Simple Pleasures

Age - 3 Months +
Price - from £1
Rating - *****

One of the simplest and most pleasurable ways to amuse your little one is by blowing bubbles. This is something we first encountered in a baby sensory class and ever since we've introduced bubbles to bath time and playtime to amuse our little one.

It is so cheap and simple, you can pick up numerous "party bag" bubble tubes in supermakets for £1 or under and the hours of fun are endless.

If you're looking to splash out, there are also bubble machines you can purchase to blow the bubbles for you. Useful if you want to introduce bubbles at bath time if there is only one person present.

Our favourite thing at ... four months

After hearing other mums recommending one of these, we purchase a JUMPEROO for our little one. He started in it at about three and a half months, but the age and suitability is really dependent on the size and weight of your baby as well as their head control.

There are lights and sounds to encourage your baby to bounce, different songs and different activities around it, and it rotates around so baby can enjoy the different activities. As well as a parrot and frog dangling from the leaves above. We find that our little one gets over tired if in it for more than twenty minutes at a time, but even so, twenty minutes of contented happy baby is worth it for us.

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo (from £65)

There are three height options, our little one is already in the second option so I can't imagine that he'll be in it for very long. However there are many available second hand and the resale value is pretty high.

Our favourite thing at .... three months

Whilst on holiday earlier this month we visited a zoo, and purchased this glove puppet in the gift shop as a memento for the day.

This has turned out to be such a hit with my little one. It's brilliant for interacting, he talks to it and there doesn't seem to be any situation - be it wind, hunger, over tiredness that this little fella can't distract from - for at least a few blessed moments !

We've named him Larry Lion, since his success we've also purchased a red panda and a sheep, but Larry still wins the popularity contest here.

Age - 12 months + (we use Larry under supervision and don't let the little one get his hands on it)
Price - £10.99
Category - Bedtime

Rating - *****