kids - BAB ABOUT TOWN

We are doing something a little bit different babs, introducing guests posts! I have decided to team up with some of Birmingham’s best bloggers/writers and let them take over the blog. So, let me introduce the talented Small House Big Trips and the lovely bab behind it, KELLY. Kelly documents family days out and things to do with the kiddos from cheap and cheerful days out to those exciting and memorable special occasions for the little ones. The blog is jam-packed with great advice, reviews, features and more. I am so excited to team up with Kelly to bring you this fantastic guide for you to use this Summer, She has worked extremely hard on it so please give Small House big trips a follow here.

The summer holidays are nearly here and SmallHouseBigTrips and Bab About Town have decided to join together to bring you the best 20 Birmingham based things to do with your children this summer. Some are FREE, some are a little money and then we have a few splurge choices for those with some spare money to spend.

1)LEGOLAND NINJAGO EVENT AND LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTRE

Real and virtual worlds collide, as you have the chance to enter the world of NINJAGO and complete exciting challenges alongside your favourite characters as part of the brand new AR experience! Join Lloyd, Cole, Zane, Jay, Kai and Nya to ‘BE NINJA’ on the quest to find the six golden fragments and learn their moves as real and virtual worlds collide. Restore the Golden Amulet and be rewarded as you complete the challenges. Plus, continue the adventure as LEGOLAND celebrate 10 years of LEGO NINJAGO.

Find the Golden ninja in MINILAND – The hunt is on to spot Lloyd, Kai, Cole, Zane, Jay and Master Wu, so they can start their adventure.
Meet Your LEGO NINJAGO hero, Lloyd!
Build a Ninja creation for a chance to win a rare Golden Amulet!
Experience LEGO NINJAGO in the 4D cinema!
Race your LEGO NINJAGO build down the zip line challenge!
Not forgetting all of the usual LEGOtastic activities including 2 rides!

Share the joy, lose yourself in the spirit of LEGO NINJAGO and feel what it’s really like to Be Ninja!

2) SEA LIFE CENTRE

Come and adventure into the rarely seen Antarctic landscape and marvel at the cheeky antics of the penguins as they dive into the icy waters and play in their icy home. See the shark lagoon, the reef area, check out some of the creatures that live amongst a rockpool and if you are lucky, you might get a little stroke. See Nemo fish, rays, seahorses and even an octopus and the psychic Sea Otters who enjoyed guessing the Euro 2021 results. Along with the 4d cinema, there is plenty to see and do here.

3) TREETOP GOLF

Birminghams newest family attraction, Treetop Golf provides fun for all of the family, from toddlers to Great Grandads, every one can join in. Come and play one or even both of the two indoor, 18-hole mini golf courses. Tackle the Tropical Trail or Ancient Explorer then brave the Bonus 19th hole to win a free round.With a bar serving brilliant mocktails for the little ones, cocktails for the adults, tasty pizzas and other treats, it’s a great choice for a morning or afternoon trip. If you arrive before midday you get to play the 2 courses for the price of 1.

4) THINKTANK AND BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS

Birmingham Museums have you covered over the school holidays (and pretty much any other time to be quite frank). With a number of activities over the holidays all priced really well there is something for everyone.Thinktank is the perfect day out for all the family this summer with a huge variety of fun and inspiring things to do for children (and adults) of all ages. Kids can play in MiniBrum – Thinktank’s interactive mini city where children are in charge. Children can have a go at all the different jobs that it takes to run a city in a space that was designed by children, for children.

Visit the 4K planetarium where you can explore outer space, an outdoor science garden where engineering and mechanics come to life and fantastic industrial collections including the City of Birmingham steam engine and a Spitfire. There are also displays on dinosaurs and wildlife that will wow visitors of all ages. And a fantastic medicine section which I really enjoyed. The brand new ‘Our Changing Planet’ gallery looks at the Science behind climate change and the impact that mankind is having on the planet.

Blakesley Hall have some superhero trails and pirate days – perfect for little adventurers, BioBlitz sessions, an insect photography workshop and The Crescent Theatre will be doing an outdoor performance of Pygmalion.

Aston Hall have the Sonia Sabri Company doing a live performance of Same Same… But Different. They also have Tall Tales doing a performance of Beauty and the Beast, a BioBlitz session and Tread the Board and Attic Theatre will be doing a live performance of Alice in Wonderland. If you love a bit of competition, the Aston Community Games are on too.

Birmingham Museums have many more events on including in the Jewellery Quarter, Soho House and more. Do check on their website where you can also prebook tickets.

