KidStyleFile

Today’s post written by Miki

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I suspect I’m not the only parent constantly on the lookout for great toys.  My definition of a ‘great toy’ is one that will entertain a child for more than 5 mins at a time, encourages creativity, and won’t break the first time it’s used.  The Toy Bug – www.thetoybug.com.au – has a truly wonderful array of high quality toys which fit all those criteria.  Their website is wonderful to explore; full of toy delights at every click.

Whether your kids love puzzles or tea sets, tool kits or musical instruments, books, bath toys, cuddly toys or skipping ropes, you’ll find something for them here.  I’m also impressed by the array of inexpensive toys perfect for party bags.  The quirky Wooden Lacing Cheese (#5 below) would be right up my 2.5-year-old’s alley, and I, erm, I mean my 8-month-old, would love these Rainbow Sound Blocks.

The lovely Jo at The Toy Bug is offering KidStyleFile readers 10% off every toy store-wide – including those located in the bumper SALE section, where you’ll find quality toys of all decriptions up to 40% off! Orders over $40 (before post costs) will also automatically go into the draw to win a 5 in 1 Toy Cube valued at $120.00 (drawn 11 June 2010). The Toy Bug also offer FREE gift wrapping. What are you waiting for? Use the code ‘KSF10‘ at checkout to redeem your discount and enjoy all the fun until 8 June 2010.

You can stay in touch with The Toy Bug via their newsletter, Facebook page, Twitter account and blog.

The 10% off discount shown below is valid using the code ‘KSF10′. It expires June 8 2010.

1. Walking Slide Toy, $14.95 – 10% = $13.45
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Magnetic Game, $4.00 - 10% = $3.60
3. Tone Blocks, $6.95 - 10% = $6.25
4. Wooden Nuts & Bolts In A Jar, $24.95 - 10% = $22.45
5. Wooden Lacing Cheese, $9.50 – 10% = $8.60
6. Animal Puzzle In Box Set, $22.00 – 10% = $19.80
7. Nine Shapes Puzzle, $25.95 $16.95, save $9.00! - 10% = $15.25
8. Build A Village Game, $42.00 $30.00, save $12.00! - 10% = $27.00
9. Heimess Pirate Pacifier Holder, $15.95 $11.95, save $4.00! - 10% = $10.75
10. Fairy Tea Set, $75.00 $60.00 save $15.00! – 10% = $54.00
11. Activity Doll Set – Clinic, $48.50 $32.50, save $16.00! - 10% = $29.25
12. My Toolbox Bench, $79.00 $61.00, save $18.00! - 10% =$54.90

The Toy Bug stock quality brands including Active People, Anamalz, Boyle, Crocodile Creek, Djeco, EDDU Toy, Fat Brain Toy Co, Fiesta Crafts, GUND, Le Toy Van, JELLYCAT, Mamas & Papas, Manhattan Toy Company, Melissa & Doug, Petit Jour Paris, Sparkle T, Spiegelburg, TOLO, Toys Pure, Voila, WANJU and Wonderworld.

The Toy Bug charge $9.90 flat Australia-wide (with three product exceptions) and post for FREE Australia wide for all orders over $150.00.  Read the full shipping and delivery information here, including details on international orders.

Oh-boy-oh boy oh GIRL, you are in for so much fun today!

These three little words will just have you kicking your heels up, and thanking goodness it is Monday: The Infant Boutique – www.theinfantboutique.com.au.

The Infant boutique may as well be called “I love you” for all the joy Vikki and her team deliver me. Everything is so beautiful, so well considered, and makes me feel so darned good to behold it.

The Infant Boutique stock a stunning range of designer baby and kids clothes, toys, nursery furniture, baby toys, kids toys and craft packs, decor solutions, linens, baby bags, booties and shoes, stationery, gifts and more besides from around 200 premium brands.

