Inflata Nation Theme Park Birmingham Review

Hey readers,

We were lucky enough to test out Inflata Nation in Birmingham, of course, I said yes because I know that my boys would love it.

So, what is Inflata Nation Theme Park?

Inflata nation theme park is a family day out attraction and is indoors. It comprises of inflatable activities in a huge indoor arena - therefore doesn't matter what the whether anyone can bounce and have fun. At the location, there are many activities for any age or size to enjoy.

Attractions.

Inflata Wreck - Not for the faint-hearted, our multi-person giant inflatable wrecking ball game.

Inflata Grab - Stretch that bungee cord to see how many balls you can collect. A real-life multi-person human version of Hungry Hippos.

Inflata Duo - A giant dual lane drop slide, that you can enjoy with friends.

Inflata Tots - Only for our under 4’s, a dedicated arena with lots of fun features, including slide & ball pool.

Inflata Drop - Try this jaw-dropping inflatable slide and land in a giant ball pool.

Inflata Wall - Take on the wall and you'll be scaling our giant inflatable climbing wall, on your own or with friends.

Inflata Race - Who will be the first to complete the two-lane assault course?

Inflata Bubbles - A large extra bouncy ‘bubble’ area, when all you want to do is a bounce.

Inflata Bash - Air filled inflatable pillars that you can bash around.

Inflata Duel -  A wibbly wobbly gladiator duel platform. Will you win the dual or take a tumble onto the giant airbag below?

However, if you want to sit back and just watch your children play then there is the cafe offering homemade food and drinks. There is also stairs and more seating and it overlooks over the whole arena.  Let's not forgot to mention there is free WIFI, whoop!

The inflata nation theme park is currently open at Birmingham, Manchester, Cheshire, Beverley and Glasgow.

Getting tickets to Inflata nation is easy to navigate on the website and also get confirmation booking - where you can print off your receipts. Also, bear in mind that you have to sign a weaver - now you can print the form off and sign it (we did this to save time) or you can fill in the paperwork at the premises.

Once you have handed over the tickets to the front desk on the right-hand side when you get into the doors. You will have a wristband to say you have paid and each one of you gets one.

Then you have to go down a hall on the right where you watch the video on the things you can and not do such as no flips between the balls.

The very short safety video is permanently running so even if you are, let's say seven minutes late then you only lose seven minutes play, unlike other similar venues that only play their safety videos every half an hour.

Once you have done that there is a shoe rack where you can store your shoes or alternatively there are lockers which require a pound. There is also electronic ones that you can pay by your bank. However, I used the pound coin ones so not entirely sure how the electronic lockers work.

It is important to make sure that children and adults were long sleeved tops, trousers and socks when entering the arena.

The sessions last for an hour however you can add time if you want to.

Cost.

Under 4's - £5.95 (1hr) / +1hr - £3.

Age 4-15 - £9.95 (1hr) - +1hr - £7.

Adult - £9.95 (1hr) - +1hr - £7.

There are also exercise classes, disability sessions and birthday parties - check out the website to find out more information.

Inflata Nation is open 364 days a year (except for Christmas Day).

Address.

The address is;

Unit E,

Stechford Retail Park,

Flaxley Pkwy,

Birmingham,

B33 9AN.

Opening times.

Monday - Thursday: 12 pm – 8 pm

Friday: 12 pm -9 pm

Saturday: 9 am – 9 pm

Sunday: 10 am – 8 pm

During school holiday periods, we are open from 10 am Monday – Sunday!

It can get very busy so probably best to book tickets online beforehand so you won't get disappointed.

Overall.

It was a really enjoyable experience for the whole family to enjoy together on a day out. I thought one hour was adequate time to enjoy as both my boys started to get tired at the end and very sweaty.

The staff were really friendly and helpful. the place felt safe and secure. The tables and toilet area were clean.

The rooms were bright and the decor I thought was fun and playful.

Overall a great experience  - 10/10 :)

Here is a video below so you can get a feel of the place.

Cheers for reading. X

This is an advertorial feature - I was gifted tickets for me and my family to go to Inflata Nation in Birmingham in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

Review of Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham.

Hey readers,

The other day we went on a family day out to Legoland discovery centre in Birmingham.

