Entertainment Shows At Butlin's 2014 (Review)

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I'm going to be honest.

The word 'Butlin's' seems to bring about a reaction in most people akin to 'marmite'; you either love it or hate it. In Butlin's case it seems that people have a stereotypical image of the type of holiday that they will have, yet when they actually experience what the Redcoats have to offer very few continue to have the image of knobbly knee competitions, Hi-de-Hi style entertainers and dodgy chalets with pencil thin walls and lino floors.

And I think one of the aspects of Butlin's which astounds people and leaves them wanting more is the entertainment.

The Skyline Gang 2014

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Thomas & Friends: 'King Of The Railway' DVD (Review & Giveaway)

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Last year we took The Boy to the cinema for the first time to see the Thomas & Friends film 'Blue Mountain Mystery', which was a complete delight. He was enchanted and, as we were then lucky enough to receive a copy of the film on DVD to review, we have been able to enjoy the film plenty of times during the past year.

Well Thomas & Friends have done it again with another cracking feature-length CG film, currently in VUE cinemas until Sunday 1st September, the day before the DVD is released in shops.

'King Of The Railways' is an even more captivating film introducing several new characters with plenty of personality. The main new engine is Stephen, an ancient steamie brought to the island by the Earl of Sodor who is rebuilding the ruined castle. Stephen was one of the first steam engines, aptly nicknamed The Rocket at the time (a lovely reference to George Stephenson's Rocket, Stephen is even the same design and colour) because of his speed. Rather than being grumpy at not being needed anymore, Stephen endears himself to Thomas and his friends with his good-natured humour and journey to find a purpose on the island, and to help the Earl with his project. Unfortunately, the day before the opening of the castle, Stephen goes missing mysteriously; can Thomas be a really useful engine and save the day?

We took The Boy to see the film in the cinema on Sunday, and despite having seen it several times via our review copy last week, he was wowed by the big screen and spotted new aspects to the story. At only £4.50 a ticket for adults, it was well worth the trip and I'd recomment it before it comes out on DVD. This is definitely a classic Thomas & Friends film, really enjoyable for both adults and children.

King Of The Railways

'King Of The Railways' is out on DVD on Monday 2nd September with an RRP of £12.99, and is currently showing at VUE cinemas daily until Sunday 1st September.

However, I have one copy to give away to a lucky reader. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below to be in with a chance of winning 'King of the Railway' on DVD.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this DVD for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Stocking Filler Storybooks (Review)

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I love children's books at the best of times, something The Boy has inherited, but the Christmas versions of popular classic books or series that are available are even more attractive to my inner magpie.

We've been sent three books for The Boy for Christmas:

Thomas & Friends: Snowy Tracks

The island of Sodor is covered in a thick blanket of snow and the engines have been told to be careful and not to go over any big hills. Gordon doesn’t listen, he’s sure that he’ll be strong enough to steam over every hill he comes to. But it isn’t long before Gordon fi nds out that snow is much more dangerous than it looks!

Everything's Rosie: The Last Snowball

When Big Bear wakes up from his deep winter sleep, he’s sad to fi nd that he’s missed out on all the fun that snow can bring. Rosie and her friends do everything they can to do recreate winter fun, but sledging and snow angels don’t work without snow. Will they find a way to cheer up Big Bear?

Mr. Men Meet Father Christmas

When Little Miss Tiny secretly wishes she could visit Father Christmas she doesn’t expect her wish to come true. But magical things really do happen at Christmas and crazy things too when you’re with the Mr. Men and the Little Miss! Complete with celebrating sheep, yellow snow, sneezing elves and a very sooty Father Christmas, this is another classic Mr. Men story.

The thing that I like best about these books (apart from them being about Christmas, and having sparkly embossed bits on them) is that they fit perfectly into handbags, so that if we're out and about over the festive period, then I've instantly got a book for him to read and enjoy. They also fit brilliantly into stockings to make perfect fillers.

And with a RRP of £2.99, they're not going to break the bank this Christmas.

I was sent these books for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Thomas & Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery

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A little over a month ago I had to turn down the opportunity to visit ThomasLand at Drayton Manor to see the premiere of the little blue engine's new film; Blue Mountain Mystery because I had to work; I hate how real-life obligations get in the way sometimes! To make up for it, I took Mr. TBaM and The Boy to the cinema to see it instead. The Boy has never been to the cinema before, and he's certainly never sat through a film before, but he was captivated the whole time.

In this feature-length film, Thomas is enlisted to help out at the quarry after a small accident sees one of the regular engines needing some rebuilding. Thomas soon makes friends with all the narrow guage engines and enjoys working hard with them. One day, he sees a mysterious small green engine called Luke who hides away in the tunnels and Thomas sets out to make friends with him and help him overcome his shyness.

