It’s hard for parents to avoid technology like tablets with them becoming an increasingly big part of our daily lives. In schools – and even some preschools – they’re used to aid learning and development. But it’s difficult to know when to buy a tablet for your child, and once you’ve decided that, which one to buy.

Best kids tablets at a glance

• Best for budget option: Pebble Gear 7” Kids Tablet, £99.99
• Best for younger children: Amazon Fire 7 Kids, £114
• Best for older children: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro, £149
• Best overall tablet for kids: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids, £149
• Best tablet for the whole family: Samsung Tab A7, £219

The kids tablet market is flooded with cheap tablets that offer little in the way of durability or longevity, from both big and small brands alike. We’ve tested a range of kids tablets to create this list of 5 of the best kids tablets on the market today.

• Jump to what age is it appropriate to give a child a tablet?
• Jump to how to choose the best tablet for kids
• Jump to should you buy a tablet designed for kids
• Jump to best tablets for kids in 2023

What age is it appropriate to give a child a tablet?

While there isn’t any strict guidance on the best age to purchase a tablet for your child, many kids tablets do come with a lower age limit of 3 years. Screen time is obviously a very divisive subject, and it will be up to you as a parent to decide what’s appropriate for your child. While the NHS doesn’t have detailed guidance regarding screen time, they do recommend an upper limit of 2 hours per day for all children. As the NCT notes, “The UK’s Chief Medical Officer suggests a ‘precautionary approach’ balanced against the potential benefits of using screen devices.” It is worth noting that the upper limit of 2 hours includes all screen time, including any at school, so bear this in mind when putting limits on time spent using devices and television at home.

How to choose the best tablet for kids

Choosing the best tablet for your child will ultimately depend on their needs. Are you buying something for them to use to do their homework? Maybe you want something they can use to read books or watch TV and play games? For most parents and caregivers, the key things to consider when buying a tablet are:

• App store selection
• Screen size and quality
• Parental control options

App store selection and availability

Ensuring that you have access to all the apps that are relevant to your child is obviously important. Many kids tablets run either their own specific app stores or a truncated version of the Google Play store designed specifically with kids in mind. With tablets that run bespoke app stores, you may discover that some popular apps are missing. One example here is the lack of an official YouTube app for Amazon’s Fire Tablet range. This is why we suggest figuring out your main use cases for the tablet before making your purchase, to ensure that you’re picking the tablet with the widest possible app selection.

During our testing, we paid close attention to the app selection in order to give you a clear idea of what to expect with each model.

Screen quality

It might seem obvious, but the screen quality is very important when selecting which tablet to buy. Many of the cheaper options on the market are manufactured using cheaper components, meaning the screen is lower quality.

Screen technology is exceedingly complicated and seems designed to confuse with excessive acronyms, which is why we’d suggest paying attention to a few key areas. The screen size is key: while a larger screen does offer more screen real estate for content, it can mean a less ergonomic tablet. Crucially, a lower resolution screen will also be more noticeable at a larger screen size so as you size up the screen, look at increasing resolution too.

At a lower resolution, small text, icons and images are prone to pixelation causing potential eye strain and discomfort. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you should rule out a tablet with a screen at a lower resolution, though. If your child’s use case is more around entertainment and gaming, a lower resolution screen may not cause much of an issue. If you’re buying the tablet for any sort of reading, we’d suggest paying the extra for a better screen.

Parental controls

Many kids tablets come with built-in parental controls to help you manage the content on your child’s tablet. When buying any piece of technology for your child, screen time and digital safety is paramount, which is why robust parental controls are a must when buying a kids tablet.

Tablets specifically designed for children often run software that limits access to services like the internet and, as we mentioned, the wider app stores. These controls often allow parents the ability to limit access to specific apps and tablet features such as the camera or browser. They can also stop your children making expensive in-game purchases without you knowing.

When testing our recommended tablets, we took time to dive into the parental controls available on each model to see what controls are available to parents, how easy they are to access and how simple they are to implement. The most important features to look out for are the ability to setup a kids profile that restricts access to the tablet’s main system settings, and the ability to restrict access to potentially harmful apps and services. You may also like the ability to set screen time limits directly in the device.

Should you buy a tablet designed for kids?

All of this might make you wonder if you need to buy a tablet specifically designed for kids or if you can just buy anything and supervise use. It’s a good question: the benefit of buying a tablet specifically designed for kids is that special attention paid to the parental controls. Kids tablets place these controls front and centre, to make it easier for you to manage your child’s screen time and keep them safe online. Buying a generic tablet often means that these parental controls maybe less robust, more difficult to find or even missing entirely, making it that much more difficult to manage your child’s activities unless you’re looking over their shoulder at all times.

That being said, generic tablets like the iPad do offer certain benefits over kids tablets. Most notably, there are a wider array of tablets on offer that aren’t designed for kids and often they include better components. This improved choice can help you to find a high quality tablet at a lower price point, something that might not be possible in the smaller, more restricted market of tablets designed specifically for kids.

Beyond the benefits for parents, children’s tablets will often centre content designed for kids, giving them quick access to the entertainment and education apps that they would want. Amazon Prime, for example, is already filtered to show only age-appropriate content tailored to children on their Fire Kids tablets versus their iPad app which is, by default, set to show all content.

Best tablets for kids in 2024

1. Pebble Gear 7” Kids Tablet, £99.99

– Best budget option

Ages: 3-8 | Battery Life: Unknown | Screen Size: 7 inch | Storage: 16 gb | Expandable Storage: Yes

Of all the tablets we tested, the Pebble Gear 7” was by far the biggest surprise. From the ergonomic design with rounded edges to the solid build quality, the Pebble Gear is a great option for the price. The model we tested was themed to Disney/Pixar’s Cars, one of a wide range of Disney themed tablets that come with vibrant and protective plastic bumper cases and a range of Disney themed content preinstalled.

Setting up the Pebble Gear took a few minutes, only stalling briefly for an update, and is all taken care of via a streamlined step-by-step guide. Then you’re asked to setup your parental profile where you choose a 4 digit passcode before setting up the profiles for your children. You can have up to 4 child profiles on the device and they can each have their own separate profile picture and wallpaper.

Within the settings menu on the parental profile, you’ll find all the usual settings for a device of this type like Wi-Fi and brightness as well as a toggle for a blue light filter that can be enabled at a system level. On the parental control front, you are able to set screen time limits for both the weekend and weekdays as well as block access to specific apps. Beyond that, though, parental controls are limited. Another area where the Pebble Gear is lacking is around accessibility. There are no settings to control text size or to enable a reader or magnifier. In fact, beyond the blue light toggle, there aren’t any accessibility features available.

The screen itself, while not particularly high resolution, is surprisingly clear and bright with little in the way of pixelation around text unless it is particularly small on screen. It runs fairly smoothly, with nice animations when opening and switching apps, though it is worth mentioning that returning to the home screen and unlocking the device are quite sluggish.

Speaking of software, the tablet runs a version of Android meaning it has access to a trimmed down version of the Google Play Store called the GameStore Junior. You can access a range of apps including the YouTube Kids app which comes pre-installed – though this does require a parent to set it up. The interface itself is simple and easy to use on both the parents and children’s profiles, with content placed front and centre.

Overall, if you’re looking for a low cost, easy to use tablet with fun colour options, then the Pebble Gear is a great place to start. There are bundles available that include a pair of themed headphones and you can also purchase a range of accessories to match the tablet.

Pros: Exclusive Disney content, no in-app purchases, simple interface, quick setup
Cons: Minimal parental controls, no accessibility options, no power brick included

Available from: Very, Pebble

2. Amazon Fire 7 Kids, £114

– Best for younger children

Ages: 3-7 | Battery Life: Up to 10 hours | Screen Size: 7 inch | Storage: 16 gb or 32 gb | Expandable Storage: Yes

Amazon is one of the leading players in the kids tablet market and it’s easy to see why. The sturdy and simple Fire 7 Kids is a great first tablet with a robust case that will keep it well protected from drops and bumps. The tablet itself is well built with little to no noticeable bending when pressure is applied and the case provides a small lip to prevent the screen from coming into contact with the ground if dropped – though we would still suggest picking up a screen protector.

On the parental control front, the Fire Kids 7 offers a rich set of options that allow you to control everything from location services and camera access to blocking specific apps. When you set up a child’s profile, you are asked to input a date of birth which then automatically restricts content to only what is suitable for that age group. There is also a mode you can enable to automatically filter out harmful websites or, if you’d prefer, you can disable the browser altogether. Screen time can be monitored per user profile with a Daily Goals and Time limits option. You can set a time limit, and bedtime hours as well as goals for educational apps and videos. App purchases must be approved by a parent. In terms of app tracking, you can manage permissions for the parents profile but it isn’t clear if this is an option for the kids profile. It doesn’t appear there is an option to disable app tracking at a system level.

Speaking of apps, Fire OS and the Amazon app store offer a wide array of games, educational apps and streaming services. All the expected options like Netflix and Disney Plus are available and, given that this is an Amazon device, Prime Video comes baked into the system with all content filtered depending on the age of the child. As of writing, the entire Fire Kids range comes with a year of Amazon Kids+ with a range of age-appropriate content. You are, however, unable to access any of Googles apps, including YouTube, natively through the Amazon app store and though there are workaround apps, they aren’t as easy to use or secure as a native app.

Accessibility settings are available from within the parents profile, though they are buried quite deep in the settings menu. It also isn’t clear if any changes you make to the accessibility options within the parents profile will affect any or all of the children’s profiles on the device. Within the accessibility menu, you are able to control screen magnification, text size as well as speech to text.

Where the Fire 7 Kids falls down is the display. The 7 inch screen has a noticeably low resolution meaning there is pixelation around text and app icons often making text quite difficult to read. Smaller text is particularly pixelated – the clock, for example, shows up as quite pixelated. From a distance, this isn’t really a problem, but up close the text becomes harder to read. The issue is less pronounced when dealing with thin text such as the menu bar at the top of the home screen.

The interface is fairly straight forward to use. It is all designed around apps, books, films and games that are specifically chosen for the child based upon the parental control settings input by the parent. Finding apps and games is pretty easy using search and all content is filtered depending on the parental control settings. Downloaded apps are placed in a ‘recents’ screen – though it is annoying that these apps don’t disappear from recents when they are deleted and there’s no option to remove them from the screen.

Overall, if you’re looking for a low cost tablet to use as an entertainment device or maybe for access to certain educational apps, then the Fire 7 Kids is a great option. It is particularly well suited for younger children due to the simple interface, robust build quality and lower specs than some of the other models in the range.

Pros: Well built, simple interface, wide variety of content
Cons: Low resolution screen, quite sluggish at times, packaging includes a lot of plastic, no Google apps

Available from: Very, John Lewis, JD Williams

3. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro, £149

– Best for older children

Ages: 6-12 | Battery Life: Up to 13 hours | Screen Size: 8 inch | Storage: 32 gb or 64 gb | Expandable Storage: Yes

The Fire HD 8 Kids is similar in many ways to the Fire 7 Kids, with a similar interface, parental controls and app selection. You can enable or disable an ‘expanded selection’ of apps which restricts or allows access to apps like Netflix, Spotify and Minecraft/Roblox. The interface changes depending on the age of your child, with everything looking just a bit more polished and grown up from the app icons to the reduced emphasis on content.

That’s the real selling point of the Pro tablet versus both the 7 and HD 8. Everything feels and looks just that little bit more grown up. The packaging feels premium, with everything wrapped in recyclable cardboard or paper from the tablet body to the charging cable. The case too is less bulky and more sleek looking, with the colourways being less bright and vibrant and more muted. The only downside of the case is that it does lack that same robust protective bounce that you find with the HD 8 and 7 Kids models.

Of course, the main highlight of the HD 8 Pro is the high resolution display. When compared to the 7 Kids, the display is clear and crisp with no pixelation around text or icons. Text of all weights is easy to read and the sharpness and brightness of the panel makes it ideal for reading. If you have older children who love to read or are required to do more reading for school, the HD 8 Pro offers a great alternative to the traditional Kindle with a great deal more functionality.

Pros: Excellent display, improved battery life, sleek design, no plastic in packaging
Cons: Case is less protective, interface is still a bit sluggish, no Google apps

Available from: Very, John Lewis

4. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids, £149

– Best overall tablet for kids

Ages: 6-12 | Battery Life: Up to 13 hours | Screen Size: 8 inch | Storage: 32 gb or 64 gb | Expandable Storage: Yes

The internal specs and price of the HD 8 are almost identical to the Pro model, with the big difference being the case that comes with the device. The ‘kid proof’ case included with the HD 8 Kids more closely resembles the case included with the 7 Kids. It is bulky, vibrant and has a textured back to help improve the grip. The case improves the ergonomics of the tablet by giving you more of a grip while holding the device.

The interface is similar to the previous models, with a robust selection of apps available through the Amazon app store including games like Minecraft and Roblox. The added processing power of the HD 8 shines when using more complex apps like these, easily justifying that extra spend. There are a number of UI quirks that are quite annoying, though. For example, when changing the wallpaper, if you’re in landscape orientation and then select a new wallpaper, the screen will jump to portrait in order for you to confirm the wallpaper change. It then gets stuck in the portrait orientation until you move the device.

