Thursday 19 April 2012

Trips Galore.

Yup another few trips this week; a windmill yesterday and Maidstone Museum today. 

The Windmill yesterday was really good, the kids had fun, it was interesting and they all had a go at making flour - including getting a little bit of what they made to take home :D  Pity about the weather, we had planned picnics and parks afterwards, instead a few of us decided on softplay, which for the kids, was a wonderful end to the day :D

 Rye was absolutely fascinated with these models, in the cafe they had more, and the guide allowed him to get up and turn the thingy at the back that moves the sweeps around... one very chuffed little boy :D
 Making flour using a grain mill.
 Cider press...... mmm cider...lol
 More making flour.

 Rye with his little bag of flour...oops getting a bit fed up of me snapping photos.
Anyone who is thinking of going to Willsborough Windmill, I thoroughly recommend it, the guides were lovely, it was really interesting and the kids did really enjoy themselves.  (Be aware it's laddes to the very top part of the mill.... have to say I didn't make it, I was feeling very jittery and nervous on the 2nd level..   daft me, somehow forgot about the height factor!

Maidstone Museum was excellent, if very hot; too hot in fact it began to make the kids rather fractious after a while. 

 The dressing up section was very popular with them all.  Rye did make me laugh running around in ladies shoes. 
 Ahhh, my gorgeous lad.  **melt**
 Enjoying the interactive section, listening to sounds and trying to work out what they are.
 "Jacqui, can we buy the buses?"  LOL
 Rye is fascinated with the Otter eating the fish.
 "It's a very nice boat, Jacqui, can I get in?"    Er no.  lol
 Ahh what a fabulous learning picture eh........  honestly, he just liked pressing the different photos lol.
 "Oooh can I have one?"
 "Read this to me, Jacqui"  it was about the celts, roots etc.  Rye quickly lost interest, but hey at least he asked lol.
The natural history bit probably engages Rye the most, he enthralled by the various cases of animals, birds and bugs.  Really must take this boy to the Natural History Museum, I think he will love it.

Funnily enough, the growling dinosaur frightened him a bit this time.

And then it was onto Nandos for lunch.  I am juicing, so I choose a salad, I confess I did have some chicken, and I tried the frozen yoghurt, but it was too sweet for me, so Rye finished it off for me.

Then back home to try out Street Dance.  Rye has been saying he doesn't want to do it; so I agreed with him he'd try it and if he didn't like it, he wouldn't have to go again.  Well he loved it.  He came racing up to me after the lesson, beaming and telling me how much fun he'd had.  

Indeed, beforehand, I'd asked another mum, whom I know, if we were allowed to stay, and she said we weren't suppose to, so I sauntered towards the door, wondering if Rye would panic or not..... 

"Bye mum"  he called out and waved to me.  I was flabberghast and proud all at once. 

He really has matured so much this year, last year he was very clingy, didn't like being left, uncooperative in groups etc.. and now he's in his element, it is so gratifying to see, and I'm so pleased I've been able to go at his pace and not force this development.

And tomorrow, well we were meeting a friend at the Coastal Park, but it sounds like she's coming down with a nasty flu, so I'll take Rye on my own with one of his friends, and they can race about for an hour or so and burn off some energy.  I think some free range play in the open air is definitely on the cards :D

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