Are you aged 16 or under?

This is news to me! After a visit to Avoniel Leisure Centre in East Belfast on Saturday this could help some of us out.

The Boost Card is a leisure discount card which can save you money in Belfast City Council leisure centres. Boost offers discounts on a range of facilities and activities at these leisure centres with one card being issued to all users.

The cards are available to everyone and offer discounts to the following groups:

• children aged 16 and under
• over 60s
• students in full-time education
• Belfast residents on means-tested benefits and dependant children
• regular users who pay monthly for unlimited access to our leisure centres.

If you are aged 16 or under all you need to do is ask your parent or guardian to complete a form, which is available at leisure centre counters. This will make sure you get discounted rates at Belfast City Council leisure centres. You need to return the form, with a some proof of your date of birth to reception, to get your card.

This may entitle you to additional discount if you live in Belfast and your parents receive Means Tested Benefits.

wow Overview

This was given to me at Avoniel Leisure Centre. Just letting you all know. I will try to get a Printable/downloadable file for our site.

Old McDonald had a Farm

This farm is located between Bangor and Newtownards. Heading along the dual carriage-way its on the left if coming from Bangor – opposite the Somme Heritage Centre.

We visited on a weekday and it was easy enough to park. I would say on a busy Saturday in the summer it could be like wacky races in the car park (which isn’t really very big). Maybe they have additional parking somewhere – if they did I didn’t see it!

Price for adults is £3.70 and £3.00 for kids over three. You can also buy feed for the animals which I think was about 30p per cup. There are loads of chickens running around so the kids loved feeding them. Depending on kids age of your kids, it may be a better idea to hold chicken feed yourself (mine insisted on pouring it all out then wanting another cup).

There is a great selection of animals. Everything from birds to horses. The whole farm is really well set up and very clean. My sister was with me who is a huge animal lover and even she didn’t disapprove of the conditions! The kids got to feed a lamb with a bottle and the staff were all great with the kids. They offer rides on a little Shetland pony (which I think) was £1, both kids really enjoyed it.

One point to note with smaller kids; mine were able to climb easily into the animal pens, I looked round to find him standing beside an alpaca. He is just two and at his size, he easily fitted between bars. Something to watch!

There are loads of places to play. Huge playground and an indoor play area filled with tractors, sand etc. It was a battle for me to get the kids out of this room.

We also had something to eat in the café which was lovely and reasonably priced. The shop sells ‘farm’ type toys, books and a variety of food. You have to walk through the shop to get in and out so you will probably end up having to buy something. Even this was reasonably priced. I bought a book and a small model tractor which I think came to around £3.00.

wow Guest Overview

We had a great day at the Ark open Farm. Loads to do and see, with very friendly helpful staff. I was impressed that although they could probably have charged a lot more for cups of feed, (every child will want a cup or 5) they didn’t. On most days out I find I end up paying above the odds for something – refreshingly not at the Ark.

Stress Level 0 (although see above about parking in summer, could get a bit tricky)

Fun Level 5 (Everyone had a great time, kids loved getting up close to animals)

Cost Level 1 (Its not free but really good value)

Swimming again!

Well after looking for something to do on a local level we decided to hook up with a friend and head off swimming again. These decisions are very kids driven by the way. The weather was on the turn and the planned bike ride round Stormont Park was looking decidedly dodgy.

We headed into East Belfast to Avoniel Leisure Centre. I had no idea it even existed but a friend plays 5-a-side football there on Sunday mornings. It is signposted off the Albertbridge Road.

The receptionist was helpful and offered us an application for the Boost card scheme which has been launched for all Belfast Leisure Centres (see the news post for more information). We arrived late in the day and as the centre was closing in less than an hour we got a bit of discount.

