In my real life I often feel I spend most of my life in and out of Tesco...and it's starting to feel the same here too but they've got such a lot of great deals just now!

• Click HERE and swing by Tesco for this fab deal

Now, you'll need a fairly big garden for this as it's almost as huge as the 50% discount that Tesco have slapped on it bringing it down from £60 to £30!  It's a monstrous 3 metres wide which will be about as wide as the grins on little faces whilst they're playing on it.

I've agonised over the 'will whatever-the-garden-activity-of-the-moment-was take over the garden...?' and 'can I live with that...?' questions but I don't have a lawn that St Andrews would be proud of and, at the end of the day, these things are only temporary until the kids have grown out of them.

My cousins had something very similar to this many years ago in their garden and we all used to spend hours playing on it at every given opportunity - nothing short of torrential rain would keep us off it.

It comes in bits so you'll need to get your tools out when  you get home to put it together, think of it as a warm-up for all the pushing you're going to be doing once it's ready to be played on!

All the usual Tesco delivery blurb applies - collect it for free or pay for standard delivery.

Thanks to Twinx over at HUKD!

Anything that means I can do something that normally wouldn't be 'allowed' to do is good for the soul and lets my rebellious side feel 'heard'.

• Click HERE to scribble over to Play for this deal

So what I have for you here is a set of eight brightly-coloured fabric pens which will see you and your child unleashing your inner Gianni Versace or Vivienne Westwood and designing your own t-shirts.

But you don't need to limit yourself to t-shirts!  Jumpers, baseball caps, cushions, canvas bags, canvas trainers or how about bringing a plain white duvet set to life?

The only limitations are your imagination and as crafty parents we all know we have bucket loads of that, and when you've got more than your fair share of personalised items why not create a one-off unique gift for a grandparent - they'll love it!

The reviews for these t-shirt grafitti pens are excellent and are going to cover the remaining questions you're probably asking right now.

Items are ready for use after 24 hours and once the ink is fixed everything can be safely washed OR dry cleaned (which is amazing) and your carefully crafted designs will remain intacted.  Here's what one reviewer says...

"Got these recently off Play.com and I have to say they lived up to the description. Easy to use on t-shirts, then a quick iron and its done. Was expecting things to go wrong in the first wash but all was a promised and the designs stayed on. I would recommend these 100% to anyone and the kids absolutely love making their own t-shirts"

If you've got a kids party coming up you could buy some cheapo t-shirts and have all the kids decorate their own t-shirts to take home instead of the usual party bag full of 'stuff' - you can't skip the cake though, that would just be wrong *grin*

These pens have been reduced from £5.99 down to £3.79 and won't cost you a penny in delivery either; marvellous!

Thanks to millarcat over at HUKD!

Remember these? Magic drawing slates! I haven't seen once since I was about six years old.

• Click here to buy a little bit of magic

These magic drawing slates are just £1 over at www.dotcomgiftshop and would make a cute little retro pressie for someone special, or a fun item for popping in a Christmas stocking or a party bag.

We used to lose hours drawing masterpieces on these as kids, and the magic lay in the fact that you could rub out your picture and start all over again endlessly. I think kids would love them as a toy to keep them entertained on long journeys and I bet they'd have real novelty value as a radical alternative to all our modern gadgetry!

Delivery is £3.95 so you will need to purchase several, or other items as well, to make it worth your while but I'm tempted to snap these up as party bag goodies for later in the year... that is, if you don't beat me to it!

There are HEAPS of other slate designs so do have a good look around the site!

I always did love a bad boy and Robbie Rotten is no exception

• Click HERE for this bad boy of a deal

If you've never seen Lazy Town, essentially the concept is this:  Lazy Town is full of lazy people and the villain of the piece, Robbie Rotten, wants to keep things that way.  Super-buff sports guy Sportacus, along with the most annoying girly character - Stephanie, try to encourage the Lazy Town residents to eat 'sports candy' (fruit and veg) and get active and generally thwarting Mr Rotten's evil plans to promote the opposite - he does this by dressing up in disguise.