The attraction is located.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham will be based at Arena Birmingham (opposite The National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham).

King Edwards Rd, Birmingham B1 2AA

Opening times.

Weekends: 10am - 7pm (last admission to the attraction at 5pm).

Weekdays: 10am - 5pm (Last admission to the attraction at 3pm).

Cost of attraction.

£15 pp online or £20 pp pay at the desk.

After you sort out tickets at the reception desk you then go into the area near the lift, you will then get photos which are put onto a Lego background which when you go further into the centre you have the option to buy them if you want to.

Kingdom Quest.

Next, you go into the lift and down a level where you begin the fun. The first thing to do if you want to the ride where you go on a boat around an area where you have to play guns where you can hit targets to win points. This was really fun and we all really enjoyed taken part in that. The ride last for approximately five minutes.

Miniland.

Once you follow down the aisle and then you enter another room which is amazing lego build display covering all the Iconic Birmingham buildings such as The Bull Ring, Cadbury's world and Aston Villa football stadium to name a few. There are also interactive sections where you can spin the wheel and race the boats down the canal.

We went at Christmas time and we had a sheet where we had to find x amount of elves and all the different reindeers dotted about the room - that was good fun to go hunting for them.

The Ultimate Lego Playground.

After exploring that room we moved on to the next room which is the main activity hub. There is a section on the left and focuses on the Lego friend characters with the female friends dotted about the section. There were sections where you can build at the table your own creations or add onto other peoples work that has been left behind.

Of course, no great child attraction would be complete with the soft play which is based on Lego city with the theme of the construction, fire and police centre. Lots of soft padded floor to run around, climb and slide down the slide.

There is a bigger section between the soft play and Lego friends with loads of bricks to make your own creations.

There is an area in the room next to the soft play that has lockers where you can store your items (cost £1) to lock it up. Also, a place where you can leave your pushchairs.

4D cinema.

There is also the 4D cinema with a Lego film based and there are water, air, wind, snow and the feeling of figures coming out of the screen all good fun if you like to feel the experience.

Duplo farm.

There is a section for toddlers to freely play without the fear of them bumping to older children. There are bigger blocks for smaller hands (Duplo), a slide, and a small section where the child can climb and go down a slide safely. There is a big friendly cow that they can sit on and play with.

At the back of the room is another ride where you peddle to make it go up and down - which is a great thrilling ride.

There is also a section where you can build your own lego cars and test them out on the lego tracks with slops that make them go down fast.

There is a table with bricks where you can build buildings and test them out on the wobble board - where you press the button to make the square of land wobble.

Cafe.

There is a cafe in the activity centre area where you can buy cold drinks and Costa hot drinks such as hot chocolate and coffee. There is also lunch sandwich meals if you wish.

There are also toilets in the area to access plus disabled toilets and baby changing section.

Overall.

I was surprised at how long we stayed here - there was plenty to see in different formats. My 5 and 7 year old really enjoyed it especially the mini land and the interaction element.

Of course, they loved running around together in the soft play and also experimenting with the bricks to come up with their own creations. In actual fact, my eldest took part in the festive build to come up with your own design which was a Santa sleigh and won which my eldest was so proud about and he won the reindeer set as a price.

The staff were friendly and helpful. The places were in top form, clean and plenty of bins which I think is a good thing and doesn't make the place look messy.

I definitely recommend it for any child who likes bricks and likes to explore and create.

Cheers of reading X

i have accepted I am on anti-depressants for the rest of my life.

Hey readers,

Let me tell you a little secret about me, I take anti-depressants. I have on and off them for years. I have been on my present pills since 2010.

I have to accept the fact that I am going to be on them for the rest of my life and that is ok, I have no shame. It is ok to be on anti-depressants if you want them, don't feel bad because they are viewed as a quick exit. Of course, they don't cure my mental health problems but they give me a breather to think more clearly and make better decisions which impact my life on a whole for the better.

I have tried to come off them because I was better but wasn't turned out to be more crippling and forgot what them nasty feelings were like. I don't like them, I don't want to live and I go to a very dark place, which is horrible to experience. I don't want that in my life and if there is something that can help then I will grab it happily now with two hands.

