Products




A super dooper hip addition

Look, its not really travel related, but its mighty clever all the same. As always, I have my eyes peeled for exciting new products, and this one I had to show you. The almighty Stokke have done it again, and added a very clever element to the Tripp Trapp highchair. Tripp Trapp has been in existence since 1972, and it just keeps getting better. Now, with the new born kit, you can now utilise this highchair for a whole lot longer...well from birth and for the rest of your life to be exact!

Take a look - we love it. Makes me want a new born again...





images: stokke.com


Yoomi...what a hip find.

Feeding your very little hips on the go means being super organised. Picture this - Your baby starts getting hungry. Immediately, you have to find somewhere to warm the milk. You wait for it to reach the right temperature. You wait and wait. The baby is now screaming impatiently. Everyone is staring at you. Then, imagine you are on a plane....Arghhhh!


Enter Yoomi....a self warming bottle heating your babies milk to the right temperature at the touch of a button, in just 60 seconds. Its 100% BPA free, and anti-colic, and can be used over 100 times. It is so convenient when out and about, at home, travelling, in the supermarket, the doctors, in the park, or even on the beach. Anywhere.

Yoomi was created by an entrepreneurial new mummy and daddy team. Mum was stressed out that warming up the milk was taking so long, and dad, an engineer, was put to work to create a self warming bottle. These clever clogs have now won many awards, and this innovative hip product is very very exciting.

Congratulations to the very hip Yoomi creators. What a fabulous product.


a hip 'tag a long' invention


You know what. My 3 year left hip loves to walk. He also still loves to run. Everywhere. Now when we go for a walk, or we're out and about, or even on holiday somewhere, he usually walks along with the hip adults, whilst little miss right hip has a ride in the pram. Most of the time left hip is great, but if he see's something that he loves (be it a dog, an ice cream or even a dinosaur), he may just loose all concentration for a moment, and do a runner.

Methinks we need one of these Tag a longs. We've just stumbled across these recently, and I do think they are a rather hip invention, especially for the little hip traveller. We want our kids to have their freedom, and they don't really want to hold mummy hips hand too much (and we need our hands free too!) How about holding onto this hip brightly coloured Tag a long?




'Tag a long' straps are very easily fixed onto your stroller / pram, shopping trolley, or even nappy bag. Not only are they BPA free, but they also come in four very hip colours; lemon, tangerine, blueberry and raspberry, which make them very attractive and fun for the little hip to hold onto.

Available from Bonito Baby, I think this little hip family will most certainly be making use of one of these.


Need a seriously hip boost-er?


There are a couple of seriously hip booster seats making waves at the moment. Gone are the days of bulky uncomfortable plastic booster seats. Take a look at these hip inventions...


Bubblebum is the portable, foldable, lovable Booster Seat. Designed for 3 - 11 year olds, this hip inflatable booster seat is perfect for travelling, whether it be in a hire car, taxi, coach journeys or car pooling. When not needed, it can be deflated and folded up, and placed in your back pack. Brilliant.

The second wonderful invention is the BoostApak. It is another fabulous creation from the Trunki family, and again is designed for the 4 - 12 years olds in mind. BoostApak not only is a very comfortable and funky looking booster seat, but also doubles up as a very cool pack back. 





Please note: Sadly, these are approved under the United Nations safety regulations, so therefore due to strict Australian safety standards, these fabulous product are not yet available in Australia, however seem to be quite freely allowed in many other countries. It really is such a shame and maybe the Australian regulations may change to adapt to these, however in the meantime, they are perfect additions to travelling overseas, especially in the UK where they are freely available as were both created there.


We love tidying up now...

Lucky old us. Our lovely postie greeted us this morning with a fabulous surprise from our new friends atMor-stor. Both left hip and right hip received their very own Cooper Canvas storage tub, and they were both over the moon. Okay, so they are not travel related, but a perfect way to organise your house on a rainy day, with all our new christmas toys (and we love anything for hip kids).




Left hips' tub, much to his delight, has groovy little cars and trucks all over (pictured above), and right hip is chuffed with her very cute owl tub (right).

The great thing about these super storage tubs are that they are a good size (perfect for tossing all those random toys in at the end of the day), plus they are made of really good durable but flexible nylon, and are also really easy to clean too. The strong handles ensure that the little hips can drag them from bedroom to playroom with ease. They are so versatile, my very little one used them as an indoor cubby house today (yes, the rain is getting to us in our house at the mo!)

