News

Organic baby food brand Piccolo is once again committing much-needed funds and resources to help families in need, as it announces two new charity partnerships with Little Village and City Harvest.

Following on from research carried out by Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil which shows us that children prioritise fun and friendship, Alistair Bryce Clegg, Early Years specialist from the Channel4 programme Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds, discusses the importance of routine for children and the things they – and we – should all be doing daily with his top tips.

Today – 11 November – is Singles Day (11/11) and Build-A-Bear Workshop is celebrating with £11.11 deals online on furry friends and accessories. The sale is today only and online only so make sure to grab those £11.11 deals while you can.

The Wildlife Trusts call for every child to have a daily one-hour nature boost after research they commissioned by the Institute of Education at UCL to evaluate the impact that experiencing nature has upon children, revealed that children’s wellbeing increased after they had spent time connecting with nature: the children showed an increase in their personal wellbeing and health over time, and they showed an increase in nature connection and demonstrated high levels of enjoyment. 

Just one book can brighten a vulnerable child’s Christmas. BookTrust appeals to public to donate £10 to send a book gift to a vulnerable child this December. 

Experts at British online marketplace OnBuy.com looked at the prices for the cheapest Halloween products that you’ll need for celebrating. 

Charity Kids in Museums awards the prize annually to one museum, gallery, historic home or heritage site in the UK that goes the extra mile to provide a great experience for families. It is the only museum award in the UK to be judged by families.

Teddy’s Wish announce their third annual bereavement and wellness retreat, running over the weekend of 21 – 22 September at the unique and calming surroundings of St Katharine’s Parmoor in Henley-on-Thames. The fully-funded weekend retreat offers group therapy sessions, as well as yoga, light exercise, creative writing and mindful meditation. They have also unveiled their "Be There" step-by-step guide on how to support friends and family who might be grieving the loss of a baby.

Now in its third year the Morecambe & Vice Crime Festival has a fabulous range of panels and speakers. Anne Coates will be talking to Sharna Jackson, Nicki Thornton and Sarah Todd Taylor about writing crime for young adult readers on Saturday 28 September, 2019.

As part of a drive to get as many children’s eyes tested as possible before school terms starts in September, Bayfields Opticians, an independent, national group of opticians and audiologists, is offering parents and carers free eye tests when they book a special one hour appointment with their child before 31 August.   

The stresses of modern life can leave even the very best of us exhausted, but experts are warning that women in particular may risk serious health problems because of poor levels of crucial nutrients according to an important new report by a group of nutrition, medical and research experts – commissioned by Alive! The report – The Impact of Modern Medicine on Nutrient Status – looks closely at general nutrient intakes and why so many of us may have inadequate levels. 

We think of our homes as safe havens, but poor indoor air quality is helping to drive an epidemic of respiratory disease, a new report reveals. The report Air and Now, commissioned by Puressentiel reveals that indoor air pollution is becoming a growing area of concern with air quality tests showing that levels are actually greater than outdoor pollution.

Puressentiel has developed a unique range of products which have been proven to tackle respiratory symptoms on several fronts in the home.

Dropit, the handsfree shopping™ service, is expanding in London and internationally as trends for convenience and customer experience drive innovation in physical retail. Dropit shoppers use a simple app to leave their bags behind as they shop, with all purchases gathered for a single delivery to their chosen address. The Dropit network includes hundreds of stores within London’s prime West End shopping district and the service is expanding into mall environments, with successful rollouts at London Designer Outlet adjacent to Wembley Stadium in the UK and at Las Vegas North Premium Outlets in the USA. Anne Coates tried out the service.

Sending flowers can sometimes lead to disappointments but not with ethical florists Arena Flowers, writes Anne Coates.

Calling all knitters  buy a blanket pattern for just £150 and support the charity Action for Children.

Cressida Cowell, the international bestselling author and illustrator of the How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once series and the author of the Emily Brown picture books all published by Hachette Children’s Group has today been crowned the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2019–2021.

This year's Summer reading Challenge kicks off on 13 July inviting children aged four to 11 to sign up to their local library and read six books over the summer. Here are some tips to help your kids make space for reading during the holidays.