KID'S SUMMER HOLIDAYS ESSENTIALS GUIDE
- AG
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Our Tried and Tested Guide to the Toys, Games & Clothes to See you Through the Summer Hols
We've scoured Blighty for our tried and tested guide to the must-have kid's essentials to power you through the summer holidays.
From the ultimate water toys, to metal detectors and smart balls which will entertain them for hours, and the best travel games to whip out on flights, beaches and home.
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Mamas & Papas - Cherry Print Swimsuit and Sun Hat
We have cherry-picked the SWEETEST swimsuit and hat combo this summer.
Mamas & Papas never disappoints, and this beautiful, blush pink swimsuit is decorated with an elegant, fruity print and has playful touches, like the red pom pom trim around the collar and bows on each leg.
It's super stretchy and fully lined for comfort. And the gorgeous, matching sun hat sits snugly on the head, so our little tester kept it on while werking the beach
BUY FROM Mamas & Papas. Swimsuit £18, Sun Hat £15
Grass & Air - Colour Changing Sandals
These clever, colour changing sandals are the ultimate partners for land and water adventures this summer.
Our tiny testers delighted in splashing about in rock pools and watching the sun motif transform from white to multicolours.
The velcro shoes are easy for little fingers to take on and off and have super grippy soles.
And they come in a range of colours - from cornflower, ochre, rose and orange to peach and pistachio - to coordinate with their Sun + Swim range.
Brainstorm Toys - Metal Detector
This lightweight and easy to use beginner's metal detector will see your kids through the summer holidays, at home and beyond.
Our little explorers lost hours, trying to find hidden coins in the garden. And it's the ultimate companion for walks and beach trips, with excited squeals at each beep and flashing light, to see what treasure they will unearth.
It can also be used in handheld mode, for up-close hunting and is an exciting way to get curious little minds and legs outdoors.
BUY FROM Plaza Toymaster £19.99
GeoSafari Jr - Kidnoculars
Get the kids out exploring this summer, with these Kidnoculars, which are designed specifically for little children.
The super sturdy, waterproof binoculars make everything two times bigger, with focus-free eye pieces so that even toddlers can see the outside wonders up close.
Unlike other children's binoculars we've tried, these are designed for kid's eyes and faces only, with light blocking, easy positioning, and a breakaway safety neck strap.
BUY FROM AMAZON, £15
Smart Ball Counter
This ingenious ball has lights and sound functions, to challenge players and friends to pull off the most tricks.
The ball lights and counts every time it makes contact with your body, and speaks words of encouragement as you try to keep it up in the air.
The ball counts and glows as you challenge each other to get closer to 100 kick-ups. And if you want to use it as a regular football, simply remove the counter and replace the bung, Boom.
BUY FROM AMAZON, £16.54
Zuru Xshot - Water Hydra Pulse Motor Soaker
The Zuru Xshot is this summer's ULTIMATE water fight companion.
We were amazed by the 29 feet range of its powerful, motorised blaster And it can be filled in just 1 second - dunk, fill and close - with a mighty 650ml capacity. So our soggy soldiers spent more time soaking and less time refilling.
It also has a handy rechargeable battery to prolong the watery fun. A huge hit, this summer.
BUY FROM ARGOS, £20
BunchO Balloons - Magna Seal Reusable and Tropical Party
Featuring innovative magnetic technology, the eco-friendly reusable balloons can be used again and again - delivering up to 10,000 splashes per balloon. Made from soft rubber, they're lightweight and designed to burst on impact for maximum fun.
They're super easy to use - simply dunk and the magnetic seal closes for quick fire water play.
For the more traditional, they also make Tropical Party balloons - 100 tropical balloons you simply attach to a hose, to fill simultaneously As an added bonus, they self seal and drop, like ripe fruit when full, ready for the big fight.
BUY FROM ARGOS. Magna Seal Balloons £12 Tropical Party £12
Bling2o Shark Megamouth Swim Goggles
These shark themed goggles are a fin-tastic way to inject some fun into kids' swimming adventures, this summer.
The new design features shark teeth, a handy back clip, and they're 100% silicone and latex-free, with a lens that offers maximum UV protection and an anti-fog coating.
