I reviewed the Little Jet Setters grab and go set a few months ago, and when I found out last month that we were travelling to South Africa, with a 12 hour stopover in Amsterdam, and then doing a five-country tour by car with an almost 2-year old, I knew that it was time to call in reinforcements, so I stocked up on a whole range of Little Jet Setters stock to keep us sane on our many hours of travel.

My hand luggage stuffed with a Beach Sticker Book, two ‘Go To’ books and an Acquadoodle Tray Table Cover, my daughter and I set off on our adventure.

First out on the plane, was the Beach Sticker Book. Basically, this is a two-page ‘book’ or play board, which opens up to reveal a glossy kind of paper with a beach scene printed on it (you can see what I mean in the image with my daughter above). It comes with reusable stickers, featuring the Little Jet Setters cast – a girl, boy, leopard and kangaroo – which you’ll find on all the range.

The great thing about this is that the stickers can be stuck on and pulled off again and again, and can in fact also be used in the ‘Go To’ story books.

There’s no age recommendation on the website for this set, but I did find that with a not-yet-two-year-old who liked to stick them to the carpet, the chair, the wall, herself and our in-flight blankets, they lost their stickiness towards the end of the flight, but they were still useable, if looking a little worn. For an older child who knows not to do that, I think it’s a simply superb set, but I must admit, for a younger child the magnetic set is much more suitable.  Even so, we definitely had hours of entertainment out of the set and at £2.99 per set, it can’t really be faulted.

Amazon are selling this First Years Winnie the Pooh On-The-Go booster seat for £18.06 instead of £26.99.

• Click HERE to go over to Amazon

I adored Winnie the Pooh when I was a little girl and I still have a soft spot for him, truth be told.

Edward Bear has been around for SUCH a long time I really don't see him going out of favour any time soon, however, the current price of this Winnie the Pooh On-The-Go booster seat might go out of favour as this isn't an Amazon deal of the week and is subject to their whimsical price changing.

Even if it does go up a little bit, it'll still be worth taking a look at as it's rather nifty.

It folds up to less than two inches tall and it self-inflates too - just pull the valve at the back and it will transform into the seat.  The adjustable safety belt will make sure your child is securely firmly in the seat.

It has security strap which attach around most standard chairs and converts to shoulder strap for carrying with you when you're out and about.

The Winnie the Pooh On-The-Go booster seat is suitable for babies from 12 months upwards and up to 19 kilograms (40 pounds) in weight.

Happy Boosting!

'The Teenagers' were both born in November so it was snowsuits all the way whenever I wanted to take them out. What a faff that was and if it was blowing a gale and raining, the wind would take their breath away.

So I tried covering their little stage 0 car seats with a blanket which invariably blew off, or flapped around, and became more of a token gesture against the elements rather than anything practical.

Whilst mooching around internet land, looking for baby/kid things to show you, I came across this rather fabulous Ruby and Ginger cosy car seat cover at groovymummy.co.uk

• Click HERE to see it over at Groovy Mummy

It's genius, in my opinion, and solves the snowsuit, flappy blanket problem I had 16 years ago - there was NOTHING like this around in those days (oh the horror, I sounded just like my mum then!)

It has a 3 tog rating so  you won't need to dress your baby up like a mini Scott of the Anatarctic to take them out.

If it's just cool then  use it on it's own with them just dressed in normal clothes, or with a blanket over THEM under the Ruby and Ginger cosy car seat cover when it's the middle of winter.

When you're inside out of the cold weather you can just whip the cover off leaving your baby undisturbed if they're sleeping, rather than trying to wrestle them out of all their winter clothes.

There's no discount to be had just the full rrp of £25, which I don't think is too bad actually, and it comes in different colours and patterns too.

If you're newly expecting and are going to join the winter baby gang then I'd put this Ruby and Ginger cosy car seat cover on your 'MUST HAVE' list; trust me, it'll be worth it's weight in gold.

Babies R Us are selling this Britax Prince Car Seat for half price - £59.99 instead of £119.99.

• Click HERE to go to Babies R Us

I'm a bit of a car seat expert, having been through all the car seat stages twice and right in the middle of it again with my youngest.

