Lollibop - Family Fun

After a wonderful time at Lollibop last year we were excited to be attending again this summer but at the new location of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and as an Ambassador for the event!

We parked with ease at Westfield Shopping Centre where parking was only £5 for the entire day and we walked from there to the main entrance. There were staff on hand to guide you and it only took about 10 minutes for us to reach the venue of the 'Big Bash for Little People'.

We arrived at 9.40, surprisingly early and organised for me after travelling for over 2 hours, and waited at the very front to be allowed in at 10am. When the gates opened we collected our wristbands and headed straight for the Skylanders section as Jamster is a big fan and was keen to try the new Swap Force Game, stopping to meet some interesting characters along the way.

 

The Skylanders area ended up being a favourite as not only did it have the option to play the new game with swappable figures, it had colouring, a photo opportunity and competitions to take part in too. It was also quite large so you didn't feel cramped despite the crowds forming and we picked up some great goodie bags containing Skylanders Giants, stickers and posters.

After receiving lots of Haribo sweets and meeting the bear himself we stopped off at the main stage to see Poppy the Cat. The shows throughout the day were really good and kept the children entertained, with Justin Fletcher and Dick and Dom being favourites. I felt the stage being to the rear of the park was a good idea as it meant there was plenty of space elsewhere when the favourite acts were on and there was the option to see the smaller and quieter stages throughout the venue also.

Queues were building fast from around midday so we decided to prioritise what we wanted to do and after a quick stop to see Optimus Prime and a few street performers, including balloon modellers and bubble makers, we went to Lalaloopsy Land. I felt this was a very well organised area with plenty of seating to take a well needed sit down - including a TV and bean bags. Children were able to make masks, had the opportunity to meet and greet a character and received some wonderful goodie bags with headbands and toys inside.

Next door the Cloudbabies were on stage so we danced and sang along with them until we decided it was time for some lunch. I was pleased with the variety of food and drink available which included toasties, chicken, paella and hot dogs although we had a picnic and took advantage of the tables that were plotted about. The adult creche (a bar) was a nice touch too!

After filling up on rolls, fresh fruit, savoury nibbles and sweet treats we decided to have a go at the many craft activities that were spread out around Lollibop. Parentdish provided bandanas and stamps to create your own design on which the Mini Mes really enjoyed. There was also bunting colouring and rubber duck decorating too.

There were many samples being handed out and the Mr enjoyed a delicious peach Chobani yogurt while the Mini Mes were met Barny and the Bear which included free cereal boxes and cakes. Barny also had an interesting interactive wall, some puzzle sheets and a variety of plants and magnifying glasses to get a little ones a little closer to nature. 

Over at the Science tent there were plenty of hands on activities although the tent at this point was packed so we decided to move along quickly to the National Geographical Kids area. Minxy and Jamster completed a sensory activity, involving placing their hands inside sealed boxes to receive stickers, and they also got to touch a snake! It was the chance to get involved with things like this and the graffiti wall that were ideal for tweens or older children in particular although there was lots for babies and toddlers with WOW Toys and Little Tikes play areas plus reading hubs and LEGO Duplo.

We visited the River Island tent a few times throughout the day but unfortunately we were unable to take part with t-shirt decorating; at first due to health and safety and damage to the tent and then because the queue was around an hour long wait which we didn't really want to hang about for. We did however love the outfits that the Mini Mes received to wear for the event which are featured in all of their photos! 

We headed to the VIP area (a really nice tent with face painting available, separate toilets, seating and sweets) throughout the day to meet various characters including the WotWots and Hello Kitty. There were other opportunities available throughout the park to meet Postman Pat, Peppa Pig and the Cloud Babies too but as queues were unfortunately quite long at times we skipped a few although we still managed to meet quite a lot of family favourites...

We finally left the park around 3pm after having fun cake decorating, getting body art, chilling out in the huge Heart deck chairs, watching Titan the Robot, colouring postcards and pictures with Magic Belles and viewing some of the stalls. We all agreed that we had a lovely day but felt the event was a little overcrowded this year making queues rather long, which children often don't appreciate. We will definitely go along next year though as we really enjoy Lollibop as a family festival and there is plenty to fill a day or more.