This speaks to an issue with the wider Amazon Fire range. The Fire OS is fairly limited in functionality and, while the app selection is good, isn’t as refined as the interfaces found on the iPad and devices from Samsung. Some of this is by design, but many of the more restrictive UI features, such as the prevalence of Amazon content, can be quite frustrating when in use.

This will, however, only be an issue if you are looking for a device that gives you a finer control over the interface. If you don’t mind using the Amazon Fire OS and you’re looking for a tablet that won’t cost the earth while also providing solid features and a great screen for reading and enjoying content, then the Fire HD 8 Kids is by far the best option.

Pros: Great display, robust case, wide selection of apps, no plastic in packaging
Cons: Fire OS is limited, some strange UI bugs, no Google apps

Available from: Very, John Lewis, JD Williams

5. Samsung Tab A7, £140

– Best tablet for the whole family

Ages: N/A | Battery Life: Up to 10 hours | Screen Size: 10.4 inch | Storage: 32 gb | Expandable Storage: Yes

Outside of tablets designed specifically for kids, the Samsung Tab A7 is a great low cost tablet that provides access to a wide array of content. It’s on the larger size at 10.4 inches so it may not be best suited to younger children. But the sturdy design, a fantastic screen and great battery life makes it an ideal model for the whole family.

The Full HD display brings content to life making it perfect for streaming kids TV shows and films and playing games like Minecraft and Roblox with friends. It also means it has a high enough resolution for older kids who may need to use it to read books.

The design of the tablet is a little flimsy so you’ll definitely want to invest in a case as soon as possible. That being said, this does mean the tablet is on the lighter side. The biggest flaw with the otherwise great tablet is that its built-in storage is just 32GB. This is a measly amount of storage for any device, let alone a tablet you plan on using for entertainment and education. You can, however, expand this storage up to 1TB with a microSD, but you will have to pay extra for this.

Despite the bright screen, the device still has impressive battery life, clocking in at up to 10 hours of HD video streaming and more than a day and a half with everyday use. The device runs the latest version of the Android OS found on other Samsung devices. It comes with a feature called Samsung Kids, which functions similarly to the Amazon counterpart in allowing you to set up a child-friendly environment for your kids. This ensures that parental controls like content limiting and screen time are enabled when your child is using the device. It is this combination of the Samsung Kids app and the improved power that makes the A7 an ideal choice for the whole family.

Pros: Great screen, access to full Android, Samsung Kids app, excellent battery life
Cons: Not much built in storage, no case included

Available from: Amazon

Pic credit: Product websites

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World Book Day is on Thursday 7 March in 2024, although many schools and nurseries may decide to celebrate it on Friday 8 March to round the school week off with some costumed fun. If you’re looking for easy, last-minute World Book Day costumes that are simple to put together but look fantastic, we’ve got a great selection for you right here.

Our no-sew costumes can be made using things you’ll probably already have at home (or could quickly order online). We’ve even included ideas for re-purposing costumes you may already have – including pirate, witch and skeleton outfits, animal, fairy and ballerina costumes and princess dresses.

And, of course, if your child really doesn’t like dressing up, there are plenty of ideas for ‘costumes’ where the main character in the book wears regular, everyday clothes – so all your child will need to do is hold a prop or maybe just brandish a copy of the book.

For each of our World Book Day costume ideas, we’ve listed out what you’ll need to create it, including props and clothes (and a link to buy the book, if you don’t have it already). Plus, where we can, we’ve included a pic of a child in the costume, as shared by one of the brilliant parents in our MadeForMums community, so you can get an idea of the finished ‘look’ you’re after.

Here’s our pick of easy, last-minute World Book Day Costume ideas you can put together super-quick…

1. Superworm

What you’ll need:

• Pink clothes
• Pink cape or pink material to wear as a cape (optional)
• Pink headband — use paper and a pen to draw 2 big worm eyes to stick to the headband

Buy Superworm

2. Mr Bump

What you’ll need:

• Blue top and trousers
• Bandage (if you have one) or toilet roll (if you don’t) to wind around your child’s head and middle

We’ve also got a brilliant idea for dressing up as Mr Strong – see idea number 36.

Buy Mr Bump

3. Paddington

What you’ll need:

• Red hat
• Blue coat or blue clothes
• Red socks
• Suitcase (optional)

Buy Paddington

4. Mr Twit from The Twits

What you’ll need:

• A fake beard (buy one online or make one with dark brown wool)
• Dark, messy clothes
• A paintbrush and pot

Buy The Twits

5. Witch from Room on the Broom

What you’ll need:

• Red top
• Dark coloured trousers or skirt
• Black cape
• Witch’s hat and broomstick, if you have them
• Wand made from yellow card on a stick
• Toy cat (optional)

Buy Room on the Broom

6. Supertato

What you’ll need:

• Black belt with cardboard S stuck on the buckle
• Brown clothes
• Mask (band of black paper with eye holes cut out)
• Red material/shirt for cape
• Play veg

Buy Supertato

7. Gangsta Granny

What you’ll need:

• Bandit eye mask (or paint one on with black face paint). Or glasses – to make some, see these downloadable step-by-step instructions
• Pink or mauve jumper or cardie
• White shirt with ‘Granny style’ collar
• Skirt
• Slippers
• Tights – preferably too big, so they can wrinkle around the ankles
• Sack-style bag filled with scrumpled up paper (so it’s not too heavy)
• A headscarf (with rollers in the hair) or, if you’re feeling creative a granny wig – see these downloadable step-by-step instructions

Buy Gangsta Granny

8. Burglar Bill

What you’ll need:

• Stripey jumper
• Flat cap
• Bandit eye mask (often comes with superhero costume) or draw one on with face paint
• Swag bag filled with crumpled-up paper (or cuddly toy!)

Buy Burglar Bill

9. Alice in Wonderland

What you’ll need:

• Blue dress
• White apron/pinny
• Hair bow

Buy Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

10. Sparkle Boy

What you’ll need:

• Tutu
• Top and jeans
• Bead necklace
• Sparkly nail varnish

Buy Sparkle Boy

11. Harry Potter/Hermione Granger

What you’ll need:

• Black cape (often comes with Halloween dressing-up costumes)
• White shirt
• Normal school trousers/skirt, stick (for a wand)
• Stripey tie or scarf
• For Harry only: glasses – use the downloadable glasses template from the Gangsta Granny costume, above, and colour them black
• For Harry only: red face paint or lip pencil to draw on his forehead scar

Buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

12. A Smed or a Smoo

What you’ll need:

• Red or blue clothes
• Red or blue face paint
• Green wig or washable, spray-on hair dye (optional)
• A paper cup — paint it red or blue, cut the bottom out and attach to string

Buy The Smeds and The Smoos

13. Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

What you’ll need:

• Scruffy clothes or an old jumper/cardigan
• A golden ticket – use some yellow card or cut out a section of a yellow cereal box, then write ‘Golden Ticket’ on the reverse side

We’ve also got a brilliant idea for dressing up as Charlie’s Golden Ticket – see idea number 29.

Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

14. A unicorn from the ‘That’s Not My Unicorn…’

What you’ll need:

• White or light-coloured top
• Tutu or bright skirt
• Tights
• Unicorn headband if you have one (or you can make a horn using rolled-up card and attach it to a regular headband)

Buy That’s not My Unicorn… 

15. Peter Rabbit

What you’ll need:

• Blue jacket
• Brown trousers
• Face paint or eyebrow pencil – to draw on bunny whiskers
• Bunny ears – made with cardboard and taped to a headband
• Bag of carrots (optional)

Buy The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit

16. Wally from Where’s Wally?

What you’ll need:

• Stripey hat
• Stripey top
• Stripey socks or tights — if you have them
• Round glasses — use the downloadable glasses template from the Gangsta Granny costume, above, and colour them black

Buy Where’s Wally?

17. Bella Broomstick

What you’ll need:

• Long black dress (or black top and black skirt)
• Green belt
• Green stars (can be made from cutting green felt or card and attaching to the skirt)
• Witch’s hat and broomstick, if you have them

Buy Bella Broomstick: Halloween Havoc

More witch costume ideas…

18. The Worst Witch: add a toy cat and a (messy) broomstick

19.  The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz: accessorise with green face paint and an evil cackle

20. The cover star of That’s Not My…Witch: she has green hair, if you fancy having a go with some washable, spray-on hair dye

21. The witch from The Apprentice Witch: colourful jacket or cardie over black witch’s dress (or black skirt); hair in a ponytail; broom

22. Madame Olympia from Which Witch?: add a spot of make-up to get her super-glam look

Pic: Tara B

23. Zog

What you’ll need:

• Orange top
• Orange or beige pants
• Old orange clothing or fabric you can cut up and glue/stitch to the top to make wings
• Yellow/orange card to create a Zog-shaped mask with ears and a horn, plus a star you can stick to the chest
• Orange shoes or slippers (optional)

Buy Zog

24. Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family

What you’ll need:

• A dark dress
• A white collar — use a school shirt underneath the dress
• Black tights
• Black shoes or boots
• Black lipstick or face paint (optional)

Buy The Addams Family: Story of the Movie

25. Billionaire Boy

What you’ll need:

• Grey or dark trousers
• Big white top
• A wallet full of money (make fake notes with paper or use Monopoly money)
• For a more fun idea — if you’ve got time — you can stick the fake money onto the top (as shown in the middle picture above)

Buy Billionaire Boy

26.  Tracy Beaker

What you’ll need:

• Red stripey top
• Messy dark hair (use washable spray-on hair dye or a wig, if your child’s hair isn’t the right colour)
• Sleeveless denim jacket (optional)

Buy The Story of Tracy Beaker

27. The Snail and the Whale

What you’ll need:

• Black T-shirt
• White fabric paint to draw on the snail trail message
• Toy snail to glue or pin onto the shoulder of the T-shirt (optional)
• Stuffed whale toy (optional)

Buy The Snail and the Whale

28. Elmer the Elephant

What you’ll need:

• Bright coloured top
• An elephant mask: to make this, stick squares of coloured paper on 1 side of 3 paper plates, then sticking the plates together in a line, cut  holes for the eyes in the centre plate, trim the side plates into ear shapes
• White paper or card, cut into tusk shapes and attached to the mask
• Brown paper or card, folded accordion-style, for the trunk (optional)

Buy Elmer

29. Charlie Bucket’s Golden Ticket

What you’ll need:

• An old pillowcase
• Gold paint (or pick a yellow pillowcase!)
• Fabric/maker pen for writing words

Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

30. Happy Birthday, Blue Kangaroo

What you’ll need:

• Pink clothes
• Pink ribbon in hair
• Blue kangaroo toy (optional)

Buy Happy Birthday, Blue Kangaroo

31. Mr Bean

What you’ll need:

• Grey or black school trousers
• Tweed blazer
• White shirt
• Tie, preferably red

Buy Mr Bean’s Entertaining Escapades

32. Matilda

What you’ll need:

• A dress, preferably blue
• White cardigan (optional)
• Red hair ribbon (if possible)
• White socks
• Black shoes
• Small pile of books

Buy Matilda

33. Aliens Love Underpants

What you’ll need:

• Underpants worn over trousers
• Green clothing
• Alien antennae or headband (optional)
• Spaceship made from cardboard and tin foil (optional)

Buy Aliens Love Underpants

34. The Cat In The Hat

What you’ll need:

• Black leggings
• Black T-shirt
• White gloves
• Red scarf
• Stripey hat – you can make this using a tube of white card and then adding a rim and painting on red stripes
• Whiskers – drawn on with an eye pencil or face paints

Buy The Cat in the Hat

35. The Man on the Moon (A Day in the Life of Bob)

What you’ll need:

• White onesie (you can get astronaut-themed ones online)
• Blow-up alien or alien toy

Buy The Man on the Moon

36. Mr Strong

What you’ll need:

• Red top
• Red trousers
• Green hat
• Cardboard box covered in red paper with black eyes and mouth drawn on one side and holes made for head, arms and legs

Buy Mr Strong

37. George’s Marvellous Medicine

What you’ll need:

• Red top
• Spoon covered in tin foil
• Old shampoo bottle with ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ label

Buy George’s Marvellous Medicine

38. One of the Ten Little Pirates

What you’ll need:

• Stripey T-shirt
• Jeans
• Pirate hat made from cardboard or a bandana

Buy 10 Little Pirates

More pirate costume ideas

If you’ve got a pirate outfit, your child could dress up as:

39. The pirate from The Troll (see pic, below)

40. Captain Hook from Peter Pan: you can get cheap hooks from online fancy dress shops

41. One of the pirates from Pirates Love Underpants: just remember the underpants, too! 

42. One of the girl pirates from The Night Pirates

Pic: Jessica H

43. Noddy

What you’ll need:

• Red top
• Blue shorts and socks
• Yellow fabric to knot around the neck
• Blue bobble hat (or you can make a more pointy blue felt hat)
• Red cheeks – use blusher or red face paint

Buy Noddy: Toyland Detective

44. Interstellar Cinderella

What you’ll need:

• Cardboard box ‘jetpack’
• A tool (e.g. toy spanner) or tool box
• Goggles
• Ordinary clothes

Buy Interstellar Cinderella

45. Jack and the Beanstalk

What you’ll need:

• Shirt
• Light brown trousers
• Crown (optional)
• Beanstalk made from a painted cardboard tube and green leaves cut out of cardboard

Buy Jack and the Beanstalk

46. Morrigan Crow from the Nevermoor series

What you’ll need:

• Black dress or skirt and top
• Red hairband
• Black boots
• Umbrella

Buy Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

47. Willie from Goodnight Mister Tom

What you’ll need:

• Flat cap
• Dark coat or plain-coloured sweater
• Small box (Willie’s gas mask box) tied with string to hang from your child’s shoulder (optional)

Buy Goodnight Mister Tom

48. Madeline

What you’ll need:

• White blouse or shirt
• Blue pinafore or dress
• White socks
• Black school shoes
• Red tie or scarf
• Straw hat (optional)

Buy Madeline

49. Harry from Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs

What you’ll need:

• Normal clothes – with dinosaur details, if possible
• Small bucket containing toy dinosaurs

Buy Harry & His Bucketful of Dinosaurs

50. Fantastic Mr Fox

What you’ll need:

• Jacket/blazer
• Colourful scarf/bow tie
• Fox head (if you’re feeling creative), made from cardboard or papier mâché, with milk bottle tops for eyes and pipe cleaners for the whiskers
• Alternatively, use cardboard to make fox ears to attach to a headband, and face-paint some foxy whiskers
• Brown scarf – attach at the waist for a tail

Buy Fantastic Mr Fox

51. Mrs Fox from Fantastic Mr Fox

What you’ll need:

• Dress and cardigan
• Old hair band
• Faux fur to attach to the headband

Buy Fantastic Mr Fox

52. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

What you’ll need:

• Green card and red card
• Sparkly green paper to decorate
• String
• Feathers

Buy The Very Hungry Caterpillar

53. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – part two

What you’ll need:

• An old sheet, painted in butterfly colours
• Ordinary clothes
• Butterfly eye mask (optional)

Buy The Very Hungry Caterpillar

54. Snow White

What you’ll need:

• A white shirt
• A long skirt
• Blue hair ribbon
• A red apple

Buy Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

55. Jonah And The Whale

What you’ll need:

• Wig and beard wig – or lots of brown wool
• A white sheet or white T-shirt and trousers
• A large scarf – to make a sash
• A whale, made out of a large drinks bottle with googly eyes and big flappy cardboard tail and fins

Buy Jonah and the Whale

56. Daddy Fox from Fox And The Ghost Hunt King

What you’ll need:

• Red hoodie
• Plain or white T-shirt
• Some cardboard, paint, scissors and string – for the mask
• A fox soft toy, if you’ve got one

Buy The Fox and the Ghost King

57. An English dictionary

What you’ll need:

• Old T-shirt
• Old leggings
• Fabric/marker pen for writing words

Buy Oxford English Dictionary

58. A Welsh dictionary

What you’ll need:

• Large piece of folded card or a cardboard box with 1 side removed
• Coloured pens to decorate it with words from the dictionary (it doesn’t have to be a Welsh one!)

Buy the Welsh-English Picture Dictionary for Children

59. Riley from Riley Can Be Anything

What you’ll need:

• School blazer or jacket
• White shirt
• Tie

Buy Riley Can Be Anything

60. Oi Frog

What you’ll need:

• Green top
• Green skirt and tights or green trousers
• Green frog mask or hat made of cardboard

Buy Oi Frog!

61. Mog

What you’ll need:

• Grey top and leggings
• Grey or white socks
• Hairband with grey cardboard cat ears
• Grey scarf tied around waist for a tail

Buy: Mog the Forgetful Cat

Got an animal costume?

Then here’s what your child could dress up as…

62. If you’ve got a donkey costume, dress up as the Wonky Donkey (see pic below; add an eye patch too if you have one)

63. Tiger costumes are just the thing for The Tiger Who Came to Tea. For dressing up as Sophie, from the same book, see idea no 120. 

64. A dragon costume can become the dragon from Room on the Broom

65. A bear costume can make a bear from That’s Not My Bear

66. A monkey costume means your child can be the little monkey in Monkey Puzzle

67. Have a mouse costume? Dress up as Maisy from the Maisy Mouse series

Pic: Lindsey Gaut

68.  The Boy In The Dress

What you’ll need:

• A dress
• A football

Buy The Boy in the Dress

69. Pippi Longstocking

What you’ll need:

• Blue dress or dungarees
• Red T-shirt or bits of fabric, glued on like patches
• Stripey tights
• Hair in piglet plaits – you can plait in some thin, bendy wire to make them really stick out sideways

Buy Pippi Longstocking Goes Abroad

70. A Roman from Rotten Romans

What you’ll need:

• A white sheet, wrapped like a toga (check out this WikiHow). And do put something under it, like a long-sleeved top and leggings, or it could get chilly!

Buy Rotten Romans

71. Billy from Billy’s Bucket

What you’ll need:

• Blue top
• Beige pants
• Bright bucket

Buy Billy’s Bucket

72. Horrid Henry

What you’ll need:

• Blue and yellow striped shirt (you can sometimes find ones with the Horrid Henry logo on, like in our pic above, on second-hand selling sites such as Vinted)
• Blue or dark trousers/jeans
• Trainers

Buy Horrid Henry

73. Percy the Park Keeper

What you’ll need:

• Green cap
• Green jumper or shirt
• Stripey braces
• Light-coloured trousers
• Wellington boots

Buy The Rescue Party (one of our favourites from the bestselling Percy the Park Keeper series)

74. Thing 1 and/or Thing 2 from The Cat In The Hat

This is a great one for twins, siblings or friends…

What you’ll need:

• Red/orange T-shirt and leggings
• White card – on which you can write ‘Thing 1’ or ‘Thing 2’ and then pin it on the T-shirt
• Blue wig or washable, spray-on hair dye (optional)

Buy The Cat in the Hat

Child with red hair?

Then your child could dress up as:

75. Ron Wealsey from the Harry Potter books: wear school uniform with a stripey tie

76. Tintin: gel hair up into a quiff and accessorise with a white toy dog, if you have one 

77. Anne of Green Gables: wear a straw hat and a pinafore

78. Annie: wear a red dress and smile a lot!

79. Nancy Drew: carry your detective’s notebook

80. Freckleface Strawberry: put hair in low pigtails and make freckles (if your child doesn’t have them already) with an eyebrow pencil

Pic: Getty

81. Dr Alan Grant from Jurassic Park

What you’ll need:

• Beige trousers
• Denim or blue shirt
• Red neck scarf
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• ID pass (optional) made from card and sticky-backed plastic

Buy Jurassic Park

82. Percy Jackson

What you’ll need:

• Ordinary clothes
• Sword made out of cardboard
• Shield made out of cardboard

Buy Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

83. Mollie from The Wishing Chair

What you’ll need:

There are (at least) 2 options here because different editions of the book have different outfits for Mollie…

• Blue and white stripey T-shirt with blue denim dungarees OR
• Orange spotty dress

Buy The Wishing Chair Collection 

84. One of The Midnight Gang

What you’ll need:

• PJs
• Pillow
• Balloon (optional)

Buy The Midnight Gang

Got fairy wings?

Then your child could dress up as:

85. Tinkerbell from Peter Pan: in a green dress, if you want to channel the Disney Tinkerbell

86. Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream: accessorise with a mischievous grin

87. The Blue Fairy from Pinocchio: in a blue dress, obvs

88. The Wicked Fairy from Sleeping Beauty: wear black

Pic: Getty

89. Angelina Sprocket

What you’ll need:

• Pink dressing gown or adult shirt
• Patches of different coloured material or paper to glue onto dressing gown/shirt as pockets
• Bobbles to put hair in 3 bunches
• Glasses
• Cheese grater (optional)

Buy Angelina Sprocket’s Pockets

90. Angelina Ballerina

What you’ll need:

• Ballet costume or tutu and pink T-shirt
• Pink cardigan
• Mouse mask or just finger-paint mouse whiskers

Buy Angelina Ballerina

91. Biff from Dogs Don’t Do Ballet

What you’ll need:

• Ballet costume or tutu and pink t-shirt
• White or pink tights
• Black and white face paint
• Add cardboard puppy ears on a headband (optional)

Buy Dogs Don’t Do Ballet

More tutu costume ideas:

Then your child could dress up as:

92. The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker

93. Delphie from the Magic Ballerina books: carry some ballet shoes, if you have them, and tell everyone they’re magic

Pic: Getty

94. One of the 101 Dalmatians

What you’ll need:

• White T-shirt
• Black marker to create spots
• White and black face paint (optional)

Buy The One Hundred and One Dalmations

95. Queen of Hearts

What you’ll need:

• A red or black top and skirt or red or black dress, accessorised with hearts if you have them
• Playing cards, glued together in a wide circle to make a ruff or a hat
• A suitably regal hairstyle

Buy Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

96. Greg from Diary Of A Wimpy Kid

What you’ll need:

• White T-shirt
• Black shorts
• Backpack
• Trainers
• White card with Greg’s face drawn and cut out (optional)

Buy Diary of a Wimpy Kid

97. Malala

What you’ll need:

• A pink headscarf
• A pencil
• A notebook for magical ideas

Buy Malala’s Magic Pencil

Got a princess outfit?

Your child could dress up as:

98. Sleeping Beauty: no snoozing in class, mind!

99. Cinderella: glass slippers might be a stretch but you could accessorise with an invitation to the ball

100. The Princess And The Pea: scrunch up some green paper for a pea prop

101. The Princess And The Frog: accessorise wth a toy frog, if you have one

102. Little Princess: make her trademark big yellow pointy crown out of card

Pic: Getty

103. Captain Tom Moore

What you’ll need:

• Blue shirt
• White scarf or tie
• Multi-coloured paper to make medals and ribbons

Buy Captain Tom Moore (Little People, BIG DREAMS)

104. Amelia Jane

What you’ll need:

• 2 bows to make bunches
• Red (ideally patterned) dress
• Patterned tights (don’t have to match)
• A little red face paint or blush for the cheeks

Buy The Amelia Jane Collection

105. Sugarlump and The Unicorn

What you’ll need:

• White top
• Tutu
• Pink or white tights
• Unicorn headband — make from adding a paper or cardboard horn to a regular headband

Buy Sugarlump and the Unicorn

106. Mona the Vampire

What you’ll need:

• Red cardigan
• White shirt
• Black skirt
• White tights
• Purple material for cloak
• Pipe cleaners to section and twist up hair

Buy Mona the Vampire and the Jackpot Disaster

More ideas vampire costume ideas:

Your child could dress up as:

107. Rudolph in The Little Vampire

108. Dracula

109. Ivy in My Sister, The Vampire: accessorise with school books

Pic: Getty

110. Stick Man

Pics: Abi Fields and Louise Dzokoto

What you’ll need:

• Brown clothes
• A couple of twigs or leaves to hold
• Leaf-shaped scraps of fabric to thread through belt or glue on brown top

Buy Stick Man

111. Betty O’Barley from The Scarecrows’ Wedding

What you’ll need:

• White dress
• Feathers (to stick on to the dress)
• A hat, preferably straw
• Small bouquet of flowers

Buy The Scarecrows’ Wedding

112. Captain Underpants

What you’ll need:

• Light-coloured clothes
• A pair of underpants – to go on top
• A red cape or blanket

Buy The Adventures of Captain Underpants

113. Sophie from The BFG

What you’ll need:

• Pink dress
• Empty glass or plastic jar
• Piece of paper to write ‘Sophie’s Dreams’ on – and stick to your jar

Buy The BFG

Got a skeleton outfit?

Then your child could dress up as:

114. One of the Funnybones skeletons: add a quirky hat

115. One of the skeleton ancestors in Disney’s Coco

116. The Skeleton Inside You: be a fact book in person!

Pic: Getty

117. Goldilocks

What you’ll need:

• Normal clothes
• 3 teddy bears, preferably in different sizes

Buy Goldilocks and the Three Bears

118. The Paper Bag Princess

What you’ll need:

• Large takeaway bag
• Flesh-coloured tights
• Pale pink jumper
• Headband with cardboard crown (optional)

Buy The Paper Bag Princess

119. Isadora Moon

What you’ll need:

• Black dress or black shirt and top
• Black and white stripey tights
• Vampire wings
• Bat hairband (optional)

Buy Isadora Moon Meets the Tooth Fairy

120. Sophie from the Tiger who Came to Tea

What you’ll need:

• Dark pinafore dress
• Blue/purple shirt
• Pink or purple tights
• Purple ribbon in hair
• Tiger stuffed toy

Buy The Tiger who Came to Tea

121. The Highway Rat

What you’ll need:

• White shirt
• Leggings (purple, black, blue)
• Black boots/shoes
• Black cape – or black hoodie/jumper knotted over shoulders
• A pirate hat, if you have one

Buy The Highway Rat

122. Lily Bobtail

What you’ll need:

• Headband (add cardboard bunny ears)
• Pink cardie
• Pink/red dress

Buy Lily’s Party Time

123. The Jolly Postman

What you’ll need:

• Smart trousers (pref navy)
• Smart jumper or blazer (pref navy)
• Shirt and tie
• Smart shoes
• Cap
• Over the shoulder bag
• Some envelopes

Buy The Jolly Postman

124. Lola from Big Hair, Don’t Care

What you’ll need:

• Pink headband
• Pink vest top
• Shorts
• Trainers

Buy Big Hair Don’t Care

And if you’ve got a bit more time to do a spot of paper mâché…

125. The Gruffalo

We’ve put together a how-to video for this papier mache Gruffalo mask, which is super-quick to make – although you’ll need to remember to factor in some drying time.

