Fresh tees for boys, with positive, uplifting slogans – we have them aplenty, thanks to this British brand.

I have a distinct dislike for boys’ t-shirts with slogans that are degrading, but shielded by a thin veil of humour. I prefer my boys to wear clothing that is bright, fun and if it has a slogan, is empowering. That’s why this collection from Dandy Star has me smiling.

We briefly mentioned Dandy Star in one of Playtime Paris round-ups, but here’s a closer look at the label. Dandy Star makes its t-shirts from a soft cotton that kids just seem to love. Dandy Star draw their design inspiration from their love of colour, vintage, glam and Americana, and that’s clearly all represented in this collection.

Of course, there are also plenty of tees that will look fabulous on girls, particularly the Glitter Stars. And if you’ve taken a real shine to any of the designs, they’re also available in adult sizes.  The kids’ t-shirts are available in size one through to 12, and there’s also a teen size for older kids. Each tee costs £24. Orders can be made directly through Dandy Star, and while you’re there have a look at their collection for babies and their temporary tattoos.

Feeling lucky today? Let’s see if this is your week to be one of our Prizeapalooza competition winners!

Ollie Owl pillows will surely bring sweet slumber to three little people on day twelve, with three Babyologists scoring a memory foam pillow of their choice, valued at $34.95 each. The winners are:

K. McCreery, S. Chan and C. Morris

Day thirteen‘s Flatout Frankie competition saw many of us get excited at the prospect of having children engaging in hours of fun playing with both Unicorn and Roar Box Sets valued at $192 each. The winner is:

L. Needham

Kids bags don’t get much more fun than Okiedog Wildpack bags! On day fourteen‘s competition one reader had the chance to bag themselves a whole collection of Wildpack bags in their creature of choice – a prize valued at $103.80! The winner is:

P. Worland

When it comes to getting baby to sleep, sometimes the little extras can make all the difference. We adored the My Baby Sound Spa Slumber Whale valued at $46 from the Baby To Toddler competition on day fifteen – and we’re excited to be giving three away to our readers! The winners are:

N. Fleet, M. Saengphen and J. Hay

On day sixteen we introduced to you the uber luxe wares from Kokoberri. Two Babyologists will be reaping the rewards in this competition – both taking home a Brooklyn baby bag, Blomst beanie and bootie set plus a Pompom beret and bootie set, valued at $395 each. The winners are:

D. Crowe and C. Sebat

Day seventeen saw us launch the Squooshi competition. These reusable food pouches are fast becoming a favourite of our readers and it’s easy to see why – they’re both fun and functional! Three of you will get a Squooshi prize pack valued at $50 each which includes eight pouches, replacement caps and a drying rack. The winners are:

T. Alner, J. Ciccotosto and N. Spiteri

Everyone loves to put their own style stamp on their decorating and what better opportunity than with day eighteen‘s Prizeapalooza competition from Bright Star Kids! Four Babyologists will be flexing their wall decal applying muscle with a $50 Wall Art voucher! The winners are:

S. Loughnane, A. Suto, K. Fraser and L. Johns

A big thank you to our entrants and sponsors for taking part in our Prizeapalooza! Winners and sponsors, we will be in touch by email soon so please keep an eye on your inbox!

Every parent could use a little help when their child is sick, and today’s Prizeapalooza will give you extra peace of mind when fever strikes.

Two winners will each receive one Home Use VeraTemp non-contact thermometer thanks to Evomed, valued at $79.95 each.

The VeraTemp non-contact thermometer accurately measures a baby’s body temperature, without the need to touch them. It’s perfect for checking on a sleeping, sick baby or child. But that’s not its only use – it can also accurately measure the temperature of baby bottles, food, bath water and rooms. This nifty thermometer will easily become one of the most-used baby gadgets in your home.

To enter, leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us which of the many benefits of the VeraTemp thermometer you love and why. You have seven days and entries close midnight, 31 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

It’s some old school pixelated fun with these very clever little books for kids. 

There was a time when low resolution, pixelated images on a screen were frowned upon. And while they’re still not ideal on a television or computer monitor, their old school style is yet another one of those things that’s become über cool.

