1. Hi Tamara, talk us through a typical day for you and the kids?
A typical weekday consists of school runs and clubs! Annabelle does swimming and diving and both Annabelle and Hunter do horse riding. Living near the coast it’s really important to me that the kids are confident in the water. We’re all together at weekends though, which usually consists of an outdoor adventure.
2. What activities do the kids enjoy doing the most?
Annabelle’s favourite is swimming, she’s definitely a water baby! Whereas Hunter loves animals so his favourite thing to do is horse riding. I would say their go-to family day out though would be the beach - come rain or shine they just love it!
3. Do you find that outdoor play helps to improve their develop and confidence?
Absolutely, you find that the kids are always climbing, jumping and exploring in riskier places than the soft play ball pit, which means they are always growing in confidence when it comes to being in different environments with different surroundings, noises and textures.
4. What other benefits do you think outdoor play has for young minds?
I find being outdoors and connecting with the outside world brings the whole family closer - no distractions, just adventure! I also strongly believe that when the kids have had time outside they are remarkably calmer and able to focus on tasks they’ve been asked to do. They also sleep brilliantly. If we have a week of being inside a lot you can certainly tell that they are more wound up, they can’t focus as well and their sleep is broken or short.
5. What has been your most memorable adventures with your children?
The most memorable time so far has been the summer of 2019. Annabelle learnt to swim in the sea and so we spent nearly every day of the summer holidays on our body boards in the coast of Devon and Cornwall. She makes me so proud. I’m really looking forward to this summer as Hunter’s older so he’ll be able to join us, even if it’s in a rubber ring!
6. With all this adventure, you’ll need tough shoes that stand up to the challenge! What do you look for when buying their footwear?
As we spend most of the time outside in natural environments, the kids are either climbing logs or rocks or splashing in puddles or streams, so they need a good grip and they must to be waterproof. Annabelle has also just turned five years old so for her she would probably say they need to be pretty too!
7. What are your favourite shoes or boots from our new collection?
Both kids are currently wearing Start-Rite boots. Hunter has the Chelsea camo boots in navy leather and I’m really impressed with the durability. He’s only two years old so he drags his feet and stumbles a lot, so I expected the leather to scuff easily but we’ve been to the park a few times where he has knocked and scraped them on everything possible and have been on a few walks and not even a scratch! With a little polish they look brand new every time. Annabelle’s been wearing the Splash boots in navy and they are fantastic! They are so pretty which she loves, but they are also extremely waterproof and the quality is second to none. I will definitely buy these again in the future once she had grown out of them.
8. Do you have any exciting adventures planned for this year?
We have a trip booked to the South of France later this year and one of the destinations on our list is the ‘Dune du Pilat’. It is the tallest sand dune in Europe and the view from the top is breathtaking. I lived in France as a child and some of my favourite memories were here, so I can’t wait to take my children.
9. Do you have any tips for parents when it comes to travelling with young children?
Take snacks, stay calm and make everything an adventure as their big imaginations are amazing!
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Follow Tamara’s family adventures over on Instagram @kids_life_coastal