There's something about Thomas that really appeals to little ones, and The Boy is no exception. The images on the big screen were amazing (the CGI are excellent quality and very three-dimensional) and they translate to the television just as well. I love the humour, but more importantly I like how each story teaches a lesson: honesty is the best policy, don't tell tales (gossip) and friends help each other out. This DVD would make an excellent Christmas present for your own little Thomas fan.

Thomas and Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery is available to buy on DVD now priced at £7.99

The Thomas & Friends website has a fantastic Blue Mountain Mystery section and there is always plenty of up to date information about the blue engine on Facebook or on twitter.

I was sent a copy of this film for review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Saturday 1st September 2012 – 'The Big Screen' (245/366)

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On Thursday I spied an advert for the new Thomas the Tank Engine film: Blue Mountain Mystery. We'd been invited to the premier of it at ThomasLand this forthcoming Tuesday, but unfortunately I've been asked to work that day and we can't go. I was really disappointed about that and so therefore booked the tickets quickly.

It's the first time we've been to the cinema with The Boy; he's never sat through an entire film on DVD at home before and only manages it in the car because he's strapped in and can't go anywhere! However, I was sure that he'd love it because it was Thomas. I wasn't wrong! The film is really lovely, there's something really special about seeing the little blue steam engine that big on the screen, and the animation was excellent; it looked almost 3D at times. After a while he climbed on my lap for a cuddle, because those are awfully big seats when you're three and Diesel is being naughty again.

Blue Mountain Mystery is on across the country and you can find venues here or buy the DVD here. (Not sponsored, just sharing!)

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A Day Out With Thomas At Dean Forest Railway (Review)

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And so it came to pass that The Boy turned three years old and developed, as so many little boys before him, a fascination with a certain blue steam engine. Thomas the Tank Engine became a regular fixture in the household and the entire family could often be heard to sing, "They're 2, they're 4, they'r 6, they're 8; shunting trucks and hauling freight" amongst cries of, "Mummy, you got the words wrong again!"

Does that describe anyone else's house?

The Boy loves Thomas. There's something about the gentle stories, narrator's voice and animation (yes he prefers the newer version) that really gels with him.

Which is why I had to take him to see Thomas the Tank Engine when it recently came to Dean Forest Railway near Lydney, in the Forest of Dean.

We didn't tell him where we were going, but the minute we drove into the car park and he saw the sign for Thomas, he was jumping up and down in his car seat. The Dean Forest Railway is set in the middle of a wooded valley and it's quite sheltered from the wind with many trees around the area. It all adds to the vintage feel of the engines and carriages sat on the sidings, all hinting to a bygone era. In the reception courtyard there is a vintage ride-on merry-go-round, a small steam engine run by a group of enthusiasts from nearby Newport, and a view of the sidings. This leads onto a really comprehensive gift shop with everything you could ever want to buy branded with Thomas the Tank Engine (of varying prices) and a quiet room with puzzles, DVDs playing, Thomas construction, etc.

Crossing through this area onto the lower platform meant that we got to see Thomas chug in and excite many little boys and girls, before having an engineer's certificate from the Fat Controller himself, Sir Topham Hatt. We then had an hour or so in which to explore the rest of the platform, have faces painted, enjoy the cafe (in an old train!) or read the Thomas book that we'd been given.

Dean Forest Railway
There were two journeys that we could have gone on, one leading down to Lydney Junction or one up to Park End. We went on the one to Park End which actually started off by racing the steam train going to Lydney Junction. It got everyone excited and geared up for the ensuing journey which took forty minutes in total (round trip). I'd forgotten how hot it can get on the old trains!

Back at Norchard station we had the opportunity to go on a brake van pulled by Thomas, and watch Diesel and Thomas waiting in the station. It was a really good day and The Boy loved seeing the real Thomas, a must for every little fan.

There is currently a selection of dates left on the Thomas Days Out tour around Britain, prices vary depending upon the location. Dean Forest Railway have provisional dates for next year's tour in May and August 2013, it's possible to sign up for the newsletter to receive up-to-date information.

We received free entry into the event with complimentary tickets. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Country Kids: Country Wide

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This weekend has seen us go from one side of England to the other and back again. Aside from the overnighters in hotels, we've been outside all the time and it's been brilliant to take advantage of the beautiful, albeit stiflingly hot, weather.

On Friday night we drove to Reading, where we stayed overnight before heading off to the LolliBop children's festival in Regent's Park, London. It was a blisteringly hot day, and someone decided that black would be a good colour to wear. I think at one point I actually almost passed out as my vision was swimming and my head was light. However, I'm made of sterner stuff and don't do fainting. All I needed was an Oreo cookie milkshake and the sight of Messers Maker and Winters entertaining my son to perk me up. (The pint of water and paracetomal may have helped!)