Now, I love going to the gym (if I'm not at my desk that's where you'll find me) but Sportacus and Stephanie are sooo goody-goody they make me WANT to be bad and eat cake just to annoy them!

Robbie Rotten is ace - he's the slapstick comedy bad guy and Lazy Town is watchable just for him alone.  Dressing up is his thing and now your child can do the same.

It comes with a wig, vest and periscope - Robbie Rotten's evil lair is underground you see, so a periscope is essential to be ing able to see what Sportacus and annoying-girl are up to; the periscope plays phrases and songs from the show.

Amazon have reduced this from £21.99 t just £8 and that's all you'll pay if you choose the SuperSaver delivery.

Thanks to lucerysmum over at HUKD!

I hereby declare today LeapFrog bargain day!

• Click HERE to leap over to Tesco Direct for this deal

I do love a good activity table and this one ticks all the boxes for me.  It's suitable for tiddly-peeps who are six months and over...it almost seems a shame they can't enjoy it from birth - well they could I suppose if YOU played with it with them on your lap!

There are sparkly lights to look at, spinning things, sliding things, pushing things, opening and closing things, turning things and pulling things.  You can take the legs off making it easy to store AND also lets younger ones play for longer when they aren't yet able to stand for prolonged periods of time; there is also the wonderful volume control option.

Everything is brightly coloured to engage and excite your child's senses and there are 15 musical activities in English and French with over 40 songs and melodies - now isn't that a GOOD idea, the introduction of different languages at the earliest opportunity....what a shame the Government haven't caught on to this yet - LEAP FROG for Government I say!

The table needs 3 AA batteries which aren't included (boooo) and delivery to store of your choice is free (yippeeee).  This is a great deal as elsewhere it's selling for between £25 and £35.

Thanks to daddyme over at HUKD!

Is there a doctor or nurse in the house?  There will be if you dash over to Amazon!

• Click HERE to go to Amazon

I don't know what it is about playing at being medics that fascinates kids but there certainly seems to be something.

I am rather ashamed to say that this medical carry case is possibly better equipped than my household first-aid kit - it has absolutely everything in it to ensure that your little physician will be able to diagnose and cure every possible ill and ailment.

There is a stethoscope, a blood pressure monitor with working pump and meter, syringe with moving plunger, reflex hammer - beware your knees is all I can say, one of those instruments for looking inside ears with (an otoscope if you want to get really technical), a thermometer with moving part to display different temperatures, eye drop bottle, pill bottle with screw off lid, mirror for viewing throats and tonsils, tongue depressor and name badge with space for writing the name of your little MD.

I also think that kits like this whilst actively encourage role-play can also teach responsibility when it comes to dealing with proper medical equipment and supplies.

Thanks to Plum over at HUKD!

*Singing* "Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his black and white caaaat!" well tha'ts how the theme tune used to go back in my day - can you believe that Postman Pat has been delivering mail on our screens for TWENTY EIGHT YEARS??!!!

• Click HERE to take delivery of this great little deal

I never had play dough things as a kid but my friends did and I LOVED playing with it!  It used to amuse me, even back then, when it said on the side of the tubs that it wasn't for eating beause it smelled like marzipan...and I can't stand marzipan.

I have no idea if this Postman Pat dough set smells of marzipan (if you buy one perhaps you'll let me know!) but I do know that your kids will have loads of fun playing with it - just rolling out, cutting out, rolling out a n d cutting out seems to be enough to keep them amused for hours.

There is 1 large tub of dough, 4 small tubs, 3D Pat and Jess moulds, 1 modelling tool, 1 roller, Pat and Jess cookie cutters (you could use these to cut out REAL cookies too!) and Pat's van with interchangeable 'wheels' along with a printed play mat.

All of this for half-price at under a fiver - I'd say Tesco Direct have delivered on this one., talking of which standard delivery applies unless you arrange to collect free in-store.