5) DIGBETH FUN FAIR

Who needs to go to Weston Super Mare when you have Digbeth Fun Fair right in the Centre of Birmingham. Now featuring a beach and deckchairs too, this is a great place to visit. Rides for all ages from toddlers to grown ups. Every one will find something they will enjoy. If you’re not a fan of rides, how about the leisurely big wheel with epic views across the City?

6) BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

Birmingham Botanical Gardens offers something for everyone, be it one of the four stunning glasshouses showing tropical rainforest to arid desert, epic playground for children, tearoom and garden gift shop all surrounded by some of the most beautiful gardens in the UK.

Pack a picnic and have a glorious relax on the green in front of the Victorian Bandstand.

7) RUSK UK

Birminghams biggest trampoline park, boasting an impressive 35,000 square feet of excitement and adrenaline filled fun is a must visit. With over 100 wall to wall interconnected trampolines for you to bounce on, either solo or with friends/family, battle beams, foam pits, a trapeze, basket ball hoop, slackline, wipeout and an assault course, along with a designated toddler area, there is something for everyone.

8) LIL’S PARLOUR

Ice Cream like no other. A traditional whip ice cream, topped with a variety of different choices. Lil’s Parlour has also raised money to give FREE ice cream to those whose families may normally be unable to buy some. Contact Lil’s Parlour for the code word (if you need it and want to treat the kids) and pop along to treat your little ones.

9) CANNON HILL PARK

One of my favourite parks in Birmingham. Cannon Hill has a playground, swan boats on the lake, a mini theme park (for ages 2 to 10), outdoor adventure golf with water features, beautiful flowers, plenty of green space to picnic or have a run around and it is also the home to Midlands Art Centre (MAC) who have a cinema, theatre, art exhibitions and the cutest café for food and drinks called Book KILN Café.

Check out their website for events over the School Holidays including Sarah and Duck Theatre Show, The Greenhouse (a magical dance performance) and Horrible Histories live on stage.

10) BIRMINGHAM WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARK

Next door to Cannon Hill Park is the old Birmingham Zoo. Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is home to a unique collection of animals from across the world, including Red Pandas, lemurs, reptiles, meerkats, otters, birds, wallabies and a large collection of monkeys.

Some of the animals are endangered in the wild and the Conservation Park play an important role by participating in endangered species breeding programmes. With a café on site and small soft play too.

11) ACKERS ADVENTURE

At charity run Ackers, there is a plethora of fun and exciting activities for you to enjoy. Disc Golf, Skiing, Snowboarding, Tubing, tobogganing, Canoeing and Kayaking, archery, bell boating, bushcraft, Wall Climbing, abseiling and zip wire. Plenty for you to book on and do.

12) CADBURY WORLD

Uncover a world of chocolatey delights and enjoy a fascinating, fun-packed day out at Cadbury World! You’ll learn how your favourite confectioneries are made, play in virtual chocolate rain, and add your favourite treat to a delicious pot of warm melted Cadbury Dairy Milk. Discover the origins of the cocoa bean, before hopping aboard the magical ‘Cadabra’ ride, meeting the infamous Cadbury drumming gorilla! Plus, join Freddo and the whole gang of Cadbury characters as they whisk you away on a wondrous journey in the 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema experience, complete with motion seats. Dive into a bowl of liquid Cadbury Dairy Milk, ride the Crunchie Rollercoaster and take to the skies in a Cadbury Creme Egg airship, piloted by the Caramel Bunny.

13) MOSELEY ROAD BATHS

Grandiose Gothic Renaissance pool building with many original features. No need to book your swimming slot, check the timetable online and just turn up.

14) OLD RECTORY FARM

Although only a small farm, The Old Rectory Farm has been fully restored and operates as a demonstration farm, showing traditional methods of farming.

Animals kept at the farm include Jersey cattle, pigs, goats, ponies, ducks, chickens and geese. It is located right next to one of the best spots to watch the aeroplanes fly by. Walk along the playing fields and you’ll get right to the section where the planes take off and fly right over your heads. Perfect for any Plane enthusiasts.

15) MARTINEAU GARDENS

Martineau Gardens is a beautiful therapeutic community garden and a charity, located two miles from Birmingham City Centre. An oasis for wildlife, a haven of tranquillity, a destination for an outdoor escape, there are two and a half acres of organically managed landscape for you to explore.

Garden highlights include: an orchard growing figs, mulberries, grapes and apples, demonstration vegetable and herb beds, a woodland home (with SLINC status) to Pipistrelle bats, badgers and birds and many species of fungi, nature trail, formal garden with unusual trees and shrubs, children’s wooden shipwrecked play area, sales area selling plants and homemade jams made from the fruits of the garden, a hot house, wildflower meadows, bird hide, ponds, beehives and earth oven.