Here’s the list so you can check their impressive credentials:

Aden and Anais, Adiri, An Angel at My Table, Anamalz, And Me Too, Annie B, ApplePie Design, Babies Only, Babu, Baby Couture, BabyLegs, Babymoov, Bajo,Bee & Tree, Bholu, BlaBla, Black & Blum, Brave New Word, Brooklan Tree, Cavania Cards, Cheeky Little Soles, Claesens, Coco & Eli, Cocoon Couture,Cuddle Fish, Cuski, Del Campo, Djeco, Dwellbaby, Earth Babies, Emu Australia, Felt Tales, Fiesta Crafts, Fish Lilly,Frankie Ray, French Bull, Gertie and Me, Giddy Giddy, Giimmo, Green to Grow, HandySitt, Happy Horse, Heimess, Herbie, I Love Mybabycino, iCandy, Imprintables, In Your Room, INKE, Isabelle Norman, IsaBooties,Isoki,Itch Design, Joanna Zhou for Mom, Karen Miles, Kids Kitchen, KinderKot, Kipiis, Kushies, Lil Fraser Collection, Lakeland Design, Lambini, Lambykins, Lark, Le Toy Van, Leander, Les Folies, Little Blue Fish, Little Chipipi, Little House, Little Kitchen, Little Pearls, Little Red Pear, Little Twig, Lorena Siminovich, Lotus Linens, Mamas & Papas, Mandalay Design, Manhattan Toy Company, Me Giant, Mi-House, Milestone Press, Mill & Mia, Mini Rhubarb, Minimink, Miriam Bereson, Momiji, Monkey-do, Moulin Roty, Mumi & Bubi, Nature Baby, Natures Child, Nice4Neez, NooNoo Design, Nurtured by Nature, Oeuf, NYC, OUCH Clothing, Pakhuis Oost, Peanut Shell, Petunia Pickle Bottom, Popover Apron, Raggidy Rag Dolls, Ramalama, Ramona Ramona, Red Plum Linen, RJSP, Room Seven, Rouge Living, Sandra Isaksson, Sandy Cousens Art, See Kai Run, Seed Organic, Sew Your Own, SIGG, Sirch, Skip Hop, Squids, Stuffit, T4Tot, Tatiri, The Grassy Garden, The Infant Boutique, The Little Experience, The Source Products, The Wall Sticker Co, Thilde, Thread Design, Tiger Tribe, Tippy Toes, Under the Nile, Usborne Books, Vessel, Vulli, WallCandy, and Wheely Bug.

There is a tonne of inspiration to be had here, but you don’t need to let it stop there: The Infant Boutique have a massive sale going on, with over 150 products discounted by up to 60%!!!

Check the Specials and Last One Left sections to discover some stylish and utterly irresistible bargains.

Also have a looky at the gorgeous new stock in-store: Earth Babies organic and eco-friendly onesies, and IsaBooties soft soled shoes (both exclusive The Infant Boutique), See Kai Run first walkers, And Me Too clothing, and Itch Design: Jodi’s summer range is her best yet.

Below take in the glory of some of some of incredible goodies on offer at sale prices (also, couldn’t resist the new Cocoon Charms, and fabric cards: too cute, and very affordable!).

Place an order at The Infant Boutique and mention the KSF Shop 4 Kids discount code in the comments section at checkout and receive a FREE gift. Offer ends October 31.

Grab a copy of Shop 4 Kids magazine to access the code, or sign up to the KSF Weekly newsletter to receive the code into your InBox tomorrow.

Today, Miki has gathered together some wonderful suggestions to keep your children amused and stimulated. Whether your kids are little babies, or ‘grown-up’ bigger kids, there’s something here for everyone, so turn off the telly and let the games begin!

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Fun and Games from birth to 6 months

Babies from newborn to six months of age aren’t much for throwing a ball around in the back yard or playing chasey, but you can have lots of giggles with them nonetheless!

