I probably make far too many references to the Brady Bunch and other seventies television shows and music in my posts than I should – it reveals my age! Nonetheless, as soon as I discovered the Top 50 Ranches website I started thinking back to that brilliant Brady Bunch episode where the kids ride with cowboys into the Grand Canyon. If you’re dreaming of a similar family holiday (minus the getting-lost-in-the-Grand-Canyon-like-Cindy element), read on.

Top 50 Ranches is the one-stop spot for the best in horse-riding holidays, whether you want to experience life on a Patagonian estancia in Argentina or ride the open grassy plains of Burnt Well Guest Ranch in New Mexico in the United States.

The website includes ranches in six countries, with the majority located in the US states of Montana, Colorado and Arizona. Helpfully, the ranches are sorted by the type of ‘experience’ you are looking for – this ranges from being a guest in luxury accommodation to joining a muster on a working ranch and of the fifty ranches listed, more than thirty are suitable for families.

An authentic cowboy experience for kids starts at Flathead Lake Lodge in Montana, USA. As well as plenty of water activities on the picturesque Flathead Lake, kids also have the opportunity to camp overnight in a teepee, ride in a kids’ rodeo and try the Junior Wrangler Program.

For pure indulgence, head to Echo Valley Ranch and Spa in British Columbia, Canada (below). While you’re relaxing, kids can busy themselves with all sorts of activities from guided rides to fishing and falcon flying. Finish the day around the campfire.

For families wanting a ranch experience close to home, the Snowy River Horseback Adventure in New South Wales gives you the opportunity to experience a two-to-five-day Snowy Mountains adventure, exploring bush trails and old stock routes against the backdrop of majestic Snowgum and Mountain Ash forests.

A little further afield is Beaumont Station in Southland, New Zealand, a working sheep station where you will saddle up and join the muster, all the while taking in the untamed New Zealand high-country.

Giddy-up! Head to Goldman Holidays for all your online travel arrangements.

Is this soon to be the lightest full-size jogger in Australia? That’s the word on the street folks, and from early April, you’ll be able to have a slice of one of the UK’s leading pram brands. We’re the first to break the news, so read on.

Coming in at 9.8kg, the Out ‘n’ About Nipper 360 single model is a real lightweight, without sacrificing any space for your baby or child. Perfect for shopping, exercising and short trips, there is a range of accessories to choose from such as a carrycot, Maxi Cosi capsule adapters, boot covers and more.

There’s also the Out ‘n’ About 360 Nipper Double ($749) for those who need to carry two children – it remins lightweight for a double pram at just 12.8kg. Mad fitness fanatic or want a buggy to turn you into one? The final model in the Out ‘n’ About range is the zippy Nipper Sport (below) – it has a fixed wheel for safe running and is also 9.8kg.

Pricing starts at a very reasonable $549 with a two year warranty and you can place pre-orders right now through the Facebook page. The Australian Out ‘n’ About website will be up and running (pardon the pun!) soon, so you can check stockists from there.

I think if you were to measure the awesomeness of trampolines, this one wins.

Your backyard two-metre trampoline is probably looking a little tame right about now. This incredible fifty-two metre long trampoline was developed for the Archstoyanie Festival in Russia by Estonian architects, Salto.

Named the ‘Fast Track‘, the trampoline was designed to look like a road, giving pedestrians a different perspective on the forest they were travelling past and a different experience of moving – certainly a bouncier experience if nothing else!

Isn’t it brilliant? I think if my kids were lucky enough to visit, we’d never get them home again!

(via Design Boom)

You know when you see design so beautiful it makes everything else look a bit drab?  A trip to Blaxland Riverside Park may have you ho-humming about your local playground. 

Covering three hectares, this futuristic play area has just about everything kids of any age could dream of. There is water play, climbing walls, slides that tunnel through rolling hills and swings of a whole bunch of different shapes and sizes.

The huge tree house is like a mix between something out of Neverland and and architect designed mountain home. You can also find hiding places, wide open spaces, flying foxes and the biggest climbing net I have ever seen. Basically, it has been built with beautiful imagination and attention to detail.

This riverside wonderland is part of Sydney Olympic Park so both the online and in-park information is really detailed. There are public barbecues, a cafe, bike hire and public transport all within walking distance. On weekends there is even more to check out with a historic precinct and an Armory Gallery.