Substantial 'could survive a nuclear strike' car seats like this Britax Prince car seat can be hideously expensive and they'll only be with your child between the ages of about 9 months and 4 years; trust me, by then you'll be craving something lightweight and easy to whip in and out of the car!

But for now, whilst your little one is still in the little 'vulnerable' looking stage (rather than the rampaging, climbing trees almost in school stage) this Britax Prince car seat is worth its weight in gold (half price gold at that!).

It has all the things you'd expect from a car seat made by Britax: side impact protection, a five-point safety harness, chest pads on the straps and the cover is machine washable.

You can check if the Britax Prince car seats fits your car by clicking HERE.

Standard delivery is FREE as you've spent over £50 and you can order online to collect in store if you want your Britax Prince car seat NOW *grin*

Thanks to temo at HUKD

When my son was 2, I bought the Thomas My First Ready bed. We were on a trip out to see my family in New Zealand, and we were going to be staying in a lot of different places. I thought it would be a good idea to take something like this with us, so he'd always have a familiar bed. Even if the place we were staying was strange, his own bed would be there waiting for him.

It was a nice idea, but the problem is that I bought it a couple of months before we left and then forgot. I only remembered it when we were actually in New Zealand. Which was probably just as well because although it is fairly small, about the size of two rolled up sleeping bags, it is still rather bulky.

On the plus side, it has become what I wanted - a familiar place for him to sleep no matter where we might be. He calls it his cosy bed. And at the age of five and a half he still fits the bed too. Luckily he's just at that age where he still enjoys watching Thomas and doesn't see it as babyish in any way. Here's pictures of him asleep in the bed on a recent trip to spend the weekend with family.

The Thomas My First Ready bed came with its own pump, and takes just minutes for (my husband) to blow it up. The built in sleeping bag is warm enough for the average hotel room, but I wouldn't want to try it any place without good heating or insulations.

It has a built in 'pillow' and that's one thing I really would like to change. It does bother my son that he has to have a pillow, whether he wants it or not, and that it isn't one he can move.

The manufacturer's description describes the cover as soft and cosy, and it certainly is that. It's also removable, so easy to keep clean.  There is a bed head section, but you don't have to inflate this if it isn't needed. It has side air bumpers, which is handy for younger children still used to sleeping in toddler beds, so they don't roll out. It also comes with a carry case.

I don't know if they're all the same colour but our Thomas My First Ready bed is red, and has a handle for easy carrying. Also it is made of fairly tough, robust material. And it is quite a bit larger then the bed and its pump, so there's room in there to stash additional bedding.

Toys R Us sell the Thomas My First Ready Bed for £32.99. Standard delivery is £4.95 or you can collect in store.

“We tell [children] that only mom, dad and a doctor can touch you in your private area. Now we have to add TSA agent”, or so says Brie, from Briemarie.net, who allerted me to the latest uproar caused by the TSA.

If you're flying to America over the Christmas season be aware: you and your children may either have to submit to a full body scan or an 'enhanced pat down'.

Since January 2010 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been rolling out what they term Advanced Imaging Technology, or Whole Body Imaging, at airports around the United States. These devices are used to perform a virtual strip search of passengers.

The TSA originally said that these machines would be used only for secondary screening, for those passengers that set off an alarm at the walk-through metal detector. They are now being used as primary screening at 45 airports – basically taking nude images of passengers who have done nothing more suspicious than present a boarding pass.

An organisation, Opt Out Day, were calling on travellers in America today to opt out of being scanned. “No naked body scanners, no government-approved groping. We have a right to privacy and buying a plane ticket should not mean that we’re guilty until proven innocent.”

The problem is for those who choose to opt out of the scans the only alternative is a pat down. In a rushed and busy airport, however, this may not always be done the 'right' way, as this case where a traumatised three-year old was searched.

According to the LA Times, children under 12 who opt out of the body scanner will “'undergo a modified pat-down search'. Citing security reasons, the TSA has declined to say what the modified pat-down entails.”

The part that bothers me the most is the “ possibility that they may be touched by TSA personnel as part of a pat-down. Parents won’t necessarily be with their kids as they pass through the scanner or get patted down.”

Now, they don't clarify what exactly 'touched' means, but I suspect I might go ballistic if someone tried to pat my little girl down in private – which of course wouldn't help and I'd probably find myself in police custody, but what is a parent meant to do?