Good bits

Good location in relation to parking and public transport

Variety of character meet and greets

 Variety and quality of shows

Crafts

Lots of toilets (we never needed to queue)

Lots of food and drink available

Covered areas and benches for picnics

Free samples and goodie bags

Lots for toddlers

Not So Good Bits

Large queues at times

Lack of hand washing facilities/hand gel

Some areas too small for the audience

Map didn't list stalls or food locations

*We received tickets to the event for the purpose of this review and as a Lollibop Ambassador. The opinions given are honest and our own*

The WotWots to appear at Lollibop *Giveaway*

The WotWots Zoom into Lollibop Festival

The Big Bash for Little People

The WotWots will zoom into this year’s Lollibop Festival to meet and greet all of their special little fans at various intervals throughout the three day event and we were lucky enough to receive some super soft plush characters to cuddle at home too!

Individually wrapped these make a great gift idea for pre-schoolers although I would quite like one myself too...

The WotWots have come from outer space in their steam-powered spaceship to explore and marvel at the extraordinary diverse life on Earth. In season one of the television series, SpottyWot and DottyWot arrive in the middle of a zoo and in the second season, they land on a farm and meet strange and friendly farm animals as well as travel to the seashore. 

Channel 5's Milkshake will welcome the adorable SpottyWot and DottyWot back for Series 2, narrated by British broadcasting legend Nicholas Parsons OBE, on 19th August which is perfectly timed to follow on from Lollibop for DottyWot and SpottyWot fans!

*** WIN ***

For your chance to win a plush set you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 26th August 2013.

Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find out more information about Lollibop and purchase tickets here:

http://www.lollibopfestival.co.uk/tickets-and-info

We have some great FREE WotWots printables. If you wish to be sent these via email please send a message to emma@theminimesandme.com with the subject 'The WotWots'.

Justin Goes For Gold At Olympic Park

LolliBop, the UK’s biggest day out for kids, has announced CBeebies Superstar Justin Fletcher will be performing at this year’s event.

 

Taking place in its brand new home, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the BAFTA –award winning star of CBeebies will be performing live for LolliBoppers on Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18.

Justin Live! promises an all singing, all dancing extravaganza guaranteed to bring the house down.

LolliBop’s event manager, Jenny Kane said: “Justin Fletcher is top of the charts when it comes to kids entertainment and our new venue deserves to host the number one superstar of CBeebies. We’re delighted Justin is able to be a part of LolliBop 2013.”

The all-mouse reggae band, Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew, are also confirmed for Friday August 16, as part of a busy summer touring the nation. Last seen at LolliBop 2011, the cool, mystery-solving mouse will be back on stage performing his latest hits for fans throughout the day.

 

Another new addition to the LolliBop 2013 line up is everyone's favourite postman, Postman Pat and of course, Britain's most famous black and white cat, Jess! They will be at the festival over the three days meeting pint sized festival goers.

LolliBop promises all the fun of a festival without the hassle of camping. With an incredible line up, all aimed at children under the age of 10, LolliBop combines the hottest names in kids entertainment, as well of hundreds of activities, workshops and interactive areas.

The 2013 programme also includes Dick and Dom, Skylanders, Science Museum Live, Cloudbabies, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Peppa Pig, Poppy Cat, the Wot Wots, Transformers, The Go! Go! Go! Show, the Mr Men and Little Miss Village Green Event and Shaun the Sheep’s Championsheeps. LolliBop's live theatre tent – The Lollipalladiam -showcases performances from pioneering and internationally renowned companies and artists. There is also a brand new Discovery Zone, Meadows area, Enchanted Woods, Lolli Promenade and much more.

Tickets are on sale now, from £20pp.


www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

 *We are sharing these details as a Lollibop Ambassador*

 

Lollibop Line-up and Giveaway

LOLLIBOP SET TO ROCK QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK THIS SUMMER

 

LolliBop, The Big Bash for Little People, is returning for 2013 to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, with an incredible line-up designed to delight mini festivalgoers.

Joining some of the hottest names in kids’ entertainment, as well as hundreds of activities, workshops and interactive demos, are the Mr. Men and Little Miss Village Green Event and Shaun the Sheep’s Championsheeps LIVE!





The ever-popular Mr. Men will be hosting a fun maypole activity area and favourite characters, such as Mr. Bump, Mr. Tickle and Little Miss Sunshine, will be meeting and greeting fans at the Mr. Men and Little Miss reading hubs.

Shaun the Sheep will be personally on hand at the Championsheeps with sheepy shenanigans, including Shirley’s Pie-athalon, the Naughty Pig’s Sack Race and Get Fit with the Flock. Kids and parents are ‘wool-come’ to get involved!

