West Midlands Safari Park Review

West Midlands Safari Park Review-August 2014

Disclaimer: all opinions expressed are my own. I have not been paid for this review by the companies mentioned.

There’s a lot to be said about pre-School children/toddlers. They develop likes quicker than some celebrities change partners. But one thing that is usually a given is they have a favourite animal. My little one loves animals-in particular penguins and big cats. I really have no idea where she developed this love for penguins as I am a lover of Giraffes and yes big cats. It’s a unique quirk of her personality and like any other parent we try to encourage her to have ‘likes’ that are specific to her and her only in the family.

As a child I have fond memories of visiting Farms, the odd Theme Park and the Zoo. I loved the Zoo. Exotic animals to look at in the UK?! Yes please! My particular love for a certain West Midlands Safari Park started back when in 1995 and I have been in love with it since.

Now that I have two children of my own to keep occupied I found a new reason to visit WMSP. I wanted little ones to learn about the animals that they cannot see walking around in the wild. I also want them to develop from a young age an ethos that includes conservation of animals (in particular those which are vulnerable). One of my biggest fears is there will be animals my girls won’t be able to see when they are older as they will become extinct. So my approach is this-actively encourage my children to visit Zoos/Farms/Sanctuaries and allow their love of animals to develop.

So enough of my mission to create children who understand the importance of conservation let’s get onto the bit you guys want to read about West Midlands Safari Park.



Safari's are thirty work; so be prepared

I shop as Tesco (before the do-gooders start calling for me to be stoned to death please note I haven’t done a shop at Tesco since pre-Ramadan 2014). I collect Clubcard points. I love the Clubcard points and when I get the chance to boost them I am literally on a high. I get giddy calculating my savings. Oh the sheer bliss of being frugal. After using my points last year to take little on to WMSP before her sister was born I decided I wanted to take her back there as she is now older and more into animals than when she was 2 & 1/2. As soon as the Clubcard ‘sale’ came up I was quick to order tickets for WMSP as well as tickets for Blackpool Zoo. Tickets to WMSP (excluding the rides) cost £17.99 per adult and £12.99 per child. Under threes are admitted free. This price also includes a return visit. However this visit must be carried out in the same car that you used on the original trip as the ticket has your car registration on (as well as noting how many people were in the car). If you some reason you cannot do this e.g. you sold your car you can contact WMSP with evidence of this fact and they are more than happy to help. Even when you purchase your tickets via the Club card scheme you are still given a free returns voucher which stretches your points even further. Even if you pay the full admissions price you are in for a treat (and so are the little ones).


One piece of advice I do have for those who hate queues. Always check the traffic updates for the route you will be taking and like any other attraction avoid peak times as the self drive safari will take you 2 hours which can be a problem with little ones in the car.



Smile for the camera

After a 90 minute drive to WMSP we had two very excited children who wanted to see the big cats and Pingu. We got to the park around 1:30 (don’t ask folks) and there were no queues into the park. We exchanged the vouchers for admission tickets and soon commenced the self drive 2 hour safari in the heart of the Midlands.  
 
 


Little one was extremely excited. We decided to take both our children out of their car seats. We weighed the pros and cons and decided that as the car would be traveling at a very slow speed we didn’t feel there was a need for them to be buckled in throughout the safari. Plus when we visited last year little one hated being stuck in one static position and that put a damper on her enjoyment. So we decided to let little ones roam around in the car. And we were not the only ones; other parents clearly had a similar idea as we saw many little people sitting on their parents laps.

Once we had snacks and drinks sorted (remember it was a 2 hour safari) we set of to enjoy the views.

The safari itself is 4 miles across 100 acres of land set in the heart of the Midlands between Kidderminster and Bewdley. The safari is organised by areas which are:

African Plains where you will find the herd of southern white rhinos, my favourites the giraffes as well as zebras, Ankole cattle, Congo buffalo, ostrich and eland (the largest of all antelope species (to name but a few)

The Grasslands is home to the Barbary sheep, the Persian fallow (which is endangered) and the Adder snake-yes a snake! Believe it or not it’s the only venomous snake that resides in the UK.

The Wild Woods is home to the very playful dholes.

Wild Asia is where you will find Asian water buffalos, sambar deer, Przewalkski’s horse, Philippine spotted deer, barasingha (translated=12 horns) as well as the magnificent greater one horned rhino who look like they are wearing a coat of truly pretty armour.

The Tiger Ridge where you’ve guessed it you will find the gorgeous stripy Tigers.