What you’ll need:

• PVA glue
• Masking tape
• Cardboard
• Balloon
• Paints and marker pen
• Newspaper
• Tissue paper

Watch the full Make a Gruffalo mask video tutorial

Buy The Gruffalo

126. Aslan from The Chronicles Of Narnia

We’ve put together a how-to for this easy-to-make papier mache lion mask.

What you’ll need:

• PVA glue
• Masking tape
• Cardboard
• Paint and marker pen
• Newspaper
• Balloon

Watch the full Make a Lion mask video tutorial

Buy The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

Additional research by Emily Longman Wall

Read more:

• Why this mum’s dreading World Book Day just a little bit
• Is it a cop out to go as a Disney princess on World Book Day?
• 10 questions to ask when visiting a primary school

Tech toys of all kinds are always a must-have for iPad-happy kids – cute robots, smartwatches, child-friendly cameras and more. But it’s toys that help your child learn how to code, and become proficient at it, that tick the key educational box as well as the fun one.

But what exactly is a coding toy? Essentially, it’s one that helps in some small way to teach your child how to code – which, in non-tech speak, basically means to execute a computer program. Websites, web browsers, apps, everyday programs like Microsoft Word and even the operating system your smartphone runs on, are all written in ‘code’. There are numerous coding languages, too. You may have heard of JavaScript, but others like Python, PHP, Ruby or C# are less well known.

Best coding toys for kids at a glance

• Best coding playset: Coding Critters Bopper, Hip and Hop, £47
• Best for use with a tablet: Osmo Coding Starter Kit, £39.62
• Best for custom coding: Botley 2.0 The Coding Robot Activity Set, £67.94
• Best for Harry Potter fans: Kano Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit, £142
• Best for budding artists: Artie 3000, £75
• Best for space fans: Learning Resources Space Rover Coding Activity Set, £65
• Best coding board game: Galt Toys Cosmic Coding, £14.99
• Best for learning how computers work: Turing Tumble, £65.40
• Best for LEGO fans: LEGO 17101 Boost Creative Toolbox Robotics Kit, £295.84
• Best for beginners: Code and Go Robot Mouse, £34.94

For most of these toys, it’s not necessarily about learning one of these languages or actually building websites. Far from it. It’s more about your child beginning to understand the building blocks of code, and how putting all the blocks in the correct order, usually logical thinking, results in actions happening as planned. For older children, it’ll be a bit more advanced – like building robots and programming them to do things. Either way, it’s good fun.

With the help of our child testers, parents and toy experts we’ve spent hours trialling all manner of coding toys to find out which hit the brief.

Here’s our pick of the best coding toys for children, from preschoolers to preteens…

1. Coding Critters Bopper, Hip and Hop, £47

– Best coding playset

Age: 4+ | Batteries: 3 x AAA (not included).

A 22-piece playset, where you can use the arrows on 5cm-high Bopper the rabbit’s back to programme a sequence of up to 30 steps. Includes 2 smaller bunny companions (Hip and Hop), a coding storybook with challenges to follow, 10 coding cards and accessories including a cart, swing, slide and carrot.

It’s really nice to see a coding toy that doubles up as an interactive pet in its own right: we like how Boppy sings and dances and blows kisses when you put her in Play mode. The swing is a little flimsy perhaps but the coding challenges are fun, especially pulling the cart and making the tree stump pop up. Definitely needs a grown-up demoing the moves first, though.

Available at: Learning Resources and Amazon

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2. Osmo Coding Starter Kit, £39.62

– Best for use with a tablet

Age: 5+ | Batteries: None (but designed to be used with a tablet)

A smart-tablet based coding kit that’s all about using colourful magnetic coding blocks to control an on-screen character called Awbie, solve puzzles and create music. Comes with a base for iPad or FireTablet (be sure to order the kit that’s compatible with your tablet), a 31-piece Tangible Coding Block set, stackable storage, a base for your tablet and access to 3 coding apps. You can buy more apps separately.

lt’s pricey but all very well thought out and presented, with really clear instructions and a nice easy set-up (do build in some time to install the apps). And once you’ve got going, there’s lots of matching, grouping, sorting and problem-solving fun, with plenty of subroutines and loop blocks. We particularly rate the Coding Jam game and like that there’s a parent app that helps you keep track of your child’s progress.

Available at: Amazon

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3. Botley 2.0 The Coding Robot Activity Set, £67.94

– Best for custom coding

Age: 5+ | Batteries: 5 x AAA (not included)

A brightly-coloured 13cm x 7cm mini robot, with 2 sets of detachable arms and light-up eyes, that you can program to move up to 150 steps in 6 directions, including avoiding objects, making sounds or going in a loop. Comes with 2 face plates, 40 coding cards, 6 boards, 27 obstacle building pieces and a starter guide with coding challenges.

This upgrade on last year’s award-winning coding toy now has additional buttons, meaning Botley can move at different angles (creating more coding opportunities) and he now lights up and makes sounds. The remote control is a good chunky size for small hands, and the challenges are fun – you can make Botley spin round, move balls put on a light show and even take on the character of a frog or a dinosaur. Pricey but well worth it.

Available at: John Lewis and Amazon

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4. Kano Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit, £142

– Best for Harry Potter fans

Age: 6+ | Batteries: 4 x LR44 (included); also requires tablet

A build-it yourself wireless wand that allows youngsters to learn to code and perform wizarding spells alongside an app, which features more than 70 step-by-step creative challenges.

This teaches the principles of coding in such an exciting, accessible (and Harry Potter-themed) way. The box is beautifully presented, the instructions are child-friendly and clear, the wand has great battery life and good motion control, and the accompanying app is very well done – with 99 challenges (masses to do!) We like how you can see the block-based coding language on the side of the screen as you tackle each challenge – encouraging you to tweak the blocks to see what effect that has on your spells.

Available at: Amazon

5. Artie 3000, £75

– Best for budding artists

Age: 7+ | Batteries: 4 x AA (not included)

A 12cm-high coding robot that you can programme through your web browser and use to draw all sorts of shapes. It has 4 modes of play – pre-programmed shapes, games, art for colouring and freeform coding.

We really like how this cute robot uses drawing, shape-making – and even writing your child’s name – to teach the basic ideas of coding and introduce several different coding languages. The instructions for set-up are clear and uncomplicated but it all works much better when linked to a laptop or desktop computer, rather than a tablet or smartphone. The pre-programmed codes are great, although you may find you need to hold the paper down to stop it moving as Artie draws.

Available at: John Lewis, Learning Resources and Amazon

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6. Learning Resources Space Rover Coding Activity Set, £65

– Best for space fans

Age: 4+ | Batteries: 3 x AAA (not included)

This set includes a small rover vehicle which can be programmed using a series of directional buttons to navigate a customisable maze of tiles and obstacles. It’s designed to introduce younger children to the core ideas of coding in an interactive and tactile way.

This set is a wonderful way to bring the principals of coding to life for younger children. It’s especially great for the budding astronomer in your life as it includes a range of fun space facts designed to offer additional play potential to an already rich and exciting experience. The pieces included – from the rover itself to the obstacles and cards – are all simple enough to act as an accessible introduction to coding while also having enough detail to remain engaging.

“This toy is brilliant. Just needs a few batteries and it’s ready to go out of the box,” said home tester Fiona. “It is easy to use, our 5 year old already has some coding experience, so was away straight away with this in knowing what to do – but our 2yo can also press the buttons and get it to move to her delight.”

Available at: Amazon

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7. Galt Toys Cosmic Coding, £14.99

– Best coding board game

Age: 6+ | Batteries: None

A space-themed board game that introduces some coding concepts. The aim is to fly your rocket through space, collecting stars and avoiding black holes and aliens. Includes 4 plastic rocket counters, 36 movement cards, 20 star cards, 8 mission cards and guide. For 2 to 4 players.

It’s a simple game to grasp and it’s good to play, requiring both memory and strategy skills. The course of the play is determined by the movement cards (which your child may need help to read) which are written in a ‘if this, then that’ style – teaching you about following steps and logical thinking. Not as techy as the other toys in this list but good fun!

Available at: Amazon, John Lewis and Waterstones

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8. Turing Tumble, £65.40

– Best for learning how computers work

Age: 8+ | Batteries: None

A project-based game where you solve logic puzzles by building a set of ramps, gears, gear bits and switches into mechanical computers, powered by marbles, that can do sums and generate patterns. Comes with board, stand, 40 marbles, 30 counterweights and 62 building pieces and a book of 60 challenges.

It’s kind of an inventive, mathsy twist on a marble run/pinball game and it’s both challenging and super-cool. And it definitely gets children thinking about how computers actually work). The pieces are quite small, so the builds require some fiddly-fingered patience, but the story-based challenges are well graded for difficulty, with plenty of helpful hints at beginner level.

Available at: Turing Tumble

9. LEGO 17101 Boost Creative Toolbox Robotics Kit, £295.84

– Best for LEGO fans

Age: 7+ | Batteries: 4 x AA (not included)

An 847-piece LEGO set from which you can build 5 different multifunctional models, including a talking robot, cat, guitar and vehicle. Then you download the free LEGO Boost app which will allow you to programme and control your builds. Comes with LEGO Move Hub, Interactive Motor, a Colour and Distance Sensor, and instructions.

There’s lots to do with this kit – there needs to be at that price! – and the way the models move is really thrilling. A far as the coding goes, the programme blocks are separated by colours based on type of command and so are very intuitive to work with. We like the walking, talking 27cm-tall robot who can pick up, grip and carry things, and we’re impressed that the 42cm-long guitar has pitch bend and sound effects.

Available at: Amazon

10. Code and Go Robot Mouse, £34.94

– Best for beginners

Age: 5+ | Batteries: 3 x AAA (not included)

A bright blue 10cm-long mouse that comes with 30 tiles you can use to program a sequence. Once programming is complete, the mouse takes off and does as instructed. Comes with an activity guide.

It’s bright and basic and a cute, tactile way to introduce a school-age child to the first concepts of sequencing and forward planning. And, compared to a lot of coding toys out there, it’s a great price.

Available at: Amazon

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We’ve more top-rated, child-tested toys:

• Top Christmas toys – for children of all ages
• Best STEM toys
• Best science toys
• Best construction toys
• Best board games

Baby chairs are comfortable seats to keep your baby content, soothe them and sometimes entertain them. They also give you your hands back.

There’re a wide range of baby chairs and types, so we’ve analysed the baby bouncer, rocker and swing market and asked parents what rockers and bouncers they love and have used with their baby.

To give you a more extensive view of each product, most of the seats selected include feedback from our parent testers. This is a great way to know what the rocker, bouncer or swing is really like.

If you’re looking for more ways to entertain and soothe your baby, take a look at our best activity mats and baby gyms. For when your baby is not in their bouncer, you can ensure they’re playing safely in the best playpens for babies.

Safety note: Your baby should always be strapped in the chair with a harness and the chair must never be placed on a raised surface such as a table.

Best baby bouncers, swings and rockers at a glance

• Best bouncer for space-saving: Ergobaby 3-in-1 Evolve Bouncer, £189
• Best remote control rocker: Babymoov Swoon Evolution 8, £279.99
• Best bouncer for folding away: Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer, £75
• Best rocker for evolving with your child: Ingenuity Keep Cozy 3-in-1 Grow with Me, £69.99
• Best rocker and bouncer for newborn comfort: Joie Sansa 2-in-1, £150
• Best value baby bouncer: BabaBing Float Baby Bouncer, £39.99
• BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, £210
• Best rocker for calming babies: Graco All Ways Soother, £200
• Best rocker for style: Maxi-Cosi Kori, £99.99
• Best rocker for battery-free rocking: Nuna Leaf Grow, £212
• Best for an elevated seat: Babymoov Swoon Air, £139.99
• Best bouncer for added technology: 4moms MamaRoo, £280

What’s the difference between a bouncer, a rocker and a swing chair?

Bouncer chairs are designed to be flexible so that they move (or bounce) slightly when you push down on the chair or when your baby kicks. This is a great way to encourage young babies to move and start using their leg muscles – they love the movement. Bouncers usually come with a toy bar or hanging mobile, which is ideal for keeping your baby entertained. As they often have an upright position, bouncers can also be used as a feeding seat as your child grows.

Rockers are usually quite sturdy and many have a curved or slanted base that allows you to rock the chair manually or using battery-powered motion. They often have different recline positions and rocking speeds. Rockers that run on battery or mains power may also offer white noise, nature sounds or melodies that can be played while the chair is rocking or stationary.

Swing chairs are similar to rockers, but are usually limited to a back and forth swinging motion, rather than rocking from side to side. Swings offer the ability to change the speed and may also feature sounds or nursery rhymes. The soothing swing movement helps to soothe babies, and many parents find it particularly helpful if their babies have colic or are very fretful.

You’ll find that some chairs are now a combination of more than one of the types – which is usually reflected in the price.

What to look for when buying a baby bouncer, rocker or swing chair

What features do you want or need? Baby chairs come in all shapes and sizes; from pared back comfy seat to all-singing and dancing gadgets and chairs that swing in different directions. If you choose a chair that has music, motion or vibration, you’ll need to use batteries or buy one that plugs into the mains.

How much space does it take up? Some baby chairs have a seriously large floor space footprint, particularly for big swings and rockers. The bigger the chair, the less portable it will be – so think about which room it’s likely to live in (and potentially dominate). Also, most baby chairs don’t fold away compactly, so we’ve included dimensions for each chair to let you see if it’ll fit your space.