Other big names confirmed so far, include:

 

- LolliBop favourites Dick and Dom return with their special mix of madcap games, songs, jokes and a foam pie or two…

- Peppa Pig will be at the festival all weekend, meeting and greeting all her little fans

- Sid Sloane and Andy Day will be hosting their very own Big Birthday Bash and everyone is invited! Expect lots of energetic songs and silliness and plenty of audience participation

- Watch and learn how to ‘Copy Poppy’ with Poppy Cat on the Lolli Live stage

 

- Straight from Nickelodeon to the Lolli Live Stage, The Go! Go! Go! Show are bringing brand new pop songs, catchy, easy-to-learn dance moves and loads of laughs

- Sing and dance along with the adorable Cloudbabies mini show

- Older LolliBoppers will love The Diary of a Wimpy Kid activity, which include exclusive clips of the author Jeff Kinney talking about the books and a master class showing how he draws the characters. There’s also a Wimp Wars quiz

- Experience the life-size Transformer Optimus Prime Truck, along with the Transformers Station; showcasing the new Beast Hunters toys, viewings of the cartoon series Transformers Prime and free green screen pictures

 

- Witness the amazing wildlife showcase with National Geographic Kids Animal Man

- Laugh along with hilarious antics from the amazing 8ft Titan the Robot

Returning LolliBoppers will also see old favourites mixed with new attractions for 2013, including:

LolliBop Live – Popular CBeebies presenter Alex Winters is comparing the live stage which plays host to some of the biggest names in kids entertainment, with live music and performances from stars of stage and screen.

Lollipalladiam - is a live theatre tent showcasing performances from pioneering and internationally renowned companies and artists. This year it features Spooked, the critically acclaimed Broken Rose Performing Arts first show for children – a hilarious and spectacular blend of dance, theatre and spoken word featuring skeletons Molly, Jinny and Charlie.

Science Zone - Make a rocket, hold a dry ice cube, or get messy with gooey slime in the LolliBop lab - brimming with exploding experiments for pint sized guests to try! London’s Science Museum will also be attending with live demonstrations and interactive activities.

Run wild and have fun in the LolliSports area. With activities including retro favourites like swingball, hula-hoop and frisbee to football tournaments and sports day style races.

3ft and under is also making a comeback but this time is it within the brand new Itsy Bitsy Zone. Activities for babies and toddlers will include soft play, baby massage, storytelling, mini discos and much more

 

The Lolli Promenade – Situated on the River Lea! We’re very lucky to have a real river running through our new home, so why not relax and enjoy an ice lolly at the Lolli Promenade which also features beach hut crafts and bandstands.

Discovery Zone - will host a number of educational, interactive and hands on activities where kids can learn a new skill like beatboxing in one of the many workshops.

Lolli Stops – Enjoy crafts from puppet making, and customised fashion workshops, to balloon modelling, and graffiti painting, there is a something to make and do around every corner.

The Meadows - A perfect spot to chill out, enjoy your lunch and watch our special street performers.

There is also a wide selection of food and drink stalls at LolliBop. Extensive covered buggy parks, baby changing and breast-feeding areas are also available.

For tickets and more information: http://www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

 

 

*** WIN ***

 

For your chance to win tickets to Lollibop, up to the value of £100, you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes at the end of 27th June 2013.

 

Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lollibop is back!

LolliBop, The Big Bash for Little People, is returning for 2013 to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London – and will take place on August 16-18th!

Returning LolliBoppers will see old favourites mixed with new attractions for 2013, including:

 

LolliBop Live – playing host to some of the biggest names in kids entertainment, with live music and performances from stars of stage and screen. Headliners coming soon…

Lollipalladiam - is a live theatre tent showcasing performances from pioneering and internationally renowned companies and artists.

The LolliBop Kitchen where creative little cooks will have the chance to learn new skills from live demonstrations and interactive workshops.

Tween Town will host a number of activities including street dance, hula-hoop, and beat-box workshops.

Imagination Stations - A hub of creativity with lots of mess and mayhem thrown in! From clay modelling, puppet making, customised fashion workshops, balloon modelling, graffiti painting, face painting and much more

Science Zone - Make a rocket, hold a dry ice cube, or get messy with gooey slime in the LolliBop lab - brimming with exploding experiments for pint sized guests to try!

Run wild and have fun in the LolliSports area. With activities including retro favourites like swingball, hula-hoop and frisbee to football tournaments and sports day style races.