There is only one swimming pool at this centre but as the kids we had ranged from 5 - 7 and were capable swimmers it was just the ticket. There were floats available for the kids and a couple of lanes were roped off for the serious swimmers. The pool has a shallow end, moving to a deep area in the middle, followed by a shallow end again. It was actually very good for the new (less confident) swimmers. It actually made them swim. Out of the kids we had we had with us there was one confident swimmer and three passable but much less confident swimmers. It was easy to keep an eye on them all and they had fun diving under legs, doing tumbles, jumping in and all the other things that make it swimming fun. We were lucky that afternoon as there was hardly anyone in the pool but us.

The changing rooms were an eye opener for the kids as they were communal. I had three girls with me and you should have seen how bashful they became. Changing three kids any way is a task, but when they insist on hiding behind towels, with you trying to keep everything off the wet floor it becomes a bit stressful. The changing room is actually very small and it was not easy keeping everything in one place or keeping everything dry. My friend however thought it was a breeze with one boy and himself in the mens changing room.. (Hmmm think I got the short straw on that one !!)

wow Overview

7 year old says: Brilliant, best bit was going up and under in the water
7 year old says: A brilliant pool. Easy to swim in. Not very busy. Best bit was diving through the hoops.
6 year old says: Changing room was strange, not having a cubical to change in. I loved the deep end because you could nearly touch the bottom. I did six swims up and down with out stopping.
5 year old says: I thought it was good. The best bit was swimming by my own. The boys changing rooms were good.

Stress Level 1 (The stress levels were very low in the pool as it was easy to look after 4 (nearly competent) swimmers with two adults present. The stress of changing three bashful gals was slightly more intense. But in general a good pool for the ability of young swimmers. Not really for non swimmers.

Fun Level 5 (All kids loved it. It was easy and fun for all of us.)

Cost Level 2 (We were given a bit of discount as we only had a short while before the pool closed. But if you dont have a boost card for your child from now on (in Belfast Leisure Centres) the cost could rise.)

How many times have you had a face painting kit either given to you. The kids love the idea and expect it to be as perfect as the professional painters at the shopping centers.

We have had face paint kits from all manner of different retail outlets. Full kits, crayons, grease paint style ones. All of them make it very heavy going. It is basicly impossible to get the even coverage that looks so easy to achieve in the instruction book. I watch and try to learn from the professional painters but to no avail. Mine still look like a smudge. I don’t want to be a professional - just passable!

I would give anything to be shown how to do one or two faces! Pirate for him, butterfly for her. I don’t want to be a face painter but to be able to splash a few faces around to keep the kids quiet for an hour or two would be a god send. Face paints that actually come off as well would be nice and by coming off i mean the face and the sheets.

Why can’t you book a Tupperware style party to show you a couple of basic faces. I would gladly pay for a demonstration and a small kit that would fulfill the basic requirement. I think a few friends, a glass of wine and some nibbles would be just the ticket. We don’t even need the kids I guess.. We can practice on each other. As it happens I’ve met a face-painting trainer recently. I’ll be glad to report back!

Three Intrepid Explorers

Deciding where to go…

It’s mid-term and rather than hiding at home for a long weekend we decided to get out there and do something! A pin was placed in a map and Co. Down came up trumps. In between Ballynahinch and Newcastle to be precise. We found a lovely self-catering cottage called Drumgooland Mill Cottages. A super little find to be honest. The cottage sleeps two adults and up to three kids but as there was only me and the two kids it was perfect. An open fire, a large kitchen, with a dishwasher and a very friendly old dog that would visit every morning.

We settled in Friday evening and planned our first adventure.

Saturday 17th February

Downpatrick

10am: We headed to the historic town of Downpatrick and went straight to the Tourist Information Centre based in the Saint Patrick Centre. There are plenty of cheap and free car parks in the centre of Downpatrick and the whole town is really well signposted. After looking around and picking up some leaflets I was pointed at a few places of interest including Newcastle and the Down County Museum (which turned out to be closed until 1pm on Saturdays). We ended up walking around the Cathedral to see St Patrick’s Grave. The kids were keen to go into the church itself. It was beautiful and the kids really enjoyed it actually.