It would possibly be kinder to her to tell her we're going to change her clothes for the plane, so I can take her clothes off and redress her again, preferably in a private area. The problem is that this might not suit a busy TSA agent who just wants to get through everyone in his queue.

It definitely makes me think twice about my US travel plans for next year.

How about you?

*Image courtesy of John Wild

I've long wanted to go to Prague and would be seriously tempted by this Prague City Break as a 'get away from it all' after the madness of Christmas.

• Click HERE to fly on over to Travel Zoo

When I think of Prague, I think of big open squares flanked on all sides by stunning historical architechture, and stone bridges criss-crossing various rivers.

I think culture, style and romance and I want to go!

If you do too then you need to book by 10 November 2010 for travel in January 2011.

For your £99 this Prague City Break includes flights from London Luton on 9, 16, 23, 31 January, 2011. Departures from Stansted are also available on 9, 16, 23 January for an extra £10.

You'll be staying for three nights in the 4-star Plaza Alta which is located in the Holesovice neighborhood of Prague.

The Old Town (which the the part of Prague I always see in my mind) is only 12 minutes away by tram which stops 50m from the hotel.

Nearby attractions include Prague Zoo, the National Art Gallery and the Botanical Gardens so there's a lot to pack in to your short Prague City Break!

Enjoy and don't forget to send us a postcard!

Thanks to Da_DebtCollector over at HUKD

Have you travelled with a small child or older baby in an airplane? If they're sitting on your lap, you might get a little lapbelt that wraps around them and loops through your seatbelt. On some airlines though, they don't even provide that. I was flabbergasted to be told on Air Canada that I had to hold my baby against me, over my shoulder. And on budget airline German Wings, not only did the steward insist I do that, he wouldn't even let me use my baby carrier insisting that if I tried to do so I would be forced to disembark!

Have none of the airlines seen any car safety ads in the last thirty years? We're told repeatedly that we can't hold on to a baby when a car going 30 miles an hour comes to a sudden stop. I don't think I'd have much chance if a plane on the verge of take off or landing came to a sudden stop!

The only comfort I could take when travelling with my son at the age of 13 months (and again at 18 months, 2 years and 2 and a half years) was that statistically, planes don't really crash all that often.

If that seems like a cold comfort then you could try the CARES (£55) - it stands for child aviation restraint system. This is a product that seems to have some sort of success in the US. According to the website it is a "harness-type safety device designed for children (aged 1-5) to keep them safe and secure on aeroplanes. Aeroplane seatbelts alone do not protect small children who cannot brace themselves."

I gave one to PlayPennies mum Tracy to try out, and see how it actually worked in practice.

What was her first impression? Perplexed initially! "Now to start with I spent a good period of time wondering why they had a picture of a baby carseat on the cover of the box. Surely no strap-in system would hold an infant in place? I still don’t know why there is a picture of a baby car seat on the box."

Understandably, this initial experience made Tracey look more closely at exactly what specifications made up the CARES. "I did find, in big bold letters, that this was suitable for kids 22-44lbs. It has been approved by the FAA for all phases of airplane travel and won the Good Housekeeping 2008 Good Buy Award to boot."

"Then I opened up the box. " Tracey continued. "The restraints (snort) are wrapped in a lovely red string bag which won points in my book. Nothing more frustrating than a tangle of straps when you are busy squeezing into a plane. This way you can leave the box at home and just pop the system into your handbag. Note: a Mommy handbag not a neat chic designer one."

With the restraint you get both a DVD and an Instructional Safety Card to show you how to install the system. Tracey found that "the card amused me with its similarity to the ones you get on planes."

Finally, it was time to try it out. "So, off I went on my holiday armed with this device. The instructions ask you to slide the strap over the seat and drop down the tray of the seat behind. This did not go down well with the stressed businessman sitting behind my daughter's chair. You could see that he was already annoyed that he had to sit so close to a small human and my touching his food tray was a step too far."

Oh dear! I have to say that personally, that would put me off entirely. But Tracey is clearly made of much sterner stuff than I am. "I had to actually swap seat my daughters seat to avoid a scene. This is not the designers fault, obviously, but well worth being aware of. Fortunately the other lady made a point of being super helpful to spite angry man."

