BeccaL

Put on wellies and waterproofs and go and jump in puddles in the park, then come home and have hot chocolate!

Thanks nunhead mum - that's really useful to know. Will watch out for it in Bromley.

Thanks for those. Have just got tickets for london eye as she and I love it and daddy not so keen. Like suggestion of ballet - did look at that and wonder how 'baby-ish' it would be - she's not so keen on babyish at the mo. Might well follow up with pirates afterwards - she'd like that! Thanks all

Day out with just daughter tomorrow - any suggestions? London or nearby - Kent possible. Open to thoughts... Thanks

I think SMBS stock them.

The Glades in Bromley has a little slide, waves and a teeny pool for little ones. Only about a 20-min drive max. More expensive than ordinary swimming pools but much cheaper than Centre parcs!! Worth checking their website for session times, and if you can go for the lunchtime session that's usually less busy...

If you like seaside then Hastings is good - beach, new gallery, funicular going up the cliff top to some nice grassland if you fancy a walk, few interesting shops, fish and chips, amusement park if that's your bag, and can get there by car in about 1.5 hours from ED, less if you're lucky. Straight out through Bromley then A21 all the way, except for a couple of miles where it turns into the M25!

Gina G3, they feel secure once in - as others say take a little practice to start with but so much nicer than tampons IMHO

Would thoroughly recommend Superkids www.superkidsswimmingschool.co.uk/ - at various different places. Not sure what availability is but we've found them very good.

Agree - have used for years and great. That review is hilarious but a little OTT!!

Look on Southwark website - can get brown bags from various places including Dulwich Library. Should then be taken away along with brown bin (I think)

We appealed against primary school allocation, but unsuccessfully... Welcome to PM if more info would help.

I think it was just general play bark but was a few years ago. If it's concrete underneath probably won't need membrane but might want a thicker layer of bark. Daughter happy playing on it, but most of it is now covered by the trampoline. PM me if you want to pop round for a look!

In similar position we put down bark - we have tonnes of foxes in our garden but they don't seem to use it as a toilet (have to admit haven't looked too closely but have had no reports of it from children using it). Is fairly cheap and easy. Welcome to come and have a look if you like... Think we got the bark from Lidls when it was on offer so even cheaper - few pounds per bag. Did however lay down a weed-proof membrane underneath to prevent stuff growing through which has made a big difference - would be full of weeds otherwise!

Am sure school could tell you. They might well have spaces higher up the school - many round here do as people move out later on in kids school life and harder for schools to fill these places as tends to be less movement later in primary years.

Thankfully daughter wants to go as Matilda this year, so it's dress and hair ribbon! Previously she went as moonface fr the magic faraway tree which mainly involved a paper plate turned into a moon-shaped mask!

Rats! Better start hothousing your daughter and see if you can squeeze her in early ;-)

Would stepson count as a sibling place? Might be worth asking...

Sorry to say but, yes, probably. We're on Overhill and only got a place at Goodrich because there was a bulge class (3 years ago). That will have reduced the catchment size because of siblings. We were top of the Horniman waiting list which that year didn't have a bulge class but they did have one this school year so not sure what next year's catchment will be. Worth checking with authorities and schools but my gut feel is that you might have a hard time unless you were closer to Eliot bank (towards Sydenham)

We used the Hamax (one which didn't recline) from that age which our daughter loved. Cue many shouts of "Go faster, Mummy, go faster Mummy" as I tried to cycle up Overhill Road! We're selling ours with two fitting things if you're interested! PM me for more details.

Coop bank do a money box and also send a card for birthday which my daughter likes. There's a branch in Lewisham

Depends what she likes - although it's my idea of hell, my daughter would opt for soft play/swimming given the choice, particularly as we don't take her very often. Crystal Palace park fun if weather is OK.

Daughter (7) has one like the one in the left-hand box on this page http://www.marksandspencer.com/Kids-Bedroom-Home-Furniture/b/121009031?ie=UTF8&ie=UTF8?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1V9AX3EJE3BQEWDVG5P1&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=121042031&pf_rd_p=467421113&pf_rd_s=global-top-10 which she loves - added benefit of having a den-like space behind the drawers for playing/hiding and the desk which pulls out is also popular. Quite nice if you don't need bunks but she wants something high up...

Definitely in the microwave - I find better with quite a flat bowl - we use pasta/soup-type ones - the milk bubbles a lot but if in a flat bowl it doesn't explode. I prefer mine milky, daughter prefers hers almost like flapjack! I tend to use less milk than I'll want then use fresh cold milk on top and mix round to cool it down and loosen it out. Saucepan definitely not possible in the morning...!

Dawsons heights was busy this morning - below the flats on Overhill road