KidStyleFile

Written by Leah

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Dollhouses have been a plaything of the young for thousands of years with early examples found in 5,000 year old Egyptian tombs. They are often on the wishlists of many young girls (and boys); with many mothers (myself included) spending hours searching for the perfect piece. These days there are a plethora of choices, opening the option of selecting a dollhouse that is perfect for your own abode, your little one’s personality and the type of dolls they wish to play with.

Modern dollhouses come in all shapes and colours, from the modernistic version of the Playsam dollhouse to the retro Gotland dollhouse and futuristic Brinca Dada. Some pull apart, others are one large sturdy item. Sizes vary too, from the freestanding Kidkraft versions that are likely to be as high (if not higher) than your kidlet, to Makedo which is only as high and wide as you choose to make it. Regardless of which you choose, they will certainly keep your little one (and yourself!) occupied for many hours.

On the hunt for the perfect house to accommodate my own Miss N’s dolls, I have rounded up over 20 options. Below are the first 10, stay tuned for more to come. We would love to hear which is your favourite!

1.  PlanToys My First Doll’s House $185.00
2. Janod  Maison Doll’s House $260.00
3. KidKraft Classic Savannah Dolls House The Little Kidz Closet $349.00
4. Mary Beth’s Store  £99.00
5. Le Toy Van – Doll House Sophie’s $229.00
6. Le Toy Van – Doll House Cherry Tree Hall $299.00
7. Miniio Minko Dollhouse E$399.00
8. Playsam Dollhouse $199.00
9. Krooom Approximately $69.95
10. Lundby Gotland Doll’s House (Lights Up) $189.95

Written by Angela

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The Big Day is here; it’s December 25. Time to down tools; to take a break; to celebrate and cheer ‘Merry Christmas’!

Whatever your beliefs, and however you celebrate, we wish you the kind of day today that would be memorable at any time of year: fun and joyful and filled with the laughter of your nearest and dearest.

If you’re looking for a spot of retail therapy during the afternoon when everyone else has flaked it then click here for joy and certain bargains, and stay tuned: the post-Christmas sales start tomorrow. See you then!

With love from all of us here at KidStyleFile xxxx

Written by Angela

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Skip Hop is a New York-based company, that, in 2003, designed the world’s first baby bag that converts into a stroller bag. Skip Hop have since expanded into a range of toys, feeding, bathing accessories, but their nappy bags have continued to be their top-selling items – and no wonder; these babies are beautiful, and incredibly well featured.

Snap up a Skip Hop ‘Duo Deluxe’ baby bag (was $99.95 now $49.97 ), ‘Duo Double’ (was $169.95 now $84.98) diaper bag,  ‘Duo Double Deluxe’ nappy bag (was $179.95 now $89.98) or ‘Studio’ upmarket mummy bag (was $199.95 now $99.98) at the Shop Until – shopuntil.com.au – Skip*Hop sale. All items are discounted by 50% – woohoo! – while stocks last only. Get over there fast!

Shop Until charge $6.95 flat-rate postage Australia-wide. Orders over $100.00 are shipped FREE. View full postage and delivery information here.

Post written by Anna

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With just two more sleeps until Christmas Day dawns (very early at my house!) savvy shoppers are preparing for the feast of post Christmas sales. But if the wait is killing you, I have great news from My Wooden Toys – www.mywoodentoys.com.au who are set to have you saving early with some sensational toys on sale *today*.

My Wooden Toys stock high quality toys and games sourced from all over the world including popular brands Djeco, Le Toy Van, Kathe Kruse and more.  There are toys for boys and girls, infant toys, soft toys, puzzles, games, and a huge variety of wooden toys too.

My Wooden Toys have toys on sale now with prices starting at just $4.95! Check out the highlights of this sale in the pictures below: every item is from the fabulous special’s section and for the most part they are priced below $20.00 – bargains! With prices like these, this sale is a great opportunity to snap up presents for gifts, birthdays and even Christmas next year.  Make sure you also check the Free Postage section to find the smaller items which My Wooden Toys will deliver to you absolutely free of charge.

My Wooden Toys charge $8.80 per order (no matter how many toys) Australia wide. My Wooden Toys also ship selected items free of charge: look for the clearly marked ‘Free Postage’ products. View full details here.

