Sabrina is a Lifestyle, Parenting and Product Review Blogger. A Writer, Photographer, Reviewer, Home Cook, Crafter & Nature Enthusiast. You will find a bit of all those categories here on Severn Wishes Blog, Welcome to Sabrina's Lifestyle Blogging & Honest Reviews.
Autumn is such a beautiful time of the year, and it should be enjoyed by people of all ages and of all abilities too. But as the cost of living goes up again with our need for heating on and more food, not to mention the loom of Christmas… most people will vote to stay in, worrying they cannot afford to go out.
Well I’m in the same boat as all of you again this season, knowing that money will be tight but I also want to make the most of weekends I have my son. School takes up so many hours of the week, and the majority of children don’t really want to be stuck inside (unless the weather is gale force and torrential rain!). So it’s important to come up with some cheap ideas that will suit everyone and that can be fun of course, so here’s what I do.
See what can you do for free in your local area. Where do you begin to look?
Start off by writing down on a piece of paper the people in your household, their ages and abilities.
Do you need toilets frequently, baby changing facilities or access for a pram or wheelchair?
Once you have established the type of place you need to find you can look up on an online map what is available for free in your area.
Check local free magazines in supermarkets, check out social media by searching in events local to you by so many miles radius.
Some of these things can include;
Public Footpaths. Canal Routes or Designated Walkways. Parks and Gardens. Local Heritage Sites. Castles or Stately Homes. Farms with Free Entry to look at Pumpkins, Flowers or do Maize Mazes. Nature Reserves with free car parking so you can do a Nature Walk to collect leaves. National Trust (some people will already be members, sometimes they have reduced entry fees).
What Can You Do While Out?
Enjoy a walk together as a family, don’t forget to take some photograph’s! Gather items to take home and make art and craft pieces another day. Go for a Nature Walk and talk about what you can see and hear (great for young children). Nature Bingo where you make a list before you go and then tick off the items as you find them. Discuss the life cycle of trees with older children and the importance of renewal each year.
(If you don’t mind spending a little money) Pumpkin Patch Picking Maize Maze or Woodland Trails Local Trust Properties or Heritage Sites
Sabrina’s Top Tip: Take a picnic or packed lunch with you, and drinks for everyone too which will save you money, even if you have to eat it in the car then it won’t matter because it’s still family time.
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Thank you for reading this blog post today, I do hope that I have given you some good ideas.
Have a great day and lots of fun if you take on board any of my tips!
Hello everyone, I hope this latest blog piece finds you all well.
Today I am discussing the 5 healthy choices that I do all the time, that are easy enough so that anyone can get behind them! You’ll feel better if you accomplish even one of these this new year, because they are not only good for your body but also your mind, let us all have a healthy year ahead.
Drink More Water
I cannot stress enough how so many people don’t drink enough water every day. Women and Men need at least two litres of water a day to aid blood pressure and digestion and to help cell renewal in the skin. I personally aim for 2.5 litres a day and use my reusable water bottles. You will also find that by drinking more water your organs and joints will be cushioned and hydrated. Water contains minerals too, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride and Sodium to name but a few. Water is essential for good kidney and bladder health and helps them by removing toxins that have built up. If these aren’t enough reasons for drinking more water then how about this, by drinking a glass of water when you first wake up it stabilises your blood pressure and kick starts your digestive system, meaning when you start your day your breakfast is ready to be harvested for all its nutrients. To top it off your brain can also respond with regular and consistent water in take, including by improving your mood and memory. So why not try and drink more water this year, once you get into the habit of it and you feel the improvements for yourself your body will ask you for more. That is why a reusable water bottle is great, I carry one everywhere I go.
2. Swap to some Dairy Free food items
You may not believe me now, but making a few swaps to things such as Dairy Free Butter (which is delicious by the way) can help with things such as cholesterol and get you to eat less salt too. You can still bake and cook with Dairy Free Butter and because it’s so tasty you wouldn’t know the difference. I would never go back now to a dairy based butter or spread. I love the Vitalite spread! Perfect in Mashed Potatoes and fab for baking too!
