Hove and Beyond (2026)

12/08/2026

📚LUNA LOVES LONDON AT DISCOVER CHILDREN’S STORY CENTRE📚
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One of our absolute favourite places in London has just had a major glow-up AND it’s launched a brand new ‘Luna Loves London’ immersive exhibition 🤩 And the good news if you’re one of our Sussex followers is that it’s actually really straightforward to get to - we got the train direct from Brighton to London Bridge, then the Jubilee Line straight to Stratford. It’s all step-free so buggy-friendly and just a 4 min walk from the centre ✅

🇬🇧 We loved exploring the colourful role play city of Luna’s London, all based on the popular series of books. Start with a bus ride with a chatty storytelling driver who sets the scene of Luna’s world, and then the doors open into the vibrant play town. There was so much to play with that we could easily have stayed for twice the time! A community garden with hidden slide, a carnival, sports centre, dance studio, taxi, bus & balance bikes plus an Art Gallery where you can step into artworks and make your own masterpieces with tubes, tiles, blocks & more 😍

🏰 As well as Luna’s London, Discover Children's Story Centre features two floors of magical Story Worlds that you’re free to explore at your leisure, with spaceships, castles, ships, slides, clouds & more to get the imagination going ✨

🌳 Then step into the Story Garden with its incredible playground, featuring space-inspired play structures, a treehouse, musical zones, a mud kitchen and so much more.

🚦 This August you can also enjoy their Story Street x LEGO Group play street, with LEGO building & painting, a toddler play zone, musical area, chalk pavement drawing, and a calming sensory area.

🌈 There’s a brilliant new Baby & Toddler Sensory Room for 0-2s too. It’s so calming & enticing while also having so much to play with, including ride-ons, wind tubes, foam construction, dress-up, toys & books.

📚 The new bookshop is so inviting with a staircase to climb too.

☕️ Plus there’s a well-priced cafe including kids sandwiches for just £2.

This such an amazing place - ours have loved it as toddlers and in a whole new way now they can read 📚🥹

11/08/2026

🌊🐠Who likes the sound of FREE summer craft activities, a FREE Ocean Trail, plus the chance to WIN A FAMILY ANNUAL PASS to SEA LIFE Brighton??🤩
Well County Mall Shopping Centre in Crawley has got it all going on this summer with their 🐠SEA OF TALES🐠 events!

✂️ Every Wednesday and Saturday in August they are running FREE themed craft workshops - we loved taking part in their giant Coral Kingdom community collage and there’s lots more to come. Next up is:

🐙 WEDS 12TH AUG: Continuation of the Coral Kingdom - Help create a spectacular Community Coral Reef Collage with two friendly sailors
🏴‍☠️ SAT 15TH AUG: Pirates & The Deep Blue – Create a recycled Treasure Chest before joining their pirates for an exciting storytelling adventure.
🎟️ These events are FREE but you do need to prebook on the County Mall website (links on their Events page)!

🐳 Plus their OCEAN TRAIL is unmissable not only because the kids loved tracking down all 8 giant suspended sea creatures throughout the mall and completing their quizzes, but because you can submit your entry at the end for a chance to win a Family Annual Pass to Sealife Brighton 🤩 What a win that would be!
🎟️ The trail runs daily until 1st Sep and it’s free with no booking required. Pick up your trail sheet & pencil from the Splash Point in the mall.

We had the loveliest time here - the atmosphere at the craft event was so friendly and welcoming and there were so many craft resources to explore ✅ And the giant sea creatures are amazing to see 🤩

➕ Plus County Mall is so family-friendly, being home to Mini Mayhem soft play, plus 2 fantastic toy shops, and there’s even a brilliant playground right outside and the library and Crawley Museum just a short walk away. You can easily make it a full day of fun!

📍 County Mall, Crawley
🚘 Multi-storey car parking available

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25/07/2026

🫟SEASIDE SPLATTER🫟
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Wow 🤩 this is such a unique way to kickstart the Summer holidays and it works just as well for every age from toddlers to teens through to adults! 🙌

Perfect if you have split ages to entertain, and you can even enjoy the experience yourself and make your own canvas creation to take home!🫟

Sessions last for 1hr and you have the freedom to cover the walls and even ceiling in paint via every means from paint pistols to paint throwing, to sponges, brushes, handprints and stencils 🎨 You also have your own 12x16” canvas to paint that’s then neatly packaged up for you in a handy pizza box at the end 🖼️ NEO paint is coming soon too!🪩😎

is located in the heart of Western Rd opposite Norfolk Gardens, moments from the sea 🌊 surrounded by coffee shops ☕️, and a short walk from either Churchill Square shops 🛍️ or St Ann’s Well Gardens & playground 🌳 so you can easily make it a full day trip if you want.

TOP TIPS:
✅ Wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy or possibly slightly stained - you’re provided with ponchos & the whole experience only really gets as messy as you want it to be, but if you (or someone in your party!) plans on going all-in then it’s just worth knowing it’s not the easiest to wash off if it makes it past the poncho (it washes off skin fine)
✅ The pizza boxes are large so you might want to bring something/someone to help carry them home if you’ve gone with little ones that can’t carry their own
✅ The washing facilities are upstairs & a bit tight so if you or your kids have gone full-mess-strategy but want to get 100% paint-free afterwards, you might want to do your session at the end of your days’ activities & then head home for a bath - or pop to the sea for a dip!

☀️ This is such a fantastic addition to the Brighton scene - whether it’s a family day out, a girls’ trip, or a date it makes such a fun option! Thanks for having us !

📍BN1 2PA
🚌 On multiple bus routes with a stop right outside
🕥 Open most days -prebook your session online
💷 £20pp for 1hr

💾 SAVE this for your Summer holiday p

07/07/2026

☀️15 FREE family-friendly things to do on sunny days in Brighton & Hove☀️

What’s your favourite way to spend a sunny day in Brighton whilst sticking to a budget?

💬 Ask in the comments if you need more details on any of these!

23/06/2026

🍦ICE CREAM SPOTS IN BRIGHTON & SUSSEX NOT TO MISS WITH KIDS 🍦

These gems make an ice cream stop into a full trip 😎:
🐐 Mile Oak Farm Shop - goats, donkeys, ducks and an emu to say hello to!
🏖️ Yellowave - shaded sandpit & chill seaside vibes
🧸 Cloud 9 Brighton (York Place) - cute play corner packed either toys
🛝 MILE Oak Coffee - outdoor toddler play area and a big toybox indoors too
🌅 Ditchling Beacon - stunning views and an Ice Cream Van - what could be better?
🍦 Brass Monkey Ice Cream - organic homemade ice cream, with flavours inspired by tastes across the world, hidden in The Lanes
🌊 Marrocco's - a Hove institution, serving homemade Italian ice cream since 1969
Maka Hove - a quieter option with incredible Sussex-made gelato, moments from the sea

💬 Have we missed your favourite?

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