Cheetah Plains is home to the world’s fastest land mammal. Quite frankly I don’t favour my chances of outrunning these beauties that can reach up to 70 miles an hour.

Land of the Painted Dog-I don’t think I would ever say this about a predator but these guys are cute. But of course they are wild dogs so yes they are scary too.

Realm of the Lions is the patch of the Safari where you will find the stars of the show the African Lions. Simply beautiful.

Kingdom of the White Lions is what I look forward to out of the big cats. These beautiful creatures are not albino. Seeing these guys in the wild is very very rare so it’s a privilege to see them here.

Asian Lowlands is home to the addax, bactrian camels, fallow deer and banteng-to name a few of the residents of this part of the park.

Elephant Valley is now to the very happy and cheery African elephants which include a baby that my little one named Dumbo.

We were lucky enough to see the majority of the animals. We didn’t spot any adders (for which I am grateful for believe me).

Me feeding a giraffe

The park has clear signs dotted around reminding you to keep your windows closed (where appropriate) and whether or not you can feed the animals (feed boxes are available at the kiosks priced at £3.00 per box). There is also advice on how to feed animals which I found useful as I got the chance to feed the elegant and truly breathtaking giraffes. You put your hand out (arm full stretched) and open your hand. The animals happily take a nibble. And when you want to stop feeding the beauties you turn your hand and drop the feed on the floor and put your hand back in the car.

Once you complete the safari you will find ample parking. The park also provides lots of hand washing facilities as well as toilets that are clean. Hooray! Clean lavatories. Believe me it’s hard to find a venue that is clean during the holiday period. Yes there was a bit of a stink in the toilets but what would you expect? Little ones can sometimes ‘miss’ their aim and well a stink here and there can only be expected.

Once we were parked up I was getting hungry. As a lot of you guys will know I prefer to take my own picnic for two main reasons-for variety and to be more cost effective. I noticed some of the prices at the food booth and noticed some of the prices. A portion of chips cost under £3.00. Drinks included Pepsi however I didn’t notice the prices on them. There were a variety of ice-creams including Wall’s ice-creams.

After a two hour drive around there was plenty more to see. For the older children and families there’s a Discovery Trail that will keep you amused whatever the weather. Activities include talks on various animals.

For those who love a good show don’t miss the 15 minute Sea Lion show. The theatre becomes quite packed so you may wish to get a seat about 15 minutes before the show.

If you like Creepy Crawlies you can have a look around the place (called Creepy Crawlies) which includes goliath tarantulas and a plague of locusts.

The SeaQuarium is home to Nemo (I meant clown fish) and piranhas.

And if that’s not enough to get your adventurous side you can visit Mark O’Shea’s Reptile World where you will meet crocodiles, snapping turtles and vipers!

For those like me who prefer fluffy creatures you will find them in the African Village and the Lemur Woods. You will find three types of Lemurs around all equally as fluffy as each other. And once you have walked around and enjoyed looking at them move onto our favourites-the Meerkats. These little creatures are not only our favourites thanks to clever TV marketing the fact they interact with their audiences makes them family friendly. Our little ones just stood there talking to these beautiful animals and they stood there listening. Stunning creatures and a must see at the Safari Park.

Whilst you are in this area of the park don’t forget to take a peak at the goats too who live nearby in the Goat Park.

And for the Pingu lovers out there you simply cannot miss the Penguin Cove which is home to a family of Humboldt penguins. These fun guys are great to watch. Both girls loved watching them. I’m sure little one was asking her sister for Pinga.

The Hippo Lake is well home to the hippos! You can take a walk up to the viewing platform to watch this huge animals relax in the lake. Great spot for taking photos of them too.

There are many facilities dotted around the park for families. There were various eateries, first aid points, toilets and shops to buy a memento or two. Little one dug for a dino egg (cost £3.00 per egg; however every player wins a prize). Once your little one finds the egg they get to pick a dinosaur toy. We picked a pink one and named her. She later married Rex from Toy Story. There were plenty of suitable backdrops for family photos too including a Safari Jeep all kited out for well a Safari.

And the fun doesn’t stop when you’ve seen all the animals. There’s also the Theme Park to explore (for an additional cost to the admission price). We decided to purchase a cub wristband which gave little one unlimited access to rides in the Tiny Tots Theme Park. These rides included a mini pirate ship, a train, magic carpet ride and our favourite a carousel (plus other rides). The wrist band cost £7.99 and covered 7 rides which little one could actually ride on. We thought that was a reasonable cost to keep little one entertained. She went on the rides a few times and liked the independence. This park of the park is designed for under 120 cm talk people making it ideal for little people like our oldest.

