#NetflixStreamTeam - May

Leo and I are big animal lovers, we often take visits to our local farm park and are busy planning a few trips to the zoo over the summer months. Over the month of May Netflix were encouraging us to celebrate the animals in our lives and provided a fantastic selection of animal content to help us all out.

Among the selection of titles that really stood out to Leo and I, Babar and of course the Animal Train were big hits. I even managed to persuade Leo to watch Beethoven's Big Break, which he loved even if he did protest a little before relenting!

One aspect that I have been doing of late is reviewing the titles on the Netflix App that I have been watching. This helps them show me more relevant shows that Leo and I may like, and now that Leo is using the Samsung Kids Tab 3, I have even created him his very own user area on Netflix and this has pleased him no end!

How to make a Dog sandwich

You will need

2 x slices of wholemeal bread

1 x wholemeal pita or 1 x slice of wholemeal crust

Your favourite sandwich filling

Cucumber

Cheese

Cream cheese (optional)

Method

1. Make a sandwich using two slices of wholemeal bread and your favourite filling

2. Using a sharp knife, cut out a shape that resembles a pear or light bulb (wide and round at one end and narrower and rounded at the other)

3. Using either pitta bread or the slice of a crust, cut two teardrop shapes and then tuck these inside the sandwich so that the rounded section is at the top and the point is downwards

4. To make the nose, cut a slice of cucumber skin and then shape it into a round edged triangle and put it in place

5. For the eyes, take a slice of cheese and using a circular cutter (small cookie cutter), cut two oval eye shapes. Cut some more cucumber skin and using an apple corer or very small circle cutter, make two pupils from the cucumber skin and place on top of the cheese ovals

6. To finish, cut some small curves of cucumber skin using a round cutter and place above the eyes. To give the eyes and nose a more lifelike appearance, use a tiny dot of cream cheese to highlight these

How to make a Rabbit sandwich

You will need

3 x slices of 50/50 white bread

½ a slice of wholemeal bread

Sandwich filling

Slice of ham

Cucumber

Black grapes

Red pepper or cherry tomato

6 x pieces of dry spaghetti

Method

1. Make a sandwich using two slices of bread and your favourite filling

2. Cut the shape of the Rabbit head as shown in the picture (rounded at the top, with a wider section for the cheeks, narrowing to a thin neck)

3. To make the ears, cut the third slice of white bread into two long oval shapes pointed at one end, and top these with two ovals of ham slightly smaller than the ears, leaving an edge around the outside

4. Using the wholemeal bread cut two small oval shapes slightly pointed at one end and place these together on top of the bread so that the tips touch. Top this with a small circle of either red pepper or cherry tomato for the nose, cut using a small circle cutter

5. For the eyes, cut a slice of cucumber lengthways and remove the skin. Using the cucumber flesh, cut two long oval shapes and top these with half a black grape for the pupils

6. Finish your Rabbit with some teeth made from a rectangle of cucumber with a v-shape cut up the middle. Using the spaghetti poke it into the wholemeal bread nose and snap off to your desired length. Don’t forget to remove the spaghetti before eating the sandwich.

Disclaimer: I was sent everything I needed to get started watching Netflix for the next 12 months. I have not been paid to write this post. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

#NetflixStreamTeam - April

Throughout the year there are a number of special occasions that give us reason to celebrate. In our house Christmas, Birthdays and Easter rank pretty highly, and with Easter on the doorstep and the half term holidays upon us, we are all looking for ways to entertain the kids and of course ourselves.

This Easter break we are looking forward to getting out and doing things as a family, we are hoping for lot's of sunny weather so we can make the very most of the long weekend that is coming our way. Of course if the sun doesn't shine we will need other ways to entertain ourselves and of course Leo. That is where the arts and crafts come in, or even just cracking open some Easter Eggs and relaxing with a good family film.

This month Netlix has teamed up with Konnie Huq and asked her to pick out some of her favourite family films for Easter. There are so many great films on Netflix at the moment so narrowing it down to a few 'must watch' is a monster task! Many of the films that Konnie has picked out are films that we have already been enjoying as a family, but to be honest I am a fan of a film that Leo hasn't made me watch more than 50 times! 

Some of the best family films to sit down and watch together this Easter are:

Leo adores Up and this is a film that we will quite happily sit down and watch with our Easter Eggs! But if you are looking for some content for the younger children then why not tune into The Land Before Time: Wisdom Of Friends. I loved these films as a child and I have taken great pleasure in introducing them to Leo, and as he is currently going through a Dinosaur phase at the moment, it is suffice to say that it has been a BIG roaring hit!

The great thing about Netflix is that they are always bringing new content in, so even after you have spent a rainy day watching lot's of kid television, there is a whole range of programs that are just for you! It takes becoming a parent for you to really appreciate grown up television,  and for me having Netflix at the touch of my fingertips has provided me with so much to watch as and when I can fit it into my busy life. This month I have been enjoying Ugly Betty and I am highly anticipating season 2 of Orange Is The New Black!

In honour of Easter Konnie has put together a fun art and craft for us to do with the kiddies. How about making up some 'Cuddly Easter Bunnies?' For this I will hand you over to Konnie!

'One of the funniest moments I had presenting children’s TV was when I had to do some baking on a live show of Blue Peter with S Club 7, all the while interviewing them, and literally all of the utensils and cooking dishes were missing! It was really chaotic, I kept having to ask the cameramen and crew during the live show “does any one have a spare baking tray?” Very embarrassing but funny too.

Hopefully there is not as much margin for error with this Easter themed craft idea for ‘Cuddly Easter Bunnies’. I love it because they are so simple to make, the kids love them, and depending on how many old gloves you find, you can create an army of these critters!'

1. Materials you'll need: An old glove Two buttons Needle & thread Glue Ribbon Cotton wool balls Scissors 2. How to do it: Take your old glove and cut along the dotted white line. 3. Use your needle and thread, and sew on two buttons for eyes then stitch an X for the nose. 4. Turn your bunny inside out and stitch along the cut edge, leaving enough of a gap to stuff 5. Turn your bunny back out and stuff with wadding, then finish stitching to close the gap 6. To finish, stick a cotton wool ball on the back with multipurpose glue for the bunny's tail. Tie a ribbon round the ear or neck and bend the longer ear down.  Turbo FAST competition time! The Next batch of Turbo FAST episodes from season 1 are available to watch on Netflix now. This month why not get the kids to review? We will be giving our star review a 6 month Netflix subscription as a competition prize to give to your readers. So revv up your engines and get reviewing!