The clever clogs behind Mor-stor have also produced hip tubs, cubes and baskets for all areas of your house from bedroom to bathroom, playroom to laundry.

Plain tubs and cubes are available in a range of colours; Red, Blue, Pink and Chocolate, plus the tubs fit perfectly in the Ikea (Expedit) furniture. What a perfectly hip way for mums to get organised.

Mor-stor currently have a great sale on with many tubs and cubes at 25% - 50% off, so most definitely worth a look.

Thanks so much Mor-stor. You've made two little 'hips' very excited and a very happy hip mum too. We love packing away now!


Is it a night light? Is it a sipper cup? Its...

At The Little Hip Traveller, we love products that have multiple uses, and this very hip Litecup fits the bill. The Litecup is both a no spill cup, and a night light, and therefore its uses are endless. For both little or bigger hips, it can be used at home, camping, travelling, picnics, for waking up thirsty, for breastfeeding mums at night, for late / early shift workers, or just as a nightlight. How very versatile!


We also love the little bit of poetry that the clever clogs from Litecupversed together;

"This beaker with a night light keeps monsters away
while an anti-spill system keeps spillage at bay
Suck the valve at the rim so the drink starts to flow
then place it back by the bed and leave it to glow."



Mmmm, we'll have a hip lobster with every meal please...

Those two little cheeky chappies, Phil & Ted, have done it YET again. We love it, and I know that my very little hip will love this little Lobster - a brand new Phil & Ted invention.




Aimed towards hip little ones from 6 months to 3 years, the Lobster is a strong, portable, easy cleaning high chair. The real joy is its completely adaptable, as fits on most dining room surfaces, plus it folds flat, and comes in its very own carry case, so you can just pop it in the car, or underneath the pram so its there for use where ever you end up!

 








Thanks Phil & Ted. Another fabulous invention (and we love the name Lobster).

But stayed tuned....there's more from P & T coming up very soon.


Want some hip wheels? You CANNOT look past these...

These days, its really hip for your kids to be riding a balance bike. It normally goes like this; buy a trike to push them around, next perhaps a scooter, then a balance bike, then your little hips graduate to a big kids bike with pedals. All a bit uncomfortable on the hip pocket. 

Well, have a look at this. You cannot get anything more hip than the the 'Hip Kids 2 in 1 balance bike'.


Your child uses the bike without the pedals to learn to balance, brake and control it.

Once confident, you then apply the pedals (very easily), and hey presto, you now have a big kids bike fully equipped with training wheels should you wish. No more expense. No new purchases. No unwanted bikes, scooters, trikes, scattered around the garden! Fabulous. Why oh why haven't we got one...Brilliant.

Available in Pink, Blue, and Red, and for a bargain price of $129 (think of all that money you've spent on other bikes), you really cannot go wrong. Get one through the clever people at hip kids (what a fabulous name!)





Nest on the go...super hip invention.

Oooh, Phil &Ted - you've done it again!

I've never hidden the fact that I am a huge Phil & Ted fan. I'm a very happy customer, and a huge advocate for them, so it thrills me to bits when new products are launched. The Nest is a particular favourite just because the simplicity of it makes me love it even more (and think...oh, why oh why didn't I think of inventing that!)


Weighing only 2.5kg, and small enough to fit in an overheadlocker, the Nest is a very versatile piece of equipment. At a glance, it really just looks like just a bag to perhaps keep all your baby gear. Well, you're right, it is a bag, but also a whole lot more. Once you arrive at your destination, or perhaps the little baby hip is getting tired, you just open up your bag, and pull out the the baby bed. Pop it up and hey presto, within seconds your little baby has a very comfy padded little bed. Fabulous.

Another wonderful aspect is the sheer mesh cover that zips over the top, preventing any insects and the bright sun rays from disturbing your very comfortable little person. The nest has handles on both sides, so you can move it from place to place.


Perfect for the beach, a picnic, travelling, grandmas house, or anywhere. As our mates Phil & Ted say "Turn a bag into a bed and make a nest".

We love it, as I am sure any Little Hip Traveller would too. Good one Phil & Ted once again.






A beautiful organically hip ring sling..

