Christmas Gift Guide for Babies

Maybe your Christmas shopping is done and dusted and your presents are wrapped and ready to go. Perhaps (if you're like me!) you've been making lists for the past month but not actually got going and are now feeling a little worried that Christmas is just around the corner....

Hopefully this gift guide will give you some ideas for the little people in your life! 

1 // Elf Sleepsuit, M & Co  - £12

I just cannot resist an Elf costume and I've already subjected poor Elliot to one since he was a baby! I love this cute little sleepsuit, festive enough to look the part but practical enough to snooze in. 

2 // Snowman Rattle, Toys R Us - £6.99

This cute toy is suitable from birth and makes a lovely keepsake gift of baby's first Christmas

3 // Chicco Baby Steps 2 in 1 Activity Walker* - £17.95

Perfect for those little ones who are about to take their first steps, this walker will play a fun melody when the baby starts walking. As soon as the baby stops walking, the music will stop and hopefully encourage a few more steps! The Online 4 Baby website is the UK's cheapest online baby megastore and definitely worth checking out for all the latest deals - my shopping list for the baby has grown substantially since finding this website! 

4 // Ella's Kitchen Jingle Belly Christmas Dinner pouch - Various

There's no reason that the babies should have to miss out on the all important Christmas dinner when Ella's Kitchen have produced this yummy creation. 30p from the sale of each pouch will be donated to Save the Children who are promoting the importance of family meal times and the positive impact it can have on a child's development. 

5 // Miffy in the Snow book - £3.75

Little children will love Miffy and these simple stories will be a big hit with parents who remember Miffy from their childhood!

6 // Dr Brown's Special Edition Gift Set - £29.99

I have heard great things about Dr Brown's bottles and their ability to reduce wind related colic due to the unique internal green vent system. This cute little gift set comes with three bottles, a butterfly soother, bottle brush and a Flexees teether. I shall be testing these bottles out in the new year once our baby has arrived so look out for a review and a giveaway! 

7 // Penguin Stocking, John Lewis - £12

I love penguins and this grey fleecy stocking from John Lewis is perfect for baby's first Christmas

8 // New Baby 4 Piece Gift Set, Boden - £38.50

This 4 piece set would make a fab gift for new parents as it contains all the essentials - sleepsuit, bodysuits and a bib. I adore the bear print on this! 

Hopefully that has given you some inspiration - I certainly have a few more things to add to my list now! 

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Kids Activities to Make Your Home More Personal

It doesn’t matter the weather or the time of day; I can’t get enough of craft activities. Lately, I have taken to designing and making my own home-decorating pieces, which is a great activity to do with my kids because they can see their work every day. If like me, you share a love of all things craft but aren’t sure where to start, I’m here to help!

Don''t Buy - Create!

The best place to start is with items around your home that you have been considering replacing with something new. I am not somebody who enjoys cleaning, so I do my best to keep mud and dirt out of my carpets. One of the best ways is with a shoe rack, requiring all shoes to be taken off before entering. The beauty of this activity is that it only requires the nailing of a few pieces of wood to make the rack, and you are ready to create! Designate each family member a rack for their shoes, and allow them to design how it looks, with colours or prints.

My little one decided to paint his a mixture of green and red, splashed across each other. It wouldn’t have been my first choice, but he loves it and it encourages him to use it instead of bringing the entire park inside with him.

Picture This!

Family photos around the home make for a warm and inviting environment and are a great way to share your memories with guests. With your family, choose a selection of recent photos you have all taken and decide where you will hang them around your home. Next, head to a thrift store and get some basic photo frames. Decorate them as you please in a style that will match the room you intend to place them. If you went on a beach holiday, encourage your kids to paint and decorate with a beach theme to match the photo. If you have larger photos that you want to stand out, check out the Groupon discount codes for Photobox where you can all design and order a canvas print hanging picture.

Paper Mache Vase

If you love flowers as much as I do, you have a vase in every room. And while I enjoy the traditional glass look, they provide the perfect canvas for your kids’ creativity. With some old newspaper and a paste glue, create a paper mache layer around each of them. When they are dry, give your children free reign to design them how they like. The best thing about this craft activity is that it doesn’t cost a lot, and you can replace the layers as often as you like to keep your kids busy each weekend and the styles changing.

These are just some of the great craft ideas that you can do at home with your family, and can be a great way to spend a day in or a day out!

