Thursday 16 March 2017

My Mother's Day Mini Gift Guide

Mother's Day is fast approaching and this year it is on Sunday 26th March. I often find that many gifts in the shops can be quite similar, and so it can be hard to find the perfect gift. I have therefore put a few little suggestions together, that I hope may be of help.

1) The Gift of Music

Back in December, we had the opportunity to review the VQ Retro Mini Radio, and we have been really impressed with it over the past few months. We have received numerous comments from guests in our home, and several friends and family have since gone on to purchase one.

As well as a selection of block colours, these Digital Radio's also come in a beautiful range of floral and Emma Bridgewater designs, which would look lovely in any household. They are easily portable, so ideal for some background music in an evening, or whilst out gardening in the sunshine. We even take ours on holiday with us!

They cost from £69.99 to £89.99 depending on the design you choose. You can view the full range and also purchase one here: My VQ Retro Mini 


2. The Gift of Chocolate

Let's face it, chocolate is delicious and makes a perfect gift. However, have you ever considered personalised chocolate cards?

Morse Toad are a company that specialize in chocolate cards and gifts. They offer an amazing service, that combines this sweet treat with personalisation choices that can even include a photograph within the beautifully presented gift box.

These unique gifts also fit through the letterbox, so there is no need to worry about going out and missing a delivery. When we tried their service back in November, we were very impressed and therefore wouldn't hesitate to recommend these as an ideal Mother's Day Gift.

The full range can be viewed and purchased here: Morse Toad's Messaging Service


3. The Gift of Flowers

A popular choice every year on Mother's Day is to purchase some beautiful flowers for the occasion.
Stunning bouquets are now available in a wide range of different shapes and sizes, featuring a whole host of delightful flowers.

Back in February we reviewed Prestige Flowers who currently have a fantastic range of Mother's Day flowers. We had a positive experience with their service, and I thought that the bouquets came both nicely presented and packaged perfectly.

We reviewed a bouquet from the Valentine's range which is pictured below, however there is now a selection on their website that is dedicated to their Mother's Day range which can be found here: Prestige Flowers




Sunday 12 March 2017

The Tiger Who Came to Tea - Epstein Theatre Preview & Competition

My children are huge fans of books, and they all have their own treasured stories that they enjoy to read again and again. Some stories however span several generations, and books that were once my favourite as a child, are now also popular with my own children, which is really lovely to see.

A prime example of this is the wonderful tale of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, which has been a firm family favourite in our household, and I was very pleased to hear, that this lovely story has been adapted into a musical play that is embarking on a major UK tour.

The truly magical Olivier Award nominated West End production opens on Thursday 30th March at the Epstein Theatre, Liverpool for a three day run. It has been adapted and directed by David Wood OBE, and Judith Kerr's ever popular tale, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, is the ideal introduction to theatre for children aged three plus and the perfect treat for the whole family.

Illustrations copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1968

When Sophie and her Mummy welcome the hungry Tiger to Tea, he proceeds to eat all the sandwiches, buns, biscuits and more. He even manages to drink all the water in the tap! What will Sophie's Daddy say when he gets home?

The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her Mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be?
What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big furry, stripy tiger!

Join the Tiger, Sophie, and her Mummy and Daddy, in this musical slice of teatime mayhem with sing-a-long songs, oodles of magic, and interactive fun.

David Wood is undisputedly the country’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children, whose many successes include: The Gingerbread Man, Guess How Much I Love You, eight Roald Dahl adaptations including West End hits The BFG, The Witches and George’s Marvellous Medicine; and the Olivier Award winning Goodnight Mister Tom.

If you would love to take the opportunity to see this wonderful production then the listing details are as follows:

The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Venue: The Epstein Theatre, Hanover House, 85 Hanover Street, Liverpool, L1 3DZ
Dates: Thursday 30th March to Saturday 1st April
Performance Times: Thursday 1:30pm, Friday 10:30am & 1:30pm, Saturday 11am & 2pm.

Ticket prices: £13.50 per ticket, or £11 per ticket for groups of 10+. All prices include a £1 per ticket venue restoration levy.

Box Office: 0844 888 4411

The show has a running time of 55 minutes with no interval, and is recommended as being suitable for children age 3+.