Let's be frank anti-depressants don't remove the mental health. They are a quick solution because they in a short space of time have an impact and you can see improvement. Of course, tablets aren't the be-all and end-all but they help.

Talking also helps and all the other therapies that you can access. That too is ok to do and you have to do what is right for you. People are quick to judge if you dare say you are on anti-depressants, you can often get the mentality of some people who assume you are a drama queen and just taking them because they are trendy. Maybe more people take them and be honest about it means that people actually do suffer from mental health problems and not just physical health. I don't see anyone having a go out a person with cancer taking their medication - if anything more sympathy and understanding.

I think some people assume that if you take antidepressants somehow you are weak because you can't sort out your life and you rely on something other then yourself to get out of the situation. This is not true, having the courage to step up, go to the doctors and seek help is much braver then most people think.

I felt ashamed for years and forced myself off medication when really I should have been on it. It would have improved my quality of life. I fell down the hole of despair of feeling rubbish to take some pills to help my state of mind

Not any more, I now lucky have to come to the realisation that doesn't matter what people think about pills. My happiness is more important and doing the best to help me should be a priority. Accepting tablets are absolutely fine and if I have to take them the rest of my life so be it, no biggy it is ok to take medication to help improve your health.

Cheers for reading X

Pinterest trends that are going to be popular in 2019.

Hey readers,

Do you wonder what is going to be trendy in 2019? Well, apparently Pinterest can make predictions of trends for 2019. So I have selected some popular trend predictions for 2019 below.

Lilac hair.

Lilac locks are in with lots of people enjoying creating a pastel colour in the hair. It is steadily becoming really popular.

Women’s grey hair.

This trend I am rooting for because women should celebrate their hair going grey and embracing it and why not? Men can and the more we celebrate the normal and natural features of women the better.

Apparently, it is becoming increasingly popular to not go on holiday during the summer time but opting to check out places during the Autumn period (let’s face it is a lot cheaper when it is out of season).

Abandoned castles.

I like this trend very much because one it is cheaper as it tends not to be a tourist attraction, therefore, there is no prices normally and no gift shop = saving you money whilst still having a jolly good day out, whoop!

Bus travel.

This trend is becoming more popular for people trying to live a more frugal live and that is choosing to travel by bus instead of getting a car. It also has the added benefit of being a more environmentally friendly style to travel.

Bold walls.

When researching the interior trends of 2019 one thing that stood out was the trend of bold walls in the home. There has been a 45 per cent increase in people searching for the colour mustard on Pinterest. Other types of styles are tropical wallpaper and geometric paint.

Painted floor tiles.

Until researching Pinterest trends I have never heard of the term painted floor tiles. If you haven’t heard of it either then in a short summary it is paint that you can use on tiles to give your floor a more update. This saves money because you don’t need to spend a fortune on flooring just the paint and a brush to do it yourself.

Making bread.

It seems making stuff for yourself in the kitchen is a firm favourite to return especially with making things like bread.

Foil pack dinners.

This is now a thing where it means less prep and less mess. Where you stick your food into a foil and then you can open it up and not bother with plates either, result.

Doughnut display.

Do not worry doughnuts are not just for eating but also decorative party interior with their fun design what is not to love.

What 2019 trends have you spotted that look interesting? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday Photo 30/12/2018

5 things I have in my bag

Hey readers,

When I go outside of my home I always feel the need to, have a bag with me. of course, now and again there are times when I do such as popping down the road for something quick. However, most of the time I will carry a bag, it feels part of my outfit and if I don't have a bag on me I feel lost without.

Anyhow, in this post, I am going to open my bag and tell you the five things that are essential items to have in my bag.

1. keys.

I think having keys is one of the most important items to have if you have a home and take responsibility in looking after it. There is nothing worse than feeling like you have lost your keys. I make sure my keys are secure in a separate department in my bag from security.

2. purse.

Having a purse in my bag is important not only to hold my money and the piles of receipts in it but about I reckon 10,000 loyalty cards also. My special loyalty card has to be my Ikea family card because during the week it allows you to have free tea, whoop. Life is much better when you have a cup of tea when shopping.