Older children can ride on the other rides that shape the Theme Park landscape however we chose not to look around the rides little ones wouldn’t be able to enjoy.

Adult wristbands cost £11.99 (16-64 years of age). Children’s cost £10.99 (2-15 years of age).
 Summer nights mean longer opening times at the Park-9PM in fact giving families plenty of time to enjoy the park. We managed to last until around 6PM before we got tired. There was a picnic area situated in the Tiny Tots part of the Park which is where little one enjoyed her second picnic of the day.

Asian Elephant

There were plenty of bins dotted over the park and the park was clean and tidy. I am aware that paying the entry fees seems like a lot of money however this is now I justify the cost:

• You get two visits for the price of one
• You get a 2 hour safari drive
• You get to see penguins
• There’s a Sea Lion show
• There are meerkats, Lemurs, goats-plenty of ‘fluffy’ animals for little ones to look at, interact with and enjoy being around
• The park is clean and tidy
• You can take your own picnic as there are picnic areas
• The staff were friendly and interacted with children extremely well
• If you want to pay extra and enjoy the rides you can do so
• There are plenty show times enabling you to enjoy the shows throughout the day at a pace that suits your family rather than rushing around the park
• It’s a Park that is built for families and caters for families.

And if you can get hold of the tickets via Tesco Clubcards or other schemes it’s even better value for money.

What did I think of the food?
We took our own picnic so cannot comment as little one only had an Ice-cream (feast).

What did we pack?

a white Tiger having a nap.

The usual-a change of clothes, changing bag, sunglasses for all the family, feeds for little one, picnic, cameras as well as a small first aid kit and wellie boots. Oh and various audio stories for in-car entertainment.

Would we go again?
Yes, yes yes. In fact we plan to go back around October time as the children enjoyed it (as did we).

Highlight of the kids day:
Too many to mention-although I think they loved the Penguins and Meerkat moments

Highlight of the adults day:
Feeding the giraffe and Ostrich! Little ones hid when they saw the animals coming over to the car.


A beautiful tiger-all photos are my own

Any advice for visitors:

Give yourself plenty of time between activities. Take enough snacks and drinks to keep you fueled during the 2 hour Safari. Keep costs down by taking your own picnic. Pack for the varied weather the Midlands is famed for. Don’t forget your camera.

Enjoy your day guys and if you visit let me know what you guys thought of it.

　

　

Keeping little ones amused in Summer

Wonderful Wonderland Telford Review

 

Disclaimer: This review is based on a trip we took to Wonderland in August 2014. This review is not endorsed and I paid for the tickets from my own pocket.

 

Fairytales; a place you escaped to as a child. A place that was not only magical but a safe haven from the harsh world of being a child with strict parents who wouldn’t let you stay out late, you weren’t allowed unlimited amounts of fizzy pop like your friends. It was a place you wanted to go. You wanted to climb into the book and sit and watch the dwarfs sing their way to the mines. But as you grew up that world was pushed to the back of your mind as other thoughts started to develop. Nursery rhymes no longer appeal as your musical tastes morph quickly.

 

Your world became cluttered with make up, boy bands, latest fashion trends and gossip from the playground and later college canteen. Sometimes though when the world became a daunting place some of us wanted to escape to that place in the Fairytales. The place where the woodlands were full of small cottages, Rapunzel lived up a tower and Snow White spent her days cleaning and cooking for her 7 little friends. As I became an adult my love of Fairytales never faded.

 

I still love Disney movies and believe it or not I believe in the type of love Rapunzel shares with Eugene in Tangled. The love that makes you fuzzy. I also believe in a love that is pure-the love that a Mother feels for her newborn; the feeling that never ever goes away.

 

So fast forward to be being a parent of a 3 year old. A three year old that owns a lot of glittery pink princess like stuff-dolls, books, fancy dress costumes...crowns everything. Little one happily lives in a world where Mother Gothel lives in the castle near us (the castle being a church). Her dresses come from the same shop as where the princesses would shop-in her world she is a Princess in training. So what would be the best thing ever for a child who loves Princesses and Fairytales? Well that was the question and we decided to look into a place called Wonderland.

 

Which way; this way. That way.