A trailer for the show can also be found here: www.TigersTeaLive.com

Competition
To celebrate The Tiger Who Came to Tea production visiting the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool on the 30th March to 1st April, I have one copy of the book to give away to a lucky reader. Please enter using the Gleam form below:

The Tiger Who Came to Tea Book Competition

Terms and Conditions: 1 (One) person shall be selected at random from all entries to win 1 (One) copy of The Tiger Who Came to Tea book. This shall be sent directly to the winner from the promoter. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery. Open to UK entrants only. No bulk/third party entries. Competition closes on Friday 24th March and the winner shall be notified within 3 days of competition closing date. The winner will then have 14 days to reply to the winning notification to confirm acceptance of the prize.

Illustrations copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1968

Friday 10 March 2017

Our Weekend Break at The Shibden Mill Inn, Yorkshire

I really don't like going away without the kids, so we generally tend not to, unless it's to attend a wedding or business event, and at the most we will only have a couple of nights away a year. However, back in August 2016, I won a competition through Inn Places to win a night away in a beautiful suite, with a three course dinner and breakfast at a lovely hotel in the Shibden Valley, near Halifax. After putting off booking for several months, we finally decided that a night away might be nice for my husbands birthday and so we booked our stay for last Saturday 4th March.

A couple of nights prior to our visit, I did begin to feel anxious about our stay and even thought about cancelling, but my husband convinced me that all would be fine, and so I finally began to relax about it and started to look forward to experiencing some luxury and fine food.

The journey from North Wales to Shibden, took us just over an hour and a half, and it was an easy journey there without too much traffic, on what was a bright and sunny day. The sat nav did send us down a very bumpy cobbled lane as we approached our destination, but we remembered to avoid this when we left the following day.

The location of our weekend break was at the Shibden Mill Inn, which dates back to the 17th century and was formerly a water mill. The inn has retained a lot of its original features and character and these have been cleverly incorporated into the individually designed guest rooms. The Inn is literally a stones throw away from Halifax, taking only a few minutes to reach the city centre, however on arrival you truly feel as though you are in the heart of the countryside and away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It offers both 5 star guest accommodation and a fantastic dining experience, with excellent quality food available from a choice of several different menus dependent on the day and time of your visit.

On arrival we found a parking space and admired the pretty stream that ran alongside it. We saw lots of couples out with their dogs enjoying the sunshine and it seemed a popular place for walkers. We entered into the reception area where we received a very warm and friendly welcome and the gentleman who checked us in, guided us to our room and gave us a quick tour of the inn on the way. He showed us where we could visit the bar, and explained where we would be dining in the evening and the following morning.

As he opened the door to our room, we were extremely impressed by both the size and the decor of the room. We were staying in the Bower Suite which had been tastefully decorated, with a great combination of both traditional and modern furnishings. The bathroom was of a modern appearance with a wonderfully large walk in shower which had both a fixed and handheld shower option. In the main room was a spectacular bath, which has given me serious bath envy and is something I would love to have in my own home.


The bed was huge and looked lovely with its display of pillows and soft furnishings, and in front of this was a large sofa, which was ideal for watching television or simply having a rest. There were tea and coffee making facilities, a large widescreen television on the wall, a dvd player, and a retro look digital radio which supplied lovely background music into the room. In addition to all of these modern conveniences, there was ample storage space in the form of both a wardrobe and two chest of drawers, and the doors located to the rear of the room, opened out onto a lovely outdoor patio area.




Shibden Mill Inn has also thought about the little finishing touches to the room as well, and there were plenty of little extras available that help to make a comfortable stay, such as toiletries and an ample selection of tea, coffee and biscuits. The added addition of some magazines, and information on the Inn, finished the room off nicely, and our first impressions were that the room was both comfortable and luxurious.



We made a reservation for a table for two for 6:30pm, and headed to the bar area for a drink mid afternoon. The bar area seemed very popular and was quite busy when we visited at around 4pm. The seating areas within the bar are very charming, and the wonderful open fires ensured a nice warm atmosphere. The drinks were not overpriced, and after purchasing two drinks and some nuts, we were surprised to have a several pounds change from a ten pound note. After a drink and a chat, we returned to our room to relax for a while before returning to the bar area for dinner.

We were both very much looking forward to our evening meal, and being a social media addict, I suggested that we both left our phones in the room so that we didn't get distracted. This would be the first time in a very long time, where I could enjoy my food hot, without having to help my youngest son Riley with his dinner, and so I couldn't wait for our dining experience.

