The new and improved Toddlebike2!

When D was little we bought him the original Toddlebike. He loved it (full review here in an old blog post) but now he's a bit too big for it and has moved onto his scooter and balance bike. Then a few months ago Iz was offered the chance to test ride the new, revamped Toddlebike2 (RRP around £24). I wasn't sure how Iz would respond as she'd never really tried to ride D's, but showed her a picture online and wow, that was that! Immediate cries of " MYYYYY TODDLEBIKEEEEEE!". 

When it arrived she was so excited she tried to climb in the box and as soon as it was out of its packaging, she was on it and riding. Don't want to stereotype her but she was definitely won over by the all over pinkness of it :) (it does come in other colours though if pink is not your thing!!)

And since then it's been an instant love affair. I can't get her off it!!

At the park

Chilling in the kitchen...

Having a snack

Watching TV!

So how is it different to the original Toddlebike?

This picture from their website sums it up best. 

Little tweaks have perfected the earlier model but it still has all the good aspects of the original model. It's still super light and easy to hang over your buggy handlebars but best of all the new design made for super easy light-pimping (see end of the post!).

The new large under-seat space makes it even easier for toddlers to hold 

And if you're wondering what weight it will hold... we tested the original one to over 75kg :) (Iz wasn't going to share her bike with anyone!! Lol)

Using it outside

Although Iz is pretty much attached to it 24/7, the times it is really put through its paces are outside in the park. 

Yes, it even gets it's own swing sometimes!

Probably because Iz was slightly older when she started using it (just over 2 versus D being 18 months) she immediately sat on the seat properly (rather than straddling the bar) and seemed to instantly know what to do. On its first outing she was scouting up and down ramps in the park and going faster than I could keep up with! 

High speed Iz!

Since then the Toddlebike has been everywhere with us, and Iz is so confident riding it. Love watching the kids race together!!

Ready steady go!

Iz can also keep up with D when he's on his bike

Or sometimes speed past him :)

Summary

Overall you may be able to tell we loved our original Toddlebike and are now massive fans of the new Toddlebike2. Simple to use, easily portable and pretty stylish - what's not to love?! And D is now confident on his balance bike, definitely helped by his Toddlebiking background. So if you are looking for a last minute present for a toddler in your life, look no further!!

Pimping your Toddlebike

So now you've got your Toddlebike2, what are you going to do next? Make it look even more awesome!! I bought 2 strands of battery-powered fairy lights from Poundland and taped them round the plastic frame - not very technical but Iz loved it!

She couldn't wait for it to get dark and was the total envy of all the other kids in the playground! It also meant it was really simple for me to keep an eye on her, she could see better in the dark and was easily visible to everyone else. The fairy lights are now a permanent feature and next I'm going to pimp D's bike and scooter!

Swimfin review

A few months ago we were sent a SwimFin to review. If you don't know what I'm talking about (or just want to see photos of D pretending to be a shark and attacking Iz...) then click here.

So since then we've been very busy and putting our swimfin to work! A few months ago D changed swimming teachers and there was a very noticeable decline in his confidence in the water - he went from being able to do things like happily swimming half a width underwater and jumping in before turning 180 degrees to hold onto the side to suddenly not wanting to go underwater at all and not wanting to jump in. It was so sad to watch as he used to be such a confident swimmer (albeit still learning obviously!!). So the Swimfin came at the perfect time as it gave us a new focus and a "fun" way to encourage D to enjoy swimming again.

How does it work?

Unlike traditional buoyancy aids like armbands and noodles, the swimfin works inline with your body providing a more 'natural' form of support and so leads to a better swimming position as your child becomes increasingly confident in the water.

It's actually surprisingly hard to get a good picture of a toddler swimming whilst you're also bobbing up and down in a wave pool but here are a couple of shots that show D using his swimfin (to swim rather than play/pose! Lol). You can see he is still needing a lot of support from it (unsurprisingly as he's only 2!) as his body is still pretty vertical in the water. As he becomes better able to support himself the fin will naturally become increasingly horizontal, sit out of the water more, and so provide him with less buoyancy.

You can see his legs kicking though and it gives just the right amount of support - helping him keep his head out of the water but he still has to work his arms and legs to achieve that. And of course he still enjoys posing and playing in it!!

What do I think?

I think it is great. It is easier to put on/take off than armbands and doesn't interfere with any arm action like armbands do. I also love the way I can instantly see how much support D is needing and so any improvements will be easy to spot. The straps are easy to use with velcro fastenings and if you want to take the fin off mid-swim (e.g. to do some underwater work) then you can just loop one of the fin straps over your arm and then you have both arms free still - definitely not possible with any other buoyancy aids I can think of! It also dries quickly after use and you don't have to faff around inflating/deflating it.  

My 2 waterbabies - Iz having a helping hand to stay buoyant, D just using his swimfin (and his legs!)

More importantly what does D think?

