Toy of the month – March 2017

This month is an exciting one my friends. This month is a celebration of how far toy making has come in Australia.

When I started Kids Gifts and Toys over 3 years ago and started researching toy brands worldwide, there was very little coming out of Australia that was designed and made in Australia.  In just a short space of time I have watched an incredible transformation and now I can happily say there is actually a handmade toy industry in Australia! I am super excited to be featuring “Monday the Plane” from Have a Nice Day toys for March’s “Toy of the month”; this is one Australian toy company that is making waves for all the right reasons.

Monday the Plane” is just one of 7 wooden toys created by former industrial designer Jake Diaz alongside his wife Dom Diaz who fronts up all the business and social media side of things. This husband and wife team based on the Gold Coast, are reinventing wooden toys and bringing back the simplicity and purity for a new generation of children.

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Munch lunchbox – new lunch ideas for kids!

We are already into Week 6 of the first term of School and I am struggling to find new and delicious lunchbox ideas for my eldest son! He is admittedly a little fussy but slowly over time and age we are breaking new ground and he now eats spinach, lettuce, basil, and he has even tried broccoli and liked it! Still working on tomatoes, avocado and capsicum and don’t even get me started on fruit besides apple and rockmelon…

Both my boys were great eaters up until they were about 2 years old, when they of course learnt how to say “no”. It has been struggle city ever since trying to get them to eat a regular amount of fruit and vegetables. Made all the more annoying, given that I am in fact a Vegequarian (I eat fish & seafood).

I have in the last few months been able to convince my eldest son to move on from cheese or honey sandwiches and we now have tuna, spinach, cheese and tomato salsa wraps for lunch! But I can’t make them day in and day out for him as he will soon tire of them.

So I was quite relieved to receive in the post a gifted copy of the brilliant “Munch Lunchbox” cookbook – by Anna Bordignon & Michelle Kitney. I have searched high and low for a decent, no fuss, easy lunch ideas for kids and I can honestly tell for ages 4+ years I haven’t found one, until now.

I am not much of a cook to be honest, baking yes, I love it but when it comes to cooking meals, I find it tiresome. Most likely because I have to cook at least 2 separate meals if I do a meat dish for the boys in the family and I do that 2-3 times a week. Just because I don’t eat meat, I don’t feel that my boys should have to follow my dietary habits.

But also I get sick of the arguments over dinner, don’t you? My youngest in particular says

” Arrrgh ( with a really excruciatingly dramatic whingey noise) do we have to eat this?”

“Yes, you do, I slaved away cooking Shepherds Pie for you and I don’t even eat meat! So yes you need to at least try it.”  Then the tantrums and waterworks start. Ahh dinner time is so peaceful with kids isn’t it?!

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World Book Day 2017

March 2nd is World Book day and is celebrated across 100 countries around the world. I know that Australia doesn’t celebrate it as much as countries like the UK and US but anything celebrating reading and books is something I want to be part of!

All this week I have been sharing on my Instagram account, some of our favourite books and as such I wanted to share these with you too!

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