The kids can get a taste of what poor resolution used to look like, and have some fun at the same time with these adorable Pixel Sticker Books. There are two versions, Pixel Dolls and Pixel Heroes. Each page of the book shows a complete figure and a grid, and the kids can use the coloured pixel stickers to make up the image. There are nine pictures to complete in each book.

Such a nifty, simple idea and I’m sure there’s plenty of adults who’d love to get a hold of one of these. You can buy copies from John Lewis for £4.50.

With fourteen years of parenting under my belt, I can confidently say I’ve had my fair share of pint-sized plastic containers go in and out of my kitchen. If only these beaut glass containers were around back then – they would have saved me a fortune in time and money on others that simply didn’t work.

Littlelock Glasslock baby food containers promise big things in the kitchen – these containers are designed for storing, freezing, heating and serving baby food and toddler meals. Yes, you heard right, all of that, everything you need from the one container.

Stronger than conventional glass, Littlelock containers are made from tempered glass making them safe for the freezer, microwave (remove lids first) and the dishwasher – they’ll even resist stains and odours. To top it off, the bright airtight coloured lids lock on hard and don’t leak if toppled over in a bag.

Available in packs of three, you can start your collection with either 120ml size priced $29.95 or the bigger 210ml size, priced $33.95 from Littlelock.

We are entering the home stretch of our May Prizeapalooza and the giveaways are just getting better. 

Today we are giving three Babyologers $100 vouchers for Blurb, the home of super funky personalised photo books. This is my favourite way to preserve gorgeous memories and it’s not just because the design and layout options of these books are so versatile. Choosing pictures is made really easy with options to upload straight from your Facebook, Instagram, Picasa or Flickr accounts, as well as from your computer of course.

If you want to be the lucky reader who wins one of the $100 vouchers, just leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us what style of book you would choose from the Blurb Photobook Range and what you would put in it. You have seven days and entries close midnight, 30 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

There are some places that I will never tire of visiting – the Northern Territory is one. I’ve been there four times and each visit offered new experiences and lots of memorable moments.

For a very different and exciting family Northern Territory experience, a stay at Bullo River Station is a must. Located in the north-western corner of the Northern Territory, near the Western Australian border, Bullo River Station covers an astounding half a million acres! The massive property is encircled by the Victoria River, rocky escarpments and stunningly beautiful outback landscape.

Bullo River Station is a working cattle station with more than nine thousand head of cattle. There’s also lots of local wildlife – expect to spot wallabies, dingoes, wild buffalo, numerous species of native and migratory birds, fish and maybe a crocodile!

Bullo River Station offers a comfortable and fully-hosted farm stay experience. Yes, you might be put to work with some cattle mustering or horse riding, but the staff at Bullo River will also tailor a range of activities to suit your interests. There’s lots to do, including fishing, spotting crocodiles, discovering Aboriginal rock art, cruising the Bullo River Gorge or enjoying an exhilarating helicopter flight of the property.

There are twelve rooms at the Bullo River Station lodge. The rooms are simple and practical – each has an ensuite, is serviced daily and thankfully is without a television or phone – at Bullo River, you’re really getting away from it all!

Bullo River Station is open from March through to October each year (it’s closed during the peak of the wet season). Accommodation, including meals and most activities, is $800 per night for adults and $600 for children. Some packages are available. Your Bullo River Station experience and flights to the Northern Territory can be booked online through Expedia.

As beautiful as natural timber is, it never ceases to amaze me what incredible things humans can craft from it. Like these amazing Animal Boxes.

New York-based Areaware has rightfully made a name for itself as a creator of functional and beautiful everyday pieces, including many desirables for children. The latest cab off the rank, from designer Karl Zahn, are these divine Animal Boxes.

Made from sustainably harvested new growth beechwood, the boxes are a beautiful sculptural form on their own. But they hide a secret. And that can be whatever little trinket your child decides to put in them. Have a look at how they open below.

They come in a great range of animals that are anything but what you’d expect to find carved into a box, including a whale, walrus and llama. They cost US$49 each from Areaware, which ships internationally. You can also browse through the other posts we’ve written on Areaware, including the iPhone alarm clock and the very charming Cubebots.