On arrival in the restaurant, we confirmed our reservation details and we were seated on a table for two in the corner of the main bar area by the extensive display of awards that Shibden Mill Inn have received over the years, This was certainly a very impressive collection of trophies and plates from numerous awarding bodies and they must be very proud to be able to show off these accomplishments to their guests.  My only negative comment here, would be that it was so busy near where we were sat, that my chair got knocked into several times by passing guests, which did get a little frustrating after a while. Therefore if we were to eat here again, we would request a table away from the bar in a quieter location of the dining area.

This minor annoyance was soon forgotten however, once we viewed the menu, and saw the wonderful array of dishes that were on offer. The waiter came and took our drinks and food order promptly and politely, then he also provided me with some information on the choice of wines available. He was happy to answer any questions that we had regarding the dishes, and seemed very knowledgeable of the menu. Both our drinks and starters arrived very quickly, and we both tucked in to our starters of Chicken Liver Pate with potato bread, roasted chicken skin butter & rhubarb gel. This came beautiful presented with the bread in the form of a mini loaf that you could cut to your size requirements. The pate came in a lidded jar with the rhubarb gel set on the top. This was the perfect sized starter portion and was absolutely delicious.

Once our plates were collected there was a suitable waiting period between courses and so it was nice to be able to have a chat together over a drink whilst waiting for our mains. My husband had chosen the Waterford Farm 6oz Fillet that came accompanied by a meat and potato pie, grilled kidney, and onion gravy. He also purchased a side order of dripping fat chips. I opted for the Beer Battered Scottish Haddock, with dripping fat chips, mushy pea ketchup, tartar sauce, and lemon. I realise that this may sound like a boring option given the amazing selection of choice on offer, however I had read a review a few days prior that had recommended this dish, and being a huge fan of comfort food, I was very keen to try it out.

Neither of us were disappointed, and as our main courses arrived, both our eyes lit up with delight at both the portion quantity and the lovely display of food on offer. My husbands fillet was cooked to perfection and he stated that it was one of the nicest meals he had had in a very long time. My fish was also delicious, and the mushy pea ketchup accompaniment was a treat when combined with both the fish and the dripping fat chips.

I somehow managed to finish my huge portion, and so politely declined the option of dessert. My husband was not going to miss out on sampling what was available however and so he ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding with stout and toffee sauce, and salted caramel ice cream. This was the perfect end to our three course meal, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the menu choices we had made. Sadly I have no pictures of the food due to not taking my phone to dinner.

The following morning, breakfast was just as delicious, with an ample selection of continental offerings, and the ability to order a cooked option too. We both opted for the full Yorkshire breakfast, which was both tasty and filling, and the sausage and bacon were cooked just how I like them. The waitress service was very friendly, and she frequently came back to the table to ask whether we would like any tea, coffee or toast.

Unfortunately, our little weekend break had to come to an end, but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the wonderful meal that we were provided with. As I mentioned previously this was a competition win, however had we paid for our stay it would have cost £262 (including drinks we had ordered at the bar) which I actually feel offers incredible value for money for the accommodation and standard of food we were provided with. Our accommodation was in the Bower Suite which is the most expensive of the rooms, however all the rooms are beautifully decorated and can be viewed on their website here: Shibden Mill Inn

If you are thinking of staying at The Shibden Mill Inn, then here are some tips:

* Check in is from 2pm, which is quite early compared to some other establishments. Therefore take advantage of this early check in time to make the most of your stay.
* If dining in the evening, request a table away from the main bar area.
* Check the website prior to visiting to see their latest dining offers and the menus that will be available during your stay.
* Visit the website and select "Latest Offers" to view some great deals on packaged stays, or stays for longer periods, to get the best value for money.

Overall, we had a fantastic stay, and definitely hope to return again in the future as a family.


Thursday 9 March 2017

A Grand Reopening at The Entertainer, Ellesmere Port

On the 25th February, we were invited along to a fun packed day to celebrate the grand reopening of The Entertainer, situated on the Coliseum Shopping Park in Ellesmere Port.

The store has undergone a full refurbishment, and staff were ready to welcome customers back to the new look store, along with a host of very special guests including Kai and Lloyd from Lego Ninjago, Lego Batman, and the amazing Optimus Prime. There were also balloons and goodies galore for children and their families who had made their way to the store to celebrate the reopening.