We were recently sent the most beautiful Ellaroo Ring Sling by the very kind and generous people fromNatural Origins. I have to say, the moment I took it out of its very handy organic cotton shoulder bag, I just loved the feel of the 100% organic cotton, and with the stunning embroidery, it certainly looked fabulously hip, and rather special.


One of my besties immediately decided it was the sling for her, and whisked it off for a trial with her very little new bubba. The reports that I got back from her were, even though it was initially a teeny bit tricky to put on, (she felt a little bit nervous squeezing Mr newborn bubba in - but I am sure that gets very easy with practice, and it comes with some very concise instructions), it was remarkably comfortable, very secure, and a perfect and most discreet way to feed the little man. Plus it also stopped him bobbing his little head up and getting totally distracted, as they do. The long flowing part of the sling (correct terminology is the 'tail'), adds as an extra cover to provide shade, or just a cover, or perhaps to mop up any spills. And yes, the sling is fully machine washable too.


Once the baby is settled in the sling, it is remarkably easy to manoeuvre him into different positions according to his needs; feeding, sleeping, gazing out into the world, or just being snug next to mum or dad. Whilst the baby's back and neck is always securely supported, the sling fits comfortably on mum or dad with the wide cushioned padding (allergy free, and made out of recycled plastic bottles..wow!)

When out and about recently, my daughter decided she needed to be carried. I whisked out my Ellaroo Ring Sling, and popped her in. She is coming up to two years old, however was very happy to be sitting on my hip in the sling, and I have to say, it was really comfortable for me too, plus rather enjoyable not to have to run after her for once! She is only a wee thing, but can you believe that the slings are stress tested to 46 kilos?

The Ellaroo ring sling comes in various colours and designs. We were given the chocolate brown Brasilia style, which is simply stunning, and very hip looking too. No ugly straps or plastic buckles to contend with here, and a natural neutral colour so suitable for both parents, plus being very versatile to different shapes and sizes. The eco dyes contain no nasty chemicals too which we, at The Little Hip Traveller, just love.



I have to say, the Ellaroo Ring Sling is just perfect for when you are out and about, or travelling, and when you are not using it, it fits nice and neatly into the cotton shoulder bag.

Its a big thumbs up to this funky looking sling, and a huge thanks to Natural Origins for sending it our way.


Need some new accessories?

Now, we've mentioned these a few times before, but my little 'hips' love our Mini Micro Scooter. We scoot here, we scoot there, we scoot everywhere. Even little Miss 21 month old jumps on it and takes it for a spin (in her own way...they are meant to be for 3 plus of course!) 


What I love even more are the accessories and fabulous colours that are now on offer through Mini Micro. A fabulous way to create ownership and personalise those scooters. Limited edition scooters are currently available in the UK in yellow, green and red. Could we maybe have some of those fancy colours in Australia too please Mini Micro?

We could even jazz up our boring old blue scooter with a fancy bag, a bottle holder, or even some very hip looking ribbons? But best of all (well for us safety conscious mums and dads) are the very funky lights to clip on the front, and make us feel slightly more comfortable about our little 'hips' when they are out and about at dusk (wearing helmets of course). 

Thanks Mini Micro - we are loving your very hip accessories. We just need them all here...please?


Create a hip masterpiece on the go...

Wow. A perfect way to occupy your little 'hips' when you are out and about. I love this Mealtime Master piece - what a fabulous way to get those little people to take pure pride of their masterpieces. It is essentially a placemat drawing kit - comes with 48 placemats, 6 pens and that super gold frame! 
Get one from Gadgetking.
Love it. Need it!



A hip PramPack

Travelling with your little 'hips'? Taking the pram on various long haul flights? Fed up with the pram being bashed about and broken when being transported from aircraft to airport? Sounds like you need aPramPack.



Designed by a mum who after travelling the world with her young children, saw a gap in the market. The unique features of the PramPack is that it fits 99% of all prams (and double prams too), plus rolls up really tightly when not in use.



Approved and recommended by several airlines, it is available to us through Stokke.


Larking around

One of my most favourite online stores at the moment is Lark. Everything is just stunning, and so very hip. I spend hours and hours just gazing at all the beautifully funky bits and bobs, imaging where they would go in my humble abode!

So I thought I would put together a few magical travel / out & about related things, and hope that one day, they shall all end up somewhere special in my house!

Make sure you all have a good look at luscious Lark.









(Don't worry Lark people, I shall be purchasing soon...)

Heading out and about?

