Baby and toddler Christmas gift guide

Eggy Wawa Bath Time Learn Surprise Egg

Learn and play with the Eggy Wawa Bath surprise egg. 

The egg comes with 19 surprises inside! Inside the adorable egg there are different animal shapes and bath toys to make learning fun.

Little ones can make a splash with the fishing net to fish out the sea animals which helps develop hand eye coordination skills.

Musical fun can also be had with the Eggy Wawa surprise egg, simply hold down the magical Eggy Wawa egg to hear fun musical tunes.

Continue the Eggy Wawa fun and extend learning by watching the Eggy Wawa show.

Baby and toddler Christmas gift guide

Toomies Bath Barista

Bring your favourite coffee chain to bath time with the Bath Barista from Toomies. Just like grown-ups, little ones can experience the fun of the café for themselves. There’ll be hours of chat and fun in the bath as they brew their very own make-believe cappuccinos. The fun starts at the top: on the left is a spinner they can set in motion simply by pouring water with the smiley-faced jug provided. Place a cup under the filter and give the yellow handle a twist to serve up a classic cup of Joe! Up top on the right is the handy foamer. Lift the lid, add in some bubble bath and water, then start pumping the yellow plunger to create oodles of frothy bubbles! It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! Turn the yellow dial and see the creamy foam plop, plop, plop into the cup below. It’s a foam-accino! Add a finishing touch with the shaker: the colourful hundreds and thousands won’t escape, but water sprinkles will!

Bath Barista encourages collaborative, imaginative play, enhances communication skills, refines fine motor skills and helps children explore cause and effect. Suitable for children 18 months and over, Bath Barista is a bath-tastic gift.

Christmas gift guide for babies, toddlers and preschoolers

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Aquadoodle Super Rainbow Deluxe

Let your creative imagination go wild with the new Aquadoodle Super Rainbow Deluxe (RRP £20.00) from Tomy. The toy supports STEAM learning as it allows children to be creative and develop their artistic skills.

Simply fill the Aquadoodle pen with ordinary tap water, run the nib over the magic mat and see the colours appear!

Any water that does run off the mat, runs clear. No mess, no stains, nothing to worry about. As your drawings dry, designs fade away, ready for the mat to be used again, over and over again. When you need to, just refill the Aquadoodle pen with water and go again!

Included in the set is a special paintbrush that lets you make broader strokes, as well as three stampers for added mess-free fun.

Baby & Toddler Christmas Gift Guide

With Christmas on the horizon here are a few of our favourite gifts for babies and toddlers -

Easy Feel Babywearing - Full Buckle Ergonomic Wrap Converted Soft Structured Carrier in Toddler Size review

Even though Jelly Bean is a busy, walking toddler now babywearing still plays a part in our life. Whilst our babywearing routine has changed and we do not babywear every single day, multiple times a day as we once did when he was a little baby we do still love babywearing. It can be handy when my busy toddler’s legs are too tired after play and adventures. It is helpful when he is tired and needs a nap when out and about so I can get on with the day. It is a lifesaver when my toddler is under the weather and poorly or teething and wanting to be close to his mummy.

Also with Jelly Bean getting bigger and older the wraps, carriers and slings we use have also changed. We have long said goodbye to stretchy wraps and reach for ring slings and buckled carriers for quick carries and toddler worthy woven wraps for longer babywearing experiences.

Matchstick Monkey - teething toy review

Teething can be a nightmare.

It is horrible to see your little one in pain and discomfort as their first teeth come through.

Jelly Bean seems to be following his big brother’s experience of teething…..a long and painful drawn out experience. Like his brother before him Jelly Bean only had a couple of teeth pop out before his first birthday, and now at the age of 19 months old he still only has 5 teeth. Whilst he has not got many teeth making their appearance yet they make sure he knows about them when they do.

We do our best to help him through teething and have tried all manner of teething aids to try and make the experience a little less painful and horrible for him.

Along with tackling teething we are enthusiastic about caring for his teeth by visits to the dentist and daily brushing. Thankfully he LOVES brushing his teeth !

Babywearing adventures

I love babywearing.

There are so many wonderful benefits of babywearing.

From my very first experience of carrying Bug nearly 6 years ago in a Moby Tattoo Noir stretchy wrap, I fell in love with babywearing.