 

 

 

Wonderland Telford is a place where Snow white lives in the woods and you can pan for gold. The Mad Hatter can be seen wondering around. Alice can be seen wondering around in between tea parties. It’s a place where Fairytales are brought to life. Yes you read that correctly-Fairytales come to life.

 

After a bit of research I came across a Groupon offer for Wonderland and started planning our visit. The idea of brushing shoulders with fairies and characters out of world famous Fairytales had me giddy; and when I explained to little one where we were going I no longer had a child I could persuade to calm down. We planned the trip as I always do; packed the bags, bought the snacks/food supplies and we got the car ready to make the hour long journey to Telford.

 

After reading varying reviews I was hoping that the magical appeal would outweigh the old, battered and tired venue I was picturing. I hoped my 3 and a half year old would run into enough of her Fairytale friends to be excited about being at Wonderland.

 

When we got to Wonderland we found the car park which is currently experiencing some work. It was quite packed to say the least; possibly because it was free parking on the day and Telford Town park is also quite close by. After five minutes we managed to find a slot. We parked up, got the pushchair in order and loaded on the supplies for the day.

 

　

 

The first member of staff we came across was a young man at the main who was very cheerful and friendly. Clearly he liked his job; he chatted away to little one who explained she was here to see the fairies. We exchanged our voucher for our admission stickers and away we went. The first thing I noticed was the venue wasn’t noisy; there was a genuine happy buzz of children laughing in the air.

The park was clean with ample bins dotted about to help keep Wonderland clean. Little one became memorised instantly as we walked around.

She came across the Giant who she wanted to ask if he’d seen Jack lately. Quickly she joined a queue to go on the white rabbit ride and became excited at having a cart to herself. Queuing time was less than five minutes and soon we were walking around Wonderland discovering the world of Fairytales through the eyes of a child. There wasn’t just exploring to do and cottages and houses to find; there were also rides (yes rides) to experience. And like any good attraction aimed at families of young ones these rides were suitable for little one.

The idea of being in the woods and seeing Snow Whites house for the first time was magical. Little one was not aware of the fact that Mama found the robotic movements of Snow White extremely scary; she was more concerned about the fact the dwarfs were not opening the door. And as we manoeuvred around Wonderland we came across:

 

• The Gingerbread Mans House
• Humpty Dumpty & the Kings Soldiers
• The Mat Hatter
•  Alice (from Alice in Wonderland)
•  Woodland Fairy (we kept calling her Tinkerbell)
•  Snow White-who in my opinion suited the role so well
•  The Gold Mine where the dwarfs work (and you can pan for gold and even buy gems for a couple of quid. But you will need to find a couple of white pieces of *gold* whilst panning for gold too).
•  Little Red Riding Hood
•  Goldilocks and the Three Bears  
• The Three Little Pigs-plus Mr Fox who was preparing to cook the pigs
• The Shoe House-complete with lots of children
• The crooked house-with the little old man having a cup of tea 
• Ben 10 (yes I accept that is fairly random. What is intriguing is he was hanging out with Alice)
• Santa's Cottage-but he was on Holiday
• Dinosaurs

 

Before anyone points out that Humpty Dumpty is from a Nursery Rhyme I know. Wonderland also features Nursery Rhyme characters but they didn't really appeal to a 3 year old obsessed with Fairytales.

 

We also noticed a Maze but didn’t get the chance to try it as oldest became very tired.

 

And there was also Crazy Golf-again we didn’t get the chance to try this although my two don’t really understand the concept of golf; yet.

 

Indoor soft play-which I think was enjoyed more by the youngest. It was a small-ish area however was well maintained and clean.

 

And the excitement didn’t stop there. Oh no. There were rides to try.

 

Our favourites included:

 

• The Mad Hatters Tea Party (both bambinos loved this ride) 
• White Rabbit Ride
• Santa’s Sleigh (both children went on with an adult)
• The carousel (which both children loved)
• Alice’s Bouncy Castle-not sure if there are many 3 year olds who don’t like bouncy castles?
• The Fairy Disco-yes it's not a ride but it kept little ones amused with games for around 30 minutes!

 

So as you can see there was plenty to keep little ones amused. Then at PM a disco started. Yes a disco with games. And the children were more than willing to dance and sing along.

 

Food:

 

We bought our picnic from a Supermarket as I was pushed for time. We noticed plenty of clean places to enjoy our picnic. If the weather is good and you can fit a picnic blanket in the grassy area which hosts the stage and maypole would be a great place to enjoy your food. You may find insects hovering about as there are trees dotted about.

 

We didn’t use the food facilities so in all honesty cannot review them.

