We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

We know what you’re thinking: there’s a long summer ahead of us. Six weeks of school-free fun for the kids, but then there’s you…

Trying to fill the school holidays with enough things to do to stop the whining, but without breaking the bank, can be an award-worthy task.

And while most of it might be filled with activities to do at home, trips to the park, or sending them off to camp or the grandparents’ so they be someone else’s problem for a few days, it’s fun to sprinkle in a few days out into the mix to keep things exciting.

If you’re already planning ahead to the end of term time, our shopping writer has found just the thing for a trip to the capital city.

To help you plan a day out, or multiple days out, even, London Eye is offering tickets to not one, not two, but five London attractions from just £59 per person.

That’s right: you can visit the London Eye, and your choice of Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure, and Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off Sightseeing Tour for as little as £12 per attraction.

That’s up to an impressive 68%, or £133, off the cost of buying individual tickets to each experience.

Just think of the hours of fun to be had from plopping your little ones in front of a birds-eye view of London, staring up at a sand tiger shark, or leading them through Shrek’s swamp.

So you don’t have to tire yourselves out in one go, the ticket lasts for up to 90 days, meaning you can make a meal of stretching out attractions throughout the holidays. And, if your plans change, you can reschedule for free.

Don’t worry, though. If five attractions might be stretching them (or you, let’s be real) too thin, that’s okay, too. London Eye also offers multi-attraction tickets for two or more attractions.

This includes a trip on the London Eye and either tickets to SEA LIFE or Madame Tussauds from just £44 for children and £49 for adults.

While it’s not quite so much of a commitment as the five-attraction ticket, you’ll get more value for money by going to several attractions, rather than one or two.

Not to mention that it’s always a fail-safe plan to fall back on when you eventually get tired of planning new activities towards the end of the holidays.

Just remember to book your time slot ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment!

Eurovision icon Johnny Logan has backed his home country’s decision to withdraw from the competition.

Johnny earned himself the moniker the “King Of Eurovision” when he became the first act to win the song contest on three different occasions, as Ireland’s representative in 1980 and 1987, and as the writer of Linda Martin’s winning entry in 1992.

Last year, he backed calls for Israel to be removed from the Eurovision Song Contest in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, similar to how Russia was banned in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine.

“I really feel that in this case, RTÉ definitely made the right decision,” he told The Week in December 2025, after Ireland’s broadcaster withdrew from Eurovision in solidarity with Palestine.

He continued: “I don’t think that Israel should be allowed to hide under the umbrella of the Eurovision [and] make it look as though, everything’s okay, business as usual, because it’s not. I think most people in Ireland would agree with that.”

Since then, Johnny has revealed he has repeatedly turned down offers to perform at Eurovision in light of the controversy.

“I’ve been asked three times, four times to be involved with the Eurovision Song Contest, the actual show this year, and I’ve had to say no because of my support,” he told Ireland AM at the end of April.

Noting that he’s “not antisemitic [nor] pro-Hamas or anything like that”, he continued: “I was asked to make my decision. My decision is to support the Irish Government and the Irish television position on this.

“I just wanted to make that clear because I get all these people I see on Facebook saying, ‘Johnny Logan says you can’t watch the Eurovision’. That’s not something I ever said.”

At the end of last year, Ireland was the first nation to pull out of Eurovision 2026 due to Israel’s involvement, followed quickly by Spain, The Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland.

Eurovision 2026 officially gets underway in Basel, Austria this week, with the first semi-final airing on Tuesday, following singer JJ’s victory last year.

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI – prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

In my twenties, I applied SPF on holidays and if it was a particularly hot day back home. But when my partner, then in his early 30s, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and needed surgery to remove it, I knew I needed to wake up and wear the damn sun cream every single day.

After trying many different products – lots of which triggered breakouts, some of which dried my skin – I finally took a punt on Beauty Pie’s Featherlight SPF 50/Primer hybrid (£25, or £15 for members). And I haven’t looked back since.

The product, made in Switzerland, contains ingredients to “help fight inflammation and sun damage”. It’s known as a non-comedogenic SPF, meaning the lightweight formula shouldn’t clog pores. I can confirm it doesn’t.

I’ve also never had sunburn on my face while wearing it, so I’m guessing (/hoping) it’s doing the trick in the sun damage department.

I tend to apply the SPF after Beauty Pie’s triple hyaluronic acid deep moisture miracle cream (£45, or £22 for members) and the result is lusciously luminous skin that feels silky smooth.

The primer adds a bit of a glow that no other skincare product seems to offer me and my typically dull skin. It’s not greasy, or streaky. Makeup goes on a treat, too.

There is not a day that goes by when I don’t use it – even those days when I’m sat at home, makeup free, I make sure that I slather this on my face after showering.

It’s pretty watery – so be careful when you squeeze the bottle – but it glides onto the skin wonderfully, leaving your face feeling hydrated and glowy.

There are 3,102 reviews (and counting) on Beauty Pie’s site. Here’s a snippet of what people are saying about the Featherlight SPF:

“Lovely product, non greasy and perfect under make up. Thoroughly recommend this product.”

“This was first given to me as a gift a few years ago and I have used it ever since. I golf and have had no sun damage since using this lovely, light cream.”

“This is my second purchase of this item. I love that it properly hydrates my skin and most importantly, it doesn’t leave white streaky marks!”

