Anyone with children knows that eating out can be a challenge. Generally little ones don't like to keep still for very long, so if you find somewhere with things to do, it can make all the difference.
That's why pubs with play areas are a godsend during the summer months, and the good ones are certainly worth shouting about.
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One that is worth making a fuss over is The Black Swan, in Hollins Green, close to Cadishead, Salford, and just on the edge of Warrington.
A quick glimpse at the website and it states: "It's hard to believe you are just 13 miles from Manchester city centre."
As we made our way there down quiet leafy lanes, we certainly felt like we were in the countryside. It's a hotel too, with 14 boutique style rooms, so there's a reception desk to either check-in, or request a table in the restaurant.
Surprisingly it wasn't particularly busy for a Sunday evening and we managed to bag a cosy booth in the corner.
This place prides itself on 'traditional home-cooked fresh food in a relaxed and friendly setting' and its roast dinners, at £14.50 each, are a big hit on the Sunday menu.
With turkey, beef or pork on offer, we opted for one of each, with our youngest choosing the 12oz pork chop and chips instead, priced at a rather hefty £16.50.
The Sunday menu's not huge, but there's a wide enough selection to suit most tastes, with beer battered haddock with chips and mushy peas, homemade steak and ale pie, and the Black Swan burger some of the other offerings.
There's a children's menu too, with the likes of pizza, pasta and chicken dippers, but even the rather helpful 'little adults' label wasn't enough to persuade our two that the portions would be big enough for their now 14 and 12-year-old bellies.
Two courses for £7.25 is a pretty good deal for those with younger ones though.
Our roast dinners were delicious - crispy roast potatoes, succulent meat and the freshest veg which the other half pointed out was 'perfectly al dente' - cue mortified kids.
The buttery taste from the mash lingered a little too much for me, but overall it was a damn good roast.
My son wasn't as impressed with his chop, but given the fact that the pork he usually eats is slow cooked gammon, he was always going to find it 'a bit too chewy'.
There were no such complaints when it came to dessert. He lapped up his sticky toffee pudding and custard, while the rest of us devoured the melt-in-your-mouth Caramac cheesecake.
Of course it's much more than the food that's pulling punters into this picturesque pub.
The play area is a huge draw for parents wanting somewhere the kids can keep busy before and after eating.
There are climbing frames with swings and slides, ropes, a huge blue tractor kids can climb on and the place has its own 165-foot zip wire to enjoy too.
It's also got space to play football, with some goals on the grass, as well as its own duck pond, with a dispenser where you can pay 50p for some duck food.
In the warmer months there's outdoor seating so you can keep a close eye on them while they play and plans are also underway for a new outdoor bar.
It's not only child-friendly but dog-friendly too, with a dog friendly bar area offering Pawsecco, and even three dog friendly hotel rooms for those staying over.
With one drink each it came to around £100 for the four of us, so it's not somewhere we'd go each week.
But with the quality of food in such a lovely setting we wouldn't think twice about heading there for a treat, especially if that cheesecake is still on the menu.
If you've got a family-friendly pub with a play area to recommend, let us know in the comments, or email the details to emma.gill@reachplc.com.
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