 

First Aid:

 

We didn’t need to use this facility but as always I was carrying a small First Aid kit.

 

Merchandise:

 

Little one was so tired that we didn’t actually get to go in the gift shop.

 

Toilets:

 

The toilets were actually clean. No horrid smells. No puddles of mysterious liquids. Plenty of soap and taps that work-hooray! I like the idea that there are signs promoting hygiene in the baby changing facilities. You are asked to spray the changing mat and wipe it after use-great stuff. I did notice that they had run out of blue towels by PM.

 

Ticket pricing:

 

I used a Groupon voucher which we purchased for £12.00 for a family of four. Considering that I found this day out as a bargain as both children enjoyed it. There were plenty of photo opportunities as the characters were more than happy to stop and pose for a photo or two.

 

Under two’s are free to enter Wonderland.

 

Standard prices are:

 

Adults £7.45

 

Children £7.95

 

OAP: £6.45

 

Now I know a lot of parents will be up in arms about the price but please keep in mind that you are getting an outdoor adventure, rides, soft play and even a disco for the price. If you look at it like that the price is fabulous. I pay around £4.00 for just soft play so an extra £3.95 seems a bargain to me. So even at full price Wonderland is simply wonderful.

 

What to pack:

 

The usual really.

 

• Food if you plan to take your own picnic.
• Picnic blanket
• Nappy changing bag-with supplies
• Bottles/formula/baby food  
• Mini first aid kit 
• Spare clothes
• Raincoats, wellies and other weather appropriate clothing
• Camera

 

　

Would I go again?

 

It’s about the little ones-and they loved it. Yes the park does look a bit dated and some of the paths seem to have seen better days. However finding an attraction that is stroller friendly and caters for the needs of little ones can sometimes prove impossible. Plus the park wasn’t full bursting at the seems-even in summer holidays which is a blessing. The staff were friendly, the park was clean. There was more than enough to keep little ones amused.

 

There’s a Pirates and Princesses event on the August Bank Holiday Monday (25th). I may go back-you never know. Maybe Wonderland will want us to come back and try the Maze and Crazy Golf?! We will return to the enchanted woodland of Wonderland.

Pre-loved Love.

Buying pre-loved? There’s no shame in it!

Kitting out of a Nursery for the first time is expensive business. Large companies will send you their catalogues and state you can ‘get the look’ for £500.00. But what do you do when you have a budget of less than £300.00? In a recession when budgets and wallets are at their tightest parents find themselves looking at ways of cutting down and saving any extra pounds they can. Afterall Children are not cheap and the costs never go down-rather they carry on getting bigger and bigger as the bundle grows.

For some buying second name isn’t even something they have to think about-they do it. It’s the wallet and eco-friendly option.  For others though culture dictates that they cannot buy second hand for it will look ‘bad’ on their family. It’s almost like you are saying ‘I cannot afford this child but still’. To those sisters/brothers reading this who come from that group, I do hope this blog helps ease your mind and helps you with your budgeting needs. As a side note, I would like to add that buying pre-loved is not against Islam or any other religion (as far as my knowledge goes). Culture is great, but not if it means you are burning a hole onto your credit card bill to pay off later.

So buying second hand or pre-loved as is the preferred way to reference it. What does that really mean? It simply means you are purchasing your babies items that have been pre-loved by another family before you. That family is highly likely to have purchased that item new and instead of simply keeping the items in the attic they are releasing their assets and recouping some of the cost they paid out. Doesn’t sound that scary now does it? Honestly though, I hope to sell on Munchys stuff once we have ‘completed’ our family. When will that be you ask. No idea so moving on...

Buying pre-loved items is a big business. Just taking a look around in your community and your local Superstore and you will find people advertising nearly new items at ridiculously low prices as well as second hand items at nice affordable prices.

 For the purpose of this entry I have a look at my local Netmums nearly new board and found a Mamas and Papas cot that cost £400.00 new in top condition for £175.00. Used for 12 months the seller stated, however the child is now sleeping on the bottom bunk of their siblings bed thus the cot is no longer in use. I took a further look and found a Petite Zia pushchair for £30.00. Used for 18 months, still in great condition, no tears etc-seller welcomed buyers to look at the item before agreeing to purchase. There was also a pink Bumbo for £15.00 with the tray (the tray alone costs around £10.00!). Toy wise an ELC garage that costs £40.00 new can be found with extra cars for £6.50-seller has stated two toddlers played with item but it’s still in great condition.

