Last month we were invited to visit and review Paradise Wildlife Park If you follow me on social media you will already know how much we loved the park Situated in Broxbourne Woods in Hertfordshire It is a 90 minute … Continue reading
Last month we were invited to visit and review Paradise Wildlife Park If you follow me on social media you will already know how much we loved the park Situated in Broxbourne Woods in Hertfordshire It is a 90 minute … Continue reading
Today we have been to Leicester Square Theatre
To see The Scarecrow’s Wedding
A Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book
Adapted for the stage by Scamp Theatre

This was our second time seeing the show
The first being a number of years ago
The show is recommended for ages 3 and up
So we did not take Edie with us
Although she loves the book
This show is a magical retelling of a lovely love story
The storyteller is the farmer who also takes on the roles of all the animals
The staging is very clever and the use of props, mostly household, objects
To bring the characters to life is inspiring
We especially loved how the the Pond was created and how it disappeared again
It was clever and really effective
William LOVED Sergeant Major Toad
I loved the cows and all the brilliant cow themed word play
I was laughing out loud throughout the show
The music in the show was amazing
Each actor played an array of instruments
They used music for the songs but also for sound effects
They had the audience clapping along right from the beginning
The singing was brilliant with lovely harmonies
This show is just bursting from start to finish with infectious energy
Real emotions and a stunning display of how music can be used to tell stories
Bea loved it all and kept telling me so all day
The joy in her face as she watched the show was magical
The Scarecrow’s Wedding has something for everyone
Go Away Crows was beautifully sung by Betty
The music was wonderful emotive folk songs and foot stomping country music
I cried actual tears at the end
I do love a wedding and this was the best wedding ever
The best wedding yet
The wedding that no one will ever forget!
The show is on until the 1st of September
At Leicester Square
And then it goes on tour!!
Please do go and see it if you get the chance
This is not a paid review
I bought our tickets
We are just huge huge fans of Scamp Theatre and this very special family show

Hurrah for Harry and Betty!
Happy wedding day!
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For the past few weeks we have been putting a selection of
Little Brian Paint Sticks through their paces
I wanted to share with you some of the products we have tested
And some of the projects we have used them for
This post does include review products from Little Brian Art
But we have been using this brand for a while now
And do genuinely and heartily recommend them
Little Brian Paint Sticks
Allow children to be arty
Without getting messy
Not that we have any concerns about mess in our house
But I know that many people do
If you are not naturally arty
Paint Sticks are for you
They are twist up sticks of paint
Just like glue sticks
They paint on to multiple surfaces
Including glass, wood, stones, cardboard, paper and whiteboards
They even wash off walls!
They come in a range of colours and sizes
Perfect for children of all ages to use
And hands of all sizes to get to grips with
Here are ways we have used Paint Sticks in the last couple of weeks
LAYERED PAINTING
The first set of paints that we tested
Were in the brand new Paint Sticks Assorted Bucket
The handy bucket can be used for storing and transporting up to 20 Paint Sticks
The bucket comes with 20 Paint Sticks inside: 12 Classic, 6 Day Glow and 2 Metallic colours

You can buy the bucket from Argos and Smyths
This would be a lovely little gift for a summer birthday
And the perfect present to take on holiday

I think we will use this most when we want to take art materials with us
On our home education adventures
One of the things that we love about Little Brian Paint Sticks
Is that they are quick drying
Meaning that you can layer patterns and colours
Without lots of waiting around for parts of pictures to dry

We also love the colour range and have been experimenting with Day Glow and Metallic sticks

These paint sticks are great to take out and about
But just as good as a staple in your art cupboard at school or at home

Being able to layer colours
Is great for young children
Who do not always have the patience to wait for a background to dry
Now they can just paint a rainbow straight on to their sky

Of fish straight into their sea!

PAINTING ON WINDOWS
How I would have loved being allowed to paint on the windows as a child!
It seems like such a naughty thing to do
My children could not believe their luck when I introduced this activity
Using a pack of 24 paint sticks; 12 classic colours, 6 day glow colours and 6 metallic colours
We all had a go at painting on the window

It was a wonderful sensory experience painting on the glass
I enjoyed this activity just as much as the children if not more

We created scenes on the windows
And then used them as small worlds for imaginative play

We populated the scenes using Stickabouts from Fiesta Crafts

These awesome stickers are indestructible and you can stick them just about anywhere
They work especially well on windows
We made a dinosaur world together

And then Esther went on to make a zoo

I am planning to turn our windows into stained glass scenes for Christmas
I am very excited for that!

The paints glide on to the glass
And are super easy to wash off
Perfect mess free messy creative fun!
BOX HOUSE DECORATING
With three birthdays in our house in the last two weeks
We have cardboard boxes galore
Today Daddy and the little rainbows made one of the boxes into a house

Tonight I have used the Paint Sticks to add some flowers to the house
I have left the paints out with the cardboard house
As an ‘Invitation to Create’ for the children to find tomorrow

They will be very excited to add colour and detail to their own little house

DREAM CATCHER MAKING
At the children’s Roald Dahl birthday party on Sunday
We invited guests to make BFG Dreamcatchers

The dreamcatchers were wooden kits from Baker Ross
And the Paint Sticks worked brilliantly on them
Giving bright vibrant colours that dried quickly so that our friends could take them home

Painting on to wood so effortlessly and drying so quickly
Makes Paint Sticks great for parties and home education workshops
For schools and art clubs too
So many uses!
BLACK AND WHITEBOARD PLAY
We have been lucky enough to review the brand new
Little Brian Paint Sticks Classic Art Station
This is a portable easel with blackboard and whiteboard
It also has a clip so that you can paint on to paper

The art station comes with 6 chalk sticks, 6 classic paint sticks, 10 sheets of paper and 1 duster

Edie and Bea have loved playing with this set
You can draw on both boards with the Chalk Sticks
And the Paint Sticks work well on the whiteboard and clean off easily

This is great for art
But also great for little ones learning to write
Using the art station for creatively practising mark making
Forming letters and copying words

There are so many ways to play with this set at home
And it is easy to take on holiday or out for the day
Making it great value for money
It is available in Argos for £30
One art activity that springs to mind
Is getting two children to draw each other
As they are sitting opposite one another
So many ways to create and play!

These are five fun things we have got up to with our Little Brian Paint Sticks
What do you like to do with yours?
If you have not yet tried Paint Sticks
Head over to my Edspire Facebook page where I will be giving away
An Assorted Paint Stick Bucket worth £12.99
We were sent the Paint Stick products in this post to review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
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