The Boss Baby Out Now on DVD

From the director of  Madagascar and Megamind, Tom McGrath, comes a laugh out loud adventure-comedy all about family and belonging. THE BOSS BABY features the voice talents of an all star cast including Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow and Tobey Maguire.

Tim Templeton is a much loved little boy with a big imagination, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of his new baby brother. He soon discovers that his problems go way beyond regular sibling rivalry, and his new brother is actually an undercover boss from a secret organisation called BabyCorp who is on an important mission involving Tim's parents and the launch of a new, super cute pet from their employers Puppy Co. Tim realises that if he helps the Boss Baby to complete his mission, he can get rid of him and go back to being an only child again. An exciting adventure ensues where Tim and the Boss Baby discover the evil truth behind Puppy Co and learn to work together to save the day, leading them to re-evaluate what it is that they really want in life.

The Boss Baby is heartwarming and hilarious in equal measure. Freddy aged 8 thought it was a "great, funny and imaginative" movie with his favourite part of the whole film being when the baby farts out talcum powder when Tim is getting him dressed. There is a lot of baby centric visual humour, which is very enjoyable and beautifully observed. The characters are interesting and the dynamic between Tim and the baby explores the subject of sibling rivalry, family, love and belonging. There is a lovely message in the film where we learn that there is always enough love in the world for everyone.  It really is a great watch for the whole family and perfect entertainment for the summer holidays.

THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray™, Blu-ray 3D, 4K Ultra HD and DVD each include more than 30 minutes of extras, which we really enjoyed watching after the film:

●     NEW Mini Adventure: The Boss Baby and Tim’s Treasure Hunt Through Time ­– Narrated by Wizzie, the magical wizard. Join the fun as Boss Baby and Tim battle pirates, travel through outer space, swim deep into the sea, and go toe-to-toe with some ferocious dinosaurs!

●     The Forever Puppy Infomercial – Always playful, always snuggly, and everlastingly cute; the Forever Puppy is destined to win the cuteness competition with babies once and for all.

●     BabyCorp and You – Helpful advice and more for new infants on the job at BabyCorp.

●     Babies vs. Puppies: Who Do You Love? – Who has won the hearts of familes once and for all? This “scientific” experiment compares and contrasts factors such as “cuddliness,” “adorability,” and “attention grabbing techniques” used by both demanding competitors.

●     The Boss Baby's Undercover Team – From Staci, the note taker who can’t read, to Jimbo the huge baby who’ll take a suction cup arrow for the Boss, to the triple-threat of the Triplets, Boss Baby dives deeper into this team of cute corporate board members.

●     Cookies are for Closers: Inside BabyCorp – Go behind the scenes with Director Tom McGrath as he introduces us to BabyCorp, a secret organization of infants united for a common goal in

THE BOSS BABY.

●     The Great Sibling Competition – A fun, kid-friendly and humorous look at the competition among siblings to win the affection of their parents. Explore conversations with the cast and crew on their competitive sibling relationships and get very special insights from Boss Baby himself, Alec Baldwin.

DreamWorks Animation’s THE BOSS BABY is available now on Digital Download, Blu-ray^™ and DVD, from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. 

The British Music Experience Launches their Summer Holidays Programme

Throughout the summer the British Music Experience in Liverpool will be welcoming families of all ages to come along and experience the story of British Music through costumes, instruments, performance, memorabilia and some special activities exclusively for the summer.

During the school holidays the British Music Experience really does have something for everyone with highlights including the chance to get your hands on a top-flight electric guitar in the Gibson Interactive Instrument Studio, daily story time and sing along sessions for the little ones and fun craft sessions.

Open Sessions - 22nd July to 3rd September 1 pm-3pm

 Meet the Visitor Experience Musicians who are on hand every day from 1 – 3 pm in the Gibson Interactive instrument studio. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced musician, you can unleash your inner rock star with experts on hand giving valuable tips.

Story Time Sessions - Everyday at 1.30pm

Enjoy an interactive, fun for all the family, storytime session with a musical theme. Sing along to well-known tunes and embark on an adventure in the Summer of Love, meeting friends and helping solve some puzzles along the way. Suitable for all ages.

