Nursery Today October 2014 by Lema Publishing

The U.K. nursery trade’s no. 1 magazine

Independently audited

www.nursery-today.co.uk

ABC circulation of 4514 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014

Stokke® Trailz™ design: Alf Vegard Fjelland, Hilde Angelfoss, Hans-Cato Slotterøy, Oskar Johansen, Eivind Halseth.

Month: October 14 Issue 2 Volume 18

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CONTENTS

October 2014 Issue 2 Volume 18

5 6 14 16

This issue we had the pleasure to question Annette Owles-Bryan of Annettes Prams

30 32

Editor Penny Franks

Page 18 Nursery Furniture & Decor

Caroline Eyles caroline@lemapublishing.co.uk

David Fairhurst – Intelligent Retail David looks at how the Google Search engine is currently used

Penny Franks

Assistant Editor

Ad Manager

Dr Fin Dr Fin takes a look at the Nursery Furniture & Décor sector

the team penny@lemapublishing.co.uk

Leader News BPA Retailer Profile

Nursery Natter What happened at Kind Und Jugend 2014?

Colin Pattison Colin takes us through his experiences at K&J this year

Caroline Eyles

54 & 69 New Products 64 Nigel Plested

Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk

What’s happening in the baby walkers & motivators sector?

Design Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Christine Contreras

Product Features

Circulation

Robert Thomas

Publisher

We take a look at the current consumer trends when it comes to furnishing and decorating the nursery

P Page 34 Weaning

robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Mark Naish

Managing Director Malcolm Naish

Paul Naish

Page 46 health & Wellbeing

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

www.nursery-today.co.uk

Page 62 Walkers & Motivators

Health & Wellbeing Caroline Eyles speaks to both retailers and manufacturers to learn more about consumer needs when it comes to their newborn’s wellbeing

Walkers & Motivators Learn more about the latest products available for parents wishing to assist their little ones who are putting one step forward

Malcolm Naish

Lema Publishing Ltd

Weaning Caroline Eyles looks at the development process parents have to undertake when weaning their children onto solids

mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Nursery Furniture & Décor

Profiles 24 50 53

Boori Milton BugBrush

Show Previews Subscription per annum: UK £40, Europe £50 (surface), £60 (airmail)

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

The Baby Show What’s on at the Baby Show, Olympia

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spotting up and coming trends that are emerging (especially within colourways and fabrics), amazing show! We’ll look forward to seeing the UK selections that will be available in the UK at the Harrogate Nursery Fair next March. Even members of the NSG visited this year, and I’m confident we’ll see more next year! You can read what Yasmin Ali has to say about the show this year by turning to the NSG pages in this issue, and also

a superb roundup of events by Colin Pattison (page 44). We also managed to gain access to a few ‘closed’ cupboards! In these we experienced what’s going to be totally new and launching at Harrogate Nursery Fair 2015 – and wow, are you all in for a treat! BabyStyle have done it again… I can’t say too much now, but you’ll find a series of adverts running in Nursery Today during the build up to the Harrogate Nursery Fair giving you small ‘teasers’ of what this will be! I can tell you though that this is a sophisticated and premium product which will be called the ‘Egg’ Beyond this, my lips are sealed (some of you may have had the pleasure of seeing this whilst at Cologne) and I am confident this will be hugely popular with the consumer and you won’t be disappointed when launched officially here in the UK! The UK Pavilion again provided a great platform for UK exhibitors looking at the European and International markets, and was host to some great seminars – one of which was from Gfk (more on this, the winners of the Innovation Awards and general show buzz next issue!). Now in its sixth year, the UK Pavilion at Kind und Jugend was the biggest ever covering a staggering 2,500 square metres

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“

We also managed to gain access to a few ‘closed’ cupboards! In these we experienced what’s going to be totally new and launching at Harrogate Nursery Fair 2015 – and wow, are you all in for a treat! BabyStyle have done it again… I can’t say too much now, but you’ll find a series of adverts running in Nursery Today during the build up to the Harrogate Nursery Fair giving you small ‘teasers’ of what this will be!

“

eptember, Kind Und Jugend and ABC Kids Expo have now been and gone, but what a month! There was notably an increase in retailers visiting Kind Und Jugend this year from the UK, some new, some that choose to visit yearly – but by all accounts the response appeared to be the same – fantastic UK Pavilion, superb exhibition for

with more than 65 exhibitors participating. Early feedback suggests an even busier show than 2013, with an average of 70 potential leads taken by each company. The UK Pavilion was hosted by Robert Anslow, BPA managing director, and Julie James, BPA membership and technical support manager and organised by Adrian Sneyd who remarks: “Each year since the BPA’s first participation at Kind und Jugend

The Bag sleeping bags

in 2009, we believe that the UK Pavilion has reached its limit in terms of size and exhibitor numbers – and then it surpasses all expectations yet again. This year is no exception and the scale of the ‘British community’ was impressive to say the least.” Over at ABC Kids Expo, exhibitors and visitors all appeared happy (although it proved a little difficult for some exhibitors due to the ‘overlap’ on dates between the two shows). The strength of this event is evident to all those in attendance and again this year the BPA worked solidly to build and strengthen the UK Pavilion. Malcolm Naish will bring you an overview of the show next issue. Great news also for the 2015 shows – Kind Und Jugend will be hosted during 10th-13th September 2015, with ABC Kids Expo from 18th-21st October 2015. So no more worrying! Can I just make one small suggestion? Book your flights and accommodation early. This will save you money on both hotels and flights! Now back to this issue, we bring you a host of features, Nursery Furniture & Décor (page 18), Weaning (page 34), Health & Wellbeing (page 46) and also Walkers & Motivators (page 62). Happy Reading!

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.co.uk more than a good night’s sleep Leader 5

NEWS

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2012 Ltd New Look Website After months of preparation, 2012 Ltd are proud to announce the arrival of their new look user friendly website – offering retailers a detailed look at the unique, specially designed product ranges in their product portfolio. New enhancements includes a log in portal for retailers, a map integrated “where to buy”, news & press sections and more. 2012 Ltd exclusively distribute into the UK & Ireland a multitude of award winning brands such as Baby K’tan, Lulujo, Carriwell, Cuddle Co, Kalencom, Cinch, Pipila and PullyPalz. Interested in stocking these brands? Please contact 2012 Ltd on 01202 303 777 or email info@2012ltd.co.uk. Web: www.2012ltd.co.uk

NATURAL BIRTHING ARRIVES IN MOTHERCARE Mothercare has become the latest store to range the new line from the Natural Birthing Company. The range of natural products was developed by Nottingham duo Jane Mason and Theresa Mounsey, who dedicated their lives to helping mothers through what is often the most challenging experience of their lives. Not only have they spent years working as midwives in the Nottingham, they are now using their expertise to give women a better experience before, during and after birth with a range of natural products to help with the more painful aspects of pregnancy.

6 nursery today

The duo who met while training at Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, have been friends for years and have taken their relationship to a new level by becoming business partners. The products have already been taken on by a number of major retailers – Mothercare being the latest and Superdrug soon to follow shortly. The range is distributed by bébélephant. Email: elliot@bebelephant.com Tel: 020 8202 1467

Creditors approve Mamas & Papas (Retail) CVA Mamas & Papas (Retail), has announced it has reached agreement with creditors on proposals to safeguard the future of its UK retail arm. Creditors, including landlords of 60 of its UK stores, voted overwhelmingly to approve a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) at a meeting in central London this morning. The CVA, which was overseen by Deloitte, relates to Mamas & Papas (Retail) Limited, the company which operates Mamas & Papas’ UK stores. Other companies in the group are unaffected. Mamas & Papas (Retail) will now continue its constructive dialogue with landlords to implement the CVA proposals, which include plans to reduce rent on certain stores in the UK retail business. David Scacchetti, chairman of Mamas & Papas (Retail), said: “This is an important milestone for us. The proposals agreed today not only enable us to cut costs and ensure a profitable retail portfolio but will also create a platform to allow us to continue offering innovative, premium products to customers in the UK and internationally, both in stores and online. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our creditors for their support during this difficult time. Alongside the recent investment from BlueGem, the strengthened leadership team and the support of our colleagues, we are confident we are taking the steps necessary to protect the Mamas & Papas brand and help it to achieve its future potential.” The CVA was launched following the conclusion of a strategic review launched earlier this year by the Huddersfield-based company. A consultation process with all staff is also under way to improve the operational efficiency of the company and put it in the best possible position for future growth. The CVA agreement comes a month after experienced retail executive Derek Lovelock was appointed interim CEO.

Mothercare Fills its Shelves with a Squeezee Solution Fill n Squeeze, the multi award winning brand making homemade baby meals easy, is thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with Mothercare. The UK’s no 1 parenting retailer is now selling Fill n Squeeze in 190 outlets nationwide. Having launched less than two years ago, the new development marks a substantial milestone for Fill n Squeeze. Keeping all the clever functions in place, the partnership introduces a fresh look for the innovative pouches as the Mothercare Fill n Squeeze system hits the shelves this week. With the support of Mothercare, the Fill n Squeeze team are looking forward to introducing their unique product to even more families. This announcement marks the start of an exciting collaboration and the team are delighted to be working with one of the most trusted names in the parenting industry and watching the product progress. Commenting on the new partnership, inventor Rifat Jan said: “This is a truly momentous time for Fill n Squeeze. To have been approached by one of the county’s most trusted international parenting retailers is overwhelming. It’s our mission to provide parents with a healthy, safe, affordable and convenient solution to feeding their little ones and now our product is available in Mothercare stores across the nation, it will allow us to reach out to more families searching for a healthier and cheaper alternative to pouches.”

Cosy little slipper socks!

Calling All Inventors! Former Apprentice winner and Stylfile inventor, Tom Pellereau is delighted to announce the launch of ‘Invent with Tom’ in conjunction with leading baby, nursery and maternity retailer, JoJo Maman Bébé. Recognising the difficulties faced by those with a passion for inventing but limited opportunities to showcase their designs to professional buyers, ‘Invent with Tom’ will give talented inventors the life changing opportunity to get their nursery product ideas stocked in JoJo Maman Bébé’s boutique shops and online store. The simple application process invites inventors to complete an application form and submit their ideas via www. InventWithTom.com and is open to all from 8th September. Every two months, Tom and JoJo Maman Bébé will give at least three inventors the chance to see their invention appear on JoJo Maman Bébé shelves and online store. If successful, the best will be offered the chance to gain a full time listing with JoJo Maman Bébé. Apprentice winner Tom Pellereau commented, “I was lucky to have my dream of becoming an inventor come true after winning The Apprentice, but I’m well aware of how difficult it can be to get an invention to market. I’m really excited to offer other

inventors an opportunity to get their inventions out there without the ordeal of 12 weeks in the Apprentice House and Lord Sugar’s boardroom! As a father myself, who was inspired to design a baby product, I know there are lots of tricky tasks that parents are desperate to find an answer to. I can’t wait to see what solutions our talented British inventors send through for us to look at, as I truly believe that everyone has at least one brilliant invention.” Laura Tenison MBE at JoJo Maman Bébé commented, “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Tom on our ‘Invent with Tom’ campaign. We’ve long been dedicated to stocking and designing innovative nursery products, which help to make life as a parent a little easier but there are still many jobs that could be simplified with a new brilliant idea! We’re really looking forward to stocking the best ideas that inventors have to offer and giving start-up entrepreneurs a lucky break.” Web: www.InventWithTom.com

BeSafe expanding… products & people… Following the recent launch of the first ‘i-Size’ dedicated rearfacing seat, the BeSafe iZi KID iSize, BeSafe are now delighted to announce the further expansion of their Sales team with the appointment of Mike Houghton. Mike brings extensive experience of Child Safety seats from working in retail for a number of years and will cover the Midlands, North East England & Scotland. Paul Sirett, Country Manager told us: “This new appointment once again demonstrates BeSafe’s long-term commitment to growth in UK/Ireland. Together with some excellent Retailers we have achieved double-digit growth each year since we setup our own operation here and with so many new products coming down the pipeline over the next 12mths we are investing further in this market to continue this growth. This is of course good for children & good for retailers!” Email: sales@hts.no Web: www.carseat.co.uk

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nursery today 7

NEWS Trend based products

All in the heritage!

...A passing fad or the next big thing? Christian Jones, Managing Director at the leading safer sleep brand The Gro Company this month talks about how products can capitalise on emerging parenting trends.

ow new trends are formed and identified is a fascinating topic, as they provide a vital influence on any industry, particularly within the potentially innovation rich territory of baby care products. Trends are cultivated and honed over time with a multitude of contributing factors. Directional fashion shows, broader social economic drivers such as the economy or the increasing influence of the celebrity, new scientific discoveries or medical research, market research, trade shows, what the innovators and influential opinion leaders are talking about – these all combine to shape the future of what is new, topical and newsworthy. One example that is evolving rapidly at present is the trend of how a new generation of parents are looking to technology, creating a baby boom in tech-device sales. The wealth of technology inspired gadgets now entering the nursery industry is significant and this will be influencing all businesses as they consider how they can better use improvements in

technology to enhance their customer proposition. But once a trend has been established, how do companies capitalise on it? A key factor for success is understanding consumer requirements – whilst many innovative new ‘start-up’ products might be first movers in tapping into a new trend, they don’t necessarily provide an optimal solution. It is easier than ever for baby tech start-ups to get going, with crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter providing a popular forum to get them up and running. For trend based products to be done properly and not be seen as a fad or a gimmick, they need to be properly researched and most importantly, consumers genuine needs and requirements understood. For example, technology based products often designed to help actually encourage parents to ignore the wonderful gift of instinct; at Gro we prefer products that aid, not replace healthy parenting practices. For me, that is a gadget worth getting excited about.

Christian Jones is the Managing Director of The Gro Company who recently underwent a company MBO after just 24 months of Christian being at the helm. For more information about The Gro Company please visit www.gro.co.uk

8 nursery today

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BREATHABLEBABY are proud to announce the launch of ‘The Heritage Collection’ which sees 3 stunning ‘English’ themed designs across the range of breathable bedding, including Liners, Sheets, Swaddles, Blankets and Toys. ‘English Garden’ for little girls is a stunning palette of soft green and pink adorned with vintage birdcages and flowers, ‘By the Sea’ features iconic seaside imagery in the form of beach huts, boats and seagulls and ‘Enchanted Forest’ captures the magic of woodland wildlife in a gorgeous neutral colourway. The designs were created in collaboration with an English designer and took inspiration from current trends as well as classic heritage to ensure the final product would be appealing to parents across the country. BreathableBaby was born in 2002 with the launch of the BreathableBaby Cot Mesh Liner, which utilises a patented ‘breathable’ fabric to allow maximum air flow within baby’s sleeping space. This technical fabric helps to allow temperature regulation and eliminates risk of suffocation and re-breathing of air. The liner also prevents risk of entanglement, protects baby from knocks and bumps and keeps dummies and (safe) toys in the cot. The Heritage Collection is a beautiful addition to the already popular range of 2 and 4 sided liners, swaddles, blankets and toys, making BreathableBaby is the perfect choice for any nursery theme or decor. For more information, contact rhsalesandmarketing@gmail.com www.breathablebaby.com

H&Co secure 2 shortlist places in Junior Design Awards 2014 H&Co are proud to enter this year’s shortlist for the Junior Design Awards 2014. The Angelcare Soft-Touch Bath Support is nominated for Most Innovative Parenting Product and the Ameda Purely Yours Una Single Electric Breast Pump has made the Best Feeding Product category. The Junior brand has always showcased the very best in beautifully designed, exquisitely crafted products and lifestyle brands for the discerning and style conscious parent. For the past three years, the annual Junior Design Awards have been recognised by major retailers as a sign of excellent quality. The Junior Design Awards Team were inundated with plenty of fantastic entries, and H&Co are excited to have been shortlisted

within these two categories. Julie Ebrey, Managing Director at Hardenberg&Co says, “We’re really proud to have been short-listed within these categories in such a strong awards programme. It makes it extremely satisfying! All our products are launched because they have real value and great benefit to the parent and baby but we also like to ensure that we’re providing good quality stylish products for the modern day parent. It’s so important for us to offer parents products that fit into their contemporary lifestyle and also their home too. We’re keeping our fingers crossed and looking forward to hearing the results.” Web: hardenbergco.co.uk

Hy-Pro Launches TV Campaign for Rollers It’s official! Rollers by Zinc, Hy-Pro’s new innovative pre-school brand will be supported by a fun and engaging TV campaign. The campaign began on the 15th September, running for 2 weeks with a second burst hitting TV screens on 24th November for 4 weeks in the build up to Christmas. Ride ons within the Rollers range are designed to be a toddler’s first wheeled toy perfect for developing balance and co-ordination. The Rollers R1 cleverly transforms from a trike to a tri-scooter and the R2 converts from a balance bike to an inline scooter. Both the Rollers R1 and R2 will be featured in the 20 second TV ad and will have a reach of over 2million impacts

throughout the 6 weeks; targeting housewives with children on ITV’s Day Break and Channel 5’s Milkshake. Ying Pickavance, Senior Category & Brand manager at Hy-Pro said “Working on the Rollers TV ad has been fun! Our aim is to build brand awareness with our consumers hopefully resulting in strong Q4 sales we’re all extremely excited to see the results” The TV ad will be supported by full marketing activities, it’s not too late to join us and be involved within the excitement for 2014. For more details regarding Rollers call Hy-Pro on 01582 670 100, email ying@hy-pro.co.uk or visit the www. rollersworld.co.uk

NEWS

sponsored by hardenbergco.co.uk 01785 503 305

The Gro Company launches Teaser campaign The Gro Company has launched an intriguing campaign via social media to announce the launch of its exciting new product. The teaser video shows real life mums, dads and grandparents guessing as to what the product could be. Having only been shown the logo and an image, they have some interesting clues for Gro fans as to what it might be. The video is the start of a major marketing campaign, the new product is set to be one of the biggest launches in the nursery industry this year. If you can’t wait to find out what the revolutionary new product is - watch this space! View the video and watch the countdown to launch at www.facebook.com/ thegrocompany

Parents urged to do research and not compromise on price before buying a car seat Maxi-Cosi – one of leading innovators in child car seat safety - is urging parents to do their research and not compromise on price when it comes to buying a car seat. The call comes as the BBC reports that UK Trading Standards officers have uncovered a trade in dangerous car seats being sold online. Trading Standards have thus far found people selling car seats in Surrey and Yorkshire that, when tested, fell apart on impact and “failed all the relevant rules”. Andrew Ratcliffe, Managing Director of Maxi-Cosi UK, said: “Buying a car seat is one of the most important purchases a parent will ever make.

“It is therefore vital that parents and parentsto-be thoroughly research the car seat market and realistic options available to them before making a purchase. “The best car seat manufacturers offer a wide range of affordable options, but the best car seat is ultimately one that offers safety, fits your child, fits your car and is easy to install and to use.” Maxi-Cosi itself recently launched a Car Seat Advisory Tool to help parents select the best and safest car seat for their child. The easy-touse tool can be found on the Maxi-Cosi website at www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/gb-en/#wizard/carseat-advisory-tool.

Edward Owen joins Cosatto Cosatto welcomes former journalist and editor Edward Owen as their new PR Executive, replacing Nancy Fielden, who has left the company. Edward will be responsible for press relations for the Farnworth-based firm, will handle media enquiries and will look to ensure Cosatto and their mission to save the world from boring baby stuff is as wellknown as possible. As a trained NCTJ-standard journalist, Edward will apply his rigorous attention to detail, keen eye for trends and ability to create quality copy to make sure Cosatto’s brand message is as clear, concise and quirky as possible.

