Astro trainers

General 

Elliott was really good after I picked him up.

Activities

On the way home we popped in to ASDA for some shopping and we also bought some new Umbro astro trainers. He tried on several pairs and pair with the best fit and a bit of room for thicker socks and growth were size 4. Then we headed home for bath, bedtime squash and bed time.

Wokingham Food Festival

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

We had a lazy morning watching television, the iPad and playing with Lego before we had ham sandwiches for lunch.

In the afternoon we went to the Wokingham Food Festival. There was a circus skills area which Elliott enjoyed playing in:

Then we went to watch a cocktail making demonstration which Elliott seemed quite interested in. After the demonstration he bumped in to a boy called Jack who had been at his holiday club and they played football together with a few other children. He chose a posh hot dog for tea and watched a blues band while we ate before going back to play with Jack. On our way home he played Pokemon Go and after we got home it was quite late so he brushed his teeth and went straight to bed.

St Crispin's skate park

General 

Elliott was good today although he was a bit up and down later in the afternoon, but nothing too bad.

Activities

We had a lazy morning and then went to the St Crispin's skate park with his sooter later in the morning. When we first arrived there were only two other people in the skate park and then they left and he had the run of the whole park to himself. He tried a new ramp for the the fist time and was very pleased when it worked out and he tried it a number of times more. After about an hour we went to The Ship to watch the second half of Tottenham Hotspurs verses Liverpool and he had some cheesy garlic bread for lunch.

After the football we went to visits Andrea's Dad for a while and then we came home and had pasta with bolognese sauce for tea. After tea I went to London so Andrea supervised his bath and bed time and apparently he was very good.

Lacock Abbey

General 

Elliott was really good again today.

Activities

It was time to leave the Youth Hostel this morning so we packed up, made a packed lunch, had our breakfast and checked out. After leaving we drove to Lacock Abbey on the way back to have a look around and break up the journey. We started by looking around the Abbey and Elliott had a sheet to see if he could spot certain items while we looked around which he managed to do. He was also interested in the fact that some of Harry Potter had been filmed there:

After we'd looked round the Abbey we found a bench to sit on for our lunch (ham sandwiches again).

After lunch we found a garden by the Abbey where there were children's activities and we played hoopla:

outdoor jenga:

and a game where you roll balls through wooden arches to score points. Then we went for a wander around the village nearby after Elliott had bought a book and pen set from the shop and he used this to start writing down what he'd been doing over the last few days:

After we'd had a drink we made the rest of the journey back and after we got back and unpacked we went shopping for food at Lidl where he was very helpful. When we got back we had chicken fajitas for tea before he had his bath, drank his bedtime squash, brushed his teeth and read some of his Doctor Who encyclopedia before it was time to go to sleep.

Cardiff International swimming pool

General 

Elliott was very good today and much better about Pokemon Go playing when it was time to stop playing.

Activities

After breakfast at the Youth Hostel we went swimming in Cardiff International swimming pool. This was good fun and they had a family swim area with some rapids and a jacuzzi which Elliott enjoyed swimming around. After swimming we had a drink in the cafe and then headed back to the Youth Hostel where we made ham and cheese rolls for lunch.

After lunch we walked into Cardiff town centre and walked around Bute Park which had some outdoor exercise equipment that Elliott tried and a lot of Pokemon. It started raining while we were walking so we decided to get the water bus boat from the park back to Cardiff Bay where we went to the Norwegian Seafarers Church again for a drink. Then we walked around the Bay for a while and Elliott bought Libby a present from the Millennium Centre before we went to The Mount Stuart Wetherspoons pub for tea. Elliott had a hot dog and chips which he enjoyed and a brownie for dessert. After tea we went back to the Youth Hostel and it was time for teeth brushing and bed time.

The Doctor Who Experience

General 

Elliott was mainly good today. At a few points he did get upset about having to stop playing Pokemon Go which led to some chats about how it's good to other things and how he can't play on a phone all the time. He did apologise after the chats, after some stubborness, and by the end of the day was telling us that he liked Pokemon Go but he liked lots of other things too.

