Buzz off

After our recent travels, we were horrified to find our Cheeky ones covered in scabs and scars from insect bites. I had prepared for the African scourge but the worst offenders turned out to be in the South of France.

If only I had known about Green Baby's Deet Free Mosquito Patch beforehand. This fantastic little product packs a powerful punch of 100% pure undiluted Citronella and Eucalyptus Citriodora - essential oils that have been used for years to keep those buzzers at bay. Simply take a patch, give it a friendly squeeze to release the fragrance, and slap it on for up to 10 hours protection.

The patches are not only environmentally cool, but totally safe for everyone even babies since the product never touches the skin. You can stick them on practically any area you fancy including clothing, furniture, pushchairs and bedding. Each packet comes with 24 patches designed to repel midges, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and even headlice.

Being partial to his stickers and plasters, Mr. Cheeks was especially keen and proud to display his Deet patch while playing in the woods. I was just thrilled that I didn't have to cover either of my babies in smelly, possibly rash-inducing gunk. Now when are they going to come out with a sunscreen patch?

Visit Green Baby for the lowdown.

For book bugs

I'm proud to say that Mr. Cheeks has been a book worm since he was a mere nipper, chewing on cloth books. He's also a big fan of push-pull toys and anything that looks like a wagon.

So imagine my delight to come across the P'kolino Book Buggee, a pull-along book shelf that contains four book holders and a front compartment where your kid can store other toys/junk. The Book Buggee makes a great gift for budding word nerds. And the powerful combo of stories and wheels should keep bubba busy while you catch up on some of your own reading. Find out more at kids' design store Mason and Matisse.

How does your garden grow?

We're a long way from Spring but babies and big kids of all ages can still enjoy a spot of gardening with this psychedelic Play Garden by Kushies.


It features a host of crazy creatures and colourful plants that are all magnetized so they can be stacked together or simply arranged decoratively on the window box base. When playtime's done, the base can be zipped shut allowing you to take the garden wherever the sun shines (or not) and giving your little ones endless opportunities to exercise their green fingers.

The Play Garden makes a great gift and is just one of the fantastic selection at Revilo Toys, a shop that focuses on premium quality toys with that added cool quotient. Order latest from Revilo Toys by noon today (Tuesday December 23) and you might just sneak in a last minute Xmas gift.

Hot Roddlers

Auto freak daddies and mamas are already going ape doo doo for a fine piece of design known as the "Roddler". Possibly the most tricked-out stroller on the planet, the Roddler combines the safety and comfort of a traditional stroller with the sleek good looks of a classic Hot Rod. Not only does this ride boast one-of-a-kind features like its iPod docking station and integrated LCD screen, but it can be customised with chrome trims, flash colours and smoking accessories. You can even add your own graphics (e.g. flames) for seriously hot wheels.



Coming in 2009, Kid Kustoms are cranking things up with their highly covetable Roddler Trike, the world's first convertible trike. It comes available both as a stand-alone and as a conversion kit that replaces the front end of the Roddler stroller. Strictly for high rollers. Get the lowdown at the Kid Kustoms web site.

The Show must go on

The Baby Show, the UK's biggest exhibition for new and expectant parents, came back with a bang (shake and rattle) at London's Earl's Court arena last weekend. This three-day event features all the top baby and toddler brands like Mothercare, Maclaren, Graco and Avent, along with indie retailers and mumpreneurs eager to share their wares.


With live fashion shows, parenting experts on hand to guide you and row upon row of stands, the Baby Show is a great place to try out loads of gear and finally whittle down what you'll really need for those 0-3 years. The sheer range of goodies on offer can be exhausting and after what seemed like miles of trekking I was ready to nap in the giant bouncy chair set up at the Fisher Price stand. Mr. Cheeks was having a fab time scoping out toys and other toddlers - apart from being totally freaked out by a super-sized Bob the Builder. Luckily the kid was soon worn out leaving mama free to wander/shop in peace for another hour.

Sadly we weren't able to bring you live reports from the show, but over the coming weeks Hype Baby and our sister blog Brand New Mama will be featuring some of our favourite products and exhibitors. If you missed the weekend gig, you can catch the Baby Show in Manchester on November 14-16 or plan ahead for 2009 outings at London's ExCeL on March 1, Birmingham on May 15-17 and Earl's Court on October 16-18. For more info check out the Baby Show web site.

Buggy warmers

We're barely halfway through September and already summer (or what passed for summer over here) is almost a distant memory. The air is getting chillier and it's time to start shopping for winter warmers for our precious offspring.