The free parking is limited but if you’re happy to take a short walk or ride on the cycle path, there is lots more available. A shuttle bus is also on the cards, details and directions can be found on their website.

Now that we’ve launched into spring and with summer fast around the corner, we’re all heading outside to bask in the sunny glow and enjoy some fresh air – but what to do with the baby?

Ok, we know there are plenty of things to do with the baby outside but we’ve never seen a baby cradle hanging from a tree.  it’s unique, fun and how better to enjoy some warmer air than by swinging in the shade.

Dutch designer Joost van Veldhuizen has created the beautiful Noach cradle that is designed to be suspended by rope to a tree and sway naturally in the breeze as your baby kicks their legs in the warm air. Sounds utterly blissful, yes?

The Noach cradle is hand crafted and can be used for storage once outgrown as a cradle. A big thanks to Babyologist Cassie for letting us know about this stunning gem!

For ordering information contact VanJoost.

(via Digs Digs)

While fellow campers are breaking out their Tupperware Go-Flex bowls around the camp fire, you can be morphing any ordinary old stick into a sladle or stabber. 

No sooner than when that last toasted marshmallow is wiggled free from the perfect fire stick, you can whip it into action by screwing on one of these unique camping cutlery adaptors designed by Sharon Myoung and Tony Kim. The sladle and stabber attachments simply screw on, that’s it – no one million parts or anything extra. Just screw, use, unscrew and wash – done.

They’re all you need to scrape, mix, measure and flip and are much more fun than busting open a pack of twenty flimsy plastic spoons and forks, yes? Your camping buddies might give you stick (note my nice use of pun), but the kids will love scavenging around the camping grounds for just the right one.

So what do you think – a hit or miss with the camping crowd?

(via Gizmodo)

It’s a portable tree house. It’s a tent. It’s a fancy hammock. It’s amazing.

The Tentsile tent is being hailed as the world’s most versatile tent. If you’re someone who likes camping but isn’t so keen on creepy-crawlies, sleeping on uneven ground or camping in the rain, then Tentsile could be the tent you’re looking for.

Designed by architect and tree house designer Alex Shirley-Smith, the Tentsile combines the comfort and versatility of a hammock with the usable space and security of a tent in virtually any environment. The ultra-portable structure uniquely employs tension forces to provide separation from wildlife, including insects, snakes and other predators but also from sand storms, earth tremors, cold or wet ground, debris or contamination (that last bit doesn’t make camping seem much fun but you get the gist!).

Also available is a base support so that you can use the Tentsile on the beach, in the desert or where there are no suitable trees available (such as a snowy tundra where naturally, you’d go camping with the kids).

Once elevated, you access the tent via a rope ladder. There really is no excuse not to take the whole family camping because Tentsiles are available in three sizes ranging from a two-person tent up to an eight-person tent – cosy!

Contact Tentsile directly for prices and ordering information.

(via Bless This Stuff)

Okay, there might be closer places to take the kids skiing than Switzerland but we couldn’t resist sharing Whitepod – the ultimate in ‘camping’ luxury.

Hot on the heels of our peek at igloos in Finland and the stylish RocksResort in Switzerland comes Whitepod – the perfect way to get close to nature in luxurious surrounds.

Whitepod is essentially fifteen geodesic domed pods, nestled high in the Swiss Alps and overlooking Lake Geneva. The pods are furnished in a luxe, modern Alpine style (think wood burning stoves, natural timber finishes and understated Swiss flag motifs) and each includes a full, private bathroom.

Guests at Whitepod have access to three private ski lifts which can be operated twenty-four hours a day (should you wish for some midnight downhill action) and seven kilometres of exclusive trails. There’s also a central chalet, built in the early 1800s, where guests can enjoy meals or relax by the fire, and a new spa complex, where massage therapists will ensure you are completely relaxed before your day of alpine activities.

There’s no shortage of activities on offer. Take advantage of the private slopes with skiing, snowboarding, dog-sledging, snow-shoeing, sledding and hiking – I’m not sure I’d want to leave my pod though!

Contact Whitepod directly for rates and bookings. Travel to Switzerland can be arranged directly through Goldman Travel. If skiing in Switzerland is not your thing, check out our previous posts on family skiing holidays in New Zealand and Canada.