3. Tissues.

Someone somehow needs a tissue although to be fair it is normally my husband who uses most of my tissues. Though when your parent the number of colds and constant snot dribbles when they start school is also important to keep an emergency supply of tissues in my bag. I really should have shares in Kleenex.

3. Lip balm.

For years now I have had lip balm in my bag. I have quite dry lips and often get quite thirsty so to help I whack a bit of lip moisture on the old lips to keep them from cracking especially during in winter grrrrr.

4. Hairbrush.

I have a handy pocket hairbrush that when you push one side the bristles pop out and on the side is a handy mirror to check your hair is neat and give it a brush over especially during the winter weather when my hair at times can resemble a birds nest, haha.

5. Bus pass.

My bus pass helps me with my autism and trying to live more independently. I can use my bus pass when I need to escape a stressful situation. It provides me with access to all the buses.  I have lost my bus pass several times as I am clumsy or get anxious and can sort of forget everything else that is happening. I have learnt to keep my bus pass next to my keys in the secure pocket of my bag. This is because my bus pass is really important to me and if I lose it I feel like poop.

What things do you have in your bag and that toy can't live without?

Cheers for reading X

Christmas Gift Guide Part 2 2018 *AD*

Hey readers,

I am sure we all know that Christmas is less than 5 weeks away, eek. So here are some items that I liked that would make great Christmas presents this year.

First I have this beautiful solar system bracelet. It has all the solar systems on the bracelet and thinks it is amazing. It is hand made from Leviko Designs and you can buy the item on her Etsy store.

 This is a lovely gift if you’re looking to give something a bit unusual for someone who is into science.

 I like the fact it is handmade and made on order, just makes it feel that bit more special. When receiving the bracelet it came in a beautiful box. The bracelet was tied to ribbon inside of the box to make it secure.

The solar system beads themselves are matte labradorite for Mercury, picture jasper for Venus, chrysocolla for Earth, matte red jasper for Mars, tiger's eye stone for Jupiter, coffee striped agate with a silver-tone bead frame for Saturn, and blue striped agate for Uranus and Neptune.

The beads themselves are volcanic lava beads and semi-precious gemstones. It has a silver clasp to secure the bracelet around the wrist so it is safe and secure to wear about. It would give character to your outfit and is a unisex item that could be suitable for anyone looking for something a bit different.

I am a lover of books and luckily so are my boys so the next item is right up their street with the adaption of Tim Burton’s classic A Nightmare before Christmas. 

It is a 48-page book and it is a story about Jack Skellington's adventure when he stumbles into Christmas and how he has taken it upon himself to replace Santa. However, this does not go well and all hell breaks loose. A very good story to keep you on edge.

It is a story that is engaging and full of rhythm to keep children wanting to carry on reading right till the end. Both my boys love reading books with a slight dark edge to them. Of course, not only children will like this story but adults too would love to receive this item if they are a fan of Disney or Tim Burton's film.

That is why is this personalised Nightmare before Christmas book is perfect as it is beautifully illustrated.

 You can get the book from The Gift Experience. The books come in a box to make it super special and you can also get names placed on the book to give it that personal touch - not only that each page has the name at the top.

The book is black-bound and with gold writing to make it feel luxurious. The book also comes in a Disney Timeless gift box making it a beautifully designed item to give someone special at Christmas.

Another beautiful book is The Christmas Next door by T.A. Creaser. If you are doing Christmas Eve boxes then this would make an excellent book choice for your child. You can buy the book here by Owlet press.

The story tells an important message about consumerism and that it is important to share time with loved ones and being nice to one another. 

Sometimes, you can't always get what you want or something goes wrong. Such as the oven breaking down, which happened in this story and though it is hard taking the good things can make you still enjoy the time together.

At the end of the day happy memories are more valuable than whether you have received the latest gadgets. It really is a beautiful story that brings home a happy and positive message. 

There is also a side story regarding the loss of grandad's wife and it talks about feels with death and I feel it is done in a very sensitive way for young children.

It is a good way to help discuss the loss to children and my son really was engaged and wanted to know more regarding Grandad why he felt sadness and how he moved forward with the grief of losing a special person in his life.

Cheers for reading X

This is an advertisement feature. I was given all the items in the post for free in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.