Tag Archives: kids days out

The Siege of Prudhoe Castle…

We decided to check out an English Heritage event and explore a new castle.

The history bit: it’s 1464 and the Yorkists are defeating the Lancastrian army, who William Burgh (guy who holds castle) is loyal to. The rest, I suppose, is History… (really sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

I have to say, I was impressed and so were the kids. The siege was broken into 3 parts, but there was plenty of things going on in between.

Highlights included:

The woman of Northumberland defended the castle with frying pans and hammers

Archers:

The castle was stormed…

Guns

And the boss dude made a plan

There were guns and cannons, swords, archers and grenades. Explosions, shouting and fighting.

And there was music (which my kids actually sat and listened to!!)

Random trip -Binchester fort

We got a recommendation for an open day at Binchester fort in Bishop Auckland. We’ve never been, but thought the boys would like it, so went to check it out. 

Unfortunately, I had a camera memory card failure and lots some awesome pictures of the kids with axes, swords and shield and joining the Roman army and defeating barbarians! Absolutely gutted as it was awesome!

Big kid enjoyed the displays – they talked through weapons and army kit and fighting techniques. Little kid found other little kids and made grass mountains (well, you can’t please everyone!).

But they both wanted to join in and be ‘recruited’ to the Roman army and defeat the ‘barbarians’ (some very, very brave volunteers!). They had a fab time and we looked around the rest of the site before going home. 

It definitely was a fun random trip!

Family Fun Day

So, the boys received a donation to ‘do some nice’ last weekend. Unfortunately, we were a bit split up over the weekend (kids birthday parties!) and It was the following Wednesday before we were all together and had a car.

I asked the boys if they wanted to go to a farm they ask to go to every time we drive past, Hall Hill Farm. We’ve not had a proper ‘family fun day’ since baby 3 was born (8 months ago!!!!), so I was hoping they’d enjoy it.


I needn’t have worried, it was much nicer than previous places we’ve been. I’m vegetarian, and always feel sorry for the animals in these places, but feel I should take the kids there to show them exactly what it is they aren’t eating! The animals all looked happy and well cared for, and were in clean surroundings and stuff – I’m no expert, but they seemed happy.

We all had a tractor trailer ride (baby included) and played a family game of crazy golf – two things I’d never actually done before (I lost at crazy golf!).

The boys – held chicks, fed goats and lambs, played inside and out, had a barrel ride, a donkey ride, fired water balloons at each other in a giant inflatable contraption and other things I’ve probably forgotten. (Not to mention hiding their Tyneside rocks as we went – and finding out first one!). The staff were lovely, dealing with hyper kids very well, including the baby by bringing a chick over for her to see (look at her little face!!!), and joking on with the kids.


Definitely a successful family fun day! By the time this publishes, we’ll be having our ‘holiday’ – nearly a whole week together, and the next family fun day is adults choice, so we’ll see where we end up!