Kinder Ice Cream: The Summers of our childhood

As many of you know, this year I am one of Kinder Ice Creams ambassadors and have been working with them on sponsored content throughout the year (as well as eating lots of ice creams!). The theme of nostalgia is important to Kinder Ice Cream and I have loved working with a brand who share many of the values I hold dear about childhood and creating memories with my children during the Summer.

My favourite memories of my childhood Summer’s are of idyllic days in the paddling pool in the garden or wedged between my Mum and Dad on our old garden bench, eating an ice cream, with the sun on our faces. I remember how my Dad would “fire up the barbecue” and how he would churn out more charcoaled sausages than we could ever possibly eat, and we’d still be polishing them off the following morning.

I remember how the six weeks holidays lasted for an eternity, how I would wake every single morning full of excitement for our adventures ahead and, with a packed lunch in my rucksack, I’d take off down the fields with my best friend and wouldn’t return home until the skies grew dark and our tummy’s grew hungry. I remember playing on roller skates and skate boards, pogo sticks and wooden stilts, go-karts and mountain bikes, and how fast we would ride with the wind in our hair and the rhythmic rattle of our Spokey Dokeys as the wheels turned.

I can remember the excitement of water fights, water bombs, and how all hell would break loose when someone reached for the hose pipe. I remember returning home soaked to the bone, shivering cold, and how my Mum would wrap me in a soft fluffy towel and hang my trainers to dry on the washing line. I still remember the smell of fresh detergent as I snuggled up to my Mum and how she would ruffle my hair and tell me she’s glad I had fun, even if I trod water the whole way through the house.

I remember holidays in Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, sailing across the Irish Sea for a fortnight in the Isle of Man, where we hunted for fairies, skimmed stones, ate fish and chips by the pier and flew our kite at sunset. I remember drinking cups of tea in bed and breakfast’s, even when I didn’t really like the taste of it, holding my Dad’s hand to walk to buy the newspaper each morning and sitting on his knee as we drove the Dodgems at the fair each night. I remember that feeling of wanting our summer holidays to last forever.

I remember those blissful days spent on the beach, building sandcastles and digging holes, so big we would bury my Dad right up to his head. I remember hunting for shells with my Mum and how later, when we returned home, I would spend hours painstakingly gluing each of them to create little jewellery boxes. I remember jumping waves, getting knocked down, and swallowing big gulps of salty sea water through hysterical laughter; eating tuna sandwiches from warm tin foil packaging, guzzling cold lemonade like there was no tomorrow, and pleading with my parents for ice cream every time the ice cream van music drifted in from the promenade.

And it’s funny because back then I had no idea that those were the memories I would treasure for always, that those would be the memories I relay to my own children and, most of all, the memories I try to recreate with my children now that I am a Mummy myself.

And although, of course, we are partial to a fancy holiday and an extravagant day out, our favourite moments are still the days spent in the garden, just sitting together eating an ice cream or hot dogs from the barbecue. Our favourite holidays have been right here, on UK beaches, kicking around a football or hunting in rock pools, long after bed time with sandy knees and dirty faces. Our favourite times as a family will always be the ones spent together, making the most of every single moment, knowing that all too soon the sun will set and these wonderful memories will be all we have left for the years ahead.

With Summer finally here, our freezer is fully stocked with Kinder Ice Cream ready to enjoy at any given opportunity come rain or shine. As I’ve shared with you before, when it comes to Kinder Ice Cream, featuring Wall’s “Responsibly Made For Kids” logo, I am more than happy for my children to tuck in after a day spent in the paddling pool, or as a treat after tea as we sit and watch the sun fade. Containing no more than 110 calories, less than 3g saturated fat per single serving, and less than 20g added sugar per 100g, I love that our only concern is whether to go for the Ice Lolly Stick or the Ice Cream Sandwich!

And so for now I am looking forward to a good old fashioned British Summer, filled with sunshine, laughter, and ice creams galore. And who knows, one day, when my children are grown, I hope they are sitting right here telling you how their childhood Summer’s were every bit as perfect as the ones they heard about from their old Mum.

** I am working with Kinder Ice Cream as a 2019 ambassador and have been compensated for my time. All words and opinions are my own. **