Do you have a car fanatic in your house? Ever since Erin was tiny, her and my nephew Nathan have been a little bit car obsessed. They would sit for hours on a mat on the floor, acting out little stories and racing each other in imaginary challenges. It was lovely to watch! 🙂 Nathan now collects Hot Wheels cars, and has amassed quite a impressive collection which are all stacked up on display, pride of place in his bedroom.
Hot Wheels is the number one selling toy in the world with more than 16.5 cars sold every single second, and the demand for them doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon!
We were really excited to learn that the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live tour is coming to the UK for the first time ever in 2020 and heading to our local Birmingham Arena from the 31st January – 2nd February 2020.
You can see the trailer for the tour below, but OMG it looks amazing, and I know they are both going to be on the edge of their seats the whole way through!
The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Tour offers exhilarating and fast paced family entertainment for kids of all ages, bringing all the kids favourite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks to life, including iconic jumps and stunts and epic crashing and smashing!
The show also includes speciality acts such as performances from the superstars of freestyle motocross, real life World Record attempts and of course Megasaurus – the MASSIVE car eating, fire breathing, prehistoric robot who LOVES chomping and eating anything with four wheels.
As if this wasn’t enough, each event will feature the Crash Zone Pre-Show Party with Monster Truck photo opportunities, driver meet-and-greets, VIP autograph sessions, and other special prizes and promotions.
If you have a car fanatic in your house and you are looking for a fun and different experience to entertain them in 2020, then what are you waiting for? Tickets are available now from HotWheelsMonsterTrucksLive
Fancy winning Family Tickets to Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live?
Thanks to the team at Rhodes Media – we have a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) to giveaway to the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live event at Birmingham Arena on the Sunday 2nd February at 3.30pm. To enter simply use the Rafflecopter app below. Giveaway ends 11.59pm on 21st January 2020.
Do you have some fans of Kidz Bop in your house? Erin is a MASSIVE fan of Kidz Bop, first discovering them on TV around 12 months ago and being pretty much obsessed with them ever since. If you haven’t heard of them, Kidz Bop are a group of children who sing and dance to popular contemporary songs and chart hits, but with their own dance routines and with lyrics that are far more family friendly (swear words and inappropriate language removed!). Kidz Bop have sold more than 215,000 albums to date.
Erin loves dancing along to their fun choreography and dance routines, and has been caught on many occasion practicing the steps in the kitchen after asking Alexa to “play songs by Kidz Bop Kids”.
Next year Kidz Bop are headlining their First ever Kidz Bop Live concert tour in the UK, including a stop at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 11th April 2020, and I am super excited to be taking Erin to her first ever concert as a Mum and daughterevening out.
With their latest album Kidz Bop 2020 being released on the 15th November, Kidz Bop fans will be overjoyed to learn that Kidz Bop are doing 8 live concert dates in 2020 as follows:
Tues April 7 – London Palladium
Weds April 8 – London Palladium
Fri April 10 – Liverpool Empire Theatre
Sat April 11 – Birmingham Symphony Hall
Mon April 13 – Glasgow SEC
Weds April 15 – Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Thurs April 16 – Cardiff St David’s Hall
Fri April 17 – Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Kidz Bop Live Tickets are available to buy from www.cuffeandtaylor.com. There are also special VIP meet and greet tickets available should they wish to get up close and personal after the show with the stars of Kidz Bop – Ashton, Max, Mia and Twinkle.
If you want to take your kids to one of the most interactive family friendly concerts of 2020, why not treat them to tickets to see Kidz Bop Live and see them perform some of the biggest global hits live on stage. With awesome new set designs, fab costumes, exciting choreography and lots of cool surprises, there is even a chance for Dads to get up on stage and show off their best dance moves in a Daddy Dance Off!
I for one am super excited to tell Erin we are going to Kiz Bop Live in April, and I can be pretty confident the new album will be on repeat in her bedroom in preparation! 🙂
I would describe myself as a bit of a proud Silhillian. Having lived in Solihull since 1983, I can’t ever see myself moving away, now living and working within just a few miles of the centre. There are lots of things I love about Solihull, and our green open park spaces are one of them.