One reason to go dairy free is the choice you have, wow what a range! Plant based or nut based milks are healthier options for you and most alternative milks are fortified with vitamins and minerals too. You may also find that some have lower calories and are better for your body because they are hydrating. Some people (like my family) use alternatives due to allergies and medical conditions. However you can still make the change to a healthier alternative for both your body and the climate. Most people find they have more energy and are less bloated and have less digestive issues by swapping from dairy to the alternatives out there, finding one that you like might be hard because there is a massive choice. However my Doctor recommended unsweetened Soya Milk in small amounts or Oat Milk because they are both filled with Vitamins and Minerals necessary to maintain a healthy body such as Calcium.
Dairy Free Cheeses are getting better every year! When I first went Dairy Free there were two choices on the shelf in the chilled isle, now there is a whole fridge dedicated to various types and varieties of dairy free cheese, be it grated, hard, soft or even something in between them all! The only way you can know is to try it for yourself one day. I do recommend the Violife range though!
3. Taking a 15 to 30 Minute Break for Fresh Air Every Day
Fresh Air is so important and a lot of us don’t get enough of it, so if you make one new year resolution this year make sure it’s to get more of it. Even if the weather is bad, standing in your garden under an umbrella still counts. You could walk and that would be even better because it would be light exercise too!
Fresh Air is vital for blood pressure and heart rate by providing clean oxygen for your body, it also aids digestion by increasing oxygen flow through your organs. Fresh Air also improves your mood and can make your happier. Oxygen is vital for good brain health and mood so the more fresh oxygen you can get every day the more you’ll feel the benefit of it.
Breathing in fresh air can also help to reduce the risk of getting air born illnesses and infections by clearing the sinuses. People are more likely to lose weight and stay fit by going for a daily walk and getting both their heart rate up a little and by breathing in plenty of fresh air. Even if you live in the city search on local maps for parks and green spaces. You never know what you might see on your walk either, make it fun for children and play a game like eye spy or pick a letter every day and each person has to spot five things beginning with that letter.
As the weather improves into Spring this will be a much easier one to do every day.
Find Somewhere Local, Green and Full of Nature and Enjoy
4. Do Something You Love for Half an Hour a Day – For Your Mental Health
Most of us prioritise lots of things above our mental health, including housework and other chores, when we should be either resting or doing something for ourselves. Try to make a list of what needs to be done that day and what can be put off until tomorrow. It’s important to get through your every day necessities at home without feeling guilty about wanting to do something for you. And when you’re a parent you get even less time to yourself so it’s very important to take that half an hour, just to fit it in somewhere if you can. I usually have my half an hour before bed, gaming, reading, writing, catching up on a television program I have recorded…
Choose Happy and Healthy
5. Eat a Rainbow of Coloured Foods Every Week
This may sound like a simple one, but I have read many studies that suggest eating a variety of fruit and vegetables over the course of a week, and not just the same four or five every day, gives our bodies the varied vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy. So why not try adding a different lunch and a different evening meal to your routine this week, start to experiment more and try that piece of fruit that you always see in the supermarket but never buy! The more colour the better. Check out my recipes on my blog for some inspiration to start with!
You can get your five or more a day through fruit juice, fruit pieces that are fresh, frozen or tinned, frozen veggies or fresh ones, they all count towards your total. My photograph below shows a typical dinner for myself, and I usually get one of my five during the cooking of my evening meal, I regularly eat a whole raw Carrot while I cook!
If you find that you’re struggling to get your 5 fruit and veg a day (for whatever reason) and feel like you’re lacking something in your diet, perhaps consider taking a multivitamin to give your body a boost, even if just through the winter. Most people lack Vitamin C and D during the colder months.