D loves it. He doesn't see it as a swimming aid, more something fun to wear when swimming. And it's easy to get him to swim by himself when wearing it as the 'shark' always wants to chase us!

It gets a thumbs up from D :)

In summary...

We love our Swimfin and will definitely use it for Iz when she's a bit older. I think it's really clever that you can instantly tell how much support your child is needing by how the fin is sitting in the water and the whole look and design makes it super appealing to children. We often get asked about it when at the pool and even D's 8 year old brother (who can swim fine) often asks to wear it!

Sounds a bit too good? You might be wondering if there are any downsides? Well the only one we found is its size is obviously bigger than deflated armbands so it takes up more 'bag space'... BUT on the company's website you can buy a special rucksack with an external slot for the fin (here) - not only is it a bargain at £5.49, but it's also really practical and now D always wants to carry the swim bag! I'm not going to complain about that :)

Proud of his rucksack

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You can read my original post, which also has top tips for swimming with babies and toddlers, by clicking here.

Have you seen anyone else using a swimfin? Or used one yourself? I'd love to hear how other people have got on :)

Nuby weaning equipment - review

A while ago I reviewed some Nuby bath toys they kindly sent us. At the same time they also sent us some suction bowls and lolly moulds. We've put of them to the test and this is what we think:

Stackable suction bowls with lids

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with these bowls. I *love* (as does my toddler) that each bowl has a lid - me from a practical point of view, good for storing/stacking etc and D because they are fun to open to see what's inside! I also love the bright colours, the fact that they are different sizes so you can pick the right size for the meal and the fact that the suction base is part of the bowl (rather than being separate - like on our vital baby suction bowls).

Loving the lid

Stuck down good :)

However... I'm not sure if it's me, or my kids or what but I'm not completely sold on the suction. When it works it is amazing and I can hardly get it loose myself. But other days (when I think I've stuck it down the same way!) Iz manages to get it loose in about 10 seconds! Lately (she's nearly 10 months) she's also learnt to slowly jiggle it side-to-side whilst hugging it towards her. That normally gets it free! Lol

Is anyone watching if I start tugging...

Woohoo it's free!

Despite this I use these bowls every day for Iz at all 3 meals - another benefit is because there are 3 on a pack I can use one for each meal and not have to wash up til the evening :) 

They remain my go-to bowls and seeing as I'm always sitting with her when she's eating it's no big drama if she manages to free the bowl - I just squished it back on her tray. Weirdly (again I have no idea why - my strange kids!) I've noticed she is much more likely to feed herself food if it's in the bowl rather than on the highchair tray... So thanks Nuby, I will continue to use these bowls every day.

Happy with their bowls :)

Garden Fresh fruitsicles

This lolly maker is great. When I saw it online I thought it would be perfect for the approaching summer and for Iz teething and it is. It is super easy to use, made of thick plastic so is very hardy (yes I have accidentally dropped it on the floor a few times!) and D loves the bright colours - he chooses which colour lolly he wants - usually the pink one for some reason - perfect colour recognition practice :) 

Easy to hold (at 6 months)

The handles are also very easy to hold - even Iz at 6 months had no problems - and they have a great "no drip" design so any drops get caught in the handle rather than dripping down your child's hand/arm.

Love her "too cold" face :)

But she still always goes back for another mouthful!

Are there any downsides? The tray does take up a bit more space in your freezer than it needs to (if it was in a square design I think they could've made it quite a bit smaller - although that may well have made it harder to extract the lollies at the end). And a tip - leave the lollies in for a few more hours than you think they need. If you try to get them out when they've only just frozen solid then I only got a 50% intact-extraction record... But wait another few hours and it was always 100% :)

To show how easy they are to us here is D making our first batch:

Line up what you need

Fill each compartment with fruit puree

Sample a bit of the product while you're there

Clip in the handles

Put in the freezer and wait for the freezing magic...

Now there are a million and one fruit ice lolly recipes online but every single one I read involved using a juicer/mixer etc to purée the fruit. They may have sounded delicious but I'm a bit lazy in the kitchen so here are 4 tried and tested recipes that we've done which only require a fork :)

Mango/Strawberry/Yoghurt

- using a fork mash up a slice of mango, 2 strawberries and then mix in a small yoghurt (we used a baby Yeo valley fromage frais). This made enough to fill all 4 lollies and have enough left over for Iz's pudding (unfrozen)

Banana/Raspberry

- mash half a banana with 4 raspberries. This made enough for all 4 lollies and a spoonful of fruit left over for me :)

Banana/Pear

- mash a banana and pear together (the riper the better as then easier to mash!). This made enough for the 4 lollies and 2 pots which I froze for later puddings

And finally, the laziest of them all... A fruit pouch squeezed into the lolly compartments and frozen - this perfectly filled all 4 lollies :)

Mmmmm yummy

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Have you ever found a bowl that 100% stays stuck all the time? Or have you made different flavoured ice lollies with your kids? I'd love to hear :)

Swimming tips for little ones

Recently we were lucky enough to be sent a "Swim Fin" to use and review. If you've never heard of them this is what one is:

A boy shark!