Right from the first couple of weeks, it’s really important that babies spend a bit of time each day on their tummies: ‘tummy time’.  It’s essential to do this in order to relieve pressure on the backs of their little heads and to encourage their neck muscles to strengthen so that they can begin to lift their head up.

Some babies love tummy time but many don’t, so I recommend investing in a good play gym (the Mamas & Papas one pictured below is great) in order to make it more interesting and stimulating for them.

The other important activity for little babies is encouraging them to reach and grab for objects.  Again, a good quality play gym will aid this but for when you’re out and about string a pram toy across the car seat and/or pram to give them something to aim for.

Heimess Bear Rattle, $19.95 $16.95* from Ekidna Kids*
Mamas & Papas Light and Sound Playmat & Gym, $199.95 from Little Possums Toys
Mamas & Papas Musical Pram Rattle, $23.80 also from Little Possums Toys

Fun and Games from 6-12 months 

From six to twelve months babies are developing mentally and physically at an astonishing pace!  During this period they’ll probably start shuffling, crawling or even walking.

Babies this age adore peekaboo games – try throwing a cot sheet over their head and slowly dragging it off again and see if you can keep a straight face over the giggles!

Also try hiding toys under containers for the baby to ‘find’, and stacking containers into towers for the baby to knock down.  Don’t worry about potential destructive tendencies emerging here, as babies learn about building from knocking down for the first couple of years.

Other great games for this age are rolling a ball back and forth between you and the baby, and bringing puppets into play.  Whole hand puppets or cute little finger puppets are a guaranteed to be a hit!

Crocodile Creek 7″ Playground Ball – Dogs, $18.95 $16.10* from Ekidna Kids
Djeco Topanimo, $49.95 from Little Possums Toys (gorgeous set of toys and boxes, great for hiding games)
Beneath The Leaf Fairy Finger Puppets – set of 3, $24.95 also from Little Possums Toy

Fun and Games from 12-15 months 

Sometime around the ages of 12-15 months, your little one will probably start walking!

An activity they’re guaranteed to adore at this stage is walking along behind a trolley.  They can load it up with their favourite toys and head off into the sunset. It goes without saying that it’s even more important than ever to make sure they’re in a safe environment for this though.

With babies/toddlers who are on the move (crawling or walking), setting up structures to ‘hide’ in and around is loads of fun.  Make sure you get down on their level to crawl with them; it will increase the giggles tenfold.

The play teepee from Kids Gift List pictured below is perfect for this sort of game and can be used indoors or outdoors.

At this age they’re also learning to post different shapes into slots, so a posting game of some sort can be great. I love the BRIO one pictured, it’s so sleek and shiny!

KGL Pink Teepee, $259.95 $220.95 from Kids Gift List*
BRIO Wooden Sorting Box, $38.95 from Little Possums Toys
Plan Toy Baby Walker With Blocks, $120.00 also from Little Possums Toys

Fun and Games from 2 to 3 years

Two to three year olds have SO MUCH ENERGY! Keeping up with them can be a challenge and their power for destruction around the house is huge if they aren’t kept entertained.

At this age they can really start to get into dress ups, so bring out your best wardrobe gear from the 80s and let them go wild.

From the little destructive tornadoes who would knock down every tower of blocks in sight, they’re now starting to get the hang of building so a good set of blocks is a must-have.  Good quality wooden blocks will last generations, and the Toys Pure set from Ekidna Kids look beautiful as well.  These are a big favourite in our house.

You can also start to introduce simple puzzles and memory games for ‘quiet times’ play. Don’t get too carried away with fancy shapes and pictures here yet, stick to something simple like the Mooo Basic Shapes Puzzle to allow them to get the hang of things.

