Right now we’re loving all things themed with planes, trains and automobiles!

In my experience kids love anything with a bit of wheel that moves and most kids from an early age can let you know the train goes ‘toot toot’! Plane, trains and cars are a great theme for a nursery or playroom or some of the items featured above also make great gift ideas!

Clockwise from the top;

Janod Magnetic Helicopter Puzzle $29.95

Heimess Pram Toy $24.95

Dwell Studio King Single duvet set $265.95

That’s Not My Car Touchy feely board book $14.95

Zuny Bookend zero Fighter $84.95

Hip Stuff Racing Car Red $8.95

b.box the essential baby box $34.95

Dwell Studio Transport Storage Bin $134.95
Puzzle Traffic $8.00

Blik Wall Graphics Race Ya! $69.95 (centre)

My sister-in-law is about to head overseas for 3 weeks with her boyfriend, another friend is currently sipping cocktails watching the sunset in Bali, tonight as The Blue Eyed Chef and I ate our dinner tonight we were commenting on the wonderful sense of excitement that comes with travel and discovering a new place. But when doing it with kids its kinda different……excitement tinged with…’I hope there are no major delays or queues, I hope X doesn’t scream on take off, I hope X sleeps at designated sleep time, I hope that customs at the other end doesn’t want to go through every snack and pre-packaged piece of baby food I’ve brought’ etc etc. Not quite the same as taking off, ordering your glass of wine and deciding which movies you will watch!

We have travelled overseas 3 times since Goldilocks was born. Twice to Bali and once to Fiji. Each time whilst we’ve have the usual excitement buzz we’ve also been a little more stressed than say when we took off to Europe together for 3 months or travelled to Thailiand on our honeymoon. Whilst neither of the flights to Bali or Fiji are particularly lengthy, our stresses weren’t always in vain. On the way to Fiji she never sat still and we took it in turns to walk the aisles – we got kicked out of an empty business class when she felt the need to do up every seatbelt available. On the red eye flight home from Bali she fell asleep straight away and we thought we had the golden ticket home. That was until she woke up 1 hour later and started vomiting. She did so every 30minutes for the rest of the 5 hour trip home. We landed, her in a nappy wrapped in a Virgin Blue blanket and me in no bra and The Blue Eyed Chefs shorts and tshirt that he wore to the airport and changed out of prior to flying! Not a great way to end a wonderful holiday!!!

So we have a few travel adventures under our belt! Whilst I can’t offer advice on how to deal with a vomiting child I can offer advice for a child who won’t sit still! A limited edition Trunki case packed full of tricks!!!! These bags are fantastic and the cute Tiger and Bumble Bee designs are limited edition so once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Weighing in at only 1.7kgs these tough plastic cases are strong enough to withstand the usual airport battles that take place, but they have rubber rims to prevent little fingers from being jammed. The beauty lies not in the super cute design or their 18 litre capacity storage, but in the fact that a child weighing up to 50kgs can ride on them whilst being pulled along by the parent. Carry on size approved the Trunki solves all the problems of avoiding standing in long check-in and customs queues or transiting from domestic to international terminals.  And when you’re running late a convenient shoulder strap means Dad can pop your toddler over his shoulder and Mum can pop the Trunki over hers and you can both make a run for it!!

Looking for things to occupy a child on a flight and fill your Trunki with? Check out; Big Little Flip A Face book, Janod Magnetic Rocket puzzle,  Tiger Tribe Games On The Go Memory Set,  Tiger Tribe Junior Stampers Set, Tiger Tribe Magnetic Nursery Rhyme Set and for necessary nappy changes, the B.Box Essential Baby Box!

Happy Travels!

As Goldilocks has grown there’s been alot of talk about ‘the next phase’….the progression from dropping a night feed to sleeping through the night, from lying to rolling over, crawling to walking…you get the picture..well we’ve reached the ‘next phase’ in toys. We’ve grown out of rattles and black and white cubes, of chewy plastic rings and water bottles filled with rice…so today I’m going shopping!

Top of my list are these three items. And I’ve chosen them for the following reasons;

I think they will last not only the test of time but through ‘the next phase’ as well. That is, whilst she might not make full use of them now, in a month or so as her fine motor skills continue to develop she will. 

Janod Meli Melo Lacing Pearls

A little advanced in terms of threading the pearls, but she will get there. And for now the beads make great treasures for her to pop in and out of shoe boxes and plastic jars as she is want to do of late. I love a toy that will develop with her. Both cost effecient and great for her development!

Goki Ball Hammer Bench

I’ve written before about my love of Goki, bright, sturdy, fun and great for her hand eye co-ordination. Nothing like something that moves, makes noise and is brightly coloured. Ticks all the boxes for me and hopefully her!

Barnyard Animals Puzzle

Whilst we have mastered ‘woof’, ‘moo’ and ‘baa’ we’re currently working on ‘oink’. I figured this little puzzle will help with recognising animals and the sounds they make and it’s also a great simple tool for helping with hand eye coordination. And whilst like every mother I like to think Goldilocks is advanced, yesterday she saw a magpie and cried out ‘turtle’…10 points for using the word ‘turtle’ but last time I checked turtles didn’t have feathers and fly, so we need all the help we can get in this department at the moment!!