Lunch time loomed so we headed to the Rock City Diner which was around the corner from The St Patrick Centre on Market Street. The kids spotted it as we drove in because there is a huge hot dog outside squirting tomato sauce on his head.

It was a glorious day so we decided to leave the Museums and the history to another day. We headed for a beach We stumbled across Tyrella Beach which was glorious. The sun was out, sand castles were made and sand dunes climbed. Lots of fun.

The day was still young, all of us covered in sand but still rearing to go. Delamont Country Park was the next stop. This was decided because of the Adventure Playground and the Miniature Railway. After ice cream, train rides, swings, slides and a 1.2 km (3/4 mile) walk with views to die for, we headed back to the car.

Kids only just managed tea before they fell into bed exhausted. I was not far behind them to be honest

Sunday 18th February

Castlewellan

Sunday morning was slightly slower than Saturday to start. We left the cottage around 10.45 and we headed for Castlewellan Forest Park. We had heard tell there was a maze which was open all year round. We were in that maze for an hour and a half. I have never laughed so much. The kids had a blast.

We had a quick lunch, nothing special to be honest with you, but we did stop off at The Coffee Stop on the main street in Castlewellan to grab an ice cream and a bun before we ventured off to the Horse Trekking at Mountpleasant Riding Centre.

My boy was so wound up and excited at the prospect of going riding I thought it was going to be a nightmare. He proved to be a bit of a mini John Wayne. Absolutely loved it. My girl was a bit more cautious but that is her nature. I enjoyed it too. It was a well run and relaxed trek.

Home for an early tea and a much-needed bath!

Monday 19th February

Rainy Day Activities

It was raining cats and dogs Monday morning. The kids had wanted to go horse trekking again as they enjoyed it so much the day before. I thought better of it as it was much too cold and wet. We headed back to Downpatrick to visit the Down County Museum. It was enjoyable and the kids were able to get involved in the exhibitions. The boy loved the dungeons, of course. We had lunch at the Museum café on site.

Next stop the Down Patrick Leisure Centre for a swim. Two pools, one for the children and one for the grown-ups. Kids loved it.

All back in the car. Home, unpacked and kids fed. Cup of tea to the rumbling tones of my washing machine working away in the background. I am exhausted. We had fun but it was busy, busy, busy.

The kids want to go again next week … Eeek

Swimming in Down

The leisure centre is situation in the town centre and is not easy to miss. (Although having said that there is a one way system for entering the complex which took me two goes to get in!)

We arrived at Down Leisure Centre after visiting the Museum. Having had a light lunch this seemed the perfect way to finish our weekend away. Swimming is always a hit with my kids. We turned up at reception and were greeting by a very friendly and helpful receptionist. There were swimming accessories on sale and I managed to get the long overdue swimming floats for the kids (very reasonably priced too, I might add).

We headed off to the changing rooms and I was very impressed with the setup. There is a family changing area which is actually family size and not just one adult/one child size. I don’t know if it is just me but getting changed in swimming pool changing rooms is always a nightmare. The lockers were located right outside the family cubicles so there was no need to keep running back and forth for shoes and bags. The place was clean and looked relatively new. I was impressed.

The swimming pools themselves consisted of one baby pool (and it is a baby pool) and one main pool. The shallow end in the main pool was about the right depth for my two to practice their swimming. The baby pool was for having fun. After a while (of being one of those mums who wants to see them swimming having paid for their swimming lessons) we moved to the little pool. Big play floats were distributed to both pools and the kids had lots of fun splashing around. It was well set out and very busy. There were some older children in the baby pool who were being a bit rough though I was not that worried for my kids but there were some younger babies in the pool and I would have expected the life guards to move them on.

WOW Overview

5 year old: I thought the big pool was too cold. The floats were good fun but the frogs hurt your arms a bit after a while.
6 year old: I got a big square float and it was fun to swim around. The baby pool got very busy and it was hard to find a space.