Mooo Basic Shapes Puzzle, from $34.95 from Mooo
Toys Pure Shalimar Puzzle, $39.95 $33.95 from Ekidna Kids*
Djeco 9 Cube Jungle Puzzle, $15.95 from Little Possums Toys (great blocks for building, and also are great as a puzzle from 3+

Fun and Games from 3 to 5 years

Three to five year olds are developing quite advanced gross motor skills and love being active, so give them plenty of practice by encouraging games like ten pin bowls – easy to be enthusiastic about, given the gorgeous range of sets available these days.

To encourage the development of fine motor skills, bring out the art supplies. Drawing, painting, stamping and so on are loads of fun and are a great tool for parents if you need to keep the kids amused on a rainy day. Giving your child their own pencil case makes them feel special and grown up – check out the Capt’n Sharky and Princess Lillifee filled pencil cases from Gifts4Kidz.

The more advanced puzzles can be brought out around now – the personalised name puzzles from Mooo are perfect as they will also help your child learn to recognise his or her own name in written form… and of course they look fabulous!

Capt’n Sharky Filled Pencil Case and Princess Lillifee Filled Pencil Case, both $45.00 from Gifts4Kidz
Bowl Me Over Penguin Set, $21.95 $18.65 from Kids Gift List*
Personalised Wooden Name Puzzle, from $24.95 from Moo

Fun and Games from 5 years+

By now your big little person is at school! The house must be seeming very quiet during the weekdays, but no doubt the noise and energy is more than making up for it after school and on weekends.

Keep the pencils and art supplies from the previous ages, as writing stories is probably starting to become a favourite pastime at this point. Encourage them in their literary and artistic pursuits by always have pencils and paper available; you’ll be amazed at what your little Picassos and Tennysons will produce!

For burning off energy you just can’t beat a jumping rope. Even professional athletes use jump rope as a cardio excercise, and the best part is that it’s so much fun! Adults can take part just as much as the kids can – get two jump ropes going and see if you remember how to double dutch like you used to in primary school.  The kids will be incredibly impressed if you can

This is a brilliant age to be bringing kids into the kitchen as well, and making a pizza can be healthy, educational and a whole heap of fun.  If you’re not exactly a Michelin-starred chef yourself, the Kids In The Kitchen Pizza Box sets from Gifts4Kidz make it easy for you.

Little girls love to play hairdressers, but please don’t exclude the boys from this game either. Bring out some gel and some hair dressing equipment (the set below means they won’t be wrecking yours!) and let them all go to town, not just on each other but on your hair too!

Hairdressing kit and cape, $44.95 from Gifts4Kidz
Kids in the Kitchen Pizza Box – Black, $24.95 from Gifts4Kidz
KGL Skipping Rope – Zebra, $6.95 $5.90 from Kids Gift List*

Please check individual sites for postage details.

*Indicates discount or special offer through the Shop 4 Kids magazine code.

Today, Miki hits The Hip Infant for a shopping spree. If you want a 10% discount at THI grab a copy of Shop 4 Kids mag for the KSF exclusive code. Can’t get to the shops? Email me, and I’ll send you the magic words

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The Hip Infant – www.thehipinfant.com.au – is an unending source of delight for me.

The site itself is a dream to navigate, it’s beautiful to look at and everything is just so… well, *hip*!

When you combine that with the vast range of brands you can understand why The Hip Infant is shopping heaven for the 0-2 years crowd.

