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20 summer buys
Going on holiday this year? What are the essentials you can't do without? We've been scouring our product reviews section for the items that babyworld members deem essential for family life on the go.
Travel cot and mosquito repellant
Mums like ...
- LittleLife Arc 3(£79.99)
- Sun Essentials UV Travel Cot (£45)
- Prince Lionheart Lovebug - chemical free mosquito repellant (£9.99)
If you're jetting off somewhere sunny, the Little Life Arc 3 doubles as a travel cot and an outside play tent with UV protection! 'Super-light, stylish and extremely portable', the cot folds down to the size of a dinner plate and will accommodate your child from 6-18 months. Another pop up option is the 'refreshingly easy' Sun Essentials UV travel cot. Equipped with a mozzie proof insect mesh, mattress, sleeping bag, adjustable sun/wind panes and SPF50+ fabric, the cot doubles up as a handy beach shelter to protect your little one during the day. Genius...
The perfect solution to summer nights (for fending off the dreaded mosquitos) at home or away is the Prince Lionheart Chemical free lovebug. Our Managing Director tested the Lovebug on a sailing holiday in Turkey where the mosquitos are numerous and persistent and he reports that they really do work.
Read about other Travel Cots and add your own reviews in our Going Away section.
Baby carrier
Mums like ...
- Baby Bjorn Active Baby carrier (69.99)
- Babasling (£37.95)
- Kari-me (£37.50)
The Baby Bjorn Active Carrier rates very highly with our community (in fact to date there are no poor reviews!) citing it as 'a great quality sling that supports your back and provides maximum comfort for baby'. It's a tad pricier than other slings on the market but most mums agree 'it's worth paying extra as the high level of comfort means you'll end up using it for longer'.
For breastfeeding mums, the Babasling and Kari-me are multi-position slings that 'enable comfy feeding on the go'. To add to the appeal, they 'look ultra stylish' and their high portability make them 'the perfect travel companion'.
See reviews of other slings and carriers in our Out & About section
Lightweight buggy
Mums like ...
- Maclaren Volo (£64.95)
- Maclaren Quest Mod (£100)
- Quinny Zapp (£145)
- Bebe Confort Vit (£89.99
Maclaren are particularly good at lightweight pushchairs with their, very affordable and much-loved Maclaren Volo the other hit being the ever-popular award winning Maclaren Quest Mod. 'Super-light with a stylish edge', this buggy offers 'superb value for money and ticks all the right boxes'.
Still a firm favourite with the babyworld community, the Quinny Zapp is a 'godsend for air travel' or 'those with limited space'. An alternative option is the Bebe Confort Vit - 'a light, no-nonsense buggy that's perfect for holidays and zipping around town'. The Vit won Best Buy in our 2006 lightweight buggies test and at 4kg is one of the lightest buggies we've ever come across.
Read comments on these and add your own reviews in our Hot Wheels reviews section.
Sun protection
Mums like...
- LittleLife Arc 3 Travel Cot (£79.95)
- Baby Banz (£9.95)
- Green People Sun Lotion SPF22 (£13.50)
- Soft Touch Wettie UPF50+ (£25)
The LittleLife Arc 3 Travel Cot. Scoring an impressive 8/10 in our travel cots test, the Arc 3 comes with a protective UV cover, making it as useful for the beach as it is in the home.
The Australian Cancer Council sells Babybanz and recommends that infants' eyes be protected from the sun's harmful UV rays, so the babyworld shop now has them in stock.
For fussy kids who hate creams, try the Banana Boat Ultramist Tear Free spray - 'a water-resistant lotion with a splat-on-the-skin nozzle that kids love'.
For sun protection in and out of the water, kit your child out with a high performance suit like the Soft Touch Wettie. A practical, no-nonsense product that provides maximum SPF50+ protection, these flexible suits are 'invaluable for the beach and easy to use and provide peace of mind for parents from am-pm'. Alternatively, some parents prefer the Konfidence UV protection sunsuit that ' almost eliminates the suncream battle' that's got to be a good buy!
See other UV protection suits and sun hats in the babyworld shop.
In the water
Mums like ...
- Konfidence Baby Warma (£17.99)
- Splashabout Happy Nappy (£8.99)
- Zoggs Swim Nappy (£6.75)
The Konfidence Baby Warma and Splashabout Baby Wrap are wetsuit-style products that keep your baby warmer in the water for longer. According to our reviews 'the velcro fastenings make it so easy to use and provide easy access for quick nappy changes' 'not only fo they keep your baby warm but they allow you to keep a firm grip on them'.
Hygiene is paramount when it comes to swimming - hence the most important product is a swim nappy! The Splashabout Happy Nappy has received consistently good reviews and is made with 'soft, stretchy fabric that moulds effortlessly to your childs body - avoiding leaks at all costs' Another winner is the 'super-absorbent' Zoggs swim nappy which comes with a handy tethered drawstring - 'a great idea for longevity' as 'it ensures a consistently snug fit for your growing child'.
To see reviews of other swim nappies, visit our Out & About section.
Safety
Mums like ...
- Aqua alert safety alarm
- BT 150 Digital baby monitor
- Toddler Day life sack with safety reins
As we become more safety conscious parents there are more products designed to reassure us! Particularly good for toddlers who love to play by water but aren't necessarily confident swimmers is the Aqua alert water safety alarm worn on a wristband and will alarm if it is splashed with even the tiniest amount of water, our parent testers said it is a 'Reasonably priced and reassuring product'.
Most parents these days like to have a baby monitor and it seems the BT 150 Digitial monitor is the one to consider buying, it has received consistently impressive reviews. In fact there are 11 rave reviews so far that can't seem to fault it. Here's just a tiny sample of comments :'Great range both indoors and out ' 'best in class' 'lullabies really work and nightlight just bright enough' 'can hear your baby breathe the sound is that good!'
The Littlelife Toddler Day Sack clearly brings great peace of mind to most of the parents who have bought it, here are the kind of things parents say about it:' I feel safe when we're out and about' 'the children love wearing them and good for carrying juices/hats and sunglasses! 'Best baby product I've bought ever'
Where to next?
- For information on everything from how to have stress-free travel and summer safety tips, check out the rest of our travel section
- How was it for you? Lots of parents' experiences of family holidays.
- We try, you buy … check out our comprehensive product tests
- Share tips and info with other mums in our Product Talk forum