You'll be hard pressed to find something more luxurious for your little one than the Moore and Moore buggy blankets in faux fur or faux sheepskin. Available in irresistible colours like toffee, latte and truffle, these gorgeous blankets are guaranteed to keep any buggie snug through the coming months. The faux sheepskin versions also come with a cute Pocket Pal animal toy that nestles within easy reach to keep baby company as you stroll. All Moore and Moore products are made in the UK and can be found at a variety of online stores or visit their web site for more information.

Toot toot

With the unsettling British summer of the past few weeks, we've managed to find some indoor fun at touristy venues with Mr. Cheeks and his visiting older cousins. A trip to toy mecca Hamley's proved a good way to while away a few hours and although tea and cake at their new Regal Tea Cafe is overpriced, their ice creams are literally heaven sent.

It's almost impossible to leave Hamley's without spending money, and after Mr. Cheeks spent half an hour playing with a giant Thomas the Tank Engine train set, I just had to grab a new Thomas toy to entertain him at home. I must admit that even mama's had fun with the Whistle and Go Thomas comprising a train and a whistle that activates the train making it go, stop and reverse (two toots).

The cool thing is that the train even works when you whistle through your lips or make a whistle-like sound - especially helpful for our 2 and a half-year-old who spends more time blowing saliva down his whistle than actually making it toot. Suitable for Thomas freaks ages 2 and upwards, Whistle and Go Thomas can be found at major toy stores or visit the Tomy web site for more information.

Buggy driver

Babes will do anything for their own set of wheels. So why not transform a regular stroller into your kid's very own automobile with the ultra cool Light & Sound Buggy Driver baby toy. This brightly coloured gadget attaches to the front of most makes of pushchairs and features a proper dashboard complete with steering wheel, flashing indicators, beeping horn, gear stick and side mirrors. The Buggy Driver will also make actual vroom vroom sounds when your little roadster figures out how to turn the ignition key. What a trip! This toy's recommended for ages 3 months to 2 years but will keep any stroller-confined tot busy for hours. Available at Growing Tree Toys.

The wheel deal

Unless you’ve been nowhere near a park this summer, you’ve probably spotted the cool 2-year-olds whizzing around on those funky wooden bikes they push with their feet (look mum, no pedals!) These learner bikes are excellent training for the real thing as they teach young kids how to balance without the need for stabilizers.

Balance bikes are quickly overtaking tricycles in the wheelie market and trendy mamas and papas are splashing out large chunks of change for top brands like Skuut, Puky and the hugely popular LikeaBike – check out a site like Run Bikes for more options. But if you hunt around you can find cheaper and equally attractive versions to set your toddler rolling. Target was selling a LikeaBike knockoff at $50 and over in the UK, you can pick up a Sesame Street balance bike like this cute Elmo Bike at The Kids Window for $59.99. Suitable from ages 2-5.

Going, going...Green!

If you want to do your bit for the planet, declutter your over-stuffed house and make a little money too, you should check out GreenKidsAuction.com. The newly launched online community auction site offers a user-friendly Ebay alternative that’s aimed at helping eco-loving mums and dads ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ unwanted gear. You can put new and gently used items up for sale at no cost and pay a fee of 4.95% billed only when your item sells. And just to put a little polish on your halo, 5% of proceeds will be donated to Healthy Child Healthy World.

Water colouring

Hype Baby is long overdue to release some kind of hot list relating to our top picks over the years. One of Mr. Cheek’s toys that would definitely make the grade is Tomy’s Aquadraw Deluxe mat. This mess-free drawing pad comes with water-filling pens and cute stencils, helps your kid learn numbers and alphabet, and is very portable for holidays and such. The only drawback is that it takes up a fair amount of space.

Now Tomy has come up with the Aqua Draw 'N' Go placemat which is just the right size to take on days out. The placemat comes in a handy carry tube and uses the same principles of ‘water colouring’ to entertain baby. It should also save parents from stressing over how to scrub crayon off the walls at that swish restaurant. Order direct from Tomy or see their web site for stockists.

Pizza delivery

Toddlers love nothing better than to while away the afternoon with a spot of pretend play. If you've got a budding chef on your hands, or just someone who loves the cheesy stuff, why not serve up this Wooden Pizza for a playtime snack?

Sure they might be disappointed with the extreme crunchiness of this toy pizza at first bite. But your kids will have hours of fun putting it in the 'oven', cutting it up with the pizza slice, dishing it out for mum and dad, and starting all over again. The pizza comes with a storage tray and with a tasty selection of velcro toppings - mushrooms, peppers and pepperoni (phew, no scary anchovies or cooked pineapples!). Order now from the Great Little Trading Company.