Once that was sorted, it was time for Tracey to actually fit the harness. "You attach the shoulder straps and adjust them to suit your child – this was easy enough although I have to say that I did make quite a few huffy noises as doing all this while bent at an unusual position on an aircraft does demand a level of gymnastic ability that I just don’t posses. Then it was simple. I slotted the plane seatbelt in, clicked it all into place and bada boom, my child was locked into place."

Tracey continues "there are two things that bothered me". To be honest I would have to say that there would be more than two things bothering me with this, but then I already find the stress almost overwhelming getting a small child and all its belongings into the economy seating of an airplane.

"First", Tracey says, "if the tray table of the chair you are using is recessed then you have to install CARES on top of it – this will just annoy the passenger who’s tray table that is. Especially when the instructions tell you to remove the system, lower the tray, reattach the system, if the person behind you wants to eat. That seems a LOT of effort."

"Second", she continues, "What happens if you have to get out of the system FAST? There are two buckles and two straps to get her/him out of and if you’re in a rush that’s not going to be easy. I don’t need to tell you what kind of a rush that would be either. Shudder."

And Finally

Tracey's final thoughts? "Overall this was easy enough to use once I got the hang of it, felt very sturdy and strong, made me feel like my child was safe. If you are good at wrapping stuff up you’ll be able to compact it to a tiny portable size. Your child may object to being strapped in by so many straps. Mine didn’t. She loves that."

The Trunki kids luggage range has been quite a phenomenon. A huge phenomenon. One so big in fact I can't think of a single parenting product that's been released in the last decade that's made quite as big an impact. Even celebrities are using them. Rod Stewart is pictured here (below right) carrying the Trunki Gruffalo (my personal favourite, and covered previously on PlayPennies here), which his four year old son was later seen scooting around on. Because of all this, the Trunki kids luggage range gets its own blog post here on PlayPennies.

The big question is really, are Trunkis a real wonder that you'll definitely get more than your money's worth from? Or are they yet another example of the incredible way that parents these days seem waste their money? There's only one way to tell really and that's to ask the PlayPennies parents that are using them and find out what exactly life is like when you've got a Trunki.

What's A Trunki?

It is possible you aren't aware of what a Trunki is - not everyone watches Dragon's Den, has a child under the age of six, or has been in a British airport in the last three or four years. This is a suitcase designed by the very inventive Rob Law. The original Trunki is a suitcase for children that's small enough to be taken on board an airplane as hand luggage. It has wheels, a strap that can be used to pull the suitcase along, and handles for carrying it when you can't pull.

But the crucial, unique selling point, is that the child can sit on the suitcase. They can either ride on it as the parent pulls them along, or they can scoot along on their own.

Rob Law rather famously touted it on the BBC show Dragon's Den, where he was told that it was a waste of money and that there was no market for the Trunki. It's now sold in over 40 countries. Guess who's having the last laugh?

The suitcases also look fab, and the designs appeal as much to the adults as they do to the children. Or maybe that's just me!

Do They Work?

Well, the short answer is yes. I have asked around, and looked on the internet. It seems to be the consensus that yes, children do sit on it comfortably, and yes, they can ride on it. Some airlines have reduced the size they'll allow for carry on luggage, so the Trunki has to be checked in. We've heard of this with Thomas Cook chartered flights, but it might be applicable to others. It is always best to check in advance.

PlayPennies mum Buky found on a six hour flight to visit family with her four year old daughter that there's another drawback to using the Trunki as your child's carryon. "I do love the Trunki. The only problem is on the plane itself. It was too big to go under the seat in front so I had to put it in the overhead locker. And that's a problem if you want to get things out, and put them back. Which happens a lot with children - you won't get all the toys out at once for example."

Out in the airport itself though is where the Trunki's unique qualities are meant to be put to use. Mum of three, Nicki, has this advice for first time users. "Yep I have one! I love it, best to keep it hidden until travel time so that it's a new experience at the airport. Helps kill the time while you wait and handy when you have to hand in the stroller." Nicki has travelled with all three kids, the two and four year olds riding the suitcase while baby was in his carrier. "It is fairly easy to pull along actually. It's pretty sturdy and had no trouble with the weight of two children."

The Riding Experience

I asked parents, and looked on the internet, and it seems that there's no problem with pulling the Trunki along with or without a child. The strap and case seem to live up to the hype of being sturdy and well constructed.