Thanks to natsbee over at HUKD!

I do like clever toys that can multi-task and adapt as kids get older and this Ocean Wonders gym from Fisher-Price does just that.

• Click HERE for this wonder of a deal

Suitable from birth and with three modes of play this gym will be a firm favourite with your baby for quite some time.   For the earliest phase your baby can lay and look at and reach out for the seahorse which has a rattle rollerball and the octopus mirror with 2 clacker beads, there's also a inflatable ball with an plastic ball inside to kick at too.

Progressing on to the tummy-time phase, Seahorse and Octopus can be attached to the mat so the, by now, familiar friends can continue to be played with.

And this is the best bit, I think, when your little adventurer is ready to crawl, you can thread the mat through the two foam arches which forms a GREAT tunnel to crawl through or a pseudo-tent to hide in!  Tents and tunnels are always a hit with kids and will provide endless hours of fun - if it was bigger I'd be crawling there as well!

This is essentially THREE toys for the price of one and not even a full-priced one at that as this used to be £23.33 and is not £11.66.  FABULOUS!

Standard delivery applies or opt for in-store collection.

Thanks to Samwards over at HUKD!

"All aboard the Pinky Ponk!"

• Click HERE to go to Asda for this deal

Activity tables are great things regardless of which TV show or character they 'belong' to.  Little kiddies of a certain age have the attention spans of gnats and playing with toys like this gives them the freedom to be able to jump around from one activity to another to their heart's cotent.

There's a lot for little ones to explore and do with this In the Night Garden Explore and Play Table; it features some of the main characters such as a spinning Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka (he's my favourite) Igglepiggle, Ninky Nonk sliding beads that run over the top across the width of the table and three Tombliboo balls which when put in the right places trigger phrases, music and sounds.

It ticks all the boxes of the things small children love to do - pushing buttons, spining things, flipping pages (there's a little book that introduces the characters and objects on its pages) and it ticks an important box for parents too - easy storage, the legs of the table come off to make this a doddle.

Suitable from 9 months onwards this table is a a gift from Asda Direct at £19.99 (was £39.99) can be delivered or collected in-store and requires just 2AA batteries which ARE included.

"Now isn't that a pip!"

Thanks to redhotrain over at HUKD!

I absolutely adore toys like this - even as a grown up I find sorting things almost irresitible!

• Click HERE to get sorted with this deal

How cute is this little guy?! He's bright, happy and friendly-looking and will appeal to kids over quiet a broad age range (even big kids like me!).

You know you can trust Fisher-Price toys for quality in both the construction of their toys and also their entertainment and educational value  and so even higher prices are worth paying - not this time though as you can pick up this cheeky shape sorter for £9.97 with Tesco Direct (he was £14.97).

This adorable shape sorter has a whole host of features to keep your little one amused, is suitable for those aged 6 months onwards and will introduce them to the world of shapes, colours and numbers.

There are five soft brightly-coloured shapes that trigger fun sounds, phrases, sing along songs and lights when your child matches the right shape to its corresponding opening.

There is also a volume control setting to enable 'quiet' play - I really do appreciate it when toy manufacturers add this feature to their 'requires batteries' products, talking of which this one needs 3AAs which are included - ohhh Fisher-Price you really do spoil us sometimes!

Thanks to Wass over at HUKD!

Oh joy! Oh rapture! This Tommy Rainbow Aquadraw mat  is one of those things likely to have me waxing lyrical for days.

• Click HERE, go to Tesco Direct and get one!

I loved painting as a kid but I'll confess the words, "Can we do painting Mummy?!" from my kids when they were really little used to make my heart sink.  If you're kids are older you'll understand exactly where I'm coming from - we all know painting is fun but before a certain age it's a real palava: cover EVERYTHING with newspaper - even the walls, unless you're fearless in the face of poster paints! - get everything set  up, painting shirts on, braced and ready AND...all for a few splats of paint on the paper before your little Rembrandt has had enough and wants to do something else!

