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Summer holidays (part two)

summer-essentials
As the summer approaches (can you believe we are really in July already?!) then thoughts turn to the annual family holiday by the beach. Packing for the whole family can sometimes be something of a nightmare, to say the least, so I have compiled some handy tips and easy-to-follow packing and shopping hints to make getting ready for your trip as fuss-free as possible. Now all you need to do is start dreaming of that azure blue sea and soft white sand…

1. Make sure you choose a lightweight suitcase that is sturdy enough to withstand a long haul flight but won’t add any unneccessary weight. I am a big fan of the Revelation by Antler range. The design is ultra stylish too.

2. Don’t forget the sun hat. It will protect your face, your hair and mostly your head from the heat! Look for a cool style that will go with everything in your case.

3. Pack special separate sun creams for your kids. They’ll be glad to have their own stuff and won’t mind applying it as much, especially if the bottles look bright and appealing.

4. Your children probably won’t be able to fit into last year’s flip flops, so splash out (no pun intended!) on these Crest flip flops, which have good support for young feet.

Summer holiday essentials: Clarins Sun Body Cream, Revelation by Antler suitcases, Fat Face reversible sun hat, and Crest fip flops

Summer holidays

sun-hat

Sing along with me kids, “We’re all going on a summer holiday, we’re all going for a week or two, fun and laughter on a summer holiday…” A little corny perhaps but no doubt you are in the process of planning this year’s summer holiday, not to mention getting your shopping list sorted for those all-essential pre-beach purchases. Of course we all know that holidaying with the whole family means proper planning is absolutely essential. It is one thing to forget the suncream for yourself and have to suffer, quite another to forget to propery protect your children.

Childrens skin is much more delicate than adults and it is imperative that you ensure you have stocked up on enough high factor cream to keep them from burning. It’s best to keep babies and very young children (aged three and under) out of the sun completely if at all possible and at least make sure you cover them up with a good sun hat. For older children, look for special kids sun creams, such as Avon Kids Sun Cream, which has a great watermelon smell.

Summer essentials for children: Gingham Pooh Bear sun hat Matalan and Avon kids sun cream

BBQ boys

patio-furniture

“Throw another shrimp on the barbie” is my favourite catch phrase from Al Steward of cult TV programme, Neighbours fame. My nephew absolutely adores saying this now too, especially as in preparation for a hot summer ahead he has started helping out with the BBQ. All kids (girls as well as boys) once they’re old enough will just love being given some responsibility for helping prepare, cook or even just clear away (yes, really!) after a fun family BBQ.

First, make sure you’ve invested in a the right BBQ equipment that is super safe as well as effective. Halford’s kettle BBQ is a complete bargain. It’s easy to assemble and has a 34cm diameter cooking grill. If you’d rather your children stick to laying the table, make sure you’re set up with a proper outdoor table that they’ll love to decorate. This outdoor patio set with a folding iron table is just the ticket. Then just make sure you have a great outdoor heater on hand too, especially if you have small children or babies around, for when those summer days turn into slightly chillier nights!

Featured outdoor furniture and BBQ: Halford kettle BBQ, Outdoor patio set Everything Furniture, and Bristol Mini Heater Overstock

Daddy Cool

world-cup-candy

Ok so officially Father’s Day may be over but all that splashing out on your daddy has got me to thinking that actually it would be rather nice to spend a little more time (and money) lavishing attention on your poor downtrodden father every now and again. After all, this is the man who raised you and also taught you how to catch a ball/play football/appreciate the value of a good pint/mow the lawn/tie your shoelaces/where Uganda is on a map/the importance of reading Science Fiction and most of all how to be a grown-up,whilst managing to retain the sense of humour of a kid!

So I’ve chosen some great dad gifts that are sure to be more appreciated than just the odd pair of socks. First up, something educational. Most fathers love to be know-it-alls especially where geography is concerned. Show him how much you know he loves to quiz you on where tiny cities are in the world with a beautiful map of the world or Atlas. Any dad would adore this giant wall map to hang in his study or shed.

Any sporting daddy is going to be obsessed with the footie at the moment. Indulge his World Cup passion, with some great gifts like this official Fifa world cup game. Or opt for some footie chocolates, all the better for a celebration or consolation prize.

Featured Father’s Gifts: Giant Wall Map, Official Fifa World Cup 2010 game, and Football chocolates

Graduation Gifts: part one

charmbracelet

As another set of students prepare to wave goodbye to their salad days and get ready for life as an adult, it is only fitting to present them with a great gift to set them on the right path. As well as saying ‘welcome to the world’ a good graduation present should also reward these former students for all their academic hard work, something which is often forgotten when we think about student life. Yes so there is usually plenty of partying, but when else in your life will you have to read heavy scientific or law tomes?

The classic present for a girl is of course a beautiful silver bracelet. I still treasure the lovely one my parents gave me on that sunny June day. A charm bracelet is particularly appealing as they are currently cool too, and the symbolism of adding charms as you continue through adult life seems especially fitting. Stephen Einhorn does specially themed ones, that include a scroll charm and a bottle of champagne. Something to mark the present and welcome in the future, what could make more sense?