There does seem to be a bit of a handling issue on corners though. And the child does need to work a bit to stay on the suitcase. As PlayPennies mum Heidi told us "It's relatively easy to pull if they concentrate and co-operate but my two boys have fallen off more than once!" And this from Nicki "Only difficult part is turning around corners - it takes a bit of practice not to tip the child over."

The other aspect of the suitcase is that the Trunki can be ridden by the child on their own, using their feet to scoot along. This keeps them entertained, and helps to burn off excess energy too. But there are other issues that parents, like myself, who haven't bought one might not think about. Like the competitive nature of children!

"My kids adore theirs and they're definitely useful. They ADORE packing them by themselves and using them is preferable to those kids' pull-along cases, which they get tired of pulling by themselves, but more than once I've confiscated them in crowded airports and end up carrying them, because they act like lunatics on them after a while. Maybe it's just boys but they start trying to race or crash into each other and frankly it's way more hassle than it's worth." says Heidi.

And Finally

The range is expanding all the time. The latest Trunki gadget is a backpack that is made of a firm material and will turn into a booster seat for groups 2 and 3 (that's ages 4 to 12). This definitely intrigues me as I've been caught out on more than one occasion while overseas. There are times when you just need to take a taxi, and I've yet to be able to find one on a rank that's got a car seat to hand!

Keep an eye out in September too as we'll be reviewing their new, limited edition range!

Please share here. Trunki, do you love 'em or loathe 'em?

Fancy a quick break before school begins? Or are you already planning your December break? Well. Butlins currently have a corker of a voucher deal for you that will discount 50% off your holiday. What a lovely way to end off the year!

• Click here to see what’s on offer at Butlins

The promotional code will gt you up to 30% off weekend breaks and 50% off mid-week breaks at Butlins plus a further Fanta saving of £20 off your booking. It is also important to note that this is only available on off-peak dates for 50% but school holidays are up to 30% off.

Butlins breaks are brilliant for families, offering free shows and activities with acts like the X-Factor, Urban Academy and Braniac Live! You can visit a huge range of locations across the UK and enjoy a relaxing break away from the stresses of the world for a really great price.

The deal means that you can nab a hot discount, an extra £20 off that as well, plus you get to have some cherished “me” time while your kids enjoy everything that’s on offer. Brilliant!

What can parents get for free at Heathrow airport? Not a lot, but we’ve ferreted out what little there is.

Family friendly?

Heathrow has the facilities and supplies you’ll need if travelling with children. That’s what it says on its website, so it must be true, right? Note though the missing word ‘all’... The sentence implies that, but it doesn’t actually say it.

I’ve travelled through Heathrow a number of times: with a tiny baby, a crawling baby, a toddler... on my own, and with my partner. I can honestly say that I’ve never noticed an over-abundance at Heathrow of the sorts of things parents want in an airport. At Sydney airport, I got a freebie pass to the lounge area. Hong Kong airport staff carried bags and whisked the parents with children (of any age) through passport control. Fragrant hot showers and fluffy towels were on offer in Singapore.

I’ve spent the hours between flights in comfy rooms with cots, microwaves, bottle warmers and recliner armchairs. In Auckland airport, my son worked off some excess energy in the reasonably priced soft play.

One thing I can say for sure that Heathrow is vast for an airport. And that you should definitely allow for a good 40 minutes to make it through security. Plus, you really do want to add on another half an hour to get to your gate. That’s an hour and ten minutes. Which means I can also say from long experience that you should not, under any circumstances, stop to eat in Garfunkles on either side of security, if you’ve only got two hours before your flight leaves.

If you’re looking for a ‘family friendly’ experience though, you’re going to have to bring it with you. Work out all the easiest ways to travel through the airport before you get there, because to be honest, there’s not a lot of help for parents.

Claire Lovelady, BAA’s Commercial Communications Executive, did her best to help when we called. However, she wasn’t able to find out anything additional to what is on the airport’s website. For parents, especially those that were on their own, she did advise that “special assistance can be booked through the airlines.”

