There’s a nice round £10 saving on the Head Girl’s Flower Print Backpack at Sainsbury’s right now. At £6.99, with free Click & Collect, it’s a bargain, and even adding £3.95 for standard delivery, it’s not too bad a price.

• Go with flower power

This is a rucksack styled backpack and the reviewers have used it for everything from school bags to sports bags to hand luggage or day bags whilst travelling.  It has a rating of 4.5 out of five, but that’s probably a bit skewed due to comments like the 2 star rating by Samanta, who says “bought it to go on holiday, very happy about that. many different pockets for everything, and it looks very feminine.”  That sounds like it should rate more than 2 stars, really!

A big pro that people list is that it has plenty of pockets making it useful for storing things like passports, money and so on.

Apparently it’s also very light-weight at 500g, making it an ideal backpack as it’s not too heavy to start off with.

And with its black and pink flowers, it’s feminine without being too girly, which a lot of the reviewers liked.

Thanks to lucreysmum at HUKD

Sainsburys has reduced the Peppa Pig Push Along Pram to £9.74, down from the usual price of £19.49. That’s a really lovely saving and you can save even more by arrange to collect it instore instead of paying their heavy delivery charges. Or add it to your grocery delivery!

• Click here to push along to Sainsburys

The Peppa Pig push along pram is bright pink with lots of detail along the wheels and the rim of the pram itself. It looks very ornate in the pictures with a frill on the wheel base and the rim. The pram is made from plastic and suitable for children over the age of 18 months.

The fold-up cover of the pram is covered in Peppa Pig images and is made from a soft fabric and there is a bright pink handle for baby to push. There isn’t very much information on the site as to whether or not the handle is adjustable or the hood can be lowered so you may want to see it instore first.

Thanks to wishihadadonkey at HUKD!

This is a simply gorgeous throw on sale at Sainsburys right now and it has been seriously reduced which is awesome. Originally on sale for £8 this Tu Applique Fairy throw is down to £4, half the original price.

• Click here to get warm and toasty with Sainsburys

This delightful fairy throw will add a touch of magic to any child’s room and it can be teamed up with some of the other Tu Fairy items at Sainsburys, many of which are also on sale right now. You can almost do up an entire reading nook with these!

I have nabbed the appliqué throw and the pillow to bung over my daughter’s reading chair which has been snuck under her bed. As soon as they arrive, she’ll have this gorgeous and warm reading den where she can relax and enjoy her books any time she likes.

This Tu Fairy appliqué throw is a bargain at this price and is free if you collect instore or order alongside your groceries over the value of £50.

Thanks to lucerysmum at HUKD!

This is a very tasty deal for those of you with two little ones in tow. You get this Graco Stadium Duo Orbit Pushchair for only £84.50 instead of the usual £169, a very nice saving indeed.

• Click here to push on over to Sainsburys

The Stadium Duo is ideal for parents with two young children who are close together in age. It has excellent manoeuvrability and can still fit through a standard width door. Helpful if you have narrow areas to navigate with your pushchair!

The back seat is higher than the front so both children can see out. The front seat is suitable for children aged 6 months and up while the back seat is suitable for a newborn and can be used as a travel system by adding a Graco car seat.

The five-point harnesses provide extra safety while you are on the move and the Graco Duo has a one hand fold system too. There is a super size front basket, front swivel and lockable wheels, two large sun/rain canopies and it is half the original price. Tasty.

Thanks to wishihadadonkey at HUKD!

The TrayKit is a child’s backpack that can strap onto plane and train tables to create an extended play surface. This particular TrayKit is down from £24.99 to only £12.49 at Sainsburys in their clearance sale.

• Click here to get a tray at Sainsburys 

The TrayKit pictured here is apparently a “boys” one but I don’t see why it needs to be gender specific at all. It can be used to hang from front seats in cars, on train and plane tables, and be extended to create a big play surface for kids.

You can pack it with pens, paper, toys, electronic games, make-up (huh?), snacks and anything else you could need for keeping the small ones entertained while you travel. It keeps everything together and stops things from rolling onto the floor.

Personally I think that this is a genius invention! If it works, that is. What a clever idea. I think it is something to be added to my wish list, especially at this low price.

Thanks to daisymeisha10 at HUKD!