As you can see, if you look in the right places you can find bargains. Is there anything to be ashamed of buying second hand? Absolutely not-who will know apart from you? Any should you be embarrassed about wanting to cater for your newborns needs? If you are really aware of the fact your family and friends will not understand why you are buying pre-loved here are some tips for you:

·         Visit NCT nearly new sales in areas away from home

·         Look at notice boards out of your area

·         Look for items on Netmums and collect the items yourself, check the condition and store the items away until baby arrives. Once baby is here no one will have the time to concentrate on the items especially if cutesy baby has new bedding set.

 You can purchase items and even clean them if need be (I have seen people do this so I know it’s highly possible to do this). I know a young lady who purchased a second hand cot in a pine finish, sanded it down (her partner helped at this stage) and they painted it with child friendly paint in bright neon pink. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was theirs. My friend said the cot cost £20.00, and when she added on the cost of the paint it cost her under £50.00 for a one of a kind cot. So it’s not just those on a tight budget that are looking at pre-loved; those who like to personalise their items to create one-of-a-kind items also prefer to buy pre-loved. And let’s be honest- wouldn’t you rather have all the items you want and need at an affordable price rather than building up debt and worry about paying it off?

These are the top places in my humble opinion to try for pre-loved items:

·         Friends and family (you maybe able to borrow the item with the condition you return it in a good condition-just remember if you damage an item you borrow it’s only good courtesy to replace the item)

·         Netmums local Nearly new boards

·         Local Newspaper

·         Facebook and other social networking sites  

·         EBay

·         NCT nearly new sales

·         Community Baby equipment and toy sales

·         Notice Boards in Supermarkets and shops

·         Playgroups (other mums selling items on-most groups organise tabletop  sales

·         The playground (if you know parents who can ask around for you it may save you money).

If you purchase off EBay just factor in postal costs, and the fact if the item is far away you may not be able to view the item and are basically buying based on the description and photos. Second hand items are not covered by the same policies as new items on EBay.

Also, always use internet safety common sense. If someone is ‘selling’ a brand new Mamas and Papas Nursery for £150.00 instead of £600.00 and want a bank transfer before you’ve seen the item chances are the sale is fake. So you have been warned.

Top items you can buy second hand and clean them (with furniture wipes, dettol-take your pick. Once you’ve cleaned the item I recommend you ‘air’ the item to ensure it has dried properly):

·         Moses basket

·         Cribs

·         Cots

·         High Chair (wooden, adjustable ones are worth their weight in gold as they grow with your little one)

·         Bumbos & Trays (or other sitting aides)

·         Dressers

·         Other furniture e.g. wardrobes

·         First large toys such as play gyms

Realistically, all you need for the first six months is a safe place for little one to sleep. So if you need to really tighten our belt, just buy the bare necessities for the first few months and look for the other items along the way.

The following item is best purchased new (as recommended by Health officials):

Mattresses for cot/crib/basket/cot-take a look online before purchasing online. I bought a mattress for Munchys crib for £30.00 including postage whereas on the High Street a similar item was priced at £55.00. Always use a reputable company and ask for recommendations on Forums if you are not sure.

What about Clothes!?

Okay so truthfully it’s hard not to go giddy at all the baby clothes in the shops however trust me when I say costs start to build up. Here are my top tips for cutting the cost of your tiny person’s wardrobe:

Don’t automatically rule out ‘hand-me-down’s’. Friends and family won’t give you stuff that is not useable (or at least they shouldn’t do) and it will save you money. I’ve known friends who’ve received bagfuls of Gap, Vertbaudet, Jojo Maman Bebe, Next and Mothercare for free. The items were in good condition, and of course they looked lovely updated with new tights, cardigans etc.

Also, during the first two years of your child’s life you will notice how quickly they grow. Clothes in the first year go up in three months e.g. 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 months. They are also of course weight based too so if your baby is on the slender side (as my Munchy is) you may find certain clothes fit longer. During the second year the sizes are usually 12-18, 18-24 months. So based on this you can see how much wear and tear clothes will receive. Many clothes bundles can be found on EBay and on Netmums at great prices. If you are watching the budget and want nice clothes but do not have the option of hand-me-downs you could consider this option.

Parents usually buy the first lot of clothes themselves-so having a supply of sleep suits and bodysuits (The undergarments). Personally, I think the best ones to go for are the Supermarkets own brands in white-that way you can put them all in the washing machine without worrying about colours running. We had 12 sleep suits, and the same number of bodysuits. I bought them from Asda. Cheap and cheerful, however they were in no condition to be passed down after Munchy finished with them (the constant burping of a child ruins the back of the sleep suits so you have been warned if you want to buy expensive ones with the intention of reusing later on for siblings).