Filling a gap in the market NUTRANOVA ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF CREMANT HOLDINGS LTD Nutranova Ltd., a holding company formed by three individuals from the nutrition industry announces that it has acquired baby health products company Cremant Holdings Ltd. (trading as Bickiepegs) – the home of BICKIEPEGS and DOIDY brands. Following 18 years of successful owner-management of Bickiepegs, Tony and Hazel Cowan decided it was time to retire and spend more time with their family. The business will continue to operate from the premises in Aberdeenshire which houses the purpose built bakery in which Bickiepegs are hand-made daily. Christopher Blincoe, the new Managing Director commented “I would like to wish Tony and Hazel much happiness in their retirement and thank them for their tireless commitment in building such a strong and loyal following of the brands with opinion leaders in the health profession. “We look forward to building on their solid foundations and we are very excited for the future development of the Bickiepegs and Doidy brands in the U.K. and overseas markets.” Tony Cowan added “It was very important to us that the business continued with the same family values and ethics as we have instilled over the last 18 years. Chris and his colleagues’ background in branded health products means they are best placed to do this.” Tel: 01224-790626 Web: www.bickiepegs.co.uk

10 nursery today

KDBC Furniture (Cots & Cot Beds) is the new kid on the block; Gordon Downie, who heads up this business isn’t so new, having worked in this sector since 2008, Gordon has taken the plunge to bridge a gap that he believes exists in the Nursery market for quality, Entry Price Point product. Competing in this sector is tough and highly competitive but at the same time, lucrative if you get the buying right and that’s where Gordon and KDBC believe their offer fills a gap in the market. The business model is simple; keep overheads as low as possible, pass those savings on to you and provide a quality product at a very competitive price. The company specifically target customers who want the benefits of a DPP / FOB Programme but either don’t want to or don’t have the resource to do what is required themselves. They take care of everything - you just have to receive delivery. Order requirements are simple; 100 pieces of an item and the minimum order is 400 or 800 (mixed SKU’s). In return, KDBC offer very competitive prices and they keep their trading terms simple too. For more information, email Gordon at gordon@kdbc.co.uk or call him directly on 07799 068221.

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BPA Notice Board Two shows, two continents and multiple orders The Baby Products Association has just concluded the busiest month of its year hosting UK Pavilions at two significant international shows – ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas and Kind und Jugend in Cologne.

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Now in its sixth Kind Und Jugend

year, the UK Pavilion at Kind und Jugend was the biggest ever covering a ABC Kids Expo This is the second year that members joined forces at the USA show and whilst the clash of dates with Kind und Jugend affected the number of attendees, all of the participants reported a hugely successful event. ABC Kids Expo places exhibitors before a very different buying audience to European shows, with a significant visitor presence from not only North American regions but diverse areas of South America and Canada too. Simon Anslow, UK Pavilion coordinator at the show, commented: “All participants reported excellent results and some stands were incredibly busy for the entire duration gaining a large number of orders, distributor deals and for one company, a potentially lucrative licensing agreement too. “The BPA networking event was well attended and welcomed a number of other UK companies exhibiting outside of the UK Pavilion which expressed an interest in joining the BPA group next year, as well as 14 nursery today

staggering 2,500 square metres with more than 65 exhibitors participating

a number of high profile buyers.” Now in its sixth year, the UK Pavilion at Kind und Jugend was the biggest ever covering a staggering 2,500 square metres with more than 65 exhibitors participating. Early feedback suggests an even busier show than 2013, with an average of 70 potential leads taken by each company. The UK Pavilion was hosted by Robert Anslow, BPA managing director, and Julie James, BPA membership and technical support manager and organised by Adrian Sneyd who remarks: “Each year since the BPA’s first participation at Kind und Jugend in 2009, we believe that the UK Pavilion has reached its limit in terms of size and exhibitor numbers – and then it surpasses all expectations yet again. This year is no exception and the scale of the ‘British community’ was impressive to say the least.” The UK Pavilion coffee and networking arena, sponsored by Emma’s Diary, buzzed with activity as exhibitors met with buyers to discuss business and housed two informative seminars by leading market research company GFK. It also provided the venue for the hugely popular networking event which took place on the first evening of the show. Adrian continues: “With the majority of participants planning to return again next year and numerous enquiries from new companies wanting to jump on board in 2015, we can only speculate continued growth of the UK Pavilion at Kind und Jugend in the future.” Hannah Batham of Belt Upp was delighted with her experience, stating: “We felt that the whole thing was not only organised by the BPA perfectly, but the UK Pavilion looked brilliant and really did show the rest of the world what we are made of ! Great job, well done to everyone involved.”

New Market Surveillance Package explained The European Nursery Products Confederation (ENPC) gave an informative presentation at Kind und Jugend detailing the effect that the proposed new Market Surveillance Package will have on manufacturers and suppliers in the nursery sector throughout Europe. The Package includes a multiannual plan

for the surveillance of products in Europe with 20 proposed actions over the next three years which include proposals from the European Parliament and the Council on Consumer Product Safety and the Council on Market Surveillance. The objective of the new Consumer Product Safety Regulation (CPSR) is to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market whilst maintaining a high level of health, safety and consumer protection and to guarantee the protection of vulnerable consumers, in particular the young children that use our industry’s products. Distance selling, such as online sales, is included in the scope as well as second hand products re-entering the supply chain via commercial sales. Penalties for non-compliance with this revised Regulation include a fine of up to 10% of a company’s annual turnover. An ‘Indication of Origin’ has also been introduced and manufacturers will be required to indicate the origin in English only ‘made in (country)’ which is universally understood. This will reduce technical difficulties and burdens for SMEs as well as ensuring the safety warnings are easier for consumers to understand. Manufacturers will also have to ensure that products bear a type, batch or serial number identifying their products and improving traceability. The Commission will be required to draft black lists of companies which repeatedly infringe regulation safety rules and make this public. Under the Market Surveillance Regulation (MSR) a joint action has been submitted which calls for the European Commission to create and coordinate a Pan European Injuries Database within two years. Technical files containing the information regarding manufacturer, materials, testing, etc. must be kept for 10 years and be produced following a reasoned request from enforcement agencies. Also, the distinction between non-compliant products and products posing a risk has been introduced and it is believed this will prevent products that present no risk being reported on RAPEX, however, the amendment requiring RAPEX to only include products presenting a serious risk has not been adopted which may result in an increase in products reported here.

29th - 31st March 2015 Harrogate International Centre

The UK’s only international nursery industry trade show! “Harrogate International Nursery Fair is the perfect platform for us to showcase iCandy’s greatest British designed and engineered pushchairs to date. After another successful year at Harrogate, we effectively raised yet again iCandy’s brand awareness and attracted new business.”

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Focus Regular Sun,Retail SandProfi & Sea le

Get the personal touch at Annette’s This issue Penny Franks had the pleasure to speak with Annette Owles-Bryan, owner, Annette’s Pram and Nursery store in Walsall, West Midlands. Tell us a little about the store – how long have you been in business? I opened my store in October 1996 so am now about to celebrate my 18th birthday so cake and presents will be gratefully received. I started off very small just selling pre-loved baby clothes, holiday buggies and small nursery items, mainly bought from wholesalers. The range grew quickly and about five years ago the premises next door became vacant. This was the ideal timing for us to expand and enables me to ‘knock through’ and almost double the size of the shop. What would you say makes you stand out from any local competitor? Like most people reading this we all like to pride ourselves in our knowledge and

16 nursery today

service and I am a strong believer in the personal touch. I know a majority of my customers names, have pictures of their baby and often have them pop in for a chat – in fact, I am godmother to two of my little customers, I have attended many birthday parties and find that this makes my shop stand out from the larger stores.

the best, followed by first stage car seats as most customers want a compatible car seat with their stroller. The clothing department is not far behind as Christmas is coming and customers are forward planning.

recession that I would go high end and not stock cheaper products. It seems to have worked as I’m still here. I also favour brands that are more exclusive and not sold online - this makes the product more exclusive and drives customers in.

Do you have a particular ‘hero’ product at the moment? I have to say my hero product is the iCandy peach 3. It sits there beautifully on the fantastic stand provided by iCandy and cries out to my customers ‘take me home’. I have a lot to thank iCandy for.

Have you noticed any particular consumer buying trends over the course of the last year? I can’t honestly say I’ve not noticed any changes in buying trends other than people still want quality products and even though we were meant to be in recession they still spend well and my high end products are what people want

Which product category is performing exceptionally well at the moment for you? The wheeled goods are by far performing

How important are brands to you? Brands are very important to me. I source top quality and items I believe in. I made a conscious decision when people feared

You have a website – do you sell online at the moment? I have never sold online and have decided I never will. I enjoy meeting my customers and offering good old fashioned service. I also don’t want the headache that goes with it. I can always get more business when they come to store and see what we do - they often come in looking at a particular pram to order and go out with a bedroom set, bedding, and loads of little extras usually telling all their friends and family they have found “this lovely little shop full of goodies”. There will always

be the internet buyer but I really believe the genuine customer still wants to buy from the little independent pram shop. I’ve seen a few big internet stores fall during my time and I’m quite proud I’m still here without having to sell online. What about social media – how important is this to you as a company? I work really hard on my social media presence. It can be a pain when you get a message at 11pm on a Saturday night and being me I just can’t help but reply, but it’s really benefited my business even though the 6000+ followers think I’m open 24/7 to answer questions, but I get them back by bombarding their newsfeed with pictures - but joking apart it’s driven so much business my way - it’s an amazing tool.

with all of them. As a small independent I invest lots of money to display products. I’ve always said it would help if we could have shop floor stock really cheap or even FOC and I have refused to stock some brands as they insist on minimum shop floor models and this is a massive investment. I have just taken on a new brand and am delighted to say I haven’t had to invest a penny and I’ll get a lovely stand full of stock - I’ll certainly be pushing these products.

You offer a wealth of nursery items to your customers, how do you decide on your product offering? It’s always so difficult to decide what to stock because it’s such a huge outlay and sometimes a risk. I research and favour products that aren’t sold everywhere , ask others in the industry, watch Facebook pages, but usually just use my gut I’m proud to say I haven’t made many mistakes along the way and as I’ve got more experienced I know what I will sell and what I won’t...and with a little bit of passion and enthusiasm you can’t go wrong!

How important are trade shows to you? What will be your ‘must attend’ shows? I have just returned from my first visit to Cologne - a show I had threatened to attend for years, so bit the bullet this year and attended and I have to say I’m so glad I went. I saw products well before launch at Harrogate, opened some great accounts, attended some great parties (gate crashing most of them!!) and experiencing what the big brother house would feel like as I spent 4 nights with 6 NSG members in a beautiful house (you know who you are!) . I always attend Harrogate and wouldn’t miss it in fact I’ve booked my room at the Majestic this week – looking forward to seeing you all there! I find the shows essential if you want to keep on top of trends, new products and the very important networking (ok drinking!)

What about support from your suppliers, could they do anything more to assist? I choose my suppliers carefully. I insist on excellent after sales as it’s my business that suffers if their service is poor, but I treat my suppliers with the respect I would expect myself and have good relationships

And finally, what about the future – do you have any expansion plans on the horizon? I’m quite happy with my business as it is. My only plan for the future is to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully be able to answer your questions again in another 18 years!

Pic courtesy of East Coast Nursery

Focus Furniture & Decor

Assistant editor Caroline Eyles speaks with some of the industry’s finest regarding the trends and habits of consumers when it comes to furnishing and decorating their baby’s nursery

A parental need to nest N esting is an important part of the process for all new parents preparing for their little one to be born. This largely includes decorating the nursery with their favourite theme or licensed character in their preparations and also ensuring they have all the necessary furniture in place from cots through to changers. But what are the vital ingredients consumers are looking for when it comes to filling a room for an infant, particularly when nowadays the baby might share the room with the mother for the first six months thanks to co-sleeping.

Rebecca Sykes of The Baby Barn based in Birmingham reveals: “Furniture continues to sell well. We only have room to display the matching cot beds, but that seems enough for customers to see the colour, quality and finish.” Janice Cleary, Head of EU Marcoms at TOMY comments: “Setting up the nursery for baby is always an exciting task for any parent and the theme sets the scene for babies first memories, the place they associate with calm and comfort. Trends are often determined by the popular licensed characters of the day. Winnie the Pooh though is one of those characters that has stood the test of time and is loved by parents of all generations and continues to be a popular choice when it comes to nursery furnishings.” With parents manifesting their nesting needs into spending, matching furniture sets remain a popular choice, not to mention the fairly new trend that continues to grow which is the cot bed and provides longevity and terrific value for money. 18 nursery today

Jane Daubney, UK Marketing Manager at Boori comments: “We have seen sales of room sets grow over the past year. Our consumers tell us they are looking to invest in quality products that offer value for money. We’ve seen this with the amazing sales of our Eton Convertible Plus cot to double bed, sales have far exceeded expectation, consumers like the idea of their initial investment lasting way beyond babyhood.” Style will always remain important for a sector such as this, since a baby’s first room holds so many memories and is the first place of learning for any infant; the images first experienced as a baby will remain with them forever. And it’s not just the furniture, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if a parent buys into a furniture set, its likely an bedding set will appeal in the same way too. Mike Chapman, East Coast Group Sales Director comments: “Nursery furniture continues to be a very strong sector with many consumers buying into the full range, comprising cotbed , dresser and wardrobe. This trend also enables us to capitalise on our Silvercloud bedding ranges of Counting Sheep, Winnie the Pooh and Tiny Tatty Teddy.” Jane Daubney, UK Marketing Manager at Boori adds: “Our research tells us that style is also important, consumers want their nursery to reflect their own personal style and enhance their homes. We’ve taken this on board and will be producing not only traditional designs but more contemporary styles to meet their expectations.” With an interesting experience and perspective on consumer habits and how they spend, Independent Retailer Rebecca Sykes of The Baby Barn based in Birmingham reveals: “Furniture continues to sell well. We only have room to display the matching cot beds, but that seems enough for customers to see the colour, quality and finish. Antique Pine is definitely out, but it seems most manufacturers are managing to sell the same product, but renaming it “Country” which makes it acceptable! Oak or Oak finishes are popular as customers think that this is a more

sophisticated choice than Pine. White has also become very popular since the demise of pine.” Steve Clint, independent retailer of Baby Wonderland based in Yorkshire also gives us an insight into his experience

“Our research tells us that style is important - consumers want their nursery to reflect their own personal style and enhance their homes.” Jane Daubney, Boori

with consumers, he says: “In the current year we have seen a marked increase in our “three piece furniture set” sales. The Babystyle Bordeaux range is as popular as ever, with Silver Cross sales also on the up! There is no doubt that when displaying the furniture, (if you have the space), then trying to create the look of a nursery with beautiful bedding and decor certainly helps to encourage consumers to add the additional items to their order. Hopefully the increase in high-ticket purchases including nursery furniture, is an indication that consumer confidence is certainly returning.” But matching furniture sets are not the only thing found in a child’s new nursery. Aside from the larger items parents are on the look out for, the nursery will comprise of a changing table or top that sits on the cot, a storage cupboard for clothes, décor, lighting solutions, monitors, cot mobiles and lots more! It is a category that can spread as far and wide as the retailer who is stocking the products likes, ensuring that you are catering for every creative ‘nesting’ need for the consumer and lifestyle need for the infant. With regard to accessories and décor, it can be a great additional footfall generator since customers will want the complete “look” which will then likely lead to further purchases including bedding and matching accessories, thus contributing to a bigger sale for you!

Create your perfect little room Introducing Littledale, our beautiful furniture collection which adapts from baby to toddler and beyond. This 4-piece collection featuring solid wood is designed to stand the test of time, as it changes with your little oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life stages. Included in the collection is: Cot/toddler bed, changing unit, full height wardrobe and single bed.

For more details about Littledale from Little House Furniture visit www.littlehousefurniture.co.uk

Focus Furniture & Decor

The Little Green Sheep East Coast Nursery SSSS Scandinavian style remains as popular as ever, and it’s perfect for a nursery – the calm neutral tones and simple objects create a soothing, restful environment for baby. The Fontana furniture range from East Coast features a distinctive washed-wood effect, making it the perfect addition to a Scandi-style nursery. Adding Silvercloud Counting Sheep white/grey bedding, and some simple prints on the wall to complete the look. The Fontana range is sold as a complete roomset, and offers exceptional value. The Cot Bed converts easily from a cot to a toddler bed, which includes additional side rails to help retain the mattress for extra support. The Dresser includes an integral changing area and three deep drawers, with simple handles to complement the washed-wood finish and clean lines. The Wardrobe provides plenty of storage space, with a full-width hanging rail and two internal shelves to keep baby’s clothes beautifully organised. For more information and pricing, please contact East Coast Nursery.

SSSS

The Little Green Sheep are experts when it comes to mattresses. Their enviable range is entirely chemical free and breathable, ensuring all little ones get the best sleep from day one. The whole collection is extremely popular but it seems there is one mattress that outsells all the rest, because not only is it 100% natural but it is also completely innovative and a very worthwhile investment. The Twist Natural Mattress is super clever because it transforms in two different ways. Small babies need firm and flat support whilst they sleep, and that’s exactly what one side of the Twist offers. As they grow into toddlers, they no longer need their mattress to be firm. Simply Twist the mattress to provide supple and springy comfort for toddlers and young children up to the age of 7 years! The whole range has been designed to give the best support and sleep environment for baby and child. Made from natural materials including organic wool, coconut coir and natural cotton there is a mattress to suit every bed shape and size so parents can be assured that their little one is getting the best night’s sleep possible.

Tel: 01386 791049 Web: www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk

Tel: 01692 408802 Web: www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Chicco TTTT Next2Me (RRP £149.99) is the Chicco crib that allows you to sleep closer to your child. With the Next2Me crib, your child can safely sleep in their crib while you can rest next to them, meaning your bond will grow stronger and your nights will be more peaceful. With the cribs’ simple and safe fastening system you can be confident that the crib will remain securely fitted to your bed. In addition, the adjustable height means that the crib can be adapted to suit whichever sleeping height you are happy with. It even adapts to beds with drawers underneath thanks to the articulated feet. Next2Me comes with a padded mattress included, so your child can have a cozy and comfortable nights’ sleep, and as they grow up the crib can progressively transform into a four-sided unit, which can then be moved gradually into a child’s separate bedroom. Next2Me is also a travel cot, easy to assemble and disassemble, and comes with a practical bag for storage and transportation. The crib comes in an elegant dove grey, suitable for every bedroom.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Obaby

SSSS

Obaby’s beautiful B is for Bear furniture and decor range makes the perfect bedtime companion to any child’s first nursery. The comprehensive collection offers parents a wide selection of wooden pieces such as a deluxe cot bed with the option of a large under drawer, double and single wardobes, open and closed changing units and a choice of gliding cribs to soothe your baby as they drift off to sleep. Each option is adorned with adorable engravings of Obaby’s exlusive teddy bear motif and all pieces are available in two colours (Country pine or white with a pine trim) to cater to a range of aesthetic tastes. Alongside this is a co-ordinating selection of accessories and bedding including patchwork quilt and bumpers and cosy sleeping bags in a choice of sizes, a super plush appliqué fleece blanket, a moses basket with embroidered bedding, a soft to the touch hooded towel and an adorable musical mobile with tiny furry bears to sing little one to sleep. Each of these are in a choice of white, cream, blue or pink - so whether boy, girl or even a surprise on the big day, all parents can find the perfect B is for Bear nursery.

Tel: 0845 078 0290 Web: www.obaby.co.uk

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mi Co ng n soo

Provence â&#x201E;˘

Convertible Plus

Converts to

Toddler bed

Double bed plus Sofa

â&#x201E;˘

Convertible Plus

Convertible Plus is our evolution of Convertible which, after the toddler bed is outgrown, allows for the ultimate in flexibility by converting to both a comfy adult sofa plus full size double bed at the same time!