“Spent ages looking for a SPF that I’m not allergic to and isn’t greasy, this one is perfect.”

If there was only one product I was allowed to take on a desert island, this would be it – not even the Collection eyeliner I’ve been buying and wearing on repeat since the early 2000s could rival it.

And at £15 for a bottle that lasts roughly six months (maybe longer, depending on how liberally you apply it), I’m wondering why you’re still reading this article and not buying a basket full for yourself…

What Kids Are Carrying is a HuffPost UK series focusing on how the nation’s youngest generation is *really* feeling right now – and how parents and caregivers can support them.

When I reached out to therapists and counsellors about the themes that cropped up most in therapy among kids in 2025, one common thread was the impact of being neurodivergent.

If someone is neurodivergent, their brain “diverges from what is considered typical”, according to SEN psychotherapist Gee Eltringham. This can encompass ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette’s syndrome.

Belinda Gidman-Rowse, a mental health practitioner and school counsellor in a primary school in Devon, sees around 50 children between the ages of eight and 11 each school term. She notes that a “significant proportion” are navigating either diagnosed or undiagnosed ADHD and/or autism.

Counselling Directory member and therapist Debbie Keenan is also supporting neurodivergent children while they await diagnosis – “this period is often filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and confusion,” she explains.

“Many children already experience challenges such as feeling different, struggling with emotions, or finding school and social situations overwhelming.”

NHS waiting times for diagnosis can vary massively – kids may have to wait months or even years for support from specialist services, forcing parents to find strategies to help their child cope in the meantime, or pay to go private.

In schools, special educational needs (SEN) support can be patchy and hard-won.

Therapists are noticing two key themes in particular when neurodivergent children need mental health support.

While there can be a range of specific issues brought to therapy by neurodivergent children, Counselling Directory member Belinda Gidman-Rowse, has noticed a recurring theme.

“With all the children I see, there is often a pervasive narrative of being either ‘too much’ or ‘not enough’ which really impacts their self-esteem and sense of belonging in the world,” she says, “which is really sad to see.”

Some children will come to her wanting to make sense of their diagnosis – what it means for them, how others see them, and how they fit in to their school and home life.

“There can be a real sensitivity to feeling ‘different’ along with fears of being judged, excluded, or labelled in ways that don’t feel kind or accurate,” she explains.

On top of this, children can get stuck in cycles where their distress is expressed through behaviour, which is then met with punishment or frustration from adults – it’s something Gidman-Rowse notes can deepen the underlying overwhelm rather than resolve it.

“Over time, if these experiences aren’t understood, they can affect self-esteem quite deeply and, in more serious cases, increase vulnerability to things like self-harm as a coping strategy for dealing with overwhelming feelings,” she adds.

Another major element of what brings these children to therapy is the day-to-day impact of being neurodivergent.

Gidman-Rowse says for children with ADHD, this might look like difficulties focusing in class, frustration with learning, or challenges managing big emotions – “particularly anger, which can be heightened when they feel misunderstood or frequently corrected”.

Children might have explosive anger outbursts which caregivers describe as “coming out of nowhere”, and “going from 0-60”, says the counsellor.

“This can be incredibly challenging for families and teachers alike, and for the child themselves, who often feels out of control, and then ashamed or confused afterwards – they are aware that it is damaging their relationships but they feel unable to manage it.”

For children with autism, themes in therapy often centre around friendships and social situations, as there can be challenges in reading social cues and difficulties communicating their feelings and needs to others.

The key advice seems to be: remain present, calm, caring and essentially become your child’s anchor to help them weather the various storms they may encounter.

Curiosity is key. “Approaching a child with curiosity rather than correction – for example, asking, ‘What’s feeling hard right now?’– can open up the conversation,” says Gidman-Rowse, while validating their emotions (for example, saying “that sounds really overwhelming!”) helps a child feel seen.

Gently helping them name what they’re feeling can also support regulation, says the counsellor, though some children might also need visual tools to do this (a feelings chart which you can print out and stick to your fridge might help).

If your child is awaiting a diagnosis, offering support and small changes at home can help steady them in the meantime. These include:

• Reducing demands on your child’s already stretched system by breaking tasks into smaller steps.
• Understanding triggers, such as sensory overload, changes in routine, or social demands, so you can anticipate them and reduce distress.
• Offering consistent, calm guidance in times of transition during the day.
• Giving them time and space to decompress after the school day to help reduce the intensity of meltdowns.
• Engaging in co-operative, two-way communication with your school teachers and SENCo.
• Seeking therapeutic support with a neurodiversity-affirming therapist.

Therapist Debbie Keenan says it’s “important to recognise and celebrate a child’s strengths while also acknowledging their challenges without judgement”.

For kids with ADHD, offering simple instructions followed by praise can help build “I can do it” feelings, instead of negative self-talk. Recognising your child’s efforts, even if things don’t go to plan, and prioritising one-to-one time together can also help boost self-esteem, according to Connect children’s services.

Social rejection, bullying and communication challenges are just some of the factors which can contribute towards low self-esteem in autistic kids, notes Autism Parenting Magazine.

As such, for parents, focusing on a child’s strengths, encouraging special interests, using positive reinforcement and providing opportunities for success can all help improve how they feel about themselves.