Muji alphabet and funny face books

Poking around Muji the other day, I came across two fun-looking activity books. It’s a shame the pictures on the Muji website aren’t a) bigger and b) more exciting, because these did look like potentially excellent gifts. They’re also just the kind of thing I like to snap up so we have activities ready for [...]

Making Taps Easy for Children

Now, this may not be the most attractive of products but it is unbelievably useful so I thought I would share anyway. Milla’s independence is precious to her and as she has been growing increasingly frustrated with our stiff taps when visiting the loo. To help her turn the taps (and give myself a break [...]

Cuddlemat Magic Colour Change Bathmat from Cuddledry

Remember those t-shirts everyone wore back in the early 90s, the ones which changed colour where you were hot? While at the time I was gutted not to own one, it is a fashion I’m glad I missed the boat on because really, who needed to know I was hot around the collar? T-shirts might [...]

Ikea Laminated Fabric

I have been looking for a laminated fabric to replace the PVC oilcloth in our kitchen as much as I loved the design I’m not happy about the health implications of PVC. Trouble is, laminated cloth tends to be expensive and the cheapest option I was looking at was around £45 for a two meter [...]

Beyond the Fridge Magnetic Notice Boards

Beyond the Fridge create fabulous magnetic notice boards which are both beautiful and useful. They are made in Britain from steel and decorated to create magnetic art. They are available in large rectangular formats (pictured bottom) sized 75 x 55 cm and 100 x 75 cm which are £85 and £135 respectively. There is a [...]

Blue Butterfly Flooring Tablecloths

Any of you out there who manage a dining table without a wipe-clean cloth can enjoy a much deserved pat on the back. I can’t, I adore my wipeable cloth but as it comes to the end of its life I am on the hunt for a funky replacement. I think it is safe to [...]

Bird Clothes Pegs

These bird clothes pegs bring to mind the old nursery rhyme ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’. Rather than use our set on the clothes line I have strung a line in our kitchen for displaying the prolific output of the playgroup art table. When we get home each day I peg the latest paintings to our [...]

Cookie Cutters from Funky Muffin

There is nothing like a good collection of cookie cutters. We love a bit of baking in our house and there is little more satisfying than a quick batch of biscuits. I am rather partial to interestingly shaped cutters and they go down a storm with kids too. Funky Muffin have a superb collection priced [...]

Bolmen Stool from Ikea

It’s amazing what you pick up at Ikea as you wander round. My friend’s Mother came back with a couple of these stools which have revolutionised the homes of our gang. The Bolmen Stool is part of the bathroom range and unlike the kid’s Forsiktig Stool designed to help children reach higher surfaces or sinks it [...]

Stokke Sleepi Cot

The Stokke Sleepi is a cot which converts into both a crib and a toddler bed before becoming a sofa or two chairs. This long list of uses will give you your money’s worth in the coming years. Unusually for a cot it has (lockable) wheels which means you can move it from room to [...]

Magis Julian Cat Chair

Kat writes… What seems like forever ago Natalie wrote about her Magis Puppy who was lighting up The Bambino’s life. Now she is a little older maybe she is ready for her own Magis pet. Julian is a moulded polyethylene cat which makes him lightweight and durable. Not only is he a cat but he [...]

Lascal Kiddyguard Stair Gate

Kat writes… When your bambino gets mobile you will be astounded by how quickly they can escape. TodlerGeek has managed to make it up the stairs undetected despite our best efforts. I need to face facts: a stair gate is necessary. Shame is; they are so darn ugly! The Kiddyguard is a stair gate with a difference. [...]

Why Cry Baby Monitor

Brenda writes… This award winning, innovative, baby crying analyser is probably the first of its kind. It claims to be able to analyse your bambinos cry and catergorise it so that you learn to decipher which is a hungry or bored cry amongst others. It comes with a comprehensive user guide and a body language [...]

Latitude Enfant tree photo frame

Brenda writes…. I need to buy this for my daughters room – she is going to love it!! It is such an unusual photo frame and can hold 10 small pictures of her nearest and dearest. I know she will take it to bed with her which is okay as it’s made out of soft [...]

Funky Chicken Doorstop

The bambino is obsessed with the doorstop in our bedroom and it’s a dodgy bit of wood that I really wish she’d leave alone…. These funky chickens are handmade here in the UK from vintage and reclaimed retro fabric When you get it, unzip it and fill it up with rice or even old socks, and puts some funk in your door.