I have several good friends in Coventry and being just over an hour from Milton Keynes (and with the exception of the roadworks on the M1 through Northamptonshire) it’s a relatively straightforward journey to go and see them. Since starting this blog of course, I can’t help but look for fun places to take the kids wherever we go. On our most recent visit we were delighted to take a trip to the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum after hearing it was free and was particularly geared up to families. The highlight at the moment is the Brick Wonders Lego Exhibition. There’s a room filled with really cool models including the Great Wall of China and Niagara Falls. We were most impressed by the one of the airport. Some of the models are small and in glass cases so don’t go expecting a whole room full of massive character sculptures made out of Lego. It’s all about the man-made, natural and ancient wonders of the world. Watch my video to get a good idea of what to expect. The exhibition runs until 15th January 2017 so there is plenty of time to see it. Keep scrolling to find out what else is on there…

The problem with some places that my three year old absolutely loves is that there’s not always that much for my baby boy – now one – to enjoy. He inevitably spends more time in the buggy or being carried than I’d like. We were really impressed therefore with the Wild Wanders baby sensory area. There are a couple of enclosed areas with foam shapes and materials to play with, as well as cones and other brightly coloured and textured objects. It’s apparently aimed at 0-5s but I’d say children 0-2 will get the most out of it. It was a huge hit with my baby boy and he loved exploring. It would be brilliant if more art galleries and museums catered for small children in the same way as the Herbert has done. It is only on until 6th September 2016 so I hope they bear this age group in mind with whatever is coming next. Have a look at the video below to see what it’s like.

So what else is there at the moment? We enjoyed an exhibition which featured examples of taxidermy – you can get very close to some of the exhibits – that’s on until November. Doing the school hols they have various workshops on for children. The museum collections contain hundreds of thousands of items ranging from tiny insects to large industrial machinery like a jacquard loom, and from everyday household objects to fine paintings by important artists. The museum is free but obviously appreciates donations. There’s a nice café with ikea high chairs. It’s situated in town and there are plenty of car parks in the city centre. The postcode for the Herbert is CV1 5QP. But you’re probably best to park in West Orchards car park CV1 1QX and walk. It’s not far from there. It’s next to the cathedral. If you’re looking to make a day of it then my Coventry friends highly recommend a visit to Coventry Transport Museum which is also free and the War Memorial Park which has a splash and play feature – both we hope to visit ourselves in the next year.