Craft A Dream Catcher - Everyday between 11am-3.30pm

In the spirit of the Summer of Love you can make your own dream catchers in a workshop that encourages kids to create a take home craft. Free and fun for everyone.

In addition to the activities, visitors can enjoy the museum, which has a collection which boasts outfits worn by legendary artists such as Freddie Mercury, Dusty Springfield, The Spice Girls, Adam Ant and X Factor finalists not to mention musical instruments played by some of the world’s most renowned artists from Noel Gallagher to the Sex Pistols. There are hand written song lyrics from Adele, the original statues from the Brits and the Apple Corp front door from Saville Row.

You can learn a musical instrument with the best music equipment available, from drum kits to keyboards and even try your hand on a Gibson guitar in the Gibson Brands Interactive Studio. Teenagers will love putting their singing voice to the test in the vocal booth while younger children can Dance the Decades in the dance pop routines studio.  Perfect for music lovers of all ages.

After the main event browse an exclusive range of gifts, clothing, books and memorabilia from the Merch Store or enjoy a selection of snacks and meals in the Star Café.

Tickets are available to buy online here and directly from the Box Office at The British Music Experience. 

Adult £16

Child Under 5 FREE

Child (5-15) £11

Concession £14.50

Family Ticket £43

For more information visit: http://www.britishmusicexperience.com/

A Real Parenting Guide for the Summer Holidays

Confessions of a Summer Parent

I adore my little people. But six weeks of unadulterated entertaining over the long summer holidays can take its toll on even the most dedicated parent. At first I am all eager and enthusiastic, planning themed activity weeks and encouraging the children to keep exciting holiday scrapbooks to document the well thought out day trips and character building experiences I have scheduled.  Within a few days, however, my highly motivated mothering gives way to a slightly more apathetic approach where laptops and iPad's feature much more heavily than the eco-friendly, super creative, mind expanding art project that I had in mind. A few days of rain and a few hundred 'what can we do now' comments and we are watching Peppa Pig on a loop and eating Pot Noodles for lunch. 

So, what is the answer when it comes to balancing your sanity while keeping the children happy during the long summer break?

Simple. Trick them into having the sort of fun that serves the secondary purpose of making your life that little bit easier. They will unknowingly be doing something useful and beneficial to you, while having a good time. 

• Grab a big bucket of soapy water and a handful of sponges and excitedly sing the praises of wet play and making bubbles. Then point the kids in the direction of the patio furniture and watch in glee as one of those horrible summer jobs you've been putting off  gets completed under the guise of having some super, splashy sensory fun. If this works out well, you can escalate the 'game' to include washing the family car.

• Get them in the kitchen for some exciting pizza making. Give them ready prepared bases, tomato puree, grated cheese and a range of toppings. Throw a few Italian phrases into the mix and get them shouting out 'Buon Appetito' and 'Multo Bene' to get them in the mood, while you sit back with a glass of Italian Chianti. Bingo...they are kept occupied and they get fed in the process.  And that's one less meal that you have to prepare! Win win!

• When the Lego box has been tipped out for the umpteenth time and the paraphernalia for the teddy bear's tea party is strewn across the floor mixed in with the felt tips, crayons and colouring books that had kept the kids quiet for five minutes earlier, you have two choices. You can scream and shout and pull your hair out as you survey the extreme mess that has been generated or you can unleash your inner Mary Poppins and make a game out of tidying up. As Ms Poppins so rightly said "in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and snap! The job's a game!" So instead of turning the chaotic scene of playtime devastation into a parenting warzone, give the kids a challenge. Who can pick up the most toys and put them back in the right box the fastest?! Hum the tune of  a "Spoonful of Sugar" as you watch your mini-mes compete to be the fastest tidier upper! Dangling a carrot (well maybe not an actual carrot, maybe a biscuit would be a more appropriate treat) and the whirling dervishes of destruction will put their energy into something useful. If they are really enjoying their tidying, extend the fun by popping a duster in their hand and watch as they do the housework.

