Swallows and Amazons is out on Monday on DVD and Blu-Ray. I remember reading this book as a child so I was keen to watch the movie with the kids, and introduce them to the story, and to see how it came across on screen.
The Swallows and Amazons movie is a beautifully made adaption of Arthur Ransome’s book, which tells the tale of the Walker children and their summer holiday in the Lake District where they discover their own island, and all of the adventures that follow as they get into a rivalry with another local group of children called the Amazons.
The story is charmingly old fashioned (the fashions and settings reminded us a bit of the Narnia movies) but this still appealed to my kids just as much as any more modern story, particularly my 8 year old who loves adventure stories like this.
The scenery is gorgeous, and it’s a great “real life” adventure story that will entertain all the family.
To help us with our own outdoor adventures, after being inspired by the Swallows and Amazons movie, Muddy Puddles sent us some great outdoor wear to ensure that the kids can still get active and have their outdoor adventures whatever the weather.
R was sent the Ecosplash Jacket, Ecosplash Trousers and Puddlestomper Wellies which are all great quality and seem like they will withstand loads of use and active play. He’s already been getting lots of wear out of them with this cold and wet winter weather, especially the jacket.
The trousers and wellies are really handy too if you’re out exploring and splashing around and you don’t need to worry about clothes staying warm and dry, since wearing the full outfit mean that kids are pretty waterproof and can have more freedom to play without restrictions
These pictures were taken in a little island that we have near to our house, which we can pass on the way to school. It may not be quite as big or impressive as the one in Swallows and Amazons (it’s not surrounded by a lake either!) but it’s great to have these little areas of nature to explore nearby, giving kids the chance to play with sticks and leaves and run among the trees. We can normally spot a few squirrels there too.
The Muddy Puddles clothing is ideal for any kind of outdoor play, whether in the woods, on the beach during colder weather, a trip to the park when the play equipment is still a bit damp, or even just playing out in the garden. If you have active kids, you don’t want to have to keep them indoors just on account of the weather, especially as the Winter season goes on for quite a while! As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as “bad weather” only “bad clothing” so dressed up in his Muddy Puddles rain gear, R is ready for adventure any time!
I was really impressed with the quality and attention to detail with the Muddy Puddles products. The rain jacket is nicely lined so it is warmer than a cheaper raincoat, and the trousers are warmly lined too. I find the trousers and jacket combination more convenient than the all in one puddle suits, especially as the children are out of the toddler years – they’re just so much more versatile, and they feel more comfortable wearing these. The trousers have a generous loose cut so that kids can wear it over their normal trousers – quite handy if you’re playing outdoors and then heading somewhere else afterwards as you can just take them off when you’re finished playing and continue with your day.
I also like that the jacket has reflective details on it, giving kids more visibility in the dark evenings, which is particularly useful in Winter as it’s dark so early! The matching wellies print on the EcoSplash jacket and Puddle Stomper wellies is lovely too, it’s bright and cheerful without being babyish.
The EcoSplash jacket and Puddle Stomper wellies come in lots of different colour ways and patterns too, suiting boys and girls, so you can pick whichever suits.
I’m sure we’ll be having plenty more outdoor adventures with our Muddy Puddles rainwear throughout the rest of the year too, just like the Walker family of Swallows and Amazons!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.