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We love finding new things to make parents lives easier and this is why we are very excited to be able to launch our latest competition with Babyzen for the launch of their latest pushchair ..... the Babyzen YoYo.

YOYO is the first buggy in the world to fully comply with size recommendation for cabin baggage. (we love this)

As most parents know buggies can be cumbersome and parents often face a struggle getting them up and down stairs, forcing them into car boots and on to packed tubes and busses not to mention trying to store them away at home. And anyone who has flown with a young child will also be familiar with the hassle of having to get the buggy packed away into the main luggage hold as it is simply too big to take on as hand luggage. However, the new YOYO buggy has been revolutionising travelling with a small child.

Weighing just 5.8kg, this unique buggy is the most compact buggy ever imagined (52 x 44 x 18 cm when folded). The buggy has a one of a kind folding mechanism which allows it to be opened and folded in seconds with just one hand and it can then be carried over your shoulder with the detachable shoulder strap. 

The RRP on the YOYO is £309 but we are delighted to be able to offer one to giveaway. Just enter below.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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We all know that children learn best through play, so it makes sense to ensure that your child has access to high quality toys which will not only be fun to use, but also boost educational attainment. With the children heading back to school, to help children succeed in class, there are a range of great toys on the market, ranging from old favourites such as meccano, through to a selection of electronic gadgets which combine modern technology with the acquisition of many useful skills. Educational toys need not be just about learning facts or improving writing; they can also promote improvement in vital skills such as manual dexterity, problem solving, memorising, social skills and concentration.

Enhance Creativity with Construction Toys

When a child has access to materials which enable them to build, the sky is the limit in terms of the ideas they are able to turn into reality. Building blocks, meccano or making models which clip, stick or screw together are all superb vehicles for allowing your child to make and create. As well as being a very enjoyable activity, the skills involved in working out how to shape a creation are all ones which will be used at school during more formal learning activities.

Learn Physics and Maths Effortlessly

Many children find mathematical concepts and physics information difficult to grasp when learned from a textbook, but find understanding these ideas in a practical situation far easier. Using toys such as meccano or a simple science kit, concepts such as balance, basic maths, the action of forces, properties of matter and torque can all be introduced and expanded on during play. Spending time with your child, using good, educational toys as learning tools for explaining some of the more challenging scientific information, can result in improved learning which is also great fun and very rewarding.

When choosing a toy which combines enjoyment with learning opportunities, the main thing is to pick something which you feel your child will want to play with. The more time they spend using the toy, the greater the potential for learning to take place. Remember that children learn naturally through play, so provided they have access to a selection of robust, age-appropriate toys and plenty of parental input, they are well on the way to achieving their potential.

Lets be honest, who doesn't love to play?

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The Lilypad may not be the first place you would look for a review of the new Walkers Mighty Lights as we are not a particularly "foodie" blog, however we are very much a family blog and my family love crisps! When the man on the pad opened the package containing crisps today, the look on his face made me think, at that moment, he actually loved me a little bit more!

Personally I have an odd relationship with crisps, especially when my treat of choice is cake, but there is something about Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps that make me want to devour the whole packet in seconds. More specifically, when I had morning sickness during both my pregnancies, Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps were the only thing to stop me feeling sick. This is a true fact. (it is not a medically proven fact but it certainly worked for me!)

So what is different about Mighty Lights? Well the sales blurb tells me that "With 30% less fat than standard crisps, Mighty Lights are perfect for kids' lunchboxes. They are tasty, ridged crisps that come in three flavours - roast chicken, cheese and onion and lightly salted. All the flavours are suitable for vegetarians, and are available in shops nationwide. They're made from real potatoes with no artificial colours of preservatives-  and they're a source of fibre". 

So what did we think?

Firstly I had to try and get some sense over the sound of the crunching and munching that was happening to ask what everyone thought but there was definately a general thumbs up. The man on the pad said that they had a drier, more baked texture (listen to him and his gourmet description) whereas the littlest member of the family just said "more mommy". 

As I said before, Walkers Cheese and Onion, are generally the only crisps I eat so the real test for me was whether or not being 30% less fat, meant 30% less taste. Thankfully not, in fact I would even go as far as saying that there is somehow a stronger flavour .... if that is possible. Now we know my love of all things quirky and I had to giggle when I saw a rather happy looking "crisp man" on the back of the packet saying "I am a crisp who knows how to have fun. Even though I'm light, I can part hard, mixing it up, cheese and onion style" But let's be honest, any Company that can get Gary Lineker to fool around on their adverts, has to have a good sense of humour!

For us, the good bits are ....

• 30% less fat
• Soure of fibre
• No artifical colours or preservatives
• Suitable for vegetarians

And the bad bits .....

• They are very moreish :-)

So the Walkers Mighty Lights get a mighty thumbs up from the Lilypad.

Disclaimer: We received crisps to review and compensation for this feature. The thoughts, descriptions and photos are all our own.

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I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

I think it is fairly common knowledge that I do most of my shopping online for convenience and for finding the very best deals but when Collective Bias set me the challenge of shopping at my local supermarket for back to school products, I thought I would pick up a physical basket (not the virtual one) and go shopping! I made the decision to go to Asda alone, mainly because I knew that if I took along my two adorable little shopping companions, the shopping bill may exceed my budget. They are both little consumers and with lots to tempt children, at their height, I decided to go it alone!

I know  that I can shop online at any time of day or night but it still amazes me that you can shop in store 24 hours a day. I went mid afternoon, rather than the middle of the night and the store was busy but not crazy, so I could meander round at my leisure. The back to school shop was straight in front of me as I walked into the store but as I was taking a picture the store security guard apprehended me and told me that I couldn't take pictures in store. Whilst I was a little shaken at first, I have to salute both Asda and the security guard for protecting both their store and their customers. I could have been anyone, potentially taking pictures of vulnerable people or children, so once we had chatted about the review I was doing, I was okay to proceed. (she says, wiping her brow)

Asda have an AMAZING range of Back to School clothes, stationary, lunch boxes, shoes .... you name it, they have it. I almost feel sorry for the children (you notice I said "almost"), in that as soon as they break up for the summer holidays, the "back to school" stuff is in the stores for September, reminding them that it is only a few weeks till they are returning to class.

My youngest daughter will be starting nursery this September, only for a couple of mornings and that is heart wrenching enough for me but I know what it is like for a mother with a child starting school for the very first time and whilst you need to deal with the practicalities of getting all the right things, you have to deal with the emotional side too. Thankfully Asda are making the practical side the easy part.

Having already sorted the uniform out at the early part of the school holidays, stationary and bags were top of my "Back to School" shopping list and as we are big Hello Kitty fans in our house (who isn't), I was delighted to find a good range of stationary products in the Hello Kitty brand. I knew my eldest daughter would be thrilled with them, unfortunately her little sister got hold of them before she did and she stands testament to them being good quality (there are not many note books that can stand the force of her scribbling)

Fashions come and go with children and getting value for money is important to parents but getting the "right" bag / design / logo is important to the children too. My eldest daughter does enjoy school but no one likes the summer holidays to end do they? I am just thankful that we have the "right" things to go back to school with this September.