Eating More Colour Is Better For Your Health
Thank you for reading this blog post today and I do hope that you enjoyed it. If you do take me up on any of my healthy suggestions do comment and let me know how you’re getting on.
Have a wonderful last few days of January! Best wishes!
Sometimes we are all guilty of spending too much time on technology, and now that the weather is improving we should all be putting down our TV remotes and phones and getting outside! (I know that you’re thinking about doing that now, as you read this blog post on a piece of tech, but please bare with me as I have some great activities you’ll want to be inspired by I’m sure!)
So where to begin! If you’re not naturally adventurous for the great outdoors it can seem a bit overwhelming! So how about we just start small! I have come up with a range of things to suit everyone, outdoorsy types and not so much! All you need to do is choose one of these to do each day during the school break or even at the Easter weekend and voila you have some outdoor fun, nature related or outdoor activity to enjoy!
Here are my 15 “Things We Can Do” of Fun Ideas to do Indoors and Outdoors…Weather Dependent!
🥚 Use Nature in a Painting – Use sticks or leaves to paint with! 🥚Spot a Bird of Prey – Look up and see what is flying above your head! 🥚Find Some Minibeasts and Draw Them from Memory – Bugs can be colourful and interesting! 🥚Take a Walk in 4 Different Types of Weather – No matter what the weather it can be fun to take a walk!
🥚 Go For a Walk and Find Some Puddles to Jump in – Who doesn’t like jumping in a puddle! Wear wellies!
🥚 Have a Musical Morning, Listening or Playing – Music can help you relax!
🥚 Do Some Finger Painting – Draw the trunk of a tree and make the leaves with your fingers! 🥚Play Eye-Spy on a Family Walk – Eye Spy is great for a range of ages! 🥚Do a Jigsaw on a Rainy Day – Jigsaws can be a fun family activity on a rainy day or a board game!
🥚 Build a Den or Fort Together – Who doesn’t love building a den! Cushions and Throws work well!
🥚 Draw and then Colour in something you’ve seen in Nature on your Walk, a Rainbow, Tree, Flower etc
🥚 Design your own Dream Car or Dream House (for older children to imagine)
🥚 Create Post for a Loved One and Walk to a Post Box to Send it – Draw a Picture or Write a Letter
🥚 Have an Afternoon of MESS with Messy Play or Fun with Paint or Food items – Paint and Rice Crispies…
🥚 Read More! Read as a Family, decide on what your Favourite Book is and why – Books help you learn!
🥚 Nature Hunter Gatherers – Collect some things from in your local area to look at when you get home such as leaves and pinecones, things that have fallen from trees and bushes. Don’t deliberately destroy nature though! Fallen Leaves are great, discover what tree they come from by looking at the shape!
The image above is from when my son and I did a day of Nature Hunter Gatherers. It was a lovely warm day and we spent six hours outside having fun, games and walking. This activity is great for learning about where things come from such as pinecones and feathers. Make sure you do this on a dry day. We took a long walk through our village and picked up things that we found on the ground. Leave them somewhere cool and dry for a few days to dry out and make sure there are no creatures living in them before you handle them again!
I highly recommend getting some coloured trays like these, they were only £3 for a pack of 3 from The Works. Perfect for both Art and Craft and collecting things too!
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Picking Up Litter
If your children are a little older than mine you might want to pop gloves on when you go on your walk, take a plastic bag with you, and do a litter picking up hour in your local village or town. This helps the environment and the animals and birds in your area from getting injured.
🥚 Easter Ideas 🥚
You could also do Easter themed Drawings, Colouring In and Games such as an Easter Egg Hunt in your house or garden this weekend.
Check out my previous Easter blog posts for Art and Craft ideas and Baking fun… Here…
Thank you for reading this blog post today! I hope that I have inspired you to do at least one of these activities with your own family. Let me know in the comments section or on my social media if you get up to anything fun in the next few weeks!
✩ Sabrina ✩
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