Top ten cool kids things for 2013

Miss Evelyn and Little Lola Maud enjoying the snow today



Hello, hello and happy 2013! To kick off the new year in style, we thought we'd bring you ten things we're most excited about this year. So here goes: cute fashion finds, keepsakes to cherish, brilliant organic products and some fab sheepskin slippers to keep tiny toes warm in these near-Arctic conditions. Enjoy!

Polish mountain slippers for little ones

1. Polish mountain slippers or 'mounties'.
Our brilliant Polish nanny, Sylvie, came back from her homeland with sheepskin slippers for Evie and Lola and the girls absolutely love them. Me too - they are so snug, cosy and beautifully embroidered. Luckily you needn't schlep to Eastern Europe to get them - CLB has found similar on Etsy.

 

Little Pinecone's delectable super-fine New Zealand merino designs including this newborn set, £19.95

2. Little Pinecone

Since acquiring this beautiful reversible merino hoodie last spring, Little Lola has worn it practically every day. Merino is a great year-round wool that keeps you warm when its cold (nice and toasty for a day like today) and cool when it's hot. Miracle! We adore this small independent brand specialising in soft modern merino pieces for babies and children.
www.littlepineconemerino.com

First Impressions' exquisite baby casts

3. First Impressions

We utterly cherish the bronze baby feet and hand casts we commissioned First Impressions to do when the girls were both teeny weeny. The north London-based company has been immortalising baby's tiny hands and feet in bronze, silver and crystal for the past 25 years. Now, they can even create a 3D moulds of your little cherub's face and put turn them into cufflinks. Not surprisingly, they have a vast celebrity following including stylish mums Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham, who got baby Harper's feet cast in solid gold.
www.firstimpressions.org.uk

Petit chic at new-in-the-UK French website Melijoe.com

4. Melijoe.com

We're really excited about this well-established French kids' designer website launches in the UK this week. Stocking a well-edited selection of pieces by labels like Little Marc Jacobs, John Galliano Kids and Rykiel Enfant, it is tres tres chic.
www.melijoe.co.uk

BMW does a buggy with MacLaren. A match made in engineering heaven?

5. BMW for Maclaren

Bring together a German car manufacturer and a British buggy company and what do you get? Possibly the zippiest, smartest buggies around. In a range that promises to deliver luxury, elegance and sporty elements, we can be sure these will be a hit with dads and car-loving mums everywhere. Available exclusively at Harrods from the beginning of February.
www.harrods.com

Delicious organic baby products by Child's Farm

6. Child's Farm organic children's products

The CLB household is IN LOVE with this glorious smelling product by Hampshire-based brand Childs Farm. Free of nasty chemicals, they feature delicious ingredients like tangerine oil, sweet orange and strawberry and mint. Yum-mmmy. From £4.69 for bubble bath.
www.childsfarm.com

Little Puggle's exciting craft boxes

7. Little Puggle gift boxes 

We are looking forward to buying themed boxes at Little Puggle. The online company offers a special subscription service where they send a new monthly activity box for budding craftsters, tailored to age and interests, but you can also buy one-off boxes as gifts. From £16.95 for a Mini Surprise Box.
www.littlepuggle.com

No Added Sugar's fab new shop in Notting Hill

8. No Added Sugar's newish kids boutique 

Located in Notting Hill's lovely Ledbury Road, No Added Sugar's first shop showcases the super-cool London kids brand beautifully. We look forward to exploring properly ASAP.

57 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA (0207 221 3212/www.noaddedsugar.com).

 

Kids will love these Gruffalo plaster

9. Gruffalo plasters

We'll be taking the pain out of grazes with these cute Julia Donaldson-inspired plasters. Can't think of a better way to spend £4.25. www.bodieandfou.com

10. Tales from the Shed
We've been meaning to visit our local theatre, Chickenshed, for the past year, and finally we've booked tickets to see the colourful, lively and interactive performance 'Tales from the Shed' performance next month. Can't wait. Tickets from £5.50.
www.chickenshed.org.uk 

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CLB ♥ Kigu animal onesies

The festive season is almost upon us and what better excuse than to indulge your little ones with some dressing-up fun. Kigu animal onesies have just launched in the UK and we LOVE them. So silly, cute and comfy. And in case you were wondering, yes they do come in adult sizes too. Children's sizes from £34.99 at Kigu

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Rosie Flo's ABC Colouring Book GIVEAWAY!

CLB has long admired the whimsical Rosie Flo colouring-in books which launched back in 2005. Now, the much-loved publishing company - which has sold over 360,000 books to date - has launched a delightful ABC Colouring Book aimed at a younger child (from three). We love the fact each image has a hidden letter for your little one to find. Learning your ABC has never been so elegant and fun. What's more Chic Little Baby is giving the first five readers to leave a comment a free copy of the newly published book worth £4.99 at www.rosieflo.co.uk

 

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CLB ♥ Hop Toy Shop's animal bike bells

Tring, triiiiiiiiiing! How cool are these animal face bike bells by Crazy Stuff? Just landed at East London's wonderful independent toy emporium, Hop Toy Shop, there are four to choose from: eagle, cat, bunny and croc. CLB is particularly loving the angry eagle - that face just says 'get outta my way'. Surely the latest must-have scooter accessory. £10 each at Hop Toy Shop

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The Wallace Collection

Mrs Susanna Hoare and Child, Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1763-64

It was Evie's second birthday yesterday and I met my mother for a celebratory lunch at The Wallace Collection. This stunning Georgian townhouse on Manchester Square has been on my must-go to list for the past decade and I finally got to experience the incredible opulence (think gob-smacking Louis XV chandeliers and stunning Sevres ceramics) and an utterly incredible collection of 18th century French art (there is currently a fantastic exhibition of Watteau's art, on until June 5). As a mummy myself, naturally I was drawn to the images of mothers and children. It was moving to see how children and babies have been depicted in paintings over the past few centuries and I was particular taken with Sir Joshua Reynold's 1763 portrait of Mrs Richard Hoare, Susanna, with her baby (above). If you haven't been, CLB can strongly recommend it. What's more there are a host of family activities including The Little Draw, a drop-in art workshop held in the galleries on the first Sunday of each month from 1.30-4.30pm. There will also be a whole host of activities during half term (from Mon 30th May-Fri 3rd June).

The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN (020 7563 9500/www.wallacecollection.org) Bond St tube. Open 10am-5pm seven days a week. Admission free.

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