It was great to be able to attend and support a local event, and the day began with a charity trolley dash, where just under £500 worth of toys were collected. This was soon followed by the arrival of the fantastic Optimus Prime truck, which quickly drew plenty of attention to the store.


The store itself looked fantastic, with toys all neatly displayed and placed within colour coded categories. The signs were placed high in the store, so it was easy to find the area that you were looking for, and there was an absolutely huge range of toys on show. In addition to regular priced toys, there was also a great selection of special offers located around the store, and I was pleased to find that these were Nationwide special deals, and not just one off prices for opening day.






As the morning progressed, more and more customers were welcomed through the doors, and it wasn't long before some very special guests made their way out into the crowd to meet families and pose for some photographs. Orderly queues were formed, and the staff were great in making sure that everyone had the opportunity to pose for a photo with their favourite characters. The first guests my children were able to meet were Kai and Lloyd from Lego Ninjago!



Once the waiting crowd had all taken photos, it wasn't long before we were joined by another Lego favourite in the form of Lego Batman. My youngest child Riley is a huge fan of Lego Batman at the moment, as you may have seen from our recent Legoland Discovery Centre review, and so to have the opportunity to meet him again was fantastic, and Riley was of course delighted!


Queues for the character meet and greets moved quickly, however there was always something else going on to keep children entertained. A lovely gentleman was busy making all sorts of fabulous balloon creations for children, and guests were also invited to take a closer look at the amazing Optimus Prime vehicle.

It was also great to see so many children and their families making the most of the great offers available in store, and we saw many happy faces leaving the store with their new toys!

My daughter really loved the Art and Craft section and found that there was a fantastic choice of products available, including some at pocket money prices. She also saw some lovely gift ideas for her friends for when it is their birthdays, and was also very impressed with the wide range of character toys available for Riley's age group such as Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly and Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

We managed to find a Jake and the Neverland Pirates Skully Soaring Ship Playset that had been reduced from £20 to only £6.66, which was a great bargain! Riley also enjoyed being able to see the new range of PJ Masks toys, which is one of his favourite programmes on television at the moment.

Once my children had each picked a treat, we made our way back outside and met even more characters. This time it was the turn of Bumblebee from Transformers, another popular choice with my children.


We finished the morning with one last browse around the store. My daughter was already busy compiling her birthday gift list in her head as she wandered from aisle to aisle, and it wasn't long before the boys were doing the same. We left the store very impressed with both the event and the refurbishment, and we will definitely be returning again in the future to purchase some more toys.


The Entertainer has over 130 UK stores, and they regularly hold special in-store events, so be sure to check out the Store Finder to find the one closest to you. If however, you prefer online shopping, then great deals can also be found on their website here, or alternatively click on the banner below:

                                                                                          

Disclaimer: We were invited along to the reopening of The Entertainer in Ellesmere Port as guests to experience the event day and view the refurbishment that had taken place. 

This article contains affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission should you choose to purchase something online from The Entertainer at TheToyShop.com. These small commissions allow me to maintain this site and are greatly appreciated.

Friday 3 March 2017

Our Family Visit to Mattel Play in Liverpool - A Review

On the Thursday of February Half Term, the not very nice Storm Doris put an end to any plans we had for that day. Although the rain doesn't bother us, it would have been silly of us to have attempted to go anywhere in the gale force winds that swept through the local area and so we were forced to admit defeat and have a stuck indoors day at home.

Having checked the weather forecast for the following day, we were pleased to see that a dry day had been given out for the Friday, albeit very cold. We therefore decided that we would head into Liverpool for the day, where there is a good mixture of things to do both inside and outside, and then we could visit places to suit both us, and the weather.

I had seen some advertisements last year for a new indoor play area called Mattel Play which is situated on the Albert Dock, a short walking distance away from the Echo Arena and within easy reach of Liverpool city centre. This therefore looked like the ideal place to visit indoors, where Riley could have a play and keep warm from the weather outside. There is plenty of parking nearby, and we chose to park in the ACC Liverpool multi storey car park which cost £7 for up to 5 hours. There is also some family friendly parking available in Car Park B which offers larger spaces which some parents may find easier to use and are situated closer to the attraction.


Mattel Play is a relatively new indoor attraction that features over 13,000 square feet of interactive adventure play. It is made up of three play zones which are Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam, and each zone hosts a wide range of fun activities where your child can use their creativity and imagination to enjoy some fantastic pretend play, all whilst enjoying being surrounded by their favourite characters. It has recently been nominated for two awards in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards in the "Best Newcomer" and "Large Visitor Attraction" categories.

