Free Santa's grotto arrives in Swindon, booking required, guilt not included
The Brunel Shopping Centre promises festive cheer at no cost, which in parenting terms usually means the cost has simply moved somewhere less visible.
· 3 min read
Section
Family Life
School runs, days out, and the price of everything.
Halloween ghost train returns to Cricklade Railway, dads nationwide prepare to not be scared at all
A three hour window of skeletons, steam engines and fathers insisting they are 'absolutely fine' awaits families at Blunsdon Station this weekend.
· 2 min read
Swindon garden centre to explain leaves to children, sparing parents from having to do it themselves
Dobbies is running a free workshop on the lifecycle of leaves this half term, which is either a beautiful introduction to nature or two free hours, depending on how your week has gone.
· 2 min read
Avebury brings back Christmas story time, parents bring back the sense of dread
St Nicholas returns to the historic dovecote this winter, booking slots tighter than a toddler's grip on a free gift they didn't want anyway.
· 2 min read
Vue Swindon unveils half term film line-up, offering parents two hours of legally sanctioned darkness
Monster Mia, Wildwood, a mad scientist sheep and a volcano full of dinosaurs are among the distractions on offer, snacks sold separately and parental sanity included at no extra charge.
· 3 min read
Half-term kids-eat-free offers available to any parent with three apps, a calculator and a clear head
Swindon families can save a fortune this October half-term, provided they can hold the terms and conditions in their head at the same time as a toddler having a meltdown about the colour of their cup.
· 3 min read
Chicken shop opens at M4 junction promising the family way, plus a cookie co-designed by the World's Strongest Man
Wingers has taken over the old Greggs unit at Lydiard Fields, and somewhere in the small print there is a protein cookie endorsed by a man who once pulled a lorry.
· 3 min read
Half term book trail turns Brunel Centre into obstacle course for parents, say parents
A magical quest for riddle-solving youngsters is, on closer inspection, a cunningly disguised exercise in getting from one end of a shopping centre to the other without anyone sitting on the floor.
· 3 min read
Half-term quest asks Swindon parents to find five elements and one working toilet in Brunel centre
Children will hunt for elemental riddles between H&M and the food court while adults hunt for anywhere to sit down.
· 1 min read
Woman told off for fixing park fence herself, after council didn't fix park fence itself
The Ombudsman has ruled that nobody did anything wrong, which, if you were hoping to be vindicated, is somehow worse than losing.
· 1 min read
Highworth to hold entire day of Halloween events, giving parents eight hours to lose at least one child's wand
A pumpkin contest, a family trail, wand making and ghost tours all in one Saturday, because apparently normal half term activities were not enough.
· 3 min read
Life-saving newborn course returns to Swindon like a band playing its hometown secret gig
The programme that left town, made it big nationally and won an award is finally doing a show here, and the welcome has been, shall we say, enthusiastic.
· 3 min read