(via Honestly… WTF)

If you’ve been waiting with bated breath for the highly-anticipated Phil and Teds Sub4, it’s almost time to exhale.

We first revealed Phil and Teds Sub4, which is touted as the world’s fastest jogging stroller, two years ago. The manufacturers claim pushing the boundaries takes time, hence the long lag time in its release.

The Phil and Teds Sub4 is all about state-of-the-art everything – giving parents the perfect vessel for transporting a child in comfort and safety while exercising.

We’re now informed the release is imminent, and pre-orders are being taken. The price for the “world’s fastest jogger”  by Phil and Teds is $1079.

There’s two holiday experiences every kid should have – the feel of soft tropical island sand between their toes… and the crunch of just-fallen snow beneath their feet. We’ve already shown you the finest snow resorts in Canada, Europe and New Zealand. Now come with us and explore an alpine resort that’s closer to home.

Falls Creek, in Victoria, proudly lays claim to being the only true ski-in ski-out resort in the country. That means you can strap on the skis – or load the kids into the toboggan – right outside your door, or any other door in the village, and be on your way. That’s exactly what we did when we spent a week there with the kids just last month.

This was to be a special family trip because it was the first time my children – seven, four, and two – had ever seen snow. And Falls Creek didn’t disappoint, turning on a picture-perfect display of falling snowflakes just as we arrived, prompting the first magical moment of our holiday – our daughter, twirling in the snow with a look of pure joy on her face, calling out “mum, it’s just like fairy dust!”. Aaaaaw!

We stayed in one of the many self-contained apartments that dot the Falls Creek village, which has everything from budget lodge-style accommodation to luxurious serviced chalets and four and five-star hotels for those who want to live it up. Some of the lodges have their own cinemas, heated pools and kids’ clubs, while Mirvac’s Quay West Resort even boasts a day spa that’s very popular with mums.

There is plenty for children to do, with those of preschool age and older very well catered for. My eldest children went happily off to Falls Creek’s snowsports school, with separate groups for varying ages. Any fears I had that they would feel lonely or lost in a group of strangers, and without each other, were unfounded – they had a great time and staff had them skiing like pint-sized pros after only a day. They were served a hot cooked lunch each day, including stir fries, bangers and mash, and casseroles, with lots of hot chocolate in between all the outdoor adventuring to help warm them back up. The younger group divided their time between outdoor fun and indoor games and activities, while older kids spent most of their time on the slopes.

After finding their ski legs (and, it must be said, surprising both themselves and us at how easily they picked it up), our kids spent each morning in ski school before my husband collected them after lunch for some family time on the slopes. Our seven-year-old (pictured above) quickly became a ski junkie – if only teaching him to ride a bike sans training wheels had been this easy – and had to be dragged back to our apartment under duress each afternoon.

My daughter even shouldered her nerves and joined her brother and dad to ski down the main run – Wombat’s Ramble – on the last day of our stay, a winding two-and-a-half kilometre stretch from the summit all the way down the mountain. She was bursting with pride at her achievement, and I had to brush away a tear or two myself!

While the ski slopes are enough to keep you busy – there are ninety-two ski runs and fifteen lifts here – there’s plenty more for families to do. Making snowmen is just the most obvious start. Primary school aged children can feel what it’s like to fly with the Snow Bungy Trampoline down in the Village Bowl. We recommend giving it a go when it’s snowing so your kids can soar with the snowflakes! More adventurous families can try snow-shoeing, snow bike riding, snow tubing, helicopter joy rides or cross country skiing. The Falls Creek Nordic Centre can even pack you a picnic lunch to enjoy mid-adventure.

Toddlers might be too little for ski school, that doesn’t mean they miss out on the fun. My little one (below) had the time of his life watching the passing skiers, snow mobiles and buggies trundling past from the cosy comfort of our apartment, or rugged up outside on the front steps. When he wasn’t eating snow, he was throwing himself headlong into it making snow angels or tobogganing on the gentle slopes outside our apartment. Riding the ski lift was a huge adventure, and he couldn’t get enough rides in the snow transports, taking a particular liking to one driver who kept a pocketful of chocolates for his smallest passengers.

