Do you use a playpen?

Playpens have rather fallen out of favour, haven't they? I could be wrong, but I don't know anyone who uses one and I think it might be because parents think they're too restrictive (same reason you don't see baby reins so much anymore). But I think they're really useful for those times when you just need to keep your child in one place - even just for a minute!

We recently went "glamping" (glamorous camping, in case you're not familiar with it) and I reserved a travel cot with the intention of using it as a playpen because the trouble with tents (however "glam") is that they don't lock. And keeping a 2-year-old contained is really hard work! And Joe was perfectly happy in his playpen, as long as he had something in there to keep him entertained.

I think the playpen pictured is rather lovely. It's from Mothercare and can currently be found on Nappy Valley for £50. And if that one's not your style, there are plenty more.

Pop up travel cot perfect for holidays

This pop-up travel cot by Samsonite was one of the first things we bought when we had our first child. In fact, we bought the smaller version first and got a lot of use out of it, so then bought this bigger version later.

It's a really excellent product and both our children slept well in it and we had no worries about them trying to climb out. It's also light and compact enough for the smallest car and really easy to put up and dismantle. My only worry was that the baby might crawl inside it and travel around the room like a hamster in a ball, but that never happened (I may have an overactive imagination).

You can find a few Samsonite pop up travel cots on Nappy Valley at the moment.

Keep toddlers safe while travelling

One of the defining characteristics of a toddler is they don't stay still for long. It's one thing when you're at home and you know the layout of your house and where any potential hazards may lie, but it's harder when you're travelling or in a strange place.

I love this Lindam Travel Safety Barrier, which is fully collapsible, so perfect for taking with you when travelling or just visiting friends or relatives. Find more stair gates and playpens at Nappy Valley.

Scoot and squirt with a Water Blaster

Spice up the summer holidays - and cool down overheated children - with this Water Blaster Scooter accessory.

It attaches easily to my son's beloved Mini Micro Scooter - just don't get in his way! This one costs £19.99 from Amazon.

And if you haven't yet got a scooter, there's a very funky pastel pink Micro Light Scooter on Nappy Valley.