It’s day twenty-three of Prizeapalooza and today we’re giving away an awesome set of wheels!

One very lucky Babyologist will win this gorgeous Out’n'About Nipper 360 Single pram, valued at $550, thanks to Nihon Trading.

Be one of the first in Australia to experience what the UK’s leading pram brand Out’n'About has to offer. The Out’n'About Nipper 360 Single pram is both lightweight and agile, perfect for nipping down to the shops or the school run – you can even confidently take this robust three wheeler off road on unsealed paths in comfort with those big pneumatic tyres and front swivel wheel!

To enter, leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us which Out’n'About Nipper 360 Single pram accessory you would most like to (hypothetically) pair with this prize and why. You have seven days and entries close, 29 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

There are two things I love about Net-A-Porter. First and foremost, it’s the fabulous fashion. Who doesn’t love to browse the virtual designer aisles and dream a little?! Secondly, I love the story behind the site – one of those truly astounding web success stories (it all started in founder Natalie Massenet’s flat in 2000 and by 2010 she had sold to Swiss luxury goods holding company Richemont for $533 million). So guess what’s next for the fashion domain?

In 2009, Massenet announced that Net-A-Porter had bought the domain name, petite-a-porter.com – and we all knew what that meant! But buying a domain name and creating a website are two different things, so what has happened since 2009? Not much until last week, when the managing director of Net-A-Porter, Alison Loehnis, confirmed that a childrenswear website is on its way.

Loehnis recently spoke to Mashable and when asked about what categories Net-A-Porter would be exploring in the future, she said, “We will explore kids. We’ve had petite-a-porter.com registered for some time. I get asked about home all the time — I’ll just leave it out there, say, ‘watch the space.’ Travel, we’re not looking into. But you never know.”

So, kids fashion is a definite yes and it sounds like we can also start dreaming designer homewares.

Unquestionably the world’s premier online luxury fashion retailer, Net-A-Porter offers labels such as Chloé (below), Gucci and Stella McCartney (above), all of which have children’s lines. Fingers crossed they’re all available in a glam one-stop-shop soon – of course, we’ll let you know the moment it happens.

(via Junior)

Just when you thought scooting couldn’t get any more fun than it already is – think again.

Fat Brain Toys take the humble act of riding a scooter up an artistic notch with the addition of Chalktrail Scooter – an attachment for your child’s ride on that leaves a speedy trail of coloured chalk behind as they scoot.

Chalktrail Scooter fits standard sized scooters, including the popular Razor brand, by simply hooking on to the centre hub of the back wheel and is fastened easily with the twist of a couple of screws. The Chalktrail Scooter includes one piece of non-toxic, washable chalk that lasts a staggering 2.4 kilometres – if your little one manages to use all of that in one riding expedition, you’re just about guaranteed they’ll sleep well! Additional Chalktrail chalk is available for purchase separately and comes in a variety of splendid colours for maximum driveway artistry and creative healthy play.

Chalktrail Scooter is priced US$12.95 and available from Fat Brain Toys. International delivery is available though expensive – perfect excuse to get friends in on the action for a group order.

(via Kidcrave)

Quick sticks! You won’t want to miss day twenty-two of Babyology’s Prizeapalooza.

Combi is giving away a fantastic Combi Quickids stroller to one out-and-about Babyology reader. The prize is valued at $249.

The Combi Quickids is the ultimate stroller for frequent travelling and on-the-go parents. Weighing in at a tiny four kilograms, combined with a super-easy fold and a compact design, the Combi Quickids is still packed with features – an adjustable and roomy seat; a storage compartment; and a carry strap so that you can literally sling it over your shoulder and go. Are you thinking ahead to your next family holiday? Then don’t miss this prize!

To enter, leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us why the Combi Quickids fits with your busy lifestyle. You have seven days and entries close midnight, 28 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

I love when things from my childhood make a comeback so that a whole new generation of kids can enjoy them. How many Babyologists remember these beauties?

