A day at the beach 500pc jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger

We all love the seaside, and can't think of any better outdoors activity than running on the beach and splashing in the waves. Alas, we live pretty far from any beach and usually stay by the sea once a year, when we go to Cornwall. Though last year we also spent a couple of days in Brighton, and remember that short break with fondness.
We can't wait when we can go back to our favourite beach in Cornwall in summer.
A Day At The Beach 500 piece puzzle is a bright and colourful puzzle, which makes us think of long summer days by the sea.

I'm not sure if this is the image of the old Brighton pier, or a generic picture of a vintage pier. It invokes nostalgic memories of childhood holidays and summers past, with the Punch and Judy show on the beach, donkey rides, sandcastles and flasks of tea in the breeze.
This vintage-style jigsaw puzzle was created by artist Andy Walker, who has been a professional illustrator for 30 years.

The finished puzzle measures 49x36cm, and is easily do-able as the details on the pieces give you hints as to where they should go. This puzzle is suitable for ages 10 years+, but our 6-year-old son was happy to join me and hunt for pieces needed to complete the puzzle. He's getting better and better with this super-relaxing hobby, and often asks me if I need help with a puzzle.

Like all Ravensburger puzzles, it is made from strong premium grade cardboard, with linen finish to minimise glare on puzzle image.
This cheerful jigsaw puzzle will make a lovely gift for any puzzle fan. I love all the details - with happy children, a small airplane carrying a banner and hungry seagulls waiting to swoop on you and snatch an ice cream cone.

Building sandcastles is such a wonderful summer pastime. Observing the sand activities around us, I often notice that it is the parents who are most competitive about digging the biggest trenches or erecting the tallest sandcastle.

I look at this charming puzzle, and think of how happy we are on the beach.

This puzzle also makes me smile, probably for the wrong reason.
The inane-grinning couple reminds me of The Goosebumps, with their "normal" characters who turn out to be some evil monsters or aliens pretending to be real people. What do you think?

Disclosure: We received this jigsaw puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Classic fun: towers of pebbles

I could never lie still on the beach, getting slowly roasted and tanned, that's not my idea of fun. My guys are an active lot, and enjoy doing things, be it playing football, running, splashing in the sea, exploring the rock pools, building sandcastles or doodling on the sand.
You don't need many toys on the beach: a simple bucket and spade are useful for digging and building.

You see some families building the elaborate fancy sandcastles with lots of turrets, digging the long channels going down to the sea, or burying each other under the sand.
We are lucky that the beach in Perranuthnoe we love so much is a combination of the sand, pebbles and rocks. Tired of digging? Swap for another building activity and build a tower from the pebbles.

Make a simple turret by putting the flat pebbles on top of each other, or do a moat, or a mini-Stonehenge with the bigger pebbles.

We also picked a lot of smooth, wave-caressed pebbles to take as souvenirs with us home. Maybe one day I'll have enough of them to do a proper rockery in the garden as the homage to our holidays in Cornwall.

After all the digging and castle-building, you have to have a treat. And what could be more perfect than an ice cream cone. The Cornish ice cream is a national treasure. You can buy the tubs of the Cornish ice cream and recreate the experience at home, but it is never the same as when you have it by the sea, with the marvellous views in front of you, the curious seagulls watching you and the eternal music of the waves rolling on the beach.

Doodles on the sand

Mum has started her epic journey back to Russia: at 2pm she is leaving London by coach. Tomorrow she should be in Berlin, from there on by coach to Moscow (a couple of days) and then the last leg of the trip is 22-hours-long train journey back home. I always worry about her, and as she is not getting younger, I couldn't but ask myself if we are ever going to see each other again.
To stop myself from crying, I turn to my blog and the numerous photos I took in Cornwall. This was the 3rd time we took my Mum with us to Cornwall, and she loved it as much as we did.
One of the things that we do every year on the beach is having a daily doodling session.

Mum is hard to beat, as she is a true artist, and is very imaginative. Eddie enjoys watching us and then stamping on our doodles with glee.

Horses

She doesn't mind when people stop and watch her, ask questions, comment and even applaud (which I find a bit odd).

My boys

For the time being Eddie is more of a Terminator, he runs over the doodles and giggles when I scold him. And when we come the next day, the high tide leaves the beach in its pristine condition yet again, a new canvas for our doodles.

A boy on a dolphin

Mermaids

More mermaids

Eddie asked me to draw Peppa Pig and George, and I obliged. Of course, my simplistic drawing cannot compete with my Mum's, but you know what, Eddie appreciated it more.

Peppa Pig and George

We love Cornwall, and hope to come back again next year.

In the meantime, why don't you try to win a lovely prize from Red Spotted Hanky. They host a giveaway for a family weekend adventure in Cornwall! To enter all you have to do is visit the Red Spotted Hanky Facebook page and choose from three family activities: surf lessons in Newquay, biking along the Camel Estuary with Bike Smart or a trip to the Eden Project. Travel & accommodation is also included and Red Spotted Hanky will even try and send the sun haha.

P.S. I am not paid to mention this giveaway (in money or in kind), but because it sounds like a lovely family prize, and I wish you good luck!

Summer Play Linky