Food and feeding

There are restaurants at Heathrow with child menus. And that’s about it. There are a few baby care rooms with separate, private areas for breast feeding or bottle feeding baby. It is just that finding these particular baby care rooms is a bit hit and miss. They’re not marked on any of the airport’s maps. Some baby care rooms offer everything even a cot (found once in Terminal 4 a couple of years ago, but not been seen since). While others are just dark cupboards with a bench and padded mat for changing baby. Be warned that this latter type is the only kind of baby care you’ll find once you’ve gone through security at Terminal 4. Once you’re in one of the terminals, keep an eye out for the signs. A bottle sign indicates feeding facilities.

If you want a bit of quiet and privacy, the best idea is to find a gate that’s not being used and sit on the seating there. At least you can watch the planes while baby has lunch.

Babycare

To find child facilities at the airport, you are directed to the Terminal maps. These maps are, for parents, about as useful as a chocolate teapot. As mentioned, none of them state what kinds of baby care facilities are on offer in a babycare room. Also, confusingly, you won’t find any babycare facilities marked on the map for Terminal 5. As Claire explained to us, “The babycare facilities tend to be a separate unit between the men’s and ladies toilets.”

Entertainment

No matter how short or long the flight is going to be, it is always a good idea to let the kids have a bit of a stretch before boarding.

In Terminal 1 you’ll find an unsupervised soft play for children aged two to six near gates 35 to 56. Terminal 5 has three of these play areas, suited to children up to eight years old. These are located in the departures hall, after you have passed through passport control. According to iFly, a website providing guides to airports around the world, these play areas are by gates 7, 19 and in satellite terminal 5B.

We also found this freebie tip on the Heathrow Information website. According to the site, “colouring packs containing crayons and a colouring book can be picked up free from the BAA information desks.”

Parting with cash

If you really do want to spend some money on keeping the kids happy, you can. For £15 for two hours, children up to 15 years old can have some fun in the Jetterz Kids Club lounge. Here’s what it says on the airport’s website: “This fully supervised lounge for five to 14-year-olds can be found after security control in Terminal 3 departures. It's equipped with TV, a DVD player, reading material, toys, games and computer games.”

Really though, unless you’re stuck in the airport due to delays or similar, it doesn’t seem worth the money. Even more so the £20 per adult and £10 per child it will cost you for the privilege of using two decks of the 4Deck Lounge in Terminal 4, where you’ll get “complimentary refreshments, magazines, interactive toys and games for pre-school children.”

Not when there are plenty of corridors in the terminals where you can let the kids run up and down, watch the aeroplanes, and climb over empty seats at unused gates, for free!

[Photo credits: Pierre LaScott, spiesteleviv, kidperez, chippenziedeutch, Leonid Mamchenkov, James Cridland]

Trunki ride-on suitcases are amazing and this limited edition Gruffalo design is just the coolest.

• Click here to get your Gruffalo Trunki from My Wendy House @ Amazon

Currently retailing at £40 at John Lewis, My Wendy House are offering these for £29.99 through their Amazon shop. Alternatively you can buy it direct from Amazon for £33.74 with free delivery.

Trunki are just about the best thing in children's luggage, and probably worthy of a whole post of their own. Anyway, this Gruffalo version is a limited edition design and I am practically typing this from the cupboard under the stairs to avoid my kids clapping eyes on it.

The limited edition Trunki has all the Gruffalo’s distinctive features and even comes with a sticker pack featuring Gruffalo characters, so little ones can give it a more personal touch. It’s the latest limited edition to the Trunki range, which is made to the same high standard as the other Trunki favourites but with two carry handles. Fitted with the same specification as Harley, Terrance, Trixie, Towgo and Tipu, it has a soft rubber rim, ID label, carry handles, teddy bear seatbelts, its own passport, locking catches, secret compartments and an internal pouch. Trunki's lightweight and durable design is hand luggage approved, with generous space inside for toys, games, books and spare clothes.

Trunki is the ultimate travelling companion. Children can pack, sit-on and ride their own luggage whilst parents can keep them in tow. Just in case your little one gets tired, Trunki has a handy shoulder strap and new grab handle so that parents can carry them with ease.

Designed by a British company, Trunki is taking the world of travelling with tots by storm—the further they travel the more popular Trunki's become!

Suitable for children from 3 years upwards, the maximum weight limit for riding on one is 50 kg so no, you probably can't get one for yourself.

Thanks to chloe149 on HUKD!