On arrival, we initially went the wrong way whilst walking, as somehow we missed the sign, but a nearby security guard, soon pointed us in the right direction and we entered the main cafe and shop area ready to enter the attraction. This area looked spotlessly clean, nicely decorated and there was lots of space for families arriving.  The ticket desk was located in a central position in between the cafe and shop and my son became very excited as he spotted a familiar face from Thomas the Tank Engine at the top of the stairs. The shop also caught my sons attention, and he was very keen to take a look at the huge selection of toys on offer.


A member of staff provided us with information as to where to go, and asked whether we had a buggy that we required storing, as there was a large area dedicated to buggys and pushchairs. I felt that this was a great idea as it meant that the play area wouldn't be overcrowded and I am sure that this will be a big convenience to a lot of parents. We were also provided with directions to the toilets so we made a quick stop here first for Riley so that he wouldn't need it again during our visit. Again the toilets were very clean, and they were also quite low down, so it also meant that Riley could use them himself without needing to be lifted on, which was ideal.

Now, as for the actual attraction itself, I will be honest when I say that I was really pleasantly surprised with Mattel Play. I hadn't been too sure what to expect, but from looking on their website, I had the impression that there would be several small themed soft play areas along with some statues that you could have your picture taken with.  In fact, it totally exceeded any expectations I had, and I was very impressed with the variety of pretend and imaginative play options in each zone.

We began in the Thomas the Tank Engine zone, where children are transported to the Island of Sodor and can explore Knapford Station, Tidmouth Sheds, Farmer McColls farm, and Brendham Docks.



As we entered the room, the first thing we saw was a giant Thomas the Tank Engine train, that children could climb onto and pretend they were driving. Opposite this was a small train track, where children could climb into a small child sized train, and pedal it around a track using their hands. This looked great fun, and Riley enjoyed riding on this several times. Although this attraction is primarily aimed at under 7's, Riley's elder brother Ben who is 9 just couldn't resist having a go himself!


Next to this was another train to climb aboard on, along with a carriage on its side, that housed large foam building bricks that you could use to make some great creations. A short distance away was Tidmouth Sheds featuring Percy, a turntable ride, and several benches for parents to sit and relax whilst children have fun. The models looked just like the trains do in the show, and it was a lovely atmosphere to be in, listening to children arriving and being so excited at spotting their favourite characters.


As we made our way through a tunnel entrance, we found the Sodor Coal Supply, which housed large foam squares that could be used for building, and opposite this was a wonderful large ball pool area.


The ball area, featured a fabulous replica model of Harold the Helicopter, and there was a small slide at the rear that you could slide down into the balls. This was a really nice sized ball pool, with plenty of room for lots of children. There were also some lovely views out of the side windows overlooking the docks.



We spent around half an hour in the Thomas the Tank Engine area, before making our way to the Bob the Builder zone which was my son's favourite, as there were numerous imaginative play activities to enjoy.

In this zone you become part of Bob the Builder's yard and join him as apprentice builders to help him with his work. My son really enjoys pretending to be a chef, and so he literally could have spent hours playing in Bob's kitchen before helping out Wendy in her workshop and the vehicles in the yard.


In Bob's office kitchen, there was a large selection of food, pans and pots, and a variety of utensils, so Riley set to work making some lunch for Bob! We bought Riley a wooden kitchen at Christmas and he loves pretending to be a chef, so this was the ideal activity for him to enjoy.


Next to the kitchen area, there was a nice selection of costumes so that children could dress up as builders with vests and hard hats. This is a very simple but great idea for children who all seemed to enjoy this. The hats were adjustable so there were no worries about children being left out by them not fitting.


Once we had managed to persuade Riley to come and enjoy the other activities on offer, he swiftly climbed aboard Scoop and pretended to be the driver. He started directing us as to where we needed to be on the building site, and really enjoyed pretending to be the boss!


One thing we really liked, as you can probably see in the photos, is the amount of space between each activity, meaning that it never felt too crowded and it was easy to always find somewhere to stand or sit in order to supervise and watch him play.


We also enjoyed a little game of hide and seek, and Riley found this fabulous hiding spot! I even walked past him twice, but I soon heard him laughing and found him.