The pre-school 3ft & Under area is also returning, along with the Enchanted Forest and The Village Green with live music, craft stalls and street theatre, making it an ideal spot for a picnic.

Extensive covered buggy parks, baby changing and breast-feeding areas will be available.

Event Manager, Jenny Kane said: “We are really excited to be taking LolliBop to the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This is the first children’s event to take place in what looks set to become one of the premier event locations in the UK. It has so many benefits for our visitors, including great transport links and family friendly tube stations.

“LolliBop has gone from strength to strength since our first event in 2011 and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park gives us the opportunity to create an even more exciting and dynamic family day out. It’s an amazing opportunity for LolliBop to be part of such an important legacy ”

Dennis Hone, Chief Executive, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park said: “This summer at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park there will be something for everyone. We are delighted to be welcoming LolliBop to join this year’s line-up. LolliBop encompasses some of the best loved names in children’s entertainment, as well as quality theatre, crafts and activities. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park begins to open from July 2013 and will be fully open from spring 2014. We are on track to deliver a fantastic summer events series and a great legacy for east London.”

 

For more tickets and more information: http://www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

 

To read our review from last years festival: http://www.theminimesandme.com/2012/08/lollibop-family-fun.html

Lollibop Family Fun

We were thrilled to be offered tickets to Lollibop. With such an amazing line up I'm not sure who was more excited to be attending, the Mini Mes or Me!

We travelled via car to Edgware, parking at Sainsbury's commuter car park, and caught the train to Camden Town Station. There we jumped off and walked towards the Gloucester Gate of Regents Park and to the Lollibop entrance, which took about ten minutes by foot. Picnic in tow we arrived around 9.50 just as the event opened.

There were a lot of friendly staff around to guide you to the correct queue and a great brass band playing for entertainment. We only queued for about 5 minutes and once we received our bright green wristbands we headed straight to the rear of the event to the Skylander's arena, what the Mini Mes wanted to see the most!

As the arena was just opening we stopped off at the Ella's Kitchen tent next door to use their new children's vending machine to pick up some free healthy snacks - yummy! The vending machine has large child friendly buttons and was packed with goodies to sample. They were handing out money off coupons too which are always nice to receive.

Outside the arena was a giant Skylander which the Mini Mes had their picture taken with before heading straight inside. At this point there was no queue at all, it was still quiet and we were glad to arrive early. We received 2 wonderful bags filled with posters, stickers, tattoos, t-shirts and Dark Spyro figures to use with the game at home. The Mini Mes were thrilled! Also in the arena was the chance to play a pairs game, play on consoles, have Skylanders painted on your arm and have your photo taken and printed with a Skylander background. It was well thought out with a good layout for access.

Next up was face painting sponsored by Little Bird. Again we went straight in without waiting and got seated. Jamster had a green snake on his arm, Minxy a flower and butterfly design on her arm and I even joined in too with some flowers and glitter on my face! Staff were friendly and provided information on their website, www.littlebird.co.uk , which offers family savings and deals. The Mini Mes posed for a picture as a prince and princess then we headed to the next stop, picking up some free orange and apple juice drinks from an open marquee on the way - a great idea, especially in the 30+ degree heat!

Moshi Monsters had quite a large area of the festival with the Moshi Bus Shop, picture posing stops, a mini stage for fun and games and the Moshi Monster tournament tent. Furi and Poppet were just coming out so we went for photos with the characters and then had a go in the tournament. Jamster was a bit too shy to join in but Minxy managed to get into the final. She then got knocked out with a final card turn after a match draw which was a shame, but both of the Mini Mes received some packs of Moshi Cards to take home and we managed to receive a sheet of stickers too. The staff were very patient and friendly teaching the children how to play the fun yet simple game which was lovely to witness.

At this point the ZingZillas were on stage so we watched them for a while before moving on. We managed to get to the front to watch with ease and had a little dance to their songs. Everyone seemed to be smiling, enjoying the show and lapping up the sunshine and atmosphere.

The Mini Mes love experiments, exploring and being creative so the science tent was ideal for them. They held carbon dioxide filled bubbles first and then wandered around the other desks picking up leaflets and stamps as they went. We skipped the tween workshops as it was hula hooping when we passed but everyone appeared to be having fun. We couldn't go in the under 4's area where we spotted the lovely WOW toys and other tents too. I think having a younger area is a great idea though as it gives them some space from the crowds which were now starting to form (11.25am).

