Fun In The Sun And Garden Games With Olive

Spring, what spring? It has been a complete wipe-out for the first part of the year with rain non-stop and, bizarrely, snow in late May but for the past few weeks the ‘sun has had his hat on’ and temperatures have risen. So let’s hope summer is finally on its way and how excited am I? I’m dying to get outside with Olive to show her a whole new world of exploration and, now that she’s more robust, walking and happiest when she’s running around and playing, we are going to have endless adventures and I’m sure we will both create some treasured lifetime memories together.

Living in the country, the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, our house is nestled in grounds with an array of wildlife such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, woodpeckers, a variety of other birds and not forgetting our beloved dog – Hungarian Wire-haired Vizela, Ralph (Olive’s BBF) – so she is one lucky girl to be living among so much nature. Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I’m partial to a spot of gardening (hence the nickname from the VIVA girls of Granny Garlic!) so Olive and I are going (weather permitting) to spend as much of our time outside as possible and, if she shares my love of gardening, I can’t wait to teach her how to grow and crop her own vegetables – I may have to wait until she is a little older for this, maybe next year.

Mud pies, worms and a whole lot of imagination are my earliest memories from playing outside in the garden but the world we live in today is fast-paced and miles away from my eighties childhood. Advanced technology – iPads, Xbox and YouTube TV – is Frank and Elfie’s (Olive’s brother and sister’s) favourite pastime. I want to try and deter Olive from this tech world of madness for as long as possible. I’m not saying it’s bad, I enjoy the perks of it as much as the next person especially when I need a break to get a few simple chores done but Olive is wrapped around my ankles kicking off. To fix this minor meltdown, I switch the TV on and Peppa Pig saves the day!

So I’ve been on a hunt to dig out and find VIVA’s top toddler interactive toys to get our little ones’ imaginations flowing whilst entertaining them in the world of creative play outside. I have tested them out with Olive and I know what has worked for us so I can recommend that you try out these top toys for your little ones and add them to your shopping list.

Little Tikes Sea Turtle Sandbox: When you think of outside garden play there has to be a sandpit involved and this Turtle Sandbox is the ultimate classic from Little Tikes toys. It’s multi-functional and can be used as either a sandbox or a ball pool, complete with ‘flippers’ that act as nifty little seats for your toddler to sit on. No fear of cat poo as you can protect the sand inside with its easy-to-remove shell lid. £39.99, www.littletikes.co.uk

Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship: Olive loves water, what toddler doesn’t? This Pirate Ship has given Olive and Elfie (who is now eight years old) endless amounts of creative play in the garden pretending to be pirates! Squirting water from the cannon, making currents with the spinner, (Olive’s favourite is tipping water out of the ship with the bucket) generally lots of splashing around with the little pirate characters in their boats and not to forget the squirting shark, what more can I say? Lots of fun all round. £79.99, www.littletikes.co.uk

Strider Toddler Bike; I was excited to find out that, now Olive is walking already, she can start to learn to ride a bike. and I love the range available from Strider. We chose the Sport Balance bike (eighteen months to five years old) with no pedals. Its low seat and lightweight design make it incredibly easy for Olive to pick up and control, with no need for stabilisers. Strider is a great company whose ethos is not just to sell bikes but also to encourage children to ride them while having fun. They have bike events around the country and, in Manchester, you can join in with that and guarantee a fantastic, fun-filled day out for the whole family. Bike prices start from £60, www.striderbike.co.uk

Gazillion Bubble Machine: Just like water, what toddler doesn’t like bubbles? I don’t think I have a mummy friend who hasn’t bought one of these. We especially liked the Gazillion Bubbles Tornado machine from their extensive range. (and the clue is in the name!) Simply pour in the special Gazillion Bubbles solution and turn it on to create an incredible bubble storm!  £12.99,

Rockin Baby Dress; Well a girl must always look her best (even when outside playing) and I love the individual style of boutique shopping. I adore the Esme Dress (£42) from the Jungle Jane collection and how cute is the Flamingo Annie Swimsuit (£18) from the Beach Time Collection? Rockin Baby-clothing ranges from newborn to ten years old. They have a superb ethos as, when you buy an item from them, they donate another item of clothing to a child in need, through the charity ChildFund. www.rockinbaby.com