Another fun activity was the sand diggers, where Riley spent some time digging, scooping up the sand and then dropping it in a new location using the levers provided. We were very impressed with the design of all the activities and each area seemed very tidy and well looked after.


Riley then spotted some building blocks, which were laid out around a nice seating area with tables. Each desk had two stools, so it was ideal for siblings to work together, or to allow parents to sit and help their children. Riley and his dad enjoyed laying all the blocks out, and then making a really tall tower.


 Adjacent to this was a drawing area, where you could trace over your favourite characters from Bob the Builder, using the clever light up desks.


Next, Riley decided that he would like to build a wall, and so with the help of his dad, they quickly got to work. It was really funny watching Riley bossing his dad around and telling him where to lay each brick, whilst he fetched them over in the trailer.



The last zone we visited was the Fireman Sam area, which again offered a wide range of activities for children to enjoy. The village of Pontypandy featured the local shop, the Ocean Rescue Centre, and the chance to pretend to be at sea on Titan. Riley immediately boarded the Fire Rescue Boat on arrival, and set to work in firing the water hoses to save the day! It wasn't long before his elder brother and sister came to give him a helping hand too!



Ben and Riley then set about working in the shop. Whilst the majority of activities were too young for Emma and Ben, they do regularly enjoy watching their younger brother have fun, and will often join in with him when playing. Therefore Ben decided to play the role of the shop keeper, whilst Riley grabbed a shopping trolley and basket, and set about doing his weekly shop.




As you can imagine, with lots of children playing, the shelves were quickly emptied, but Riley soon took over the role of shelf stacker and placed items back in the stands.


The highlight of the Fireman Sam Zone, was the huge replica Jupiter, that children could climb in and pretend to drive. Like the Bob the Builder area, there were fireman hats available for kids to wear so that they could enjoy dressing up. Around the Jupiter vehicle were lots of fun extras to play with too, such as the hoses, and all the buttons. Every now and then the blue flashing siren would switch on as well, which Riley was really excited about!




In addition to the play zones, the attraction also houses a party room, and a green screen experience, where you can have you photo taken with a character background. The Green Screen room, the cafe and the shop can all be entered free of charge, and you don't need to be attending the play zones to use these areas.

The attraction is open 7 days a week from 9:20am to 5:20pm, however the last timed entry slot is 3:20pm to allow children to have a full 2 hour experience. Walk up admissions are permitted though until 4:30pm. As with any attraction, it can get very busy throughout the day, so if your child would like a quieter experience, then Mattel Play would recommend that you attend the early 9:20am slot.

Entry tickets cost £10 per child (1-12) and £2 per adult (13+), however if attending with a child of pre-school age Monday to Friday during term time, then you can take advantage of their midweek offer which costs £10 for an adult & toddler ticket, which I think represents great value for money. Babies under 12 months are free of charge when visiting with a paying child. The attraction can get very busy, especially on weekends and during school holiday periods, and so it is advisable to pre book your timed slot to avoid disappointment on arrival. Mattel Play are unable to guarantee entry to guests who have not booked in advance, although they will try their best to accommodate walk up guests when possible.

Mattel Play is also Autism Friendly, and host Autism Events on a regular basis where capacity is limited to enable a quieter, calm and relaxed experience for all guests. I was also pleased to see that all staff working at Mattel Play have undergone appropriate training. The next Autism friendly event is on the 29th March between 5pm & 7pm, at a charge of £5 per child with free places for accompanying carers. (Maximum of one free carer per child.) Additional adults are welcome at a charge of £2. In order to limit the numbers, this event is pre-bookable only, and can be done online here: Mattel Play

For the latest news, up to date entry prices and events, I would recommend visiting their website or following their social media pages which can be found here:

Mattel Play Website
Facebook
Twitter

Overall, we had an absolutely wonderful time at Mattel Play, and the attraction far exceeded our expectations. We were very impressed with the layout, and the wide range of activities and facilities on offer. The whole place seemed really clean and well cared for, and any staff we approached were friendly and courteous at all times. We will definitely be returning with Riley, and are currently considering booking here for his next Birthday party. It is easy to see once attending, why the attraction has been nominated for awards, and I have no hesitation in recommending Mattel Play to other families.


Disclaimer: We were provided with complimentary entry for the purpose of providing an honest and impartial review. All opinions and photographs are my own. Entry times, prices and event details were correct at time of writing, however these may be subject to change.