Sainsburys has marked the My First Baby Annabell doll down from £14.99 to £7.49 and you can avoid delivery charges by collecting instore. This is half off the original price as part of their toy clearance sale.

• Click here to get Baby Annabell at Sainsburys

The My First Baby Annabell doll is the perfect first cuddly toy for little ones. She has a pretty little face with blue eyes that can open and close as she is either held upright or laid down. Her body is super soft for hugs and cuddles too.

The doll’s hands and legs are firm plastic for fun posing and playing and she is only suitable for kids over the age of 12 months. I am not sure if she comes with any accessories so you may be in for a lovely surprise!

Arrange to collect your Baby Annabell instore so you don’t pay their hefty delivery charges. A cute little pressie and toy for little ones to enjoy.

Thanks to mummy2two at HUKD!

This colourful George Pirate Panel Duvet Set has been reduced by half price at Sainsburys, down from £17.99 to £8.99.

• Click here for your George Pirate Panel Duvel Set at Sainsburys

Children love to have colourful and interesting bedding on their beds. Especially those that are themed around their favourite characters from books, TV shows and movies. It kind of makes bed time more interesting, and safe and familiar for them.

Peppa Pig fans will love this one, especially if they're also fans of pirates. Gfeorge is Peppa's younger brother, but just about as much of a star of the show as Peppa is. He's cute, and obsessed with dinosaurs usually. But like lots of little boys he's also quite keen on pirates.

The duvet set is made from 48% cotton and 52% polyester, and it is machine washable at 40°C. You get one duvet cover and one pillow case. The pillowcase measures approximately 50x75cm. And the duvet cover measures approximately 135x200cm.

Delivery is free if you can collect instore. Standard deliver of 3 to 5 working days is £3.95, and if you want next day, named or Saturday delivery it is £4.95.

Thanks to babyblue at HUKD!

Let me just say this straight out. This is about the cutest looking pillow I have ever seen but what on earth were they thinking when they decided to call it the George Pig Shaped Dino Cushion? Did they not have a basic grasp of English at the time? I mean, it is a dinosaur shaped dino cushion. For those that aren't familiar with the show, Peppa Pig, this will be perplexing! Right now Sainsbury's has the cushion on sale at a 50% reduction, down from £10

• Click here for your cushion shaped like George Pig's dinosaur at Sainburys

Peppa Pig is a really lovely British children's TV show. Peppa has a younger brother called George, and he is obsessed with dinosaurs. Everywhere he goes he carries his toy dinosaur, and it is the toy dinosaur that this cushion is based on. It's a pretty good likeness too.

This shaped Dino cushion is a great way to add snuggle-value to your child's bedroom or den. It is made from 100% polyester and is machine washable at 40°C. The cushion measures 34cm long, 39cm wide and 10cm deep.

You can arrange to collect the cushion in store for free. Otherwise home delivery costs £3.95.

Thanks to babyblue at HUKD!

Sainsburys has a 10% discount on a range of Hello Kitty furniture items at the moment and this offer will last until 14 February. There are quite a few notable items included in this discount and while they are not astonishingly cheap, there are some pounds saved.

• Click here to get Hello Kitty with Sainsburys

The first item I uncovered was the Hello Kitty Sling Bookcase that was £30 but is now £27. It has an MDF frame and four fabric slings that can store books of different shapes and sizes. I rather like that feature because, honestly, do no children’s furniture makers realise that their books are huge?

Next up is the substantially more expensive Hello Kitty Light Up Headboard which, er, lights up. It has an integral night light that automatically turns off after 15 minutes and the MDF board fits all standard single beds. It is down to £53.10.

Another item I like but think is grossly overpriced for MDF is the Hello Kitty toy box that costs £40.50 in the sale.

Thanks to lara4eva at HUKD!

The Step2 Easel is half price at Sainsbury’s online while stocks last. It was £54.98 but is now £27.49.  Standard delivery is £3.95 but click and collect is Free of charge. It’s £50.50 at Amazon,  and £50 at Tesco, so I think it’s a really good deal, even if you’re paying delivery.