Brands stocked include *takes a deep breath*: AKA Pipik, Albetta, Alex Toys, Alimrose Designs, Anna & Sally, Annabel Trends, Anne Claire Petit, Baby Einstein, Baby Legs, Babylicious, Benny Boy, Bical, BlaBla, Blink Designs, BUD, Built NY, Bump Buddy, Cheeky Monkey, Christmas Ideas, Coco & Eli, Cuddlefish, David Fussenegger, DiddleDumpling, Dirty Laundry, Elodie Details, Eyetribe, Fiesta Crafts, Flensted Mobiles, Fleurville, For Walls, For Windows, French Bull, Gertie and Me, Giimmo, Go_Home JNR, Green To Grow, Haba, Heimess, Hip Stuff, ID Tee, Inch Blue, Infancy, Jazzy Toes, JellyCats, JewelQueen, Kathe Kruse, Keptin Jr, Kid Squidgy, Kiddopotamus, Kipiis, Lima Bean, Limo Basics, Little Chipipi, Little Einsteins, Little Joey, Little Twig, Liz Knits, Milestone Press, Mill & Mia, Mini Glow, Mitty James, Mon Ange, Moppit, Mum To Mum, My Child, Oeuf NYC, OUCH, Peanut Shell, Present Time, Pure Baby, Rockabye Baby, Rondeau Industries, Rush, Sigikid, Simple Gorgeous Storage, Skip HOP, Smirk Kids, Snugglebum, Snugzeez, Teeny Me, Tiger Tribe, Tippy Toes, Toys Pure, Trunki, Vessel, Wall Candy Arts, WalRUs, and Wee Gallery < *gasps for air*>.

You can see why I love it!

So, what’s new on the block at The Hip Infant?

Well, the first things to catch my eye were the incredibly adorable Giimmo nightlights.

With sweet little shapes such as a panda, a monkey, a cat and a stegosaurus which are bound to have everyone squealing “OMG, cuuuuuuute!!” you know you’re onto a winner!

Night lights are great for kids who get a wee bit worried in the night.  How comforting for them to wake up to a soft glow rather than cold darkness. As an added bonus these nightlights are portable, so your child can take them to the bathroom if he or she wants to.

For those of you who are redecorating the kids’ rooms, check out The Hip Infant’s huge range of wall art and room accessories.

Although they stock a big range of For Walls and For Windows, among other top brands, the ones I love most are The Hip Infant’s own range of wall graphics and in particular the hot air balloon wall decals.  Just gorgeous and extraordinarily well priced for top quality wall decor!

Personally I’m particularly delighted that The Hip Infant stocks Green To Grow BPA Free bottles and accessories.  I’ve been using these bottles for ages and wholeheartedly vouch for them; they’re great to use and it’s very reassuring to know that when my little one drinks from them he’s only getting milk and not a host of other chemical nasties.

My picks of the day, represent just a handful of what I love over at The Hip Infant. Head on over there yourself to get the full effect

From top left in rows:

Prices quoted are after the 10% Shop4Kids discount is applied. Grab a copy of Shop4 Kids mag for the KSF exclusive code, or email Angela, and she’ll word you up.

Albetta Babygrow ‘Baby Angel’, $42.00  $35.00  $31.50
Cheeky Monkey Elephant Tee – 0-3 months, $19.95  $17.95
Dirty Laundry Basic Black Supaman Tee, $32.95  $15.00  $13.50 (MEGA bargain!!)
Cuddlefish Bucket Hat Red, $29.95  $26.95
Heimess Elastic Rattle, $19.95  $17.95
Giimmo Night Light – Bamboo the Panda, $44.95  $40.45
Snugglebum Short John, beachside stripe, $34.95  $32.35
Tiger Tribe Magnetic Playbook ‘At The Beach’, $19.95  $17.95
Ouch Frill Detail Dress – Aqua, $39.95  $35.95
Rush Backpack Red Spots, $34.95  $32.35
Hip Stuff Little Fish Maraca, $4.50 $4.05 available in Red and Green amongst other great colours!

Don’t forget to have a browse through the fabulous and well-stocked sale section at The Hip Infant either. Huge bargains within!!

The Hip Infant charge $7.50 postage flat Australia wide for Express Post/courier delivery. Orders are dispatched within 24 hours of receipt. The Hip Infant also ships internationally. Please visit the Delivery Info page for full information on shipping.

The state of the environment has been an issue of concern for some time now, and the focus on environmentally sustainable options that minimise waste and use clean, green products, and modes of manufacture is one that we’ll need to keep paying attention to so our children, and their children’s children, can live long and happy lives in a healthy global ecosystem.

