ShoesThere is such a huge range out there at the moment, as soon as the last leaf falls from the trees, all the shops bring out their spring/summer footwear and boy is there a lot to choose from! You're probably better off waiting till spring is full underway before investing in lots of new pairs as we all know kids feet grow faster than you can make a cup of tea! Brantano have a gigantic range of shoes to choose from if you're not sure where to look! I think my first choice for footwear would be sandals, from crocs to special sandals they can wear in the water (perfect if you're off to the beach!). It's also a good idea to get some trainers, they're probably the most practical footwear, perfect as something they can run around in easily but can also get them mucky and dirty without it ruining them, again, they are also great for the beach as they'll grip the sand and are super easy for them to run in! And don't forget the trustee wellies! Not just for the wetter months, considering the weather changes every hour, its pretty unpredictable, there are so many brands of kids wellies out there so you'll find some to suit your little one no matter their age/favourite colour!
Sun protection!It's so important to protect your little ones from the sun, there are lots of different ways to ensure they're kept free from sunburn or sunstroke even, not just with sun lotion but with cover up clothes and sun hats too! You can never wear too much sun lotion so bear that in mind, I'm pretty much one of those mothers who smothers their child in the stuff, but i'd much rather Abbie was overly protected than not enough, my favorite brand is by Green People! Sun hats are so important too, it keeps the sun off their little faces which is actually the most common body part to get burnt, not only will it keep their head hidden from the sun but they look too cute in them too! Oh and if you are popping to the beach, i'd recommend a little tent they can sit in for some quiet time and time out of the sun too, maybe take your iPad or some puzzles/colouring books to keep them entertained too!
Toys!As I briefly mentioned about, puzzles and colouring books are a good way to keep them entertained! Toddlers have the attention span of, well, toddlers! So what might be good fun for 10 minutes suddenly ends up being boring and they need something else to challenge their brain! My favorite thing when I was younger were buckets and spades, you can't go wrong, set them a challenge to make the biggest sandcastle they can within 15 minutes, if they do well (which obviously they will ;)), you can reward them with a little treat, such as some frozen berries or an ice lolly/ice cream, its a great way to get them to sit in the shade for a little bit too, win for toddler, win for mum!
What are your tips?