Activities

In the morning we had cereal for breakfast in the Youth Hostel and then walked to Cardiff Bay. We had a spy trail activity to do in the Bay so we walked around the Bay searching for clues in the landmarks there including the Norwegian Seafarers Church where Roald Dahl used to go and the Millennium Centre. This was good fun and we did some Pokemon hunting during our search for clues, although this was the first time he got a bit upset when I asked him to stop hunting after about half an hour playing. After we'd done about two thirds of the trail it was time for lunch at Pizza Express where Elliott had dough balls, past burro and a brownie for desert:

After lunch it was time for the Doctor Who Experience:

The first part of the Experience was an interactive adventure where we (and some others) helped The Doctor defeat some time stealer mosters (that looked like obstacles). At first Elliott seemed a bit scared but as soon as we went in to the second room (which was the Tardis control panel) and we had to help fly the Tardis he started laughing and really enjoying it. We had to walk through a trail with Weeping Angels and then we ended up in a room with Daleks where we say a 3D video and we helped collect all the crystals needed. After the interactive part we went in to a museum part where there were lots of costumes and monsters from the show and also some more Tardis control panels:

There was also a video showing how to walk like a Scarecrow monster and a Cyberman and a Dalek to control:

After the museum we looked around the shop and bough a toy Tardis. After we left we finished the spy trail in the wetlands area of the Bay. This was the second time that Elliott got upset about Pokemon Go as after he'd started hunting the phone battery ran out. But after a chat he said sorry again and we got on with finishing the clues and the trail. Then it was time to talk back to the Youth Hostel and we bought some bread and ham on the way back so when we got back we could make sandwiches in the kitchen there for our tea. After tea he brushed his teeth and went to bed.

Dyrham Park

General 

Elliott was really good today and very excited by the Youth Hostel in Cardiff.

Activities

We set off for Cardiff from Granny and Grandpa's house mid morning and stopped at Dyrham Park, near Bath for sandwiches for lunch and a break.

At Dyrham Park we joined in with a nature trail in the grounds which Elliott really enjoyed. To start with he had to collect lots of different types of grass and attach them to his sheet:

Then we went to see the fallow dear before it was time to catch some insects in nets:

Then we stopped to look and feel some different animal's skulls and a dried frog and bat:

Finally we ended up at the house at the end of the grounds for some pond dipping:

After pond dipping we had a drink in the cafe before heading off on the last part of the journey to Cardiff. Elliott particularly enjoyed crossing the Severn Bridge on the way and when we got to the Youth Hostel he was very excited with our family room and the hostel. Our room had a double bed and bunk beds, it's own bathroom and a television. After we'd unpacked and Elliott had claimed the top bunk bed we walked in to Cardiff for tea and went to Bills where Elliott had a chicken burger. After we got back he had a shower and then it was time for bed.

Wimborne Minster

General 

Elliott was very good today, particularly during Richard Fawcett's remembrance service when he was quiet and still in Wimborne Minster for about an hour.

Activities

In the morning we packed for the week and headed to Granny and Grandpa's for lunch on the way to Wimborne Minster as we'd been invited to Tim Fawcett's Dad's remembrance service in Wimborne Minster as sadly he died suddently a few weeks ago. We had ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch.

After lunch we went to Wimborne and met up with Tim and Emily Chandler for the service. It was a very traditional service and Elliott was really good and quite during the service. After the service we went to the funeral tea at Canford School where we spent some time looking around the school with Tim and Emily with Tim and I telling everyone about our time there. Elliott had some chocolate cake at the tea which he enjoyed and I also bumped in to a few old teachers. We also said hello to Tim Fawcett and his wife Farah and baby son Alef. After we'd said our goodbyes we headed back to Granny and Grandpas house for tea with them and Elliott had chicken nuggets and chips. Then it was bath time, iPad time, teeth brushing time, reading time (with his Star Wars annual) and then time to go to sleep.

Dinton Pastures

General 

Elliott was mainly good today. During lunch at one point he did get sulky about wanting to play Pokemon Go, but after we'd had a chat about his stubborn side not letting him top sulking when really he wanted to he cheered up.

Activities

After breakfast and watching some more Olympics catch up he popped over and enjoyed seeing everyone. After we got home we headed to The 3 Frogs for lunch where we met up with Andrea, her friends Laura and Dave and their children Izzy (same age as Elliott) and Edward (6) and another friend Sarah. I asked him not to play any Pokemon Go during the lunch and he got sulky about this but fortunately not for too long and he was having lots of fun talking to Izzy and Edward. He had macaroni  cheese with chips and beans for lunch and an Orio sundae for pudding, although he didn't eat all of his macaroni as he said it was too cheesy. 

