Mumsnet users share the times bad weather has turned their days out into adventures with Arla Big Milk

[JustineBMumsnet]

NOW CLOSED

Sometimes the thought of rain or heavy wind on a day out can make us want to stay indoors and curl up with a film. But, if bad weather catches you by surprise it might even turn your day out into an adventure. Arla Big Milk would like to hear about the adventures you’ve had because of bad weather.

Here’s what Arla Big Milk has to say: “We know how important it is to get your little explorers out in the world around them, so we’ve partnered with Magic Light to bring you yearlong BIG Adventures. We’re also running an on pack monthly prize draw, available across UK grocery retailers, to give you the chance to win an amazing trip to Chessington World of Adventures Resort. Helping to fuel these BIG Adventures, Arla Big Milk is simply fresh whole milk that’s enriched with essential nutrients. So, if you want to join in on the adventure rain or shine, come visit our site to explore activities for your half term.”

Have you raced to find shelter in the woods when you’ve encountered an unexpected downpour? Perhaps you’ve embraced the rain and gone puddle jumping with your children? Maybe you’ve seen a new side to nature when you’ve been out in the wind and rain? Share below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

My family went to stay in a lodge in the Easter holiday somewhere near a forest. Ok, it was The New Forest. The weather was unseasonably dismal and I have photographs of us almost knee deep in muddy water, enjoying an Easter Egg Hunt.

But it’s one of the experiences that the children talk most about. The photographs are hilarious and we all had a great time. Even the hot tub was acceptable in the rain.

We would definitively give it another go, whatever the weather.

Glastonbury 97 on the other hand...

Once we went to visit Hadleigh Castle, after days of rain. We traversed fields to get to it. The mud was so deep it ripped the boots from our feet and our little DS was as brown as a bear. Had to get through it! Like a Michael Rosen poem!

We were out for a walk (live in the countryside) when all of a sudden the heavens opened! Luckily we already had our wellies on as it's so muddy round here, so we decided to jump in as many puddles as we could! The kids loved it and so did we!

Me and my two DS (5 and 1) were stuck at home during a huge downpour one day. We needed milk and I couldn't drive at the time... So we all wrapped up and the big one and I pulled on our wellies and we set out to check out as many puddles as we could on the half hour walk to the shops...
At the time there was flooding in the next town and there was fire and rescue services from around the country that had come to help.
We decided to walk past the fire station on the way home to see if there were any fire engines there, and we found the loveliest fire fighter outside the station after a long shift, who let both boys into one of the fire engines AND took them onto the rescue boat that they had on a trailer!
We ended up having an amazing afternoon all thanks to the bad weather!
We warmed up with hot chocolate once we got home with the milk!

I had promised my dd a day out to local woods where there is a fairy trail. To make it more of a day out we took a picnic. This was last summer when we had brilliant weather. On the day we went it started to cloud over by the time we got out the car it was spitting rain....then the heavens opened. My dd and ds who I think was strapped to me at the time thought this was a great laugh including running to find shelter. We found the fairy trail no problem. All the fairies were being sensible sheltering from the rain. The weather makes the day memorable and dd is desperate to find the shelter again and have another rainy picnic!

When we had all the snow last winter, it arrived in our area very suddenly and went from “a few flakes” to “roads are impassible” in about an hour. We didn’t have a car at the time and DH usually did the nursery run on foot. By the time he arrived to fetch DC, he couldn’t push the buggy through the thick snow and they ended up having to hitch a lift on a passing tractor. Toddler still talks about it now.

One day in September I planned on taking DS and DD for a walk. But it was wet so we went to the library instead. And we ended up doing a unplanned art and crafts session at home. We made paper lanterns and played games.

Once when it snowed we had to abandon the car 3 miles away and walk home in the evening. We stopped at every pub en route (3!) and then got chips at the chippy! Was quite a fun time really!

We were at Glastonbury the year it flooded. Would have never chosen to go if I'd known but it was an incredible experience looking back. Everyone helped each other and it really showed me the how wonderful people can be

We were staying in Somerset at Easter 2018, just after some major rainfall and looding in the area. We drove down to Muchelney Abbey and were amazed at how the roads were passable, but the surrounding fields were still very flooded. At the abbey (an EH property) the guide showed us some pictures of previous floods in the area...we couldn't believe cars had been completely submerged... and he told us if we'd been wanting to visit a few days earlier we wouldn't have been able to get there! It's a lovely place, although the car park was still very wet, and I managed to ruin a pair of shoes walking to and from it... although tbf, I should've known better than to wear suede!

The snow we had a couple weeks ago resulted in my ds' school closing for the day, and luckily it was my day off work, so ds and dd got to spend time playing in the snow and going on a woodland walk- all new experiences for 1yr old dd. It was so lovely to see her wonder at the new experience.

A trip to London (far away for us!) went slightly differently than planned for us! We had big plans for a sunny day in Regents Park but torrential rain directed us to a nearby coffee shop instead. A disappointment in a way, but here our 2 year old DS had his first positive reaction to another kid! He was always scared of other children at nursery but played happily with this little girl and her doll. It was the best coffee shop experience ever!

