This is a collaborative post 

School’s out for summer and while you may be focussed on keeping your kids entertained across the next 6 weeks, it’s also time to plan ahead. Before you know it they will be back to school and it makes sense to start getting your shopping list together for the new school year. 

You’ll want your kids to be organised for the school year ahead, so here are 6 essentials for your back to school shopping list.

1. Pencil case

A staple for any school bag is a good ole reliable pencil case. Where else are you going to put all those rubbers, pencils, pens and other bits and pieces your kids will need throughout the day? There’s no shortage of styles and types available and you don’t have to spend a fortune to find one that can withstand the rough and tumble of school life. You can’t go wrong by shopping in WHSmith for a good quality pencil case. 

2. Calculator

This one is more for parents with children in secondary school. The maths gets a lot harder at this stage and they are definitely going to need a good calculator. Hopefully this is a first time buy and not a replacement for one they’ve already lost. Investing in a good calculator will mean it lasts for a long time and should be good enough to stick around right through college and university too. Amazon is a great place to pick up some good bargains for these. 

3. School bag

Most school bag’s rarely make it past a single school year. That’s because despite telling our children to treat them with care, school bags are thrown here, there and everywhere on a daily basis. Even if the bag is in good condition, there’s always something newer, or cooler kids want and as they’ll be carrying it around every day, it’s only right to upgrade them every school year.

4. Lunch box

Depending on their age, your kids will be eating packed lunch at school, eating all the fun stuff and leaving the fruit and veg to go back in the bag! With each passing year their tastes change and what they were into 6 months ago is no longer the same. Put a lunch box on your back to school list and give them something to smile about when they open their bags at break time. 

5. Gym clothes

Activity at school is essential not only to help the kids burn off all that energy bouncing round inside them, but also to help the teachers get through the day! Your children are growing as we speak and will probably need new trainers, socks, shorts and tops that match the school uniform. If they haven’t outgrown the previous set, it’s likely it might need replacing due to wear and tear.

6. School uniform

The most expensive item of all on the list can be the cost of school uniform. Shirts, blouses, socks, shoes, trousers, ties and blazers regularly need to be replaced. If they are moving up from primary to secondary they may need to wear different colours. Or they may just have outgrown the last set they had. It usually pays to get this early to avoid being put on the waiting list if the supplier goes out of stock.

This is collaborative post items are gifted to me, all opinions are my own, may contain affiliate links.

Sleep is the most important thing but sometimes as a parent, we don't really get too much of it so, Kally Sleep has a solution to make the sleep you do have WAY more comfy!

The Sleep Pillow...
Kally body pillows are designed and manufactured right here in the UK using the highest quality materials for the comfiest sleep ever!
They're designed to curve around the shape of your body to give the best snuggle sleep, Designed with the help of some very smart Harley Street Doctors and Osteopaths, these pillows are not to be missed at bedtime.

Designed to relieve pain in the hip and pelvis, the Kally Pillow supports you throughout the night. By aligning this key area, you are removing pressure that makes nights uncomfortable and can impact your body throughout the day too. Dreamed up with the help of leading Harley Street doctors, we have crafted the sleep tool to solve your problems.- www.KallySleep.com

My Review...

The Sleep pillow came really well presented with a cute little ribbon around the pillow plus a separate soft-touch pillowcase, It was so easy to get the pillow in the case which I thought was going to be a mission due to its curved shape, the pillowcase was buttoned too so no annoying zips to dig into you when your sleeping.

As soon as id assembled it the kids were totally all over it pretending to sleep like little angels (Ha! If only!!) But they loved it just as much as me, I was so excited for bedtime to come so I could test it out, So instead i spent most of the afternoon with it curled around my back on the sofa, it was glorious!
Nighttime soon came, I took the pillow upstairs and laid it on the bed to curl up with (the husband felt a bit left out haha) it was super comfy for my hips as I really struggle to get comfy at night time with hip pain and next thing I know it was morning, I didn't wake up once, the pillow itself had made its way to the floor but I woke up so happy and refreshed.

The Body pillows come in a variety of colors but you can always add an extra pillowcase in your basket too to change it up! Mine was grey but I really love the brushed lilac and the moon & back for the kid's pillow.

I definitely love the look of the whole Kally Sleep collection, There are Anti-Snore pillows, the Ultimate Side Sleeper pillow, Kally Adjustable pillow (this looks amazing!), The bolster pillow, Nursing pillows, Kids body pillows and so much more!
The Travel pillows look really cool, I'm always in need of one when we do long-haul flights and to have one that's memory foam and adjustable is just fantastic.

Overall, I really loved having a body pillow again, I used to have a pregnancy pillow but chucked it away as my children are now 6 and 3 and we don't have plans to have any others yet. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone and that is the honest truth it has totally changed my sleep and I'm keeping it that way!