Stress Level 2 (The set up and the changing rooms were excellent and it made taking two kids swimming on your own easy. I think the baby pool should be for younger kids only though. I guess my children will be growing out of the baby pools sooner rather than later. When they are confident swimming we will move up.)

Fun Level 4 (The kids loved the extra large floats and were very disappointed when I said it was time to go after 1.5 hours.)

Cost Level 2 (I think that swimming is still one of the most cost effective ways to kill an hour or two. Not only are they getting a good work out, the more they go the more confident they get.)

Down through Time

This was our second attempt to visit this Museum. They don’t open until 1pm at the weekends so always check the opening times in advance! It is free of charge to enter but the parking was a nightmare on this Monday morning. The chap in the gift shop explained that it was due to the courts, apparently parking is always a nightmare when the courts are on. That explained a lot! You can park down by the Tourist Information Centre and walk up the steps which brings you out directly in front of the Museum, but as it was raining I decided to try and get as near to the Museum. When we were here on Saturday morning, there wasn’t a car in sight! Typical!

We eventually parked up towards the Cathedral and ran for the entrance. We walked straight into the gift shop and were given a guide to show us the way. A couple of exhibitions were closed due to refurbishment but that did not really affect us. We headed up the stairs and were pointed towards a journey through the ages. This was well set up, and easy to follow. Lots of interactive things to touch and get involved with which made it really interesting for the kids. The tour starts 9000 years ago in the Stone Age. A huge flint tool collection impressed my son as we had been hunting for flints at his grandmothers house a couple of weeks before. He has his own flint collection there so this actually made it all a bit more real for him. There were skins of animals which had inhabited the Down countryside back in the day. We were taken through the Bronze Age and again through to the world of the Vikings. In front of us was a real life Viking Helmet which my son put straight on (of course!). Along with the Helmet there were dressing up clothes which transformed him into the genuine article. All he needed was a big axe and he would have been happy. We moved on through to the Norman Knights (no dressing up here) and played with a big medieval castle which had princesses, knights and furniture which could be moved around. Someone had had a bit of a laugh because we found a princess hanging out of a window on the 4th floor! We put them back in the right place with my daughter in charge of the interior design and my son in charge of the war effort.

There are telephones all the way through this museum which give you commentary on what you are seeing.

We moved onto the next exhibition room which took you into the Victorian era. The kids dressed up as victorian children which they both enjoyed. Moving on we came across a number of other interactive activities including making a quilt and playing games in 1940s. There was an opportunity to dress up as a 1940s children as well but we had a school trip hot on our heels so we decided to move on to the dungeons (well, not dungeons as such more like a jail).

My daughter was not too keen to head into the gaol. She can be a bit cautious but my son had no problems running ahead. We ran through the courtyard as it was bucketing down. I tried to explain about the stocks and the Millennium Garden as we sped past but we were all too intent on getting out of the rain. It certainly has potential for exploring in better weather.

We arrived into the next part of the Museum and entered the gaol. As soon as we entered, a recorded commentary started and nearly put my daughter and I through the roof. We were not expecting it at all. The setup was very good and the explanations of the prisoners were excellent. My daughter was a bit worried about the child and the baby in gaol. Again I tried to explain that this was a long long time ago which kind of helped. Another very educational trip. I am actually re-learning a lot too; its really nice to be able to talk about this stuff with the kids knowing they have actually covered it at school.

We headed to the café which is onsite and had a light lunch before swimming. The cafe offers a good range of food and the staff are happy and friendly. Not overpriced even though you are a captive audience. There was an art exhibition on show in the foyer outside the café but we did not time to have a good look round. The facilities are clean and well kept (Ladies only seen).

WOW Overview

Kids Say

6 year old: I liked the Stone Age part where you could touch the skins. My brother looked funny as a Viking and I really enjoyed dressing up as a Victorian child. I think I would need to have servants to dress me in some of the costumes they had to wear. I did not like the dungeons at all.
4 year old: I liked it all. The cavemen and the Vikings. I would shut the doors on the prisoners so they could not get out.