Heading out and about to the library, a play date or even kinder? Then you need one of these beautiful bags from the very hip Cocoon Culture. The Little Hip Traveller just loves the fabulous bits and bobs from Cocoon Culture. Make sure you head on over to their website for not only the choice of very fancy bags, but also the cutest wall stickers, bean bags and ottomans and much more. 
Thanks Cocoon Culture for making it all so hip!





We just adore this little hip product...(and, we have one to give away too)

Potty training...it can be a long and arduous task. Trust me, I know, and sadly, am still experiencing it. You either lock yourself at home for weeks on end, and never step foot outside the front door for fear of undoing all your good work, or you head out nervously, dreading the moment when the 'hips' may (or may not) tell you that they need the loo!

Only the other day I was in the supermarket, and the woman in front of me just left everything on the conveyer belt, and pegged it, with her little one, to try and find the toilet. Not sure if she ever found a toilet, as I never saw her again (poor love). If she'd had what I am about to talk about, she may have been able to find a quiet private spot somewhere (when needs must etc...).

So, what is this fabulous product? I have to say, it really is one of my all time favourite travelling / out and about products that I have had the privilege of stumbling across. I first saw it on a trip back to the UK earlier this year, and am now delighted that we finally have access to 'My Carry Potty' in Australia.



I have to say, when I first showed it to my little 'hips', Miss right hip couldn't get to it fast enough, and then proceeded to walk around the house swinging her little yellow carry potty around with her. Very cute, and also great to see that little ones take ownership of it right away. Even Mr Left Hip, the one who is perhaps "allergic" to potties, took an instant liking to it, and now, when I tell him to go and grab his 'My Carry Potty' and put it in the car, he rushes to get it, and pops it in the boot, or the the pram. I can't blame them - 'My Carry Potty' looks bright and fun, and very hip and trendy, and is a perfect size for little ones to look after and carry.

The bright yellow and blue potty is very pleasing to the young eye, and the word on the street is that there are more colours coming soon...therefore, different colours for each sibling. Perfect.

'My Carry Potty' is unique in the fact that its completely leakproof and bag free. Once the child has used the potty, you just close it up, and discard the contents when appropriate. No mess! This makes it just brilliant for travelling, or if you are out for the day, or even just as the main potty at home.

It is especially brilliant for travelling through Australia, where long road trips are not uncommon, and is just perfect to keep 'My Carry Potty' in the boot for those sudden unexpected toilet breaks. Also perfect for camping, on the beach, 4WD trips, or travelling interstate whether it be by road, rail, sea or air.


Having road tested it on a recent trip to the countryside, I have to say that I am most impressed by the 'no mess' aspect and the water tight seal really does work. My only slight gripe is the seat seems to be a tiny bit on the small side, and my little man is not that big, however that is only a very minor aspect of a very ingenious product, and he didn't seem to mind!

'My Carry Potty' was designed by a mum for mums, and the great thing is, that mum, Amanda Jenner, has recently been awarded the 'Mother & Baby Silver Award for the Best Travel product 2010/11' so clearly, its not just me who is an advocate for this product.



Thanks to our friends at Outlook Australia and My Carry Potty, we've got a 'My Carry Potty' to giveaway. I cannot express how handy they are, and how much I urge you to enter. And entering is really easy. All I need to know from you is: Tell me about the dream holiday destination, that you would take your 'My Carry Potty' to? See details on how to enter below, and competition conditions.


Oh, and please feel free to add your best potty training tip too....

How to enter: All you need to do is follow 'the little hip traveller' on either facebook, twitter or this blog, and then comment on this blog with the answer to the question . Of course, if you want to follow me on all 3 then you will get 3 entries into the competition! Make sure you leave a separate comment if you follow in more than one place, so you can get a more entries...If you do already follow me in all those ways...great, thanks so much for your support. Please do me one more favour, and link your blog, website, facebook page, twitter, or email your friends, and tell them about the little hip traveller. Do leave me a comment anyway and let me know, and you will automatically be entered into the competition. Thanks x
Follow the little hip traveller blog using the google reader box to the right of this page, networked blogs or Subscribe through RSS feed. (v easy, just follow the steps)
Follow me on facebook by clicking here
Follow me on twitter by clicking here

Conditions:

Comments to be left below for entry into this giveaway
Open to Australian and NZ readers only
The winner will be drawn at random and announced on the little hip traveller blog. If they do not contact me within 5 days, the prize will be redrawn
Competition closes Friday 17th December 2010 AEST 5pm.
Due to the busy Christmas postal service, the prize will not be sent until after Christmas / NYE.



that little hip 'camping' packing list...

