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Fluttering Fun for the Whole Family: Our Adventures at the Tropical Butterfly House

October 28, 2024

Fluttering Fun for the Whole Family Our Adventures at the Tropical Butterfly House (1)

The October half-term is upon us, and if you’re looking for a fantastic family day out, look no further than the Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife and Falconry Centre! Located in Sheffield, this place is an absolute gem that we’ve been visiting for years.

More Than Just Butterflies (Although They Are Amazing!)

As the name suggests, the star attraction is the butterfly house itself. Stepping inside feels like entering another world. Lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and hundreds of butterflies fluttering around you – it’s truly magical! We spend ages in here, its kept very warm so during chilly October half term its a wonderful place to go. My kids are always mesmerized watching the beautiful butterflies and are often shocked to see that there is often one or two resting on a leaf up close! I have so many pictures of the butterflies resting on the kids finger tips and the look of pure joy in the kids faces. We also love the bridge over the water and the busy ants scurrying above us. There is so much to see in this tropical pocket in Sheffield make sure you take your time to look in the water and up high on ledges, you might be surprised what you find!

But the Tropical Butterfly House offers so much more than butterflies. We’ve also loved encountering:

  • Fascinating Creatures: From meerkats and monkeys to snakes and spiders (if you’re brave enough), there’s a huge variety of animals to discover.
  • Spectacular Birds: The bird displays are a fun for the whole family. Grandpa particularly liked the Raven who paints!
  • Playful Farm Animals: The kids always enjoy getting up close with the goats, sheep, and donkeys in the farm area, when we can we purchase the food pellets at the kiosk ( although these are limited, we don’t want to overfeed the animals).

Activities Galore!

Beyond the animals, there are loads of other activities to keep everyone entertained:

  • Exploring the Play Areas: There are a selection of different areas to explore – from a toddler sandpit to ride on bikes, climbing towers with slides and even a water splash park (probably wait for Summer!) There is also a lovely open green space which has table tennis, and balls, nets etc. Something for everyone. This is a lovely area to have a snack or picnic. There is fixed seating so parents can have a quick rest if needed!
  • Eateries – There are plenty of opportunities to grab snacks, food and coffee. We’ve always had delicious pizza’s in Lottie’s Coffee Lounge.
  • Quieter spaces – we like to visit the fairy houses (but they are never in when we come to call!) my kids also enjoy the hands on elements like hammering coins into the tree trunks dotted about and finally when we are all exhausted and ready to go home they take great joy in answering a question on the board wrong so that we get squirted with water! (Watch out for these dotted about!)

Why We Keep Going Back

There are so many reasons why the Tropical Butterfly House is a winner for our family, we always have a great day out, you can also save with a yearly membership.

  • It’s educational and fun: The kids learn so much about animals and nature while having a great time.
  • There’s something for everyone: No matter what your age, there’s something to enjoy.
  • The staff are friendly and knowledgeable: They’re always happy to answer questions and share interesting facts.
  • It’s a great value day out: With so much to see and do, for us its definitely worth the price of admission.

Families with Autism or struggle with sensory overload:

Consideration has been given to how everyone may enjoy their experience and I was thrilled to find that you can hire a sensory bags as a part of your visit for children and adults with special sensory needs.These bags provide ways to improve focus, create relaxation and help to ensure everyone can get the most out of their day. It contains: A park map, noise cancelling headphones, fidget toys, binoculars, bug magnifying glass, crayons and a colouring sheet. A £20 refundable on return deposit is required. To reserve click here.

Are you planning a visit?

If you’re planning a visit this half-term, be sure to check out their website for opening times, prices, and special events.

Tinytags: A Simple Solution for peace of mind on family days out

As a parent I started to find that when I was in a busy environment with the kids, like family days out I started to become quiet anxious. I wanted a way to put my contact information on my children in a safe and secure way that they would find comfortable. When I couldn’t find what I wanted on the market I created Tinytags. These items use the technology we already have in our smartphones, no app required and no expensive monthly subscription. Instead you can pre-load contact and medical information for your children which is stored on a tinytags tag or tinytags wristband, and it is read on a phone by making contact with it. Either using the camera to scan a QR code or by tapping a phone (if you use your phone for things like contactless payment). Some children may be confident enough to simply show a tinytag to someone nearby if they need help. If they are too little for this we have added very clear instructions onto the products to show how easy it is to use, it also generates a location alert. In its simplest form tinytags allows you to put your contact information on your children in a lightweight, waterproof solution. My older child has found this to be quiet empowering as she doesn’t have a mobile phone yet but can still get in touch with me by asking a safe adult for help. For me, having this information on my toddler provides peace of mind.

By knowing that our contact information on our children it means that we can be contacted and reunited quickly, reducing stress and upset for everyone involved. It’s a simple yet effective solution that brings us peace of mind during our outings and allows us to focus on creating lasting memories together, that is why I want to share tinytags with other families.

Here’s how Tiny Tags can make a difference on days out:

  • Quick Identification: A lost child or a concerned bystander can easily scan the Tinytag with a smartphone, immediately accessing the child’s emergency contact information and send a GPS location in seconds
  • Reduced Search Time: This quick access to information can significantly reduce search times, minimising the emotional distress experienced by the child and family.
  • Peace of Mind for Parents: Knowing their child has readily accessible emergency information provides parents with peace of mind, allowing them to focus on the joy of their family day out.

Tinytags are a simple yet powerful tool that have already helped other families. If you liked this Blog please come and take a look at the other posts we have.

Have you been to the Tropical Butterfly House? What were your favourite parts? Share your experiences in the comments below.

And finally, a big thanks to The Tropical Butterfly house who will be distributing Tinytags leaflets throughout the half term holiday.

Katie Green, Founder, Tinytags Ltd

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