If you want to ski without worrying about your toddler, Falls Creek has a registered childcare centre or private babysitting can be arranged too. We booked a babysitter one night and escaped for a child-free dinner at one of the many restaurants – the first time we’d ever left the kids with a babysitter – and she won them over completely. Most of the restaurants and eateries here are child-friendly too, with many sporting kid menus. Our lot were too tired most nights to go out for dinner and we happily discovered that a few restaurants, like Oishii Go, offer a takeaway menu or even delivery.

It’s worth trying to fit in a Thursday night stay to take advantage of Falls Creek’s exciting night show, with thrilling ski displays and fireworks all the way through August. You can try night-skiing under lights on the main run too on certain nights, and Falls also puts on a family concert twice weekly with Pete the Snow Dragon and his friendly fairy friend that the kids just love .

Now, a word of warning. Ski hire gear is not glamorous, not one bit. If you wish to avoid feeling as daggy as my husband in his hideous brown hire jacket and me in my own tres-ugly number, I do recommend bringing your own! In fact, they were so incredibly daggy, we’re too embarrassed to show you a photo here! We’ll be investing in some stylish ski gear for next time, so we look more like this family below, after our kids made us promise to bring them back.

Falls Creek is a four-and-a-half hour drive from Melbourne (or slightly longer, if you factor in toilet stops for the kids!), two hours from Albury and a day’s drive from Sydney. The Australian ski season runs through until September. For more information about Falls Creek, or to explore accommodation options and holiday packages, visit Falls Creek Australia.

We’ve all been there – your child plays safely at home but a quick trip to the park results in a small accident you didn’t see coming. When faced with scraped hands and knees, reach for the Kiss It Better Bag.

More often than not a kiss and cuddle is all that’s needed to console a playground accident of a not very serious nature, but then there’s those times when something more is needed. A family first-aid kit, I love that the Kiss It Better Bag supplies those ‘extra’ first-aid  materials (the type you don’t think about until the need arises) in either their handy wallet or bag.

Gloves, jelly beans, stickers, a disposable thermometer, bandages, dressings and an assortment of Band Aids, plus much more can all be found in a Kiss It Better Bag. The Kiss it Better Bag Wallet is great for keeping in your nappy bag so it’s close on hand if required, or for a larger family the more comprehensive Kiss It Better Bag Shoulder Bag is a wise investment for keeping in your car for that unexpected emergency!

The Kiss It Better Bag shoulder bag is $75, the wallet $40 and refill packs are available for $20 – all from Kiss It Better Bag.

I confess, when it’s cold and grey outside the last thing on my mind is exploring the great outdoors. Of course, bad weather doesn’t curtail my kids’ enthusiasm. I’m pledging to put my unadventurous ways aside and wrap up warm against the elements, all in the name of Planet Ark’s National Tree Day!

Planet Ark have given us some great outdoor activity suggestions for families to try on National Tree Day.  A night walk is an activity that will delight my tribe for sure. Make sure everyone has a beanie and scarf as well as a torch and head on out for some stargazing action. For those who prefer strolling in the daylight hours, opt for a nature walk looking out for animal prints, watching insects scurry and stopping to smell the flowers along the way!

A fabulous backyard activity is to set up a painting table where children can use a collection of found nature objects and treasures (leaves, sticks, feathers) as paint stamps to create beautifully coloured pieces of art on paper or canvas.

If you’re super adventurous, pack up for the weekend and head out camping. There’s something to be said for eating meals cooked over a camp fire and possibly not showering for twenty-four hours. It’s all about getting back to basics – you might even surprise yourself with how much you love it!  I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not much of a camper unless a power point is involved so I’ll be dusting off my gardening gloves and heading out with my cherubs to our local nursery to find a native tree for the yard.

Planet Ark’s National Tree Day is Sunday 29 July 2012. What will you do on the day?

We’ve all probably heard the term ‘glamping’ by now (glamour camping) – think tents complete with proper beds and downy quilts, gourmet meals and certainly no need to dig a hole when nature calls!

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, situated in British Columbia, Canada is the ultimate outdoor adventure (glamping) holiday. Nestled in the majestic coastal forest surrounding Clayoquot Sound, the resort combines luxurious accommodation, gourmet dining and an amazing array of outdoor activities.