This year, we’re heading out as a family to enjoy one of Solihull’s biggest parks with something a little different. Now in it’s third year, Solihull Summer Fest is returning to Tudor Grange Park this August Bank Holiday weekend, with thousands expected to see the biggest and best line up yet, including legends such as Sister Sledge, Busted, X-Factor winners Rak-Su and Razorlight to name but a few!
With more than 10 hours of live music each day, the Saturday 25 th August line-up includes Sister Sledge, 10cc – who had 11 Top Ten UK singles including ‘Dreadlock Holiday’, ‘Rubber Bullets’ and ‘I’m Not In Love’ – Rak-Su, singer and Britain’s Got Talent judge, Alesha Dixon and Birmingham’s very own Roland Gift from the Fine Young Cannibals. They’ll be supported by well-known tribute acts The Ed Sheeran Experience and Robert Lamberti as George Michael.
Sunday 26 August provides an exclusive opportunity to see Busted performing their only confirmed gig for 2018. The line-up also features Razorlight, who topped the singles chart with ‘America’, Lightning Seeds, SKA bands, The Beat feat Ranking Roger and The Dualers. There’s also a very special treat from the legendary Sugar Hill Gang, whose club classic ‘Rapper’s Delight’, is credited for introducing hip hop music to a wider audience.
Suitable for the whole family, Solihull Summer Fest gates open at 11am through until 10pm, and in addition to the live music there will be fun fair rides, a food village full of street vendors and a huge variety of bars, including Real Ale and Prosecco, face painting, mascots and stalls.
For those wanting a more exclusive experience, VIP tickets are also available and include entry in to the VIP area and garden, a VIP cocktail bar, luxury toilets and Gold Circle access to the front of the stage.
Day Tickets for Solihull Summer Fest are £45 for an adult and £27.50 for children (under 4’s go free) or family tickets for £115.
Weekend Tickets (for both Saturday and Sunday) prices are £80 for adults, £40 for children (under 4’s go free) and family tickets for £200.
For more information on the Solihull Summer Fest including the full line up, ticket information and frequently asked questions see – Solihull Summer Fest
Fancy Heading Along to Solihull Summer Fest yourself?
We have a Family Day Pass to give away (2 adults and 2 children worth £115!) for one lucky reader! The winner can chose which day they would like to attend (Saturday 25th August or Sunday 26th August)
Terms and conditions apply – Giveaway opens 4/6/2018 and closes 24/6/2018. Prize is a family day ticket (winner to chose Saturday or Sunday as per personal preference). Family ticket is for 2 adults and 2 children. Our standard giveaway terms and conditions apply. By entering our giveaway you deem to have accepted our Privacy Policy – Is chosen at random to win, this includes consent for your details to be passed over to Solihull Summer Fest to arrange fulfilment of your prize.
We are really looking forward to the Easter Break. If I’m honest it could not come soon enough! Two weeks of no school runs, no chaos in the mornings, and dare I saw it the odd ‘lie in’ if I’m lucky!! My favourite part of the Easter Holidays is spending time together with our children – all four of us together, making precious memories, having fun and inevitably eating a chocolate egg or two.
We also like to take the opportunity to get out and about in our home town, and this Easter, Solihull has plenty to keep the little ones entertained.
This half-term, as well as hosting our own Easter egg hunt in our garden, we will be heading to Mell Square in Solihull to enter their first ever Easter Egg Hunt competition (whilst hopefully allowing Mummy to do a bit of stress free shopping in the process!!)
Running from the 31st March through to the 15th April, children and their families will be able to take part in Mell Square’s Easter Egg hunt – and the best part?It’s completely free of charge.
Erin will love the challenge of hunting down all the colourful egg stickers that are hiding in the shop windows across Mell Square, before ending the trail in Poplar Way where she will have to guess how many eggs are in the box.
To take part, shoppers can simply pick up a free entry card from shops across Mell Square, and once complete, return the card to the post-box housed at Virgin Holidays in House of Fraser, Drury Arcade. Not only is the hunt itself loads of fun, but all entrants will be the running to win an amazing prize bundle from selected retailers.
And that’s not all. Erin is looking forward to meeting the elusive Easter Bunny himself, who is making a special appearance on Saturday 31st March between 10.30am and 12.30pm. Be one of the first 50 families to pop along and meet him in Mell Square and you will also get your hands on an exclusive goody bag!