Stress Level 0 (There was very little stress in this Museum. It is well thought out and designed for children. Very impressed.)

Fun Level 3 (This is definitely an educational trip but it is well thought out and very interactive. The kids enjoyed relating their knowledge from school to the exhibits.)

Cost Level 2 (The Museum is free of charge for entry, the cafe is reasonably prices but the gift shop did not really have any souvenirs relating to the actual visit.)

Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’ - Keep em Horses rollin’

Mount Pleasant is situated in Castlewellan, deep in the heart of County Down and is well sign-posted. It is about 10 minutes from the main road into Castlewellan town.

Horse Trekking. Oh my!
An exciting prospect for all of us. I am interested because I used to own a horse trekking business in New Zealand (back in the good old days) and the kids were interested because its just plain exciting. My boy was so excited I was not sure if he would be calm enough to stay on the horse.

We arrived a bit early but I was happy to do so as it was a good chance to get the kids used to the horses and the environment. This was essential as the 5 year old needed to calm down a lot. We dealt with the money side of things in the office and you are required to fill in disclaimer forms (this can be downloaded from their website before arriving). Once the technical bits were out of the way we were free to wander around and meet the horses. There are tables dotted around which would be useful in the summer. They have full toilet facilities which are clean and well kept. There is even a shower in the Ladies (though I didn’t check the Gents).

The staff were efficient and well-practiced at getting everyone on their horses and it was obvious that the horses were very used to the routine. My kids were mounted and very excited. The 6 year old (who can be a bit nervous) was put at ease by one of the staff. He actually moved her around so that she could stand next to me. The 5 year old could not take the smile off his face and we were still standing in the yard! To be honest with you, he would have been happy just sitting there.

Once everyone was ready for the off, (it took about 15 - 20 minutes to get us all ready) the barrier was dropped and my 5 year old led the way (the youngest rider in the group). He was on a lead-reign with a member of staff on foot. The horses jiggled and jostled into single file and the trek had begun.

We rode through a pine forest which had been harvested and re-planted. The scenery was not as stunning as some of the views we had seen on this trip but I think that in late spring or the summer it would be very pretty. Having said that I don’t think my two would have cared what they were looking at; they were too busy enjoying being on horses.

It was a big group and I thought the staff handled the different levels of riders very well. The experienced riders were able to hold back for the odd canter. This happened seamlessly and did not disrupt any of the younger/less experienced riders at the front.

A very enjoyable activity and one we will definitely do again. The kids wanted to book again for Monday! Thank goodness we didn’t as I don’t think they would have enjoyed themselves quite as much in the rain.

WOW Overview

Kids Say:

6 year old: My horse was called Ebony and she was a bit cheeky and kept eating grass. It was very wobbly and I liked the way they all walked in a line. I was in front of mummy and my brother was the leader
5 year old: My horse was called Evie and she was very good. I was the leader and was very good at it. It was like sitting in a boat because you rock from side to side.

Stress Level: 2 (To be honest with you I was a bit stressed to start with. Firstly because my son was bouncing off the walls and I was worried that he was going to freak out all the horses and secondly because my daughter tends to be a bit cautious. The last thing I wanted was her freaking out and not wanting to go I was put at ease very early on)

Fun Level 5 (Heaps and heaps of fun. But then I am biased :))

Cost Level 4 (I am putting this as a cost level 4 not because I think it is expensive for what you get but because it is probably the most expensive activity we have reviewed so far. I personally think it is value for money)

A Maze Us!

We headed for Castlewellan Forest Park as we had heard they have a maze. We have not been very successful in finding one that is open out of season! Both the Carnfunnock maze and the Seaford Butterfly Park maze have been closed when we visited.

There is an entry fee to park your car here all year round. Admission prices are on the gate. We were charged £4.00 to park the car.