• Sometimes, you just want some peace and quiet. But kids need to let off steam and get physical or they'll be up past their bed times hyperactive and twitching with unspent energy. So it's time to have a silent disco! Headphones on, iPods playing, listening to Britney or Bieber or 'Let It Go' on repeat, the kids can dance as manically as they want to in absolute silence. (Remind them of the no singing rule before embarking on this or you'll have a cacophony of tuneless, overly loud voices, shouting their way through an assortment of songs simultaneously. No one ever needs to experience that!) They will wear themselves out in a noiseless fashion just in time for bed.

• During the summer holidays, other parents can become your greatest allies. They are going through the exact same situation as you are and will be crying out for a hand of friendship and assistance to help them through the six weeks of child juggling. This is the perfect opportunity to initiate an unofficial childcare exchange. Invite some of your little one's pals over to play one afternoon. Prepare well for the onslaught of extra kids, providing some garden based activities and an outdoor picnic (keeping them outdoors means less tidying up indoors and the birds will eat the crumbs from lunch!) Then sit back as your good deed is repaid by way of future play date invitations from your little guests' parents. So that one afternoon of mayhem could be reciprocated with four or five child free days over the next few weeks. A fair exchange by anyone's standards!

• Never underestimate the power of bribery! We can all strive to do our best, but we also have to be honest when it comes to our limitations. Sometimes we need a bit of leverage for ensuring the desired outcome when it comes to parenting. Kids love the concept of being rewarded for doing good things, most schools adopt a reward system, so embracing this idea at home can be a great tool for the summer. Get a nice jar and a big pack of marbles and tell the kids that whenever they have been super good they will be rewarded by popping a marble in the jar. (Naughty behaviour can also result in the removal of a marble if you want to exert maximum power!) When the jar is filled with marbles they can get a treat such as a cinema trip or a day at the zoo. The visual effect of the jar filling with shiny, colourful marbles will capture the kids' imaginations and hopefully inspire best behaviour. What the kids don't know, is that you would probably have taken them to the zoo or the cinema anyway (anything to get out of the house!) but if you can use this bribery reward scheme to your advantage, then why not!

However you cope this summer, I hope you all manage to have some family fun and make some wonderful memories together. Come September, we will hold on to the magical moments and all the bad bits will be forgotten, as we pack our little ones off to school, and we may even shed a tear from behind our rose tinted glasses.

"This post is an entry for the BritmumsConfession of a Summer Parent Challenge sponsored by Anchor."

A Tiger's Tail - a film review

In the perfect formula for a family movie, you might find cute animals, characterful kids and funny situational comedy. A Tiger's Tail features all of these things!  Youngsters Billy and Koby, are dealing with the usual troubles that befall teens such as homework, girls and the local bullies.  But when a tiger cub called Luna comes into their lives, the trouble really begins!

The tale begins at the local zoo where the local bullies humiliate Billy and steal his rucksack while he was trying to impress his love interest Doreen by the zoo's hot dog stand.  When Billy's dad finds the bag, due to the carelessness of a rather inept zoo keeper, there is an uninvited guest stowed away inside, which he inadvertently brings home.  This is the start of an adventure that sees Billy trying to keep the baby tiger hidden from his clueless parents and come up with a plan to return the cub to its pining mother.

The film uses a lot of classic, kids' film plot devices to progress the story and the moral of being rewarded for doing the right thing is cliched if not heartwarming. It has the feel of a Sunday afternoon Nick Jr movie with cute critters and kids getting into scrapes until the final mandatory happy ending.  The interaction between the family's pet Labrador and the tiger cub brings scenes that children will love and the comedic situations that come from trying to conceal a playful wild animal in the house will get the children chuckling.

Our favourite characters were Billy's goofball friend Koby, who is always doing something daft, and Billy's dad (played by the guy who played mind reading policeman Matt Partman in Heroes).  The parenting skills of Billy's parents leave a lot to be desired as they constantly dismiss and misunderstand their son's dilemmas- but it does raise a few laughs.

There is a good element of storytelling, some lovely animals and some gentle humour along with a nice soundtrack, which makes this a sweet film to keep the little ones entertained this summer. It has a nice moral message about honesty and doing the right thing and we get to see the underdogs triumph.

The Tiger's Tail is available now - find it on Amazon for £8.50.
The film is 81 Minutes long and a U certificate.