Elegantly chic The charming elegance of this French inspired collection will give a touch of subtle sophistication to any nursery

www.boori.co.uk

Available in:

Ivory & Honey

Ivory

Delivering dreams

Focus Furniture & Decor

Maguari WWWW The BabyZoo Cordless Wall Light from Maguari offers a reassuring night light for children, while providing stylish, fun decoration for the nursery at the same time. Comprising a timer-based wireless light placed among a beautiful set of wall decals, the Cordless Wall Light comes in a choice of two soothing scenes featuring Mumbo the elephant or Momo the monkey. The stickers can be placed around the Mumbo Wall Light in a variety of ways, either depicting the sun shining above Mumbo on the elephant plains and a swing hanging from the tree, or the Light can become a hot air balloon sailing over Mumbo and the landscape. With the Momo Wall Light, kids will love to see Momo the monkey happily swinging from his leafy branch. The auto shut-off function gives little ones 30 minutes of soft glowing comfort while they fall asleep, and parents can easily turn on the Wall Light when checking on the child by simply pushing the light. The BabyZoo Cordless Wall Light is easy to install and uses low-energy consuming LEDs, giving long-lasting battery life.

Tel: 01293 774924

Tiny Tatty Teddy SSSS East Coast Nursery are proud to be working with Carte Blanche Group, supplying gorgeous nursery furniture featuring Tiny Tatty Teddy. The Cute As A Button range includes a Cot Bed and Dresser, in a stylish combination of white and grey finishes. The contemporary colours complement the simple lines of the furniture, allowing the print of the adorable blue-nosed bear to take centre stage. Add simple white bedding, or even better choose Tiny Tatty Teddy bedding and accessories for a complete themed nursery! The Cot Bed features adjustable base heights, teething rails, and a super-cute print on the footboard. It converts easily into a toddler bed, making it a wonderful long-lasting centrepiece for the nursery. The matching Dresser has a removable changing frame, and includes two drawers and two open compartments to store all the changing essentials. Tiny Tatty Teddy nursery products are extremely popular, particularly appealing to parents who have loved the character since their own childhood. The complete Tiny Tatty Teddy range from East Coast includes bedding, bath, travel, and nursery accessories.

Tel: 01692 408802

Web: www.maguari.com

Web: www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Product Profile

Little House Furniture The Littledale Collection Littledale is a beautiful furniture range that caters for baby, toddler, children and beyond.

here are four pieces in the Littledale range all made from painted board and solid wood, with a tongue and groove detail on the doors and drawer fronts. Let’s start with the cot bed. The bed base can be set to three separate height levels, depending on the age of your baby. Once your child reaches toddler age, you can remove the cot sides, split one of the ends and using the bed sides provided, change the cot into a toddler bed. Next is the changing unit, featuring three deep drawers and a removable changer adaptor kit. Once your baby doesn’t need changing, you can remove the changing rails and you have a chest of drawers that can be used from in any room in the home.

22 nursery today

The wardrobe is a full height unit with double doors and a deep base drawer. The shelves and hanging rails inside can be removed or adjusted to allow your hanging and storage space to grow with your child. Finally, there is the single bed. A perfect addition to the range that can be used in a childrens or guest room along with the chest of drawers and wardrobe. All products are fully tested to British safety standards. The product is in stock and is available on a customer drop ship basis with an assembly service if required.

Web : www.littlehousefurniture.co.uk

Next2me and Boppy

your best friends for bonding together Chicco Next2me is the original side-sleeping crib with a practical fold-down side that allows you to feed your baby while lying comfortably in your bed. Pair this with Boppy, the hug-shaped pillow that provides a soft and cosy embrace for baby during feeding. Feeding Time isn’t just about giving baby essential nutrients during their first months; it’s about strengthening the bond between mother and baby. And we think that’s beautiful.

CRIB

TRAVEL COT

6 different height positions

Adaptable to any bed frame

Feeding support

A nest to relax

To train moving

Learning to sit

Inclinable, help with congestion and reflux

Next 2 me includes a practical travel bag, to be easily stored and transported

Happiness is a journey that starts when you’re a baby.

w w w.c h icco.co.uk

For information on these products, contact us at orders.uk@artsana.com, or please call 01623 750870

Focus Furniture & Decor

A Brand for Life Evolution, by its very nature, is the continuous development and improvement of something to best suit its environment

oori’s design teams in Australia, Europe and Asia incorporate the best in contemporary trends and classic heritage, drawing on the best influences from around the world. Once a design has been approved by Boori’s local marketing teams it goes into the Boori factory and prototypes are made. These are then refined and tested, once they are 100% perfect and pass, and in many cases surpass safety standards, the product goes into production. The Boori team are experts in selecting specific wood types with ideal characteristics for any given design and

Boori’s refining process is a true labour of love. They’ve adopted state-of-the-art technology to optimise the use of sustainably sourced high grade timbers then their passionate craftsman shape and sand each individual piece that goes into Boori furniture they endeavour to give every product they create additional features, building in versatility and longevity, Boori is a true ‘Brand for Life’. Boori’s refining process is a true labour of love. They’ve adopted state-of-the-art technology to optimise the use of sustainably sourced high grade timbers then their passionate craftsman shape and sand each individual piece that goes into Boori furniture. It’s their own blend of hand and machine sanding and refining that ensures that every piece is 24 nursery today

the best it can be every time. Boori’s flawlessly smooth texture and signature rich depth of colour is born of their unique, multi-stage finishing process. Their skilled craftsmen sand between each multiple layer of colour – building a deep, durable finish that will stand the test of time. Boori’s stringent commitment to optimum indoor air quality is upheld at every stage of their production and finishing processes. This has been rewarded by Greenguard awarding them their highest ‘Gold’ level of accreditation for all Boori’s collections – a first for nursery furniture. Boori continually strive to evolve everything they create to be as flexible and as useful as possible - providing added value and versatility as standard. That’s why they’ve developed ‘Convertible Plus™ a patent pending system that allows for the cot bed to be converted to a Sofa AND an adult double bed simultaneously. Their Convertible Plus™ cot beds cover every stage of a child’s development, offering modes for newborn, to toddler, to adult. Their commitment to developing pioneering innovations, that extend the life and usability of their products, has ensured they continue to create technologies that grow with a child.

Cot beds All Boori cot beds convert to toddler beds to ensure a safe and comfortable sleeping environment for a child until they’re ready for a single bed. Depending on the style, some of their cot beds are suitable for use as a sofa too – look out for those with a ‘sofa’ symbol.

Transformer Transformer cot beds can be converted to a choice of single bed designs without the

need for additional conversion kits – everything needed is included and integrated into the cot bed design.

Expandable Boori’s Expandable conversion technology cleverly allows for the cot bed to be expanded to a single bed, with the addition of a conversion kit, once the toddler bed mode is outgrown. Of course, being a Boori, it can be converted to a sofa too.

Convertible Plus Convertible Plus is Boori’s evolution of Convertible which, after the toddler bed is outgrown, allows for the ultimate in flexibility by converting to both a comfy adult sofa plus full size double bed at the same time. A nursery isn’t just about somewhere to sleep. Somewhere to store clothes, bedding and other baby necessities is essential, so all Boori cot beds come with a range of coordinating furniture. Again flexibility and longevity have been built into Boori’s furniture ranges. Dressers with deep roomy drawers that double up as changing units then convert to chests of drawers when baby outgrows changing, bookcases that are at home on the floor or added to a dresser and toy boxes that convert to bedside cabinets. When a consumer invests in a Boori nursery they are investing in their child’s future bedroom, furniture that won’t look out of place in a teenager’s room. To find out more about Boori contact Gary Anderson, UK sales director, gary@boori.co.uk or Jane Daubney, UK marketing manager, jane@boori.co.uk

Gary Leadston

A unique little bear with a blue nose and a warm heart • Tiny Tatty Teddy is warm, caring and endearingly irresistible - all wrapped up in one cute bundle Including travel accessories and furniture

• A unique, safe, neutral nursery solution for parents of boys and girls • A natural choice for Mums who have grown up with Me to You

See the full collection at Kind + Jugend Hall 11.1 Stand C069A

NEW ranges available now

NEW range available now

To ﬁnd out more, please call 01243 792600 or email info@cbg.co.uk cbg.co.uk

TTT_Nursery_Today_Ad_Sep14.indd 15/08/2014 16:37 - 1 -

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@CarteBlancheGrp

Focus Furniture & Decor

Obaby XXXX

SnüzPod XXXX

You can now bring home the magic of Disney with Obaby’s exclusive collection of furniture and bedding. The licensed nursery collection allows parents to furnish little one’s room with Disney’s most loveable bear, Winnie the Pooh. The range includes a luxurious deluxe cot bed, a choice of wardrobes (Double or single), open and closed changing units and also a selection of gliding cribs, all lovingly adorned with baby’s favorite bear. Each product is available in Obaby’s classic country pine, while the white with a pine trim versions give the option for a more modern theme, meaning Winnie the Pooh has a place in any nursery. Also available is a complimenting range of bedding and accessories, which act as the perfect finishing touch to any tot’s room. The selection includes adorable patchwork quilt and bumper sets for either cot or crib, a choice of cosy sleeping bags in 0-6 or 6-18 months, a soft to the touch fleece blanket, a hooded towel and a high quality wicker moses basket with decorative white bedding. All items are appliquéd with a range of Winnie the Pooh character designs, and the variety of colours and motifs means a wide choice for those with Disney in mind.

The SnüzPod Bedside Crib has recently been voted best bedside crib in a leading magazine for the second time running. This is reflected in the continued growth in sales and the recent promotion has been a phenomenal success with all stockists running the offer of natural SnüzPod and mattress for RRP£179.95, saving £40. The award winning SnüzPod from The Little Green Sheep is the perfect 3-in-1 sleep solution for all parents who want to keep their baby close by. This innovative bedside crib allows parents to easily comfort, settle and feed baby without having to leave the bed, helping build a close bond and ensure both parent and baby have the very best night’s sleep. It attaches to the bed, and the fourth wall can be unzipped during the night to allow instant access to baby. With a unique 3 in 1 design the SnüzPod can be used as a bedside crib, removable bassinet and stand-alone crib. It is also larger than a traditional moses basket and so is suitable for babies up to 6 months. In addition it features The Little Green Sheep natural chemical free mattress which gives baby the best firm support and natural sleep environment.

Tel: 0845 078 0290

Tel: 01386 791049

Web: www.obaby.co.uk

Web: www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk

Product Profile

Travel made easy by MaByLand MaByLand’s innovation continues to thrive, from their MATchel BANTA winner in 2012, they have now showcased an exclusive and unique product, the “Travel Changing Bed” at Kind & Jugend last month, and it was a big hit with many countries!

he unique feature of this product is clear from the name, it transforms from a simple changing bag to a travel bed for your baby in minutes! It is lightweight, ideal for travelling to either hotels or relatives, especially for those who like to lose the bulk and heaviness of a travel cot or if they are travelling by air. A perfect solution for any type of journey. The bag itself is spacious, just like any of the MaByLand Changing bag range, and it will fit all the daily essentials. It features a very soft and padded mat for baby’s head and 26 nursery today

back support, with a duvet-like feel, creating a snug and comfort sleeping environment for them, wherever they may be. A mosquito net cover is also included, for when you are travelling to exotic far flung lands and to fend off any type of small insect. It has undergone and passed a rigorous list of safety testing, including both EN71-1 and EN1466. The travel changing bed will be available soon in late autumn, for more details please contact them below.

Web: www.mabyland.com Email: enquiries@mabyland.com Tel: 0208 8790080

Your Baby Deserves More... 5 Stars reviews # 1 Best Seller (cots)

Trusted Brand Mother & Baby Awards 2015 Best Cot short list Extra 10% off ﬁrst trade order

Eva Sleigh Cot Bed Dropside With Drawer

Aston Cot Bed

Bel Sleigh Cot Bed Dropside with Drawer

Design • Quality • Safety Tel: 020 3475 5588 Email:Sales@babymore.co.uk Web: www.babymore.co.uk

Focus Furniture & Decor

BreathableBaby

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When it comes to cot bumpers, the amount of controversy can be very confusing to new parents. We all know cot bumpers look great and they do a job - protecting your baby against bumps and bruises, as well as preventing entrapment of limbs between bars of a cot bed. However, many health professionals advise against the use of cot bumpers due to concerns with overheating and suffocation leaving worried parents at a loss on how best to protect baby with their baby bedding choices. The BreathableBaby Cot Liner is made from a soft mesh fabric and utilises a patented 3D cellular ‘breathable’ core which allows maximum air flow inside fabrics and cannot be compressed. This technical fabric helps to allow temperature regulation and eliminates the risk of suffocation and re-breathing of air. This 3D technology means that as well as being breathable, the liners are cushioned offering parents the much sought after extra protection from knocks and bumps, and keeps babies limbs safely within the cot bed. Plus the beautiful designs and range of colours and themes ensure that a BreathableBaby cot liner is the perfect coordinating addition to any nursery decor. The traditional BreathableBaby cot liner is fully adjustable to use on standard cots and cot beds, as well as those with solid ends. It is also available in a smaller size which is designed specifically for solid ended cots and cot beds, both available in a range of Mix & Match colours and fashions To complement this, BreathableBaby now offer coordinating baby bedding. Super Dry fitted sheets , Swaddles, baby Blankets and Toys all of which utilise the same breathable technology and use fabrics similar to technical sports materials which allow air flow and help to keep baby comfortable , dry and at just the right temperature .

Email: Rachelle.harel@breathablebaby.com

Suncrest & Fun to See WWWW Suncrest & Fun to See are delighted to announce a partnership with Baby Base wholesale, Baby Base will be exclusively distributing their infant bedding and decor to the Baby and Nursery trade from 3rd November 2014. Suncrest & Fun to See has an established UK and international business dating back over 20 years. They attribute their success to date largely to their ability to create and deliver a nursery haven for both parents and infants. With beautifully designed, fully co-ordinating ranges including quilts, bumpers, sheets, blankets, nappy stackers, mobiles, toy boxes, wall stickers and soft toys over a fabulous range of colour ways, Suncrest & Fun to See have perfectly understood a new parent’s ‘special purchase’ and provided a means to fulfil this. Baby Base offers an easy to use website for independent retailers that prefer to buy in smaller quantities, retailers can preview and buy stock online for next day delivery with minimum carriage paid orders at just £300. For more information about Baby Base simply register at www.babybase.co.uk

Web: www.babybase.co.uk

28 nursery today

Cosatto XXXX You’ve never heard a bedtime story like it. Cosatto’s Story 3 in 1 cot bed makes a bold statement in any baby space. From cot to junior bed to sofa, Story’s chapters are endless. Design-savvy parents love this glossy go-to with heirloom quality. Give them their statement friend for life. Today’s consumer wants it all. Look no further. No need to buy separate cot, junior bed, sofa or even changer with this happy heirloom. With cot-top changer on the deck and space-saving storage drawer for teddy stowaways and stuff, Story’s their handy happy-ever-after. Story’s a clever cubbyhole with storage that’s tidy-up tempting for tots. With 3 mattress heights and safety-teething rails, Story makes things simple. These glossy chunks of cool with bedhead buddies make bedtime less of a chore for even the most stubborn sleepyheads. Gotta love giant retro toys that little one can snooze in. Story’s two colourways tell a trendsetting tale. Babushka is full of folksy flair and My Robot is a giant yellow snoozeship. Shhh! Keep ‘em peeled for the new ultra fresh colourway for SS15. It’s the ultimate new-season nest. Story fits Cosatto cot bed mattresses. Always ensure customers order the correct size for a perfect fit.

Tel: 0871 977 3900 Web: www.cosatto.com

Babymore

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Babymore is a British company based in Essex who strive to produce the best possible quality products that redefine the nursery. They are passionate about creating products that enhance family life – superb nursery furniture produced using quality material, coupled with superb workmanship. Innovation never ends at Babymore. They continue to expand the range and offer premium features with inspirational style. All Babymore products are made using sustainable wood wherever possible. They are experts in sourcing specific wood that carry the characteristics to ensure longevity and durability. Each Babymore product is uniquely crafted by their specialists teams who have over 12 years experience manufacturing quality nursery furniture that combine traditional techniques with state-of –the-art functionality – allowing them to achieve the highest quality throughout. With proper care and assembly a Babymore product will be part of the family for years to come! If you are interested in becoming a Babymore stockist please email sales@babymore. co.uk for further information.

Tel: 020 3475 5588 Web: www.babymore.co.uk

Tiny Love Toys UK For more information: East Coast Nursery Tel: 01692 408802 www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Room to grow: How modlar Nursery decor provides far more than just environmental sustainability

hysical space is important to our Psychology. As adults, our relationship with light and space has a massive impact on our wellbeing. With a growing awareness of the health differences even between employees who sit next to windows, and employees who sit in the center of an office, we are starting to create spaces to support our wellbeing. But we are a bit late to the table: Long before it became an important consideration in European architecture, the Chinese practice of Feng-Shui oriented buildings in ways to ‘ground’ their inhabitants in connection to the universe. Perhaps what we’ve struggled to recognise is that the impact of ‘space’ on our development can be seen right from infancy. Vygotsky created the term “Zone of Proximal Development” to describe the difference between what a child was capable of doing independently at that time, and what they could potentially achieve with support: the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive ‘space’ within which children develop and gain confidence in new skills. Too large a ‘space’ threatens to overwhelm the infant and leave them uncertain and lacking in confidence; too small a ‘space’ tends to restrict the child’s development, leaving them behind their peers. If you look across the baby industry you can see numerous products aimed at providing infants with a gradual transition from the womb to the outside world. We swaddle, Wrap, babywear, and use moses baskets or bedside cribs to give our newborns a ‘space’ to feel safe in. Not too big, not too small.

30 nursery today

Written by: Dr Fin If you look across the baby industry you can see numerous products aimed at providing infants with a gradual transition from the womb to the outside world

When we move our babies into cots, and then rooms of their own, more often than not the nursery is the room closest to our own. This conscious and unconscious process is all about providing our children with room to grow and develop, safe near the ‘scaffold’ of parenting that will support them. Reflecting at Kind Und Jugend So, how apt it felt walking the halls of Kind Und Jugend this year, to find that our nursery furniture is literally creating the increasing space within which our children grow: Cots that transform into beds, and then sofas or work desks; coordinated ‘modules’ to buy at a later date that literally oversee the transition from rambunctious toddler to rowdy teenager; Cupboards that at once store clothes, and provide small play spaces in hidden holes around the structure. And my personal favourite from the future trend space: the Cot that transforms into a playhouse. But this trend represents more than just the physical development and change in our children. It reflects our social and cultural change. Fewer and fewer of us are owning our own homes when we become parents. Rather than invest in paint and wallpaper, we are starting to invest in the furniture that we will continue to love wherever we live; the furniture that even when it is serving as a desk for our older child, will still remind and ground us to the roots of the cot it once was, and the baby that slept within. It’s about sustainability. Financial, environmental, Psychological. Looking to the future it is probable that rather than accumulate economical flat-packed furniture, which survives maybe one move before the cheap chipboard fractures and gives up, we invest in more solid items. Items

made from natural materials that age and weather as we do; that tell their own story of development; that hold memories nearly as well as photographs. Investment pieces that - as in previous centuries - become heirlooms for our children. And their children. A good friend (and great designer) explained to me recently that there are many dimensions to good design: just as important as surface appearance, form and function, is the experience that an object provides. For me, the exciting future for nursery decor is not the cute surface prints that we can coordinate with bedding and soft furnishings, it’s not even really the pleasing curves that we have started to create to replace the traditional rectangular shapes of bedroom furniture; It’s the opportunity for furniture to reflect the stories, the experience, the memories, and the adaptations and evolutions of family life that really makes the difference. Any brand that starts to be able to tell that story will really be able to set themselves apart from their competitors. And if you need any help telling it…

Dr. Fin Williams is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Businesswoman and a mother. She is founder of Parent Perspectives Ltd: A company dedicated to supporting parents to discover and develop their own way of parenting – without the manual. Fin is able bring together the voice of the online parent community, and her expertise in Child Development and Psychology, to work alongside businesses who are really serious about developing their products and brand to nurture better relationships and engagement with consumers. You can contact her through the website at www. parent-perspectives.com, or at fin@parent-perspectives.com

one seat. birth to booster meet stagesâ&#x201E;˘ I grow from birth to 7 years because everything should last the entire journey. I face rearward up to 18kg because everything should simply make life easier. 0+/1

simply brilliant.

