Skoot - Luggage and a Ride-On in One

Travelling with little children poses all manner of challenges, but with Skoot from World's Apart, their luggage will not be a problem!  Styled like a retro Italian Scooter, the Skoot is an incredibly cool ride-on toy which doubles up as a suitcase, perfect for a weekend away or travelling abroad.

With practical rubber wheels and a steerable handle bar, it makes a zippy, smooth and stable ride-on for zooming around on.  A robust towing strap allows parents to pull little ones along and the full steering column makes it really easy to do.  The strap can double up as a carry strap for convenience, so it can be thrown over a shoulder.

The Skoot opens up to reveal a spacious 13 litre capacity case which is perfect for packing a child's clothes for a weekend away.  Secure storage clips hold everything safely.

Whenever I go away with the children, I find that they love to have their own case for packing.  The Skoot is perfect to give them their own storage space and give them that little bit of independence.  Having luggage that is also a brilliant ride-on toy adds an element of fun!

The Skoot is hand luggage approved so is brilliant for travelling abroad with kids.  They will be kept entertained skooting around the airport and then once on board the plane, the case can be stowed away in the overhead luggage compartment.

I love the fact that we can pack a few toys and a change of clothes into the Skoot when we visit Nana and Grandad.  Freddy then not only has some things to play with packed inside, he has the added bonus of having a ride-on toy to zoom up and down his grandparents' hallway!  Double the fun.

As our half term break to London was cancelled due to me being poorly (I'm still really gutted about this!!) I've not been able to test the Skoot on holiday.  However, we have tested it at home as both a ride-on toy and as luggage.  It is great to throw into the car on a day trip with Freddy's bits and bobs packed inside.  Being rigid it sits perfectly in the footwell in front of his car seat and keeps everything contained and protected.  It's big enough for a change of clothing, extra layers in case it gets cold, a pair of pyjamas, snacks  and a few toys.  Everything is there if we need it and not being trampled on!  Also, when we stop he gets to stretch his legs and have some fun riding around, great at service stations!

It is a really great concept for travelling with little people.  Kids love them and they are practical.  The tow strap is especially handy and great for pulling kids around, safely ensconced aboard their Skoot.  The ride-on is suitable for children aged approximately 3-6 years old.

The Skoot is available in a variety of colours: red, pink, lilac and blue. You can buy them from Argos and John Lewis RRP £39.99.

Quinny Yezz Doing What It Does Best!

As a Quinny Caster I've been challenged to show the Yezz doing what it does best!!  It's the urban stroller designed to make the city its playground, perfect for public transport and the rigours of being in town with a toddler.  Unfortunately as far as this mission is concerned, I live in the country and the public transport links are worse than useless so to demonstrate the features and benefits of Quinny's funky Yezz we had to get creative.

The incredibly lightweight Yezz is small and compact when folded and comes with a strap to carry it over your shoulder.  Perfect for going up and down stairs and escalators and hopping on and off trains and buses.  Ian demonstrated this on our staircase!

The size of the folded stroller is perfect if you are sat on a seat of a train, bus or taxi.  It will sit easily between your feet meaning you don't have to struggle with stowing the Yezz in a storage facility.  Ian demonstrates on our makeshift bus seat!!

When you are in the city, you have to put your stroller up and down a lot as you reach escalators, stairs or get on or off the vehicle.  The Yezz can be put up with one hand and one foot really quickly and easily.  You could hold on to a toddler's hand or carry an infant with your other hand.  Very useful when travelling alone with your child.

City life can mean tight spaces and narrow gaps.  The Yezz's super manoeuvrability and compact design makes negotiating a busy, crowded area really easy.  Doorways, aisles, corridors and other tight squeezes are easily handled.  Check out Ian going through a doorway with bags of space to spare.

 The free standing feature is useful and would allow you to leave the pushchair stood up and keep your hands free.

The Yezz's lightweight frame makes this the lightest stroller to carry around, a real bonus when using a buggy in the busy city.  A cumbersome, heavy, complicated pushchair would be a hindrance,whereas the Yezz would be a real help in that situation.  You can see just how light this stroller is in this photo.

Although I did not test the Yezz in the city for this mission, I am soon to take Freddy to Alton Towers.  The Yezz will be perfect to ride the mono-rail, leave standing in Buggy Parks near the rides, negotiate the crowds and carry over our shoulder when Freddy decides he wants to have a run around.  We are also going to Disneyland Paris in a few weeks time and will be taking the Yezz.  It will take up hardly any boot space and again will be perfect in a theme park situation.  I'll definitely post some pics!!

The Yezz may not be perfect for all terrains and situations, but for urban life it can definitely reduce many of the problems associated with using a pushchair.  Plus, it's very comfy for your tot to travel in.  It's a great investment for a non-city dweller like me, as a second stroller for travelling, urban use and on holiday.