After lunch we all went to Dinton Pastures where everyone enjoyed looking at the fish:

and playing in the adventure playground:

After running around for a few hours we all had drinks outside by the Dragonfly Cafe and Elliott, Izzy and Edward all played Star Wars and general it style games. Sarah had also brought her dog Sylvie along and Elliott plucked up his courage and was brave enough to stroke her which he enjoyed. As time was getting on we headed home and had cheese on toast for tea before Elliott had his bath. After his bath he watched some iPad while he drank his bedtime squash, brushed his teeth, read his Star Wars annual and then went to sleep.

Harry Potter

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

We had a lazy morning watching Olympics repeat from the night before, Blue Peter and he played on the iPad. 

After sausage sandwiches for lunch we went to Bracknell to do some shopping and Pokemon hunting. On the way home we stopped off at Andrea's Dad's house and Graham, Harry and Jack were there to. Elliott really enjoyed showing Jack Pokemon Go and Jack was very excited whenever he caught a Pokemon. When we got home we had chicken, potato waffles and broccoli for tea and he ate all his broccoli. After tea he had his bath and then we watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as originally we were planning to go to watch Wall-E at the Wokingham open air cinema but it was cancelled due to the rain. He enjoyed the film and afterwards went straight to bed to go to sleep.

Handball

General 

Elliott enjoyed sports club again and was good after I picked him up.

Activities

At sports club today he'd played handball, dodgeball, badminton, cricket and tennis. On our way home we went shopping for food and then we had spaghetti bolognese for tea. He had his bath before tea today and after tea brushed his teeth and played Pokemon Go before going to bed.

Body agility

General 

Elliott had another really good day at sports club and this time was outside playing football on the astro when I picked him up.

Activities

At sports club today he'd played football, badminton, golf, basketball and they'd done body agility too (which was a kind of circuit training). He'd really enjoyed them all again and again we went to the skate park for some scootering on the way home, where he tried his highest ramp yet. After we got home he had pasta for tea, played some Pokemon Go, had a bath, brushed his teeth and then watched some Pokemon on the iPad and read his Lego Star Wars annual before it was time for sleep.

Scooter

General 

Elliott was really good today and had a really good day at sports club, even the football. In fact when I picked him up he played on with badminton for about another 15 minutes.

Activities

At sports club today he'd played football, badminton, cricket, trampolining and table tennis. He said he enjoyed them all and talked a lot about cricket again. As he'd scootered in after we left he went to the skate park for a bit and did some scootering. After we got home we had the rest of the burgers and potato waffles for tea before he had a bath. After his bath he watched more Pokemon on the iPad and made a Lego set Granny and Grandpa had bought him from their holiday in France. Then he brushed his teeth, read some more of his Lego Star Wars annual and went to sleep.

Swimming tuition

General 

Elliott was good today and on the way to sports club this morning was quite excited and showing me kicks he'd learnt in boxing (am thinking it was kick boxing). After I picked him up he seemed happy and had made a new friend Euan, but later he seemed less keen to go back. He then explained he's not enjoying the football as he's playing against older boys, but he does enjoy everything else so I told him to ask if he can play with younger children or to hang back a bit. Then a bit later on he was telling me all about the athletics he'd done and how he'd enjoyed it.

Activities

At sports club today he'd played football, badminton, cricket, athletics and dancing. He'd particularly enjoyed cricket and athletics. After sports club we went to his swimming lesson where there were only 2 other people from his group so he got some very good tuition on front crawl. He also really enjoyed jumping in to the pool at the end of the lesson. After he'd had a shower and got changed we went shopping to buy more more snacks for tomorrow's sports club. Then when we got home he had pasta for tea, watched some Pokemon on the iPad and some Olympics (gymnastics) on the television, brushed his teeth and read some of his Star Wars Lego annual before bed time.

Sports holiday club

General 

Elliott was good after I picked him up and in good spirits. He says he's looking forward to going back to sports holiday club.

Activities

He'd had a good day at sports holiday club where he'd played football, badminton, gymnastics, boxing and judo. He particularly enjoyed gymnastics where he learnt to do a somersault. Judo was his least favourite as he had been slightly injured. After we got home we compared Pokemon in Pokemon Go and then watched Olympics highlights. For tea we had burgers and I tried him with potato waffles which he liked with some tomato ketchup. After tea he had his bath and then played some Disney Infinity on the iPad. Then he brushed his teeth and it was time for bed.