LolliBop is a great festival and I've never been in Regent's Park before so it was refreshingly beautiful when surrounded by the grey buildings of London. The festival is a riot of colour, sounds and entertainment, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything there. However, we were only too happy to be back on the train heading out of the smoke later that afternoon where we picked up the car and drove to Gloucester where we did another overnighter in a different Premier Inn. This one was fantastic and tranquil, in the middle of a lovely country village with a stereotypically quaint pub attached.

This morning we packed up early and headed off to the Forest of Dean to surprise The Boy with a Thomas Days Out trip. The Boy has recently started a fascination with the little blue engine and we regularly have to sing the theme music. Today was no different once he'd found out what was going on. Seeing his little face break out with sheer delight when Thomas chugged into the station made my heart burst, he had the best time riding on a vintage steam train and meeting Sir Topham Hatt.

To finish the weekend off, we drove up to Puzzlewood near Coleford. It's a stunning small forest that we've been to before and is such a gem to explore. At the time The Boy was only 20 months old and fell asleep while we were walking around, so this time I was very eager to show off the wonders of the mysterious woods (used in Merlin and Doctor Who). He didn't disappoint as he traipsed around the moss and mud-ladened tracks, exploring steep paths, stone steps and searching for The Gruffalo at any opportunity!

And of course the weekend wouldn't be complete without a splash in the paddling pool, right before turning his hand to his first ever spot of car cleaning!

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Thomas & Friends: Rescue On The Rails DVD (Review)

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We like Peppa Pig in this house; all of us are quite fond of the humour involved in it, the subtle jokes for parents that go over the children's head. But there's only so many times you can watch the same DVD, especially on a long car journey. And if I have to listen to the 'Peace and Harmony' song from 'International Day' one more time, I might scream. Loudly.

Help came in the form of the 'Rescue On The Rails' DVD. Ok, I needed rescue on the road, but I'd have taken anything that Thomas had to offer. And he had a lot to offer!

This new DVD (Thomas & Friends: Rescue On The Rails) came out a few weeks ago and we were sent one for review. It introduces fire engine Flynn to his locomotive friends as they go full steam ahead around the Island of Sodor. It's full of fizzling fireboxes and heroic adventures as the Sodor Search and Rescue Team races to the rescue when Bertie gets stuck on Shake Shake Bridge, Gordon is derailed, and Thomas’ firebox is on fire!

Thomas The Tank Engine

These modern day episodes use CGI animation which make them bright, cheerful and attractive to watch. The Boy sat captivated for the entire 54 minutes the DVD was on, and insisted that we all sing the theme tune every time it came on. If we made a mistake (which I frequently did, because I kept saying 'different jobs to play' not 'roles') then we had to start again until we got it right. The subtle messages of helping friends, using teamwork and having a big heart are very reassuring for me as a parent.

'Thomas & Friends: Rescue On The Rails' is available to buy on DVD for £12.99

I was sent this DVD for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Get Building With Thomas

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The Boy discovered the wonders of Mega Bloks last Christmas when Nana bought him their 3in1 Play and Go table. It was a great success from the word go, with him taking the lid off and sitting in the table to watch Christmas Day television. Soon after he learnt how to use it to its full potential, building walls and towers.

When the lovely Tired Mummy of Two asked me to help her out by reviewing a product for her very clever Christmas Tombola, I of course agreed. She's managed an amazing accomplishment in collecting the promise of 150 prizes for her fabulous competition, and I am in awe of her achievement. One of these has been donated by Mega Bloks, and I have the pleasure of reviewing one of the sets.

The Mega Bloks Diesel Bucket is an incredibly nifty playset which is part of the Mega Bloks Thomas & Friends Collection for pre-schoolers aged 3years +.

Take a look more closely at the ramp that Diesel has just sped down. You'll notice that it's a two-part ramp. That's because the green section is the box that all the Mega Bloks pieces are stored in, while the orange part of the ramp is the hinged lid. How clever is that? Nothing can get lost and it is easily tidied away afterwards. It also makes the set incredibly portable, the perfect toy to take to a relatives house for an afternoon trip or family meal.

When it arrived, The Boy was eager to break into it and he played with nothing else for a further hour and a half. Nothing! He sat pushing Diesel down the ramp, building the side-buildings, experimenting with the gates etc. He was completely and utterly captivated. That was over a week ago now, and of all the toys that he has (and he has a fair few) it is the one that he has repeatedly played with for a sustained period of time. He loves it so much that I have added one of the other sets which works in the same way (also a box that transforms into a playset) to The Boy's Christmas list.

At £9.99 this is a perfect toy for any pre-school aged child and will provide hours of entertainment.

For the opportunity to win one of these sets, please pop over to Tired Mummy of Two's Christmas Tombola.

We were sent this items for the purpose of review. Our opinions are honest and unbiased.

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