As ‘retro’ becomes trendier and trendier, The Slow Toy Movement simultaneously lays claim to the consumer’s consciousness.

‘Retro’ means culturally outdated… and that’s exactly what ‘slow toys’ are; toys that were fashionable or trendy long ago, and are now considered outdated. What is a Slow toy? Slow toys are:

* ethically sourced

* fun to play with

* without batteries

* sold in independent toy shops

* durable

* without thousands of different functions

These types of toys are back in vogue – think… rocking horse, educational abacus, classic wooden toy, much loved train set or traditional Jack-in-a-box. The kinds of toys my mum used to play with.

I am reminded of an old wooden cot that my granddad made for my mum; I then inherited the toy (which I loved) and my two-year-old, when visiting granny, took great pleasure in discovering the little white cot. Pretty cool, I think.

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Tummy time – my baby girl hated it! It would start off okay… and then she would squeal with displeasure; arms flapping up and down and face planted into the floor. I guess you have to ease them into it.

If your babs is not a fan of lying belly flat on the floor, or you aren’t keen on placing your little one on the floor, there is an off-the-floor-tummy-time activity centre that places your baby at an angle. It comes complete with a soft fleece mat and safety harness and it all cleverly folds away completely flat for easy storage and travel.

The Tummy Time Activity Centre multifunctions as a seat and a recliner as well as a tummy time platform. It has high sides, a solid back and a safety harness – baby’s safety is paramount.

Letting babies spend time on their tummies is important for their development; assisting with co-ordination, balance, and posture, it increases confidence and helps strengthen back, neck and arm muscles.

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Toddlers can be picky eaters – before they have even tried something their noses are already turned up.

My daughter had (and occasionally still has) an aversion to anything green. The first time I fed her a green vegetable, I was sure that the colour had offended her in some way – she was automatically suspicious.

Whether it was peas, broccoli or spinach, the same look of horror would appear on her toddler face when green veg was placed in front of her.

I am pretty persistent, and with an uncompromising attitude (and a little bit of skilful ‘hide the greens behind the butternut or in the stew’) my two-year-old now embraces her green veg as part of the meal.

Interesting new research, released by Ella’s Kitchen in conjunction with Reading University, suggests that little ones who play with their food using all their senses are more likely to eat their greens!

So, if the greens look, smell and taste delicious… feel interesting (yes, it is okay to let your child play with his food – with limitations specified by you) then maybe your little one is more inclined to an attitude of curiosity, as opposed to one of apprehension. Maybe a good way to get toddlers to eat greens.

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My daughter Amelia recently turned two. What a cool age! Yes… she’s increasingly more independent, significantly more stubborn and a whole bunch more belligerent but she is communicative, cuddly and just so darn funny.

But my most favourite thing about being mum to a two-year-old is all of the “I love yous.” They roll out in abundance and I never tire of hearing “I love you mummy” or “love you lots.”

I know that there will come a time that “I love you” will perhaps not be proclaimed with the same readiness – those pesky teen years – so I am making sure that I do not take for granted my daughter’s offering.

My daughter’s first “I love you” went to a black and purple caricature kitty that was displayed on a shelf in my house for a couple of weeks over Halloween.

Amelia, a lover of all things cat, loved the kitty. A few days later mummy and daddy were included in the ‘love you’ equation and a few months later my daughter is not shy to express her love for her favourite things.

This very morning I heard Amelia proclaiming her love for a pot of cream… the words “I love you cream” echoed down the passage with great gusto and enthusiasm. I laughed out loud.

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Children seem to run everywhere – at school, in the park, round the house, round the shops! So it’s sometimes tempting to assume that children get enough exercise just from all the running about they do during a typical day.

In a lot of cases, this is probably true – an hour in the park after school or a swimming lesson definitely counts as exercise.

But if you want to set your children up with a healthy future, it’s important to give them the tools they need to remain active later in life, when tearing round the playground and ballet lessons are no longer part of their weekly schedule.

This means you need to encourage kids physical activities –  exercise for exercise’s sake, such as running, swimming, cycling, or an exercise class.

Here are some tips I’ve gathered from people I know who exercise regularly and also encourage their children to do the same:

1. Educate: talk to your children about what it means to be ‘fit and healthy’, so they understand that it is a good thing to take care of their bodies. Use simple language to explain how using your body everyday can keep it in good condition for the future.

2. Set a good example: don’t wait until the kids are at school or in bed before you don you sweatbands and trainers; let them see you getting your 30 minutes in and tell them why you are doing it – kids idolize their parents and other grown-ups, and often want to copy what they see you doing. If possible, invite them to join you, or explain how many of their favourite pastimes – such as swimming or riding their bikes – are very valid forms of exercise that grown-ups do, too.

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