Higgins invasion

General 

Elliott was good again today. He had a few scrapes and bangs during the day scootering and playing with Harry and Bertie Higgins but he recovered quickly from them and carried on once he was up again.

Activities

We had a lazy morning getting ready for the Higgins visit watching the Olympics opening ceremoney, Blue Peter, iPad and playing with Lego. The Higgins's arrived just before lunch and we had chilli and garlic bread for lunch with a children's version of the chilli (meat and rice). 

After lunch the boys played together for a while before we went to the recreation ground up the road. When we got there the boys did a lot of scootering and we played cricket and football. We spent all afternoon and early evening there and everyone had lots of fun: 

Eventually it got quite late and the Higgins's had to go so we all said our goodbyes. Then Elliott had ham and cheese rolls for tea before he had his bath. After his bath he watched some iPad before brushing his teeth and going to bed.

Mompesson House

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

After breakfast and getting dressed we drove to the skate park in the park by Southampton Road in Salisbury. There were quite a lot of other people there but Elliott soon got in to things and another boy on a scooter who looked the same age began teaching him how to do "the drop" (basically scootering down a concrete ramp and up the other side and round):

He seemed to be really enjoying himself. After lots of scootering we had a picnic lunch in the park and then Elliott did some last scootering. 

Then we drove to Harnham cricket ground to park again and walked in to Salisbury along the town path again collecting even more Pokemon. After we got to town we went to Mompesson House in the Cathedral Close and had a look round there. In the garden they were doing a printing activity for children and Elliott joined in and made a print of the Tardis which was really good:

All that made for thirsty work and he had some orange in the tea room there before we had a quick look around some charity shops in town. Then we went back to Mompesson House to collect the print and walked back to the car while doing more Pokemon hunting. After we got home we had chicken fajitas for tea and then he had his bath, watched some Pokemon on the iPad while he drank his bedtime squash, brushed his teeth, read "The Demon Dentist" for a bit and then it was time to go to sleep.

The Market Inn

General 

Elliott was mostly good today. He did get a bit sulky and upset when we were in the toy shop in Salisbury because he wasn't sure he could find anything he really wanted for the amount of pocket money he had, but he didn't want to leave without buying something. We suggested saving his money for another day as there was a Dangermouse car he really liked that he'd be able to afford after another week's pocket money and he almost did. But after walking out of the shop he looked very sullen and then headed back in and then saw a Lego Star Wars set he quite wanted. However after buying it he had purchasing regret and got upset again. We had a chat about it and he did then cheer up quite quickly and I think he's happy with the set, but hopefully will also have learnt saving can be a good thing too.

Activities

We had a lazy morning reading "The Demon Dentist" and watching Pokemon on the iPad. Just before lunch time we headed in to Salisbury, parked by Harnham cricket pitch again and walked into town along the town path playing Pokemon Go. After we got to town we met up with Tim and Emily Chandler and went to The Market Inn for lunch where Elliott had a ham and cheese toastie. He was really good during lunch and told them about lots of things including his sister, football, school, Roald Dahl and lots of other things. 

After lunch we headed across the road to the toy shop and for the first part we had a lot of fun looking at toys with Andrea, Emily and Tim. However time began to tick away and Elliott still couldn't decide on anything to buy and Tim and Emily had to go. Eventually after some upset and a few false starts (and leaving the shop briefly) he decided on a Lego Star Wars set, although he really had his eyes on a Dangermouse car set that was just too expensive for his currently saved pocket money. On the way back to the car I had to have a chat with him, but he cheered up quite quickly and was soon running around playing Pokemon Go again. After we got home we went to Recreation Park up the road again and he did some pre-tea scootering. After we got back he made his Lego set on his own, which didn't take him long, and then we had spaghetti bolognese for tea. After tea he had a bath, had some bedtime squash, brushed his teeth and read some more of "The Demon Dentist" before watching more Pokemon on the iPad. Then it was time for sleep.

Studland Bay

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

We made an early start today and set off for Studland Bay straight after breakfast with a packed lunch. The journey there was quite busy but the most exciting bit was going on a car ferry between Poole and Studland. This was quite a short journey, we barely had time to get out the car before we had to get back in again because we were arriving on the other side. When we got to Studland we parked and set up on the beach:

Elliott spent the first part of the day running in and out of the shallows of the sea with me. Then we had our packed ham rolls for lunch followed by yogurt rasins. 