In the last summer holidays we went for a day trip to London. As we boarded the train from home we felt little drops of rain - forecast was rain for home and fine for London - we got on the train relieved to be leaving it behind. We (me, DH, DM, DD1 (6yo) and DD2 (2yo) were off to visit Buckingham palace to see the changing of the guard and some of the galleries.

Pretty soon we realised that the weather was not fine and it started to rain, right as we were walking through Green Park it started to rain. We hauled 2yo into her buggy and attempted to attach her rain cover, which went down as well as it sounds. She screamed the loudest toddler scream from one side of the park to the other, with every single person turning to look. DH meanwhile moaning that he was cold and went - something to do with the fact that in true brit style he had worn shorts and berkenstocks and not brought a jacket "because it's summer". We managed fine until we were walking down Regent Street on our way to Hamleys when all of a sudden the sky went dark and opened - it rained in giant sheets of rain like I had never seen before, the sort of rain where it's like someone is pouring buckets of water over you. Every single person started running to take cover. I ran, 7 months pregnant with pgp and pushing a screaming toddler in a buggy all the way down to Hamleys (no idea how), dashing inside to take cover. When I got inside I realised I had rain coining off me in sheets. Somehow we managed to get dry (probably from spending so long in Hamleys and dd using it as a opportunity to ask for everything and get more than enough at Hamleys prices).

At the end of the day we went home tired but content and had had a great day. I slept so well that night. Although it was exhausting at the time I look back on it with fond memories.

Just a normal day shopping in town centre. Sudden downpour. Ran into nearest shop door, turned out to be the most interesting, tiny tucked away antiques store. That was a whole adventure in itself.

During a weekend trip to London one Autumn our train back home got delayed due to heavy rain & leaves on the line, so we ended up taking the kids to the V & A museum ( we'd already done the usual Science museum & Natural history), It's one that we never would have thought to take them to, they absolutely loved it especially the jewellery floor. It has become our favourite museum.

We had planned a day out at a nature trail one day of the summer holidays last year. Driving there, the rain just started getting heavier and heavier and we decided to just put on our waterproofs and wellies and see how things went. The covered jeep tour of the grounds was great fun sloshing through some enormous puddles, the DC had great fun puddle jumping and squelching in mud and we had a lovely warming lunch in the cafe. The best thing was that the weather changed completely to blazing sunshine by about 2pm and because most others had called it a day we pretty much had the place to ourselves for the afternoon - including the gorgeous adventure play area and indoor soft play.

Trip down to Cornwall to pick up a bike and planned to make a beach day of it. Knew forecast was poor but were going to pootle around rock pools etc. Turned out much worse than expected so visited a couple of national trust houses on the way back and had a fab time exploring them and dodging raindrops in the gardens. Plus cake

We cycled around millport a Scottish island as a day to celebrate my mum's birthday. We got in the ferry and the rain began to pour. We waited hoping it would go off but no luck. When cycling there was a puddle in my rain jacket. My mum was soaked with jeans off and even her bra was wet!! It was funny driving home and justvkuck we had our swimming gear in the car and the kids were in the car in swimwear and Mum and I wrapped in bathtowels not even underwear on. What a great day we had though!

We had been walking with friends in the woods got caught in some heavy rain but we had all huddled into a shelter so thought we’d got away with it.
Rainstorm over we decided to venture on, DC and his best friend got stuck in the deepest mud and fell over trying to pull each other out. They ended up travelling home laughing hysterically in their underwear. I decided to ferry all the children home in my car as they were filthy and caked in mud. They sang all the way and we remember that walk fondly.

When my DC were in primary school and it was snowing I took them both to school on a sledge then brought two with me to school at hometime so we spent time on the way home sledging. (I use the plastic ones which stack so it's easy to carry a few at once). Luckily our route home is past a landscaped field with lovely long sloping banks. Then back home for hot chocolate...We had such fun that every time after that we did the same thing when it snowed. Instead of it being a chore to get to school and back we turned it into a real treat which we all loved!

Many years ago I was on a girls weekend on the west coast of Scotland. We decided to take the ferry across to gigha but it was cancelled due to the wind picking up. Change of plan. The ferry to arran was still going so we arranged to get that instead. By the time we set sail it was getting more and more stormy, me and my friends have never been so seasick! Finally made it to dry land where the weather started to get a bit better and we had a lovely day pottering about the island. Thankfully the ferry home again was less eventful!

I remember taking my 12 months old baby for a walk in the pushchair. Half way round it started chucking it down. I have a picture of her soaking wet in the pushchair laughing her head off

We were staying at the coast last year (uk) and decided to walk the 3 mile walk from the place up to the big town along the beach/sea front. My five year old took her scooter and off we set.
Nearly 3/4 of the way in; the heavens opened. We just danced and laughed on the beach in the rain. Writing our name in the wet sand and taking pictures. It was crazy and cold. But some of those very carefree photos are my favourites of my daughter.
One as she's running away from waves with the rain pouring down so she doesn't get wet. Oblivious to then fact she's already soaked through.

Fond memories of me, dh and dc being the only people on the beach on rainy days. Raincoats and bare feet. Rain-wet sand is very good for sandcastles. Did you know that raindrops make patterns in the sand?

We have some subsidence in our car park, which results in some amazing puddles, ds always wants to play in these, he is determined to be able to jump them. Hasn't quite managed it yet but has the best time trying!!