Available from Argos, Babiesplease R Us, Halfords, Kiddicare, Mothercare and808 all good nursery retailers. For all sales enquiries, contact Joie UK on: 01889 900independent or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Special Feature Retail Technology

Penguin, Panda and why Web Content Matters Written By David Fairhurst

If you are anything like me, then I’m guessing you have a pretty poor tolerance of spam (that’s the electronic variety, not the canned variety!) Unfortunately spam is all around us when we’re online, whether it’s spam emails filling up your inbox, keyword crammed web pages (designed to fool Google into ranking those pages highly, known as ‘web spam’) or linked external pages which seem to have been generated by a robot with no clue how to write English.

32 nursery today

hankfully we are not alone. If you’ve been keeping a watchful eye on what Google has been up to in the past few years, you’ll have noticed a growing intolerance of spam, both web spam and link spam, with the introduction and refinement of Google Panda and Google Penguin algorithms. These dedicated mathematical structures have been designed to weed out low quality web pages and irrelevant, low quality external links (referred to as ‘link spam’) with the aim of giving the very best, spam free search results to Google search engine users.

Google’s Summer of Penalties From mid-March 2014, Google has been handing out manual penalties to those websites which have been deemed to be utilising techniques which don’t fit in with their guidelines (search ‘google webmaster guidelines’ in Google, top result) and if you use Google Webmaster Tools you may have been unlucky enough to get a message from Google to the effect that pages have been penalised because of poor quality linking, or maybe you’ve noticed that rankings for competitive keyphrases have slipped in search results because of poor quality content. If you’ve been doing things properly and in line with Google’s guidelines, you’ve probably noticed that actually rankings are up, you’re getting more traffic and more sales as a result. Whether your website has been penalised or not, you should know that Google may be about to release a new update to its ranking algorithms based on manual penalty data, so that in future low quality content pages and low quality linking are automatically penalised. This means that it’s no longer safe to ignore the quality of your website’s content or the links that are pointing at your pages if you wish to rank well in Google.

Content is King (Again!) Many years ago, search engines utilised page content alone to rank web pages in search results, it was only when Google’s Larry Page put forward the idea of using interlinked pages as a ranking factor (so called ‘PageRank’) that the modern Google search engine was born. In these early days, the adage ‘Content is King’ spelled out what webmasters needed to do to rank pages in search results – write top quality, relevant text and you were sure to rank highly in search results. Unfortunately, using external linking as a ranking factor generated an opportunity (many would say a requirement) to generate lots of external links into pages in a site you wanted to promote, so you could say that Google actually created the need for both link and web spam – something Google now has been working to rectify. By enforcing webmaster guidelines, Google is now placing the emphasis on top quality, unique web content and relevant, trusted links from well trafficked websites – if the quality signals aren’t there then you are sure to be losing out on both traffic and sales.

correct and as lengthy as you can manage. Remember, you’re writing for real people, not search engines, so make it readable and relevant. On your website you perhaps have only one opportunity to impress. Users can easily flick to another website or back to Google’s search results so think of your web content as not only a tool to get people to your pages from Google but also as your one and only sales person once they get there. Top tip for retail websites would be to focus on product pages, as these provide the shortest route to that all important checkout page and the less clicks you have to the checkout, the more likely that users will go through the process. Remember that Google works on a ‘first past the post’ system, so the first person online with a piece of content (all other factors equal) wins, everyone else comes second. Retailers who therefore write their own, unique product descriptions and titles are far better placed to rank in Google than those who choose the quick and easy route of using the supplier’s description and title. Google really dislikes duplicate content, so just doing this drastically improves your chances of pulling in and converting sales.

Back to Basics Are external links still important for ranking in Google? Absolutely! But remember, Google is calling the shots here, so if you rely on Google for part of your website revenue then focus on promoting linking, not link building. To protect your website and business from Google’s ever changing requirements, it’s best to go back to basics and remember… what do you want to see in a website? If it’s interesting, relevant text as well as high quality images on pages which load quickly then you’re on the right lines. Focus on creating unique text for all the pages in your site and make sure this text is well written, factually

It’s Not All About Selling… Finally, remember that your website isn’t all about selling, it’s also a marketing tool for your physical shop, an information resource and a community… or it should be. Those businesses which do well online have one thing in common – they all provide free information and have social media as well as content policies which promotes returning custom. With this in mind, provide guides, videos, images and social media resources which back up what you are selling – this promotes a real community feel around your website and means that once you’ve made a sale from a website user it’s much easier to get a return sale.

David Fairhurst, Head of Creative Online Marketing, Intelligent Retail. David has been involved with Search Engine Optimisation and web development since 1999 and has spoken at many different retail and SEO conferences including Spring Fair and SES London. Tel: 0845 6800126

Turbo Touch Press down, Rev up

GO GO GO!

Safari Park R/C

Turbo Touch CRASH!

rs a Doo Rear window detaches for Remote Control

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Spare wheel hook-on Remote Control

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Introducing Chicco Turbo Team. Imagine being at the races, the sound of revving engines, fans screaming for their favourite cars! Designed to develop motor skills through emulation and imagination, Chicco Turbo Team presents a range of vehicles from press ‘n’ go to R/C (radio control) cars. Contact our team to explore the range!

Johnny Coupe R/C

Billy Big Wheels R/C Steering wheel for Remote Control

Happiness is a journey that starts when you’re a baby.

w w w.c h icco.co.uk

For information on these products, contact us at orders.uk@artsana.com, or please call 01623 750870

Pic courtesy of NUK

Focus Weaning

Food for thought Assistant Editor Caroline Eyles looks at the development process parents have to undertake when weaning their children onto solids

eaning is a crucial stage in a baby’s development, involving the introduction of new foods and in turn helping infants grow into healthy children. But how as retailers can we encourage a positive experience for both parents and babies? It is this first contact with food that can help to form life time habits, both good and bad, and a positive relationship with food. So it is a key market for us to support parents with the right products and merchandise that will set them up for success.

“Low cost, good quality and lovely product and packaging design is a hit with parents” Independent Retailer Rebecca Sykes from The Baby Barn Janice Cleary Head of EU Marcoms at TOMY comments: “Weaning is always a developmental stage that parents take seriously and put time and thought into. For this reason it continues to be an important category for retailers. With the trend towards organic and home-made foods, the range of products to assist parents with weaning has grown and 34 nursery today

technological developments in materials has meant that the market has seen an influx in great gear that washes and wears well.” But it’s not just about the infants relationship with food, but also a key bonding experience between mum and child, or father and child, or even grandparents since mealtimes are quite often a social occasion within the family. Born Free, a feeding company that is a part of the Summer Infant company, was developed by three concerned dads in 1996 and has pioneered the introduction of baby products without the harmful chemicals BPA and PVC so to make the weaning experience easier. UK sales manager and father of two Hashim Yilmaz comments: “There is nothing in the world like the closeness a parent feels when feeding baby. The right product can make this special time even better for mum or dad as well as reducing early feeding complications like colic, wind and reflux. The Born Free nursing line has been developed with varying consultants and keeps feeding time calm and comfortable for both mum and baby.” And while Born Free are right in regards to the safety of products, another important factor and trend that appears to be coming into play is style. Parents want more than just a plastic spoon and companies are creating innovative and colourful ways to capture the appetites of young children and the minds of parents having to wash, dry and store said products. Janice Cleary at TOMY comments: “Weaning has also taken on a trend-setting image of its own with designer

products being developed from brands such as BOON, where the visual impact is as important as the function. Drying racks such as Grass add interest to the kitchen whilst

“Technological developments in materials has meant that the market has seen an influx in great gear that washes and wears well” - Janice Cleary Head of EU Marcoms at TOMY keeping baby items germ free, and slip resistant plates and bowls help reduce the mealtime mess.” With first hand experience from consumers coming in and asking about weaning, Independent Retailer Rebecca Sykes from The Baby Barn based in Birmingham reveals what is selling well. “We sell the Munchkins range from Baby Brands Direct,” reveals Rebecca, “with low cost, good quality and lovely product and packaging design, it is a hit with parents. Their net feeders sell well too, this is where parents can put fresh fruit into a dummy shaped net, and the baby can suck the fruit without choking on any solid bits.”

The Annabel Karmel by NUK weaning range makes life easier for parent and child

For further information on the range please contact mail@nukbaby.co.uk or ring 01905 450300

Focus Weaning

Kidsme

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Kidsme’s new 2014-15 products are now available within the UK via their exclusive distributer Cicada. Kidsme was established to revolutionise the way we feed and interact with our children. Kidsme believe that happy kids make happy parents. With that in mind, their family of products is designed to facilitate the feeding process so parents and children can both experience the joys of mealtime. Their commitment is to develop safe, innovative products that empower children to actively participate in the discoveries of mealtime and beyond. The Kidsme Food Feeder won the Hong Kong Innovation & Creativity Award and was nominated for the Innovation Award at the Kind Und Jugend show in Cologne the same year. It then went on to sell more than five million units globally. Earlier this year in April 2014 the Food Feeder Plus won the prestigious Italian A’Design Gold award in the baby, kids and children’s product category!

TOMY – Boon

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Boon, one of the leading innovators, designers and manufacturers of premium contemporary baby and toddler products continues to set new standards with its feeding and bath time ranges, offering beautifully designed solutions for modern living. The latest additions to the Boon feeding range are Platter and Plate, edgeless, non-skid plates, spot on for keeping food where it belongs. The slip resistant base and edgeless design make it difficult for the toddler to lift it from the table. Platter has four large divided sections for separating food items. Both designs come in a pack of three, in two colourways - blue/green/orange or pink/purple/blue. RRP Platter £11.99 Plate £11.99 for pack of 3. Also added to the range this year is Patch, a smaller version of the countertop racks Lawn and Grass. Patch fits into small spaces, suitable for more compact kitchen areas and comes in green with a white base. Also new in 2014 is Fly, a ‘butterfly’ drying rack accessory which ‘hovers’ above Grass or Lawn providing additional space to hang smaller items to dry. RRP £4.99

Web: www.tomy.co.uk/ENG/CATEGORY/BOON

All that parents need to do is to chop the food a little and fill it into the Food Feeder, which looks similar to a very large dummy with many holes through which the child can chew and suck the food. Even if the baby has no teeth yet, it can press the Food Feeder against its palate and thus squeeze the food out. The tool lets babies start early chewing and stimulates oral exercise. The Food Feeder comes in two sizes, various colours and for age groups from four months and from six months.

Tel: +44 (0)1708 733388 Web: www.kidsme.net

Sock Ons

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Dribble Ons are a massive part of the Sock Ons portfolio and their amazing popularity has resulted in the collection being continuously refreshed, with new styles being introduced all the time. Dribble Ons provide a stylish and clever solution for babies who constantly dribble. The ‘bandana’ look, will complement your baby’s outfit as well as keeping it dry. Made from a soft combination of stretch cotton and terry towelling, Dribble Ons absorb moisture, whilst at the same time remain comfortable for the baby to wear. They are ideal for use during teething or for babies who bring up milk after feeding. Suitable from birth right up to 3 years. As well as the Classics and Brights shades which co-ordinate with every outfit, the brand new range includes stylish nautical stripe Dribble Ons which makes a great summer addition. Fans of pretty pastels will love the Ditsy Floral Dribble Ons – the cute flowery bib will make any outfit look gorgeous and ensure they keep dry all day! The multi-coloured spotty Clown print Dribble Ons bib is a fun addition to your baby’s outfit and is also brand new for 2014. The range also includes cow print, rainbow stripes, zebra stripes and pink spotty which also complement other items in the Ons range including Plod Ons and Mocc Ons. To see the full range visit www.sockons.co.uk

Tel: 0208 451 1516 Web: www.sockons.co.uk

36 nursery today

Happy kids make happy parents Kidsmeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new 2014-15 products are now available within the UK via their exclusive distributor Cicada

Kidsme Food Feeder Plus The patented Kidsme Food Feeder won the Hong Kong Innovation & Creativity Award and was nominated for the Innovation Award at the Kind + Jugend show in Cologne the same year. It has gone on to sell more than five million units globally and made many parent fans.

Earlier this year in April 2014 the Food Feeder Plus won the prestigious Italian Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Design Gold award in the baby, kids and childrens product category!

All that parents need to do is to chop the food and fill the Food Feeder Even if the baby has no teeth yet, it can press the Food Feeder against its palate and thus squeeze the food out. The Feeder lets babies start early chewing and stimulates oral exercise. The Food Feeder comes in two sizes suitable for age groups from four months and from six months and is available in various colours.

T: +44 (0)1708 733388 E: sales@cicada-education.co.uk W: www.cicada-education.co.uk www.kidsmebaby.com

Focus Weaning

DOIDY CUP, BICKIEPEGS XXXX Offering a unique slant on baby weaning, the two-handled Doidy Cup from Bickiepegs, which is suitable for breast fed or bottle fed babies from three months onwards, has been scientifically designed with a unique slant in order to teach infants to drink from a rim, rather than from a spout. Drinking from a rim or open cup like the NCT-endorsed Doidy Cup, rather than a spouted cup, is recommended by the H.E.A., as it teaches babies to drink from an open cup and to put it down correctly. Not only does drinking from the Doidy Cup encourage good oral movements and help babies develop chewing skills, it also helps hand eye co-ordination. In fact, health professionals promote the use of a Doidy Cup to help prevent everything from premature tooth decay to speech problems, with speech therapists even using the Doidy to teach lip and tongue control.

Baby&More

Tel: 01224-790626 Web: www.bickiepegs.co.uk

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Renowned nursery distributor Baby&More has used their extensive knowledge of the industry to develop their own-brand range and are delighted to introduce the Baby&More Feed&Flourish collection. Having specialised in bringing innovative products to the UK, the team at Baby&More know what mums are looking for when it comes to quality and ease of use. The Feed&Flourish Feeding Collection has been developed to make mealtimes with young babies and toddlers easier and more enjoyable for both baby and parent. The eyecatching, colourful weaning essentials include soft tip spoons, a non-slip bowl, first toddler cutlery and a handy sip n’ snack cup. Each product has been painstakingly developed to ensure that mealtimes are a breeze. The Sip n’ Snack Cup is a drinking cup with difference and includes a useful built-in snack holder which is perfect for when parents are out and about too. The soft-bite straw folds away neatly under a leak-proof swing cap when not in use and the snack compartment has a snap-on lid to keep snacks fresh and firmly in place (it’s also great for storing pacifiers!). Suitable for babies aged 12 months +, the Sip n’ Snack Cup is perfect for little hands to hold. The unique Super Grip Bowl (patent pending) is a great way to help your child to feed themselves. It’s innovative design attaches to baby’s highchair or a table top, with a brilliant super-locking suction 38 nursery today

Due to the sloping design, there is no forward or downward movement of the babies’ head – instead, the movement used is natural, making it easy to wean babies from the breast or bottle. More hygienic too than spouted cups, the Doidy can be sterilised, is dishwasher-proof and freezer-proof, and comes in 14 colours, including a solid, pearlised and sparkle finish.

base. It’s simple and easy to attach and once securely locked into place your baby will not be able to remove the bowl or spill its contents – hello mess-free mealtimes! The Super Grip Bowl also features an anti-spill lid so you can use it when out and about or to store food at home. The simple two-step system locks the bowl into place at mealtimes and allows easy removal for food preparation or cleaning. Suitable from 6 months +. The Super Soft Weaning Spoons will help your baby make the all-important transition to solid food. Featuring a soft-textured, ultra, flexible bowl-shaped spoon and long flexible handle, the Super Soft Weaning Spoon will make feeding your baby easier and enjoyable for both of you. It’s gentle on baby’s gums and is great for babies aged 4 months and up. The Feed&Flourish Clever Grip Training Cutlery has contoured finger guides encouraging your child to hold the utensils correctly for self-feeding. This Clever Grip means less frustration for your little one and less mess for you! The handy spoon rest stops the spoon from sliding around the bowl and teaches your child to hold the spoon correctly. Suitable from 24 months +. All products in the Feed&Flourish Collection are BPA free. This own-brand range is the first of a series of planned collections by Baby&More.

Tel: 0844 824 6685 Web: www.babyandmore.co.uk

Babyprice – Infantino TTTT There’s nothing so good as giving your baby home made food, but sometimes the convenience of shop bought is tempting, but now with the Infantino Fresh Squeezed Squeeze Station and accessories, you can make and prepare your baby’s favourite recipes and then fill the squeezy pouches that babies and toddlers love, yourself. The Infantino Squeeze Station is an easy to use, stylish system that allows parents to fill up to 3 different meals at one go. Fill them straight into the pouches for lunch on the go, or use the reusable pouch that can be washed and used again and again. Parent’s love the Infantino Fresh Squeezed System, but for retailer’s its a dream come true too! The Squeeze Station itself retails at £24.99 and there are lots of add ons, such as Pouch Packs, Couple a’ spoons, easy fill funnel and specially designed Cool Bag and freezer sleeve. Once parents have invested in the system, they’ll be back again and again for the refills.

Tel: 01903 507084 Web: www.babyprice.co.uk

Introducing a Unique New Slant on Baby Weaning

Recommended by Professionals

The Doidy® Cup is a unique training cup for babies and toddlers with a scientiﬁcally designed slant to teach infants to drink from a rim and NOT a spout. Infants from as early as 3 months ﬁnd the two handled cup easy to drink from because the contents are clearly visible and due to the sloped sides there is no need for upward and downward movement of the head. Health Professionals promote the use of The Doidy® Cup to help prevent premature tooth decay, speech problems and poor feeding techniques following government recommendations* that infants from at least 6 months should use open cups rather than spouted cups.

*‘Weaning and the Weaning Diet’. COMA 1994 (Department of Health) London: HMSO

For more information or for trade and wholesale pricing please call us on 01224-790626 or email enquiries@bickiepegs.co.uk

Focus Annabel Karmel

Weaning made easy with Annabel Karmel and NUK

he weaning stage is an important one for both parent and child; when the child is 6 months, parents begin the process of weaning their child off a diet of either breast or formula milk to more solid foods, the results can be mixed and messy (!) but the important thing is that the

child begins to get used to the concept of eating. The thought of weaning can be quite overwhelming for parents but thankfully there is lots of advice available about when to start, what to feed and when plus there are products available that are specifically designed to make weaning that bit easier. The new Annabel Karmel by NUK weaning range is

6 months + Food Cube Tray: A flexible food tray with clip on lid - prefect for freezing and storing freshly prepared baby food.

Masher & Bowl: Perfect for quick and easy food preparation; simply mash fresh fruit or vegetables for instant baby food.

Stackable Pots: A great solution for storing fresh baby food; the pots clip together and can be stacked in any order to save space.