There were a lot of buggy bays for pit stops in the shade and the open sided marquees provided a well needed break from the sun. We went to the Flora kitchen next and luckily it was perfect timing to do some baking! Minxy joined in, with apron and utensils provided, to make banana and chocolate muffins in a 45 minute workshop. I stayed with her while Jamster and the Mr went for a sit down on Flora's giant beanbags with some yummy roast potatoes and Thai curry before joining in with the circus skills. Jamster is quite a performing monkey!

As it was now lunch and starting to rain we made our way to the Blogger Lounge for some refreshments and a quieter location to enjoy our picnic. There were scooters and Trunkis available to play on and we picked up colouring sheets, bookmarks, pencils and goody bags to take home.

We spent the next few hours wandering around. We visited the Haribo tent where we played games and picked up sweeties too, we watched and controlled the fire breathing dragon, saw Titan the robot perform, saw the Transormer truck and watched some great shows on stage. Stavros Flately was really amusing, Katie and Alex from CBeebies were great with Hagrid and the Mr Men Roadshow was wonderful for the kids. At around 3pm we grabbed ice creams and headed to Mornington Crescent station ready for our journey home... the Mini Mes fell asleep as soon as we got back to the car!

I would highly recommend going to Lollibop for a great value family day out. There was a wonderful variety of entertainment to suit every taste and the Mini Mes were mesmerised by being so close to the celebrities and characters that they adore. We will definitely be returning next year!

Saturday Caption #SatCap

Apparently the trees have eyes, well they certainly did last weekend at the Jubilee Festival at Hyde Park. Do you have a witty or funny comment for this pic? Please pop your comment below and I'll return the favour.

To link up your own saturday caption or to view some more you can head over to Mammasaurus. Roarrrr!

Have a good weekend!

 

A day in London - Jubilee Family Festival

On saturday we headed to Hyde Park, London (3 trains and a car trip either way eek) for the Jubilee Family Festival presented by Sainsbury's. I hadn't even heard about the event until a friend of the Mr mentioned that he had won some tickets the week before, although with local events and rain on the agenda I can't say I had really been on the look out for celebrations on a larger scale!

Entry
We arrived at Hyde Park around 11.30 after a few hair-pulling-out-teeth-gritting moments at the underground stations wondering if we were going in the right direction. There were 4 queues that seemed to go on for miles but thankfully they were moving quickly so the kids nibbled some sandwiches while we waited to get past the big golden crown gates.

What's inside
Inside we picked up our free leaflets with some details on what companies were there and what was happening at each stand.  We were also provided with lost child wrist bands which always puts my mind at rest a little when there are huge crowds. It was already rather busy but there seemed to be alot to keep everyone entertained. There were plenty of food stalls, ice cream vans, a Pimms bus (oh yes!) and bars too for hungry tums if required.

After exploring a little we headed to the Ribena stand where they were giving away free drinks, had a guess the berries in the barrell competition and a family photo opportunity. I discovered at this point that you could also collect stamps from each stand to get a free bag when you had collected 15.

The bag however was a basic pullstring style which was completely empty and rather disappointing, especially when you pay £52 for entry for a family of 4. It would have been nicer if Sainsbury's provided these upon entry to carry all the bits we picked up going round or atleast had a Jubilee momento in them as a keepsake.

We continued around the stalls and stopped for lunch after a while. I'm very glad we took a picnic with us as queues were large and prices quite high. I'm glad we didn't take cans or bottles as they were confiscated at the gates.



Favourites
The kids seemed to really enjoy the Kleenex stand where you were given free balsam tissues and could decorate your own tissue boxes. They also liked the Kingsmill (Queensmill for the ocassion) display where you received free bread and fillings and were asked to make a Jubilee themed sandwich entered into a draw and the Jammie Dodgers stand with free biscuits and masks and a meet the character/photo opportunity.

Some pictures from our day...

Overall the kids thoroughly enjoyed the day but from a parents point of view there were a few let downs. The majority of stands were purely promotional and queues were large. We were unable to get in the Disney tent as queues were 2hrs + and I like many parents wasn't willing to wait that long.

Considering how many tickets were sold you would assume they would've thought ahead and had larger tents/stands to allow room for more to gain access. There were also large queues for the toilets so it would've been better to have a few more around the park - it's a family event afterall so toddlers and young children will need to go and wont want to wait! Generally a good day though as they kids being happy means I'm happy. It sure wore the kids out anyway...