I Found Retail Wonderland!

Let's be honest, it is very hard to find a place both moms and kids love to spend time in.  Either kids find the place dull and stuffy or the moms feel they need to pop a few sedatives before taking kids to an area to have fun.  Enter Level Kids.  This morning, I was lucky to get a tour of this incredible space, and all I could think was: I can't wait to bring my kids here!

Level Kids is a luxury concept store, for all things kids related.  When you enter, you feel like you are entering retail wonderland. Each of the three floors transports you to a different world.  The ground floor, where the premium brands are, is the Underwater World.

The 1st floor, which is contemporary fashion and shoes, is the Blossoming Desert.  

The 2nd floor, which is the Layette, is the Fascinating Sky.

Throughout the shopping experience there are multi scenery elements for kids (and adults) to enjoy,  that take you through these different worlds and amplify the whole experience of wonderment. There are interactive digital stations throughout the space for the little ones to check out too.  It is so much more than just retail heaven.  There are two yummy F & B outlets, a play area, a princess dress up area and a photography studio. There are specialised services for kids, like stylists, a spa with a hair salon and a birthday venue.  Kids will also get to enjoy different types of classes within the space.  

Level Kids is bright, spacious and very stylish and it's within the latest phase of City Walk Dubai, which is such a beautiful new addition to the Dubai scene.   If you live in the U.A.E. or plan to visit, you must go check it out. And yes, bring the little ones.

xx

D

(As always this post is my personal opinion, I have not been asked or paid to write any of the content).

Let's Chase a Rainbow!

Kenz's latest obsession is rainbows. We have rainbow coloured drawings, we have "rainbow" play doh which she has mixed up and yes drives me nuts, and we have rainbow PJs, T-shirts and dresses.

So I thought I'd look around for all rainbow items that might be a cool addition to her room.  All these items are found online and the links are included.

1. These Pastel and Bright Rainbows by Pixistuff are being spotted on many kids' interiors blogs.

Rainbows available at Retro Kids

2.  This poster from EefLillemor is adorable and just puts a smile on my face.

Rainbow poster in A3 found here

3. This wooden rainbow rocker is so cute and kids can do so much more than rock on it.  They can go over it, under it, pretend its a boat for their toys, and probably a bunch of other things that my adult mind can't think of.

Rainbow rocker from Lunatur

4. This set of decorative wall decals from Shutterfly can be personalised and arranged in any way you like.

 Rainbows and Sunshine Wall Decals found here

5. Rainbow Cases from Retro Kids.  Cute and functional!

Cases available here

6. These rainbow necklaces by Pop Cutie are handmade and kinda kitschy.

Necklaces available at Retro Kids

7. Not exactly a rainbow, but they are pom poms in rainbow colors and I love pom poms!  This pom pom light string would be awesome in Kenz's room.

Light string by PomPom Galore available here at This Modern Life

8. If you're into a little bit of an 80s vibe, this Wheels Up Decal Poster is pretty cool.

Decal Poster from Land of Nod

9. This Sunday Heart Eyes poster by Pax and Heart is very cool and whimsical.

 Available at Leo & Bella 

xx
D

Hola Barcelona!

We traveled to Barcelona for our Easter holiday this year.  We wanted a city destination since we went to Mauritius for Christmas and we wanted to go someplace with relatively mild weather.  It didn't hurt that an El Clasico game (name given to football games between rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid) was happening there at that time, so it was easy to sell the idea to the Mr.

So here goes, my tips for things to do with the kids in this beautiful bustling city.

Cultural Activities

1. Walk around the Sagrada Familia.  Considered the city's greatest building, this master piece by Gaudi is a must.  To be honest, we didn't attempt to go inside as the queue for the tickets was just too long.  But what made the experience even better was the playground right in front of it.  Kids got to let loose while we got to take in all the details.

 2. Picasso Museum - We decided on this museum because Yousef learnt a little about Picasso in school, so it was a great opportunity to show him some of the art up close (I won't lie, sometimes he got too close and I had to grab his hand before security kicked us all out!).  Also, the exhibition is in a relatively small space, so it's not too overwhelming for the kids and we knew they wouldn't get restless.  One thing that did help keep them quiet was the audio guide that we gave them, which they enjoyed listening to.

