Judith Heyburn, mum to Maddie 5yrs and Scarlett 3yrs booked a glamping holiday in the UK this summer with Feather Down Farm Days at Manor Farm, Hampshire.

At SandyPants we love the idea of glamping and so we asked her how it went and if Judith would recommend it.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the most amazing tent in a field on the farm, looking out at the sheep, with chickens roaming in and out of it. Our home for the week had mains water, a toilet, kitchen area, dining table and three different areas to sleep – bags of space and bags of charm !

Was it what you expected?

To be honest it exceeded my expectations, it was a great mix of being comfortable but still camping. We were all so relaxed.

What made you decide to book a glamping holiday?

I liked the idea of having the freedom of being in the countryside, without the discomfort of a traditional tent. My friend had been to another Feather Down Farm and had really enjoyed it, so we thought it would be fun to take two tents next to each other. The site was very well set up for groups staying together and for individual families.

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What did you do in the day?

Each morning the children fed the pigs and collected the eggs from the chicken coop, helped with changing the fire wood and the chillers for the cool box. When the weather was good they were happy to play on the farm and in the tents, and when it wasn't there were plenty of attractions within a short drive.

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The best part?

Toasting marshmallows and singing songs around the campfire, cooking homemade pizza in the outdoor pizza oven, and just watching the sun set from inside the tent.

The worst part?

Waking up and having to wait for the fire I built each morning in the wood burning stove to get hot enough to boil a kettle. Until I discovered the cappuccino machine in the honesty shop – just a quick dash across the field in my PJs !

Would you recommend it, or go again?

Most definitely – I am already looking at which Feather Down Farm to choose for next year.

A lovely thank you to Dubai Confidential.ae, who recently selected our personalised birth canvases as the perfect gift idea for a new baby or toddler – “an eye-catching way to decorate your nursery, and a fabulous momento for the future”. Have a look online to see the wide choice of colours and designs available. They are perfect for special occasions including christenings and birthdays.

This week the SandyPants team have been busy decorating our easter tree by blowing eggs and painting them.
If you would like to know how then follow this: To blow a raw egg, use a darning needle to make a small hole in the top, turn the egg carefully upside down and make a slightly larger hole in the bottom. Break up the yolk by poking the needle about inside, and then gently blow into the smaller hole to evacuate the innards into a bowl (save for making scrambled eggs or pancakes). Rinse the blown egg by submerging the shell in water with a little vinegar added and blowing out again. Allow to dry and decorate with paints, food colouring, glitter and felt. To attach the eggs to your easter tree, cut a length of ribbon and glue it carefully right around the egg tying the free ends into a bow at the top to hang. Or alternatively glue a wooden skewer inside and decorate your garden ready for the easter egg hunt. Happy Easter everyone, love SandyPants.com

The SandyPants team were delighted to be able to contribute to the Harmony House fund raising charity dinner last year by donating one of our signed Ducati replica children’s balance bikes to the charity auction.

We managed to raise 10,500 dhs to help the underpriveleged children of Harmony House in India.

We had a great response to our extensive children’s balance bike range at last years Gulf Bike show.

Lots of parents especially the Dads were excited to get their hands on some bright coloured wooden balance bikes with mini exhausts on the back!

Our balance bikes help kids develop their own sense of balance and progress to riding a pedal bike without training wheels quickly and easily.

The new SandyPants website is now online!

Everyone loves a story. Ours began when after living in the UAE for many years, we realised that some of the best children’s products available elsewhere in the world were virtually impossible to find in the Middle East. The type of products that made you wish you were a child again just so you could play, wear or use them too – beautiful toys that bring the magic and nostalgia back from your own childhood, stylish clothes and innovative products so clever you wonder why nobody ever thought of them before.

Raising the money to put business dreams into reality was a challenge, but we had our lucky break after staying up all night to solve a local radio competition and amazed ourselves by actually winning the big cash prize. There was no turning back – SandyPants was born.

As any child living in the Middle East will know first hand, having sand in your pants comes with enjoying the great outdoors, whether its camping under a desert night sky or building sandcastles next to the warm Arabian Gulf. At SandyPants we feel these are some of the best things about growing up in the Middle East, and we aim to encourage active lifestyles by providing creative and imaginative children's products made from beautiful yet practical materials.

The SandyPants philosophy is simple – to carefully select some of the best designed, finest quality, award winning children’s products and ensure they are delivered straight to your door with minimum fuss. We feel it is essential to provide outstanding customer service so that you can enjoy and subsequently recommend to others shopping with us. Our handpicked range includes both traditional and contemporary children’s products that we and our own children have loved playing with, wearing or using.

At SandyPants.com we hope you will find special products that will delight family and friends for many years to come.

With fun filled adventures,
Donna & Patricia