How easy is it to clean? Babies are messy – however much you try to keep them clean. And it means where they sit and lie can get dirty, so check to see how easy the chair is to clean, whether you can remove the material and if it’s machine washable, or if it’s easy to wipe down.

Do you prefer manual or automatic rocking? Some of the chairs, swings and bouncers in our round-up are designed for you to rock manually – or for your baby to activate with their kicks and wriggles, while others will rock and soothe at the touch of a button. Manual rockers tend to take up less space and are more affordable, but if you’re after something that can entertain or relax your baby hands-free, an automatic model might be worth the investment.

Is it height adjustable? Traditionally baby bouncers are designed to be placed on the floor, however there’s now a growing market for elevated baby swings, rockers and chairs – many of which are height adjustable. These are useful for keeping young babies off the ground away from inquisitive pets or excitable toddler siblings, and are also beneficial for keeping your baby at the same height as the rest of the family during meal times, before they are ready for weaning.

When can my baby use a baby chair?

Most bouncers. rockers and swings are suitable from birth and some brands include a newborn insert or headrest for added padding and comfort.

For newborns, one of the main features should be a recline function that allows your baby to lie as flat as possible, as fully upright seats will not be suitable at this stage. “A lie-flat position helps the spine develop in the correct way,” says Hannah Spink, Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist at Bumble Bee Physio in London. “In a lie-flat position, the hips will naturally turn into external rotation and abduction, which is the point where the hips are contained within the socket. If you force a baby to sit up then you could potentially compromise that position.”

If the chair fully reclines to 180 degrees it’s suitable for short daytime naps but shouldn’t be used for overnight sleeping.

How much do I need to spend on a baby bouncer or rocker?

While you can pick up more basic models for under £100 and even some under £50, the majority of the chairs are £100+, with those in the £150-200 price bracket having an extensive range of movement, sound, entertainment and design features.

Here’s our pick of the best baby bouncer, swing and rocker chairs:

1. Ergobaby 3-in-1 Evolve Bouncer, £189

– Best for space-saving

Suitable from: Birth to 13.2kg | Type: Manual bouncer | Dimensions: H56cm x W41.5cm x L84.5cm | Weight: 3.8kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes | Awards: Bronze – Baby bouncer/rocker  & swing, MadeForMums Award 2023

If you’re looking for something simple and unobtrusive that keeps your baby comfortable and can be easily moved around, check out the Ergobaby Evolve 3-in-1. Available in 7 chic colours (from olive green to blush pink), it has a pared-back design which MFM tester Charlotte was a fan of. “It’s very good quality. The light grey colour fits in with the modern décor in our house,” she said. “We have received compliments on how nice it is from guests.”

Our testers felt one of the Ergobaby Evolve 3-in-1’s main selling points is how light and portable it is – it folds completely flat and fits nicely in the boot, making it easy to take on holiday or for nights away. Our testers loved the easy-to-use, colour-coded step pedal, which provided a hands-free way of changing the reclining position of the bouncer – perfect for when you’ve got a sleepy baby in your arms.

MFM home tester Ellouise rated how comfy and cosy the Ergobaby Evolve was for her baby, adding, “The fabric is very soft and the seat is larger than some other bouncers, so he has a lot of room around him to move his arms and legs about.”

The MFM home testers commented that the price point was high considering the chair doesn’t have a wide range of functions and you need to pay extra for the toy bar. However, they liked the fact that it can be used from birth with the newborn insert, then as a non-bouncer chair up to 13kg (approximately 2 years), which made it better value for money.

Pros: Lightweight, portable, sleek design, choice of colours, soft fabric
Cons: Need to buy toy bar separately, expensive given its simplicity

Available from: Ergobaby, John Lewis and Baby Planet

2. Babymoov Swoon Evolution 8 Swing, £279.99

– Best remote control rocker

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg | Type: Electronic swing | Dimensions: H79cm x W81cm x L65cm | Weight: 10.3kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes | Awards: Gold – Baby bouncer/rocker  & swing, MadeForMums Award 2023

When it comes to all-singing, all-dancing baby chairs, it’s hard to beat the innovative Babymoov Swoon Evolution, which won Gold for Best baby bouncer, rocker and swing in our MadeForMums Awards 2023.

Offering 360-degree seat rotation, as well as 5 seat positions, it’s a versatile piece of baby kit that is designed to make life easier for parents – especially as it can all be operated using a remote control. You can choose from 8 movements, and programme swing time for 10, 20 or 30 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to get on with other things while your baby is safe in their seat.

The detachable play arch with 3 sensory toys is great for keeping your baby entertained, and if you want to soothe or relax your little one there’s a choice of 12 lullabies (with adjustable volume) to gently lull them to sleep.

Our testers loved that the chair was elevated off the floor: “It’s easier on my back and is high enough that our dog isn’t able to get to her,” commented MFM home tester Anna, who tested the Babymoov Swoon Evolution with her 3-month-old baby, Elsie. The premium boucle knit fabric was praised for being “plush” and “cosy,” as well as looking “expensive”.

While there’s no denying this is an investment with a high price tag, our MFM home testers felt it was worth every penny. Anna said, “This is a high-ticket item, even more so when you take into account how long your baby will actually use it. However, now we have it, I don’t know how we lived without. Elsie loves being in it.”

Pros: Packed with features, multiple seat positions, play arch, choice of lullabies, soft fabric
Cons: Expensive, heavy, large footprint

Available at: Boots and Amazon

3. Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer, £75

– Best for folding away

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg (chair 9kg-15kg) | Type: Manual rocker with electronic sounds and vibrations | Dimensions: H72cm x W46cm x D68cm  | Weight: 3.59kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

The Joie Baby Dreamer is ultra slim and compact, and it folds up for easy storage. The seat gently rocks and bounces as your baby moves. MFM home tester Charlie, mum of 5, used this bouncer with her son from birth. She said, “The bouncer could be collapsed down flat so we could store it away if not being used and easily take it away with us when went on holiday or to visit friends and family.”

It offers 3 reclining positions and 2 adjustable leg rest comfort options, so there should be a position that’s comfortable for your baby.

It has 2 speed soothing vibration options with 5 classical lullabies and 5 nature sounds to help calm your baby. Charlie liked “how the buttons for the sounds and other functions were covered by a material flap so were hidden and couldn’t be touched by the baby”.

This clever bouncer can be easily converted into a stationary seat too. The rotating toy bar includes 2 toys for playtime entertainment and is easily removable.

Another great thing about this bouncer? It’s easy to clean, with a removable, washable plush infant body support and seat pad.

To ensure your little one is securely in, there’s a SoftTouch 3-point harness with a soft lower buckle cover.

As for design, the Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer has a variety of options: Petite City, Starry Night, Fern, Flowers Forever and Twinkle. For each style, the toys on the entertainment bar are designed to match.

Pros: Folds up and is easy to store, machine-washable cover, plays music and vibrates
Cons: Not as luxurious as other designs

Available from: Boots and Argos

4. Ingenuity Keep Cozy 3-in-1 Grow with Me Bounce and Rock Seat, £69.99

– Best rocker for evolving with your child

Suitable from: Birth to 18kg| Type: Manual rocker with electronic vibrations | Dimensions: H53cm x W51cm x D65cm  | Weight: 2.58kg| Machine Washable Cover: Yes

As the name suggests, this great-value rocker evolves with your child.

Designed to be used from birth with the snug newborn bolster, it can switch between 3 modes – bouncer, rocker or stationary seat. It comes with a detachable toy bar and plush toy elephant to help your baby work on their hand-eye coordination and grasping during playtime.

When your baby needs soothing, the rocker’s deep comfy seat and 2-position reclining seat back, coupled with calming vibrations, help to calm and relax them. As another plus, both the seat pad and bolster are machine washable.

The soft, neutral design feels like it would blend into any home – an important consideration as this chair is designed to be used from birth up to 3 years as a stationary toddler chair.

While older toddlers may prefer a more upright position, the Ingenuity Keep Cozy definitely provides a snuggly, reclined space of their own for chilled-out story time. For less than £70, it’s an affordable option offering great value as far as longevity of use is concerned.

Pros: Can be used with toddlers, machine-washable, toy bar included, vibrates
Cons: Only 2 reclining options

Available from: John Lewis and Amazon

5. Joie Sansa 2in1, £159.99

– Best for newborn comfort

Suitable from: Birth to 13kg | Type: Manual and electronic rocker and vibrations | Dimensions: H71.5cm x W53.5cm x D77.5cm | Weight: 7kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes 

This multi-purpose baby seat gives the choice of manual or automated movement to rock your child. It also has 3 recline positions, 2 vibration options, 5 songs and 5 white noise/nature sounds. With a good selection of rocking options and speeds – back and forth, side to side or a combination of both – you’re likely to find a setting that’s just right for your child.

MFM reviewers Iván and Sophie liked how comfortable the Sansa 2in1 was for their 4-month-old daughter Mila: “It comes with an infant insert and head support to ensure the smallest babies are comfortable and safely positioned.”

And for older babies a MFM user added, “The different recline position are great as your baby gets bigger and wants to look around more. It lasted our little girl till she was around 8 months.”

While Iván and Sophie found the Sansa 2in1 a little tricky to assemble and the base quite heavy with a large footprint, the seat can be removed from the base unit for easier transportation. In addition, the chair can be battery or mains powered and the base has built-in speakers that have good sound quality. There’s also a decent volume range, making this a great multi-functional rocker.

Pros: Multi-functional, newborn insert
Cons: Tricky to assemble, heavy base

Read our full MadeForMums review of the Joie Sansa 2in1

Available from: Smyths Toys, Mamas & Papas and John Lewis

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6. BabaBing Float Baby Bouncer, £39.99

– Best for value

Suitable from: Birth to 9kgs or approx. 6 months | Type: Manual rocker| Dimensions:  H77cm x W50cm x D52cm| Weight: 1Kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

This stylish BabaBing bouncer naturally bounces your little one, responding to their movement. The adorable elephant design and soft bounce makes it a fantastic place for your baby to rest and play. It’s incredibly lightweight, weighing only 1kg, making it easy to transport and move around your home to wherever you need it.

With its 3-point safety harness, you can rest assured your baby should not be able to fall out. The toy bar included will entertain your baby while they’re in their bouncer with cute elephant toys for them to reach up and play with. MFM home tester Tamina, who tested the bouncer with her 9-week-old son Muhammad said her son “liked the bouncer and was settled in it.”

This bouncer is also perfect for wooden, laminate or tiled floors with its non-slip base.

Another MFM home tester Margarita used this bouncer with her baby and said, “I can say this was life-saving so many times.” She also appreciated that it is “not expensive and quite affordable”. MFM home tester Tamina agreed about the value the bouncer offers and said “the quality is good for the price point, it’s a sturdy enough bouncer and the look of the bouncer is good.”

If you’re looking for a bouncer for your little one but don’t want to pay a massive amount, this may be a great option for you.

Pros: Good value, overhead toys, lightweight
Cons: Basic design, not as luxurious as other models

Available from: Bababing, Kiddies Kingdom and Amazon

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7. BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, £210

– Best for classic style

Suitable from: Birth to 24 months (bouncer up to 9kg; chair up to 13kg) | Type: Manual bouncer | Dimensions: H89.5cm x W10cm x L39cm | Weight: 2.3kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

If you’re looking for something simple and unobtrusive that keeps your baby comfortable and can be easily moved around, check out the Bouncer Bliss. Available in 3 muted colours, it’s unassuming and has a pared-back design which MFM tester Laura was a fan of. “It comes in neutral colours and is sleek and super stylish, so it feels like an elegant piece of furniture,” she said. “Our old bouncer was quite garish and brightly coloured and I used to try and hide it away when it wasn’t in use.”

One of its main selling points is how light and portable it is, so you can easily move it from room to room or take it on holiday. It has a gentle natural rocking motion that is powered by your baby, so no need for batteries or power cords.

MFM home tester Claire liked the fact that it doesn’t take up a lot of space and said: “My baby seems to love it. My son has Down’s Syndrome and low muscle tone, so struggles with head control; this bouncer really supports him and he can bounce it easily by kicking his legs.”

The MFM home testers commented that the price point was high considering the chair doesn’t have a wide range of functions. However, they liked the fact that it can be used as a non-bouncer chair up to 13kg (approximately 2 years), which made it better value for money.

Pros: Lightweight, portable, sleek design
Cons: No toy bar, expensive given its simplicity

Available from: Baby Bjorn, Samuel Johnston, Amazon and John Lewis

8. Graco All Ways Soother, £200

– Best for calming babies

Suitable from: Birth to 9 months (up to 9kg) | Type: Electronic swing and manual rocker | Dimensions: H81cm x W65.2cm x D72.7cm | Weight: 10kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes (cold water)

Graco All Ways Soother is a multi-functional seat with a range of options that are great if your baby gets bored easily or doesn’t like certain swinging modes or directions. The chair features 3 recline positions, 8 swinging options (including 2 directions) and 6 speeds. In terms of entertainment, it has 10 melodies and nature sounds, as well as a hanging mobile with 2 soft toys.

MFM home tester and mum of 3 Louise fell in love with how easily her baby fell asleep in the All Ways Soother. “It’s excellent quality and exceeded my expectations in every way. It is a truly universal product that would suit any baby due to the variety of functions and setting controls available. I enjoy having it as much as my baby does!”