Written by Jen
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When it comes to playtime, crafting has become an integral part of my children’s routine. At their Early Learning Centre, my boys are lucky enough to be immersed in a program that invests a lot of time in gentle exploration and creativity, allowing their imaginations to flourish and thrive. We have just received their ‘Reflections’ folder, brimming with artwork and images showing their various projects – utterly gorgeous!

I’m always looking for tips and tricks to creating at home, and when I read my daily fill of blog posts, I often think how, not so long ago, the choice of crafting ideas was pretty limited. But with the likes of Pinterest and so many wonderful blogs, the options are endless. Now there are lots of really impressive books that are packed with inspiration, leaving us spoilt for choice. Take Joel Henriques, for instance, a very clever Dad who began sharing his ideas on a simple blog called Made by Joel. Today it’s one of the biggest craft blogs around; and after appearing on TV with Martha Stewart, he recently launched his first book, Made to Play. Another creative blogger and former educator, Mariah Bruehl, has also just released her book Playful Learning, designed to teach kids (and us grown ups for that matter) about the simple things around us. These are only two of a very creative and industrious pack of writers and artists, generous enough to share their talents with you and I. The books selected here share a common ideal, to further develop the bond of family through creativity. Now how could that not make you feel completely inspired?

1. Playful Learning: Develop your Child’s Sense of Joy and Wonder, Mariah Bruehl $24.44 including delivery at Book Depository
2. Kids Crafternoon PaperCraft, Kathleen Ricketson $24.74 including delivery at Book Depository
3. The Creative Family, Amanda Blake Soule $20.18 including delivery at Book Depository
4. The Rhythm of Family, Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons, Amanda Blake Soule $21.24 including delivery at Book Depository
5. Made to Play, Joel Henriques $20.18 including delivery at Book Depository
6. Usborne 1000 Things to Make and Do, Fiona Watt $32.39 including delivery at Book Depository
7. Make and Takes for Kids, 50 Crafts Throughout the Year, Marie Lebaron $20.21 including delivery at Book Depository
8. Papertoy Monsters, Brian Castleforte $21.95 including delivery at Book Depository
9. The Golden of Family Fun,Peggy Brown, $18.14 including delivery at Book Depository

Book Depository ship all orders FREE, worldwide.

Post written by Anna

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The combination of children and retro styling is a perfect match every season, but somehow this winning combination seems most delightful for summer. Baby Goes Retro – www.babygoesretro.com.au offers a stunning selection of clothing for babies and children all with a special unique flavor, and all just perfect for summertime fun. Within the pages of this hip boutique you will find modern Scandinavian aesthetics coupled with the innocence of a bygone era. This collection has me reminiscing of my simple childhood summers filled with ice-creams at the beach and hours spent catching grasshoppers or under the sprinkler in the backyard.

Like children who go all wobbly at the knees in a lolly shop, if you love quality fabric and strong prints in a rainbow of colours, then you should totally go retro baby! Baby Goes Retro offer clothing with a distinctly different edge to suit babies, boys and girls. With fresh stock arriving from Scandinavia regularly, there are now also a lovely array of gifts and accessories, shoes, decor items and some special items for mum and dad too!

There are fabulous new arrivals at Baby Goes Retro, plus some super items in their sale section with up to 50% off, while stocks last. Smile even more and sign up for the Baby Goes Retro Newsletter to receive an EXTRA 10% discount code. Baby Goes Retro offer FREE gift wrapping, too!  So go ahead and bag yourself some sunshine and lollipop kind of happiness at Baby Goes Retro!

Only the coolest of cool labels make their home in the Baby Goes Retro collection of designer labels and they include: Danafae, Sture & Lisa, Molo, Plastisock, Skummis, Duns Sweden, Idat , Rice, Smafolk, Mairo, H.J.O.R.T.H Copenhagen, Katvig, Elodie Details, Snoffs, Li and lo, Sandy Feet Australia, AddStroller. Kade, EJ Sikke Lej, Snookzy Scamdinavia, Metsola, Kram Barnklader, Funkis Swedish Forms, Bifrost, Moccis, Cooee Design, AarrrKid Collections, KG Design, Shampoodle, Moonkids and CTH Mini.

Baby Goes Retro ship Australia wide via regular post for the flat fee of $5.95 and Express post for $7.95. They also ship internationally starting at $12.50 to New Zealand. For all Ordering and Delivery information please click here.