Clayoquot specializes in remote experiences. Guests can choose from learning to surf at a pristine and secluded beach, guided hikes through the surrounding forest, kayaking the rapids on a nearby river or enjoying a gentler ocean kayak cruise to private inlets and hidden coves. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, there’s also horse riding, wildlife watching (expect whales and bears!), ocean and fresh water fishing, sailing, clay shooting, rock climbing, archery, swimming, mountain biking, zip line and more.

I did mention that a camping holiday at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort is far from roughing it. The ‘tents’ are little spots of luxury packed with old-world charm, right in the middle of the wilderness. Choose between a luxury tent with ensuite bathroom (and under floor heating!) or the marginally more rustic deluxe outpost tent. The ensuite tents (shown above) accommodate families of up to five while the outpost tents (below) are suitable for four people. Either way, down duvets, antique furniture and wood stoves create a charming atmosphere.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort offers three, four and seven-night all-inclusive packages. While packages vary in length, they all include return airfares from Vancouver to the resort (fifty minutes by seaplane), deluxe tented accommodation, all meals, snacks and beverages (including alcohol), massage treatments and a wide array of guided adventure activities including instruction. Prices begin at CAD$4750 per adult for a three-night stay and CAD$1500 per child. Children under four years are CAD$800, regardless of length of stay.

Contact Clayoquot Wilderness Resort directly for bookings. Flights to Canada can be booked through Goldman Travel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfaNY4VMmFo

The spirit of eighteenth and nineteenth century exploration is alive and well and ready to decorate some special little corners in your home!

Of course, boats and planes have long been a mainstay for decorating boys’ bedrooms – but why should little boys have all the fun? We’ve found the most exquisite and realistic pieces we bet you’ve ever seen, and the name says it all really - Authentic Models. There is something in this range to suit boys and girls, young and old, with toys as well as decor.

With everything from compasses, telescopes and magnifying glasses through to globes, maps and models of all kinds you will find special little nautical and aeronautical touches of all kinds here. There are even larger pieces of furniture – trunks, bookcases, desks and actual moveable staircases to really thrill adventurers of all ages.

You can find all the items pictured here, along with many, many more, at Zanui. With such an enormous range of items, obviously the price range is pretty wide as well. Smaller items begin at around $10 but for the really large impressive pieces of furniture, expect to pay up to $2500. The best bit? Shipping to mainland Australia is free!

One lucky reader can choose the destination of their dreams with Goldman Holidays and Babyology. It’s our July Competition; never will you be so pleased to be dreaming of sun, surf and sand from your wintery cocoon!

Goldman Holidays will treat a family of four (two adults and two children between the ages of zero and eleven) to seven luxurious nights in paradise at a Club Med Asia Resort. The winner can choose from three impeccable properties; Malaysia’s Cherating Beach, Phuket in Thailand or Nusa Dua Bali. The prize also includes daily meals, transfers and return flights from your nearest capital city and is worth up to $15,000.

Have you ever booked a major family holiday for you and your family? Then you’ll know all about the hours and hours of trawling the web looking for flights and accommodation. Goldman Holidays takes away the strain of booking a family getaway, whether it’s a jaunt to the Daintree or an idyllic all-inclusive luxury holiday like the one we’re giving away this month. We can speak from first-hand experience; booking with Goldman Holidays make the whole experience easy. They’re friendly, knowledgeable and efficient – exactly what you want when looking at travel options.

This is one seriously desirable prize and my poor cold tootsies are sure feeling the pull of a dream tropical getaway – sand between the toes, a cocktail (or mocktail) by the pool, kids club on tap, some rare quality time with my partner… wow, I was really getting lost in that little dream! Yes the prize could be yours (most definitely not mine unfortunately) so make sure you get those entries in and Goldman Holidays could be organising your stress-free dream holiday. You need to be a newsletter subscriber to enter so make sure you’re signed up and before you know it, it’ll be Tuesday morning, your first chance to enter!

Submit your entries by midnight 31 July, 2012. To be in the draw win a holiday of a lifetime, follow the instructions found in the ‘Babyology Weekly’, which is sent via email to our mailing list each week. If you haven’t subscribed to the mailing list yet, just fill in the form below:

For competition Terms & Conditions, click here.

Birthday girl? Check. Birthday cake? Check. Good friends? Check. Well then, looks like we’ve got the makings of a very special birthday party indeed.

