Madhouse diaries : A trip to Kiddy Squat soft play centre

I think it's safe to say, the summer is well and truly over. We seem to have skipped autumn, let alone an Indian summer, and headed straight into winter. It's been pouring hard and really windy ever since the kids went back to school so walks, trips to the park and geocaching have all been off the cards. Boo ! We therefore took advantage of a half price discount voucher in the kids' Happy Meals on our last trip to McDonald's to go to the big indoor play cente near Dunkirk called Kiddy Squat.

As I was already snowed under with marking and paperwork, I hogged one of the tables and got stuck in with my work while the kids let off steam. Pierre got straight into the swing of things on the huge inflatable cushion - he was sweating buckets within minutes !

His smile is nearly as big as the bouncy castle !

After a lot of bouncing, it was time to hit the slides. I couldn't help but smile - Pierre was inadvertently dressed in colours that matched those of the soft play centre !

I think this face means that he was having a good time !

He wanted a go on the go karts but I'd spent all my change on drinks (and figured we'd already paid enough getting in - it may have been half price but it was still €6, about £4.40, per child).

Taking the big inner tubes up to the top of the slide was easier said than done !

Pierre didn't look too sure on the way down !

But he was all smiles once he got to the bottom.

Ahh here comes Juliette - I barely saw her for the near-on three hours we were there because she met up with a group of her school friends and instantly disappeared !

They seemed to spend most of their time playing with the giant, squishy Lego !

And doing handstands on one of the bouncy castles !

"Come on kids, time to go - you can go on one more thing each !"

They picked the enormous death slide !

Then, with their screams ringing in our ears, we headed for home !