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While it may be my job to be up to date on who was performing at this year’s V Festival and the names of celebrities set to grace the VIP areas, with my life currently being run by a three year old girl, my mind was focused on every parent’s event of the summer – LolliBop festival.

Where children and toddlers are the priority, this was my second year of coming along to ‘The Big Bash for Little People’ and I couldn’t have been more excited.

This year moving from Regent’s Park to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it was also a perfect opportunity for those who never managed to visit the site during London 2012 to catch a glimpse of where it all went down.

The chance for your child to see their cartoon favourites  – Poppy Cat, Postman Pat, Hello Kitty, etc – come to life definitely makes for a fun afternoon. And it’s hilarious to see the likes of Dick & Dom and Justin Fletcher (aka Mr Tumble) treated like rockstars – with Fletcher obviously taking top billing!

This year there did seem to be even more activities for the children to get involved with – we tried our hand at windmill making, decorating bandanas and some glitter fun in Lalaloopsy Land – all without too much queuing or waiting.

In fact, the only nightmare queue experienced throughout the day was the one for food, which may have been a combination of the peak lunchtime hours and the fact that the burger van we’d chosen only had two women serving (something I only realised once I’d been in the queue for over half an hour)…

I think the Saturday we visited the event was at capacity and that was easy to believe as you fought through prams and toddlers on the run to get to each area.

I was certainly exhausted long before my little one was ready to go home and although it wasn’t exactly my idea of ‘fun’ (even as a parent, I’m up for anything that involves a glass of wine and some adult conversation…!) – I know my daughter had an amazing time and that’s of course what counts.

So, see you next year LolliBop.

www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

Have I ever told you how much I love karaoke?

Well, those who know me well enough have long been in on this not-so-secret secret. So, when I got an invitation to the relaunch party for the Smithfield branch of Karaoke Box it was one I couldn’t accept quick enough. Come on cocktails, food AND karaoke – heaven!

Having roped in some colleagues and friends we headed to the venue near Smithfield meat market and took our pick of one of the 16 private karaoke rooms, which range from catering for groups of up to four and 30 people.

The rooms circle a spacious cocktail bar, but if you get too carried away with picking the next Nicki Minaj track you’re going to rap along to, then waitress service is available at the touch of a button.

Trust me, it is so easy to get carried away, with over 9000 tracks to choose from and being among your friends, there’s no big show or fear of making a fool of yourself in front of strangers.

One of my friends who came along is already planning our next visit back, as the great thing about the private rooms is that even people who don’t fancy taking the mike can still join in with the giggles!

 

12 Smithfield Street  City of London, EC1A 9LA

020 7329 9991

www.karaokebox.co.uk

It sounds like every parent’s nightmare but to mark the launch of the Cartoonito Club, children were given the chance to – yes, you heard right – draw on the walls and furniture!

And it was in fact a dream come true for the children attending as they showed off their artistic skills colouring in characters from the channel such as Masha and the Bear, Daisy and Ollie, and Fireman Sam. I’m also proud to admit that I also got in on the action!

My daughter couldn’t get enough of it, while my newly-turned one-year-old boy put pen to paper (or wall) for the first time! I will of course have to explain this is not an activity to be repeated at home…

Famous faces and their offspring were also lining up to get involved and we spotted the likes of Billie Faiers, Tamara Ecclestone, Russell Kane, Vanessa Feltz and Shappi Khorsandi showing off their skills with their little ones.

 

Dubbed the world’s first living colouring book, the event in London’s Soho marked the launch of the TV channel’s online creativity hub, where fans of the above mentioned shows (as well as many, many more including classics such as Thomas and Friends, and Bob the Builder!) can download colouring in sheets and activities to keep them occupied.

And to be honest, with the long school summer holiday fast approaching this has got to be a gift from heaven, right?

Check out the video below about the day (and look out for my cameo!).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiFB7RPPVJc?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

https://www.cartoonito.co.uk/cartoonito-club

https://www.facebook.com/CartoonitoParentsUK/

Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a rant about the effect pregnancy has on your figure or discuss ‘birthing hips’! Instead this week I had the great opportunity to catch new Cuban dance production Ballet Revolución.

When an invitation dropped into my mailbox, it didn’t take long for me to decide my response – hot, bare-chested dancers flexing their toned limbs to the sounds of Ricky Martin and Shakira? – count me in!

The Sadler’s Wells production running at London’s Peacock Theatre is fairly far removed from any typical night at the ballet, but not completely, as these dancers clearly have the skills to compete with any top ballet company. And instead of pirouettes, tutus and scrapped back buns, it was more a case of pirouettes, hip thrusts, hotpants and dreadlocks to a soundtrack of Ricky Martin’s She Bangs and Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie, not to mention some more recent hits such as Chris Brown’s Yeah 3x and Beyonce’s If I Were a Boy, performed by a talented live band.

The tempo of the production continued to pick up pace throughout the performance brilliantly showcasing the mix of ballet, contemporary and hip hop. By the end of the night, it was hard not to want to join in and shake a hip or two.

At the Peacock Theatre, London until May 19 – definitely worth booking a ticket!