This is the only picture I have as we weren't allowed to take photos inside.

3. Montjuic Castle - Getting there was half the fun.  We took two Teleferics to get to this 18th century castle.  The 360° view of the city and the Mediterranean sea is jaw dropping.  And the kids loved the cannons and towers on the premises. The surrounding Montjuic park is a nice way to spend the day out. There are playgrounds with slides going down the side of a hill and plenty of picnic spots.  

Tibidabo Amusement Park

This is a must.  Anyone who knows my family knows we love theme parks, but even if you aren't really into them, this is a must.  If for no other reason, just to check out the insane view.  Tibidabo is great as it's not very far from the city centre, I think it took us 20 minutes in a taxi to get there.  And it's not very big, so you can do most of the park in 5 or 6 hours.  There aren't many thrilling rides so it's more of a family attraction (there are a few cool rides for the thrill seekers don't worry).  And even though we went on a Sunday, the queues weren't bad at all.

Getting Around Town

Barcelona is a walking city.  We walked a lot.  Coming from Dubai, this alone was an experience for the kids. It was great for them to see the city and its people this way.  They also got to meet a few smaller friends.

Although a little pricey, the hop on hop off buses are a great way to check out different sites and neighbourhoods with little ones in tow.

I highly recommend taking the Teleferic (cable car) over Port Vell to Montjuic mountain.

Other Points of Interest

1. The Chocolate Museum of Barcelona - if you happen to be in the El Born area, you should check this out.  Even the ticket is chocolate.  It's also less than a 5 minute walk from the Picasso Museum.

 2. L'Aquarium Barcelona - even though we have a pretty cool aquarium in Dubai Mall, this was quite impressive.  It was a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.

3. The Markets - We took the kids to the famous Mercado de la Boqueria as well as the smaller, less touristy Mercat de Santa Caterina.  There are all types of stalls, from fish mongers, to butchers and yes also those that sold chocolate and candy.

4. Park Guell - Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to go this time, but I remember it from my last visit.  It's a beautiful park. The kids will think they fell down the rabbit hole. 

 Images from Parkguell.cat

5. Camp Nou - A visit to FC Barcelona's home is a must, especially if you have boys.  You can do a tour and visit the museum, or if you're lucky catch a game and as my husband would say "watch the magic".

xx
D

Happy International Children's Book Day!

Apparently April 2nd is International Children's Book Day! I thought this would be a good opportunity to share with you some of my favourite children's books.  If you're a parent, you've probably heard of and read most of these.  If you haven't, please make sure to get your hands on a copy, your kids will love them, promise!

1. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson.  I've probably read this book over 500 times.  We have a regular copy as well as the sound book and the kids love both.  This story is exciting, a little scary and oh so clever.  

2. Kitchen Disco by Clare Foges and Al Murphy.  The kids loooove this one.  I've even taken it to Kenz's class and all the kids went nuts for it.  It's goofy, it's colourful and you can make a song out of it.  Just a warning, might get the kids hyped up so possibly not the best idea right before bed time ;)

3. Not a box by Antoinette Portis. Very cool book that plays with a child's imagination.

4. Sleeping Cinderella and Other Princess Mix-ups by Stephanie Clarkson.  If you have a girl, you must get this. She will get to see a totally different side of these famous fairytale princesses. 

5. The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers.  Best book ever.  I laugh probably just as much as the kids do whenever we read this.  This is the time to bring out your best acting skills as there are a bunch of amazing characters in this book.  There's also the follow up which is just as good - The Day The Crayons Came Home. 

6. Mr Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown.  This book illustrates big ideas (bravery, individuality and friendship) in a very cute and simple way.  

7. The Tickle Book by Ian Whybrow. So much fun to attack the kids with tickles every time the tickle monster pops up. Yousef and Kenz take turns lifting the flaps which adds to the excitement. 

8. At The Same Moment Around The World by Clotilde Perrin.  This book was a great way to explain to Yousef how there are different time zones around the world.  It was also nice for him to get a little idea of how kids from around the world go about their day. 

9. The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak.  The author is the writer of the hit comedy series The Office, so you can imagine how funny the book is.  It's something different for the kids to experience, and the parents have no choice but to act super silly while reading it :).

I'd love to hear which are your family's favourites.