Free Activities with Children in Bristol

Bristol is an amazing, vibrant city, with lots of history and culture. It also offers a wealth of colourful entertainment options all year round. From festivals, to amazing street art, including this year's Gromit Unleashed 2 trail, there really is something for everyone. It's easy for the costs to add up though, when you suddenly have children to amuse all day. If you are wondering how you are going to entertain the kids on a budget this summer, here is a round up of all of our favourite free things to do in the city, keeping the costs down, without skimping on the fun!

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Beach Life Hacks - Easy Tips for Seaside Trips

It's been hot for what seems like forever now and, now the school holidays are here, the beach is the ultimate free playground for bored children. The air is cooler and, with enough space to run around and lots of exciting things to dig up, even the most adventurous children should be happy for hours, without spending lots of money. Whether it's a short trip or a long haul to your preferred sandy destination, I've put together this handy guide to everything you need for a stress-free seaside summer. From sand-free supplies to keeping things cool, We've got it covered. 

Free Printable No Cold Callers Sign

I am not an antisocial person, honest, and I really don't want people to think I am. However, cold callers knocking at my door causes people problems. If you have mobility problems, it's a pain to have to answer the door to someone you don't really need to see. Sometimes the unwanted callers are VERY persistent, which is a problem if you have a baby or night worker sleeping during the day. Personally, I don't think I should have to answer the door if I don't want to. Where we live, they call at dinner time, L's bedtime, sometimes when I'm in the garden, so I don't hear them until they've got REALLY loud. It's a real pain and I think we need to reclaim our front doors. 

Ideas for Decorating Holiday Shells

Everyone loves a good day at the beach. Especially me. We spend a lot of weekends at the coast, enjoying the sea air and indulging my favourite pastime of shell seeking. It's a great, low cost activity that everyone can get involved in. The children love seeing what treasures they can find, or dig up. You can tailor it towards their interests, for example looking for pebbles with possible fossils in for dinosaur hunters, or finding shells with holes in, to make into jewellery. Decorating holiday shells is a great craft, with the added bonus of using up old nail varnish.

Coping with Hay Fever, Top Tips and Ideas to Help

Hay fever is a common, and really annoying, seasonal problem for many people. It isn't always taken seriously, but the symptoms can be similar to those of a heavy cold. Although not life-changing, these symptoms can leave the sufferer feeling exhausted and miserable, especially as they can last for most of the summer. The condition is a particular nuisance for students, as it tends to land right in the middle of exam season, which is the last thing anyone needs.  I've put together a few tips that I hope might help, including some ideas we've tried and some that we might! Wishing you a healthy, snuffle-free summer!

Pressure Washing the Patio - Before and After with Karcher

In our own low-budget way, we do try to keep up with the garden. Over the ten years we've lived here, we've turned it into a tidy, functional, yet low-maintenance garden, despite the drawbacks of heavy clay soil and either full sun or total shade in parts. One aspect that has been letting the garden down for some time though, is the ageing, grotty patio and recently, we got the chance to finally do something about it. Read on to find out how the Karcher K2 Compact stepped up to the task and see the results in our before and after pictures! This post is not sponsored, we borrowed the pressure washer from a friend.