We headed for the Maze and entered from the main car park entrance. Both kids set off at speed, zig-zagging to and fro. We saw a wooden bridge and headed in that direction. I have a sneaking suspicion that there could be water fountains to add to the excitement in the summer.

Having wandered around for a while (passing the same blinking tree time and time again!!), the 5 year old decided he was going to go it alone. We headed back to wait on the wooden bridge, count to 10 and follow him. Oh my goodness, how we laughed! We followed a little stick which he was holding up, just visible, over the hedges. He was so quick, it took us ages to find him. We tried to reach the middle to ring the bell but after eighty minutes of trudging we decided to try to find the entrance we started at. Eventually we found it. There is a bridge that takes you to the middle so we went to investigate and joy of joys we found the bell.

This is the newest addition to the Forest Park and was funded as a Peace and Reconciliation project. This is the largest and longest hedge maze in the world (apparently) and covers 1 hectare and 3.5 kms of path. I can assure we did more then 3.5 kms of walking. The view from the middle is stunning (even though we had to cheat to get there!)

After a good five minutes of ringing the bell, we decided to head for some lunch.

The café was closed at the Forest Park but they allowed you to return to the car park if you retain your receipt. I am assuming this will still be the case in high season.

We did not get to see the lake or any of the other attractions at the park as we had just totally run out of time. You would really need to spend the whole day there to see it all. Remember the maze alone will take you a good hour or more! This park covers 460 hectares and includes walks, lakes, a garden and arboretum, a castle, an ice house, a standing stone and more! You really do need to pack a picnic and your hiking boots to see all of it. Next time we are in the area we will devote a whole day to Castlewellan Forest Park.

Kids Say:
6 year old: I liked the maze and I liked my brother running around and us following the stick. It did take a long time and got very tiring.
5 year old: I loved running over the rocks and around the maze. I was very good at finding things

Stress Level: 1 (I have marked this a stress level one because we did get lost! I think the children were getting a bit tired after the amount of time spent in there. To be honest with my sense of direction it probably did not help matters)

Fun Level 4 (It was good fun. Lots of laughs)

Cost Level 3 (I am giving this particular visit a three because we were there for just over 1.5 hours and it cost us £4.00 to park. I think if we had a whole day there it would have received a better score!)

Lunch that Rocks!

We arrived just after 11.30 and were impressed with the selection on the menu. It was not that busy when we arrived but it did fill up as the lunchtime rush hotted up.

This is another American Style Café which the kids chose. We drove past a big fat hot dog squirting tomato sauce on his head on the way to the Tourist Information and it was decided, there and then, that is where we would be having lunch. The Blues Brothers were there to greet us and the place was decked out with memorabilia in keeping with the style. A cool jukebox and low colourful Tiffany-style light all added to the feel of the place.

Colouring sheets and crayons were on the table by the time we had arrived back having had a nosey around. Our drinks order was taken and the waitress came back with drinks to take our food order. We opted for a Kids Menu Spaghetti Bolognese, a garlic bread starter and jalapeno poppers for me ! (Great for the palate, not so good for the diet!). The kids spaghetti was huge and I was glad we opted for only one to split. The kids split both the main and the starter and they only just managed to eat that as it was. I managed all my poppers without any help

Service was good, prompt and the place was clean. Toilets are upstairs, again clean (ladies only seen).

Kids Say
6 year old: Big portions. Loved the lamp shades.
5 year old: Food was good. Garlic bread was really nice. The best bit of stuff was the sausage outside. He was putting tomato sauce on his head!!

Stress Level: 0 (Relaxed and kid friendly)

Fun Level: 3 (It was good to talk about all the bits and bobs around)

Cost Level: 2 (2 starters, 1 Kids meal, 3 drinks = £13.00 and to top it off I received 2 Kids Eat Free Vouchers!! (These have conditions but Jan, Feb, Mar 2007 4pm - 9pm) Not bad)