Feeding a toddler - Infant nutrition with HiPP Organic #weanteam

Over the past year as we have worked with HiPP Organic as part of their #weanteam, Jelly Bean has gone from a little baby experiencing his first tastes to a busy toddler who munches on family meals with ease. From a little one who had just started crawling to an active walking toddler who races around on little adventures.

Now that he has graduated from the Wean Team (so disappointed that we couldn’t make the awesome party) and mastered weaning, we are now concentrating on how to feed a toddler so that he is fed healthy, nutritious food to keep him happy and healthy with lots of energy for his busy adventures.

#smartDiscoveries with smarTrike

My own childhood has inspired how I parent now that I am a mum. Growing up on a farm in beautiful west Wales that was a stone's throw from beaches and woodlands we spent countless hours play, exploring and having adventures in the great outdoors. Having experienced the joy and benefits of playing outdoors can provide I am passionate about raising my children in a similar way.

With that in mind and my love of the great outdoors still strong I am enthusiastic about having lots of adventures in the great outdoors. From when Bug was a young baby I have ensured we spend a great deal of time outdoors having lots of fun and new experiences. Over the years we have made so many memorable memories together in the great outdoors and Bug has had lots of fun and learnt from the environment.

Ravensburger My First Puzzles - Jolly Dinos & On the Farm review

As we have seen the enjoyment and educational benefits that Bug has had from puzzles over the years it is only natural that we introduce his little brother Jelly Bean to the wonderful world of puzzles too.

Being huge fans of renowned puzzle makers Ravensburger we loved being able to show Jelly Bean a couple of their My First Puzzles - Jolly Dinos and On the Farm.

Kangaroo Care with KangaWrap - babywearing review.

My love affair with babywearing started a little over 5 years ago when Bug was born. My mum had kindly bought me a stretchy wrap (which we sadly lost in a house fire) and from that first carry I was hooked. I carried Bug till he was around 4 years of ago in various carriers and was upset when our babywearing days came to an end.

When I found out I was expecting Jelly Bean one of my first thoughts was that I would have a little baby to babywear with once again. Starting from scratch again for babywearing wraps and carriers (thanks to the house fire) having loved the stretchy wrap so much with Bug I made sure to get a new stretchy wrap ready for our second born. From the first day that we welcomed Jelly Bean into the world I have carried him on a daily basis and he loves to be carried.

As I love babywearing and love to try new wraps and carriers I was delighted when KangaWrap kindly sent us one of their wraps to try.

Train! – Little Tiger Press book.

As I’ve previously mentioned Bug is a little bookworm. He loves nothing more than snuggling up with a book, or a big pile of books as is often the case. As he loves books so much he always gets super excited when Little Tiger Press send him a book.

The latest book that arrived through the letter box for Bug from Little Tiger Press was a board book called Train!

Written by Judi Abbot the book Train! is an award winning title that has previously been available only in paperback, but by popular demand it is now available as a cute little board book.

Little Snappers Pop Up Books by Little Tiger Press.

Snip Snap Pop Up Fun and Cheep Cheep Pop Up Fun.

As Bug is a little bookworm and loves snuggling up for story time with mummy or daddy, he is always very excited it when he gets a new book. Recently his excitement was at an all-time high when he received a parcel from Little Tiger Press with two shiny new books for him to enjoy.

Out this February from Little Tiger Press are two new books from the Little Snappers series – Snip Snap Pop Up Fun and Cheep Cheep Pop Up Fun.

Asda Baby and Toddler - save money on baby and toddler essentials.

Looking to save money on baby or toddler essentials?

Pregnant and stocking up on baby supplies ready for when you welcome your newborn into the world?

If this sounds like you, when take a look at the Asda Baby and Toddler Event where you can stock up on baby and toddler essentials at discounted prices.

If you are expecting and want to treat yourself or know someone who is pregnant and want to give them a pampering treat, then the NSPA gift sets are a lovely choice. The NSPA Mum To Be Blooming Gorgeous Gift Set is great value for money at £4.00, and the NSPA Mum To Be Gift Set can be snapped up for £8.50 or bought along with another product in the 2 for £16 promotion.

Also available in the 2 for £16 promotion is the Johnson’s Baby First Touch Newborn Starter Pack (£9.00) and the Johnson’s Baby Skincaring Essentials Box (£10.00).