• Step up to the Step2 Easel from Sainsbury’s for half the price

I reviewed the Step2 Easel a few weeks ago after buying it for my daughter back in October, and four months later it still has pride of place in our lounge, one side covered in magnets – the ones that come with the easel and a few others too, and the other side full of crayon scribbles. The centre bit has papers for colouring and the two trays have a mix of crayons, pencils and pens. We’ve left off marker pens (it doesn't come with them) for the whiteboard for now as they just ended up all over the sofa.

The Step2 Easel is recommended for children 3 years and up, but we’ve loved it here from 2 years old, and other reviewers have used it from an even younger age.  If you’re concerned, just don’t put out the 77 magnets until after your child gets over the ‘everything in the mouth’ phase.

It's sturdy, more than big enough for two kids at a time and provides endless hours of fun.I think this is a great buy at a great price. And perfect for wintery days indoors.

Thanks to wishihadadonkey at HUKD

Jackson Reece Wipes have been reduced from £1.98 to 99p for 72 wipes. I’m not sure if this is available in store at all, but it’s a brilliant price for what I think are the best wipes on the market.

• Go natural with Jackson Reece Wipes

The wipes from Jackson Reece have made an appearance on PlayPennies from time to time, and for good reason – they’re fab.

We reviewed the wet wipes and the flushable wipes and the only downside to them, in my view, is that they’re usually double the price of whatever’s on the shelf next to them.

With this sale, that’s not a problem, as they’re about the same, but a better quality, stronger and last longer. We also tend to use less wipes when we use these as they are quite wet.

Standard delivery in the UK is £3.95, but click and collect is free of charge.

If anyone has seen these in store, do let us know if they’re half-price there too –it’s certainly worth the £1 parking at my local!

For most of England and Wales it is back to school today. And all I can say is woo hoo! What a relief. It is so hard to work when you've got people running around the house who don't have to. Judging by the gloom on my husband's face though I am clearly the only one glad the holidays are over.

Son went off with a hop and a skip though, so eager he was ready to leave the house as soon as he could. That's what two weeks away from your friends will do I guess. I expect it to be all back to normal by the end of the week, with dragging feet and threats of doom just to get his shoes on.

What better way to add a little sparkle to their school lives than some cool back to school stationary? OK so yeah, that doesn't really amount to a whole lot of sparkle but you might be surprised. Just before I was asked by Stabilo if I wanted to review these products I was in the queue at Sainsbury's behind a little girl aged about 9 who was positively glowing because she was getting a packet of these Boss Mini Ocean Friends.

I didn't think the love of stationary gene that is clearly on most X chromosomes kicked in so young. So maybe there's something to making these items fun for kids. I thought it would be a good idea then to take a closer look.

Stabilo sent us their pack of 6 Easy Colors too, just to make it a bit more interesting I guess.

Click here to read more...

Sainsbury’s have up to half price on loads of things at the moment, some quite old and some new and available while stocks last. One such item is the Cosatto Cabi Car Seat in Grey which is normally £115 but is currently just £57.50 and comes with 114 Nectar points for card holders. You can find similar at Boots for £83.32 and Toys R Us for £119.99

• Travel in safety and in style at half price

The Cosatto Cabi Car Seat is perfect from newborn babies to around 13kg / 29lbs or about 12 – 15 months of age.

It features a padded seat cover and a soft cosy liner to keep your baby extra snug – although I found that ‘newborn insert’ caused my daughter to overheat even in winter and she wouldn’t stop screaming in the car till we eventually took that out.

It has a removable canopy to protect baby from the sun and has a rear storage section – perfect for an extra pack of wipes or spare nappy or two.

The Cabi Car seat is designed to fit on to the Cabi Chassis.

This set comes with a car seat, head hugger, tummy and chest pads and chassis adaptors and complies to the safety standard ECE R44/44.

Looking for a Christmas gift for nieces and nephews? Or any child who's tastes and preferences you're not sure about? You feel like a proper idiot buying a toy for the 'in' TV show only to find it is one they don't like. Something like the Junior Jamie Baking Kit is the perfect alternative, plus you'll win brownie points with the parents (in both senses of the word!). Sainsburys has the Junior Jamie Baking Kit in the half price sale, reduced from £12 to £6. Delivery is free if you can collect at a store, otherwise it is £3.95.

