KidStyleFile

Written by Jen
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I work in a bookshop that is well known for it’s terrific range of children’s literature. From board books to young adult fantasy, there’s something to suit everyone’s interests and level of reading. In the far right corner there is a special section that carries titles for those who prefer to explore. Atlases, cook books, art books and pop up books, all there eager and ready for young eyes to discover.

Amidst this section is the very popular ‘wind-up’ books. Created by Usborne, these chunky titles are a resolute favourite, particularly amongst our young male customers. My boys in particular constantly harass me for one every time they visit! They managed to wangle the Racing Car book out of me when I needed them to stay quiet during a book launch, but to be honest I didn’t mind. The interactive books combine fun facts with an embedded race track ready for the accompanying wind up cars to get ready to go, go, go!

If racing cars aren’t quite your thing, then you could always fly a plane, captain a pirate ship or drive a tractor. They are all lots of fun and have kept my boys nicely entertained on many an occasion.

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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.

Written by Miki

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As part of our Christmas coverage this year we are sharing with you our own personal picks for our kids. Today we’re featuring Edwina’s picks. You can also read Dom’s picks, Anna’s picks, Melody’s picks, Jen’s picks and Edwina’s picks. Enjoy! – Ange

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I have two small boys – Master A who is four-and-a-half, and Master J who is two-and-a-quarter – both who are counting down the minutes until Santa comes down that chimney. This is the first year that Master A has really become excited and involved in the lead up to Christmas, and it’s so much fun!  We’ve been getting out our copy of The Night Before Christmas at bedtime most nights, we’re listening to Christmas music in the car and we’re having a blast decorating the house with all the glitter-and-macaroni bits and bobs he’s bringing home from kindy. We’re also going to be flying home to spend Christmas in Adelaide, my hometown, which we’re incredibly excited about as the boys haven’t spent any length of time there yet.

Below are the special treats they’ll be finding under our tree on Christmas morning – after all, they have been pretty good this year – and a few things they might get beforehand if they’re extra lucky, or if I need some extra help surviving the plane trip!

1. Trunki Kids Ride-On Suitcase – Bernard The Bee, $89.00 at Metro Mum
Master A received a Trunki as a special gift a couple of years ago, and his little brother is so envious that it’s time he received one of his own. We have a 4.5 hour flight to get to our destination for Christmas, so this one will be an early gift.

2. Cheetah Dragon 16″ Boys Bike, $179.00 at The Bicycle Store
Master A is ready to graduate from his balance bike to a ‘big boy’s bike’ with pedals. This one has ticks in all the boxes: training wheels, tick! price tag, tick! handlebar streamers (because why should girls get all the fun?), tick!

3. ooMoo F1 Balance Bike, $165.00 at Metro Mum
As Master A moves up to a big new bike, so Master J will be wanting to move up from his little scoot-along trike as well. His brother’s old balance bike has seen better days, but I know this racy red option will suit him down to the ground.

4. Lego Volkswagon T1 Campervan, $169.99 at Lego Online Store
Seriously, who doesn’t love Lego? Master A will get a massive kick out of this camper, but I think the biggest smile when this box gets opened will be on the face of his dad!

5. Playmobil Super Set – Construction, $59.95 at Cradle Rock
We already have a few Playmobil toys and they’re absolutely brilliant – detailed, robust and designed with all sorts of clever little tricks. The boys will both have a brilliant time playing with this set, which will then live permanently at their grandparents’ house to be played with on visits.

6. Seedling ‘Design Your Own Box Kite’ Set, $36.95 at Design Child
This will be a great gift to be stashed until the school holidays seem to be dragging, at which point we’ll pull it out of the cupboard and have a fun day creating and flying!

7 & 8. Toshi Cotton Sunhat With Toggle – Safari, $33.95; Toshi Cotton Sunhat With Toggle – Surfing, $33.95 at Baby’s Got Style
The boys both need new sun hats, and these ones from Toshi are both practical and gorgeous.

9. Anamalz Crocodile, $9.95 at Ekidna Kidswear
The Anamalz toys make for fantastic stocking stuffers – the boys have one each already, which are proudly displayed on their bedside tables. I think they’d love to start adding to the collection.

10. Djeco Beasts Stickers, $4.95 at Where Did You Get That?
Djeco sticker packs are incredibly good value, and with a price this low they’re brilliant for shoving into stockings. I might even give them this pack before Christmas to help amuse them on the plane.

11. Books To Wear ‘My Shark’ PJs, $36.95 at Little Styles
We have a family tradition of all receiving a new pair of PJs on Christmas Eve (yes, Mum & Dad too) and these ones will be spot on for Master A…

12. Marquise Print PJs – Balloons, $32.95 at Little Styles
…while these ones will be perfect for Master J.

13. ‘Tails’ by Matthew Van Fleet (hardback), $14.67 at Book Depository
Matthew Van Fleet’s tactile, interactive books are absolutely brilliant for toddlers and young preschoolers. I can’t wait to read this one to him.

14. ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ by Enid Blyton (hardback), $9.88 at Book Depository
A childhood favourite of mine, it’s going to be so much fun settling in to read chapters to Master A at bedtime. This present might almost be more for me than it is for him!

15. Lilly & Lolly Scoop Bunkbed, $3,250.00 at The Little Kidz Closet
Okay, so this one is really a wish list item rather than something that will actually be under (beside?) our tree on Christmas morning. But isn’t it stunning? The boys are outgrowing their little IKEA beds, so I’ll need to look at getting them something like this before much longer – hint hint Santa!

PS: The background for today’s post comes from Bosco Bear who are making fabulous Christmas wall decals. What a great way to dress up your walls for the festive season!

Please check individual stores for shipping costs. Also make sure you read the KidStyleFile All Current Deals page to be sure you’re getting the best deal.

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As part of our Christmas coverage this year we are sharing with you our own personal picks for our kids. Today we’re featuring Jen’s picks. You can also read Dom’s picks, Anna’s picks and Melody’s picks. Enjoy! – Ange

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Charlie, 3¾, Jen and Jack, 4 ½

With the boys now really grasping the concept of Christmas, deciding what we should ask from Santa has become a major part of our daily conversation. Keeping things in perspective has certainly been a major challenge, but I think I’m slowly getting through to them!

What I’m most excited about though is finding gifts that enhance their current interests and nourish their active imaginations. Role play, science, the world around us; all hot topics with our eldest  ’thinker’. His brother on the other hand is much more interested in kicking balls and cars, so I think my choice of toys for him should keep him entertained. So many lovely things out there, here’s hoping this selection will give you some fresh ideas.

1. Operation Alphabet, Al Maccuish $16.42 Book Depository
This is a book that I have coveted ever since it arrived in the bookshop where I work. It’s got vintage charisma, a superb homage to spy-tastic capers and is just a genius way to get kids – especially boys – interested in books.

2. Red Bi Plane Ceiling Light $66.45 Shop for Tots
We are in desperate need of a new night light and I think this would hit the spot. I mean what boy doesn’t love planes? This design is simple, unaffected and won’t date, so the boys can love it for many years ahead.

3. Classic Earth Hugg a Planet $47.56 Cornflower Blue
There are three nationalities in our household so this is an ideal gift for the boys. We are almost a mini global village filled with love, so what better thing to do than share a great big hug?

4. Peek, Seek and Find – For Boys, Little Beginnings $20.25 Cornflower Blue
Anything that tackles the major challenge of keeping boys still for longer than 5 minutes gets my vote. I like the neat packaging and thoughtful subjects that should really interest the boys as they start to express interest in numbers and letters.

5. Wooden Teaching Clock £4.99 Jesters. Email admin@jesters.com for shipping costs.
I’m sure there are many of you who have family in Europe wondering what to get grandchildren and cousins. Well I like this clock as it combines learning with style and is well considered when attempting to understand the time.

6. Janod Confetti Harmonica $8.95 Lime Tree Kids
Hmmm I might regret this, but I always wanted a harmonica as a girl and am probably buying this for me rather than the boys. It’s better than a recorder though don’t you think?

7. Kaleidoscope $7.95 Shop for Tots
The boys love kaleidoscopes, especially the ones they discovered at daycare. So maybe it’s time we had one of our own at home. This would be a perfect stocking filler

8. Captain Tee by Cried Wolf $40 and Check Slimline Shorts by Sosooki $49 About a Boy
Add a pair of Chuck Taylors and how cute would a little fella look in this outfit?

9. Mr Frog Eco Wall $59 The Lowercase
I definitely have a ‘learning’ theme going on here and just love the artwork on this wall hanging. Nature, style, decor and learning all wrapped up. Perfect?

10. Wall Candy Animal Chalkboard $99.95 Metro Mum
These animals would be so much fun to customise over and over again. I think they’d be great in the kids room, they’d be a welcome addition to their existing zoo!

11. Mini Automoblox Truck $25.95 Where Did You Get That?
I’d probably have to get two of these. The boys are so close in age that sometimes I have to treat them as twins when it comes to shopping for toys. These look rather supercool and I think they’d go nice and fast on the wooden floors…

12. Little MD role play medical bag $37.95 Shop for Tots
Our eldest was caught deep in doctor mode recently at a friends house, fixing knees and taking temperatures. Maybe it’s time I nurtured that interest, I may have a future brain surgeon on on my hands?

Please check individual stores for shipping costs. Also make sure you read the KidStyleFile All Current Deals page to be sure you’re getting the best deal.

