Enabling Environments: Equipment: YBike; Rocker; Mirrored Trays...
Ruth Thomson
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The latest early years products can help children sleep comfortably and get around safely, says Ruth Thomson.
- YBike £39.99
The multi-award-winning YBike has been engineered with safety in mind and designed to help improve children's balance and co-ordination skills.
Its injection-moulded construction eliminates weak points, rust and punctures and offers more design freedom. Created by two parents for their daughters, the bike's larger wheels produce a safer ride on uneven surfaces. The front wheel is positioned further forward than normal, so increasing the size of the turning circle and reducing the risk of children falling as they turn. The single back wheel is designed to encourage better motor development and balance.
Children who tested the bike for 20-30 minutes twice a week showed improvements in both static and dynamic balance, bilateral co-ordination and physical self-confidence
The YBIKE is now available at all major outlets, including Game, Toys R Us, Reggies and Baby Boom. See also www.thebuzzhut.co.uk
- Shanticot, large £499 inc VAT
http://shanticot.dragonswood.co.uk
Shanticot has produced a larger version of its original double cot, this time with the lower bunk large enough to accommodate a child up to five years old.
Measuring 142cm high by 99cm wide by 146cm long, the new version also comes with a fixed front lower rail. All cots have the upper level drop side, enabling ease of access to the baby and reducing back strain for the parent or carer. The upper level bed base is also height adjustable, giving more security as the children using it develop and grow.
Rocker plus one cover £82, spare covers £41.75 each
Brightly coloured deco rockers in one of four designs are now available from Wesco. Suitable for children up to three years old, each rocker has a wide, curved base that limits the size of the rocking motion to help the child feel secure. This plastic base is the same on all the models, so the rockers can be transformed at any time simply by changing the covers, which are available separately. The four designs are: Lancelot, Ivanhoe, Dragon (shown here) and Tiger. The rocker with one cover costs £82 and the spare covers cost £41.75 each.
To order, phone 0115 9899765 or e-mail sales@wescouk.co.uk and quote the product number. Rockers: Lancelot, 163 220 033, Ivanhoe 163 220 034, Dragon, 163 420 035, Tiger 163 220 037. Covers: Lancelot, 163 320 038, Ivanhoe 163 320 039, Dragon, 163 220 144, Tiger 163 220 041.
- Mirrored trays, £32.99 each
These four mirrored trays from TTS Group are ideal for sorting, collecting, exploring, or displaying treasures and other collections. Made from well-finished wood and tough acrylic mirrors, the trays are safe, sturdy and fun for children to carry around. They come in four shapes - square, rectangle, triangle and hexagon - and are designed to nest within each other for ease of storage.
- Rocks £59.99 for 25
Enhance the quality of children's role play with this set of realistic model rocks from TTS Group. Made from safe and durable foam, the rocks are light and easy to stack. Suitable for use inside and out, they can be used to build dry stone walls or combined with sand and water to form a realistic cement mix. Perfect for building castles.
- Hunter Wellie Boots £24
If your outdoor gear for children isn't up to scratch, then check out Hunter Wellie Boots, available from Mindstretchers. These boots have good grip, thick soles that keep feet warm, and long leg sections, making them ideal for splashing in puddles. They also come with reflective safety patches and a one-year guarantee. They have orthopaedic fittings and are hand-stitched to make them last longer. Also available are thermal wellie socks (£11), designed not to fall down!
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