April 2012 – Little Gulliver

Great for travel – Fisher-Price Doodle Pro

Keep handy by attaching to a backpack or belt

I put a lot of thought into taking our first flight with our first child. I was concerned about safety…if we have car seats in cars then what do we do in planes? I found the CARES Harness and our business Little Gulliver, was born.

Very soon afterwards, our baby grew into a toddler and siblings came along. The next travelling dilemma developed – how do we keep someone who never sits down (or stops talking) occupied during long trips? How will I manage? The result – Little Gulliver now has a well stocked ‘Play’ range with products from Magic Pen, magnets, sticker books and even kids headphones! All tested and popular with our 3 children now aged 3, 4 & 5.

A great, all round favourite travel toy that works across different personalities and age groups is the Doodle Pro. We stock a ‘travel’ size and carabiner ‘clip on’ size Doodle Pro. Being Fisher-Price, its built tough and has top quality drawing capacity. If you’ve ever used a different brand you will notice the difference immediately – tough casing, sturdy pen and clear writing surface. Its built to last!

Kids love the Doodle Pro for independent play, but parents can become involved when you want (or need!) to occupy the child with some fun games together. You can find them here in our Play/Draw and Colour Category.

Favourite games for families to play on your Doodle Pro Clip On are things like;

ages 2-3; draw a car and add the wheels, draw heads and fill in the faces and scribbling (fill in the whole cover and wipe clean)
ages 3-4; draw planes, houses and trees, letters and numbers
4+; practise your name, Dots and Boxes (how to play here). And you can’t go past Noughts and Crosses. The possibilities are endless!

Here’s some feedback;

“Little kids love this! It’s just like drawing without the mess of the paper and pencils. It’s easy to wipe out and start all over again. It’s Fisher Price so you know it’s good quality.”

“great idea no paper no mess …this toy is a good investment”

“Less messy than crayons or paint but allows same type of creative ideas.”

And when you get home? You could keep the doodle pro clip on in your luggage so its ready to head off next time OR keep it in the pocket in your car. Doodle Pros love driving too!

Visit http://www.LittleGulliver.com.au today to see our range of travel gear for kids. We’re always happy to help.

Car Travel for Kids in France

Ange said: April 17 2012 11:42 PM

Just wondering if you have any info regarding safe car seats in France? Is Britax the same company as safe n sound and do Australian car seats fit into French Peugeot cars? I think I know the answers to these questions but just don’t know how to go about organizing car seats for our French trip.

Also I am planning on getting the CARES harness for my 2.5 yr old but was wondering what the safest thing would be for my 6 week old?

Thanks

Ange

Donna @ Little Gulliver said: April 20 2011 2:16 PM

Hi Ange,

Hmmm, a trip to France sounds fantastic to me right now! I think you’re at the same place as me, when we first started travelling with our kids…we’re so geared up to keeping them safe at home and suddenly there is this black hole of information and the rules and regulations suddenly disappear (this is how Little Gulliver came about). It makes no sense to me and we’re fairly determined to make things easier and clearer for folks.
I’ve broken your query down into a few points, I hope you find it useful;

* any info regarding safe car seats in France?

I’m sure you’ve already read up on the basic car seat regulations in France, such as;

A child under 10 must sit in the back and “use restraint system appropriate to weight (between 9-15 kg child seat, over 15kg booster seat in conjunction with normal seat belts).” So I guess you’ll need either 2 car seats or a car seat and a booster. More about safe car seats in France later…

* is Britax the same company as safe n sound and do Australian car seats fit into French Peugeot cars

Yes, Britax is the umbrella company which manufactures the Safe n Sound range available here in Australia. But – do they fit in French cars? I wish this was so much easier for us travelling parents to navigate! I cannot say for sure, but my understanding is that while the Australian car seat would likely fit in the car, it wouldn’t be approved for use in Europe. One reason being the safety anchor bolt we use in our cars is not present in European cars. I’m also not aware if the Peugeot has the Isofix system, if it does you would need an Isofix car seat (not yet available in Australia).

Have you seen the Bubble Bum? If you are happy to use a backless booster for your older child and if they meet the requirements etc then it may be worth checking out… (we can’t sell it here because it isn’t approved for use in Australia, but it is approved in France)…

* Also I am planning on getting the CARES harness for my 2.5 yr old but was wondering what the safest thing would be for my 6 week old?

The CARES is perfect for your 2.5 yo. For your baby, there are a few options.

You could try to book an on board bassinet. You generally have to book ahead and may not be able to secure one. Also, some folks don’t like them as the seats in this area often don’t recline. If you know the make of aircraft, maybe check on Seat Guru and see if you can get any more info.