16) SUTTON PARK

Sutton Park is a 2,400 acre National Nature Reserve located 6 miles north of the city centre. It’s one of the largest urban parks in Europe and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

With open heathland, woodlands, seven lakes, wetlands, and marshes – each with its own rich variety of plants and wildlife, some rarely seen in the region, you could spend hours exploring here. Cattle and wild ponies graze on the land, you can hire adult bicycles to ride around the park, visit one of 4 restaurants/cafes in the park including a Toby Carvery, Miller and Carter, The Bracebridge and Blackroot Bistro or grab an ice cream from one of the ice cream trucks around the park. The park also has 2 childrens play areas – with Banners Gate being the best.

17) THE LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM

The Library of Birmingham provides a showcase for Birmingham’s internationally important collections of archives, photography and rare books. Facilities include a state-of-the-art gallery space, opening up public access to the collections. It is also home to the BFI Mediatheque, providing free access to the National Film Archive.

Other facilities include a flexible studio theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre and other informal performance spaces and dedicated spaces for children and teenagers. Why not bring your children to explore the Children’s Library here.

18) LAPWORTH MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY

Enabling visitors to explore life over the past 3.5 billion years, the Lapworth Museum showcases exceptional objects from one of the UK’s most outstanding geological collections. Our state-of-the-art galleries and range of innovative and interactive exhibits are all completely free of charge.

From rocks and fossils to volcanoes, earthquakes, and even dinosaurs, the Museum captures the imagination of all ages.

19) BEAR GRYLLS ADVENTURE

Escape the ordinary and experience the awesome at The Bear Grylls Adventure. Indoor and outdoor activity centre at The NEC Birmingham. Take part in the assault course, escape room, swim with sharks, high ropes course and more. This isn’t for the faint hearted.

20) A WALK AROUND DIBETH

Last but definitely not least, how about having a walk around Digbeth to view the amazing art work.

BAB X

I was sat the other day by the Birmingham library looking out on the hectic Broad Street which is more like a classier version of the strip in Malia. Memories suddenly came flooding back to me going along this street in a car with my family being mesmerised by Broad Street, I still do feel mesmerised with the number of blow-up dolls and girls falling out of cabs with the skirts over their heads however I had completely forgotten how much Birmingham has changed over the years. I am going back about 20 years ago, back to the 90’s where I would be full of excitement going up those bloody long escalators coming out of New Street station into the Pallasades, begging my mom to go to Woolworths for the pick n mix and then using all my birthday money to buy 4 for £20 on music cassettes from Virgin Megastore. What I know now and what I knew then is pure comedy, and I thought I would do a little post and share my thoughts of Birmingham as an 8-year old curious child and I am pretty sure some of you might have thought the same of our City

BROAD STREET OR ROME?

I remember my parents uset to take me out in the car to various Saturday night events and I would always see this building that would question if my Mom and Dad had drugged my frosties that morning and took me to Rome for the night. Although this sounds like a fantastic idea (not the drugging bit) but this was not the case. As I got older I realised that my parents were not taking me to Rome every other Saturday night they were just taking me to that bloody long street in Birmingham; Broad Street. I later found out that the building that convinced me I was in Rome was in fact, The Town Hall. Parents take note if you want to take your kids on holiday, just take them to Broad Street.

FLARES WAS EVERY 8 YEAR OLDS REASON TO COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING AN 8 YEAR OLD.

Those big purple doors, the people standing outside in fancy dress and the flickers of light reflecting off the disco balls you would see from outside. I didn’t want the newest Barbie doll or any more Polly Pocket’s for my birthday, I wanted an ID to go to Flares. “It’s for big people, you can go to it when you are 18” when I finally turned 18, I checked out Flares and..it was a bag of shite.

THE DISNEY SHOP IN THE PAVILLIONS

I remember sitting in front of the TV and seeing advertisements for Disney World, of course, the overly happy kids, my favourite characters pratting around with families and the Kiss from Mickey at the end sold it to me. It was selling the dream to kids, so 90% of kids would beg their parents to take them to Disney World whereas the other 10% would beg to go to Butlins. Finally, my Mom turned around after months of begging and said we are going to Disney World and I can pick something to buy! It still didn’t hit me when I was heading into town on the bus with no suitcase. My mother had me like a fool as I stood outside the Disney shop in the Pavilions shopping centre in Birmingham looking very confused, this certainly was not Disney world. I soon shut up when I had a run around and was obsessed with watching the big screen with all narrated Disney movie trailers. I did manage to go to the REAL Disney world when I was 11 years old and they just forget to mention how bloody expensive, overly crowded and how most of the rides are not suitable for shortarses like me. This photo was taken after I was not allowed to go on the Kraken at Seaworld as I was too short…I was pissed.

