Playtime is sponsored by Fisher Price!

This time last week we were winding our merry way down to the hustle and bustle of London to attend the Fisher Price Play Party at Earls Court with Karin and Ella. All was going well until my sat nav decided to throw a hissy fit and take us on the scenic route as opposed to the direct route. After being almost opposite Earls Court with 25 minutes to spare we finally arrived AT Earls Court about 15 minutes late – don’t you just love technology!

We attended the Fisher Price Play Party last year and had a blast so we knew that the children would be in for a fun afternoon again with lots of fab toys to keep them entertained. Despite calls of “Mummy I’m starving” as the car was pulling into the car park, Little Bean disappeared into the foray of toys and children the second we arrived and magically forgot that the tummy was calling out for supplies.

I have made no secret of the fact that I am a big Fisher Price fan, many of the toys that I grew up with were Fisher Price and I still have many of them today – a sign of good quality! Fisher Price take playtime very seriously and in 1961 they established their Play Lab, a research and testing centre equipped with toys for babies to explore freely. The Fisher Price Play Lab was the first of its kind in the Toy World and is still going strong today, although they have also expanded their research into in-home testing. The development team watch as the children play and talk to the Mums to find out what works and what doesn’t. Learning through play is so important and observing the Play Lab in action gives valuable insight and inspiration to the team. There are Mum panels and informal groups where Mums can see toys in their developmental stages so that they can say what is good about a toy, what they like, what they don’t. All this information is key to the success of Fisher Price.

Some of the latest success stories to come from the Play Lab include:

The Cruisin’ Motion Soother which we would have loved for Beanie Boy when he was a baby. Babies love constant noise and motion, it makes them feel safe and secure because it reminds them of being snuggled up in the womb. How many people do you know who have said that when their baby won’t settle they take them out for a ride in the car? Well with the Cruisin’ Motion Soother they wouldn’t have to because it simulates the familiar movements of the car and with one switch they can hear the hum of the engine and other reassuring sounds your baby will be familiar with.

The Jumperoo – well you already know how much we love this! Babies love to bounce, its great for strengthening their muscles ready for cruising and walking. The Jumperoo takes the door bouncer to the next level and mixes it up with an activity centre for safe bouncing fun.

Aquarium Bath Tub – Perhaps the most daunting task you will face with your newborn is bathtime, how do you hold such a slippery, wriggling bundle of fun and manage to keep their head above water whilst trying to wash them at the same time? Fisher Price spoke to the Mums in the Play Lab and came up with the Aquarium Bath Tub which has three stages to it, for newborns there is a soft sling which holds baby above the water enabling you to have both hands free. In the second stage a stopper keeps baby’s head supported and then finally you can remove the stopper once baby is able to sit unsupported for lots of splashy bathtime fun!

Fisher Price – helping your child develop and grow through the joy of play!