A Fun day out.

With the weather being so great this weekend I wanted to get out and do loads with the kids. Unfortunately my bank balance hasn’t been to happy with my ideas because we have our holiday coming up soon and I have driving lessons to pay for!

Luckily though there are some great things you can do on a low budget and you can still manage to have a great day out with kids.

Saturday morning after the boys swimming lessons I was debating going to the library and then on to National Media Museum because it is free entry and is a day out with the boy. (we already had bus passes from the swimming lessons) so that wasn’t a problem.
So as I was starting to get ready I got a phone call from a friend asking if we fancied going out “because it was too beautiful to be stuck in doors.” I explained my bank balance problems and we decided to walk from our area to the Bradford Industrial Museum

because it is also free entry and there is a lovely big park just around the corner.
We decided with weather being so lovely and the fact that there was no direct bus to museum and there had been road closures due to Tour De France coming thought Yorkshire. That we would be better walking to 2 miles there and back (luckily it’s fairly level). We made a quick stop off at Morrisons (it was on the way) to buy some nibbles for a little picnic and in no time at all we were there.

Once we arrived at the museum we decide that we would eat our picnic first and then go have a look round and explore. We sat on the wall at the front gate by some cannons because there way a great grassy area that the kids could run around (even though they had walked that far they still had energy to burn). There is a picnic area with picnic tables and a indoor cafe area, for when the weather isn’t as nice, but we chose this spot because the kids enjoyed climbing on the cannons, spinning round on the grass and there was a little black structure that they kept running through and posing under (great photo opportunities)

It was at this point that we had our first problem. The cobbles in the street didn’t agree with my pram to much and one of the wheels came off!

DISASTER!

I don’t know how many people have had that happen to them but when your 2 miles from home with no money, no car with a baby, toddler and 2 older kids. Let’s just say I was so glad I wasn’t on my own when it happened because I would have probably of cried.
My friends held Baby while I took a look at wheel and luckily if was fixable.
After that disaster was averted and I had managed to clean myself up (I had been knelt on floor arguing with the wheels) and pulled myself together. We carried on with our trip.

There was loads to see and the kids really enjoyed looking at all the different things inside the different buildings.

They have house set out like how they would of been when the workers lived there that also show how they changed over the decades from before, during and after WWII. (I didn’t get many picture because it wasn’t very pram friendly) We went round the old stables and the manor house (also not pram friendly as they are not allowed, neither are food, drinks, umbrellas or Large bags). They even had load of old fire engines! Carts and horse buggies. In the main building is the old mill. The machines in the mill are great and most are still in full working order. They sometime have the machine going, so you get a feel of what the mill was like in it’s hay day. When you have finished going through the ground floor mill there is a doorway that leads to a garage full of cars, old street signs and a massive train.

(All this area is all ramps and very pram friendly) leading on from there is the printing section which is full of the old printing presses they have used through out history. There is even a store front, post box and a print table with stamps, paper and ink for the kids to have a go.

Joining on to that is a room filled with an old bus and a tram you can look at and explore through windows.

There is a lift to go up to the second floor and a member of staff will take you up in it. (it is an old lift. I believe it’s the original on from when they mill was operational that has noisy sliding grate doors). Some of the kids were slightly worried at first while others thought it was cool.
On the second floor is more machines that are also still in working order. (I don’t recommend going if you have a head ache or don’t like loud noises) The machine upstairs are the one they use in the old wool mill. That clean, comb and spin the wool on to spindles.

As I walk though I am reminded that once upon a time my own mum worked in the mill before it closed down and there are picture hung on the walls of people throughout history who worked there.

In the next section there are some benches and more machine. This time though they have child size figures stood next to the machines. On the walls are stories, facts, pictures and reports of when children use to work in the mill in the 1900. (the first time I brought T and P here I emphasised how easy their life is now to what it would of been then. I don’t think it works cause during a meltdown I’m still the worse mum ever and their life is terrible).
We didn’t look around this bit much though because by the benches there were some lovely ladies who were demonstrating spinning wool and weaving on a loom.

They showed the kids and even let them have a go. T loved it, were as P was diving in head first and kept nearly breaking stuff.

E and the other littles played with a toy box full of teddies an blocks 🙂 by the time we had finished with the demonstration it was 4pm and time for the museum to close. We had been there over 2 hours and the time had just flown by and we still didn’t get chance to see everything.

Unfortunately because it was closing time the gift shop had closed because they have some really nice stuff and at reasonable prices. P was very upset by this but a staff member quelled his whimpers with a free Tour de France book mark.
We left an again went back on to the lovely cobbled road. I went as slowly as I could praying my wheel wouldn’t break again.
Luck wasn’t on my side because as we came out of the ground my wheel came off again.

ANOTHER DISASTER!

Once I got the wheel back on I decided I wasn’t going to add extra pressure on to it by let E rude the buggy board. Luckily my friend had been lent a wrap to try and she had it with her. So with attempted to strap a tired E to my back.

(It has to be noted we had never wrapped a child to any of our backs before. I think we did well)
The walk home was long and we did make a short stop in the park but I was packed. So we sat in the shade a while and had a few left over nibbles (the kids ran around on the grass and played football) before I strapped E on to my back again and we carried on.
We finally made it back for just and I had to start on tea.

The kids loved it. As you walk round there are donation boxes for you to give money if you choose to. All the money goes to help pay for the running of the museum.

The museum was great fun and I would highly recommend it to anyone. You can’t complain when it has son much to offer and see. All for the great price of nothing. Unless you decide to donate money. (I gave what change I had in my purse!) during the holidays and summer they have events on it truly is a great museum and a fun day out (even with the wheel disasters) My wheel did managed to hold out until I got home and is fixed now. I honestly believe it would of been fine if it haven’t of been for the cobbled streets that was the only downside really.

So if your looking for anything to do with your kids on a budget this summer. Check out this museum. You won’t regret it.

Nikki ❤

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