Finding the right pushchair to suit your child.

Choosing the right pushchair to suit both your lifestyle and your child can be a daunting task, especially with so many different models available on the market. The good news is that the wealth of choice means you should find the ideal model to suit both baby and budget.

Ideal for newborn babies

Comfort and flexibility are two of the key requirements when it comes to baby’s first pushchair. Adjustable seat positions are important to allow your child to lie back and sleep when required. Pushchairs such as the Red Kite Baby Push Me Quatro are ideal due to the multi-position reclining seat combined with adjustable legs. This model also comes with lockable wheels, an extra-safe five point harness and that all important attachable hood for use in rainy weather.

The versatile double buggy

Parents with more than one child should consider one of the many double buggies on the market such as the Hauck Turbo Duo twin pushchair. This lightweight double-seater is suitable for both newborns and toddlers, and features seats that can recline independently of each other. The folding operation is extremely simple, which is important with a double pushchair and this model includes a foot brake and lockable wheels. The swivel wheels are vital as you do need good manoeuvrability with double-seat models.

British parents reach breaking point – broken and flimsy toys causing parents to favour sturdy, quality toys.

*  Over half of parents say their children have broken gifts soon after opening

* 46% of parents have moved towards buying sturdier toys rather than plastic ones

* 64% of parents continue on the ‘hand me down’ tradition

* Nearly three quarters of children own a toy passed down from parents

Today, Asda reports that over half of parents in Britain have had to splash the cash and buy replacement toys for their children as they’ve been broken or damaged soon after opening.

So it’s no surprise then that over a quarter of parents in the UK are so fed up they refuse to buy replacements.

The poll* commissioned by George Home, has shown that British parents are following the ‘hand me down’ habits of the Royal Family, and are now carrying on the tradition, as nearly three quarters have said their children have a toy that has been passed down through generations of the family, while over a third of parents want to buy toys that will last their children’s life times and can later be passed on to their own offspring.

As a result, almost half of British parents are more in favour of buying quality toys, rather than flimsy, plastic substitutes.

Chris Norris, Asda’s Senior Buying Manager for Toys, said: “With children regularly breaking their toys, it is no surprise that parents want something with a longer life span. With Asda’s new range of purse-friendly Wooden Toys, parents can celebrate traditional past times with toys that stand the test of time”.

With George Home launching an indestructible range of 31 Wooden Toys ahead of Christmas day, parents can stock up on presents that will fuel children’s imagination and spark creativity, whilst being sturdy and long lasting.

Ella's Kitchen Toddlers Take Over Good Snacks Revolution!

Last week I wrote about Ella’s Kitchen Toddlers Take Over event at Hyde Park Speakers’Corner which was a huge success.

Take a look at this very cute video of the Ella's Kitchen event to see how the toddlers stood up for good snacks, speaking their minds from their toyboxes.

Toddlers Take Over Hyde Park Speakers' Corner.

I love Ella’s Kitchen and have done since Bug was going through the weaning stage and trying their tasty First Tastes pouches. I appreciate their tasty and healthy food for little ones and I love their fun attitude towards providing the best for little ones. As I love Ella’s Kitchen and their refreshing appreciation of the wonder of little ones I wanted to share with you all about a fun Ella’s Kitchen event that I wish I could attend but unfortunately live too far away to do so.

 Ella’s Kitchen® brand opens first ever Little Speakers’ Corner for tiny toddler debates

Tomorrow, talkative toddlers will be voicing their opinions on everything from sibling rivalry quibbles, to their favourite lunch time nibbles, with the launch of the first ever ‘little’ Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park.

Asda Baby and Toddler Event - bargains galore!

Perfect for savvy saving parents and parent-to-be the Asda Baby and Toddler Event is back with bigger and better savings with lots of discounts and offers on a range of baby and toddler products.

Even though the Asda Baby and Toddler Event started online on Friday 23rd August and in-store on Monday 25th August, there is still plenty of time left to snap up a few bargains as the event does not finish until Sunday 14th September 2014.

The event offers reductions and promotions on a wide range of products including top baby and toddler brands and Asda’s exclusive brands Little Angels and George. If you are pregnant, a new parent or a parent with a busy toddler then this event is great for helping you save money on maternity products, every day baby essentials and top toddler products.