Do you really need to pack the kitchen sink when heading off on a holiday with kids? Not at all, but you know, when you are off camping, it feels like you should pack that sink just in case....after all, you'll need some sort of running water, or at least a boiling saucepan. Look, its not "Survivor" so you don't need to panic, so don't be afraid to load up your car, but remember, you can make do without some luxuries too....its actually rather fun not to have to blow dry your hair from time to time etc.

Well, here's a list that should help you decide what you should take on a camping trip with kids. (Kitchen sink is certainly not included):

To sleep:
Tent , groundsheet, pegs, poles, mallet (yes, all rather important).
Sleeping bags and liners
Sleeping mats (blow up ones are good) and pump if necessary
Pillows, blankets, duvets to keep kids comfortable as possible
If room and you think necessary, a portacot (which can also double up as a playpen during the day)
Torch/lamp and batteries
Check out the following outdoor stores for some excellent ideas: KathmanduAnacondaMillets,
SnowgumSnow and Rock.


To eat:
Camping stove and gas bottle (unless you are going open fire?)
Waterproof matches
Can and bottle opener
A few pots and pans
A few cooking utensils - BBQ tongs, cooking knife etc.
Esky (or for those Kiwis...a chilli bin!)
Paper towels, foil, containers for storage, rubbish bags
Plates, mugs, bowls and cutlery
Tables and chairs or something to sit on / blanket
A thermos flask
Dishwashing liquid and tea towels
Food and drink

To wear:
Warm and cold weather clothes. It does get cold at night...pack a fleece.
Flip flops (thongs/s) and Wellies (gumboots)..We love these Bergstein Gumboots from Little Elk. We love Little Elk!
Beach towels, and swim wear.



Extras for you and the 'hips':
Swiss Army knife
Washing line
First Aid Kit
Bucket and spade
Board games, books
Camping shower or we love the super fold up Flexi Bath and we have a review coming up very soon.
Toilet Roll
Insect repellent
Wet wipes
Potty (especially for night time) - we love My Carry Potty. We have a review AND fab giveaway coming up very soon...watch this space.
Sun Screen and hats
All those extra bits and bobs required for travelling with young children if necessary (nappies, stroller, wipes etc)




So, thats all I would pack....(perhaps a bit less, as I love to try to travel light and I know that my hubby and 'hips' will keep on adding to the list!). What about you? Any suggestions or must have extras?







Love these hip travel goodies...

Fred. We just love, love & did I say love Fred. For those who are not yet acquainted with Fred, you must get yourself onto the World Wide Fred. I first fell in love with all the hip Fred bits and bobs when I first saw the Babushka measuring cups and bought them for all my friends and family for birthdays from then on. Now, there are some fabulous travel related bits and bobs which are great for getting your 'hips' in the travel mood.


'Airplane food' are a collection of "suppersonic fold and fly placemats". Each one has a retro designed flight path, and can be folded up and flown around for great on board entertainment.



And for some in-flight snacks, how about using 'airfork one'. Just the thing to keep the little 'hips' entertained on board and at home too!

Love anything a bit left of centre, and Fred surely is that...look for yourself.




TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2010


A little hip giveaway...

The ladies from B.Box have once again been champions and sent my little 18 month old hip a fabulous 'essential travel bib' to test out (plus one to giveaway to you....) As you may have guessed by now, we love B.box, and have already mentioned the baby box in previous posts, but those clever ladies have expanded their product range even further, by introducing the essential nappy caddy and the essential travel bib too. What clever clogs they really are (and very busy mums too!)

My 18 month hip testing out the Shining Star travel bib...only Spaghetti Bolognese would do for this  occasion...the messier the better!

Now, lets have a little chat about the essential travel bib....

Clearly they look extremely hip and trendy, and come in three different designs; Shining Star, Flower Power and Retro Circles. Love it already. The bib is contained inside a very cool looking case, which when unzipped and unfolded becomes a wipeable bib with a very handy catcher (just like those wonderful pelican bibs that I swear by at home, as they catch all most of the food!)