But the base is large and cumbersome, so this seat might be too big for more compact spaces. However, this is addressed by the fact that the seat can be removed to be used as a lightweight standalone baby rocker.

Pros: Multi-functional swinging options
Cons: Large base, expensive

Available from: Online4Baby and Amazon

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9. Maxi-Cosi Kori, £99.99

– Best for style

Suitable from: Birth to 9 months/9kg | Type: Manual rocker | Dimensions: H48cm x W42.5cm x D72cm | Weight: 2kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes 

A sturdy rocker that doubles up as a chair, the Kori boasts a modern design with a neutral colour scheme. For parents who dislike bright childlike patterns and colours, this is the ideal seat to blend neatly into the background in most living rooms.

Its premium, pared-back design and supportive build impressed our MFM Awards testers and judges. MFM tester Liz used the Kori with her 5-month-old son and found it is built to last. She said, “The design is beautiful, the colours are sophisticated and the materials are obviously high quality.”

This is a compact rocker that’s light and folds flat, making it quick to put away and easy to transport or store. The Kori’s design is minimalistic and so it doesn’t have a toy bar or any other features to entertain your baby. However, where it does stand out is the comfort it provides; the seat is well padded, has a very comfortable 3-point harness for safety and 3 recline positions.

Liz added, “As a seat, this is great. My baby is clearly comfortable and the various reclining positions also make it versatile. As a rocker, however, this product is a bit too sturdy. The rocking motion is very limited, so don’t expect it to offer baby any option of independent rocking.”

MFM home tester Lisa uses the Maxi-Cosi Kori with her baby girl. She agreed that it’s hard for her daughter to move herself and needs someone else to rock it for her. But she went on to compliment the newborn insert ,”which is great for when the babies are tiny”. Lisa also likes the “catch/button at the back which allows you to adjust how reclined the seat is, which is great as they get older”.

Pros: Smart design, easy to store
Cons: Won’t rock independently, no toy bar

Read our full MadeForMums review of the Maxi-Cosi Kori

Available from: Amazon, Boots and Samuel Johnston

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10. Nuna Leaf Grow, £212

– Best for battery-free rocking

Suitable for: Birth to 12+/60kg | Type: Manual rocker | Dimensions: H47-61cm x W67-71cm x D67-76cm  | Weight: 6.8kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes 

The Leaf Grow is Nuna’s update on the very popular Leaf chair. As with the Leaf, the Leaf Grow’s main selling points are its stylish design, battery-free rocking movement lasting for 2 minutes and generous weight limit – up to 60kg.

What makes this design stand out is its gentle side-to-side rocking motion and its 3 recline positions, which aim to induce sleep and calm. However, if you want to keep your baby entertained it also comes with a removable toy bar (something you had to pay extra for with the Leaf).

Unlike its predecessor, the Leaf Grow has a removable seat pad with harness, so as your baby grows into a toddler (and beyond) they won’t have to sit on top of the harness as they would have using the Leaf.

With no need for batteries or cords, the Leaf Grow’s motorless sway gets the thumbs up for how quiet it is. It’s also a great choice for eco-conscious parents, with one MFM user, who liked the Leaf Grow for its environmental credentials, commenting, “When I found out conventional bouncy seats are often treated with a load of chemicals I felt a bit overwhelmed. Not only is this chair made with 100% certified organic cotton, it’s machine washable and has a robust metal frame.”

Pros: Large weight limit, made with soft cotton, long-lasting battery-free movement, quiet
Cons: Bulky, expensive, large footprint

Available from: John Lewis and Nuna

11. Babymoov Swoon Air, £139.99

– Best for an elevated seat

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg | Type: Static seat | Dimensions: H95cm x W57cm x L72cm | Weight: 6kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

This height-adjustable baby chair impressed our testers with its comfort and convenience, offering a solution to keep your baby at a safe and stable height while allowing them to interact with the rest of the family. You can adjust the height of the chair to 5 positions, which MFM tester and mum of 3 Nyasha said would be “great for parents/carers with mobility issues”.

She added, “The adjustable height is very convenient and will make life easier for those who may have trouble bending down to floor level for a conventional bouncer (for example post C-section). By being elevated, it was nice for my son to be at the table with his siblings so he could join in/watch what they were doing.”

It’s worth noting that this product is more of a static seat, rather than a bouncer. And our testers found the wide star-shaped base meant it was better suited to staying in one place, rather than moving around the house.

Pros: Elevated height, machine washable cover
Cons: Doesn’t bounce, not easy to move

Available from: Amazon, John Lewis and Babymoov

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12. 4moms MamaRoo, £280

– Best for added technology

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg (or until your baby can sit up unaided) | Type: Electronic swing and bouncer | Dimensions: H86cm x W51cm x L61cm | Weight: 8kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes 

With its futuristic design, the MamaRoo baby swing calms your baby with some pretty cool tech and innovation. It offers a combination of 5 swing movements, designed to mimic natural parent rocking and comforting – the seat swings side to side and gently bounces up and down.

The MamaRoo is also Bluetooth-enabled, which means that you can control the swing motion, speed and even sounds from your phone. And the sounds aren’t just the built-in ones, you can select your own music from your phone or MP3 plug-in – so you and your baby don’t have to keep listening to the same melodies over and over again.

It has a handy recline function where you use the slider mechanism on the back of the seat to adjust it from lying down to more of a seated position. These positions aren’t pre-set so you can choose what’s comfortable for your baby, as MFM reviewer Rachel did. She said, “The ingenious seat adjustment meant I could tip Evelyn back for a snooze and she’d be quite happy for fairly long periods.”

Rachel also found the MamaRoo quick and easy to assemble and to take apart, with its washable zip-off fabric cover. However, while the large footprint makes this chair very stable, it’s not that easy to move around the house unless dismantled.

It’s worth noting that our MFM reviewer did find the volume too low when using the MP3 player function. This was a particular issue when her daughter Evelyn was using the bouncer at high intensity, as the mechanism was quite noisy. Chemica, a MFM home tester agreed that “the sound settings weren’t high enough”. However, other than that Chemica used the bouncer with her 2-month-old son until he was 6 months and “really loved it”.

Pros: Bluetooth or MP3 connection, easy to assemble and take down
Cons: Large size, very expensive, noisy bouncing mechanism

Read our full MadeForMums review of the 4moms MamaRoo

Available from: Argos

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Read more…

• Best highchairs
• Best travel systems
• Best buggies suitable for a newborn

The great thing about pancakes is they’re so versatile, you can find a way of making them that will keep everyone happy.

Whether it’s the traditional Pancake Day lemon and sugar pan-flipper or a US-style buttermilk and maple syrup stacker, whether it’s mini-size pancakes for baby-size hands, gluten-free pancakes or pancakes stuffed with savoury fillings, we have some really simple but totally delicious pancake recipes for babies, older children and adults.

Here’s our pick of the best pancake recipes

1. Traditional pancakes with lemon

Sometimes only plain and simple – with a squeeze of lemon – will do. Suitable for babies from 6 months.

2. Gluten-free banana pancakes  

These banana pancakes are flour-free, super-tasty and designed to be stacked with strawberries and Nutella. Suitable for babies from 6 months – you can omit the almonds and skip the chocolate spread, if you prefer.

3. American buttermilk pancakes

Lovely thick US-style pancakes, served with fruit and drizzles of maple syrup. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute whole milk. Suitable for babies from 6 months (without the maple syrup).

4. Chinese-style pancakes

Give your pancakes a savoury Chinese twist by wrapping them round lightly spiced, stir-fried veg. Makes a great family main meal. Suitable for babies who can manage chunks well.

5. Annabel Karmel’s banana, apple and yoghurt pancakes

Downsized for baby hands, these finger-food pancakes use ripe bananas for a little natural sweetness. Suitable for babies from 6 months.

6. Gluten-free buttermilk pancakes

For those who don’t eat gluten, here’s a delicious variation of the US-style buttermilk pancake made with rice flour and xanthan gum. Not suitable for babies.

7. Mini pancakes with summer berry yoghurt

These mini versions of a traditional pancake are served with yoghurt, blended with raspberries and blueberries. Suitable for babies from 8 months.

8. Sweet potato pancakes

Another finger-food twist – this time with sweet potato as the main ingredient. Suitable for babies from 10 months.

9. Chicken and mushroom pancakes

A big-flavoured, finger-food savoury option that older babies, children and grown-ups can all tuck into together. Suitable for babies from 11 months.

Read more:.

• Best vegetable recipes for babies
• Best curry recipes for babies
• Annabel Karmel’s banana and blueberry loaf cake

A hooded blanket is a fairly new fabulous invention. Why snuggle up under a blanket on the sofa when you can wear the blanket? Their popularity is ever increasing, especially with recent circumstances which have left us staying in a lot more than going out.

The idea for the Oodie was created by Australian brothers David and Todd Fogarty in 2018. Their demand skyrocketed in lockdowns and is ever-increasing. They are known for being quite expensive, starting at around £84 for adults and £77 for kids. They are also best known for having really fun prints and some limited edition ranges such as Harry Potter, Looney Tunes and Space Jam.

Best Oodie alternatives at a glance

• Best for matching with your dog: Snuggy, from £19.99 (kids), £59.99 (adults)
• Best for a hooded blanket that turns into a teddy: Lelesta Pets Hoodie Blanket 2-in-1 Folding Animal Hoodie, £10.88
• Best for a shorter length: John Lewis Ony Original Oversized Blanket Hoodie, £26.99 (kids)
• Best for cute print: New Look Girls Lilac Fleece Cookies and Milk Blanket Hoodie, £19
• Best for a zip-up: The Big Softy Oversized Blanket Hoodie, £26.99
• Best for personalisation: My 1st Years Personalised Pink Fleece Oversized Hoodie, £35
• Best for a teddy fleece look: The M&S Snuggle Teddy Fleece Hooded Blanket, £19.50 (kids), £25 (adults)
• Best for custom print: SuperHoodie Custom Donut Hoodie, £38
• Best for patterns: Kudd.ly, £29 – Save when buying more than one with code: HBFALL
• Best for a heated hooded blanket: Lakeland Grey Electric Heated Poncho, £89.99
• Best for style: Boux Avenue Oversized Long Snuggle Hoodie, £55

Because Oodie is on the pricey side, many choose to purchase an alternative. Alternatively, you can make the most of deals season and take a look at the best Oodie Black Friday deals we’ve found for you. There are so many hooded blanket options out there, more than you would ever expect for what you may see as a niche area. For more great deals, take a look at the best Tonies Black Friday deals and Black Friday toy deals we’ve found for you.

However, with heating costs rising and very unpredictable British weather, there is nothing better than being cosy. You could even wear it whilst working from home, however, depending on the dress code, maybe remove before you go on a Teams call.

Another great thing about hooded blankets? Your whole family can wear them, most come in one size, but you can buy them for women, men and kids.

We asked parents whether they have a hooded blanket and which brands, other than Oodie were their favourite and why, to help you choose the best option.

If you feel a hooded blanket isn’t for you, take a look at our best women’s dressing gowns, children’s dressing gowns and even heated throws. For your baby, who may be a bit too young for a hooded blanket, we have the best baby blankets. To go with your hooded blanket and keep you cosy, we have a round up of the best women’s slippers.

For more tools to help cost of living, take a look at our roundup of the best heated airers.

 Our pick of the best Oodie alternatives

1. Snuggy, from £19.99 (kids), £59.99 (adults)

– Best for matching with your dog

Sizes: Kids, adults (and dogs)

Snuggy’s oversized hooded blankets try not only to be comfortable but also practical. They come with enormous pockets and are made from premium materials to keep you extra cosy. They also have elasticated cuffs, wide sleeves and a big hood.

Unlike some of the other hooded blanket brands, you can even match with your dog. Snuggy sell hooded blankets for kids, adults and dogs, so the whole family can join in on the cosy fun.

The Snuggys come in lots of different colours. However, unlike the others in the list, they do not currently do patterned hooded blankets.

MFM home tester Natasha and her 8 year old daughter both have a Snuggy and said, “they are so warm and I live in mine… wear it on the school run, to the shops, everywhere”.

To make looking after your Snuggy quick and easy, it’s machine washable.

Available from: Amazon

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2. Lelesta Pets Hoodie Blanket 2-in-1 Folding Animal Hoodie, £10.88

– Best for turning into a teddy

Sizes: Kids

A hooded blanket that turns into a plush animal when you’re not wearing it, what else could you want?

This fun hooded blanket can be decompressed at anytime from a cuddly animal toy to a soft pet hooded blanket. It has oversized pockets that children can put their hands in to keep warm (or store snacks for movie nights).

One size claims to fit all boys and girls, and it comes in a variety of 4 coloured pets.

There’s no worries when it comes to washing this hooded blanket either, simply throw it in the washing machine with ordinary clothes. It can also go in the tumble dryer.

Available from: Amazon

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3. John Lewis Ony Original Oversized Blanket Hoodie, £26.99

– Best for a shorter length

Sizes: Kids and adults

If you’re after a hooded blanket that isn’t as long, especially for kids, if you think they will struggle with stairs, this John Lewis option is perfect.

Much like all the other hooded blankets on this list it has extra large pockets. It’s made from a super-soft outer flannel fleece and finished with an extra thick inner sherpa fleece.

