Hugh Hayden plastic chair

This is a great looking chair... not sure how comfortable it would be but kids don't care about stuff like that anyway. All that matters is that this looks like a ball pool solidified into something to sit on. This is available through the Future Perfect website where the line between art and function is expertly blended and you can find amazing items like this chair and the crayon twigs I posted about previously.

Stylish portable cots?

We went on a trip last Easter and I splashed out on one of those plastic and mesh portacots for my daughter, but I really wish I hadn't as it's proven to be heavy and fairly ugly. On top of that each of her grandparents have bought one for when we visit. So she has three! They are portable cots... but as you may already know, they tend to take up a lot of room (even folded) and aren't all that portable.

So make way for a super attractive range of cardboard cots. These are durable, safe and eco friendly (being made from recycled materials). Cardboard seems to be the medium of choice for a lot of designers at present... and plenty of people are using these as their main cot, not just a temporary travel bed. The cots are solid and come with a mattress and best of all this stylish number folds away when you no longer need it. They are designed to be at bed height which would be great during those early days when you have to do a million night time feeds (well, that's what it feels like).

Album di Famiglia ensemble

This is a bathing suit in the old fashioned sense... not so much for getting wet as for looking super stylie by the beach. It has a bit of a fifties vibe to it. I think it's never too early to start playing dress up. The Album di Famiglia range is full of gems... I could happily buy the whole lot.

FUNFAM by Tsuneyuki Fujoka

A place setting that doubles as a jigsaw and teaches dining etiquette using engraved diagrams? A-mazing! I saw these on a fellow blogger's site and fell in love... but imagine my disappointment when I went hunting for the supplier only to find the sellers were all based in Japan, with complicated sites covered in kanji symbols. Oh no! But... I have now discovered an international seller and am sharing the details with you. Lucky!

The set is made by hand from natural bamboo and comes with the tray, plates for each course and cutlery. Your little one can use the pictures engraved in the wood to work out which pieces to use with each course. Japanese design + western style utensils = uber-desirable object.

Table upon table child chair by Richard Hutton

I think I like this... but I don't understand it. It's weird, right? It's definitely a child's chair but what it gains from having a second table below it, I'm not sure. Somewhere to stash toys perhaps... I suppose the obvious thing is that it's stable and that's good but the price tag... well, it's not cheap. But then, you are getting two tables. I wonder how it will look with mushed up avocado smeared across it, though.

Twigs cast in crayon by Stanley Ruiz

I've said it before and I'll say it again... at least half of the time I buy something for my daughter it's really for me. How amazing are these crayons? If your little one isn't interested in drawing they could double as magic wands. I have a bit of a thing for drawing and painting materials... just having them near by makes me feel more creative. These twigs would look great propped up in a jar... almost too good to draw with... almost. These are definitely not just for the kids.

Label blankets and tag mats

Have you discovered tag and label playmats yet? Babies just love loops of fabric they can chew, grip and hook their fingers in to. There are tonnes of blankets and playmats with tags attached for sale out there... a quick search on etsy.com will toss up a load if you haven't seen these before. Pia Eriksson makes some of the neatest ones I've seen including this fancy Thilde pocket... each pocket has labels attached to attract your little one's fingers - the idea being that you velcro the pocket along the top of the crib and fill the pockets with interesting items. When morning comes you get some extra rest while the mischief maker plays happily and explores the pockets. When I look at this I can't help but feel that it would be easy to make something similar yourself... but even easier to buy I suppose.