Feeding Bowl: A really useful feeding bowl that comes with a vented lid for the microwave and a seal tight lid for on the go snacking.

9 months+ Ice Lolly Set: The award winning Ice Lolly Set is perfect for soothing sore gums during teething.

36 months+ Snack Pot: Perfect for on the go snacking, the Snack Pot helps teach little ones to eat on their own and is ideal for holding little snacks like grapes and small pieces of fruit.

For more information on the Annabel Karmel by NUK weaning range please visit www.nuk.co.uk or contact mail@nukbaby.co.uk 40 nursery today

one such range. Developed in collaboration between Annabel Karmel, an international best selling author on baby and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and nutrition and NUK, a leading supplier of baby bottles, teats, soothers and accessories, the Annabel Karmel by NUK weaning range features 6 x great products specifically designed to cater for the different stages of weaning.

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New Products MyChild MyChild has decided to go full speed ahead this autumn with their refreshed range of car seats! The previous MyChild range has been replaced with these updated designs, now called: Button booster seat and car seats: Hamilton and Chilton. Let’s have look into why these seats sailed through the qualifying round! Button booster seat: Suitable for passengers from 4 – 12 years old. Conformed to ECE R44.04 standards. It includes integral belt guides which ensures accurate installation. It has a deeply padded seat and arm rest which ensures a nice comfortable journey every time. With its lightweight design, it is portable and easy to move between cars. Available colours: Pink , Red/black, Grey RRP: £12.99 Chilton car seat: Suitable from birth up to approximately 18kg, the Chilton car seat can be installed rearward facing in Group 0 or forward facing in Group 1. It has 3 different recline positions (forward facing only) to choose from and a 5 point

safety harness. To install, use the vehicle’s 3 point seat belt which will ensure a secure fit. The car seat is conformed to ECE.R44.04 standards and has side impact protection. RRP: £44.99 Hamilton car seat: Suitable from birth to approximately 18kg, the Hamilton car seat has soft washable covers and includes an insert cushion and head cushion to support younger children. With side impact protection, 5 point safety harness and 3 recline positions available to choose from (forward facing only), it will keep any child comfortable and safe whilst on the road. The car seat conforms to ECE R44.04 standards. RRP: £54.99

Tel: 0161 335 2500 Web: www. mychild.co.uk

The brand that parents trust www.clippasafe.co.uk nursery today 41

We caught up with independent retailers whilst at Kind Und Jugend – what did they find of interest this year?

Ian & Joan Davidson Babylicious As one of the NSG team of independent retailers staying in the NSG House, we all used our strengths to help each other as one strong buying team, we advised each other on ranges and introduced each other to new companies and their sales agents and hopefully we will be stocking new ranges soon that we had not thought of before. A big thank you to everyone in the house for respecting each other and working as a team - you know who you are! This year’s Koln show was very productive for us. There was so many new ranges to look at, from Poland to Italy to China and back. The British Pavilion was bigger than normal which is good as we might see more export in the industry growing. Whilst in attendance we were also fortunate to be Ian Davidson (left), Annette invited to a few launch parties showcasing new product – Owles-Bryan (middle – there were so many of them and it was difficult to attend Annettes Pram & Nursery), Joan them all but we managed to attend Bugaboo, Cybex, Davidson (right) BeSafe, and Concord.

In particular was the BeSafe Party. A fantastic night on the river Rhine, where we partied till the morning and dipped our toes in the Sand, thank you to Paul Sirett. The Concord long awaited special edition is finally available and was turning many heads, along with the new Reverso car seat. This is bound to be a must have for many parents, thank you to Martin and Kate for your hospitality and drinks. The After 7 event on Friday night was amazing! Food, Venue, Music , and Giant Mirror Bal. Thank you to Emma Charlesworth for being my dancing buddy - whoop whoop - and thank you to my mum who was so drunk, I had to put her to bed - a great time was had by all and we cannot wait till next time . Finally a great BIG THANK YOU TO everyone from the NSG, BPA (ME JULIE) and NURSEY TODAY for making this year’s show our best ever - BRING on Harrogate so we can all meet up again!

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y “I don’t know how I ran m business before, wit hout C onnect! ” Geoffrey Harris

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Stacey - Intelligent Retail’er since 2009

Call us on 0845 68 00 126 or email info@intelligentretail.co.uk 42 nursery today

Sue Dronfield, Baby Barn Pram & Nursery Centre Lorraine Hunt, Next Generation Pram & Nursery Centre We both decided that we needed to attend Cologne this year as we felt our businesses would benefit from the most up to date knowledge of new products and colours available and having the opportunity to pre order would give us the chance to hopefully be ahead of the Nationals! Lorraine and I were particularly impressed with some of the following products - Britax had launched the King 11 LS with this new light and sound harness indicator and patented Lorraine Hunt (left), Sue seat belt tensioner plus only available to Dronfield (right) Independents. Uppababy launched the new 2015 Vista & Cruz with some great improvements on both products , much improved aesthetics and folding on the Vista as well as now being suitable for twins and the Cruz being lighter with bigger back wheels will make this range very appealing to customer and retailer. Bebecar had some lovely colours and BabyStyle - well all we can say is wait for the release of “The Egg” - very impressed and we will look forward to seeing this product being launched at Harrogate. BeSafe revealed their new car seat, their new Izi Modular, which won’t be available until the middle of next year - great design and colours plus easy to use. However, their new Izi Combi x 4 was launched. Silver Cross had some new colours on fabric’s and chassis’s which were lovely, in particular the black gloss frame on the Wayfarer and Surf with the grey fabric looked stunning and is for independents only too - they also launched their new display stands which were very impressive. iCandy were launching new colours on the Jogger and two Special Edition colours on the Peach for its 5th Anniversary plus a lovely range of blankets. Joolz were promoting the new Joolz Day Quadro, stitched check pattern, shady grey chassis, silver wheels black or liver leatherette handle and bumper bar and Joolz Geo that takes two babies - lovely colours too. Maxi Cosi are introducing new colours across the range with a new Pebble Plus and AxissFix car seats being launched - only comment would be that it was a shame that the Independent Retailers were not given the opportunity to launch the AxissFix car seat, (rather than a National Account!) as this will be a great product. It was lovely to meet up with our suppliers and Reps - although we both felt we could have done with another day as we would have liked to have spent more time in the British Pavilion - however, we felt that it is important for our suppliers to see us promoting our own businesses and this also gave us the opportunity to remind them how important we are to their business too!

Emma Charlesworth Baby Birds I thoroughly enjoyed Cologne. I’ve been attending every year since 2008 and it just gets better and better! This year in particular I have noticed the independents growing stronger and uniting with every show. During this show I constantly met up with fellow retailers. We swapped information and discussed what products we’d found of any interest. There were many highlights for me personally. The UPPAbaby Vista won the top prize for me! A well established pram design that now turns into a twin with additional brackets for as little as £20. I felt that the overall colours coming through were based on an ‘English man’s suit’ colours and fabrics. Lovely grey tones, in pin stripes and soft stone shades and fabrics. Bright yellow was also a strong colour. Silver Cross showed a lovely new range of both grey and yellow colourways. Also I loved the new, improved Sleepover Elegance. iCandy, as always, had exciting new colours and packages. Kiddy had a revolutionary new lie-flat infant car seat, that lays flat whilst on the isofix base - that was awesome! There were many winners within the stockists but for me the winners are going to be the independents. If we keep united we are a stronger force than the multiples. We have a voice again.

It’s all about comfort

www.2012ltd.com • info@2012ltd.co.uk Tel (01202) 303 777

COL I N

AR UL

PATTI ON

This issue Colin Pattison talks about his time at Kind Und Jugend, Cologne

A look back at K&J 2014

s anyone who reads these articles regularly will know, I am not a great fan of air travel. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong, I love the romance of settling into a nice wide leather seat on a 747. But that is not what most business travel is actually like. Travelling to Cologne for instance, is a 2 to 3 hour trek to an airport in the middle of nowhere (Stanstead for instance), being herded around from check in to security to departure gate. Followed by something not much better than a bus trip for 40 minutes, before being toured around another airport, and finally being ripped off by a Taxi driver for a journey which would cost a tenth of the price if only you had the confidence to use the train. In previous years I have driven and fully enjoyed the experience, it may take a little longer, but door to door for me that is not a great inconvenience, getting anywhere from deepest Wiltshire takes a long time, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unlikely I am going to visit the fair on a travelling day and at least in the car I am in control! Given all the asylum seeking, drug crazed mad men waiting to hijack my car, at least according to the newspapers, I thought I would try something different this year, so I travelled by Eurostar. So a train from Wiltshire mid morning, change stations in London at lunch time and I was in Cologne in time to walk around the old town before bed. I could put what I wanted in my suitcase, take as much stuff as I wanted, and sit and read on the train in comfort without being constantly moved from one place to another or interrupted by the

44 nursery today

Many of the UK suppliers exhibited under the banner of the BPA in the again excellent British pavilion. This is by far the best organised and supported of the country pavilions at the show, with this year over 60 UK suppliers taking part. Having so many small and medium sized UK companies in one area meant it was easy to establish a UK identity for the area

hostess with safety procedures, drinks, souvenirs and putting the chair up and down. The next morning I was up bright and early, stocking up with a good German breakfast before walking the halls. All the usual suspects were in their usual places, and there were some interesting new products to see. Many of the larger companies will be keen to tell you directly about new products, when they are ready, so as usual I want to concentrate on the smaller companies and more unusual products; you might miss if you did not go to Cologne. But first a Quick word about the Britax Smile, the automatic break system is a great safety feature and will create a lot of positive PR for Britax. The consumer will not see this product until well into 2015 and it will be expensive to start with, but I am sure the idea will be used across a range of products in the future and could become yet another industry safety standard developed by Britax.

The British contingent was out in force Many of the UK suppliers exhibited under the banner of the BPA in the again excellent British pavilion. This is by far the best organised and supported of the country pavilions at the show, with this year over 60 UK suppliers taking part. Having so many small and medium sized UK companies in one area meant it was easy

to establish a UK identity for the area. The inclusion of a Cafe and meeting area meant the BPA was able to support any UK business with meeting facilities, Seminars and the after hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s networking event on Thursday night. Cosatto provided a unique statement of British style at the main entrance, with Babystyle and their Oyster to one side and Trunki, one of our best innovators to the other. If I was working with a small nursery supplier looking to launch internationally this area, together with the support and possible TAP funding available would rank highly in my plans. Interestingly the French pavilion was very close to the UK base. This had obviously been well funded, with strong national graphics, and a good standard of shell scheme units. A creditable contingent of around 15 exhibitors fitted well between 2 runs of pillars. The German pavilion was next to the Innovation area, which must have worked very well for any local exhibitors who entered the competition. The USA area was well marked out, although I suspect smaller than usual due to the closeness of dates with ABC. Chinese suppliers do not of course have a pavilion, but due to their number and size tend to be grouped around the periphery of most halls! Kind Und Jugend is always a good indicator of fabric trends, as the new launches here will follow through into the UK next Spring at Harrogate. If the fabrics at this fair are outrageous, too bright for UK tastes, we will end up with a year of ultra safe Grey and Navy

Kind Und Jugend is always a good indicator of fabric trends, as the new launches here will follow through into the UK next Spring at Harrogate. If the fabrics at this fair are outrageous, too bright for UK tastes, we will end up with a year of ultra safe Grey and Navy with a couple of the bright fabrics put in to fill out the range. This year looks like being a good year for fabrics with a couple of the bright fabrics put in to fill out the range. This year looks like being a good year for fabrics. The German fabric leaders such as Hartan where showing a good range of Grey combinations, Navy with embossed and woven designs, mid grey and dark denim. I am not sure if this has been done before Knorr – Baby GmbH are using a hard shell plastic for their carrycot bodies, which has allowed them to print on similar graphics to those now appearing on suitcases, anything from children’s characters to abstract designs seems possible, and of course this can then be coordinated with the soft fabric designs. A hard shell also allows for details in the moulding, such as inserts or picture windows. The resultant styling has moved the traditional carry cot on to a very different looking product and seemed to be attracting a lot of interest. For me this year’s highlights included;Multi child pushchairs, (last time I asked there was no safety standard to cover these but the situation may have changed). See below in the innovation section where a six seater won the World of Moving Baby section, another version by New Century Products, the Familidoo was also attracting attention in its 2x2 and 3x2 versions. Also the trend for lighter, smaller fold product continues, Last year’s show highlight the multi award winning Doona, was proving very popular, with a very busy stand. I also caught sight of a lightweight buggy on the Jette Kinderwagen stand which folded down in to an almost impossibly compact

unit, certainly smaller than even the smallest hand luggage allowance. Storksak, a UK company, had some very stylish changing bags, including a co-ordinated range with Bugaboo, got to be worth a look if you are one of the privileged few who sell Bugaboo. Another appealing accessory line was New Life – New Look from Maguari. Very simply this is a handle cover made from artificial leather in a selection of colours, uniquely designed to fit specific pushchairs and infant carriers. (Handle designs are so different, a one fit design is impossible apparently). Clearly this simple accessory allows co-ordination with fabric designs and even clothing, but can also be used to refresh a tired or worn out handle. The product should be available to fit most popular UK models by Harrogate and is expected to retail at around £30.00. A similar style of fabric bands allowing universal fit, and co-ordinating with a liner was being shown by the American accessory company Choopie, a two pack for large pushchair handles would be $18.99 with a co-ordinating liner and strap covers $26.99. On a totally different level Maguari also had the ‘Wee Pot’. This is shiny silver – stainless steel looking, plastic mini urinal shaped potty, including an aiming target. It suctions to the wall, allowing boys to go to the toilet just like dad!

I would also like to include a couple of comments about this year’s Innovation award. Firstly given an initial entry of 184 products from 135 exhibitors and 28 countries, this competition recognises the very best of the new products available in the nursery sector this year. Doona, of course, won the World of Travelling Baby, while in the Moving Baby the Six seater pram from Childhome was voted the winner. Doona is already available in the UK, it will be very interesting to see if multiple seat pushchairs become popular in the UK. Other attractions at the fair included the exhibition area ‘Future of kids design’ where colleges and designers exhibited future orientated ideas and concepts. And finally the Trend Forum, I talked a little about this last year, again if you wanted a perspective on the German market the talks here were excellent. One other talk that was not to be missed this year was ‘Pimp my Shop NOW’ by a retail design company! All the national buyers attend this show every year, in the past a group of our key independent retailers also visited. This year I was pleased to see a few more independents travelling to Cologne. We have a great buying fair in Harrogate in the Spring. I would recommend to any retailer a visit to Cologne in the Autumn, this will give retailers a wider perspective of the Nursery market and a chance to step back, look at longer term trends, and think about their business.

Colin has worked in the Toy and Nursery trade for over 20 years both as a retailer and supplier. He is now an independent consultant advising on sales and marketing issues, he can be contacted at colin@colinpattison.com or by phone on 0773 8568 191.

Focus Health & Wellbeing

Pic Courtesty of Spilly Spoon

Here’s to good health Assistant Editor Caroline Eyles speaks to both retailers and manufacturers to learn more about consumer needs when it comes to their newborn’s wellbeing

he health and wellbeing of every parent’s new arrival is the highest priority. With senses on full alert, parents are highly aware and on the look out for anything that might not be classed as normal. Be it a high temperature, crying for an unknown reason or even as far as illness, as a baby faces the different transitions of development, from womb to reality through to later weaning off breastfeeding to food, stress and discomfort are something that parents are keen to avoid, with retailers able to offer their support in supplying products that help offer infants the most secure environment possible to their little one. According to Philippa Le Boutillier, Founder of the awardwinning Spilly Spoon company: “It is absolutely normal for parents to be anxious about their baby’s health, particularly if their child is a first born or if a baby is not sleeping or refuses to breast feed. When a baby starts weaning, parents are safe in the knowledge that practical, quality and cost-effective solutions are on hand to help. “Products like Spilly Spoon are available to buy in-store and online and can be used when families are at home or on the move. Such simple yet utterly irreplaceable inventions are lifesavers for busy parents learning as much about their baby as their baby is learning about them. ‘Keeping it simple’ is an excellent way of helping parents manage this very important baby stage. Retailers can benefit from these words by maximising in-store spend and upsell or emotional purchase with smaller items being located near the purchase point.” When dealing with objects that infants put in their mouth, a key factor is always sterilising. This can be undertaken in a variety of ways, all with the same desire from the parent, and outcome, that in turn helps to keep babies healthy. Tess Clarke, Commercial and Marketing Manager at the UK’s leading cold water sterilising system, Milton says: “Up until the age of 12 months a baby’s immune system is weaker,

46 nursery today

When dealing with objects that infants put in their mouth, a key factor is always sterilising. This can be undertaken in a variety of ways, all with the same desire from the parent, and outcome, that in turn helps to keep babies healthy making them more vulnerable to catching infections. In fact, babies do not start to produce their own germ-fighting antibodies until around six months of age, which means that good hygiene habits, including sterilising baby-feeding equipment, is crucial. Milk is the perfect environment to grow bacteria,” continues Tess, “so infant feeding equipment that has not been properly cleaned can be a source of infection. By the age of 1 most babies have a stronger immune system, but it is still only around 15% of adult immunity. Milton advises parents to sterilise all baby feeding equipment until the baby’s first birthday.” And of course, we all know the inevitable result of what would happen with insufficient sterilising and is every parents’ biggest worry, their child falling sick. But being one step ahead of the game helps parents to feel prepared in this scenario. Electrical company, Braun, have years of experience and knowledge in this field and as such, have a developed a wide range of innovative thermometers that continue to help parents know when their little one is well. Explaining

the importance of monitoring a child’s temperature, Andrea Halabrinova, Marketing Manager at Braun comments: “We provide products that help parents to manage their child’s fever effectively. Clinical studies are key for us, one of the things we test is the superiority of our products against competitors, as it helps us to see where we are within the marketplace and improve our products accordingly. Our no touch + forehead thermometer was found to offer superior accuracy in both modes, compared to most other leading no touch and forehead thermometers. “A child’s temperature may need to be checked during the night,” continues Andrea. “Our NFT3000 makes sure sleep isn’t disturbed, also a worry of parents’, as it offers the combination of ‘touch’ and ‘no touch’ technology with ‘no sound’, which gives equally reliable, clinically-proven accuracy every time. The “no touch” function also limits the risk of spreading germs, and prevents cross contamination, giving parents peace of mind.” In regard to parents’ peace of mind, we spoke with Independent Retailer, Sue Dronfield, of Baby Barn Ltd based in Rugby, who revealed a product high on a number of parents’ list when it comes to keeping their baby’s stress levels at a minimum. Sue says: “When a baby cries, especially for a first time mum, it can be very stressful particularly once tiredness creeps in and you don’t feel like you are in control, so the key is to find something that is natural and soothing, and very good value for money which actually works. “Plus, it’s not just about keeping the infant without stress, its important parents are in good health and feeling relaxed. We seem to be selling a lot of Ewan the Sheep that helps to promote peaceful sleep and environment for little ones, which in turn benefits parents too. We have so customers come in asking for it as it supports a smooth transition from the womb into reality offering soothing sounds and calming warm glow, helping restless babies sleep soundly.”

Protecting what’s precious everyday You won’t believe how easy it is!

