Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Man In Your Life

This year, June the 16th is Father's Day.  A day where we are encouraged to celebrate the men in our lives.  Now, although in our household we are always letting Ian know how much we love and appreciate him, we still enjoy the excuse to celebrate with the masses and enjoy spoiling him that little bit extra on Father's Day.  Plus it's a good reason to indulge in some cake - how about a deliciously grown-up and indulgent Chocolate and Whisky Layer Cake - and buy some fun pressies that Ian will love.

Here is a round up of some present ideas that will be perfect for dads on Father's Day whatever their taste and whatever your budget.

If you want to treat your dad this Father's Day without spending too much money, you can show you care by giving a gift that costs just £1 at Poundland.  From snazzy gift bags and cards to presents that will make dad's day, Poundland has it covered.  An official Family Guy beer glass or insulated bottle jacket make a great gift (especially if given along with a bottle of dad's favourite beer!)  Or how about a Grow Your Own Football Pitch or a wooden cube puzzle for a good novelty present?  Cuddly toys are always a much loved gift idea and Poundland always has a great selection!  All these things and more can be purchased in store at a Poundland near you, for the budget-busting price of just £1 each!  Find out more at www.poundland.co.uk/top-tips/fathers-day/

If you have a bigger budget you could treat your dad to an experience day he will never forget. There are a great range of exciting experiences available online to suit any dad.  From a short break to beer tasting to a tour of a football stadium to a bungee jump, there is a whole host of things to pick from.  My favourite experience on the Buyagift website, and the thing that Ian would love the most is the Zombie Experience at an Abandoned Manor House in Manchester.  This adrenaline pumping zombie survival experience for two, lets you live and breathe the horror of a zombie apocolypse.  How awesome would that be!  Perfect for the horror film loving dad.  It costs £214 for two for a 3 hour experience and comes with excellent reviews from satisfied customers. One day we will do this together!

If films are more your thing, the brilliant film Wreck it Ralph has just been released.  We adore this latest Disney feel good offering and it would make the ideal movie for a Father's Day family film afternoon served with popcorn and nachos!  If your dad is more like my Ian, then Texas Chainsaw is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and 3D.  It's a real gore-fest for fans of the franchise, seeing the return of Leather Face and his trusty power tool.

If your dad likes a little tipple, how about a bottle of Single Malt Scotch Whisky.  Morrison's currrently have 70cl bottles of Glenfiddich whisky down from £33.99 to just £20!  Small bottles are just £10.

If your dad has a sweet tooth, there is a range of Guiness confectionery that he might enjoy including truffles and little chocolate pints for just £2.99, available at Morrison's.  There are lots of other choccie treats too, marketed especially for Father's Day.

Whatever you decide to do for your dad this Father's Day, I hope you all enjoy celebrating the men in your life!

Things We're Loving - Kids' Edition

Another month has passed us by and I am looking at the things that I have loved from the last few weeks.  This month I am concentrating on the best kids' stuff, sharing my picks of the clothes, books, films, music and games that I think are worthy of a mention!

First up, if you haven't seen it yet, take the kids to see Wreck It Ralph.  It is one of my favourite Disney offerings for years.  The story of video game characters living and working together in the arcade is absolute genius.  The message of acceptance and being the best that you can be, whoever you are, is heartwarming.  Freddy aged 3 loved it and continues to quote from the film, re-enacting his favourite scenes!  10 year old Kizzy and 16 year old Ella were equally enthralled by the story of Ralph as he tries to become more than just the bad guy.

My girls love to read and enjoy discovering books to escape into.  My two eldest girls were fans of Jacqueline Wilson, so it was inevitable that Kizzy would follow suit.  She is currently reading The Dustbin Baby which is the story of 14 year old April who was abandoned in a bin by her mother following her birth. It is a powerful and emotional story which engages readers as they follow April's quest to discover the mysteries of her past. I love how Jacqueline Wilson portrays her feisty  female characters, as being strong enough to survive against a backdrop of sadness. Empowering stuff.  This book makes excellent reading for ages 9+.

With Comic Relief coming up, we have visited Sainsbury's to stock up on our Di-NOSE-Saurs and also to buy the new One Direction single One Way Or Another.  It was just £1.99 and proceeds go to Comic Relief.  I love the video which they filmed themselves, donating the money they saved to the charity.  What lovely lads! (Especially that cute little Harry Styles!!)

After Kizzy visited the fashion cupboard at Girl Talk magazine's offices in London she has been exercising her mini-fashionista muscles to come up with trendy ensembles.  One of her favourite items at the moment is the 2 in 1 Shirt Jumper from New Look's 915 range which is £14.99.  With its attached collar it looks fashionably smart and perfect for the Spring season.  Kizzy assures me that collars are 'in' at the moment but the real beauty of this top is you don't have to iron a whole denim shirt!

When it comes to boys clothing, graphic T-shirts never go out of fashion and I love these two from Lands’ End.  I love the glow in the dark angler fish tee (as does my little Octonaut fan) and the simple 'Hey' design which really stands out in its simplicity. They are £9.95 each which is a good price for a quality t-shirt that will withstand the testing of an active boy like my son. Freddy has a big collection of t-shirts with slogans on.  They are just so easy and practical to wear with jeans and a zip-up hoodie or a jumper.

Land's End have gifted me with a voucher to try out these T-Shirts.

Our latest favourite game is the horrifically addictive Candy Crush Saga which I have on my phone.  You have to link up rows of three or more of the same sweet to remove them from the grid in an attempt to remove all the jelly or to release ingredients.  It's an old formula, but because it is all about sweeties, it seems so much more exciting!  I am not very good at it, but I am a trier, albeit a trier with no strategy, no vision and no foresight.  When I get through a level I'm pretty certain it's more luck than judgment, but the feeling of achievement is not diminished. As always, the kids are better than me!  They instinctively see the patterns and use strategies to clear the sweets. Kids and technology just work so well together. Candy Crush Saga is free on Android, iOS and Facebook.  So at least I'm not wasting cash on my new addiction.

Freddy has been playing Reading Eggs which I think is a brilliant program for introducing little ones to early reading skills.  I am so impressed with how well he can progress independently through the levels and how his letter and sound recognition is improving.  I'm hoping that through playing on the games he will soon be on the way to being a confident reader. Especially as Infant School beckons.

So that's the things we have enjoyed over the past few weeks here Inside the Wendy House.  I look forward to seeing what things we will be discovering next month!