Football’s coming home

gold-soccer-ball
It’s coming home, it’s coming.. football’s coming home. Well at least we hope so. World cup fever is reaching a high point in the countdown to the first match and it’s great to get your kids caught up in the atmosphere. Now I love football and I’d make sure my children were proper supporters anyhow, but even if you can’t admit a love for the beautiful game, it is certainly a good excuse to foster some team spirit and a great patriotic atmosphere. Plus for the pedants out there, it might even help with your children’s geography!

Playing is just as much fun as watching the matches, so let them get inspired by our boys on the pitch by investing in a decent football for your family. Try Umbro’s stylish white, black and gold one. My nephews also rate Adidas adipure glide football for getting that essential injury time goal. Before watching the matches, swot up with England’s Road to South Africa, which is the official Fifa dvd. Nice one, my son!

World cup items:  Umbro football £14.99 Kitbag, Adidas adipure glider football £9.99, England’s Road to South Africa £6.49 HMV

Child’s play: Easy baking

kids-cookbook
As summer approaches we all want to spend as much time as possible in the garden. But let’s face it, even on seemingly sunny British summer days the weather is never predictable and so it’s good to have some on-hand (and hands on!) indoor activities to keep your children amused. Nothing is more fun on a boring sunday afternoon than doing some baking – and luckily there’s a whole host of wonderful cook books that are specially written with your little ones in mind.

I love DK’s Children’s Healthy and Fun Cookbook. It has some beautifully illustrated recipes that are ideal for kids of all ages – and perfect if you’re not exactly a cordon bleu chef in the kitchen yourself! Their Ultimate Children’s Cookbook is also a firm favourite of mine. It has some very yummy cake recipes too! Alternatively, everyone adores making (and eating) fairycakes so look for a specialist recipe book, like this one. Before you know it you won’t be able to keep them out of the kitchen! Time for tea, anyone?

Children’s cookbooks featured:  DK Children’s Healthy and Fun Cookbook £12.99, DK Ultimate Children’s Cookbook £15, and Cupcakes and Fairycakes £6.99

Get on yer bike

kids-bike-helmets
Summer when I was a child was spent on long bike rides with my brothers and sister. There is something about the sense of freedom you get from riding a bike that as a child growing up in the suburbs is just essential. The wind in your hair, feet on the pedals and the sun on your face. What could be better than this?

It’s scary then to read about the number of bike accidents that happen not just on the roads in the city but also in the countryside. That’s why, in the interests of safety first I’d now never let my kids cycle without a good bike helmet. It’s something that is important to instil into children at a young age so that it becomes second nature for them to protect their heads when they’re off on a biking adventure with their friends.

Look for bright colours and patterns that they’ll love. Plus make sure the protection is excellent. A peak front will also help their vision. Get on yer bike now!

Giro Me 2 Kids helmets £17.99

Lego makes a comeback

legos
As retro toys are having something of a comeback it’s not surprising that the iconic building boxes we all used to love in the Eighties are making a return onto the scene. Yes, ladies and gentleman, put your hands together (or apart!) for the return of lego! I have to confess, I absolutely adore lego. The bright, bold colours, the no-nonsense plastic and the fact that the characters all have bright yellow faces! What’s not to love?

Also, and perhaps most importantly, it encourages children to be creative. From building a city sea plane to a dream house complete with apple tree in the garden they can either follow the instructions and create a masterpiece of a design or wing it and just make up some random shapes as they go along. In my opinion, that’s exactly what playtime should be about – learning to follow instructions and then choosing not to play by the rules in the name of creativity!

Now of course lego even has it’s own wii games, such as this cool Nintendo rock band. Yet classics like this super speedster car will always be popular. Time to start building!

Legos featured: Nintendo Lego rock band wii, Lego super speedster car, Lego city sea plane, Lego apple tree house

Sugar and spice (that’s what little girls are made of)

girls-spring-dresses
As it’s the beginning of May, no doubt we are all feeling particularly spring-like. Blame the sunny weather, the tulips springing up everywhere or the fact that all the children on my street are now playing outside after school. This was always the time of year where my mother would take me and my sisters ‘spring dress shopping’. As you can imagine, this was a shopping trip that thrilled us to our very hearts, until we became teenagers and decided no one even remotely cool would be seen dead in a dress.

So, let the spring dress shopping for little girls commence! First up some very pretty floral numbers. My favourite of the crop is this Autograph by Marks & Spencer floral frock. The print is cute without being sickly sweet or overly sugary and I like the dark pink waistband. This candy-stripe jersey dress from Monsoon is also set to be a summer staple. Perfect for picnics or playing in the garden. Finally for little ones, this sweet pink pinafore has a ditsy floral print that is adorable for sweet-as-pie little girls!

Editor’s picks for girls spring dresses: Floral dress £18 Autograph by Marks & Spencer,  Stripe jersey dress £14 Monsoon,  Pink pinafore £17.99

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