• Sterilises in just 15 minutes • Simply use cold water from the tap with one Milton Tablet or cap of Fluid • Everything stays sterile in the Milton solution for 24 hours • When you take an item out of the solution, the rest remains sterile and ready to use at a moment’s notice • No need to rinse! • Use for all baby feeding utensils such as baby bottles, soothers, teething rings and breastfeeding equipment

www.milton-tm.com

• The No 1 travelling method

Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Focus Health & Wellbeing

Braun XXXX

Tel: 0800 652 0652

Braun is entering the noninvasive thermometer market for the first time with the launch of the new No touch + forehead thermometer (NTF3000). With its breakthrough dual technology, the thermometer is suitable for the whole family and measures forehead temperature in under two seconds. It’s the first product of its kind to offer a ‘no touch’ and ‘touch’ mode. The thermometer can be placed directly on the forehead in ‘touch’ mode or held up to 5cm away in‘no touch’ mode, ideal when a child is in discomfort and uncooperative or when taking a reading when a child is asleep in the middle of the night. Accurate and reliable, its unique technology captures the heat naturally given off by the forehead to calculate body temperature: offering parents the same professional accuracy whether they are touching the child’s forehead or holding it up 5cm away. The fever guidance function helps consumers understand what the child’s temperature means using a simple colour indicator. The screen displays green if no fever, yellow if the temperature is elevated and red alert for a possibly high fever. Audible beeps accompany the visual indicator for temperatures above 37.4 °C.

Web: www.monkeywellbeing.com

Web: www.braunthermometers.com

Monkey Wellbeing

SSSS

Monkey Wellbeing is a new range of resources for toddlers and upwards that is proving highly effective in preparing young children for key life events, including healthcare procedures and major milestones like starting school. The range consists of realistically photographed storybooks, activity guides, a Monkey puppet and stickers which help children feel calm and comfortable when approaching new experiences through honest storytelling, effective reassurance and positive preparation. For example, ‘Monkey Goes to School’ demystifies the starting school experience to leave children feeling relaxed and ready, helping to avoid first day nerves, tears and tantrums. Monkey Wellbeing was created by ex teacher Helen Sadler due to the lack of existing age appropriate health education materials for young children. The storybooks are suitable for children not yet at reading age. Currently in the range: Monkey Goes to School storybook & activity guide, Monkey Has Asthma storybook & activity guide, Monkey has an Operation, Monkey Has a Blood Test, Monkey Visits Grandpa In the Hospital, Monkey Has an Injection, Monkey’s Guide to Healthy Living and NHS Services, Monkey Visits the Emergency Department activity guide, Monkey Puppet & assorted sticker sets.

Spilly Spoon WWWW XXXX Spilly Spoon guarantees peace of mind with the perfect nonspill weaning solution in three designs. The Mumpreneur founder of the award-winning non-spill medicine spoon, Spilly Spoon, Philippa Le Boutillier, offers an excellent weaning solution to mums and dads throughout the UK who are concerned about this stage of their baby’s ever-changing growth cycle. For ultimate peace of mind when weaning babies, try using a dishwasher safe 10ml dosage Spilly Spoon for feeds of baby rice or pureed fruit and vegetables. The unique design of the deep fill Spilly Spoon guarantees that food goes into a baby’s mouth rather than on you, your baby or the carpet. Spilly the Caterpillar design also provides in-house entertainment for your baby, making feeding time safe and fun. Spilly Spoons are now available in three unique designs, two of which were just launched at K+J in Cologne: Original Spilly Spoon, Spilly Spoon Pink (sparkly pink for the girls) and Spilly Spoon Glow (a glow-in-the-dark version). Spilly Spoons are dishwasher and steriliser safe. RRP from £4.99. For stockists please see www.SpillySpoon.com

Email: info@spillyspoon.com Web: www.spillyspoon.com

48 nursery today

Focus Health & Wellbeing

With the current Ebola epidemic announcing new cases almost every week, health and hygiene is one of the hot topics in the forefront of everyone’s minds, perhaps not more so than for parents of young children and babies.

Germ Free on the Go!

abies in particular are more susceptible to harmful germs because of their weaker immune systems. It takes 6 months for babies to start producing their own germ-fighting antibodies, which means that good hygiene habits such as sterilising baby’s feeding equipment in those first 6 months of their lives is crucial. By the age of 1 most babies generally tend to have a stronger immune system, however it is still only 15% of adult immunity. A research study carried out earlier in the year, by sterilising experts Milton, highlighted the extent to which babies’ soothers are contaminated with harmful bacteria; a shocking 9 in 10 soothers were contaminated, with germs including e Coli, Pseudomona originosa, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus, all of which can cause sickness, diarrhoea, and other serious illnesses in babies and young children. Fortunately Milton’s range of sterilising products help parents keep their baby’s feeding equipment and environment clean and germ-free. This includes its iconic Sterilising Fluid which was first used in the 1940s at the request of The Ministry of Health to help stop a widespread outbreak of gastroenteritis in babies. Today, Milton’s Sterilising Fluid is used by millions of parents and by professionals in hospitals around the world. When made up into a solution with cold water, the ‘Milton Method’ of Cold Water Sterilisation, sterilises in just 15 minutes, killing bacteria, viruses and fungi. Milton has now announced a new study, which shows that its Sterilising Fluid and Sterilising Tablets have passed the test (EN1276) in clean conditions against the germs responsible of Cholera and 2 serotypes of agents responsible for Typhoid. This means that these products are invaluable to parents 50 nursery today

travelling abroad to countries that may have Typhoid and Cholera in the water, as they can now use Milton products safe in the knowledge that they will clean and sterilise equipment, killing bacteria, viruses and fungi.

growth. The ‘Milton Method’ can be used to sterilise baby’s feeding equipment, bottles and teats as well as breast-feeding equipment, and also soothers, teething rings, small plastic toys and weaning items.

Milton Sterilising Tablets are a practical alternative and are ideal to use when travelling or abroad. The unique dispersant in the tablet composition enables it to mix evenly without stirring, unlike other similar products. Milton’s iconic Sterilising Fluid and Sterilising Tablets continue to remain the products of choice for many parents and professionals with recent figures** showing strong product

The research cements Milton’s position as the leading experts in sterilising, with over 65 years heritage in sterilising babies’ feeding equipment; its products have been used and trusted by hospitals, midwives and parents throughout the UK and beyond. ** Nielsen Data, Total Market, 52 w/e April 2013

Up until the age of 12 months, babies’ immune systems are weaker and therefore more vulnerable to catching infections. Therefore it’s important for parents to continue to sterilise all baby feeding equipment until baby’s first birthday. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advises that the thorough cleaning and sterilising of equipment used for feeding young babies is critical in avoiding infection. This includes not only bottles and teats but also baby weaning equipment such as plastic spoons, cups and plates and bowls. Infant feeding equipment that has not been properly cleaned can be a source of infection. Milton’s range of sterilising products help parents keep their baby’s feeding equipment and environment clean and germ-free. The Milton Combi Microwave or Cold Water Steriliser can be used either in the microwave or with Sterilising Fluid or Sterilising Tablets and cold water. It effectively cleans and sterilises bottles, teats and baby weaning equipment from 2 minutes in the microwave and in 15 minutes for cold water and kills all bacteria, viruses and fungi. For trips away or overnight stays, the Milton Solo Travel Steriliser is a portable, lightweight and practical way to sterilise. The Milton Mini Portable Soother Steriliser is a totally unique and original method to safely sterilise soothers in and out of the home. It uses the quick, easy, safe and effective Milton Method of cold water sterilising to kill 99.9% of germs (bacteria, fungi and viruses) in just 15 minutes. The solution lasts up to 24 hours, therefore it can be prepared at home before leaving and is ideal for a day out, overnight stay or a car journey for example. It also provides a safe and sterile place to store a spare soother. To keep surfaces, such high chairs and tabletops clean and germ-free, Milton’s Antibacterial Surface Wipes and Antibacterial Spray are practical and easy-to-use and kill 99.9% of germs.

Tel: 01223 969718 Web: www.milton-tm.com

In the November issue of Nursery Today we will include the following features/show reviews: • Wheeled Goods & Accessories • Multiple Births • Pregnancy & Maternity

•

The bright, colourful friendly appearance of BugBrush encourages babies to clean their teeth through play.

•

Curved segments have been designed and measured to follow the gum line shape, maximising cleaning performance.

•

10 times more plaque removing bristles than any other toothbrush

•

Double sided bristle distribution ensuring top and bottom gums/ teeth are cleaned simultaneously

•

Ergonomic shape ideal for babies hands

• Kind Und Jugend review • ABC Expo- Las Vegas review Copy deadlines 25th October for creative and 18th October for editorial

For more information Contact: Rowena@bugbrush.co.uk 07872329204 www.bugbrush.co.uk

Call Christine on 01442 289936 or email: christine@lemapublishing.co.uk

Product Profile

H&Co Create Health & Happiness with Duux A new exciting collection of stunning Duux humidifiers, purifiers and projectors are coming soon!

uux combine innovative, exclusive and reliable baby products with beautiful design. Easy-to-use and supports parents in creating a healthy and happy environment for their baby. As well as being extremely functional and reliable, the products are truly stylish. A brand that you want to be seen with! It’s important to get the right moist atmosphere in the nursery, to help protect babies from respiratory issues, colds, coughs, dry

cough, flus, sinuses, allergies, symptoms of asthma as well as dry skin and chapped lips. Duux Humidifiers not only look great, they create an immediate 360 degree cool mist with just a single press and double up as a soothing nightlight. Both use 80% less power than most air humidifiers and operate continuously for up to 10 hours. It’s important, especially during sleeping hours, that a baby breathes clean air so that their lungs and immune system have time to rest and rejuvenate. The baby-friendly Duux Air Purifier is elegantly designed and offers a detachable HEPA-filter that cleanses air of 97% of pollutants, also acting as a soothing nightlight. Turn the room into a sky full of beautiful stars with the Duux Baby Projector. Choose from 3 different colour nightlight projections, setup voice-activation and turn on a sweet family favourite lullaby simultaneously for the ultimate bedtime ritual. Optional Duux Aromatherapy Oils, for both humidifiers and purifier, are available in Lavender, Citronella and Eucalyptus. Product information and videos at: www.duux.com

Tel: 01785 503 305 Mail: info@hardenbergco.co.uk Web: www.hardenbergco.co.uk

nursery today 51

Focus Health & Wellbeing

Little Butterfly XXXX Pamper little one with the gentle and caring products from Little Butterfly, one of the first luxury British brands of organic-certified skincare for babies only. Little Butterfly combines the finest natural and organic ingredients with beautifully designed packaging to bring a touch of magic to the nursery routine. Containing imaginative blends of the most exquisite ingredients, each of the five products in the range – from the ‘soft as moonlight’ nappy change cream to the ‘floating on clouds’ bedtime bath milk - is a pleasure for all the senses. The Little Butterfly range is certified by Ecocert, one of the most respected and internationally recognised certification standards for organic and natural beauty products in the world. You can be assured all products are hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested and free from any potentially harmful chemicals or artificial fragrances. The range has been developed by London mumpreneur Gudrun Wurm who wanted to pamper her little boy Lucas with organic luxury products that would not only care for his delicate skin, but would also look lovely in his nursery. When she couldn’t find anything, which ticked all the boxes, Gudrun decided to develop her own range during her maternity leave. Personalised gift sets, a gift-wrapping service and elegant handwritten cards are available. Retail prices start from £20.

Web: www.littlebutterflyorganic.com

Summer Infant SSSS TTTT Summer Infant’s Infant health range offers a selection of products to keep your baby healthy and clean. It’s not long after they’re born that babies’ teeth start appearing, so oral health is a top priority for parents. Summer Infant’s Finger Toothbrush is the perfect first toothbrush for new-borns as the dual-sided brush has a gum massager as well as a teeth-cleaner. This brush fits securely on the parent’s finger to allow for a gentle and efficient clean, suitable to use from birth. Summer Infant also provide a range of other toothbrushes and oral health accessories including the 3 Piece and 6 Piece Oral Care Sets, composed toothbrushes, gum stimulators, finger toothbrushes and teethers, to help babies throughout their teething stage. For a complete solution Summer offers the Essentials Baby Care Kit and Deluxe Nursery and Bath Kit providing health care accessories to care for all of your baby’s needs. From teethers to thermometer strips, nail clippers to medicine droppers, these Summer Infant health and grooming kits have every health care issue covered.

Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

Maguari

SSSS

The animal shaped ISI Mini Buddy is an invaluable support for mums while breastfeeding, but this uniquely designed pillow has a multitude of other uses, contributing to the well-being of mum and baby from pregnancy through to toddlerhood and beyond. During the latter stages of pregnancy, mums-to-be will appreciate having a Buddy to support their back, bump and hips. As the birth approaches, the outer cotton cover can be machine washed, leaving the Buddy fresh and ready to help mum with baby. Thanks to its soft, flat surface and ‘legs’, the Buddy moulds around mum’s body, making this the ideal breastfeeding pillow to suit mums of all shapes and sizes. Ensuring baby is in the correct position is key for successful breastfeeding, so when placed on mum’s lap the Buddy provides the crucial correct support for baby while feeding, and also positions them at exactly the right height. The Buddy also offers support for baby when sitting or enjoying tummy time and for older children, Buddy becomes a cute ‘comforter’ and an excellent travel neck support. Available in cream and lagoon, the Buddy gives five or six years of use and fantastic value for money.

Tel: 01293 774924 Web: www.maguari.com

52 nursery today

Developing and selling products which ensure the health and wellbeing of children have always been a major part of the nursery industry. Protecting the smallest most precious packages from harm is the continuous plight of every parent, and this need creates a demand for ever more innovative products. However, there is one area which has been lacking in innovation, yet it is one of the most important aspects of children’s health. This is oral health.

Brush Away! Written by: Rowena Johnson, Director, BugBrush Ltd

abies need healthy teeth to eat, to form words, and to ensure their permanent teeth come through in the correct place, yet dental decay remains the most prevalent chronic preventable childhood disease, worldwide, and is the most common reason for hospital admission in primary school children. Every day, 20 children under 5 years old have tooth-extraction under general anaesthetic, costing the NHS approximately £2 million each year. Professor Monty Duggal, Head of Paediatric Dentistry at Leeds dental institute, is a leading expert in tooth decay in children under 5. He has spent his professional life trying to reduce dental decay in babies and young children. He explains why tooth decay is still as big a problem as it was 60 years ago:

“Tooth decay still remains the most common preventable disease throughout the world. This is partly because the feeding habits of infants have never changed, and won’t change. Young babies still need feeding up to 8 times a day, which means their gums and teeth are frequently exposed to plaque causing bacteria. This will always be an issue, but it is

www.bugbrush.co.uk

how we reduce the impact of these frequent feeding patterns on babies’ gums and teeth which is important.” “What many parents don’t realise, is that the damage caused to babies teeth happens within the first year of the tooth erupting. Not taking care of babies’ teeth and gums in this critical timeframe will no doubt lead to decay. As a dentist I know the problems parents face, children do not like having their teeth cleaned, especially teething babies. Parents do not want to cause distress to their child, so it’s hard for them to establish good oral hygiene habits.” As the manufacturer of a very unique infant toothbrush, BugBrush, my journey into the world of baby oral hygiene began 8 years ago, when my daughter was 1. Like many parents, I struggled to clean my child’s teeth. The mere sight of me holding her toothbrush was enough to evoke a clenched jaw, red face, and high pitched screams. I followed all the advice given to me, allowed her to use the brush herself (ineffectively I may add), which resulted in her carefully chewing the rubber handle off and nearly gagging on it. So…. standard toothbrushes were dangerous and ineffective for her to use independently, silicone bristled toothbrushes were nice and squashy, but she destroyed these too. Any other options? No. What I was presented with, was a massive array of miniature adult toothbrushes. Despite their huge R&D budgets, the multi-nationals have all completely overlooked the most important aspect of teeth-cleaning in infants, and that is quite simply that infants want to clean their own teeth. They want independence. The toothbrushes that dominate the shelves are intended for a parent to use, not the child, and children do not have the dexterity to clean their own teeth until the age of 7. So, unless you have a brilliant baby that sits with their mouth wide open and lets you clean their teeth morning and night with a standard stick-shaped toothbrush (probably only 10% of the population will agree to that statement), then you are in the same predicament as me.

I was on a never-ending mission to find, d, what I would call an ‘independent ent use’ toothbrush. sh. I wanted a toothbrush which could be given to my daughter so she could safely and effectively clean her own teeth that could withstand the rigours of tiny powerful teeth. I wanted a toothbrush that would be so fun to use, that she would view it as a toy, not a boring old toothbrush. Well of course this product didn’t exist. It was a figment of my imagination, and one which I set about bringing to life. After 8 years of unwavering determination, it’s finally finished. The BugBrush toothbrush has 10 times more plaque removing bristles than any other standard baby toothbrushes - with over 10,000 individual bristles, it’s double sided symmetrical design ensures both top and bottom teeth are cleaned simultaneously. The patented, flexible curved design incorporates 5 individual coloured hinged segments which enables BugBrush to flex and bend in the infants mouth, making it great fun to use. It is the must-have toothbrush for small teeth, small hands, and independent minds. Toothbrush innovation, at last. nursery today 53

Sponsored by

New Products Concord SCOUT

Bebelephant Infasense, the manufacturers of innovative Justafit adjustable sleepsuits, have added to their range, with the launch of Safe Steps. The latest product – a packet of 2 elasticated adjuster bands – have been designed to be worn over garments to keep hands and feet where they are supposed to be. “No more slips, trips or messy cuffs caused the excess fabric for growing room” said inventor Caroline Driver. The adjuster bands can be worn over the ankles of sleepsuits removing the hazards caused by “flipper feet” or over the wrists preventing the daily dipping into meals. The product has an RRP of an affordable £3.49 and are distributed in the UK by bébélephant.

Email: elliot@bebelephant.com Tel: 020 8202 1467

Tel: 01273 724627 Web: www.concord.de

Lucy & Sam October 2014 marks the launch of Lucy & Sam’s beautiful new Autumn Winter Collection. Lucy & Sam’s fifth season to date, the collection features Foxes and Florals for the girls and Cheeky Monkeys for the boys. New to this season are the girl’s woven pieces, intarsia knitwear, 2.5 tog sleep bags and an extension of age ranges on selected products up to 4 years. Founded in 2010, Lucy & Sam is a London based baby/toddler fashion label. Each season the team at Lucy & Sam produce quirky, original designs, ethically sourced from India. Paying equal attention to both the Girls and the Boys range, each collection is perfectly co-ordinated. Stocked in independent stores throughout the UK and Europe, at www.lucyandsam. com and Not on the High Street. The range is very reasonably priced, with RRP’s from £10 to £35. Lucy & Sam already have a following of happy customers, particularly for their famous sleepgowns and cosy snowsuits, both practical additions to any baby’s wardrobe. Their factories are tested regularly with technical and ethical audits so they are compliant with some of the UK’s leading high street retailers. Their beautifully soft combed cotton is produced from sustainable sources which are kinder to the environment. 5 Collection is available to order now and will be in stock in October.