A Car Seat Fit for Lightning McQueen!

I've loved being an ambassador for the Graco brand throughout 2011.  I've tested some amazing products...the Symbio, Fusio, Nautilus, Ugo and now the Graco Disney Pixar Cars Junior Maxi Plus car seat.

With Cars 2 now released on DVD, Freddy is enjoying watching Lightning McQueen and Mater as his Disney fix of choice!  So to combine his favourite characters with my favourite nursery brand was a winning formula!

The Junior Maxi Plus is the last car safety seat your little ones will require, seeing them through the time when they are legally required to use one.  Suitable for ages 3-12 years (15kgs +), it uses the car's seatbelt to secure the child.  The arms and head support are height adjustable to ensure the best fit and this also allows the car seat to grow with your child.

Safety is paramount with triple side impact protection, integrated seatbelt guides and intuitive belt routing.  The backrest can be removed to make a booster seat for older children.

For comfort, there is a 2 position recline for the padded backrest.  There are also 2 retractable cup holders for drinking on the go!

The gorgeous design features all your favourite Cars 2 characters...Finn, Lightning and Mater.  The dark blue cover is machine washable and has snazzy red piping.  Freddy loves the design and will soon be using his Junior Maxi Plus for occasional use in his Daddy's car, until he outgrows the Nautilus and uses it permanently.  The beauty of the Junior Maxi Plus is that it can be transferred from car to car really easily, keeping your child safe if travelling in other people's vehicles.

The Junior Maxi Plus is available in Toy Story, Cars and Disney Princess designs which will appeal to all Disney fans (and their Disney loving Mums!!)

RRP is £69.99 and it is available from good stockists including Argos, Babies R Us and Halfords.

Travelling With Children

Travelling With Children is a one stop online shop, providing products, comprehensive tips and information on all things for child-friendly travel ranging from the school-run to weekends at the grandparents' to long haul flights.  It provides a lifeline for UK parents and parents-to-be and encourages them to share their experiences, strategies and solutions to travelling with children.  Taking the stress out of travel means that families can have more fun together.

All the products for sale are tried and tested, safe, well designed, functional and great quality.  With sections on the site covering topics such as Feeding on the Move, Family Health, Safety and Security and Baby Slings and Carriers it is easy to find what you are looking for.  It is reassuring to know that whatever travel problem you can think of, there is an innovative solution!

With a young baby, keeping feeding utensils and bottles sterile can be a major headache when travelling away from home. Sterilising systems are cumbersome and electric ones might not operate with foreign voltages.  This is a practical solution to that problem.  Each bag is a self contained sterilising unit that will hold up to 4 bottles.  They are safe to use with foreign water and keep things sterile for up to 24 hours.  Each pack has a week's supply and each sachet contains full instructions.  This product is also perfect for camping or overnight stays. The Disposable Steriliser Bags are £12.99 for a week's supply and solve a real travelling problem!

Toddler safety is a real concern both at home and away.  It is all too easy to lose sight of your little one as they wander off to explore.  Nothing is more terrifying than the fear of them getting lost.  The Toddler Mini Backpack and Reins gives complete peace of mind and has won the coveted Mother and Baby Gold Award for Best Safety Product.  The minipack features a three way harness, grab handle, safety reflector, a removable rein and toy or soother attachment.  Available in blue, red, green and pink, it has cute animal embroidery on it making it very appealing to a toddler! At just £15.99 this backpack will help keep toddlers safe and keep them happy.  Pop in a favourite toy and a snack and they are ready for a big adventure!  It is much friendlier than traditional reins and harnesses and gives the child the element of freedom that they enjoy, while giving you the confidence that they are safe.

We were sent one of each of these key products to try out for ourselves.  Freddy was delighted with the back pack.  It fitted comfortably with the padded straps and the reins are unobtrusive, so they didn't annoy him!  The size of the backpack is perfect for a toddler and would be great for nursery, days out or holidays.  I like that we can keep hold of him without infringing on his independence.  I also like the reflector feature for when it gets dark outside.

Ready for an adventure!

The information guides on the Travelling With Children site cover topics such as where to go, travelling when pregnant, travelling by air, road, boat or train, health and safety and a guide to packing.  Not only is the advice informative, it is also encouraging and makes it all seem very possible!  Managing director Annie Jones has a wealth of experience travelling with her own son Rory and has designed the site to help other parents.  When it comes to the happiness, health and safety of our children, only the best will do, and Travelling With Children aims to faciliate that with the best advice and the best products to make travelling with children as stress free and enjoyable as possible!

Travelling With Children are offering a 15% discount on Lodger Products which includes adorable hats, Fleece Wrappers and the award winning Wrapper Motion.  Just quote discount code LODGER.

Find out more at  http://www.travellingwithchildren.co.uk.
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