Shopping online is a great way to save some dollars and the environment at the same time: no need for a car or the monetary or environmental expense of petrol, plus shopping online – like right here! – saves you money AND a heap of time, so it’s a win win win win win situation!

Ekidna Kidswear – www.ekidnakidswear.com.au – is getting behind the cause this month, and encouraging you to buy clean and green for you children, by offering 15% off all the products in their Organics section.

Select from Green to Grow baby bottles, a reassuringly toxin-free option for bottle-feeding your baby.

Green to Grow bottles are made from PES plastic, which gives them a natural golden color. They are free of phthalates, lead and PVC – all known toxins – and free of bisphenol A – a suspected hormone-disrupting chemical used in polycarbonate plastic, from which most baby bottles are made. Green to Grow’s bottle teats are made from a transparent, medical grade silicone that is heat-resistant, non-toxic, and odorless. The teats are free of nitrosamines, a potentially harmful contaminant found in many rubber teats.

Green to Grow’s products are tested in the U.S. to ensure they meet the highest standards for quality and safety, are packed in 100% recycled packaging to be easy on the environment, and they are top rack dishwasher safe to be easy on you!

From left:

Green to Grow BPA Free! Wide Neck Feeding Bottle 300ml $19.95 15% off NOW $16.95
Green to Grow BPA Free! Regular Neck Feeding Bottle 300ml $19.95 15% off NOW $16.95
Green to Grow BPA Free! Wide Neck Feeding Bottle 150ml $16.95 15% off NOW $14.40
Green to Grow BPA Free! Regular Neck Feeding Bottle 150ml $16.95 15% off NOW $14.40

No doubt you have seen Anamalz before. An Australian design innovation, even at their diminuative stature – just 10cm high! – they are quite the standout pieces. With their delightful organic maple wooden bodies, posable limbs, and amiable expressions, they provide children with a lovely tactile play experience, which will last generations while being kind to the planet.

We love Anamalz here at out house, and have the whole menagerie of 12. My kids love to play with them, and assemble their collections along the dado rail in their bedroom. I must say they do really add personality to a space, feel lovely to hold, and are easily portable, making fabulous go-anywhere buddies for your child.

In addition to the 15% discount, Ekidna Kidswear is giving away a free Anamalz calico bag (holds 3 – 4 animals) and a pack of collector cards when 2 or more animals are purchased in one transaction.

From left:

Anamalz Lion $9.95 15% off NOW $8.45
Anamalz Crocodile $9.95 15% off NOW $8.45
Anamalz Elephant $9.95 15% off NOW $8.45

I must say, that I am a big fan of chemical free options where possible, and there’s no time more important to minimise artificial and chemical ingredients than when your baby is smaill: their little bodies have so much smaller ratios to be able to process toxins, and it just feels right to keep them as natural as possible.

Ekidna Kids makes this easy, with a compact, but thoughtful range of products for the littlest ones. The Under the Nile Organic Vegie teething toys are just the sweetest chew toys, and easy to wash and care for, Aromababy GMO-free organic massage oil delivers the highest quality product to give your baby yummy massages with, and the Nature’s Child organic face wipes and bottom balm offer gentle solutions for your child’s sensitive skin, and how I wish the Dri Liners – a reusable absorbent insert that fits inside any cloth or disposable nappy – existed when my babes were small: I would have save a small fortune in nappies!!