This Aquadraw mat is the PERFECT solution, I wish they'd been around when the big kids were small!  No setting up, no mess, no clearing up - I mean, really, this is a busy parent's DREAM activity!

A little bit of  water is all that's required to let your child's inner Jackson Pollock run riot - simply fill up the special pens with the wet stuff and DRAW! or use the special paintbrush and stamps to add different effects.  When the mat dries out the pictures disappear and you're left with a clean blank canvas on which to create another masterpiece; brilliant!

This is a very good deal from Tesco Direct as they're selling for around the £22+ mark everywhere  else on the WWW.  Standard delivery applies unless you arrange to collect in store and you'll get double clubcard points too.

Thanks to hannh567 over at HUKD!

I've yet to come across a child, of any age, who doesn't have stupid amounts of fun romping and diving around in ball pits - look carefully and you may even notice  one or two of the on-looking parents looking wistfully into the pit wishing they could play too.

• CLICK HERE to go to Argos and have a ball in a pit of your own

Perfect for playing inside and out, quick and easy to put up AND folding flat for storage makes this one of those play items that's a hit with kids and parents alike.  The brightly coloured ball pit has mesh sides which is great for kids who want to feel enclosed 'in the pit', and great for parents who want to be abe to see what's going on inside.  Balls aren't included but can be bought from Argos in bags of 100 for £4.99.

Reviews are excellent and opinion seems evenly divided between those who say the recommended 200 balls is enough, and those who filled it with 300 and feel 200 wouldn't have been enough - you might want to buy an extra bag just in case!

Whether 200 or 300 is the magic number an extra bag anyway might not be such a bad idea;  I feel it only right and proper to tell you that these balls have the same properties as socks - you start out with the right number and then, over time, you lose the odd few now and again - where they go is one of the world's great unsolved mysteries!

Thanks to whizzkid over at HUKD!

Charlie and Lola are a firm favourite in our household, we have enough books and merchandise to start our own store. This hot water bottle is extremely very lovely for those of you that have kids enamoured with the series and at a delightfully low price from the Dotcom Gift Shop.  

• Click here to visit the Dotcom Gift Shop  

The red, knitted cover includes a bottle and has an adorable picture of Lola on the front. It has been dropped down from £6.95 to only £2.95 which is a nice saving, although you will have to fork out for postage. 

The special extends to all the different colours of hot water bottle in different sizes. You can get red, pink and blue at varying prices, all marked down by at least 50 percent. You can also get Charlie and Lola branded bags, figurine tins, table tins and biscuit tins in the sale. 

Nab these items at huge discounts to combine your postage. Or perhaps spoil yourself with some of the other merchandise they have in the sale, both for kids and parents. Happy shopping. 

Thanks to magicbeans at HUKD!

This is a brilliant, brilliant idea. I can’t actually say the word ‘brilliant’ enough in this context. This entire activity pack is entirely free and simply perfect for the kids this Christmas.

• Nab your PDF from Waitrose and get printing!

To start with I’m impressed by the fact that they have a strong message about not wasting paper by printing carefully. I’m a bit of a nut about saving forests so this immediately endeared me to Waitrose.  That and the fact that you save your family money with this entertainment package in one.

The second thing you’ll discover, as you work through the pack, is that there is a ton of entertainment here for children of all ages. I adored making Fortune Tellers as a kid and they’ve included one here which is great, I’ve forgotten how to make them.

There’s Mr Maker type activities as well as colouring in, Spot the Difference (again, loved that as a kid), recipes, gift tags and more. When the rain dribbles down outside and you’re going mad trying to burn off their excess energy this free pack is about to become your lifesaver.

Well done, Waitrose, this is just lovely. I’ve already demanded that husband (who controls the printer) prints this out immediately so I’ve got fun stuff to do over the weekend.

Thanks to tinkerbell29 on HUKD!