Always remember to wash all new clothes before you use them. This is simply to remove excess chemicals/dust on the items. These items are made in giant factories, where sometimes items can sit around for a while collecting the ugly dust and so forth which you don’t want against a newborns skin. The same rule applies to new bedding or hand-me-down items as you want to get rid of any dust collected whilst the items were in storage.

If family wish to buy you clothes, my suggestion is you ask for the size up, or vouchers. A newborn will hardly wear their clothes and will outgrow them before you get your monies worth. Vouchers are great as you can use them in the sales. There’s no shame in asking for vouchers instead. I always ask for vouchers on special occasions. I have no space for knick-knacks such as candles so vouchers mean I can buy what I actually need.

Bottle or Breast feeding?

If you plan to bottle feed don't forget to factor in the costs of:

Bottles and Teats

Steriliser and cleaning equipment

Bottle warmer

Toys

Toys are something you will notice breed like rabbits unless you put a stop to it. If you are limited for space only buy items you really love and buy only a few. Your little one will not know what toys are for at least 6 months. Toys can cost a lot-what you need to remember is:

Your newborn cannot understand what a toy yet and are not likely to show interest until they are around 6-8 months.

All Toy manufacturers claim their toy is the best and will make your child into Einstein-it’s all clever marketing and shiny packaging and you really do not need to fall for it.

If friends and family wish to buy your child toys I really do believe you are best encouraging them to give you vouchers for a Toy store. Munchy is currently into Happyland and Princesses. We never saw that in her as a baby so could never have predicted that or bought toys in accordance to that. Once a baby starts developing their personality you will be able to buy toys more geared to their likes and needs.

Second toys can be purchased via Netmums boards, EBay and even School Fayre's where there are table top sales. Sales often throw up bargains so keep your eyes peeled as ELC sales are renowned for having big makes such as Vtech at up to 70% off-around the same price of buying pre-loved. We bought a Vtech toy that should have been £44.99 for £8.00. Bargains can be found if you keep an eye out.

A side note on soft toys:

You will discover over time that soft toys in particular are problematic for spreading germs. We have combated this in several ways:

We bought minimum soft toys-it seemed like the most logical thing to do and quite honestly was the best think as Munchy loves Princesses and we never bought them so as her personality develops so does her toy collection.

We launder Munchys soft toys on a quick cycle followed by a fast spin (you must be careful when washing items in a washing machine-always read the label!)

We asked friends and family NOT to buy Munchy toys. For the first few months your baby isn’t aware of toys, and when they do become aware of them, we used mainly Lamaze Toys are they are unisex and are great developmental toys (and easily wipes clean).

You will find toys aimed at your child in every colour,shape and form. All toys will claim to be the best for your child. I should know because I am talking from the experience of buying excessive amount of toys Munchy simply wasn’t intrigued by.

 Do your wallet a favour, and hold fire on buying those large bulky plastic toys. The factories in the PRC (how fancy does that sound compared to just China) won’t be closing down so when your little one does decide to start playing with toys the supplies will not dry out. Stick to smaller toys that can be stored away easily to begin with-my recommendation is Lamaze Toys (before someone claims I am pushing their toys I must have been sponsored please! I am recommending them as we have a large collection of their toys Munchy still loves at the age of 2).

Bedding:

You can of course buy this pre-loved or you can buy a unisex bundle new for a crib or Moses basket from Mothercare in the current sale for under £30.00 (Circus theme, in yellow). If you plan to have more than one child, you will definitely get your monies worth. Sometimes it is definitely worth looking at new items before purchasing pre-loved.

What you may wish to look out for on EBay is things like new crochet blankets, quilted covers for older children as these are often harder to find and when you do find them in specialist shops they are priced accordingly.

Always worth borrowing:

Parenting books-most first time parents will have one or two books on their shelves. Why not borrow a book from a friend or the Library rather than buying? Just remember to return the books!

Using Children Centres and other organisations Toy Libraries

My local Children’s Centre has a Toy Library and a Parenting Book Library. You can borrow a range of toys and even Bumbos (which is a blessing for those who don’t have the space to store items as you can return the item to the Library). What a lovely service for those who are watching their pennies. Why not call your local Children Centre and find out what services they offer. If they don’t have a Toy Library, they should be able to point you in the direction of one locally. Churches and Schools (with Nurseries) and are often good places to ask about Toy Libraries and Toy sharing Schemes.