From top left, in rows:

Under the Nile Organic Cotton Carrot Teether $19.95 15% off NOW $16.95
Under the Nile Organic Cotton Mushroom Teether $19.95 15% off NOW $16.95
Nature’s Child Organic Face Wipes (4 pack) $17.95 15% off NOW $15.25
Nature’s Child Dri Liners (3 pack) $19.95 NOW $11.85
Aromababy Organic Massage Oil (100ml) $14.95 NOW $10.15
Nature’s Child Bottom Balm (50 gm) $14.95 25% off NOW $12.70

Ekidna Kidswear stock over 55 quality baby and kids brands including Anamalz, Annabel Trends, Aroma Baby, Babe Mode, Baby Blankie, Baby Legs, Badger Balm, Baobab, Beautiful Soles, Bebe, Bertini, Bud, Brio, Cheeky Little Soles, Chelona, Crocodile Creek, Eternal Creation, Fairy Floss, Fiesta Crafts, Fish Lilly, For Walls, Fruity Faces, Heimess, Humphrey’s Corner, Infancy, Isoki, Itsy Bitsy, Jaffa, Karma Baby, Lark Designs, Latitude Enfant, Little Chipipi, Longueville Media, Mamas & Papas, Marquise, Messaround, Milkwrap, Minihaha, Mondays Child, My Munchkin Home, Nature’s Child, Oobi, Paper Eskimo, Peter Rabbit, Pia Eriksson, Roocci, Russ, Sigg, Skip Hop, Smart Mom, Smirk, Starchild, t4tot, Toys Pure, Uchi, Vintage Kid Designs, WallCandy Arts, Wink Designs, Woof!, so you have a veritable feast of luxe to choose from.

If you want to scoop up some fabulous bargains check out the ‘Specials’ page and feel oh so glad that you did (lots of Oobi in there for you OobiWatchers)!

Ekidna Kidswear charge $6.95 for standard postage, and $9.95 for Express Post, Australia wide. International orders are welcome. Visit the Delivery information page for full shipping and delivery details.

Ekidna Kidswear – www.ekidnakidswear.com.au – has just turned two – Happy Birthday, Ekidna Kids, you are a star child indeed!

Like any proud Mum, Joanne at Ekidna is celebrating this achievement to the full. Joanne’s in full party mode, and you will be too when you hop over to EK!

Dash on over to Ekidna Kids, take your pick of the hundreds of fine products including girls boys and babies clothing, toys, boutique party invitations, wall decals, nappy bags, and much more, and reduce your purchase price by 25%.

That’s not all, folks: spend over $100.00 and you get a FREE Uchi purse valued at $14.95. Offer valid while stocks last. Limit of 1 per customer.

Yowza! I *like* it!

Ekidna Kidswear stock over 55 quality baby and kids brands including Anamalz, Annabel Trends, Aroma Baby, Babe Mode, Baby Blankie, Baby Legs, Badger Balm, Baobab, Beautiful Soles, Bebe, Bertini, Bud, Brio, Cheeky Little Soles, Chelona, Crocodile Creek, Eternal Creation, Fairy Floss, Fiesta Crafts, Fish Lilly, For Walls, Fruity Faces, Heimess, Humphrey’s Corner, Infancy, Isoki, Itsy Bitsy, Jaffa, Karma Baby, Lark Designs, Latitude Enfant, Little Chipipi, Longueville Media, Mamas & Papas, Marquise, Messaround, Milkwrap, Minihaha, Mondays Child, My Munchkin Home, Nature’s Child, Oobi, Paper Eskimo, Peter Rabbit, Pia Eriksson, Roocci, Russ, Sigg, Skip Hop, Smart Mom, Smirk, Starchild, t4tot, Toys Pure, Uchi, Vintage Kid Designs, WallCandy Arts, Wink Designs, Woof!, so you have a veritable feast of luxe to choose from.

If you want to scoop up some of last summer’s gear up to 50% off check out the ‘Specials’ page and feel oh so glad that you did (lots of Oobi in there for you OobiWatchers)!

Check out just a handful of my hot picks below.

I’m feeling a bit nostalgia for the little bebes at the mo, so have turned my gaze towards lush products for the littlest ones and their mamas (don’t forget the mamas!!)

