Early years

The Pop Up Hammer Game was an instant success! The green casing instantly drew my nine month old granddaughter's attention and she couldn't wait to play. She's a little younger than the recommended one to three years but she'd already been doing some of the activities on another toy, writes Anne Coates.

Welcome to the world of parenting, where sleep is elusive, and baby giggles are the ultimate reward. In this whirlwind of diapers and baby talk, one thing's sure: your little one deserves the best start in life. That's where Holle Baby Formula steps in, like a culinary superhero for your baby's taste buds and tummy, writes Jonathan Gallant.

Olivia Coates puts the Glow Perfect Sleep Sensor to the test and the team at Glow Dreaming give some top tips on keeping your baby cool or warm according to the weather.

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a major worry for new parents, naturally. With this in mind (and following a lot of misinformation on social channels such as TikTok) Jilly Blankenship, a Baby Sleep Consultant at Baby Sleep Made Simple, Neonatal Nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Mom of two offers some expert advice around the topic.

In There's No Such Thing As Naughty, Kate Silverton provides a new blueprint for parenting under-fives that will make life easier and much more fun for the whole family. Reviewed by Anne Coates.

If you are currently breastfeeding but want to transition to formula for whatever reason, you’re probably wondering whether some are better than others, and therefore which you should choose for your baby. There are so many different brands out there, all at different price points. As well as this, you may be wondering whether switching is a good idea, and what you need to know before you start. Here is Emily Roberts' short guide to answering those questions. 

Doddl Educational Children's Cutlery is put to the test by Joanna Roberts and her 13 month old son.

Making the switch to solid foods is an exciting time. Piccolo know weaning can be somewhat daunting – from knowing what to feed them and when to wondering whether they’re getting the right balance of nutrients they need to grow. They pulled together their favourite tips and insights to help you along the way on your little one’s weaning adventure.

Graceful Changes – Ethical Baby & Toddler Clothes Rental Subscription Service tried out by Hannah Smith-Hughes.

The Starting School Book by Sarah Ockwell-Smith reviewed by Anne Coates.

The Baby Feeding Book by Vanessa Christie reviewed by Joanna Roberts.

As part of the Department for Education's next phase of its Hungry Little Minds campaign, child physchologist Dr Elizabeth Kilbey gives her top ten tips on supporting children’s learning at home to give your child the best start in life.

Alteya Organics for Infants reviewed by Joanna Robertson.

News about Prince George learning Spanish along his sister Charlotte has been taking over the news lately and considering that the little prince is third in line for the throne, it would make absolute sense for Prince George to speak another language. Here Absolute Translations give their six top reasons why teaching your kids another language, and Spanish in particular, is a good idea.

Kathryn Mayle tests Aveeno® Baby products on her baby son who suffers from dry skin and patches of eczema.

The few weeks in the summer before starting school are an important time to prepare your child for school, writes Anne Coates.

Parents, children, experts and Disney Junior have come together to create How to Make Friends and Influence Five-Year-Olds, a video guide on how to make friends after research revealed “making friends” was a top concern for parents and guardians when it comes to their child starting school. Plus Linda Blair gives her top tips for parents.

Today, Aardman the Oscar winning animation studio behind family favourites such as Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep launches Learning Time with Timmy, a fun and interactive learning series teaching English for children aged two to five. Plus they commissioned Dr Sam Wass (The Secret Life of Four and Five Year Olds) to reveal his top tips to parents on how to tell good from poor quality online video content for young learners.