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Top 5 Days out for Children

Now that Easter is over, the prospect of summer is starting to rear its head. And while we all love those endless sunny days spent relaxing with our nearest and dearest, those of us with young children to entertain can also feel a touch of fear when contemplating the holidays. With weeks of time off stretched out before you, how can you put off that dreaded chant of “I’m bored”? Check out our guide to the top days out for children.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Love the great outdoors? Nothing beats spending a day in the beautiful countryside followed by a night under the stars.  If you’re happy to rough it there are plenty of sites around the country where you can pitch up for a few quid a night, while those who want a little more luxury can check out one of the UK’s fantastic posh camping – or ‘glamping’ – sites. For fantastic deals on luxury tents in stunning locations, check out some of the offers available with Lastminute.com voucher codes.

Outdoor fun

A Slice of History

Living in the UK means that you’re spoiled for choice when searching for a day out activity that combines learning with fun. With so many historic castles, ancient villages, world class museums and much more located all around the country, it’s easy to find one your kids will love. Harry Potter fans can visit many of the locations associated with the famous films and books, while any young aspiring knights and princesses will be delighted with a day spent at one of Britain’s many medieval castles.

Corfe Castle, Dorset

Be Beside the Seaside

Want to make sure your kids are tired out by the end of the day? There’s nothing like a spot of bracing sea air to but them straight to sleep. In the South West, the beautiful beaches of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall provide family friendly facilities and lots of opportunities for swimming and sandcastle building, while the coastline of the North East offers plenty of bargain breaks by the sea. Pack up a picnic (don’t forget the windbreak!) and enjoy an old-fashioned day out!

A warm Summer's evening in Dorset

Get Some Thrills

Particularly good if you have older children, Britain’s amazing theme parks are an easy way to enjoy a great day out with the family – and it doesn’t need to cost the earth either. While tickets to top parks like Alton Towers and Thorpe Park can be expensive on the gate, it’s always worth keeping an eye on the internet to find out what special offers are around. Don’t fancy the crowds? There are hundreds of smaller theme parks dotted around the country, all with their own special charms. Ask at your local tourist information centre for more information about what’s available in your area.

Paulton's Park (Peppa Pig World), Hampshire

Explore Foreign Shores

For the ultimate holiday activity, taking the kids to another country is an experience that’s hard to beat. Whether it’s a quick hop across the channel to France or Spain or something a little more exotic, sites like Couporando are dedicated to helping you find the very best deals around. For families with young children, hotels with kids’ clubs represent fantastic value for money – you’ll have professional entertainers on hand to keep the little ones entertained while you relax and enjoy your holiday.

Holiday Fun

What are your favourite days out?

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Panasonic Wish List

There used to be a time (before Elliot!) when we wouldn't think twice about purchasing a new bit of technology. And I'm sure he won't mind me saying but my husband is a bit of a geek and Stuff Magazine was his bible, gadgets have always been his thing! We even own three gadget repair shops here in Poole and get to see lots of different types of tech on a daily basis.

Despite all that, our technology at home is looking a bit dated. Our tv looks like a dinosaur compared with all the new slimmer models and my kitchen could definitely do with modernising! We're in the process of selling our flat and will be moving into somewhere bigger this Summer so a good excuse to do some window shopping on the Panasonic website...

Panasonic Lumix Bridge Cameras
I've been wanting to update my old Panasonic point & shoot camera for a while now and these ones are the next logical step up. Love the super high optical zoom, this is a really good feature if I'm snapping pictures at a concert and don't have seats near the front. 

Panasonic Juicer MJ-SJ01K
I'm guilty of not eating enough fruit and veg sometimes so having a juicer would definitely improve my intake!

Panasonic Washing Machine NA-168VS4
A washing machine with steam action that helps reduce wrinkles and ironing time gets my vote!! It even lets you refresh your clothes without washing!

Panasonic Coffee Maker NC-DF1
I'm not a coffee drinker but my husband can't function in the morning without one! Love the sleekness of this one, very smart

Panasonic Vacuum Cleaner MC-CL934
We have a rather bulky Dyson vacuum at the moment which is brilliant for sucking up cat fluff but not very portable. We live in a flat right now so it's not a big issue but if we move into a house then I'm going to need something a bit more lightweight for carrying up and down stairs.

Panasonic TX-65CR852B Curved 4K UHD TV
I don't know too much about televisions but judging by the online reviews, this looks likes the bees knees of TVs! It's a massive 65" and has four times as many pixels as standard HD televisions. Imagine the crystal clear clarity on screen - Peppa Pig never looked so good! For more info on 4K TVs, see below

* Disclosure - this is a sponsored post