After lunch Elliott and I walked to the end of the beach where there were some rock pools and we carefully climbed over the rocks to have a look:

We didn't find any creatures but we found a lot of sea-weed. While we were there a huge army plane flew over us a couple of times and eventually dropped a parachute boat out of the back. Then a chinook helicopter flew over and lifted the boats out of the sea, flew them around and then put them back in the sea again. We enjoyed watching all this along with the rest of the people on the beach. Then we made our way back to Andrea and all three of us did some paddling, with Elliott going in up to his waist and doing some swimming as well as splashing:

Then we had a game of cricket with our small cricket set before we walked to the other end of the beach where there was a cafe where we had some tea. Elliott had apple juice and millionaire shortbread. By the time we'd walked back to our blanket on the beach it was time to go and we drove to Tower Park for tea. We went to TGI Fridays and Elliott had a hot dog for his meal. After tea we drove home and there was time for a quick bath, bedtime squash, teeth brushing, some Pokemon watching on the iPad and then time for sleep. During the day Elliott also played lots of Pokemon Go and read lots more of "The Demon Dentist" (he's now read up to page 220 which is about half way through the book).

Egyptian dancing

General 

Elliott was good today apart for talking about asking for a phone for Christmas so he can play Pokemon Go. I told him he is probably still too young for a phone so he spent a while being upset, but conversation did move on after 10 minutes or so.

Activities

Before breakfast Elliott read some more of "The Demon Headmaster" and then he had Weetabix with sugar for breakfast. After breakfast we headed for the park up the road from Granny and Grandpa's house with Elliott's scooter. He played more Pokemon Go in the park and caught quite a few new Pokemon and also did lots of scootering in the little skate park there. After a finding a few more Pokestops in Downton on the way home we had ham sandwiches for lunch. 

After lunch we drove to Salisbury and parked by the cricket pitch in Harnham so we could walk in to town along the town path and catch some more Pokemon. When we got in to town we met up with Peter, Charlie and Alice Sladen and went to Salisbury museum in the Close. There are Egyptian themed activities there for families and today's activity was an Egyptian dance workshop. After a quick slide show about who the Egyptians were and how their dancing evolved (which was delivered quite engagingly) we were then all taught Egyptian dance moves which we then danced to Egyptian music. Elliott and Charlie really got in to the spirit of the dancing and seemed to enjoy themselves, though Alice was a bit more bashful. We were also the only people there so we were able to relax a bit:

After the dance workshop we looked round the rest of the museum and there was a challenge to find 10 Lego sphinxs in the exhibitions that Elliott, Charlie and Alice completed and enjoyed taking part in. There were also some good hands on exhibits for them and an opportunity to dress up. After we'd finished at the museum we went to Costa Coffee in Salisbury for some drinks before Elliott, Andrea and I said our goodbyes and walked back along the town path to the car, via a few more Pokemon and Pokestops. After we got home Elliott read more of the "The Demon Dentist" before we had burgers with buns for tea. Then it was bath time, followed by bedtime squash, brushing his teeth and a made up story in bed before it was time to go to sleep.

The Demon Dentist

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

Before breakfast Elliott watched Pokemon on the iPad and played with his Doctor Who Lego set. After breakfast we packed and got ready to drive to Downton. During the journey we listened to the first half of "The Parent Agency" by David Baddiel, read by David Baddiel using Audible. We also stopped at Tescos in Camberley on the way for lunch and he had a ham and cheese toastie and a Breakaway bar. While we were in Tescos we also bought "The Demon Dentist" by David Walliams for some holiday reading.

When we got to Granny and Grandpa's house we unpacked and he started reading "The Demon Dentist". Granny and Grandpa are on holiday at the moment so it's just us staying there for a week with Andrea. After Andrea and I finished unpacking Andrea downloaded Pokemon Go and we went for a walk through Downton to catch some Pokemon. We also had a look in a new reptile pet shop that's opened over the road from Granny and Grandpa's house where there were some lizards, snakes and some strange looking hairless guinea pigs called "skinny pigs". After our Pokemon hunt we watched some speedway motorbike racing on the television and then we had chicken and rice for tea. After tea he had his bath, drank his bed time squash, brushed his teeth and read some more of "The Demon Dentist" before it was time to go to sleep.