Think your child is priceless? Think again! A recent survey conducted by the insurance company LV= found that the average parent spends over £190,000 on raising a child up to the age of 21, equivalent to a hefty £25 per day. It’s a fact: children aren't cheap.

If those figures alone aren't enough to put you off, I can vouch for the fact that keeping energetic toddlers entertained can be a costly business too. But money can't buy a kid's happiness, of course, and the good news is there are endless possibilities for amusing your child without splashing the cash. Let’s face it, if families really cost that much we could probably all do with saving a few quid here and there. So here are 6 playtime ideas that don’t cost a penny, just to get you started...

1.    Play Hide And Seek

Ok, so if you’ve already tried this at home, chances are it’s wearing a bit thin by now because once a toddler has grasped the principles of hide and seek they can literally keep it going for hours. Days, even. Never mind that they probably hide in the same place over and over again, this is brilliant for encouraging your child’s counting and problem-solving skills and having some fun together too. Encourage them to think creatively about where to hide, and be sure to praise their powers of discovery. And don’t forget to pause for refreshments at regular intervals!

2.    Have A Carpet Picnic

Bring the outside inside, especially on a rainy day. Pack a proper picnic; let the children make their sandwiches if you dare, and make a pact with yourself that you won’t wander off to check your emails or do the washing up. This is about getting down to your child’s level and enjoying some good old-fashioned imaginative play. Why not turn it into a doll’s tea party or a teddy-bear’s picnic if your child is so inclined - the more the merrier!

3.    Check Out The Local Library

I’m always surprised to find my local library practically empty, because it’s a pure goldmine of interesting and entertaining things for children to do. We can easily lose an hour in there just flicking through books together, and we routinely come home with piles of new bedtime stories and maybe even a CD or DVD at a fraction of the retail or rental prices. I’ve especially loved rediscovering classics from my childhood with my own children, and as a result books like Charlotte’s Web and Peter Pan have become firm family favourites all over again.

4.    Make Your Own Playdough

In a saucepan over a low heat mix together 3 cups of flour, a cup and a half of salt, 6 teaspoons of cream of tartar, 3 tablespoons of oil and 3 cups of water. It’s ready when the mixture comes away easily from the sides of the pan. Add food colouring of your choice and a teaspoon of vanilla essence for a yummy smell but remind everyone not to eat it! Better than the shop-bought stuff, fun to make together, and  best of all you can use the leftover cream of tartar to make scones some other time.

5.    Get Wet, Wet, Wet

If the sun ever comes out to play, why not follow suit and have some good, clean fun washing the car together? Alternatively you could play at being window-cleaners or even just pile all your plastic bowls and plates in a basin and the let the kids get to work on the washing up. A word of warning; expect to get water everywhere so time this close to bath-time and make sure you’ve got the capacity to cope with potential chaos – above all remember it’s about having fun, not staying clean or dry!

6.    Go Walkabout

Feed the ducks, take tricycles or scooters for a ride or just go and play on the swings in the nearest park. If you’re feeling adventurous, plan a nature trail for the route, stopping to collect leaves, look for bugs or just soak up the wonders of world around you. Pack juice and snacks, including a flask of tea or coffee for Mum, and if you’ve lots of time on your hands why not bake a delicious treat before you go, and serve it as a reward for tired little legs when your walk is over.

I’ll end this with a guilty secret. All too often my efforts to entertain my little darlings are about occupying their attention so that I can get something else done uninterrupted, whether it’s making a phone call or just having 5 minutes’ peace. That’s not something I’m proud of but I know I’m not the only one. But even 20 minutes of ‘floor time’ a day – quality time in which you literally get down on the floor with your kids and ignore all other distractions - can reap real benefits in building your relationship with your child. Children love nothing more than having your full attention so why not make time to do something fun and free together every single day. It’s practically guaranteed to result in happy kids, which usually makes for a happy Mum, and a happy household is something priceless that even money cannot buy.