Mum Alana wasn’t sure her daughter’s back-to-nature birthday would pass our party muster when she sent in some snaps recently. Well, we say `who needs a super-swish dessert table when Mother Nature provides such a glorious backdrop?’.

The theme of this party, to celebrate Indi’s second birthday, was simple and relaxed. It’s the complete antithesis of life as we know it with a toddler in tow, but that just makes it all the more fitting, don’t you think?

Alana invited a bunch of their closest friends to bring their bathers for a picnic by a local creek near their home in Far North Queensland. The beautiful natural setting certainly didn’t need any embellishment, but we’re loving the nectar bottles with purple, white and yellow blooms that Alana hung from the trees to frame their picnic spot. A simple idea, yes, but simply stunning too. And when the party was over, each guest got their own little bottle bouquet to take home.

A small bunch of balloons in matching colours also added to the festive air as guests tucked into an organic spread of popcorn, crudites, homemade lemonade and even some organic lollies for a sweet birthday treat! We adore the popcorn bags – plain white paper versions from Spotlight that Alana decorated with a colourful splash of paint and a darling hand-drawn portrait of the birthday girl.  Again with the simple but stunning!

Alana skipped the usual icing-heavy birthday cake, opting instead to anchor the birthday candles into healthier zucchini and almond muffins she made herself. The kids didn’t mind a bit, and we hear there were no leftovers to take home.

Between all that feasting and lazing about on comfortable picnic rugs, the children (and grown-ups too) paddled and splashed the afternoon away in the charming surrounds of the creek. Alana says she considered playing music but quickly decided the sounds of the trickling water and the children laughing as they played were just too magical to drown out with amplified song.

Here’s another photo of the adorable (and ultra-happy) birthday girl, also pictured up top in her sweet fairy wings from Eeni Meeni Mini Moh, as she tucks into her birthday tea. How absolutely and utterly pinchable are those little cheeks!

Want to share your child’s wow-worthy party with us? Then just fill in the Show us your party form on our contacts page. While we can’t reply to every email, we’ll certainly let you know if your party is chosen to be showcased on Babyology. We can’t wait to hear from you and look forward to seeing your amazing parties!

When was the last time you had a swing? My last turn on a swing was a few days ago – I got some funny looks at the park from other adults but it didn’t deter me from enjoying the ride alongside the kids. Regardless of age, a swing is exhilarating. Which is why I love the sentiment behind these ‘guerrilla swing’ projects.

Parisian artist Jerome G. Dermuth set up the ‘Swing the City‘ project in Paris a number of years ago. The idea was simple – install swings in urban public spaces and people will use them. And they did.

American Jeff Waldman, inspired by Dermuth, went about installing ‘guerrilla swings’ in cities around the US and the results were the same as the Parisian experiment – people love to swing! Watch the video clip below to see the pure joy the swings provide.

Waldman took the swing project a step further and with grants through The Awesome Foundation and Kickstarter, he has installed swings in the Marshall Islands, Panama and Bolivia. Waldman says “It’s not just about spreading joy, but spreading the desire to create it.”

The really cool thing about Waldman’s swings are the locations he picks – under bridges, hanging from enormous trees and, my favourite, under a jetty. Not limited by safety guidelines like the swings you find at a playground, some of Waldman’s swings are huge – which just multiplies the fun factor! My lawyer friends are muttering something about public liability at this point… Pfft! Relax and go take a swing.

An educational experience needn’t be an utterly lacklustre, drag-your-feet affair. The kids will bound out of bed pulling on their wellies in anticipation of this true-blue farm adventure.

City slickers beware – this isn’t a cosy farm stay where the kids simply pat cute animals and observe. This unique, not-for-profit initiative allows the kids to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the day-to-day running of a real farm. Farm Day is now in its seventh year, and proves exceedingly popular with each new event. It’s not hard to see why. Not only does Farm Day foster a love for the outdoors and an interest in produce and where it comes from, it promotes new friendships.

Farm Day links farming families with city-based families, with the farmers opening up the gates for a weekend to allow city folk to experience a day in the life of a working property. Children can expect to get involved in just about anything, including mustering and shearing. It’s ideally aimed at school-aged children, who’d get the most benefit from a hands-on farm stay.

I love the premise behind this program, which involves no fee. Each city family is encouraged to bring a plate of food to share with their farming family, and partake in either a day or entire weekend of farming fun. It’s all about sharing knowledge and experiences.

