Christmas Stocking Fillers for under $20!

We are very excited about Christmas at ickle Kids! We love the festive period and it's such a magical time for kids of all ages.

We know it's a crazy time of year, so we want to make life easy for parents - no longer do you have to drag your children around shops or fight for car spots in multi storey car parks! Grab a cuppa and sit back ... we have put together a fantastic range of Christmas Stocking Fillers for under $20!

Check out our Christmas Stocking Fillers by clicking here.

Here are some of our favourite Christmas Stocking Fillers ...


Word Magic Mixer $14.99












Iclay Accessories $14.99










Magnet Fishing $9.99

Inspirational Business Mums - L'il Aussie Prems

I am so lucky to be able to meet such amazing women on my travels as a Mum in Business and this month I would like to feature the lovely Julia from L’il Aussie Prems.

Julia created L’il Aussie Prems in March 2007.Through her experience of giving birth so prematurely to Ronan, a year after his 100 day long journey, Julia decided to create L’il Aussie Prems. This was a way of reaching out to parents – to offer support and understanding whilst they were still in NICU/SCN or at home.

The site has only been running on small sponsorship for over two years and has just recently gained major sponsorship through Pumpkin Patch. What a fantastic achievement – well done Julia! Julia believes that no one should have to pay for support. She relies on advertisers and sponsorship to keep the website running and to keep the support totally free for families. This includes the new premmie bags that are posted to families currently in NICU/SCN.

The forum which is a safe place for parents to share their experiences has recently reached over 1000 registered users and is home to many families throughout Australia.

I truly admire Julia’s strength, commitment and perseverance in providing this much needed service to parents going through what she went through. Please check out the L’il Aussie Prems website for further information.

Travel Tips Tuesday - 7 Practical Things to keep in your car

Photo - Dizzy Atmosphere

When you're out and about with kids and the family dog in tow ... here are our top 7 practical things to keep in the back of the car (or in this case ... cool motor van/motor home!) ...

1) Wet Wipes - great for sticky fingers and mouths,
2) Antibacterial Gel - an essential that we don't leave home without! Too many public toilets run out of soap and with the number of "toilet stops" we have to make with kids ... this item is a must!
3) Towels - to mop up spillages, to sit on in parks etc,
4) Plastic bags - to put used towels and rubbish in,
5) Change of clothes handy - just in case! We keep a small bag by our children's feet so we don't have to unpack our boot to get to our clothes,
6) First Aid Kit - for minor accidents,
7) A travel table (if you have the space) - really handy for kids to play their Brain Teaser Games, Sticker Play Scenes, read their books etc.

I hope this gives you an idea of what to pack as "essentials" when you're on your next short or long car trip with your kids.

I would love to hear what "practical things" you always have packed in the back of your car?

Inspirational Business Mums - La Toriana

I am a mum in business and have met some other amazing women who have also started their own businesses. I have been inspired by these creative women and would love to share their businesses, passion and online stores with you.

The very first Inspirational Business Mum that I would love to feature is the gorgeous Elizabeth from La Toriana. Elizabeth has a wonderful online boutique store that offers quality, stylish and affordable designer labeled clothing for babies and children.

Elizabeth started La Toriana in 2006 when she found it difficult to find unique clothing and gifts for children. She has just recently had her 2nd birthday for La Toriana and its amazing to see what she has achieved in two years!

La Toriana stocks labels such as Alimrose, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, Dolly Up, babyjo bamboo baby wear, nest organics, early birds premature baby clothes, teeny weeny premmie baby wear and lots more!

La Toriana showcases great Australian and New Zealand designers as well as neonatal and NICU appropriate baby clothing as well as organic premmie clothes and accessories. Checkout their vast range of premmie wear and newborn baby items in their secure online baby boutique.

Gippsland Accomodation (Mt Baw Baw) Competition - Planning with Kids

Planning Queen over at Planning with Kids is hosting a great competition to win a night's accommodation at Mt Baw Baw ... so I thought I would give it a go and enter. Got to be in it, to win it! Head on over there and check it out - it's really easy to enter.

We've never had the opportunity to take our children skiing as yet, but would love to. I think now that they are 6 and 3, it's a great age to take them up and fully enjoy what the snow fields have to offer. I've even got my old childhood toboggan that my boys can use - now that's a trip down memory lane!

We would also love to explore the various towns in Gippsland, but one I really would love to bring my boys to, would be Wilsons Prom. I've been there a couple of times growing up - camping and staying in the cabins, and again sharing this experience with my boys would be so much fun! Both Groover and BC enjoy listening to my childhood stories and it would be nice to show them first hand of the places I visitied as a child.

Thanks Planning with Kids, Destination Gippsland and Nuffang for putting on such a cool competition!

Launch of our new Educational Range

We are proud to launch our Educational Range of literacy games, maths games, logic and brain teaser games, speech and oral language games and games to help develop children's fine motor skills.

We have had a great response from teachers and parents who home school their children on our great range of educational games and toys. Hope you enjoy checking out our new range and here is a testimonial from one of our happy teachers!

"It is always a pleasure to do business with Laine. She is most knowledgeable about her products and showed me a range of innovative supplies suitable to support both early literacy and ESL learners. Laine took an active interest in my requests and comments and was also prepared to source out other products that I needed if she didn’t already have them in her range.

Service was impeccable and everything was delivered speedily. I thoroughly recommend Ickle Kids to schools, pre schools and Early learning centres."

Mandy Coate

Literacy Coordinator

Old Orchard Primary, Melbourne

Mathilda's Market this Sunday!

We are proud to be showcasing our travel toys and educational toys at Mathilda's Market this Sunday.

Venue: Hawthorn Town Hall, 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
Date: Sunday 15th March 2009
Time: 9am till 2pm

This is a fabulous niche market that offers unique, stylish and affordable baby & kids goods. The retailers are hand picked to ensure an exciting product range. You will discover a vast variety of funky, unique and gorgeous clothing (for example organic cotton, vintage, 70's, etc) wooden letters, canvasses, soft & wooden toys, soft leather shoes, travel activity packs, room decor, bags, paintings, fun & personalised accessories, vintage-inspired products, musical instruments, handcrafted jewellery, fairy & dress up costumes & accessories, hair accessories, doll houses & accessories, linen, sleepwear and so much more! And all this for your little ones ... it's a kid's shopping haven. Most of the retailers do not have a shop front, so you know you'll find something special, not available anywhere else.

Here are some of our great products that you will be able to see at Mathilda's Market:

We hope to see you there!