Most Kids love Dinosaurs, so when the Epic Dino Egg was announced by ZURU Toys we were so excited! We were lucky enough to be sent a Massive box full of goodies from the ZURU Toys Smashers range!

We got sent an Epic Dino Egg with over 25 surprises inside a whole set of Smashers eggs and a collectors tin too!

We were so excited to open the egg, we even made a YouTube video! We sat down to smash the egg, unwrapped it's 2 layers of protection that holds it together and SMASHED it on the floor!
Inside was a bag of putty, a bag of slime, a bag of kinetic sand, a volcano fizz bomb, an excavation rock, and soooo many Smashers eggs! There are so many supprises inside all of the bits included you have to make sure to play with all of them. To collect the parts for the Dino skeleton to put together at the end!

The kids had so much fun with everything the slime was so incredible and had a Dino ribcage inside! The putty was very sticky but lovely and glittery probably my. Favorite to play with! And the sand was cool, Although it goes everywhere so I suggest doing it on the table on a mat or newspaper.

 We loved opening all the Smashers eggs and between 4 kids there was more than enough to have at least 2 each and more from the other set too! The collection tin came in so handy we could store all the little dinos, fossils and skeleton pieces and keep them all safe in one place.

Go head over to our Instagram or YouTube to see us SMASH the egg and comment down below to tell us what you get in your egg!

The Epic Dino Egg is on sale now Available at Smyths, The Entertainer, Argos, Tesco, Asda, B&M, SAINSBURY'S Supermarket and all the major retailers.
Or https://smashersworld.zuru.com/ 

Have a SMASHING day! ;)

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ITS GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
This post contains affiliate links with a possibility that I may receive income from your purchase.

Can you believe it, Summer holidays are only a couple of weeks away now and we all know its gonna cost a fortune! Well, its time to change things up a bit and introduce the Kids Pass...The best money saving app for families!

Kids Pass is a discount card made for families, You can get a discount on restaurants, theme parks, safari parks, cinema deals and even up to 45% off family holidays at Haven or Butlins!!

Up to £20 off per Family at ZSL London Zoo with a £1 Kids Pass Trial

To claim this offer start your £1 trial today of the UK’s no.1 family discounts membership

Up to 20% off Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach with a £1 Kids Pass Trial

To claim this offer start your £1 trial today of the UK’s no.1 family discounts membership

BOGOF at Pizza Hut Delivery with a £1 Kids Pass Trial

To claim this offer start your £1 trial today of the UK’s no.1 family discounts membership

Up to 49% off Blackpool Pleasure Beach with a £1 Kids Pass Trial

To claim this offer start your £1 trial today of the UK’s no.1 family discounts membership

See! How Amazing are these deals and you can get them all for just a £1 trial this summer!! So, if your a sucker for saving a few quid in the holidays here's how you do it!!!

1. BECOME A MEMBER

Get access to 1000’s of offers instantly. Choose one of our membership options and Join up!

SIGN UP HERE 30 Days for just £1

2. DOWNLOAD OUR APP

Our free app works on all Android and Apple smartphones. Download it from Google Play or from the App Store

3. START SAVING

Search local offers or filter offers to find exactly what you want and start enjoying amazing family time and savings today!

It's really that simple! So start saving today and trial kids pass for just £1!! CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW NOW!!



To celebrate the summer holidays we’ve teamed up with Kids Pass, the UK’s No.1 Family Discounts App for your chance to win a FREE Kids Pass Annual Membership. The Kids Pass App gives you instant access to 1,000’s of offers, including up to 40% off cinemas nationwide (7 days a week, adult and child), kids eat free at 1000’s of restaurants, up to 57% off family days out, up to 10% off UK family breaks and up to 50% off holidays.

To be in for a chance of winning all you have to do is enter below!! Good Luck!!!

Kids pass

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Planning a trip to Disney is no easy task when you don't know where to start, As a huge lover of Disney myself, I'm going to be taking you through step by step on how to plan the perfect Disneycation!! So let's Go!!

First of all its time to book your trip, How exciting! Have a look online at the package holidays you can get some include FREE Disney, dining and drinks as well as hotel, flights, transfers and they even chuck in some spending money ;) Your holidays to Disney world Florida is going to be so incredible and fun just follows these simple steps to make your dream Disneycation!

Pick a Hotel...

Credit: Vicki Hurrell

Have a look at Disneys hotels (there's 27 of them!) most are within 10-15mins travel time from the parks with free shuttle buses every few mins too!
My fave has to be Pop Century, It's such an amazing themed hotel with memorabilia from the 50s all the way to now celebrating the legendary years! Youll find things like giant yoyo staircases and piano-shaped swimming pools as well as giant characters and a large food court! If that's not your style then maybe the Contemporary Resort is, it's modern, happy and even has a restaurant inside called "Chef Mickeys" Plus, the monorail goes directly through the building straight to the parks!!

