Guides

Guides for parents and gift givers

Short, practical answers on gifts for children, calm bedtimes and bedtime stories.

Best personalised Christmas gifts for toddlersThe best personalised Christmas gifts for toddlers are the ones they will still ask for in February. For most families that means something to hear, cuddle or share at bedtime rather than something that needs batteries or a lot of floor space.Read the guideA gift for a child who has everythingStop looking for another thing and look for a moment. Gifts that create time together, a memory or a bedtime habit are remembered long after the toy box overflows.Read the guideChristmas Eve box ideas that are not just sweets and pyjamasThe best Christmas Eve box makes the evening calmer. Think cosy, quiet and a little bit magic, so children actually settle.Read the guideGifts for grandchildren that grandparents can send from far awayThe best long-distance gifts keep you in the room. Choose something the grandchild can enjoy with a parent, with your name and message on it.Read the guideHow to build a calm bedtime routine for a 3 to 5 year oldKeep the same few steps in the same order every night, finish with something quiet you do together, and keep the whole thing to about 30 to 45 minutes. Children settle when they can predict what comes next.Read the guideNot-scary Halloween stories for toddlersChoose stories where the pumpkins smile, the ghosts are shy and everyone ends up warm and safe. For toddlers, "spooky" should mean silly, not frightening.Read the guideGift for a new big brother or sisterGive the older child something that is theirs alone, with their name on it, and a role in welcoming the baby. When a new baby arrives, the gifts and attention go to the baby. A present for the older child shows they have not been forgotten.Read the guidePersonalised books or personalised animated stories?Neither is better for everyone. A personalised book is a keepsake you can hold and read. A personalised animated story gives a child something to watch and hear, with their name spoken aloud, and can arrive within a day. Many families choose one for the keepsake and the other for the routine.Read the guideWhat to give a child for a birthday when they have too many toysGive them something to do, hear or remember rather than another thing to store. The best birthday presents for children who have everything are experiences, personalised items and gifts that arrive in a lasting routine.Read the guideScreen time and bedtime: how to make a story part of winding downA short story you watch together, with the light low and a clear end, can be part of a calm bedtime. Screens that run on by themselves, bright lights and endless videos are what cause trouble.Read the guidePersonalised presents for children: how to choose one they will actually useThe best personalised present for a child is one that changes how they feel about it, not just one with a name printed on. Hearing their own name or seeing themselves in the picture is what delights a child. A name on a mug is a nice touch; a story where they are the hero is an experience.Read the guideBirthday gift ideas for children by agePick a gift that matches what the child can do now and what they love most, not what the box says. Below are ideas for each age from one to eight, plus tips for choosing.Read the guideBedtime stories for your son or daughterThe best bedtime story for your son or daughter is one that is gentle, short and about them. Children, whatever their gender, tend to love the same things at bedtime: a friendly voice, a clear ending and hearing their own name.Read the guideNursery books and bedtime stories for babies and toddlersFor babies and toddlers, choose short, bright, repeating books and gentle stories with a calm ending. What matters most is not the title but that you read or tell something together, in a warm voice, every day.Read the guide