A Grand Day Out: Kent Life

We were at a loss at what we should do with the day when Ben signed up for a Kent Pass which included a free child ticket for Kent Life and so off we toddled. Kent Life describes itself  as a heritage farm park and is marketed as a family day out. 

What I would say is that it is nice, it’s a nice day out. It’s not wet the bed exciting, it will involve queuing for things and it’s mostly outdoors so on the day we went it was cold. BUT that’s kind of what makes it nice, it’s simple. At is core it’s kids and animals and that is nice! It’s reasonably priced and is good for a family day. 

https://www.kentlife.org.uk

Price

We went on an off peak day in the half term, adult tickets were £6.95 and children £5.95, under 3’s go free. A family ticket (2 adults, 2 kids) £21.95.

Money saving

As previously mentioned, we used to Kent Pass for free child entry. Initially the reception did not want to accept the Kent Pass but once we showed it to them there wasn’t an issue, so worth doing to save £6!

Parking and Accessibility

There is a good amount of parking available however it was busy so be aware you might not be too near. There is a small car park reserved for disabled parking if required which is right by the gate. The website is very helpful when talking about accessibility etc. 

The accessibility of Kent Life varies, it’s a farm after all. Many areas are pathed, however some areas are muddy due to IT BEING A FARM! So be aware that if you have a pushchair you might need to occasionally park it and carry your baby, it may be helpful to bring a baby sling if you have one. 

Toilets, toilets are important to me, sad as it is my bladder is like a peanut! There are a good amount of toilets dotted around, although I still did end up queuing for a baby change. The toilets were reasonably clean (again, you are on a farm so be realistic) and clearly are well maintained. My only complaint was that when I used the toilet by the cafe I had to leave Chloe’s pram up some stairs and it was a bit of a juggle lugging her around with the changing bag, but no real hassle. 

Things to Do

• The obvious one is, see animals. There is a good variety of animals and they are very interactive and engaging which is nice for parents and kids 
• You can buy a bag of animal feed for £1 and the animals were very receptive to being fed!
• Cuddle corner, where kids can stroke and interact with rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises, chickens and baby chicks! FYI there was a queue for this all day, reason being that the woman who presented this really takes time to engage with the group and ensure every child gets time with the animals. 
• Owl academy and bird displays 
• Outdoor kids play area including a bouncy castle, a smaller play area is also located by the cafe. 
• Indoor kids soft play area (very busy on a cold day!)
• Paint a pot, we didn’t go in here but would be a nice thing to do to extend the day. 
• Train ride around the farm, again you will have to queue for this but it’s a nice addition to the day! The driver was very friendly! 
• Vintage village (it’s very quaint) and nice to look around - would also be good for some instagram photos if you are into that, which clearly I am, however I was knackered and looked it lol so we can save that for our next visit!
• Big top (we saw an animal display), we timed it so we ate our lunch out of the wind then got to see a display with a skunk, a rare type of rat (which was surprisingly cute) and a big ass lizard thing, afterwards the children could come and touch the animals which was lovely. I have a new love of skunks! 

Food

The main place to eat would be Dotty’s cafe which is situated up a small hill, it has a lovely outdoor area as well as space to eat inside. Prices for a kids meal are between £2.50-£4.20, an adults jacket potato is £6 with two fillings, which seems reasonable. Importantly, the coffee was good. 

There are lots of locations for visitors to eat food they have brought along with them. 

Random Other Stuff

Kent life seems like the kind of place where you can go lots of times and have different experiences, finding different things to look at. No doubt that in the good weather kids could spend a big chunk of time in the outdoor play area and really enjoy themselves. However it was bloody cold when we went so Tom didn’t use the playground for long!

A thing that I did notice was that all the staff were very friendly, they interacted really well with the kids and were knowledgeable about the animals. Things like that can really make or break a day! 

Both kids enjoyed the day, although I would say that really Chloe only engaged with the cuddle corner and I think it would be better when she is toddling and can independently interact with the animals rather than from the stroller or in our arms. 

Overall

As I said, Kent Life is a nice day out. If you are looking for some wholesome fun with animals then this may well be the place for you. 

My parting advice would be, WEAR WELLIES! It was very muddy and muggins here didn’t think about that it was a farm and ended up with very muddy uggs! 

A Grand Day Out: Leed Castle

We recently visited Leeds Castle in Maidstone, Kent, but have been regular visitors over the past two year as we are annual pass holders. It’s not too far from where we live and is a good all rounder for a family day out.

https://www.leeds-castle.com

Price

So, not going to pretend its a cheap day out but your ticket is an annual pass  so if you’re local it works out much cheaper because it includes their themed events (Motors by the Moat, Jousting and Christmas Market).
An annual family ticket for 2 adults and up to 4 children is £76 and under 4's go free.
You can add on a freedom pass which allows you to use the land train through the grounds and the boat across the lake but you can pay for this (about £1.50 each) ad hoc if you prefer.
the first annual pass we had we added it on as Tom was obsessed with trains at the time but this year we haven't bothered and at present I can't say I miss it as its making us walk more!

