So what have been your most and least successful half-term outings/activities?

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Our best - outing to the seaside by train, including lunch at a pavement table outside a pub, basking in the sunshine.

Our worst - sleepover at which MadBadBaby didn't sleep and had to be taken home at midnight, leaving her tired and grumpy the next day.

Best - when neighbour whisked DD off to a family open day while I went unaccompanied to my hospital appointment, and then plied me with gin when they got back, leaving DH concerned about my ability read bedtime stories (I managed it, it wasn't that much gin, honest).

Worst - not seeing friend and her kids one day due to her DD1 being ill, followed by not going for coffee the following day because other friend's DD broke her thumb at soft play in the morning. Don't get me wrong though - I know THEY had much worse days than we did!

Best - DD's two cousins came for a two day visit; they are so attentive to her it was like having a couple of au pairs

Worst - none really, it was a nice week.

One thing I did notice. You know how people are always saying "kids needs sibs for companionship, they'll be lonely on their own"? Well, whilst we've been out and about this half term I've noticed how many sibling groups`seem cheesed off with each other rather than jolly playmates. And on several threads MNetters are saying they're sick of their kids squabbling and moaning about being bored. So having sibs doesn't guarantee cameraderie and endless entertainment afterall. Just an observation

best - sending the children with DH to Amsterdam for the week!!

Worst - nothing! I was on my own.

oh isnt it hard with one child!
Play House was prob the best part for my dd, and the day with her grandma.
She went to holiday club the other thre days at school and she seemed to love it.
I do think its nice for them to have siblings for company but I also love the way my dd is confident and sociable and always quick to make friends

Not any harder with one child than with more than one if MumsNet this week has been anything to go by

not hard work! but generally I find she just wants company and is okay for a while with mum or dad but then starts asking for friends or cousins to play with, she gets so excited when we go anywhere because she has people to play with

best- the space rocket making sessions.
worst- his tantrum on bus on way home from friends coz he did't want to leave.

Worst - week spent vomitting / lying on the sofa / being taken to the doctor / obsessing abut having her nappy changed because she is so sore.

Best - umm ... err ... can't think as brain shrivelled due to several days' daytime TV ... oh yes, best bit was planning half term and all the fun things we would do.

Love the idea of seaside outing and rocket making - not sure I could send dd to Amersterdam yet.

Best - today (I hope!) - we are going to Lunnon! to a Travelodge! to see things at the British Museum! and we will eat Out! and tomorrow miss a day of School! and see his Cousins! and go to the Science Museum!

he is currently calling out every five minutes 'How Long Now?' 1 hr 55 mins to the train...

Worst - none I think - somebody else looked after him Mon to Fri lunchtime... had dream that i'd been ostracised due to amount of time I offload ds to my friends

Best - toss up between day to the seaside (ate fish and chips on beach, not seaside cafe, not as sophisticated as MadBadBaby )

Other Best - making space ships at the Tate

Worst - none really. Had to miss playdate because of cough, but only because there was a baby....

Best - Seaside for us too! Ice cream parlor, dodgems and playing on the beach

Worst - Check up at dentist, luckily no treatment needed!

Ah, but Daisy, we had fish and chips too (and it was a lunchtime bargain at £5 a head)!

I'm sorry that some people here had to spend half term mopping up vomit.

Worst - London Aquarium. Whaddafackinshit'ole (said Catherine Tate's Nan-stylee).

Best - playdates with friends which involved lots of stomping around parks/back gardens and junk food treats afterwards

Mrs Mattie - You went to the aquarium during school holidays?

lol!@MadBad

I prebooked tickets online and got there 20 mins before it opened. The queue was still hideous and it was still rammed with tourists gazing in wonderment at the manky old trout in their dirty old tank

I stayed away from the science museum this time, though

You live and learn, eh?

In my (battle-scarred) experience, the queue is always hideous, most of the tanks look as if they need a good scrub and the only impressive sight are the sharks swimming around the ersatz Polynesian heads (if you can elbow your way close enough to see).

lol @ 'manky old trout' by the way, do you mean me ?

LOL!

There were no 'manky old trout' of that sort, no. Quite the opposite, actually. Lots of impossibly slim and well groomed American Moms with huge broods of very precocious children who only came to Find Nemo ('Mommy, this is kinda lame. Can we go to the Tate Modern now?', I heard one tiny little boy of about 4 yrs old proclaim! ).

DS did love the sharks, yes . Very disappointed he couldn't find any jellyfish, though. We abandoned the Aquarium after roughly half an hour and a great old stomp down the South Bank instead.

Thank God it's over, though....

Yes, but he probably only wanted to go there for the cafe or skateboarding/Heelying in the turbine hall.

Do you live in London, Mrs Mattie? The Horniman Museum has a tank full of jellyfish (and also some Nemos), but it too is at bursting point during holidays.

Yes, I'm a norf Londoner.

Ah, now that's interesting re: the Horniman. Perhaps a weekday afternoon wouldn't be too hideous? DS is only at nursery in the morning at the moment. Thanks