Click here for your Junior Jamie Baking Kit at Sainsburys

Even if they're not interested yet (and truthfully, all kids love cooking when it comes to making cakes and biscuits) you can get little ones interested in cooking, with the Junior Jamie Baking Kit.

There's quite a lot included. You get five metal cookie cutters, a non-stick baking tray, a wooden rolling pin and a printed cotton oven glove. Much better than adding to the massive pile of plastic tat that the kids will be undoubtedly getting on December 25th. This could also make a fabulous stocking filler. My son loves cooking and I'm seriously tempted to get this myself. Problem is he already has a couple of cooking sets of his own!

Thanks to sharonlilley2 at HUKD!

Sarah has already reminded y’all about the awesome Sainsburys half price toy sale that started today and here is another deal that has oozed out of the special offer woodwork. This Scooby Doo mega pack has mystery figures and creepy goo and is down from £39.99 to only £19.99.

• Click here to get Scooby Doo at Sainsburys

My daughter is a huge Scooby Doo fan, I am so proud. I loved them as a kid (still do) and it’s so cool to see her share my sense of humour. This Scooby Doo kit consists of 5inch tall figures that are fully articulated and posable, a Mystery Machine and a Monster Truck.

There are monsters, vampires, and creepy critters as well as a tub of extremely weird goo. You also get the whole gang ready to save the day and rescue people and put paid to the bad monster behaviour. I love this set and I think it would make a stunning Christmas gift.

Sainsbury’s delivery charges are always hideous but if you use click and collect you can fetch it for free.

This is a pretty cool Disney deal at Sainsburys Entertainment where you can nab two Disney DVDs for the price of one. A perfect buy for those of you stocking up on, um, Christmas stocking gifts and, depending on whether you aim for Blu-ray or DVD, can cost you as little as £11.99 for two.

• Click here to get watching with Sainsburys Entertainment

There is a rather nice range of DVDs available with this deal actually. You can choose from Tangled, Beauty & The Beast, Tron Legacy (aargh), Alice in Wonderland (original), UP, Bambi, Toy Story 3, Fantasia, The Princess & The Frog, Cars, and a Christmas Carol…

….you can also get Dumbo, Finding Nemo (do you speak whale?), Aladdin, Monsters Inc., The Aristocats, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Robin Hood, Tinkerbell & The Great Fairy Rescue, Wall-E (awesome), Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Lemonade Mouth, Mary Poppins…

…The Fox and the Hound, Bolt, Ratatouille, The Rescuers (brilliant), Mulan and Fantasia. Ta da!

Thanks to jakejakejake at HUKD!

Spring and autumn tend to find us redoing the house. Whether it’s painting or redecorating or changing everything in the home, something has to be shifted to welcome the new season. So, if you are like me, then this deal should appeal. The Ashley sofa is down from £998 to £499 at Sainsburys, a nice half price discount.

• Click here to get comfy with Sainsburys

I rather like corner sofas. I love the way you can all squeeze onto it or you can have an awesome nap without having to scrunch up your legs. Finding a truly comfortable one can be quite tough though, so in spite of the fact that this is a great price I do recommend you go and sit on it first.

The Ashley sofa features faux leather and supersoft jumbo-cord mix with chenille plaid accents. It is idea for families thanks to the wipe-clean fabric and fake leather (no real animals harmed here) and the colours are nicely neutral to fit most lounge styles.

Thanks to mymymy at HUKD!

Well, this is a really cute deal for those of you who have tots that adore the Disney movies. This Disney Cars play tent has been reduced from £22 to only £6.74 which is a whopping saving of almost £16 off the usual price. You’ll have to pay extra for delivery or you can collect it instore.

• Click here to get some cars with Sainsburys

The Disney Cars play tent is smothered in Cars pictures and imagery and will definitely amuse the kids that enjoyed the films. I thought the movie was ooohhhkay but not worth a sequel and the reviews I’ve seen have agreed with that. Just because the movie is for kids doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have a storyline!

This cheery play tent is great for imaginative play and helps promote physical activity and role play (well, so the details say, anyway). It is quick and easy to assemble and folds compactly for storage. I used to have a pink one of these for my daughter and she utterly loved it. A great buy for summer and winter.

Thanks to Becky2010 at HUKD!