Purchase Your Tickets...

If you didn't get a package deal no sweat! You can purchase Disney tickets even on the day! Tickets range from 1 day passes to 2 park hoppers or even an annual pass if you feel like coming back within a year!! Plus you can get a Magic Band! Whats a Magic Band I hear you ask? Well, it's a plastic bracelet (there's so many to choose from) that stores your information and can act as your ticket, room key, FastPass, credit card and photopass too!!

Take a Cruise...

Credit: Vicki Hurrell

If you don't feel like walking a lot this holiday may be a cruise is in order, Disney cruises are so luxurious and family-friendly there are 4 different ships to choose from all going different countries, There is The Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. You may even get to visit Disneys own private island Castaway Quay.

Credit: Vicki Hurrell

I've been on 3 of these ships and I have to say its been the best experience, all your drinks, snacks and meals are all included (except alcohol) the cabins are to die for (even the small ones) and the service is out of this world! There is so much entertainment for all ages, plus they have children kids clubs and creche areas too! Oh and an adults only area.

Family Villas...
If you drive Disney Villas could be an option for you, imagine, your own space to cook, relax and sleep plus no waiting around for buses or other transport! Disney's Beach Club Resort villas are exquisite, you get your own personal space with the use of a 3-acre water wonderland- Stormalong Bay. Plus if you love your villa so much you can become an owner and become part of the Vacation Club.

Get To Know The Parks...

Credit: Vicki Hurrell

Let's get down to business...*To defeat the Huns*
So its 4 parks 1 world right? Well kinda, There are four main parks, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, And Disney's Hollywood Studios, if your a big fan of Toy Story then Hollywood studios is a must do for Toy Story Land!!
There are also 2 waterparks, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach, the latter is definitely my favorite of the two! But also, there is Downtown Disney with shops, bars and restaurants, and the famous Circ de Sol Air, Disney Springs, ESPN Wide World Of Sports Resort and Disney's Boardwalk.


Food And Meal Plans...

Now when I last went to Walt Disney World meal plans weren't a thing and we got along just fine buying food or paying a bill at a restaurant, but now With the Disney Dining Plan, you can enjoy over 100 dining locations across the Walt Disney World Resort including Be Our Guest Disney's Beauty And The Beast themed restaurant, you can start making your dining reservations up to 180 days before you arrive so you have so much time to plan!! Plus you get 2 snacks a day and a refillable Disney souvenir mug too!

If you're nervous about flying you can check out my post here about flying with a baby, or even if you want the Disney magic but don't want to go the distance then Disney Land Paris is also an option and you can find a whole bunch of amazing information here on my friends blog A Disney Kinda Day!

Let me know what you'd do on your perfect Disneycation!

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This is a collaborative post some items have been gifted to me all opinions are my own, this post may contain affiliate links. 

Ever get so stressed with packing? I know I do, I dread the time sorting clothes and fitting it all in, I procrastinate so much and end up rushing last minute that I forget loads and I can't fit it all in and it's a massive jumbled mess! 

Well, I got sent these Luggage Organisers from Beautify and I have to say they have changed my perspective on packing completely. They come in a set of 6, one for shoes, toiletries, underoos, and whatever else you want to put in there, they're so soft and lovely and have a rose gold detail on the zip it looks stunning.

They really help organise what you put in your suitcase, so I can have children's clothes in one while mine is in another and they're not getting all mixed up, I love the ones for shoes, when I go away to a beach holiday I always take sandals but love to fly in trainers as your feet can get a little colder on the flight so this is perfect to keep them in without dirtying up any clothes.

Have I mentioned they're soft? Yes, I have but I'll say it again the fabric on these bags are so incredibly soft and are so well made too, I just know they're going to last a long time which is so great. 

The largest packing bag is around the size of a child's small suitcase for size comparison, and the smallest is around the size of a large night out bag or A5 book. You could easily fit them all in a medium suitcase (unless they're fully crammed).
I'm really excited to be using these on my trip to Paris, I'm so rubbish at packing so these will make it soooo much easier! 
One will be specifically dedicated to my swimsuit and all the other swim stuff! nobody likes a soggy suitcase!! 
Plus they look amazing, that's how you pack a suitcase in style!

Don't forget if your traveling you'll need travel insurance! CLICK HERE for a great deal!

To WIN a set of packing bags enter below 😍

Beautify Luggage Organisers *Terms and conditions apply*

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This post contains affiliate links where I can receive a percentage of your sale at no extra charge to you, this post also contains gifted items. 

So, Summer is here and we all know its time to de-clutter, clean and go Hinch crazy! Maybe its time to throw away the old pool and buy a new one or the garden chairs are a bit too old to salvage. 

Maybe you just need to vacuum frequently, well I have some great products and tips to help you have a clean up for summer!