Developed by a swimming teacher, you wear it on your back instead of armbands/buoyancy suit and it keeps your body in a more horizontal (and much more 'natural' position) when swimming. And it makes you look like a shark - AMAZING!

Shark attack!!

So far we've had lots of fun wearing it around the house (yes, it will even fit an adult!) and the 8 year old insisted on wearing it all through lunch one day... Even Iz got in on the action :)

Baby shark :)

Next week we're taking it to our local swimming pool (I haven't felt brave enough to take both D and Iz on my own yet so we're having to wait til OH has a day off) and so will post a review of it "in action" then. In the meantime here are some of my top swimming tips that might be useful for anyone wondering how to start swimming with their little ones:

1. Start young

Both of mine started lessons at 6 weeks and we've never had any problems with being scared of water/not wanting to go etc. It was also a lovely sociable activity for me to go to, meet other mums and get out of the house even on my most knackered days. It's incredible when you look back and realise your tiny 2 month old who couldn't reach for an object or even acknowledge the ball during playtime is now a 6 month old who is happy to swim underwater, will make a valiant effort to hold on to the side without your help and laughs hysterically with glee whenever the ball comes out to play :)

2. Make it fun

Everyone develops at their own pace and the most important thing is to keep it fun. There's no point in pushing your baby if they're teething or have a stinking cold (and a screaming baby's screams are *even* louder when echoing round a pool!!) so keep it fun. Most swimming classes incorporate nursery rhymes into different activities (eg Humpty Dumpty when they fall in from the side) which is also easy to do when you're swimming on your own with them. And there are loads of fun things you can do in the water - D's favourite is "Jelly on a plate" when he sits on a mat and we wobble it until he falls in :)

3. Use bath time as an extension

There are lots of things you can do in the bath which help prepare babies for getting in the pool. From "showering" them with water over their head (getting them used to water over their face and letting them practice closing their eyes/holding their breath) to blowing bubbles (laying foundation for effective breathing techniques as they get older), the bath is a great place to cement any new skills they're working on.

4. Be confident

Even if you're not the most confident swimmer don't let your fear show. Obviously stay in the shallow end and work within your limits but let your kids see that swimming is fun and not scary.

5. Be organised

The first time I took D swimming he was 6 weeks old and I think it took me (no exaggeration!) 30 minutes to get us both ready for swimming! But now I can get us both undressed and dressed in under 5 minutes, whilst also wrestling a baby :) make sure you always take 2 swim nappies (in case of a just-before-you-get-in-the-pool poop) and don't forget a regular nappy for after. We like to use hooded towels for swimming as you can wrap them up super snug, including their wet hair, even if the changing rooms are drafty. Don't forget to also take a plastic bag to put your wet things in. And a snack and a drink for afterwards will usually buy you a few minutes peace to get changed yourself - swimming is be pretty energetic and tiring for little ones, even if it doesn't look like they've done much!

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I also asked Laura Sevenus (an ex-competitive swimmer in South Africa, author of “Practically Swimming” and founder of the Sevenus Swimming School in London) how do you know when your baby is ready to start swimming lessons. Here are her top tips:

• Each child will have his or her own individual personality and sensory thresh hold so don’t push too much or too soon. Babies require time, nurturing and gentleness in order to flourish and learn.
• There is no rush.  Whether your baby starts swimming lessons at 3 or 6 months, it will make no difference to their ability to swim independently at 2-3 years old. 
• Bonding is the result of true communication between parent and baby.  Your baby will let you know how he/she is feeling with body language. Learn to read your baby’s signs and then respond to what is being conveyed.
• If the water feels cool to you, your baby will feel the same but just may not be able to tell you. Heat is lost through your baby’s head therefore it is not a good idea to submerge your baby’s head if the water temperature is on the cool side.
• If parents have missed the opportunity to take their children swimming as babies, 4 years is a good age to begin lessons. A child will have more understanding then and will take instruction readily. They will have learnt to reason by this stage and are generally keen to attempt anything. If left longer than this age, he or she may start becoming self-conscious of the fact they are unable to swim and then more psychology will have to be employed.
• Parents can do so much in building water confidence by allowing their children to play in the bath under supervision. Babies love to be floated in a deep bath of water. Toddlers love sitting and play water pouring with containers. Make bath time fun and without rushing – but of course always with adult supervision!

Laura is currently based in London where she runs the Baby Spa (which we loved when D and Iz were younger - you can read why here). Babies as young as 2 days swim there and after a few months when they are ready they can move on to more formal swimming lessons at the Laura Sevenus Swimming school.

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Do you swim with your little ones? Do you have any other top tips for parents? Add them below if you do - I'd love to share them :)