Well, folks, it’s that time of the year again and we’re all looking at spending some hard earned cash on items the kids need for school. The holidays are almost halfway done so now is the perfect time to look into sorting out supplies and getting everything ready.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on clothes and extras though, there are plenty of ways you can save money on the back to school essentials without cutting important corners. I’ve gone out and unearthed some of the best deals on schooliforms, stationery, accessories and more so you can save some cash.

The Schooliform

I did steal that name for school uniform from Charlie & Lola but can you blame me? It is so darn brilliant that our entire family has been using it for years.  Now, down to business…

Thanks to supermarkets hitting the uniform creation game, they are all in these lovely price wars to ensure that they get your much needed money. This means that the cost of many essential items has gone way, way down and you can nab things for a fraction of what they used to cost.

Tesco has a £15 back to school bundle deal on at the moment – hurry, though, the offer ends on 14 August. You’ll get a coat, trousers, skirts or pinafore plus a three pack of polos or shirts for the lovely price of £15. You can also find cheap school shoes here, although I tend to spend on shoes while saving on clothes. Feet are important.

Debenhams have a 20% discount on selected back to school items with some uniforms down to £3 with free delivery. You may need to poke around on the site to find the real savers, but it is worth it. This is a good place to visit when you need one or two items you haven’t found elsewhere.

Sainsburys school uniforms start from as little as £2 an item, which is really, really cheap. This is where you can stock up on items that can get scuffed or crushed or smooshed. And they will deliver if you don’t fancy battling with other mums and dads in the queue.

ASDA’s George range is being heavily advertised on TV and it makes me laugh every time. Teflon coated trousers! In case of emergency you could always cook on them I guess. Still, in spite of the Teflon, the range is cheap and even comes with a guarantee (that lasts about as long as the school year funnily enough…) And M&S have free delivery on their uniforms if you enter the code (wait for it…) UNIFORMS at the checkout. They also have many items from as little as £1.50 so take the time to take a look.

The Stationery

You really do not need to spend much money on school stationery. You don’t. The first stop is Poundland where you can get so much stuff for so little money that there is really no reason to splash out on fancy pens and pencils and their accompanying bits and pieces. We have done quite a few reviews on their back to school goodies so check them out first.

While you won’t find these online, Sainsburys currently has a BOGOF deal going on their stationery for back to school so take a look the next time you’re doing your weekly shop.  Tesco is offering selected items at half price instore as well, with the stationery varying from store to store. It is worth a visit instore, or perhaps some time spent online poking through the sale to get things like erasers and sharpners et al.

Woolworths is another great stop for stationery deals but not necessarily for school uniforms. I’ve found that their occasional bundle deals are excellent but the individual costs of items are quite high compared with the other deals we have seen on here.

Other ideas

Use deal sites like our lovely sister site, HotUKDeals, to find the latest bargains on items you need - and us too, obviously, as we are constantly hunting for awesome discounts and deals. It is slow going but you’ll soon get addicted to getting the best prices around. Family Action is an organisation that is dedicated to helping families through tough times and they even give grants to families to help them with education and other similar needs.

Make sure that you label all your child’s clothes. It is tedious, I know, but that way things will be found so you’re not spending money on replacing perfectly good clothing. You can also check out local charity shops for items that can bulk up your child’s school wardrobe although first see if you can get new for cheaper using the ideas above.

There's a sale on Johnson & Johnson wipes and toiletries at Sainsbury's right now. Everything is half price, meaning you can get a 4 pack of 64 fragrance free baby wipes for £2.49 instead of £4.98. Or a 300ml bottle of Johnson's Baby Shampoo for 96p.

• Click here to get a Johnson's product for half price at Sainsburys

The offer finishes on the 9th of August, so now is a good time to get in some supplies. Handy for bulk buying if you want to stock up for the year. Plus items like the shampoo, baby lotion and talcum powder make for great baby baskets if you're looking to put together your own gifts.

I got a few of these when I had my son, and it was great. I didn't have to buy a thing until he was about four years old! Came as a bit of a shock to realise I had to buy my own baby shampoo.

There's also Johnson's nappy rash cream, bedtime oil, and soothing bath oils too. All of which are nice to tuck into the gift basket, or store in the baby supplies cupboard.

Thanks to sufchenko at HUKD!