I can distinctly remember running my fingers over embossed labels as a child. Such a simple, sweet memory that can now be shared by the children of a much more technologically advanced generation. MoTex is a an unashamedly retro label maker (so retro it doesn’t even need batteries) that is just perfect for craft.

Its simple design and ease of use will appeal to children, and it’s a great incentive for those learning how to read. It comes in green or pink, and each label maker includes two wheels – one with numbers and lower case letters, and one with upper case letters and emoticons (something from this era for the kids who aren’t convinced!).

The kit also includes a roll of tape to get the kids started. It’s $19.95 from Lark, which also stocks a great range of embossing label tape (think neons and clear) for $3.95 each.

Coveting some gorgeous new threads for your kids (or even for yourself)? Today’s Prizeapalooza is for you, with two very handy clothing vouchers up for grabs.

We’re into our third week of Prizeapalooza, and the amazing daily prizes just keep on coming. Today, we are giving away two $100 vouchers to spend at the utterly fabulous Eternal Creation.

Eternal Creation is all about fashion with a conscience. The range of designer baby, children, women’s and menswear is all tailored, on trend and Fair Trade certified. Also on the fashion menu at Eternal Creation is sleepwear and accessories. Unique and stylish, you’ll be swamped for choices when trying to spend your voucher!

To enter, leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us which items you’d choose from the Eternal Creation collection if you won, and why. You have seven days and entries close midnight, 27 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

Co-sleeping parents can soon get their hands on this amazing product locally, click through to find out where you can get one in Australia.

The Bednest drew plenty of oohs and ahhs when we first featured it on Babyology three years ago, but the cost of shipping was a little too steep for some. The great news is that the fabulous Danish By Design will soon have these handsome sleepers available for local purchase.

The Bednest allows for co-sleeping without many of the concerns that go along with having a baby in a parent’s bed. It’s height-adjustable and clips to the side of the bed. The sides can be adjusted up or down, so it can also be used as a traditional bassinet.

The Bednest will be available from Danish By Design by mid-June for $599.95.

As the leaves of the large oak trees lining my street start to turn from vibrant green to warm yellow and orange, my mind turns to The Present.

Earlier this year we showed you The Present, an extraordinary ‘seasonal’ clock. The single hand on the clock moves slowly – in fact, so slowly you won’t notice it. The hand takes an entire year to make a single revolution and the colours on the clock face signify the passing seasons.

The Present was designed by Mssng Peces and was originally created for the Northern Hemisphere. Due to demand (and I was quite possibly the most demanding), Mssng Peces have now created The Present for the Southern Hemisphere.

Buy The Present for the Southern Hemisphere directly from Mssng Peces for US$299. Mssng Peces ship internationally.

Day twenty of our May Prizeapalooza makes me sad. You see, as a Babyology writer I’m not actually allowed to enter these giveaways and on days like today, it hurts a little bit. 

Incy Interiors is giving away one of their coloured cots, expertly crafted from strong iron and available in a range of colours. These beautiful cots are the perfect balance between vintage style and modern design.

If you want to be the lucky reader who wins a gorgeous cot worth $599, just leave a comment below with your full name in the Post a Comment section, telling us which other items from the Incy Interiors range you would choose to accessorise you new cot. You have seven days and entries close midnight, 26 May, 2013.

For full details, see our Terms & Conditions.

Pantone, surely the most authoritative word on colour matching, recently launched a new subscription service, Pantoneview, that alerts you to on-trend colours to ‘inform and inspire your colour decisions’. Although I have no need for such a service, I’m sorely tempted to sign up – call it ‘colour curiosity’.

For babies and toddlers with colour curiosity, some new releases by Pantone are sure to appeal.

First up, gorgeous Pantone: Colour Cards. There are eighteen flashcards in the set, made up of two tones of each of the nine basic colours. With a solid colour on one side of the card and a modern, illustrated pattern of animals or objects in shades of the same colour family on the other, the cards are both educational and beautiful to look at. Colours include Shark Grey, Grasshopper Green and Duckling Yellow – the challenge for children is to look at the illustrations and pick out which shade is Shark Grey, Grasshopper Green, Duckling Yellow and so forth.