It took me a while to realise it, but turns out my little bebes looked best in classic pieces; heirloom knits and solid colours. The Bebe set exemplifies the classiness of this look. Start your own heirloom collection today.

I love the Infancy Spotted Romper and Bebe PJs for little men: ah, how snuggly.

Wrap your classy little man or Ms in a high quality Fish Lilly wrap. The gentleness and softness of their designs soothes Mums and babes alike. Just love ‘em!

Buy a new mama a Smart Moms Teething Bling Bangle or three, and make her feel a bit special, and also savvy: she’ll look stylish and never be short of a safe distraction for her little baby again (and how cheap are they!!?)

The Karma Baby Slings are celebrity cool, and super affordable, and the Isoki Petite-Travellers are a perfect gift for on the move, style-conscious Mums. I just bought one for Miki, who’s travelling to New Zealand soon, and she loves it

From top left, in rows:

Bebe Pink Lemonade Pointelle Leggings with Feet $43.95 25% off NOW $32.96
Bebe Pink Lemonade Pointelle Cardigan $44.95 25% off NOW $33.71
Bebe Pink Lemonade Pointelle Beanie $23.95 25% off NOW $17.96
Bebe ‘Fly with Me’ pyjamas $34.95 25% off NOW $26.96
Infancy Grey Spotted Romper (also available in pink) $38.50 25% off NOW $28.88
Fish Lilly Luxury Baby Wraps – available in 12 designs $47.95 25% off NOW $35.96
Smart Mom Teething Bling Bangle $12.95 25% off NOW $9.71
Isoki Petite Traveller $39.95 25% off NOW $29.96
Karma Baby Bella Pouch Baby Sling $89.95 25% off NOW $67.46

Ah, and now onto a subject I can’t ever get enough of: toys and decor

The My Munchkin Home decals bring an instant lift to a room, without requiring a life-long commitment. This elephant is BIG, and so uplifting, and what a steal 25% off!

I love these Crocodile Creek mini-puzzles: perfect size (and price!) for party bag inclusion, or toilet training incentives.

If you’re looking for a classy gift to give, you can’t go past Mamas and Papas, one of the UKs leading nursery brands. Also for littlies, these Chelona timber books are eco-friendly and great for stimulating hand-eye co-ordination. For older kids, Zoobie Pets are just perfect. They’re actually 3 toys in 1: a cuddly toy, pillow and blankie. Gotta love the triple-duty here, not to mention the infinite cuteness.

This Toys Pure Shalimar Puzzle promises endless playtime fun, with it’s fab colours and endless configuration possibilities (I gifted this to Miki’s son, Alex, and Mik says it’s every bit as cool as it looks!)

Another timber treasure is the Heimess wooden car, available in red and orange colour-ways. Give it as a gift with the Lark Knitted Ice-cream rattle (perfectly shaped for little hands, and appropriate for munching from birth up) and the Crocodile Creek PVC-free ball (also available in orange dog design), and you’ll be forever loved and thanked for it.

From top left, in rows:

My Munchkin Home ‘My Elephant’ Giant Wall Decal $99.95 25% off NOW $74.96
Crocodile Creek Double-sided Dinosaur Mini-puzzle $4.95 25% off NOW $3.71
Mamas and Papas Colour Bunch Arlo Toy $21.95 25% off NOW $16.46
Chelona Play Book – Frog $19.95 25% off NOW $14.96
Zoobie Pets $59.95 25% off NOW $44.96
Toys Pure Shalimar Puzzle $39.95 25% off NOW $29.96
Crocodile Creek PVC-free 18cm ball $18.95 25% off NOW $14.21
Heimess Car (also available in orange) $15.95 25% off NOW $11.96
Lark Ice-cream Kintted Rattle $14.95 25% off NOW $11.21

Ekidna Kidswear charge $6.95 for standard postage, and $9.95 for Express Post, Australia wide. International orders are welcome. Visit the Delivery information page for full shipping and delivery details.