, this can change if we discover something unexpected on route (such as an exhibition or an exciting play area) or find an interesting looking lane that we've never been down.
Secondly, we need to slow right down and look at life through a child's eyes. That group of toadstools down there is actually a fairy village, where the tooth fairy stays with her friends while she's waiting for you to fall asleep so that she can take your tooth and leave you some money !
Thirdly, put your faith in the washing machine ! Grass stains should (hopefully) come out in the wash but the memories of rolling down that grassy bank until you're giddy will stay with you forever. Mud-splattered trousers after puddle-splashing aren't a problem either.
Fourthly, get away from the screens (of the tablet, TV and computer variety) and get back to nature. This could mean a walk in the country, a trip to the beach or a visit to the zoo (we have a very small local zoo but I'd love to take the kids to some of the bigger ones too), but even in urban surroundings, you can always do a nature treasure hunt, looking for wild flowers and creepy crawlies.
Next, don't forget refreshments ! If you're going out for the whole day, pack a picnic (and spend the day before planning it out with the kids - they love being allowed to fill their own wraps or even make fairy cakes to take with us). Even if it's just a fairly short excursion, pack drinks and snacks which will help perk up tired adventurers who start to flag !
And finally, make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes ! We always head out on foot - I don't drive but even if I did, I think you see so much more when you're walking at a slow pace rather than zipping past in a car - and on the times I've remembered to take my pedometer, I've been amazed at how far we actually walk. Even little Pierre manages about 7km - the trick is to keep finding interesting things to spot along the way or play games like not stepping on the lines or trying to get to the corner before the traffic lights change colour !
UGG are offering to pay for a Classic Day Out for one lucky blogger with a maximum £300 budget, so if we were lucky enough to win, I'd love to transpose all of the above into an exciting day-trip to London, seeing the sights but also traipsing around the beautiful parks, spotting squirrels and feeding the ducks. (Sophie wants me to add that she also wants to go to Madame Tussaud's and have her photo taken with One Direction !)
#UGG Classic Day Out par cherylp59 sur Polyvore
I went to have a look at the footwear that UGG have on offer and had a bit of a revelation. I knew all about UGG boots (and have secretly hankered after owning a pair for quite some time) but I had no idea that they also made shoes, sandals and even slippers. I found loads of pairs that would look great on the Madhouse Family's feet (and be perfect for our long adventure walks) but I finally narrowed it down to a pair each. On the left, we have Jamie boots (£110) for Juliette and Maple (£90) for Pierre. Almost teen Sophie would love the funky Anaya Metallic (£40) in graphite colour. My choice is the casual but feminine Evera Lace (£95) - I love the colour and the style. Bottom right is Garrick (£110), a slightly edgy take on an urban classic which would be great for Madhouse Daddy at work or at weekends. UGG-reat selection, if I say so myself (I've been trying to get that awful joke in somewhere ever since I started this blogpost !), whether we're tramping around the countryside or the streets of London.
Disclosure : This is my entry for the UGG Classic Day Out blogger competition.
Other blogposts you may be interested in :
I went to have a look at the footwear that UGG have on offer and had a bit of a revelation. I knew all about UGG boots (and have secretly hankered after owning a pair for quite some time) but I had no idea that they also made shoes, sandals and even slippers. I found loads of pairs that would look great on the Madhouse Family's feet (and be perfect for our long adventure walks) but I finally narrowed it down to a pair each. On the left, we have Jamie boots (£110) for Juliette and Maple (£90) for Pierre. Almost teen Sophie would love the funky Anaya Metallic (£40) in graphite colour. My choice is the casual but feminine Evera Lace (£95) - I love the colour and the style. Bottom right is Garrick (£110), a slightly edgy take on an urban classic which would be great for Madhouse Daddy at work or at weekends. UGG-reat selection, if I say so myself (I've been trying to get that awful joke in somewhere ever since I started this blogpost !), whether we're tramping around the countryside or the streets of London.
Disclosure : This is my entry for the UGG Classic Day Out blogger competition.
Other blogposts you may be interested in :
Fingers crossed for you! If you win and come to London, maybe you can be persuaded to visit Oxfordshire and see our favourite manor farm at Cogges. We would love to have you all over for tea/lunch/dinner.
ReplyDeleteI have family in Drayton, is that far from you?
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