Going digital

We got Mr. Cheeks a nifty little Vtech laptop for his birthday. He loves it although it's still a little advanced as it’s aimed at ages 3 and up. If you’ve got a younger baby, or you’re one of those technophobes who believe computers are the devil’s work, then you can strike a happy medium with My First Laptop Computer Playset by Gund. Suitable from birth to 36 months, this tactile toy features a crinkly number pad and floppy disk, a fuzzy mouse, a soft touch pad that plays Twinkle Twinkle and real ‘boot up’ sounds. Log on at Genius Babies.

Technorati tags baby toys gifts

Soft toy safari

Being something of a Leo-phile, I’ve fallen sleepy head over bed socks for Lencho the Lion, just one member of the Zoobies™ Pets Safari Collection. These furry friends make the ultimate comforters as they combine a soft toy, a snugly pillow and a cosy blanket wrapped into one. You simply unfasten the Velcro latches to reveal the pillow or unzip to reveal the detachable inner blanket. In case that all sounds too complicated, each pet comes with its own instruction manual. Snag more Zoobie Pets at the Funky Monkey Boutique.

Ride on

While Hype Baby always scouts for the latest shiny happy gadget, we’ve made no secret of our affinity for traditional toys. So we almost neighed with delight when we came upon this Hobby Horse Toys shop selling beautiful, hand crafted wooden horses.

Described by creator Dan Hillman as “heirloom toys”, each one-of-a-kind piece is lovingly designed, painted and signed by the artist. You can even have your child’s name engraved or have the horse commissioned to resemble a favourite animal such as a dragon or sea horse. The paints and finishes are non-toxic and the horses are carved from locally sourced windfall timber from County Leitrim, Ireland. Available in different sizes, Hobby Horse Toys make unique nursery gifts for a newborn and can be ridden by kids aged 3 to 103. Although these gee-gees don’t come cheap, they’re built to last many lifetimes. Saddle up at Hobby Horse Toys online.

Technorati tags baby toys gifts

Joy rider

Every little racer deserves his own set of hot wheels. For a ride-on with revving power, scoot along to Mamas and Papas where you can pick up a Polaris Sportsman 400 at half price. This bad boy goes up to 2.5 miles per hour, features accelerator and brake on the same pedal for safety and can support up to 20kg in weight. Hours of battery-operated fun for kids aged 2-5.

Technorati tags baby toys cars

All aboard

Happy New Year to all our readers! There’s no time like the present to reorganise your baby’s toys. Nowadays you can find a wide variety of storage solutions to jazz up the nursery or kids’ room. We’ve been carried away by this Guidecraft Train Toy Box that deftly combines two of our toddler’s favourite activities: imaginative play and tidy-up time. The hand-crafted choo choo chest is beautifully designed and features a safety hinge catch and cut-outs to prevent finger pinching. Visit the Guidecraft web site for more storage ideas and a list of sales partners and distributors.

Technorati tags baby toys furniture

Good clean fun

Every now and then a kid’s product comes along that is nothing short of genius. Designer Kristina Andersson devised the ultimate gadget for lazy parents: the world’s first rideable vacuum cleaner. Sadly it’s merely a design concept which basically means, ‘in your dreams, padre’. Never mind - there’s still a range of fun vacuuming toys on the market for mini housekeepers who have not yet discovered that cleaning up is a chore. We especially like this Fisher Price 2-in-1 Giggle Vacuum that features a triple whammy of Sesame stars: a reversible Elmo and Cookie Monster on its front and Oscar the Grouch spinning in the centre cylinder. Buy it online at the Etoys store.

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Wild Thing

We’re in love with this hand-painted Lion Push-Up from Orange Tree Toys that was ostensibly bought for Mr. Cheeks but now has pride of place on mama’s desk.

What’s so cool about this knobbly-kneed wild cat, you wonder? Just press the secret button beneath the lion’s podium and Shaggy (as I call him) will skank to reggae, grind to R&B, rave to dance music or even bop to hip-hop beats. Your thumb or fingers set the pace but, thanks to its simple yet ingenious design, this lion has moves all his own. Cheap and cheerful fun at Orange Tree Toys, shopping code YX573.

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Heat and waves

After what seems like months of flooding, we're suddenly having a heatwave. If you're looking for outdoor games to keep your little ones busy while you're toasting in the park, why not take a trip to the River Run Water Park. This multi-level waterway features raging rapids, a built-in hand pump to keep the waves coming, and four mini action figures on rafts who race each other down three levels from the water tower above. Extreme, dude! Get the rush at Kaplan Toys.

Technorati tags baby toys summer