Ours couldn't wait to go back in the water, in these bad boys.
BUY FROM BLING2O £19
Jungle Speed Game
Our children loved this screechy, adrenaline pumping game, which is perfect for the home, beach or long journeys.
The aim is to match the cards and snatch the totem in a wild race - but beware, quick reflexes over quick wits can result in punishment for wrongful snatching of the totem, and a flurry of extra cards to get rid of.
It's a fast-paced and easy-to-learn game for kids aged seven and up - which the grown ups will enjoy just as much when the little ones are in bed, with a few wines.
BUY FROM AMAZON. £15.99
GeoSafari Rocknoculars
Budding geologists can now free their parent's pockets of rocks and pebbles, by storing specimens in the chamber of this clever, kid's rock viewer.
And they can view their treasures with three times the magnification, with this extendable eyepiece viewer. Goggles guide a child’s head into place for comfy and frustration-free viewing and it has a handy handle for outdoor adventures.
A brilliant piece of scientific equipment for preschoolers, which will spark their curiosity about the Earth.
BUY FROM AMAZON, £16.96
IDEAL - Grabolo
This is the perfect, handbag-sized game to whip out at restaurants, the beach, planes and home to keep kids entertained.
It's easy to play and fun for all ages. Just scatter the colourful pieces (cars, bunnies, pigs etc) roll the dice, and try to be the first to find the object in that colour.
Each game lasts about 10 minutes and it's one our children return to again and again.
BUY FROM AMAZON. £12.99
Bear Faced Games - Birdy Call
This quick and compact family game is perfect for travel entertainment and will keep them amused over the summer holidays.
Find matching cards with other players by mimicking bird calls. Can you find your mate? Collect as many eggs as you can to win the game.
It's a brilliantly frantic game, with everybody shouting their calls at the same time. You can also try to steal eggs from other players with a ’Robbin’ Card or falsely imitate the call of another players bird with a ‘Pairrot’ card..
BUY FROM AMAZON, £14.98
Little Brian - Bath Paint Sticks
These wonderfully colourful paint sticks are a game changer for getting the kids in the bath after a long day, and keeping them entertained.
They twist up and down like a glue stick, are quick drying and can be used on glass, tiles and the bath,
And the best bit is that it's enteirely mess-free, and the bath and child can be rinsed off easily after fun Picasso time in the tub.
BUY FROM AMAZON. £9.99
HODDOG Game
This brilliantly daft and fun, pocket-sized game challenges you to race to build the longest Hoddog before the last ketchup card SPLATS to win.
It's an easy, fast-paced game of strategy and creativity, outdoing each other with your meaty creations, which is great for all ages. And it's tiny size makes it perfect for travel entertainment.
BUY FROM MAGIC MADHOUSE. £7.99
Joking Hazard - SOSIG
This is the perfect, pocket-sized game to have in your Summer Holidays entertainment arsenal.
Players use different head and body cards to create the perfect "Sosig" of various shapes and sizes, while using "mystery meat" cards to sabotage other's goals, as they try to win awards and complete various jobs.
BUY FROM AMAZON, £7.99
Disney Stitch Water Bottle
This fun and dinky water bottle features a rubber Stitch on the lid, the sort of jazzy locks that kids love and Lilo's pineapple loving sidekick along the bottle. It also has double wall insulation to keep their cold drinks cool over the summer.
BUY FROM MINISO £13.99
Miniso - Minecraft Creeper Travel Pillow
The perfect travel companion for little Creeper fighters, who can game hard and rest harder with this Minecraft Creeper pillow.
It's comfy memory foam, super durable and thankfully, has none of the hard edges of the blockbuster game it's inspired by.
BUY FROM MINISO £11.99
Brainstorm Toys - UltraFlyers
These brilliant value sets come with two jazzy planes, which keep kids entertained for hours.
Their cunning design means the planes loop and return, and they come with a gaggle of ideas for tricks and stunts, to loop, boomerang and barrel roll the planes.
A genius and easy to build must-have for the summer hols, which proves great toys don't have to cost the Earth.
BUY FROM AMAZON. £6.50
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