First up is Deebot, the little robot vacuum that cleans your floors so you don't have to! Deebot by EcoVacs is a robot vacuum that you can schedule to vacuum your floors, you don't have to have a dedicated schedule but it's so worth it, it comes with a remote control featuring options to clean edges of a room or circular motions, you can set it to a dedicated room or just stick it on auto and have it go everywhere, Deebot has a drop sensor, a closeness sensor so it will avoid walls or other objects without crashing and it connects to your WiFi network so you can control it all from your app too (great for me as I always seem to lose remotes). 

You can buy Deebot HERE

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Next up is a steam mop, now I'm a massive fan of my steam mop, it's so quick and easy and beats having to use a manual mop or scrubbing on your hands and knees, most steam mops just use water so you don't even have to buy any extras either! Plus they even work on the carpet you just have to let it dry a little longer. 

Refresh your garden! 
Maybe it's time to get some new garden chairs or even a new pool for the kids! Check out these Rattan garden chairs and this Best way 5ft Pool to spruce your garden up. 

Pressure washing... 
Pressure washing is so great, it gets things so clean in seconds This cheap pressure washer is great especially for cleaning up the old bbq or garden chairs! Plus you can use it on the patio too!

Ditch the plastic and go green! Or should I say clean!
Try switching from plastic to reusable or even glass with cleaners there's so many you can make yourself with some white vinegar and baking soda and a few other bits, find them here on Pinterest and you can buy a glass spray bottle from Amazon or just fill up an old one.

Maybe the kids want to help clean? 
Did you know you can buy Dyson and Hetty/Henry products that they can use to help you clean? It's such a great way of teaching them about cleaning your home. 

Heres some tips from other bloggers...

• Soda crystals and white vinegar left to fizz down the plug hole to ensure they are kept nice and clean -Beth from Twinderelmo.co.uk

• Newspaper on top of the kit hen cupboards to soak up the grease. Change every other month or so, saves on scrubbing them -Sarah from afewfavouritethings.com

• Bicarbonate of soda sprinkled on carpets, left overnight and then vacuumed up to deodorise- Emma from readyfreddiego.com

• Citric acid to descale the kettle. I wish I’d found out about it sooner because it’s cheaper, it works better and there’s no plastic waste.- Emma from emmareed.net
• Declutter!! It’s way easier to clean if you keep clutter in check - Wendy from Daisies & Pie - Check out her post here on decluttering
  
• Have a place for everything. It makes it much easier to tidy and you’ll have less to dust too. - Katy from https://katykicker.com

• Have a basket/box with you in each room and as you find stuff that belongs somewhere else pop in the basket rather than go put away. Makes you more likely to finish the room you’re in than get distracted when you’ve gone to put it back. https://mamainprogress.com

Let me know your tips on or your fave cleaning product below!

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This Product was gifted to me for the purpose of reviewing, all opinions are my own.

Meet Artie... He's a drawing robot, the cutest little one I've seen in fact!

Artie is a coding robot toy for children aged 7+ from Learning Resources, he comes with his own WiFi network and coding program so you can code him to move in different ways, Artie also has a slot for a felt tip pen (there's 4 included) so as he moves he can draw too.

The box contains the Artie robot, a quick start guide, 4 felt pens and 3 quick lessons that vary in difficulty. So you have pretty much all you need to start straight away (except 4 AA batteries and a small screwdriver).

Lilli was so excited when she opened up the box, she loves to draw so being able to code what she wanted and have a robot do it was very exciting for her, we took Artie out of the box and glanced at the quick set up guide, I inserted 4 batteries and turned him on straight away. 

The second part was a little tricky, you have to take your tablet/phone/pc and go to the WiFi settings then connect to Arties WiFi network, after that you go to Artie's local site (you don't need the Internet for this) and it brings up the coding program.

You get a choice of coding Artie to pen up, pen down, turn X amount of degrees left or right or move X amount of inches/mm forwards or backwards, plus you can set a repeat loop too. 

Once you have coded Artie you place him down on paper (I'd recommend an A3 piece cause he went on my floor when we had him on A4, lucky I have laminate) and click in the pen of your choice, when your ready to go just click Run on the program and he will start to move! 

You can clear your programming as many times as you want you can follow the lessons or even make up your own it's so much fun!

As a parent I think Artie is amazing, I grew up learning how to code things such as the turtle game I played in middle school and coding HTML on my myspace page for a new theme and even here on my blog adding pictures and links, so introducing this to my daughter was a lovely experience and will definitely be something she can take into her future with her. 

Although we loved the experience the set up wasn't very clear on what to do after the power was on, so if you have this issue just log on to www.codewithartie.com and watch the quick start video :)

If you love Artie as much as us you can buy him HERE!!

Let me know below what's your favourite thing to draw? Do you think you could code Artie to draw it too?
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