City families can register their interest for a Farm Day placement, with this year’s event taking place on May 26 and 27. You can choose to participate for a day or the weekend, however you must organise your own accommodation. Any farming families who want to host can also register their interest. Families are matched based on the distance they’re willing to travel, the ages of their children and special interests. Giddy-up!

I think I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m just not that into snow, ice and cold weather. And yet, I keep discovering awesome but chilly destinations!

For the ultimate icy destination, try the Igloo Village Kakslauttanen in the Arctic Circle in Finland – yes, I did say igloos! Choose from a glass igloo or a snow igloo, either way, kids will think staying in an igloo is the coolest thing ever (pardon the pun).

The glass igloos at Igloo Village Kakslauttanen are built from a special thermal glass that prevents the glass from getting frosty (so that you can have a clear view of the night sky). At the same time, the igloo is toasty warm inside. So even when the outside temperature drops to minus thirty degrees (I did mention it was in the Arctic Circle!), you’ll be quite snug.

So, what to do while sitting in your glass igloo? The highlight is without doubt the opportunity to catch the Aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights. Aurora borealis is a ‘natural light show’, observed in Arctic regions between the end of August and April each year.

For those who want a more authentic igloo experience, Igloo Village Kakslauttanen also offers snow igloos (shown below). There’s a reason that the snow igloos are equipped with down sleeping bags rated to minus thirty-two degrees, thick woolen socks and hoods – the temperature inside the snow igloos is around minus three degrees. I suspect this is the point where my ‘I-don’t-do-snow’ attitude to holidays might kick in.

Other facilities at the Igloo Village Kakslauttanen include saunas (with refreshing ice holes close by), a snow restaurant and the Glass Kota, a heated building in the shape of a traditional Lapp teepee which offers an unobscured view of the Lapp night sky.

What are you waiting for?! Igloo Village Kakslauttanen is located in Saariselkä, Finland. Glass igloos cost €171 per person and snow igloos are €169 per person. The igloos are suited to two people so families might need a couple of igloos. Bookings can be made online directly through Igloo Village Kakslauttanen. Flights to Finland can be booked online through Flight Centre.

(via Design Milk)

To say I needed to get out of the city was an understatement – the daily grind of living in the big smoke sometimes gets too much for this country-raised lass so I took the family to Berry on the beautiful south coast of NSW and found plenty to do and see. Come see what we discovered on our all-too-short weekend.

I wanted green rolling hills and boy did I get my wish! Staying at The Drawing Rooms of Berry was a masterstroke; high up on Woodhill Mountain, a short 7km drive from the township of Berry, with loads of free play space for my seven and four-year-old boys to roam, it was truly a home away from home.

We stayed in a lovely duck egg blue two-bedroom cottage with gorgeous views. This is higher-end accommodation that welcomes children and I loved the complete lack of play equipment and toys because my boys roamed around in their wellies, playing in mud, galivanting through the rocks, grass and trees and doing what kids are supposed to do in nature’s playground.

Then it was time to explore Berry and go for a drive to neighbouring Kangaroo Valley – both exceptionally charming towns to walk around and discover. Below you can see an example of the lovely shopping in Berry. There are beautiful boutiques, a sewing, quilting and homewares shop, lolly stores and cafes. We were in heaven!

Our focus wasn’t shopping, however, so we made a beeline for the town’s delightful museum, where there is a section especially for little fingers and the signs actually said Hands on for children! My boys stayed there playing with the old typewriters and the magnificent switchboard for a good forty-five minutes while I chatted with the volunteers and looked around the beautifully-preserved heritage-listed building, which was a bank in a former life.

The locals we spoke to kept mentioning the Berry Sourdough Cafe so we decided to hunt it down for lunch. The welcoming atmosphere was apparent the second we walked in; greeted by a smiling waitress, the place was packed but they managed to fit us in. I’m not a fan of children’s menus, but it was clear that this cafe offered much better fare than the usual high-fat, low nutrient offerings at many eating places. The boys had expertly-cooked spaghetti bolognaise, which they hoovered up quite quickly! Below is my meal and the delectable bakery counter where they sell bread and pastries.

Stay tuned for Part Two as we head over to the gorgeous Kangaroo Valley!