A regional publisher has launched a new family-focused website featuring ways to keep kids amused on rainy days, advice on applying for school places, and tips on packing the perfect lunch box.

The KM Group’s new online venture, My Kent Family, has been billed as an ‘essential guide to family life’ for readers.

The site went live last week to coincide with the run-up to both World Book Day and Mothering Sunday.

Editorial director Ian Carter said the site has been “really well received” by readers.

A screenshot from the homepage of My Kent Family, which launched last week

KM Group editorial director Ian Carter said: “We have always enjoyed success with family audiences, such as our annual First Class and My Mum supplements, so launching a standalone website was a logical step.

“It’s been really well received – many of the county’s biggest attractions signed up to advertise as soon as we explained the concept.

“The plan isn’t to reach a mass audience in the way we do with KentOnline, which has more than 2m unique monthly browsers. Instead, we want to reach a smaller but loyal audience and in turn create a platform that will allow advertisers to reach a clearly defined market.

“We’re in it for the long haul as we are well aware it’s going to take some time for the site to achieve prominence in search results but we couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s gone so far.”

The website also includes information on the best places to hold birthday parties, health and lifestyle tips and – for parents of teenagers – advice on universities, job applications and CV writing.