Also new is Pantone: Box of Colour, a set of six small, chunky board books, one for each of red, yellow, green, purple, orange and blue. Each book includes durable die cut-outs of familiar objects against various shades of each colour. Simple text cues parents and children to label objects and observe lighter and darker shades of the same colour.

Both the flashcards and the books are suitable for children aged one year and over and are available from Book Depository. For grown-ups with colour curiosity, check out Pantoneview.

Children’s imaginations are wonderful, magical things. They can conjure castles in the sky, monsters under the bed… and imaginary friends.

Max & George, written by Cori Brooke and illustrated by Sue deGennaro, is a story about a little boy, Max, and his imaginary friend, George. George lives in windows.

“House windows and car windows. Train windows and shop windows. Max was never lonely as long as he had a window.”

The best thing about George was that he felt the same way as Max about all sorts of things (fancy that?!). So when Max is feeling a little apprehensive about starting school, George is there, in the school window, to keep him company.

“One afternoon Max thought George seemed especially jittery and nervous. Max was also feeling pretty nervous. He was starting school in a few days.”

But what happens when Max meets some ‘real life’ friends in the school playground?

Ultimately, Max makes friends with other kids and stops looking in windows. I actually found the end of this story quite poignant – an important part of growing up is giving away imaginary friends and security blankets but it doesn’t mean it’s not a teensy bit sad!

This is a terrific book for kids who are a little anxious about new situations and strikes a good balance between holding onto familiar comforts and facing new experiences. Kids avoiding giving up their security blanket or similar will happily note that on the last page of this story, Max is not completely without George.

Mention must be made of deGennaro’s delicate, thoughtful illustrations. She has captured the relationship between Max and George beautifully, with each character a perfect, expressive ‘mirror’ of the other.

Max & George is suitable for children aged three years and over and can be found online at Penguin Australia.

Here it is! Round two of our Prizeapalooza winners had many giveaways needing more than one winner, so your chances of claiming an awesome prize are definitely increased – click through to see if you’re one of the lucky ones!

It’s as simple as fill and freeze on day five with the Miinki Moop competition! Five Babyologists will be enjoying their very own Qubies tray in the kitchen, valued at $20 each. The winners are:

J. George, M. Robertson, S. Shilton, V. Rogers and C. Raschle

On day six we continued our kitchen theme but this time with Ella’s Kitchen! Save yourself some time in the kitchen by having Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food on hand for when you’re low on time or out and about. Two winners have scored themselves a fabulous Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food pack valued at $50 each. The winners are:

S. Cooper and L. Chan

It was time to treat yourself on day seven with a brand new nappy bag to the value of $119.95 from Okiedog! You’re spoilt for choice in both design and colour when it comes to Okiedog, they’ve considered everything and everyone! We wish this Babyologist much luck in choosing their favourite bag:

A. Morgan

Day eight was just what some Babyologists were waiting for – the chance to kick start their children’s winter wardrobe shopping. The amazing folk at Toto Knits are giving one reader the opportunity to spend $100 on their gorgeous knits, ensuring their little ones are kept cosy all winter long. The winner is:

K. Poier

There will be no excuses for not hanging things up if you’re the winner of our Funkis Swedish Forms competition on day nine! A prize pack of four awesome Maze hooks valued at $117 will make keeping the floor clear a breeze (well.. we can hope) and not to mention look fabulous on the wall. The winner is:

S. Martin

The State of Folly competition on day ten saw our Babyologists in a state of excitement – and rightly so with this gorgeous State of Folly One Tan bag worth $329 up for grabs. The winner that will be toting all their wares in style is:

S. Locock

The countdown to bedtime is more exciting when there’s new pyjamas to snuggle in to and just as well, since day eleven was all about stunning Alfred & Maize pyjamas! Two winners will have the choice of two sets of pyjamas from the Alfred & Maize collection, with each prize valued at $99.90. The winners are:

T. Kelly and J. Daniels

A big thank you to our entrants and sponsors for taking part in our Prizeapalooza! Winners and sponsors, we will be in touch by email soon so please keep an eye on your inbox!