The school holidays can be a really expensive time, so it’s great to hear about an activity that the whole family can enjoy in Solihull without costing us a penny. That said, after all that egg hunting, if we work up an appetite I’ll be suggesting we pop for an Italian Treat at Carluccio’s – with two course meals between 12pm and 6pm costing just 11.99 and kids meals just £6.95 it really would be rude not to! 😉 – Show your Egg Hunt entry card in Carluccio’s, and you’ll also get an exclusive 20% off their deli and shop! 🙂
Whatever your plans this Easter, we hope you have a fantastic time with your families! To learn more about the Mell Square Easter Hunt visit mellsquare-shopping.com or visit on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Eeeek. I am excited. After months of keeping quiet behind the scenes, visiting sneak preview events of the Big Sleuth Bear Designs, and seeing Hunny Bear Honey Bottle being shipped off to his destination, the time has finally arrived! As of Monday 10th July – the Bears are coming to Birmingham!! I have seen the odd one already – including I Just Wanna Be Your Teddy Bear in Theatre Square Solihull and Flower Bear in Mell Square. We are super excited to start our Bear Hunt around our city! 🙂
Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and Wild in Art are excited to announce that over 230 beautifully decorated sun bear sculptures are ‘pre-bearing’ to prowl on to the streets, parks and open places of Birmingham for the region’s largest ever free public art trail, The Big Sleuth.
For 10 weeks this summer, the sleuths of colourful 5ft-tall bears and 3ft-tall bear cubs will inhabit Bear-mingham and its surrounding areas Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Sandwell and at Resorts World.
Each striking sun bear on the trail tells a different story including designs from celebrities and artists, such as the very well respected artists Temper and Reuben Colley, pop-rock band star Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, actor Adil Ray A.K.A Citizen Khan, Birmingham Bears and England cricketer Chris Woakes, adventurer Bear Grylls, and a special Peaky Blinders bear endorsed by the show’s writer Steven Knight.
As was the case with The Big Hoot, the trail will attract thousands of residents and tourists to Birmingham, providing an opportunity for people to spend time together and get active whether it is walking, running or cycling. At the end of the trail, the large bears together with the special celebrity bear cubs will be auctioned off in October to raise vital funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
The Big Sleuth’s predecessor, The Big Hoot, raised over £500,000 for the charity at auction, and The Big Sleuth aims to do the same. All proceeds will go towards helping the children and young people treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
You can support the hospital by texting SLEUTH to 70007 to make a one off £3 donation or download The Big Sleuth app to kick start your fundraising and track your trail, collect bears and unlock rewards.
To find out more or download a free The Big Sleuth trail map visit www.thebigsleuth.co.uk
Another Bank Holiday Weekend is fast approaching!! WOOHHOO!!! 🙂
I love the extra day off that Bank Holidays bring us, and I look forward to having an extra day of us all together as a family. With half term round the corner too, it can be hard however to find things to keep the children entertained.
Thanks to our friends at Smyths Toys Superstores, you won’t have to stay in twiddling your thumbs this spring bank holiday, as children across the UK are invited to visit their local Smyths Toys Superstores on Saturday May 27th from 9am – 2pm for a FREE party! That’s right FREE!!!
All children who attend any of the leading toy retailer’s UK stores will receive a FREE goody bag bursting with some of their favourite toys including My Little Pony, LEGO and Play-Doh* (while stocks last).
Doors open at 9am with a number of special guests such as Play-Doh, Shopkins Strawberry Kiss and Smyths Toys very own Oscar making an appearance in selected stores. My daughter has a bit of a mini crush on Oscar, asking for him for her birthday lol – little does she realise he’s just a mascot and not an actual toy!
There will be a DJ, FREE face painting for over 3’s* and candy floss available in-store on the day. In addition, there will also be a FREE live raffle taking place every hour on the hour in all stores between 9am-2pm where you can be in with a chance to win a £50 Smyths Toys gift voucher to spend in-store!
I know this is something that will be a huge hit with the children, and hopefully wear them out enough for you to get some peace and quiet in the afternoon! 🙂
Hi, I’m Lucy, a thirty something mum of two from Birmingham. A memory maker, tradition keeper, stationery addict and Mr Men fanatic. HR Advisor by day and sleep deprived Mama by night!
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