TAMMY GIRL

From Bay to MK one and then we had the ruler of all girl’s fashion Etam/Tammy Girl. I remember Etam in the City Centre of Birmingham, can’t quite remember where exactly but I do remember when the redevelopment of the Bull Ring finished in 2003 Etam and Tammy Girl was moved to the Bullring. Tammy Girl was usually on top of Etam and it was aimed at the teeny girl boppers, if I had an upcoming party It would be Tammy Girl where I would be getting my outfit. Sadly, Tammy Girl is no more.

THE VAMPIRES IN THAT PARK

Getting the bus into town and getting off along Bull street, I would always walk past a park (you guessed it, Pigeon Park) that was home to “vampires” of course, as I got older I realised these were not vampires but they were people who followed the “Goth or Emo” lifestyle. I would see them all standing round in circles, some swigging back these bottles that looked like they had pee inside them (It was lambrini) and some of them would be trying to sunbathe. One thing I knew for sure when I was 8, was that I didn’t want to end up joining the vampires and drinking pee when I was older.

BRMB PARTY IN THE PARK

96.4 fm BRMB, Every year BRMBs Party in the park would come to Brum and I remember always wanting to go in the 90s however the new Millennium came and in 2002 I found myself at my very first and also my last BRMB party in the Park concert. Blue, Gareth Gates, Will Young and more acts performed at the Birmingham City football ground, I couldn’t tell you what I thought of the concert because I can’t remember a thing but if I can remember seeing S Club Juniors then I am pretty sure I would have remembered these acts so I am guessing they must have been shite.

50P FOR A BUS TICKET WAS EXPENSIVE

Don’t you just hate it when the elderly turn round to you and say, “oh you young people got it easy nowadays” No, I haven’t got it easy because I have to fork out around £5 every day to get to work and back then get asked multiple times by Randoms for change?! Gone are the glory days of paying 50p or under to get into Town and also, to add insult to injury, many of the buses don’t print out the McDonalds and Burger King vouchers anymore. However, as a child, I never understood why we had to pay for travel. I remember thinking why on earth do we have to pay, and I thought 50p was bloody expensive. To a child in the 90’s, yeah it is, I could get a load of blackjacks and Freddo’s for 50p but no, I had to spend my 50p pocket money on bloody bus fare.

THE GERMAN MARKET…IN BIRMINGHAM?

There was a time in Birmingham where the German Market only existed in Germany. I have sweet happy memories of holding my mom’s hand walking up to Victoria Square without a rub of a randomer’s arm or an end of a German sausage in my face. Usually every Christmas eve we would head into Birmingham so my Mom and Auntie would do their last-minute Christmas shopping, it was still packed back then but not so much as now. Thank god I never experienced it when I was little, I would have screamed the bloody place down and just pee myself on purpose so I could get out the hell out of there.

SCHOOL TRIPS IN BIRMINGHAM…LETS GO WILD!

From being forced to participate in games of bowling to mimicking puffer fishes at the sea life centre, there was a school trip every couple of months and guaranteed it was in Birmingham. The best thing I looked forward to on school trips was my packed lunch because for some reason my mom would let me choose what I wanted in my lunchbox, only if I was on a school trip. When I was not on a school trip, I was constantly disappointed with squished tuna and mayo sandwiches, a pathetic cheese string, an apple (that I had to get the dinner lady to cut up) and a penguin bar that would always hurt my teeth and told crap jokes. So, school trips were my favourite, It was a time for kids to let loose! One trip I will always remember is watching a music production at Symphony Hall in which me and my friend thought it was funny to make fart noises whenever the trumpets would play…I felt so powerful coming out of Symphony Hall because the teachers were too embarresed to tell me off however that soon changed when I got back to school…Am I first kid to get a detention for making fart noises in Symphony Hall?

TOYS “R” US= LOSE THE PARENTS

You don’t understand how much I would beg my parents if we ever went into town to go into Toys R Us on Dale End, they were always reluctant to take me but who could blame them? as every time I went there one of the workers would have to do a tannoy call out for me, as I would always go missing…on purpose. I would find it hilarious and hide away from them, I was a right sneaky little bugger, but could you blame me? Toys R us was almost like a drug, it sent kids wild! it was like a magical land where every kid wore a smile, and everything was free…unfortunately for my parents.

AMY ELIZA