We were out of milk (again – how come we still underestimate that one?). So, after dropping the boys off at school, I walked to Morrisons to get some more. Here’s what I heard. Cars. A great big truck beeping loudly as it reversed. A train rumbling over the railway bridge. A siren. Someone shouting. Someone laughing. And then, cutting sharply...

The sky above the small West Yorkshire town of Silsden was cold, empty and silent. I swear the sun was shivering as it shrank below the horizon. ‘Any minute now,’ said mum. She handed out binoculars. I handed out gloves, hats. Zipped up coats. Felt my toes starting to go numb, which doesn’t take long when you’re  standing...

The sight of a single, sorry, soggy glove in the gutter today reminded me of the fantastic, clever and stylish idea from Do The Green Thing. If you’ve got a single glove, don’t bin it – send it to Green Thing’s Glove Love scheme.  They will launder it and match it up with a complementary (and trendily un-matching) partner....

Trying to get my sons to sit quietly for any length of time is challenging enough. But the thought of trying to get them to do so with their eyes shut – well, let’s just say I did wonder… But I’m always up for a challenge. And Looking for Dragons has been invited by Mumsnet to launch the blog-tour (see bottom) for a book about...

Here are some very happy feet.

I’ve just received my copy of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 (Portfolio 21).  I’ve written half the captions for this book most years for quite some time now. The images are, as always, mostly stunning. But what never fails to impress me is the stuff that the youngsters pull out of the hat. There are three categories specially...

Children rank having a garden at home or outdoor space nearby as #2 on their list of ‘must-haves’. This is immediately followed by the #3 ‘must have’ of at least one family holiday away from home each year. And #5 on the list is ‘monthly trips or days out with the family.’ In fact, only one essential item among the top five (a personal music...

Spending more time outdoors may reduce your children’s risk of becoming short-sighted. Researchers from Cambridge Uni have found a link between the amount of time children and teens spend outside, and rates of near-sightedness (myopia). The team found that for each additional hour spent outdoors per week, the chance of myopia dropped by about two...

We failed to get any tickets for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I know that when the Games start, if we’re slobbing out on the sofa just watching it all, we’re going to feel as though we’re really missing out. I have, however, discovered another way for us all to feel part of the Games. It’s called the Youth & Family Gold...

A bucketful of rescued baby rabbits, a woodland of tall trees, ripples on a pond, the roots of an upturned tree and puffy clouds… and that, says children’s writer and illustrator Debi Gliori, is what triggered the idea for her latest storybook. We went to see her at this year’s Morley Literature Festival, West Yorkshire (watch your back, Ilkley!)...