Tel: 0207 498 8256 Web: www.lucyandsam.com

The Concord Scout soft carrycot offers luxurious comfort and gives parents a new wealth of advantages. It is stable and exceptionally flexible, thanks to its central joint. The carrycot is simply, quickly and securely attached to any CONCORD buggy chassis for use as a proper pushchair. For those times when it is not needed, it folds up very small in just a few moves. With its exceptionally neat folded dimensions, it is the ideal companion for today’s mobile parents. Dimensions: l 84 x w 45 x h 56 cm Weight: 4.7 kg The TRAVEL SYSTEM adapter means it can be fitted easily, quickly and securely to the buggy Unique: central joint, making it easy to fold up small Firm base: stable and at the same time flexible Larger sun canopy, foldable, made of high-quality, 3D stretch fabric, with UV 50+ sun protection Softly padded covers, easy to remove and washable Extremely small folding dimensions: l 44 x w 27 x h 48 cm

Phil&teds With a fun, deliberately quirky attitude, phil&teds are all about safety and innovation. Creators of multi-award winning products such as the original inline stroller, a travel cot lighter than a baby, and the ‘Auto Stop brake’, they are always looking for ways to make parents’ lives easier. So, phil&teds set their designers to work and have spent years working on ways to lessen the problems of uneven terrain, bumps in the road, and - more specifically - kerbs. Most mums and dads know that high or uneven kerbs can be a nightmare with a pushchair, especially if you’re laden down with baby or toddler gear and shopping! Realising the scale of the problem and the frustration it can cause, phil&teds have created a number of ingenious design features which focus on this, in particular their ‘kerb pop’ feature, which offers the ability to ‘pop’ the pushchair easily up a kerb. The development of their kerb-pop technology has involved creating frame geometry that puts the centre of gravity towards the back of the pushchair, therefore making the front much lighter. It’s not just the singles that benefit either – phil&ted’s inline doubles feature exactly the same technology. So, as the saying goes, the proof is in the….pushing. You really should go and try one out!

Tel: 02030519264

The brand that parents trust www.clippasafe.co.uk

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Focus Baby Show

The Baby Show Olympia, London The UK’s Biggest Pregnancy and Parenting Event returns to London Olympia this October

he Baby Show - the UK’s number one pregnancy and parenting event, returns to London Olympia from 24 to 26 October 2014, showcasing over 200 leading and boutique companies Celebrating the best in pregnancy and infant essentials, this highly anticipated event will attract over 20,000 new and expectant parents. This unrivalled consumer audience are information hungry, looking to glean advice and view demonstrations from the experts, with the opportunity then to touch, test and try before purchasing products and services.

and Clare Byam-Cook. New partnerships with leading UK parenting publisher Vermilion will enable visitors to meet a host of baby and parenting authors, while Campbell Books will entertain little ones in the Activity and Reading Zone. The popular interactive natal workshops will return courtesy of The Natal Family. Trade visitors are welcomed to The Baby Show to see consumer buying trends as they happen, source new products and network with the industry. A dedicated trade lounge will also be available.

this highly anticipated event will attract over 20,000 new and expectant parents. This unrivalled consumer audience are information hungry, looking to glean advice and view demonstrations from the experts The Baby Show with madeformums.com, sponsored by Fisher-Price, is recognised as an influential channel to actively engage with consumers, to sell and launch products. Commenting on a recent product launch by tommee tippee, Jonathan Brougham said, ‘The Baby Show proved to be the best platform for launching tommee tippee’s latest innovation, The Perfect Prep Machine.’

To apply for trade registration to The Baby Show Olympia, visit www.thebabyshow.co.uk/olympia/trade For more information regarding exhibiting contact The Baby Show team on +44 20 7384 8123

Location Olympia Grand Hall, Olympia Exhibition

Leading nursery sector companies participating this October include: iCandy, Britax, Cheeky Rascals, Chicco, Gro Company, Baby Planet, Cuddledry, Lansinoh, Hippychick, Maxi-Cosi, Joie, Philips Avent, Pregnacare, Mothercare and Peppermint. A handpicked collection of boutique brands will also be showcased in the Baby London Boutique, including: Busy Peas, Cute Cute Boutique, Merino Kids and Olle Ella. The forthcoming show will host an exciting speaker lineup including Professor Robert Winston, Annabel Karmel 56 nursery today

Centre, London W14 8UX

The Baby Show dates 2014/2015… 24-26 October 2014, Kensington Olympia 20- 22 February 2015, ExCeL London 15- 17 May 2015, NEC Birmingham Web: www.thebabyshow.co.uk

Joie TTTT Join Joie at The Baby Show this October and celebrate the success of their campaign championing rearward facing for longer travel. Their range of car seats offers rearward facing usage up to approximately four years, and with the launch of the i-AnchorSafe System with i-Size to the collection earlier this year, it is going from strength to strength. Certified as the first UK- i-Size seat, i-Anchor is suitable for children from birth to approximately four years, it includes the i-AnchorFIX base with ISOFIX or vehicle seat belt fitting, 7 position on-the-go recline and accepts the Joie Gemm and Juva infant carriers as well as the i-Anchor rearward and forward facing child seat. The seat itself features exclusive multi-layered memory foam to give three layers of protection to the head during impact, while deep padded sides shield little ones. The removable layers of infant support offers a custom fit for any sized child and the multiheight position headrest and five point safety harness adjust simultaneously requiring no re-threading of the harness.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

A world of bright ideas... ...making family life easier! With over 17 years experience working with pioneering nursery brands from all over the world, we understand what parents and retailers are looking for. Working in long-term partnerships with our retailers and our suppliers, our mission is to develop innovative, award-winning brands that sell.

If you would like to become a stockist or have a new product idea, contact us on:

.co.uk

01730 895761 or sales@cheekyrascals.co.uk

Focus Baby Show

MaByLand XXXX Following the success at the K&J exhibition last month, MaByLand will be exhibiting all of their new and improved Baby Carriers and Changing Bags for the first time at the Baby Show, London Olympia. All of these new products will offer additional features to parents but keeping the same price, making them an irresistible buy! There will be 3 types of Baby Carriers: the quick and simple Trek Baby Carrier with an adjustable cross back to tailor fit different body shapes, the Snuggle Carrier with an additional waist belt for extra comfort for parents as well as an adjustable leg room for bigger babies, and the celebrity’s favourite - the Luxury Duo Front and Back carrier with an extra back position! The sophisticated colour scheme (including Shimmering Gold, Chocolate Brown and Midnight Black, each feature a subtle check pattern, making the range a functional yet fashion-driven choice) has been very popular within the Luxury range and will therefore remain in the Luxury Duo carrier! Adding to the popular colours Black and Sand, both the Trek and Snuggle carriers will offer two new colours, light grey and brown. Alongside the new Baby Carriers, all MaByLand changing bags will also feature the new

logo lining, delivering a more luxurious feel for all types of changing bags. Not forgetting our dads, MaByLand will be launching a new classic Satchel changing bag using the same herringbone fabric as the MATchel, providing another choice for parents!

STAND F26 Tel : 0208 879 0080 Email: enquiries@mabyland.com

Britax XXXX One of the leading child safety brands BRITAX will return to The Baby Show at Olympia, London this year to showcase its innovative car seats and travel systems. BRITAX understands that having a family is one of the most precious but also challenging times and its devoted team of experts are dedicated to providing parents with products which help families to be free to explore and adventure together, making life that little bit easier and happier for young families today. BRITAX will be showcasing the clever ISOFIX Group 0+ & 1 car seat, DUALFIX, which swivels 360°, offering parents the flexibility to keep their child rearward facing up until 18kg (approx. four years) or turn them 180° to a forward facing position from 9kg without reinstallation. DUALFIX can also be turned to a 90° angle which helps parents smoothly place their child in and out of their vehicle from the side, to make life on the go stress-free. This advanced and flexible member of BRITAX’s award winning range of car seats boasts a wealth of protection and comfort features, including a five-point harness and deeply padded side wings for optimum side impact protection. BRITAX will also be spotlighting the Affinity stroller, the super-sleek pushchair for the fashion conscious mum. Exuding quality, the Britax Affinity was created in conjunction with one of Europe’s leading designers and is as elegant as it is practical. Suitable from birth, its minimalist design gives it a distinctive, modern look, but without compromising on comfort, safety or ease of use. Further simplifying life for parents it comes with integrated CLICK & GO adaptors so it easily converts from pushchair seat to carrycot or infant carrier. BRITAX look forward to seeing you at The Baby Show!

NUK

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Leading German baby care brand, NUK, will once again be exhibiting at The Baby Show, Olympia. NUK will be showcasing its full range of baby products which will include a number of exciting new products including the new “Fireworks” bottle range, which features a stylish new design in 150ml and 300ml sizes, available in a wide choice of pack options. All bottles in the range feature the brand new First Choice+ Silicone Teat, NUK’s best ever teat, which is clinically proven to enable mums to easily alternate between breast and bottle feeding. Other new products on show will include the Freestyle Soother, a brand new soother specifically designed to reduce skin irritation, and the new and extended Annabel Karmel by NUK weaning range which features 6 weaning products each designed to make the difficult weaning stages easier for both parent and child. As well as NUK, sister brand, BoiKido, will be present on stand with a selection of their high quality wooden toys which are designed to educate and entertain children from ages 6 months+, along with YOU, a brand new natural cleaning range which is just perfect for the baby household. Find NUK, BoiKido and YOU on stand F120.

Tel: 01264 386191

Tel: 01905 450300

Web: www.britax.co.uk

Web: www.nuk.co.uk

58 nursery today

Cheeky Rascals WWWW TTTT Cheeky Rascals is heading to its last show of 2014 with a showcase of best sellers and some exciting new products too. The new design My Carry Potty Ladybug and Cow will be available to buy as well as the full range of ByKay carriers, including the latest Mei Tai Asian-style luxury carrier. Also on the stand will be BuggyBoard, a product that is celebrating 15 years of making getting from A to B with more than one child easier and more convenient. Love to Dream is back at this show and is always one of the most popular items on the stand. At Olympia they will have both Swaddle UP sleepsuits and the beautiful new bamboo lined Inventa sleeping bags on show. Manduca’s latest Blackline Limited Edition 3-in1 carriers as well as new Standard Edition colours will all be available at discounted rates and they’ll also have some fantastic demos from Emily Williamson, Cheeky Rascal’s resident baby carrying expert, who will be hosting talks on The Baby Show stage.

cuddledeer

Mima Demonstrations of the mima moon highchair will run throughout the day on their stand and mima pushchairs will be on the Peppermint stand.

Stand E40 Tel: 01730 895761 Web: www.cheekyrascals.co.uk

Busy Peas SSSS The essence of the Busy Peas brand revolves around an adorable range of clothing, toys and books for babies, toddlers and infants. The roots of this business lie in the garden - with the aim of bringing fashion and education together, the designs introduce children to fruit and vegetables at an early age, encouraging them to read and learn to grow their special favourites! The Busy Peas product ranges feature five fruit and vegetables, creating a vibrant range of clothing for babies from newborn to 18 months. The vegetable characters - Peat Pea, Tom Tomato, Carry Carrot, Stewart Strawberry and Gene Aubergine are introduced as a range of soft toys that come alive in an entertaining and educational range of books . All products are available to purchase on line at www.busypeas.co.uk The Busy Peas Gift Boxes and Gift Pods offer an original selection of perfect gifts for a new arrival, a birthday or just a special treat. However, if you would rather “Pick your own” then the Busy Peas Team would be delighted to help you choose from our unique range of clothes, toys and books. They will then pack them in a beautiful white box, tied with green ribbon and deliver it to your door.

Email: jayne@busypeas.co.uk Tel: 0208 7487671 / 07831 663071

www.cuddledry.com T: +44 (0)1823 323363 E: trade@cuddledry.com nursery today 59

Focus Baby Show

Chicco

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After another successful year for Chicco, with an unbroken 12 months of growth, the leading baby brand is now looking ahead to 2015 by exclusively showcasing some of their new collection at The Baby Show Olympia this October. To bolster the brand’s flagship modular Urban travel system, Chicco are adding 2 new exciting colour packs to the range in Lime and Cyclamen, which will allow mums to dress to suit their mood and the weather. These are set to build lovely foundations for Urban next year where Chicco will introduce us to Summer and Winter specific colours. The winter colour packs will offer an extra-padded reducer and pram apron, along with a hand muff for baby or mum, making sure everyone can stay warm and cosy in the colder months. For the summer, Chicco are studying a lighter material suitable for warmer days and nights, with a net opening in the hood canopy and an opening in the apron to guarantee a better circulation of fresh air. Chicco will also be introducing their new Balloon Bouncer, which is designed to offer ultimate comfort for your baby, whilst also boasting a range of fun and entertaining features. The soft, removable full body pillow and adjustable headrest mean that the bouncer can be tailored to the perfect position for your little one, making it the perfect place for them to relax. The engaging panel overhead also offers a range of melodies including nature sounds, lullabies and the option to record a 30 second soothing voice to calm your baby. The Balloon will be available in a choice of four colours: Light Blue, Spring, Lilla and Grey. Making a return to the Chicco stand will be the Next2Me, a hero product for the brand, which has enjoyed an excellent reception in its first year of sales. The Next2Me is an innovative crib, which allows parents to sleep close to their child safely, promoting the bond between parent and baby that is so important in the first few months. Also on display will be the Boppy range including the 4 in 1 Boppy Pillow and the Boppy Total Body Pillow, both of which help mums to remain comfortable and close to their baby from pregnancy right through the baby’s first year. On the toy side, visitors will be able to see some of the year’s most loved products including the Fit & Fun range and the fast and furious Jimmy Thunder R/C racing car and there will also be a special promotion on the Animal cottage, a bright and cheerful toy which develops early problem solving skills with the help of a host of fun animal characters. A contribution from every Animal Cottage sold will be made to the “aiutare i bambini” Onlus heart diseases. Chicco will be exhibiting on stand K14 (on the right hand side of the hall) where visitors can meet the team and explore the exciting new collection.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Cuddledry

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At The Baby Show this October come and meet the latest addition; Stokke Trailz, the first all-terrain stroller in their innovative collection. It’s built for action, and takes you wherever you want to go this autumn effortlessly, with ease and comfort. Like all Stokke Strollers, the carry cot and seat position are placed high up, to encourage eye contact and connection between parent and child. Superior manoeuvrability makes it easy to steer, while the advanced tyre suspension secures a smooth ride for little ones. Large air filled tyres and a spacious waterproof shopping basket make Stokke Trailz the perfect choice for active families who love the outdoors - no matter the season or terrain. Also, as the weather gets chillier then Stokke’s new stroller accessories are offering hot style for cold weather. Children will feel snug and stay protected from low temperatures and biting wind, while enjoying the wonders of winter. The products in our Winter Essentials collection are as functional as they are beautiful. The Cloud Grey colour looks crisp against winter landscapes and is versatile enough to complement Stokke´s entire stroller colour range. This seasonal must-have is the Stokke Stroller Winter Kit which is designed as the perfect outerwear for the Stokke stroller seat and Xplory Carry Cot. The insulated fabric together with the additional storm cover safeguards children from harsh winter winds and features a genuine sheepskin rim.

Tel: 0049 7031 611580

XXXX

The team at Cuddledry are well known for their non-stop apron towel demos at the consumer shows. Olympia Baby Show was where the Original Cuddledry apron towel was launched back in 2006, and the event continues to be a fantastic source of publicity for the product, and a brilliant market research opportunity for the Cuddledry team. Many of Cuddledry’s most successful retailers have seen the team in action at one of these shows, as it offers a great chance to really learn about the products in action, and to see the powerful positive reaction they trigger from expectant parents, new parents, experienced parents and grandparents. Cuddledry will be on stand E19 this year and will have some exciting new products for trade customers to discover – not yet available on sale for the public at the show, just to discuss with members of the trade, and the media. All these products will be launched officially in January 2015 and February 2015. The Cuddledry stand is known for often drawing a bit of a crowd – so do come early if you can to avoid the rush. Information packs and some free samples will be available for trade customers. Contact us to book a meeting trade@cuddledry.com

Stand: E10 Web: www.cuddledry.com

60 nursery today

Stokke

Focus Walkers & Motivators

On the move Assistant Editor Caroline Eyles takes a look at baby motivators and walkers to learn more about the latest products available for parents wishing to assist their little ones who are putting one step forward

baby’s first steps are one of the most exciting times for parents who are watching their little one develop and grow. It’s no surprise then that this is a sector that parents are prepared to spend money so to encourage their infants to keep going, persevering even when wobbly on their feet. Products available range from walkers that assist and support a little one, holding them up on their feet allowing them to strengthen their legs and develop knee caps, a body part you may be surprised to learn we are not born with but develop as we learn to walk. A spokesperson for leading wholesaler at Baby Brands Direct comments: “Every parent is always on the lookout for new, fun, educational toys for their child and baby walkers tick all the boxes. Walkers are ideal for lending baby an extra hand to strengthen their leg muscles as well as encouraging their confidence, helping them to balance and develop their motor skills. Leading brands continue to weave the latest technology into their walkers, adding extra dimensions to the child’s play experience.” Learning to walk takes us back to the days of dot, since it’s something that even the cave people will have learnt to do, finding their own objects (perhaps rolling rocks?) to assist them in their learning. A sector with such longevity reveals how important it is to the nursery industry, and yet the products are able to remain traditional and wooden, or move

Baby Brands Direct

forward with the world of technology offering an altogether different experience for the modern child. This therefore also caters for every parents looking to purchase the perfect assistant in aiding their child to walk. Judith Stark, Managing Director at Halilit comments: “Walkers of various designs have been used for generations, and they make perfect gifts for grandparents to buy for their young grandchildren. They are one of the products that look good in their packaging, and are great to demonstrate to parents in store as they can quickly see and appreciate the benefits for their babies. The best walkers serve more than one purpose and can be played with long after baby has taken their first steps. Our BANTA Award winning 4 in 1 Developmental Walker from Taf Toys has other play features including a lockable and removable toy storage box and can be used as a truck as well as a ride-on. This encourages gross motor skills development as the baby can push, pull, ride and play with it, while honking the horn and turning the clicking key helps develop fine motor skills.” Janice Cleary, Head of EU Marcoms at TOMY adds: “As toddlers grow, so does their world and the space that they can and want to cover. Offering toys which aid movement and walking is a great way to help children expand their boundaries and building in interactive options also helps dexterity and in broadening the imagination. Toys which can be used both indoor and outdoor offer the best play

TTTT

Baby’s first steps are sure to be special with Baby Brands Direct’s collection of innovative baby walkers. Little ones will enjoy finding their feet with the Bright Starts Pretty in Pink Sit to Stride Walker. Sure to keep little girls busy, this delightful walker has an array of engaging features including a spinner elephant belly that encourages visual stimulation, a flip book to enrich her imagination, a monkey mirror for baby to admire herself, and a textured bead chaser to stimulate her senses. With wheels to support baby during her first few steps, this colourful hub of fun will be appreciated by girls who love a sweet burst of pinkness. Any multi-tasking baby accessory scores big points for its innovation, and the East Coast Rest & Play Walker does exceptionally well. With its soft, padded back rest and electronic play tray loaded with lights, music and exciting sounds, this walker is guaranteed to garner plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Not only will it help develop baby’s motor skills, but its soft, baby blue colour makes it a perfect choice for boys. Want to know more? Simply register at www. babybrandsdirect.co.uk, where you can view the whole range and have access to a whole host of cutting edge products from leading brands.

Tel: 0845 370 8370 Website: www. babybrandsdirect. co.uk

value. Retailers can benefit by being able to offer customers toys which fit the gap between babies and toddlers and by showing they understand and focus on the major developmental milestones.” Style and play are not the only factors taken into consideration by not just the consumer but also the manufacturer. Ranging from £19.99 through to above the £150 mark and beyond, this sector caters for all types of consumers, filling the needs of every bracket. Nick Tucker, National Account Manager at The Redkite Baby Company comments: “The Red Kite Baby Co continues to grow their successful portfolio of baby walkers within their Baby Go Round Range. We always give lots of consideration when developing new additions to our range and make sure we consider what features are most important for both the customer and retailer. While we want to make sure that our walkers allow development of baby’s key motor skills as well as keeping infants happy and entertained, you can always expect great value and quality from Red Kite.” With first hand experience of consumers taking an interest in baby motivators and walkers, Independent Retailer Rebecca Sykes at The Baby Barn based in Birmingham reveals being online helps with this sector, she says: “Since the closure of our local Kiddicare, we’ve noticed an increase in sales. It is also a product that parents are definitely comfortable ordering online without viewing first.”

