We Met Mike the Knight at Warwick Castle

Yesterday we were lucky enough to be invited to the first of the Mike the Knight weekends at Warwick Castle.  We were blessed with glorious sunshine, and it was the perfect day for Freddy, my own little knight in training, to learn all about Mike the Knight's chivalrous code with the motto "Be a Knight, Do it Right!"

The setting for the event is just perfect.  Warwick Castle is a fabulous Merlin attraction which is easily accessible from junction 15 of the M40.  It is a great family day out with lots to see and do including live combat shows featuring the Warwick Warriors, the Flight of the Eagles show, the Kingmaker exhibition and actor led tours of the State Rooms and Great Hall.  Families can have fun in the Castle Courtyard and explore the ancient Towers and Ramparts or enjoy wandering around the beautiful grounds beside the river.

During the special Mike the Knight weekends there are also a range of medieval missions for pre-schoolers to embark on.  (These activities are all free of charge and included in the Warwick Castle entry price.) They can practice their archery skills with Mike's Target Test.  Jump on a trusty steed and race in Gallahad's Gallop. Go on a voyage of discovery with Sparkie and Squirt in the Dragon Egg Hunt.  Build a wall for the Glendragon Castle. Make a Mr Cuddles in the Colour and Craft Tent. Cast a magical spell at Evie's Workshop and even get their faces painted with a special Medieval Mike the Knight design.  Each task is rewarded with a sticker and when the missions are completed, the little knights receive a small gift for their hard work.  Little ones will learn a whole host of chivalrous lessons such as listening skills, good manners and helpfulness along the way.

Freddy had an excellent time taking part in all the activities, helped by his big sisters.  They met up with their cousins, Addy and Dyl, who were also attending the event with their family.  Together they embarked on  the quest to find the dragon eggs which lead us around the grounds of the castle.  They loved it!  We visited the Mill, the Peacock Gardens and the Birds of Prey before ending our adventure at the top of the Mound.  It was a great way to explore and discover new things.  Freddy was slightly disappointed not to see a real live dragon hatching from the final egg, but we explained to him that it had flown away!

In front of the castle is a brilliant sand sculpture depicting Warwick Castle, Glendragon and Buckingham Palace.  The 5m x 6m structure weighs in at over 30 tonnes and brings a taste of the seaside to Warwick.  There is also a sandpit for children to try to create their own sandcastle and enter a competition to create Britain's Ultimate Sandcastle.  Kids can also get to meet and greet Mike the Knight himself and have their photo taken with the CBeebies favourite.  The queues to see Mike can get quite long, but at the end of the day we didn't have to wait too long at all.

We really had a wonderful day.  There was so much for us all to do, and it was lovely to see Freddy join in with all the fun activities on offer. He is so much more confident these days and loves seizing every opportunity to have fun!

The next Mike the Knight weekend is the 6th and 7th July.  

A new series of Mike the Knight is due to air this summer on CBeebies.

Find out more about Warwick Castle at www.warwick-castle.com

Keep up to date with Glendragon news on Mike the Knight's Facebook page or visit the website at www.miketheknight.com or follow Mike the Knight on Twitter @MiketheKnightUK

Easter Holiday Fun for All the Family

AMF Bowling

The Easter holidays have just begun.  I have a manic toddler, an energetic 8 year old, a cool teenager and my fun loving daughter home from university, who all want to have fun and be entertained!  Finding activities that the whole family can enjoy together can be tricky.   

When I was invited to visit AMF Bowling in Shrewsbury along with my children, I was very excited about trying something new.  I haven't bowled in years.  The children have gone to Bowling Parties but we've never done it as a family before.  So I was well and truly game to give it a go!

We arrived at 11am on Monday morning.  My first impressions of the place was that it was very clean and bright.  Music was playing creating a lively atmosphere and groups of bowlers were enjoying the quieter time of day to enjoy the facilities.  

The staff were very welcoming and friendly, we were served by Nell who was absolutely lovely and very helpful.  We collected our bowling shoes and were shown to our lane where we were set up ready to go.  I was very impressed that the bumpers could be programmed to pop up for the younger children automatically.  This made it a level playing field for them to compete.  The ramp was available for the youngest bowlers to use.

I loved how everyone was able to play together.  Freddy loved rolling the balls down the ramp and quickly got the idea and was cheering his own efforts.  Kizzy had the bumpers and quickly established herself as a demon bowler.  We had a selection of different sized balls so we all found one that suited us.

AMF Bowling has a cafe bar and serves food.  We were very impressed to find some great options for vegetarians.  The kids had pizza and chips and me and Megan had Chilli and Nacho Burgers.  We also had a round of drinks all brought to our seats next to our lane.

Yummy!

How cute are those plates!!

The food was very good!  We were very impressed.  Megan said that the veggie burger was better than the one she had had in a Gourmet Burger Kitchen...high praise indeed.  The kids were given some goodies...balloons, key rings, masks, crayons, activity mats and choccie.   It was a really nice touch and the balloons gave Freddy a lot of entertainment between bowling!

Here is a video of us in action!

We had a great time!  Kizzy beat us all, which was a bit embarrassing, but it goes to show just how universal bowling is.  Anyone can play.  With a family of diversely aged children it is a perfect activity for everyone to enjoy together.  The food was good, the facilities were great (in addition to bowling there is a bar and arcade) and the staff were all friendly and helpful.  There are lots of special offers available.  Check out this one for a great priced treat for all the family this Easter.  

Throughout the Easter holidays, visitors to AMF in Shrewsbury will be able to take advantage of the Incredibowl offer, which allows kids to eat, drink and bowl from £4.95 per person. For early birds, AMF is also offering families the chance to bowl for just £1 between 9am – 10am (must be pre-booked online). Visit www.incredibowl.co.uk for more information and for terms and conditions.

*Our Bowling Trip was completely complimentary, but the opinions expressed are my own.*