Written by Jen
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Our boys are a little spoilt in one particular area – books. The occupational hazard of working in a bookshop is that you are faced with so many wonderful titles every day. I have to restrain myself on a regular basis and limit myself with the amount of books I take home on a weekly basis! It’s such a joy to watch the boys sitting quietly – if only for a few moments – leafing through their favourite picture books, their imaginations ignited and nourished.

At Christmas time it’s especially fun to share the stories of the season with our children. Whether it’s the story of Christmas or the adventures of Santa, the themes are there for us to share – generosity, sharing, giving, loving. We’ve picked some of our favourite authors and characters for this year’s yuletide reading round-up, so pull up a chair, grab yourselves a candy cane or two and enjoy sharing these lovely stories together.

1. Richard Scarry’s Best Christmas Ever!  Richard Scarry $16.49
2. Olive, the Other Reindeer, Vivien Walsh & J. Otto Siebald $16.49
3.The Night Before Christmas, Robert Sabuda $29.97
4. Angelina’s Christmas, Katherine Holabird & Helen Craig $7.21
5. Fancy Nancy Splendiforous Christmas, Jane O’ Connor, Robin Preiss-Glasser $9.88
6. The Usborne Book of Drawing and Colouring for Christmas, $16.49
7. The Jolly Christmas Postman Janet & Allen Ahlberg $18.55
8. Olivia Helps with Christmas Ian Falconer, $11.53
9. The Boys Christmas Book, Tracey Turner, $8.25
10. The Girls Christmas Book, Tracey Turner $7.76
11. That’s Not My Santa, Fiona Watt $9.88
12. Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers, Lynley Dodd $9.88
13. Spot’s First Ever Christmas, Eric Hill $8.23

Book Depository ship all orders FREE, worldwide.

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As part of our Christmas coverage this year we are sharing with you our own personal picks for our kids. Today we’re featuring Anna’s picks. You can also check out Dom’s picks, with more team picks to come in the following weeks. Enjoy! – Ange
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From Left to Right – Hudson (6)  & Wesley (7) , Anna, and Harriet (2)

1. MailegMouse baby girl in box – from Nordichouse Living I spied these little treasures at KidsInStyle in Melbourne earlier this year and tucked them away as a present idea for our little girl.

2. Minti Happy Face Layer Dress $44.95 – from Little Pinwheel Satisfying the pink requirement, this is a super cute little dress for summer.

3. Hip Kids Pink Balance Bike $89.00 – from Hip Kids The time has come to get our little lady on two wheels. Because she tells all and sundry that ‘pink’s my favourite’ I can’t wait to see her on her very own pink bike!

4. KeepCup Piccolo Pink $10.00 – from Baby Be Natural For Babycino’s with mummy.

5. Fred Ninja Bread Men $14.95 – from Lime Tree Kids My boys love to bake and these will make for some seriously cool biscuits for their lunch boxes.

6. ‘The Sneaky Book for Boys’ $11.34 – from The Book Depository For Master 7 nearly 8, who will totally dig it -  How to Perform Sneaky Magic Tricks, Escape a Grasp, Craft a Compass, Walk Through a Postcard, Survive in the Wilderness, and Learn about Sneaky Animals and Insects, Sneaky Escapes, and Sneaky Human Feats.

7. Fred Munchstaches Cookie Cutter $13.95 – from Lime Tree Kids Because I couldn’t choose between these and the Ninja’s I figured we might just have both. We might even sneak a few munchstaches into Daddy’s lunch box for work!

8. ‘Let’s Make Some Great Art’ $21.37 – from The Book Depository Though he may still need some help, Master 6 is our budding artist, so it will be lovely to teach him about art as he makes his own – he can complete the Mona Lisa’s smile, and design his own Jackson Pollock.

9. Munster Wheelside Tee $40.00 – from Little Pinwheel A cool tee for Master 7 who loves his skateboard.

10. Scrunch Bucket $17.95 – from Urban Baby Digging, building and water play never grows old and these buckets will be a great addition to our house this summer. Great to scrunch up and throw in the beach bag or car. Plus in winter we may even bring them inside as another storage option.

11. Anchor Ski WetSuit – Junior $99.00 – from Anchor Wetsuits Our water babies spend all summer in the water, but in Tasmania it’s freezing! This year we’re helping our skinny sons enjoy the water even more with a wetsuit each.

12. Minti Tiger Crown Tee $39.95 – from Little Pinwheel Another cool tee, this time for Master 6 who truly thinks he is king of the castle.

 13. Green Hat Workshop 200 PLANKS $119.95 – from Green Hat Workshop I got up close and personal with these fabulous planks at KidsInStyle in Melbourne earlier this year, and I know my children (plus all our visitors) will get a great kick of creating with these innovative building blocks.

Please check out KidStyleFile’s All Current Deals page for any special deals that might be available.