The airline (if it is Australian) will provide you with the “supplementary loop belt” you have probably used before with your toddler. There are other products available you may like to look at, such as the Baby B’Air and the Flye Baby. The Baby B’Air, while it looks like a great product, in my opinion, doesn’t provide a lot more protection than the supplementary loop belt provided here and cannot be used during take off and landing. I do agree that it is smart to have to the child restrained in case of unexpected turbulence. The Flye Baby certainly sounds popular and has recently been made available in Australia. Again, I’m iffy about this one too (again, just my opinion and this is why we don’t stock it at this stage). Note, this is not a safety device and again cannot be used during take off and landing and while the seat belt sign is lit. I can see that it may be handy if you are the only adult travelling with a number of children and a baby. I must stress here though, don’t be afraid to ask the crew for help or accept it when its offered (learnt this the hard way).
Of course, there is also the option of taking a car seat on board. This could be considered the safest option and CASA provide some good tips and info here. Again, look out for red tape and this has to be approved with your airline. If you have an Australian car seat and you are not travelling on an Australian airline, chances are your seat won’t be approved. There is no anchor point on the plane however, so the seat is attached using the seatbelt and again, you may not be able to use the seat in your vehicle in France. (Check out the Go Go Kidz TravelMate if you do consider taking your car seat with you).

I’d love to hear your thoughts and how the rest of your plans go. All the best for your planning and a great trip.

Kind regards,

Donna

Information Sources and Handy Links;

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g196658-i2958-k742712-Child_carseat_laws_in_france-Beauvais_Oise_Picardy.html

http://www.survivefrance.com/group/franglaiskids/forum/topics/whats-the-law-on-car-seats-for

http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/babies-and-kids/travel/transport/isofix-on-its-way.aspx

http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/france/paris/

10 Things You Must Know Before You Travel with a Toddler

10 Things You Must Know Before You Travel with a Toddler

Travelling can be a unique challenge no matter what the age of the individuals in your party, so proper preparation is critical. When travelling with a small child, in particular, there are several things you should keep in mind before you leave. This will help ensure that your journey is safe and pleasant for both you and your toddler.

1. Allow plenty of extra time for all stages of your trip if you are travelling with a toddler. You will need more time to make stopovers and connections with a child, and driving will take longer due to the extra toilet breaks and other assistance your child needs. Also remember to pack a few toys and a couple of games.

2. If you are travelling with several family members, it is important to talk about a few things before you begin your trip. For example, it would be wise to discuss how the chores will be divided during the trip, as well as how you are going to balance being with the children and being apart from them. It may also be helpful to discuss how miscellaneous travel bills are going to be handled.

3. Purchase a bracelet for your child that includes contact phone numbers and a home address. This is important just in case your group becomes separated; even though you never think it could happen to you, accidents do occur all of the time. It is better to be prepared.

4. If your toddler has any allergies or disabilities, add any relevant information about them to a medical alert bracelet or disposable wrist band. This could be a lifesaver if you somehow become accidentally separated from your child.

5. If your finances are tight, look into the possibility of swapping homes with another family. The recent economic downturn has drastically increased the popularity of this trend, with many different websites now available to help you form home swapping opportunities. Individuals all over the world participate in home swapping arrangements, which can save both parties a significant amount of money – and can provide a much more comfortable environment than a hotel if you travel with a toddler.

6. If you do choose to stay in a hotel, research it thoroughly ahead of time. Small amenities like free continental breakfasts and indoor swimming pools can make your trip much more convenient and enjoyable for both you and your toddler. Of course, you should check that the hotel in which you plan to stay allows children, since some are limited to adults.

7. If you will need babysitting services at your destination, make sure you locate and secure a reputable child care center well in advance in your trip. If possible, ask friends or acquaintances near your destination for recommendations, since it can be difficult to pick a high-quality facility based solely on a website.toddler. Of course, you should check that the hotel in which you plan to stay allows children, since some are limited to adults.

8. If you will require any unique products for your toddler, like a trundle bed or gluten-free meals, make sure you contact the hotels and restaurants you will visit ahead of time to ensure that they will be able to meet your needs. You may like to take a travel bed with you, such as an Inflatable Ready bed or fold out Regalo Child Bed.

9. If possible, take your child to the doctor before you begin the trip to ensure that he is healthy and has all necessary medications and inoculations. This is especially important if you will be traveling abroad, but it is wise before any trip since your child will be more vulnerable to germs to which his immune system has not yet had the chance to develop a resistance.

10. Before you leave, talk to your child about the trip, where you are going and what you will be doing together. Children enjoy being involved in activities with their parents, plus this can help prevent them from becoming nervous about the trip.