The Ony hooded blanket is available for kids in a variety of colours. It’s machine washable but it’s recommended you don’t tumble dry – take a look at how to to dry clothes indoors.

Available from: John Lewis

4. New Look Girls Lilac Fleece Cookies and Milk Blanket Hoodie, £19

– Best for cute print

Sizes: Girls (9-15 years)

This super cute lilac hooded blanket is great if you’re after a fun and cute pastel print.

It’s got long sleeves and an enormous pocket on the front, much like all the other hooded blankets listed.

It’s important to note that this hooded blanket is quite long for children, so it may be best suited for slightly taller or older children if you’re worried about trip hazards.

Again, the hooded blanket is machine washable.

Available from: New Look

5. The Big Softy Oversized Blanket Hoodie, £26.99

– Best for zip-up

Sizes: Women and men

This hooded blanket has layers of cuddly teddy bear fleece on the outside and soft fuzzy sherpa on the inside.

It’s 38″ long so covers you completely if you wish to sit cosied up with your legs inside.

Unlike the other hooded blankets, this one has a zip up collar so you can zip it up, zip it down, fold the collar up or have the hood up, whichever you like.

One size should fit all men and women. When it comes to washing, they can go in the washing machine on cold and then can be tumble dried separately on low.

It comes in a variety of 3 colours; pink, black and grey.

MFM home tester Hayley has this and said, “I got this for Christmas and it is the warmest, cosiest softest blanket I’ve ever had!”.

Available from: Amazon

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6. My 1st Years Personalised Pink Fleece Oversized Hoodie, £35

– Best for personalisation

Sizes: 3-6 years

With this My 1st Years option, you can get your child a personalised fleece oversized hoodie to make it that little bit more special. Perfect for wearing indoors or outdoors.

The name is embroidered across the top right of the hoodie in italic, cursive font. The hoodie features contrasting dark pink cuffs on the sleeve and has a large kangaroo pocket at the front.

Bear in mind though, you can’t get this personalised hooded blanket for adults and it only comes in pastel pink.

Available from: My 1st Years

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7. The M&S Snuggle Teddy Fleece Hooded Blanket, £19.50 (kids), £25 (adults)

– Best for teddy fleece look

Sizes: Kids and adults

This M&S Teddy Fleece Hooded Blanket looks extra cosy with the Teddy effect making it extra thick.

It has a large kangaroo pocket again, to put your hands in or store anything you like.

It’s available in one size for kids from 6-9 years and one size for adults in grey and a natural creamy white.

The blanket is machine washable and it can be tumble dried at a low temperature, so it’s easy to look after if there do happen to be any spills or messes.

This is a slightly shorter option again than some of the others, which may be a good thing when considering safety of your child walking up and down the stairs.

Available from: M&S (adults) and M&S (kids)

8. SuperHoodie Custom Donut Hoodie, £38

– Best for custom print

Sizes: Kids (4-13 years), Adults (one size)

This Oodie alternative is a great way to bring character and personalisation to your hooded blanket.

It works really well as a birthday or Christmas gift and will surely put a smile on your recipient’s face.

You have the choice of 1 or 2 different faces on your hoodie, or just 1 face and a fun feature such as a doughnut, Christmas tree or a slice of pizza. It’s simple to upload your photo by following the steps on the website.

Available from: SuperHoodie

9. Kudd.ly, £29

– Best for patterns

Sizes: Adults

Kudd.ly is probably the closest alternative to the Oodie and is on the pricier side. However, unlike many of the other options which have only offered a choice of colours, Kudd.ly offer a variety of fun patterns to choose from too.

The design of the hooded blanket is based on an oversized 6XL hoodie. It’s got an extra-large front pocket pouch and is made from a soft plush and cosy sherpa fleece interior and a breathable MicroCool teddy fleece exterior to ensure you don’t get overheated but remain cosy.

MFM home tester Shauna, has both an Oodie and a Kudd.ly and did a helpful comparison of the 2. “The Oodie is wider but shorter in length. The Oodie sherpa fleece does feel slightly softer. The Kudd.ly is longer in length and shorter in width, the front pocket is quite low towards the bottom of the blanket and the hoodie is double lined which gives it a clearer better quality look.”

The Kidd.ly is machine washable and can be air or tumble dried.

Unfortunately, as of now, this is only available for adults.

Available from: Kudd.ly – Save when buying more than one with code: SAVEHB

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10. Lakeland Grey Electric Heated Poncho, £89.99

– Best for heated

Sizes: One size

With cost of living constantly on the rise, you may be more reluctant to put your heating on and a normal hooded blanket may not be enough to keep you warm this winter. If you just can’t get warm then this heated poncho is ideal for you. Take a look at our best heated throw article for more options to save you from putting the heating on.

The poncho has fasteners to hold it in place around your shoulders, your arm will be covered and toasty but sill free to move whether you’re sitting down with a cup or tea and book, playing the PlayStation or working from home.

The poncho is made from a super soft flannel fleece and has 9 heat and 9 time settings to ensure you’re experiences the right amount of warmth. For safety it comes with overheating protection to stop you getting too hot and sweaty in your heated poncho.

To wash, just detach the controls and throw it in the washing machine at 30°.

Available from: Lakeland

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11. Boux Avenue Oversized Long Snuggle Hoodie, £55

– Best for style

Sizes: Adults

If you’re looking for a stylish overlong hooded blanket, this Boux Avenue one is wonderful. It’s made from a plush fleece material so it’s very soft and is machine washable.

Again, it has a huge front pocket and to keep your hands warm and it’s also on the longer side when compared with other options to maximise the warmth.

If you want to feel cosy but still look the part this may be just what you need.

However, it is worth pointing out that this particular style is only available in an ivory colour, so if you’re looking for something with a bit more colour then it might be worth looking at the other options on this list.

Available from: JD Williams

It’s one of the most exciting times in parenthood when your little one starts moving around by themselves for the first time. Exciting, but also slightly terrifying!

We’ve tested the best stair gates for you and your baby, to make the transition as smooth as possible.

When your baby becomes a fully mobile crawler or toddler, you need to know they’re safe to explore the world around them. Our list brings you the best wooden, mesh, retractable and pressure-fit stair gates available, as well as options that are tall, extra wide or ideal for travel.

Stair gates stop children from getting where they’re not supposed to, and are a must-have if you have a multilevel house or even just areas you’d like to keep your child away from. But not all stair gates are created equal. Trying to choose which one will most suit the style of your home, the size of your stairs and doorways is key. You also need to consider the ease of removal and, of course, the safety for your child. There is also the option of purchasing a playpen which can be used as a stair gate. Take a look at the best playpens for babies and toddlers.

The choice can be enough to make your head spin. Luckily, we have tested a wide range of stair gates so you don’t have to. Here, we have rounded up the best stair gates on the market to suit all requirements.

Best stair gates at a glance

• Best wooden stair gate: BabyDan No Trip Stair Gate, £43.80
• Best manual closing budget stair gate: Cuggl Wall Fix Safety Gate, £20
• Best auto-closing budget stair gate: baby plus Baby Safety Gate, £21.99
• Best retractable stair gate: BabyDan Guard Me Auto Retractable Safety Guard, £69.99
• Best extra wide stair gate: BabyDan Perfect Close Safety Gate, £56.40
• Best tall stair gate: BabyDan 106cm Extra Tall Pressure Fit Gate, £62.22
• Best pressure-fit stair gate that is perfect for travel: Lindam Sure Shut Axis Pressure Fit Safety Gate, £20.99
• Best premium stair gate: Fred Pressure-Fit Clear-View Stair Gate, £180
• Best mesh stair gate: Momcozy Retractable Stair Gate, £42.49
• Best stair gate for awkward spaces: BabyDan Super Flexi Fit Safety Gate, £40
• Best stair gate for easy installation: Lindam Easy Fit Deluxe Safety Gate, £42.99

What to consider when buying a stair gate

Location: Where is your baby stair gate going to go? Are you going to use it at the top or bottom of the stairs, or both? Will you put a gate in any other locations, such as the kitchen or living room doorway to keep your baby away from an oven or a hot fire? Before choosing your stair gate, make a list of the places you want to have one, as each location might need a different style of gate.

Size: The size of stair gates differs greatly. Make sure you measure up the location of your space accurately so you can choose a gate that will fit securely without any gaps or other issues. You may think your stairway is a “standard” size but you could be surprised.

Width and height: Will a standard size fit the space you’re trying to fill or do you need a narrow or extra-wide option? Some gates are extendable, which can help with wider spaces. Thinking about your child’s height is also a big consideration. Although they might be just crawling now, once they are standing and a few months older, will your stair gate still be tall enough for them? There are gates available that suit taller children.

Fixtures: You need to think about the fixture of your gate. Pressure-mounted gates are the easiest to install and can be moved to different locations as you don’t fix them to a wall. And, bonus, they won’t damage your woodwork. They come in 2 types: U-pressure fit gates which have a walk-through section, and safety barriers, which are solid and designed for occasional use. At the other end of the spectrum are hardware-fixed gates which are fixed to the wall. These are the ones recommended for long-term use and for the top of staircases (see our safety notes below).

Portability or travel: If you only want to invest in a single stair gate then portability is a big factor. Pressure gates and travel barriers can be easily moved around, without the need for tools or fixtures. These types of gates also provide the option to take the gate with you when you travel away from home.

Pets: If you are trying to keep your little one safe but also have a dog or cat running around, then you need to think about a stair gate that will still allow your furry friend to have their freedom. If they are too big to squeeze through the bars, then you might want to consider a gate with a pet door. Don’t be tempted to fit your gate a few inches higher up the wall to allow a pet to squeeze underneath: this could be unsafe for the child.

Aesthetics: Although you might not think this is an important factor, your stair gate will become a part of your home. As such, how it looks can make a big difference. There are stair gates available in all different colours, styles, and materials. So you are sure to find one that suits your taste and your safety needs.

Opening: There are several different opening options to choose from, including gates that can be opened with one hand, gates that swing open both ways, stay-open gates, 3-action opening gates, gates that close automatically, and manual close gates.

Swing or retractable: Retractable gates are compact and work in a similar way to a roller blind. They’re great for smaller spaces and can blend into a door frame when not in use. They are hardware mounted, while swing gates can be either hardware mounted or pressure fit.

Trip hazards: Some gates, such as pressure-mounted gates, have a horizontal bar running along the bottom. This bar has pressure points on either side to make the gate secure. However, this also creates a trip hazard. Because of that, it is not recommended to have one at the top of the stairs.

How to fit a stair gate

Measure carefully: For an accurate fit, you want to measure the distance between the 2 doorframes or the 2 walls that you will be securing the baby gate against. Double-check your gate is the right size for the space and that you don’t need to add any extendable sections – these sometimes come with the gate or may need to be purchased separately. Remember to measure the space at the top and bottom of the gate to ensure the width is the same.

Watch out for irregular-sized gaps and skirting boards: In some houses, particularly older buildings, you might find the width between the two walls at the top of the gate is significantly different to the width at the bottom of the gate. This will also be the case if you have skirting boards. The safest way to fit the gate is to use spacers – these additional plastic fixtures, supplied by the manufacturer, fill out the wider part of the opening so the fixtures can be attached at the same width. Fitting the gate above a skirting board can be unsafe if there’s space for your baby or toddler to become trapped underneath.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions: It might be tempting to dive into the assembly, but following the manufacturer’s instructions is essential to make sure you fit the stair gate safely. Be aware that every gate is different. The instructions might also highlight details you’re not aware of. Some pressure-mounted stair gates require the suction cups to be screwed into the wall, for example. The instructions may also specify how far from a stairwell the manufacturer recommends installing the gate.

Check the gate often: Once your gate is in place, perform regular checks and maintenance to ensure the gate is still fitted securely. You might need to tighten screws or replace the sticky pads on the suction pads of some pressure-mounted gates.

Here’s our pick of the best stair gates

1. BabyDan No Trip Stair Gate, £43.80

– Best wooden stair gate

Main material: Wood | Type: Screw-fix | Extendable: No | Dimensions: H67.5cm x W71.5-78.5cm

The best thing about this wooden gate is that it’s a regular stair gate but it doesn’t have a bar at the bottom, making it perfect for the top of a staircase. Parent tester Emma uses the stair gate for that reason, “I love it because there’s no bottom bar, meaning you don’t trip or stub your toes,” she says.

The gate is made from FSC-certified wood, meaning it is sourced and manufactured in the most sustainable way possible. The gate has a 2-way opening with a double locking system to ensure children can’t open it. There’s also a manual closing system and it allows one-handed opening and locking.

The screw-fix mechanism provides peace of mind. Parent tester Sophie likes how “it drills securely into the wall” so she doesn’t have to worry about her toddler pushing and climbing on it.

Pros: Made from FSC-certified wood, stylish, no trip hazard bar at the bottom, sturdy, secure, one-handed opening, affordable
Cons: Not extendable, have to screw into wall to install

Available from: Amazon and BabyDan

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2. Cuggl Wall Fix Safety Gate, £20

– Best manual closing budget stair gate

Main material: Metal | Type: Screw-fix | Extendable: No | Dimensions: H73cm x W76-81cm

This sleek and simple safety gate is from Argos’s own affordable baby brand and, with such a low price point, it should suit most budgets.

But just because the cost is low, it doesn’t mean the list of safety features is small. The first big plus for us is that it is step-free, so no potentially dangerous trip hazards. Another tick is the one-handed opening – something you don’t always see with less expensive stair gates.