It has an adjustable neck strap, and the beauty of it is it has 3 size buttons so will fit any size 'hip' that still requires a bib, plus it is jolly hard to just pull off as it is fastened by press studs (not velcro...hoorah!) Inside the bib catcher you'll find a great sized spoon which, if I must say was slightly too soft for the food that my 18 month old hip was eating (my only slight criticism), however she had a good chew on the spoon afterwards, so it must have been great for those 2 year old molars!

The bib is BPA, Phthalates and PVC free which of course is really important. Once you have finished your meal, and you are travelling / out and about, and no where near home, you can refold the bib, excess food, the spoon and all, and zip it back up...no more zip lock bags, and no more mess! You just need to remember to rinse it when you get home.

The last fabulous element is that hang it back on your bag or pram using the special loop attached. Perfect for travelling and being out and about - infact, an essential, and we love it! Simple but very effective. Well done those B.box girls.



So if you have a little hip one at home, and are eager to own your own essential travel bib, here's your chance.

The prize: The wonderful B.box ladies have provided me with a Retro Circles travel bib to giveaway.

How to enter: All you need to do is follow 'the little hip traveller' on either facebook, twitter or this blog, and comment on this post to let me know where you are following. Of course, if you want to follow me on all 3 then you will get 3 entries into the competition! Make sure you leave a separate comment if you follow in more than one place, so you can get a more entries...

Follow the little hip traveller blog using the google reader box to the right of this page or networked blogs (v easy, just follow the steps)
Follow me on facebook by clicking here
Follow me on twitter by clicking here

If you do already follow me in all those ways...great, thanks so much for your support. Please do leave me a comment anyway and let me know, and you will automatically be in the competition. Just one thing - please tell all your friends about the little hip traveller (via sharing through facebook or twitter, or the good old word of mouth!) as we would love everyone to be involved. Thanks x


Conditions:
Comments to be left below for entry into this giveaway
Open to both Australian and international readers
The winner will be drawn at random and announced on the little hip traveller blog. If they do not contact me within 7 days, the prize will be redrawn
Competition closes Friday 12th November 2010 AEST 5pm.









HURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010


Hip b.box travel tips


Now, we have talked about b.box before, but we've never really chatted about the wonderful inspirational ladies behind the B.Box. 

I was lucky enough to hear Dannielle and Monique from B.Box speak at the recentConnect 2 Mums conference, and they certainly have a fabulous story to tell.

Did you know the b.box was created after Dannielle had been on a flight with her very young family, and had been very frustrated trying to change nappies in the tiny plane toilets with massive nappy bag, and children in tow? She had a chat to her good friend Monique, and together they created the Baby Box, the "all in one go everywhere plastic nappy wallet that provides quick access to wipes, change mat and storage for nappies". Since then, they have created even more fabulous products such as the travel bib and nappy caddy...What clever ladies.

Dannielle has also very kindly agreed to share a few of her families travel tips and adventures with us. Oh, and before I forget, watch this space for some more b.box product reviews and a competition giveaway! So here we go - over to Dannielle from b.box.


So, tell us a bit about you and your family?

My husband Ben is a kiwi, I’m from Sydney and we live in Melbourne with our three gorgeous girls Noa (6), Sofia (3) and Jemma (6 weeks), so we’re always travelling.
And where have you been of late with your little ‘hips’?

We have been to Wellington, Hobart and Sydney in the past few months
How did you get there?

We flew to each destination. Qantas to Wellington which was smooth and uneventful. Got to love Qantas Club especially on an international flight when you’ve got an hour to kill before the flight and the kids need the bathroom and are hungry! To Hobart we flew Tiger – never again! Delays, delays, delays... And to Sydney we flew Virgin Blue – my favourite airline when travelling with kids domestically. Plus Nick Jr so no fighting over who’s going to watch what on the DVD player and really friendly staff. And they are the only ones who board families first still – a huge advantage when travelling with a newborn and two other kids.

Where did you stay?

We stayed with family in Sydney and Wellington – built in baby sitters – and in Hobart we stayed in an apartment hotel – the name of which escapes me.

Your biggest challenge?

My 3 year old falling asleep as we landed, wanting to be carried as I had our newborn in my arms and my husband had the luggage.

Any big recommendations?

The Crayola colour wonder books are fab for travelling as they only react with the magic paper and therefore don’t get all over clothes and the plane! In Wellington, the national museum Te Papa is amazing – our kids could spend all day every day there and it’s free.