Parking and Accessibility

The thing we all care about: Parking is free. Parking is no issue at Leeds Castle, plenty of spaces are available but can get very busy on themed events in which case you might want to come early.
The majority of the grounds are buggy/wheelchair friendly however to go into the castle you are required to use the buggy park by the castle gift shop (bloody love a gift shop). There is also a maze which I wouldn't consider buggy friendly as it ends via an underground grotto.
There are toilets in the key areas of the castle, although each only has one baby change station so in peak times you may have to wait.

Things to Do

• Walk around the grounds
• Look around the castle
• Mini Golf (Extra cost) - £1.50 for kids £2 for adults. 
• Falconry display
• Falconry bit where the birds live (what is that called??)
• Younger kids play area (0-5)
• Older kids play area (6+)
• Maze/Grotto 
• Dog collar museum (its a bit weird)

Food

Most importantly, there is a Costa around halfway. if you are on a day out with kids you will want caffeine, its always busy for this reason.
They have several other places to get coffee dotted around but only one is Costa, I believe the rest are internal brands.
There is also an actual restaurant which is behind Costa, I've never eaten there but the food looks nice. When I looked at the menu a kids meal was £6.50 and average adults meal was £12, this was the Sunday menu and may vary in the week.
Around the kids area you have a cafe which sells very nice chips (£4)! It is a pricey cafe so be prepared. a kids pizza is £7 and a 14" margarita is £13. They do a good selections of ice cream and coffee so again, can be quite busy.
However, Leeds Castle does have lots of places to have picnics including an area that is covered. We rarely buy food there and more often bring our own (and buy coffee!). If you are going as a rare day out then maybe treat yourself and buy food but really I would suggest bringing a picnic and eating before the falconry show (wouldn't suggest during as you don't want to piss off an Eagle with your ham sandwich).

Random Other Shit

OK, I will say it, Leeds Castle is largely populated by the Boden Brigade. There is a fair amount of middle class dickheads (I once saw a woman complain to the manager that her children went on a slide and got wet - it was autumn and had been raining - it was a full on Karen moment). I don't feel this impacts the day in anyway but seemed prominent enough to mention.
A big pro is there are lots of things that are good for photos. Maybe this is a tad vapid but I like Instagram and appreciate places that I can get a good picture for the 'gram. Leeds Castle has my back and clearly has thought this through.
They also consider how to keep things fresh for regular visitors and update things like using QR Codes across the park for kids to follow. As well as brass rubbings (you may laugh but Tom loves that shit) and the castle has really good sheets with things for kids to find/count. They also have themes at Christmas that are family friendly and absolutely stunning.
Speaking of Christmas, Leeds Castle does a great theme day. We've been to quite a few and the only complaint i would have is that the Christmas market was very busy, but lets be fair, most christmas markets are!

Overall

I really love Leeds Castle, it’s a nice day out no matter the weather. it gets us out and walking and once you are there you don't have to spend money if you don't want to (always a bonus). If you are on the fence then I would say its really worth taking a chance on!

A Grand Day Out : Chatham Dockyard : Update

Nearly a year ago we visited Chatham Dockyards and included in the price is a year pass which we have used on many occasions. We hadn't been in a little while and decided to come today as it was due to expire. Truth be told we thought we had seen all there was to see (read - boats and trains, oh my!). Well, in our absence they have had a bit of a refurb, and brought some freshness back into the place.

The first change we noticed was the introduction of a new outdoor playground. It seemed aimed at older kids than Tom but was still generally toddler friendly! The style was nautical (of course!) and looks really great, it even has a water activity. 

The next big change was a new dining area. The cafe with the soft play area is still available on site but there is now a new light and airy cafe which looks amazing. Prices remain a bit high but the food is good so you can't really complain! 

The last new section that we explored was an interactive exhibition looking at different jobs of the boat builder people (wasn't really concentrating at this point - too busy playing!). I really enjoyed playing with the activities and Tom especially enjoyed the green screen and hammering the rope. 

We spent the rest of the day looking at the ships and trains. Tom has enjoyed the  Dockyard throughout the year and I have enjoyed going there through the year. If you are looking for a fun and educational day out then I would recommend Chatham Dockyards! 

http://thedockyard.co.uk 

Tropical Wings : A Grand Day Out

We visited tropical wings over half term but really it's been a year in the making! Ever since a friend told me about Tropical Wings I have wanted to take Tom! Based in Essex it was a little further to travel than we would usually go but I can say it was totally worth it! I will state that I am a zoo/farm lover so they had a head start in my affections! 

The zoo offers a soft play area, a cafe, shop, farm area, meerkats, and a tropical butterfly area ... I wonder where the name comes from! 

You start by looking at a selection of unusual birds with a goat in the middle! It was a nice start and I really enjoyed the birds but Tom was far more interested in the goat! 

You then get to go on and look at lots of different animals including an awesome monkey enclosure. In Tom's world this did not compare to the ride on motorised tractors, at £1 a turn this was a massive highlight for Tom, I will be honest I had a turn too and it was quite fun! 

Next up were the wallabies and Patagonian mara enclosure. This was absolutely brilliant! The fence is very low so you are really in with them, it was great for Tom to see the animals so up close and personal.

After this we saw otters. I absolutely loved the otters and it was possibly my favourite part! They were cuddling and kissing and making their funny little noises! So adorable and Tom spent quite a long time looking at and copying them. 

We then visited the farm area, Tom liked the pigs and was making Peppa noises, there was also another 'open farm area' with goats but I found it a bit hard to stop Tom climbing in! The part I really like with this was there were chickens roaming around and Tom liked to chase them! It was really funny! And he got quite close to catching dinner! 

We then timed it so we got to see the meerkat feeding. I would totally recommend this as we got to be really up close and see some of the little baby ones too! It was a well put together show, during which everyone had a good look. 

We did visit the cafe for lunch, I would recommend going early as it got very busy by the time we left. The food was nice, fairly simple, sandwiches, jacket potatos, etc. And the prices were also pretty average for a captive audience. There are also plenty of spaces around for picnics both inside and out which is always a welcome sight! 

Last but certainly not least, the butterfly enclosure! This is immense, it's kept at a very warm temperature so be prepared to carry your coat! There are butterflies flying everywhere and sometimes even landing on you! All different sizes, colours and types, it is so beautiful, I don't know if you could go and not be awed by the beauty of them! 

There was a stunning blue one that I just couldn't get a picture of but when you see you will know! It's massive! 

So did we enjoy our day? Heck yeah!

Will we go back? I can't wait! 

If you are looking for a nice day for the whole family then this is the place to go! 

http://www.tropicalwings.co.uk

This is not a sponsored post.

A Grand Day Out : Rare Breeds Centre

For Mr B's 30th birthday he was given a family ticket to The Rare Breeds Centre in Ashford, Kent. After looking it up we were both really excited to go as it looked family friendly. We took a picnic with us to be a bit thrifty and it's handy with Tom having allergies.

When we arrived there was more than adequate parking, there isn't set bays so it's really good for parent and child. You enter/exit through the gift shop which isn't big, loud and expensive but is quite modest and affordable. We didn't get anything going in or coming out but I noticed that they sold local farm produce which was lovely. During the day we did buy an ice cream each and it was sold as shop value rather than taking advantage of people not having other options, I think that sums up the vibe of the place and people running it!

Let's start with the animals! There is a huge array from birds of prey to cows and ponies, bunnies and pigs! Many of the animals are there so you can pet them and there are lots of hand washing facilities so you don't have to worry about germs, although I did keep the hand sanitizer out all day! The animals are all clearly well looked after and are really accessible, it was lovely seeing Tom be able to be so close and pet lots of animals he hasn't seen before. 

The farm has a big area of land so we also had a nice long walk, finding the secret lake, Giants chairs, an adventure area that Tom was too little for. There are playgrounds dotted around so there is plenty of opportunity for your children to burn off steam. 

One of the hidden gems is the soft play. We went there at midday to get out the sun and it was empty bar one child so Tom was really able to use all the equipment with no fear of being knocked over. I even went in and played on the slide, not dignified!

Tom's favourite part of the day was the tractor. They do regular tractor rides through the day to take you to different parts of the site or as a whole ride. Tom adored it, and the staff are so helpful and friendly. 

I really enjoyed the butterfly tunnel, it is a humid area but I've never seen such big, colourful butterflies. It took Tom a while to notice them but when he did he was entranced! 

The only real negative of the day is that when we was eating there were loads of wasps. It was better inside the marquee, but it's something to be mindful of. But by no means did it spoil our day. 

Please do not let that put you off as it is a wonderful day out. I would whole heartedly recommend the Rare Breeds Centre as a family day out. It's so family friendly and there is so much to see and do for all ages, I guarantee you won't leave disappointed! Our ticket was given to us but a family ticket can be purchased for £32, more information can be found at http://www.rarebreeds.org.uk/buy-tickets