The Red Kite Baby Company XXXX The Red Kite Baby Company are baby walker specialists offering a wide range of designs to cater for different tastes, needs and budgets. Many of the walkers in the range offer flexibility with legroom with brilliant height adjustment features to make life that little bit easier. Red Kite offer a fantastic selection of entry level walkers that all included a stop and go base for extra safety , 3 height adjustable frame and removable play tray to use baby’s own toys if desired. Featuring a range which includes both entry level, mid-range and deluxe walkers, Red Kite provide something for everyone. The new Baby Go Round Jive Walker is already proving to be a winning design with great features. The Baby Go Round Twist is one of Red Kites flagship walkers that include a stylish 2 in 1 walker rocker combi that helps baby towards their all-important first steps and features both musical and interactive functions.

Tel: 01454 326 562 Web: www.redkitebaby.com 62 nursery today

Chicco

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Manhattan Toy Company TTTT

Suitable for children aged 9months+, the Baby Steps Activity Walker (RRP £29.99) is designed to help your baby to stand up and take their first steps with the help of a fun and interactive toy and walker combined. All your little one has to do is take hold of the bar at the top and as your baby starts to move, the walker will begin to play music and light up encouraging them to take a few more steps. The activity centre on the front also boasts a range of sounds, flashing lights and games to keep them entertained when they need a rest. The activity centre also helps to stimulate your baby’s imagination and develop their co-ordination skills with a built in shape sorter and a range Baby Steps Activity walker comes in a choice of two colours, the standard multi coloured design or pink.

This sturdy little wooden cart is the perfect walker for little ones finding their feet. The push handle makes for easy steering and there’s a spacious storage pouch so favourite toys never get left behind! The wooden wheels have rubber rims for traction and an anti-tipping post at the back makes this a secure and safe walking aid. With multiple activities including spinning gears and shape mazes, this cart will keep your little one active and amused for hours on end. Retailing at just £36 this is the perfect gift for any toddler learning to walk. Holding the toy gives toddlers the support they need whilst helping them to look ahead for obstacles. This will boost confidence and coordination. Best of all, they’re fun! For more than 30 years The Manhattan Toy Company has made a commitment to providing our customers with safe, high-quality toys and gifts that enrich young lives and developing minds.

Tel: 020 8944 3160 Email: infoeurope@ manhattantoy. com

Web: www. chicco.co.uk

Product Profile

Award Winning Walker A versatile walker which offers great value for money, the 4-in-1 Taf Toys Developmental Walker helps develop gross motor skills by encouraging and supporting a baby’s first steps.

inner of the Harrogate 2014 BANTA ‘Playtime’ category, to add to a Practical Parenting Awards’ Gold, and a Practical Pre-School Awards’ Silver, the Developmental Walker is a long lasting multi-activity toy: as a walker the wide wheels and brake system encourage and support a baby’s first steps, with the detachable back support in place it is a perfect ride-on, with the handle lowered toddlers can push or pull it along, and the seat of the ride-on can be detached to become a lidded toy box. Additional features include a horn squeaker and ratcheting key. Halilit were approached by Taf Toys to distribute their range of developmental baby toys in the UK and Ireland, and the range incorporates oodles of love, excitement and humour with charming characters and illustrations by French designer Alain Crozon. Offering toys from every important baby toy category, the range is very popular with both parents and retailers and includes rattles, teethers, play mats, gyms, activity toys, pram toys,

mobiles and a fantastic selection of toys for use with car seats which are perfect for ensuring that baby travels happily whilst on car journeys meaning that parents can concentrate on their driving!

Tel: 01254 872454 Web: www.halilit.co.uk

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Special Feature Nigel Plested

Time to change the rules! As a creative, I tend to be someone who likes the opportunity to change the rules, breaking small ones whilst creating others. I suppose this is how creativity works. By: Nigel Plested

Nigel Plested is a designer and a creative director. He is the founder of narrative studio, a strategic design business, which brings together a specialist and experienced team of designers with a rich expertise in new family culture, parenthood, and babyhood; creating award winning products and brands. Prior to setting up the business Nigel was on the board of directors at Mamas & Papas, and alongside narrative, he now writes and lectures on the subject of parenting and product culture. Nigel can be contacted through the company website www. narrativestudio.com or he can be found on LinkedIn.

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sometimes say to clients that it is a little like cooking (I think I must be taking The Great British Bake-off far too seriously.) To create a new experience we need to refine, modify and/or change the ingredients. That can be in terms of amounts – so that the emphasis is on a certain ingredient, or it might be on the quality and distinctiveness of those elements either individually or in combination with each other, so that a certain part of the experience can rise to the top. But just like cooking you can add a new ingredient from time to time, which starts to take you in a new direction. The end result is both recognisable, and understandable, but it has a new quality that the previous dish just did not have. This is the basis for what we call product evolution, where we can map and capture the cumulative, new and incremental “new ingredients”, that are beginning to establish themselves in a category globally and locally. This provides us with a holistic viewpoint of new potential directions that are being established. With this map in hand we can begin to understand whether to follow those new recipes with a version that is distinctly similar or in fact create a new one, because we think that there is something missing in the current consumer landscape. Which brings me to “Baby Walkers”, which I am starting to feel is an old term for the Great Grand Daddy of a whole new landscape of products that make up a new and exciting category for baby exercise, mobility and entertainment. If you Google (other search engines are available…) the term baby walker and add the word “Tudor,” you will be surprised at what you see. Since the first walkers, with a hoop at the top, a hoop at the bottom and 6 wheels set at fixed points around the frame is over half a millennia old. So this product must be the oldest nursery product that we have in western culture. It pre dates the discovery of America, the Potato and William

Shakespeare and continues unchanged for on the development of the recipe, and as a hundreds of years. result the new variations on the theme are In more recent times, walkers have creating new innovations and products for had various amounts of critique and parents to choose from. bad press, stemming from safety issues Today we have a blend of new and that plagued the products in the 1990’s old, where the need to develop muscles leading to welcome and meaningful and dexterity are catered for alongside changes in standards, and more recently entertainment, activity and learning. concern regarding wellbeing, physiological impact on baby’s body and DDH (developmental dysplasia Here in the UK the category remains of the hip). Some countries consistent, and the demand for walkers such as Canada have had a ban on the sale of Baby and entertainers continues, but the walkers since 1994, whilst in other territories they remain market is clearly split between walkers, popular. Four years ago, a which now represent lower price points, study in Turkey discovered and entertainment centres with higher that 75% of parents used walkers. price points and wider feature sets Within the medical profession there are mainly concerns governing the over use and prolonged length of time Babies Walkers themselves are now as much spend in walkers as well as other products an entertainment station as they are about which confine baby. Ironically suggesting walking. With clip on, clip off activity that walkers might significantly delay how centers, they have continued to develop fast a baby “finds it’s legs.” But much of the to become semi static or on the move concern is anecdotal, and not necessarily play stations. Since the introduction of grounded in fact. the prone “stoppers,” underneath the base Parents are therefore also divided. tray, these products are now designed to Blogs are full of chat as “new parents,” who bottom out when meeting steps and also are new to the debate try to work out what come with height adjustment in order to to do. Should they or shouldn’t they? And meet pediatric concerns regarding feet although this is a long-term discussion for engaging with the floor, rather than just our industry, it is a conundrum for parents toes. who are looking to get the best advice and Many brands have invested heavily in choose the right product. static bounce stations, where baby has Here in the UK the category remains both 360 degrees of movement, as well consistent, and the demand for walkers as vertical bounce and resistance. Using and entertainers continues, but the market trampolines, mats, chords and gussets is clearly split between walkers, which these products are continuing to develop now represent lower price points, and fast, as the focus settles on physical skills. entertainment centers with higher price They develop reach, (like playmats) they points and wider feature sets. develop core strength through twisting What this has done however, is spurred and these “activity gyms,” have come to

represent a modern interpretation of what walkers set out to achieve. Of course these are dynamic and thrilling for baby, with the opportunity to move with independence during a time when inquisitiveness is ripe. With new technologies and toys moving from bouncers and play mats into entertainment centres, the scope for development widens, and with the quality of play is growing. From stereo sound, through to Low energy light sources, the landscape of activity and physical play is ready for the next evolution, and for brands to create more distinctive and informed entertainment, that is considered from baby’s need up. Why do I say this? Well sometimes products are of course commercially driven, why not, we are all in the business of selling great products to parents. But sometimes it is easy to maintain, and add toys to activity centres, rather than start from scratch. This is because they are large, expensive to produce and the way that parents gauge play value is by visual content on the front of the box. So the time is right to look at this category afresh We need to understand what makes the physical development of our babies capability so appealing to parents, but also how it is changing, with trends towards babies developing as their pace rather than to a specific schedule.

Parents are also beginning to look for the alternative, and walk behinds, or guided walking aids will begin to resonate more and more. We also need to clarify what entertains baby. I know that after a long time in this industry there are themes and recipes that don’t need fixing, but at the same time, that reliance on old classics has hindered the potential of activity, bouncing, and walking products. If there was anything to change it certainly might be the base recipe. Which consists of vast amounts of poly-propylene. This plastic is versatile, warm, soft and durable. It looks great in colours and can me moulded to create wonderful things. But the variety in the market place across walker, activity centers and entertainers can potentially feel one dimensional when we speak to consumers. They are inundated with plastic and “loud” play, and the variety in materials, application and approach that we see in other categories, seems to be absent. I sometimes wonder whether the “toyish,” nature of walkers in particular, clouds our ability to see their potential and develop them in other more appropriate ways. So what will the next 500 years look like, and does the baby walker have the legs to live on forever? Or, as baby and parents needs change, what new ingredients might we discover along the way?

Talking Shop with NSG Written by: Yasmin Ali, Babyland

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I went into the show not really knowing what to expect, hoping to be inspired, see new things and meet some fab people. I was not let down - firstly its enormous, there are companies from all over the world exhibiting, and I did need the whole four days to get around the show

o I survived Kind Und Jugend! You know, it’s one of those things - everyone can tell you about it, but you have to see it for yourself. It is huge, and I’m knackered, but all set to go again next year! The NSG house was the best idea ever, there was a group of us all staying together, big thanks to Ian from Babylicious who organised it all, and found us this beautiful house situated in a lovely quiet picturesque village - the owners of the house were super friendly and helpful; it was perfect. I went into the show not really knowing what to expect, hoping to be inspired, see new things and meet some fab people. I was not let down - firstly its enormous, there are companies from all over the world exhibiting, and I did need the whole four days to get around the show, even then I didn’t see some of the foreign pavilions and I missed appointments (sorry!). Visible trends: lots of car seats everyone seems to be on the car seat thing just now, and I was impressed with what I saw, I spoke to the crew at Doona - and have the full info...I know a lot of you have had your reservations, please contact me so we can chat about this - I was with them for hours, and have ordered the product for my own shop floor - I am quite happy to feed back once the stock is in if you guys would like. There were a lot of animals, lots of fox prints everywhere, and funky furniture. Certain exhibitors had secret back rooms, which we aren’t allowed to discuss for obvious reasons, but I liked what I saw and can’t wait for some of these products to hit the stores. Specific products I liked: Travis Designs dress up outfits - are going to be ideal for Halloween, licensed products that are great quality and don’t break the bank. GreenTom - unbreakable pram made

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of plastic - totally eco friendly. Emmaljunga- the Dallas, the new light grey deluxe is STUNNING! It’s our Hugh pram, if you know Hugh Millar, you will know it’s him – it’s his design, and it’s sure to be a great success. Cybex Cloud - lay flat car seat, available in several different colours they had a huge stand and some lovely new products. BabyStyle Imp - now faces both ways, definitely filling a gap in the market. New iCandy colours were lovely. OMG LIPSTICK, matched my own! Fabulous! Kiddy have come up with a new strategy to help us indies and need as many of us to get on board. Picci bedding – stunning, stunning, stunning...and stunning I felt there was a lot that didn’t apply to us - a lot of bottles, and dummies, plastic wear that the nationals kill on price that are pointless for us to stock, bedding and furniture ranges that were available only in certain countries and more car seats. The problem with car seats is that all the suppliers had great new innovative products - for small independent shops, how many do we keep and how do we decide? I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people! A big thank you to Paul Sirett and the entire BeSafe team for their hospitality, we had a wonderful evening, lovely food, a wee boogie and we loved the new products! Thank you to Cybex, the lovely Gill Pedley, Sean and the rest of the Cybex squad who looked after us - we had some great laughs and I have some even GREATER videos (Tony Beck!!) Concord, for feeding us and the NSG Baby who we are all missing after his little sleep over with us! And finally, to Penny (Editor in chief and all round fabulous lady) for getting us to the After

Seven Event, and introducing us to Thomas the project manager at Kolnmesse - Thomas took the time out to come and speak to us, and to get information about the NSG, what we represent, what we are trying to create, this column and I suppose how much trouble I cause in the industry (at least I’m honest) - I know he will be reading this article, and again I would like to say thank you from us all - the event was amazing, it was great to meet so many of our suppliers and friends in the industry - and be part of the amazing atmosphere with my amazing NSG family. Lots of love to my NSG family, Ian & Joan from Babylicious, Annette from Annette’s Prams, mum & dad Beata & Victor Babyland Carshalton, Victoria from Prams & Cots Galore and of course the sweetest Emma from BabyBirds - you scattered words of wisdom upon me, and helped me see my own role in this industry in a different light and I am super appreciative of your insight. There are too many fab products for me to highlight just one, so I have decided to let the

pictures do the talking. I look forward to attending K&J again next year, and hope to have my partner in crime Roxy, and more NSG family with me. I have pre ordered certain products, had access to show promotions, seen new products, an insight into what is coming up and what has gone out. It’s very different to Harrogate because of the sheer scale - so I do recommend you consider it for next year, many suppliers told me there was a big turn out from the UK indies this year, let’s make that a growing trend, we have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. My details as always: Facebook: Yas Ali NSG Email: yasmin.ali@babylandfife. co.uk FB: Seach Nursery Support Group (for bricks and mortars independent retailers only) FB: Search Nursery Trade (for suppliers and rest of the trade) See you all next month as we bring in A/W 14! Mwahs my lovelies! Yas Ali

Cuddle me dry

uddledry was created by two long term friends and mums, Polly and Helen. They realised that almost all parents face the same stressful time trying to get a wriggly wet slippery baby out of the bath, as well as hold up a towel to wrap them in. The idea for the Cuddledry baby apron bath towel was born, and was an instant hit - both with parents and gift buyers. Cuddledry gives parents two hands free to safely lift their baby from the water, and simply wrap them cuddled up warm in their arms. Bathtimes have never been so easy and snug. Since its launch in 2006, the Original Cuddledry baby apron towel has won over 40 awards, including best baby gift and best baby towel. Among the many awards, we are most proud of the ones voted for by parents - Cuddledry has won the coveted Mumsnet Best Award consistently every year for the last 6 years. This towel has quite simply

revolutionised bathtime, with thousands of parents, celebrities and healthcare workers stating they don’t know how they managed without it. The Cuddledry team have worked with the NCT, the Child Accident Prevention Trust, BLISS, Norland College and many more. The Cuddledry range has expanded through customer demand, as babies who were bathed with a Cuddledry towel have grown older. They now offer a range of bath, swim and beach towels and accessories from birth up to age 6. Nearly all their products are made using a blend of eco-friendly bamboo and pure cotton, which makes their towels super soft, super absorbent, and very very snuggly! Their toddler ‘dress-up’ towels are a huge hit at Christmas time, in particular the fabulous Cuddleroar, and the festive Cuddledeer. Email: trade@cuddledry.com Web: www.cuddledry.com

Focus Toy Fair 2015

Get registered for Toy Fair 2015! Toy Fair is the UK’s only dedicated toy, game and hobby exhibition taking place annually at London Olympia Grand and West Halls 20 to 22 January 2015. The exhibition is an opportunity for retailers to explore and find exciting nursery toys and gifts from well-known and new companies.

elebrating its 62 year, the 2015 show will once again occupy the entire upper and lower sections of the Grand and West Halls. Toy Fair will play host to more than 260 exhibiting companies including big brands such as Bandai, Character Options, Hasbro, Lego, Flair and Vivid Toy Group. Thirty six exhibitors are brand new to the floor plan while Tomy Europe, Theo Klein, A B Gee of Ripley, Chicco, House of Marbles and ZooBooKoo International have all returned after time away from the show. The Greenhouse Area will host 37 innovative companies looking to make a noise in the toy industry. Over the years, the Greenhouse Area has acted as a launch pad into the industry. Pants on Fire, Intertek and DWSD are making the move to the show floor for 2015.

Zone. Hosted in the onsite Toy Fair TV studio, exhibitors will be given the chance to demo their products to Anna, Gavin and a group of children. Each Demo Zone session runs for half an hour on the hour across the three days and is broken down into a range of categories including a dedicated nursery section titled ‘Back to Preschool.’ The Toy Fair Best New Toys offers another opportunity to discover new products. Voted for by a panel of independent toy retailers, the winners are unveiled on the opening morning of the show and this year can be found on the gallery level. Last year’s winners in the Preschool category included Vtech’s Toot Toot Drivers Police Station, Nursery Trampoline from James Galt, Learn to Pedal 3-in- 1 Trike from Little Tikes, Peppa Pig Weebles Wind and Wobble Playhouse from Character Options and Golden Bear’s

There are a range of companies at Toy Fair displaying products suitable for the nursery age group. East Coast Nursery will showcase Tiny Love with the launch of Tiny Hug Carrier, suitable from birth to 36 months, with two carry positions and three ergonomic leg positions, offering pelvic support to the baby’s developing hips. Other exhibitors launching nursery products include 1 Two Kids, Aurora World, Bigjigs, Cloud b, DKL, Gibsons, Haba, Halilit, John Crane, KidKraft, Leapfrog, Little Helper, Mookie Toys, Posh Paws, Trunki and Zapf Creations There are a range of companies at Toy Fair displaying products suitable for the nursery age group. East Coast Nursery will showcase Tiny Love with the launch of Tiny Hug Carrier, suitable from birth to 36 months, with two carry positions and three ergonomic leg positions, offering pelvic support to the baby’s developing hips. Other exhibitors launching nursery products include 1 Two Kids, Aurora World, Bigjigs, Cloud b, DKL, Gibsons, Haba, Halilit, John Crane, KidKraft, Leapfrog, Little Helper, Mookie Toys, Posh Paws, Trunki and Zapf Creations. Now in its third year, Toy Fair TV will be a key feature at Toy Fair 2015. Hosted by TV presenters Anna Williamson and Gavin Inskip, Toy Fair TV gives visitors the opportunity to see more of the show floor. Broadcast on 24 screens around Olympia, visitors can watch the presenters interviewing exhibitors on their stands and unveil the latest product launches around the show. As part of Toy Fair TV will be the return of the Demo 68 nursery today

Henry Hugglemonster Henry’s Roarsome Scooter and Summer’s Super Scooter. While Toy Fair begins a new year for the toy industry, the annual Toy Industry Awards celebrate the many successes in retail and manufacturing for the year gone by. Once again the awards will take place at London’s Science Museum on the first evening of Toy Fair and will recognise toys in a number of different categories, including Preschool Toy of the Year. Many of this year’s winners will have been showcased at Toy Fair 2014 and the event brings a nice synergy to the first day. Toy Fair visitor registration is open now at www.toyfair. co.uk. Pre-registering saves retailers a £15 entry fee on the door, fast tracks them in to the show and qualifies them for a number of show offers and discounts exclusively available to pre-registered visitors. Toy Fair takes place at Olympia in London from 20-22 January 2015. For more information please visit

www.toyfair.co.uk.