STOP-stress alert!

If kitting out your baby is stressing you, sit down and have a drink (ideally a cup of tea). Write down what you would to buy and what is really important to you. If having a nice new Moses basket is important to you but that down. Write down everything-down to socks. That way if anyone asks if there is anything they can buy for the baby, you have a list to refer to.

Still not convinced you want to buy pre-loved?

That’s your own prerogative. I cannot dictate to you as a reader, nor should one try. I just wanted to highlight the options that you do have should you wish to look at alternative options. Your baby will thrive on love and care and honestly the Nursery equipment won’t be remembered by your little bundle at all. They will see it in photos and that’s about it. But having stressed parents who are struggling to pay off debts accumulated from their pre-birth really isn’t something I would encourage.

If you still want to purchase everything new, why not consider the following:

Slightly second items direct from the company (www.nurseryvalue.com

-for Petite Zia slightly second goods at fantastically low prices. I’ve used them previously and can highly recommend them).

Factory Shops-I live near a Mamas and Papas shop. They get lovely items in, however it puts me off that you cannot return items. Hormones usually result in a change of heart at least 5 times a day for me. Bah hum.

www.kiddiecare.com- now owned by Morrison’s. They have some lovely items come in. A few months back they had adjustable wooden highchairs in for under £30.00 including the postage (as it’s free on orders of a certain cost). I bought Munchys mattresses for her Crib and Cot from these guys; affordable and good quality too.  I must say though, I have yet to order since they changed ownership.

www.mothercare.com You will love the sales these guys have. I’ve picked up hats at 75% off (okay it was in May but it was still a bargain for the winter wardrobe). Bedding sales are great to look out for too. A single Fireman Sam duvet cover has recently been in the sale for £7.49. As mentioned previously a Circus themed Crib bale is on sale at just under £30.00. It’s in a yellow colour making it a lovely neutral colour set for a girl or boy.

www.vertbaudet.co.uk This website is my knight in shining armour when it comes to a wardrobe fit for a princess. Their bedding sets are gorgeous as it all the furniture. I have yet to buy anything at full price off Vertbaudet-I simply shop with them during their great sales where you can pick up French fashion at up to 70% off.

Sainsbury’s Tu clothing is not only good quality it’s priced to be affordable. Plus Tu have a 25% off their clothing and shoe range at least once a season where you can pick up great bargains. The best bit for me is I’ve bought Munchy lovely denim dress with a top and tights for £4.20 as Tu knock off 25% off the price of items in the sale too. I can only praise Tu for their range of clothes, and the additional 25% off clothes. I’ve also bought bits for myself too from the Tu range so there is something for everyone.

Other places to try especially during the sales (based on my own experience) are:

Tesco (Florence and Fred do well made baby and children’s clothes. Their partyware is a favourite in our household for Munchy).

Gap-we have shopped at the Gap Outlet near Blackpool and loved it. Their sales in their High Street Stores are also worth looking at. Their jeans of course are well made and last.

H&M-this store features heavily in my Munchys wardrobe because of affordability plus they have some lovely Minnie Mouse clothing which Munchy lives for. They have sales and reduced items on a regular basis. I’ve yet to go to a physical sale at H&M-maybe Munchys Baba will read this and take a hint for post Christmas sales 2012?

George@Asda-We have picked up a few bits from George but not too many. We purchased a lovely dungaree style denim dress for £6.00 at full price. It’s well made and gets worn by Munchy with various tops and tights-very versatile for a girls wardrobe.

Next-their post Christmas sales are the best bet for bargains. I’ve been to the sales at silly-o-clock and picked up lots for Munchy.

Bows and Arrows, Boots Limited Edition, Boots own brand clothes@Boots-I cannot talk about my love for Boots clothes too much because I would go on for pages. Boots do a classical range of clothes that remind me of a bygone era of style. We usually purchase dresses from the Boots range. The sales provide a great opportunity to stock up on their lovely clothes. I’ve purchased a lovely lace dress for £16.00 (was £32.00) which is yet to be worn by Munchy (it’s in the wardrobe labelled for next Eid InshAllah).

Readers please note: none of the companies mentioned in this entry have sponsored or bribed their way into it. All are genuine recommendations based on the writers own experiences.

However you plan to kit out your little bundle-enjoy every moment because it really does fly by.