The screw-fix safety gate also has a double-locking system and 2-way opening, making it safe and easy to access (for an adult) from both sides. Parent tester Katie praised it for being great value and confirmed it “does the job!” adding she’s had “no issues with it” since installing.

The only slight niggle is the width of the gate. It fits frames measuring 76cm-81cm, making it slightly less versatile. However, there is an extendable version of the gate available.

Pros: Affordable, one-handed opening, double locking, step-free, sturdy
Cons: Only fits widths 76cm-81cm, doesn’t come with extenders, very basic design

Available from: Argos

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3. baby plus Baby Safety Gate, £21.99

– Best auto-closing budget stair gate

Main material: Metal | Type: Pressure-fit | Extendable: No | Dimensions: H79cm x W76-80cm

If you’re on a budget, but don’t want to comprise on safety features, the baby plus Baby Safety Gate is a decent option.

It features a strong double lock, as well as a self-closing mechanism. Once you let go of the door it automatically closes itself, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the gate open when in a hurry.

The gate can be fixed with a 2 way or 1 way opening, however you will need to watch out for the bar along the bottom wherever the stair gate is installed.

While the gate is adjustable in width, its range is limited compared to many others in our round-up, started at 76cm and extending to 81cm.

Pros: Affordable, double locking, automatic closing system
Cons: Only fits widths 76cm-80cm, doesn’t come with extenders, basic design, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase, bar along bottom

Available from: Ebebek and Amazon

4. BabyDan Guard Me Auto Retractable Safety Guard, from £69.99

– Best retractable stair gate

Main materials: PVC free plastic | Type: Screw-fix | Extendable: Yes | Dimensions: H69cm x W55-89.5cm x D4cm

Retractable safety gates are great because they offer all of the safety features you need while having the added benefit of being able to fold away when not in use. This option by BabyDan is one of the best we’ve tested. Parent tester Elouise uses this stair gate in her narrow corridor (pictured above) and said, “Due to us having a very narrow corridor, we struggled to get an ordinary safety gate and love that this one collapses into a small bundle.”

Not only does it blend into doorways when not in use, but it is auto-foldable. There isn’t a fiddly clasp to open, instead, you just press a button, and the gate retracts. We also love how it can be folded on the inside or the outside of a doorframe. And, because there is no trip hazard, you can have it at the top or bottom of your stairs. Parent tester Ruth loved this feature, saying she chose a BabyDan gate for that exact reason: “I didn’t want the floor bar as a trip hazard, so I wanted a gate without that feature.”

Alex, also a parent home tester, said “I like that, when we’re not using them, they fold back against the wall.”

The stylish gate is made from PVC free plastic, and it is easy to clean after little sticky fingers have been unleashed on it. This is a versatile option for wider door frames (extending up to 89.5cm width) and you can purchase an extension kit to take it up to 113.5cm.

The only niggle we have is it can be difficult to install if you have high skirting boards. The manufacturer sells spacers for this purpose.

Pros: Retracts neatly when not in use, one-handed open with a button, can be extended further, can be installed at the top and bottom of the stairs
Cons: Awkward to install if you have skirting boards

Available from: Argos, Amazon and John Lewis

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5. BabyDan Perfect Close Safety Gate, £56.40

– Best extra wide stair gate

Main material: Metal | Type: Pressure-fit | Extendable: Yes (sold separately) | Dimensions: H73cm x W77.3-83.5cm

This pressure-fit stair gate has some helpful safety features. Its slam-shut function means you can close it safely in a hurry. If you slam the gate, it will lock behind you, with no need to faff around with a mechanism. And you don’t have to worry about disturbing anyone, either, as it clicks shut without making any loud sounds.

The gate can be opened both ways with just one hand. Parent tester Nicole uses several of these stair gates in her home, saying, “It’s easy to fit and use one-handed too.”

Pros: Slam-shut function, no loud clicking sound, opens both ways, one-handed opening
Cons: Quite pricey, extenders sold separately, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase

Available from: Amazon

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6. BabyDan 106cm Extra Tall Pressure Fit Gate, £62.22

– Best tall stair gate

Main material: Metal| Type: Pressure-fit | Extendable: Yes (bought separately) | Dimensions: H106cm x W73-80cm

If you have a toddler who likes to climb, or a large dog that you want to keep away from your baby, a tall stair gate is what you need. This model by BabyDan has the option to buy additional extensions to make it fit openings up to 120cm wide and it can be fitted without wall cups.

The stair gate has a visible indicator to show you that the gate is fitted safely and securely. It has a 2-way, one-hand opening with a double locking system.

It is available in black or white, so you can choose the colour that best suits your taste. Parent tester Chloe uses this stair gate: “Due to having a dog who can jump the normal size gates, we really like this black tall one, especially as it matches our décor better too.”

Pros: Tall, stylish design, can buy extensions, indicator to ensure safety, 2-way opening, one-hand opening, choice of colours
Cons: Extenders have to be bought separately, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase

Available from: Amazon

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7. Lindam Sure Shut Axis Pressure Fit Safety Gate (76-82cm), £20.99

– Best pressure-fit stair gate that is perfect for travel

Main material: Metal | Type: Pressure-fit | Extendable: Yes (extenders can be purchased separately) | Dimensions: H75cm x W76cm-82cm

When you want to steer clear of drills and tools, a pressure-fit safety gate is for you. The Sure Shut Axis from Lindam has the benefit of additional locking features.

The design is simple with no bells and whistles and it provides an unobtrusive presence in the home. It has a U-shaped frame with 4 pressure points that hold snugly against the walls. Because no drilling is required, it is quick and easy to install, taking just a few minutes. You can set the gate to open 2 ways or just 1, making it ideal for the bottom of a staircase.

Parent tester Dani said, “We have the Lindam pressure-fit gates in our house and they are still going strong since my son was born 10 years ago. They are easy to open one-handed and have an extra safety feature at the bottom for added protection.”

The stair gate opens using an easy squeeze-and-lift handle, and as our tester pointed out, it has a double lock feature to make sure even the trickiest of escape artists stay put. Parent tester Ann said, “We have the Lindam ones throughout our house, including some extensions, and they have been great. They have moved house with us and still stand the test of a 2 and a half year old shaking the gate as hard as they can!” The portability also makes this a great model to consider if you want to take your stair gate with you when you stay away from home.

We especially like that the gate comes with a pressure indicator, which lets you know that it is installed properly. It also has a wide walkway, which is helpful when more than one little one wants to charge through!

Parent tester Claire is also a fan of the Lindam safety gate and uses it at the bottom of her stairs (pictured above). “We have 3 different stair gates but my favourite one is the Lindam one. It was super easy to fit and you can open it with one hand nice and easily! You can also purchase extensions for it if you need to fit a bigger space. I love that it has an additional lock on the bottom if required, too.”

Pros: Quick and easy to install, one-handed opening, comes already assembled, no drill required, extensions are available separately to fit openings up to 117cm, open in either direction, double-lock, suitable for travel
Cons: Has a bar at the bottom causing a potential trip hazard, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase, extenders only allow the main gate to open

Available from: Amazon

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8. Fred Pressure-Fit Clear-View Stair Gate, £180

– Best premium stair gate

Main material: Acrylic | Type: Pressure-fit (but also comes with screws) | Extendable: Yes | Dimensions: H77.8cm x W86.4cm (can fit openings up to 96cm wide) x D8.5cm

This premium stair gate is the most expensive on our list, but as well as being stylish it comes with additional safety features.

Unlike any of the other stair gates in our list, this chic style from Fred features a clear acrylic panel, allowing unrestricted visibility and a contemporary finish. It’s perfect for keeping your little one contained, while not taking anything away from the elegance of your home.

This stair gate doesn’t just deliver on aesthetics, it delivers on safety too. It features a colour indicator that alerts you if the gate is left unlocked, and additional indicators to show you that the gate has been installed correctly.

The two-way magnetic locking system makes closing the gate easy, and you can choose to have the gate open one way or both ways. It extends to 96cm, and you can purchase additional extenders to fit openings up to 124cm wide.

We love the little extra details, such as the glow strip on the bottom rail, ensuring you can spot it and avoid tripping even in the dark. As this is a pressure-fix gate, it is easy to install and remove without tools. Just make sure you use the wall cups and adhesive provided. It also comes with 4 screws for additional security.

Pros: Fairly simple to install, extra safety features, fits around skirting boards, crystal clear window, one-handed opening, slam-shut closing, stylish and elegant, gate opens both ways
Cons: Bottom bar can present a trip hazard, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase, can look dirty from fingerprints (but very easy to clean)

Available from: Amazon, John Lewis and Fred Safety

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9. Momcozy Retractable Stair Gate, £42.49

– Best mesh stair gate

Main material: Nylon (fabric) | Type: Screw-fix | Extendable: Yes | Dimensions: H86cm x W140cm

This retractable mesh stair gate hides away almost completely when not in use, making it the ideal choice for smaller homes, high-traffic areas, or for those who simply want a minimalist option. The gate fits any gap up to 140cm, inside or outside, although it’s not suitable for use at the top of the stairs.

Parent tester Amy uses this retractable stair gate at the bottom of her odd-shaped stairs. “It was really easy to install and I love that it hides away fully so there’s no bar at the bottom. It’s also easy to operate with one hand and, in my opinion, is less unsightly than the regular white metal gates.”

The safety gate has a stay open/close catch with childproof locking mechanisms and can be operated with just one hand. It includes 2 hardware fittings, meaning it can be installed and moved around between 2 different locations, if necessary.

Pros: Subtle, easy to install, hides away fully, no trip hazard, one-hand operation
Cons: Not as sturdy as a metal gate, can’t be used at the top of the stairs

Available from: Amazon

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10. BabyDan Super Flexi Fit Extending Safety Gate, £42

— Best stair gate for awkward spaces

Main materials: Metal | Type: Screw-fix | Extendable: Yes | Dimensions: H73cm x W67-105.5cm x D5cm

This sturdy gate by BabyDan can be easily adjusted to fit a wide range of openings, from 67-105.5cm. The design of the gate makes it possible to be fitted inside, outside, or even diagonally across an opening, making it a versatile option for your home. Parent tester Louisa uses these gates for her wide doorways, and describes them as “good quality, easy to use, not noisy and [they] look great.”

We like how the gate opens in both directions and can be opened easily with one hand.

Parent tester Alysia has this gate at the top of her stairs (pictured above) and said, “I love the fact this gate can be fitted on a slight angle as we were struggling to get a gate to fit.”

Pros: Great for awkward spaces, no bar across the bottom, can be installed at the top and bottom of stairs, one-handed opening
Cons: A little fiddly to build, instructions could use improvement, takes a bit longer to build than estimated

Available from: Argos

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11. Lindam Easy Fit Plus Deluxe Tall Safety Gate, £42.99

– Best stair gate for easy installation

Main materials: Metal | Type: Pressure-fit | Extendable: Yes | Dimensions: H91.4cm x W76-82cm

If you are looking for a baby gate that is easy to install, this Lindam option is for you.

It is called the Easy Fit because that is exactly what it is. The stair gate comes assembled and ready to install, and installation can take as little as 5 minutes. As this is a pressure-fit stair gate, you don’t need tools or a drill to install it. Instead, everything you need is provided in the box. There is also a pressure indicator that gives visual assurance that the gate is installed correctly.

The gate can be opened with 1 hand, although it does take a little practice to get the knack of this.

A couple of other features we like about this gate include the extra safety lock at the bottom of the gate and the additional extensions. You can purchase separate extensions to fit openings up to 117cm, and it’s worth opting for the tall version for extra longevity and reassurance.

Pros: Wide walkthrough section, easy and quick to fit, comes fully assembled, 2-way opening for doorways, one-way opening for use at the bottom of the stairs, double locking, one-handed opening, easy to move around the house, can be extended
Cons: Bar can pose a trip hazard, pressure-fixed making it unsuitable for use at the top of a staircase, opening the gate can take a little time to perfect with one hand

Available from: Amazon and Munchkin

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How to choose a safe stair gate

Choosing the right stair gate depends entirely on where you want to fit it. Although pressure-fitted stair gates are convenient (particularly if you live in rented accommodation) they can be unsafe if not fitted properly. Pressure-fix safety gates are not recommended for fitting against a bannister or stair post, rather than a solid wall. The bottom bar on pressure-fixed models present a trip hazard, making these gates unsafe to be installed at the top of a staircase. For optimal safety, choose a hardware-mounted gate, especially if it’s going at the top of a flight of stairs. This will mean drilling into your wall or post, but it will ensure your child can’t push the gate out with force. Look for the safety standard BS EN 1930:2011 while shopping.

Tips on how to use a stair gate safely

To help ensure you use your stair gate in the safest way possible, we asked The Baby Products Association for their best safety tips:

• Ensure you read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly.
• Make sure that the safety gate properly fits the opening and that there is no ‘play’ in it when closed.
• Always close the gate properly when you leave the room but never leave your baby unattended.
• Never climb or step over the gate, especially when holding your baby.
• Do not affix any toys or decoration to the safety gate. These can attract your baby to it, or very close to it.
• Never use more than one safety gate in an opening, especially one on top of the other, and only use widening extensions designed to fit your particular gate.

Read more…

• Best safety products for babies and toddlers
• Toddler-proofing your home, garden and garage
• Baby safety: your room-by-room guide