What are your main tips for travelling with kids?


Pack each child a day pack with their favourite snacks, drink bottle, toy and colouring/activity/sticker books. A portable DVD player is a must and take a spare change of clothes – even for the bigger kids – as my 6 year old can attest to after spilling her drink on her jeans recently! Also ask friends who have been to your destination for recommendations on what to do and where to eat. Also look up local web sites for hot happenings while you’re there, such as festivals, markets, movies, theatre etc. Make sure you and your partner book some “me time” – whether that’s using a reputable babysitter or family and finally expect the unexpected and enjoy the ride.

What would you not have left home without?

My essential baby box from b.box (of course!) and my Blackberry.

Thanks so much Dannielle. For those in Melbourne, Dannielle and Monique will be at the Pregnancy, Baby and Children's Expo, 24th - 26th October at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Go and say hello...








Why we love Mr Phil & Mr Ted



Me, and Mr Phil & Mr Ted go back a long way....Well 3 and a half odd years to be exact. Hubby and I purchased our Phil & Ted Sport model back in 2007, and oh, what good times we have had, and great places we have visited. When left hip was little, he obviously had it all to himself. Now right hip is here, there is joint custody, and even though right hip usually gets relegated to the back, sometimes, she gets the privilidge of sitting up front when left hip fancies a stroll. Poor second child eh!

But things have moved on in Mr Phil & Mr Ted's world. Not only does it seem that 'everyone' have now joined the bandwagon, and also consider themselves good chums with them, but Phil & Ted themselves have created so many hip things of late, and my love affair with them (and everyone else's) just keeps getting stronger and stronger...

So, what exactly have they done to win so many hearts? 'Adapt and Survive' is Phil & Ted's motto, and adapt and survive they surely have. Those savvy New Zealanders have not only been growing their own brand (prams, porta cots, highchairs, car seats, carriers, and other hip things), but now Phil & Ted have taken over fellow competitor and fellow Kiwi brand, Mountain Buggy, so they certainly have their finger on the pulse. The P&T prams, with classy names like classic, sport, dash and vibe, are not only innovative, but also really clever. P&T know they we need to transport more than 1 little hip around, and they also know that we need to pound the pavements AND and climb every mountain should we wish too. Smart. But what's really smart is the new pram additions to the Phil & Ted family; the explorer, hammerhead, smart and sub 4.

The explorer is basically a brand new funkier version of the Sport (the one I have) and is even more fab and versatile with 7 different configurations to adapt to a growing family of little hips. Phil & Ted have created a fab guide to how it all works...make sure you have a good look.

The hammerhead (and my left hip would love this one as he loves a good old hammerhead shark), is the 4WD version of the Phil & Ted, with 4 snazzy wheels. Brand new, plus this concept is brand new to P&T as they mainly concentrate on the 3 wheeler. Saying that, there is one other 4 wheeler, and that is the rather funky and very handy super light and extremely versatile smart. This is more like a stroller than an actual pram, but looks so funky. We love it as its totally excellent for travelling with the hips as, not only does it folds up really easily, but you can also choose to use it as a travel system, or with a bassinet aswell. So very clever.

But I reckon I have saved the best and most exciting product till the end, and that's the Sub 4. Coming soon, the Sub 4 is classified as 'the world's fastest jogger'. You just have to check out the demonstration below, and get excited too. Adapt and Survive they say...well thats certainly what they are doing...thats why we love Mr Phil and Mr Ted.



You might also like:





Mini Gourmets' hip travel tips and tricks...
hip tips and tricks with the little 'hips' to...Bali





a hip trip and hip tips with the hips to Mount Buller







is it a pram, a scooter, a buggy board....or all 3!



And while we are talking innovation, lets just check out the fabulous Mountain Buggy Free Rider. It it a pram? Is it a scooter? Is it a pram with a buggy board?...well its all of the above! A pram with a scooter that just clips on just like a buggy board but even better. No more dragging an exhausted left hip home from the park on his scooter up that big hill whilst trying to control the right hip in the pram in the other hand. It gives you all huge flexibility and more control! We love it...I want it...I need it!

Mountain buggy have just won a very prestigious award in 'the moving and travelling baby accessories' category for this design phenonomen at the Kind + Jugend trade show in Germany. Fabulous job Mountain Buggy...We love hip products like these!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails