As a blogger, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get excited about the prospect of a pretty location to photograph the girls. Every year there are various locations which become an almost blogger right of passage, be it the bluebell woods, the lavender fields or the bright yellow crops of rape seed, I try and visit them all! When I first heard about the Confetti Fields in Pershore (The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co). I immediately knew I would have to pay a visit. The thought of seeing all those beautiful colours in one place and with it being virtually on our doorstep, the opportunity was too good to miss.
The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co confetti fields in Pershore are the UK’s original wedding petal growers, and have been leading the way in creating beautiful, natural, biodegradable confetti since 1997. For the last few years, their confetti fields in Pershore, Worcestershire have been opened to the public for just 10 days each year, before the crop is harvested to create all the suppliers for special occasions across the country.
This weekend we headed along on a bit of a road trip for the last weekend open to the public, and despite being an extremely hot morning (with the blaring sun and heat making photography and shadows a little challenging to say the least!), we managed to get a few lovely shots of the girls amongst the glorious colours of red, white and blue (I like to think this is a sign that footballs coming home – but we will see!). We almost didn’t get in, as me being stupid, forgot the fact that it would be cash only, and these days I hardly ever carry coins! Thankfully we managed to scrape together the coins we needed (thank god for car change!), otherwise Mike would never have let me live that one down!
The confetti fields in Pershore were understandably quite in demand, but despite it being busy, there was still plenty of space to take photos without having loads of other people in your shot.
Unfortunately due to its huge popularity, they had stopped selling cut flowers on the day we arrived, so if you want to purchase some next time to take home, I would advise visiting earlier on during the 10 day window. This year they had to stop to ensure there was enough crop left for their harvest!
Whilst it’s too late to pay a visit to the confetti fields in Pershore this year, I strongly recommend making a note in your diary to pay a visit next Summer. There is something so magical about walking through fields of beautiful flowers, and it is such a fantastic backdrop to capture some memories of your little ones.
Here’s a few more pics from our day at The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co confetti fields in Pershore:
You can learn more about the confetti fields in Pershore here.
*Disclosure – this is not a sponsored post, I just loved my trip to the The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co Confetti Fields in Pershore and wanted to share our experience!*
Have you heard of the new Joie Pact stroller? May is finally here and with it has come the brighter nights, the sunnier days and the rising of the mercury – for me it couldn’t have come soon enough! As soon as the brighter days start to appear, my mood improves almost instantly, and I start thinking about days out, travel, and getting away on holiday with my little family!
Whilst we love our Joie Litetrax 4 Pushchair, it is a on the larger side, and as such we have been looking for a slightly smaller and more travel friendly pushchair. Neve is now a fairly confident walker, but at 20 months, she still does get tired if we cover a large distance. At times she also tends to try and make a run for it, so we like to use a pushchair if we are out and about or going somewhere where we will be walking for a significant amount of time.
Joie must have read our minds with their new recently launched a Joie compact stroller / pushchair- the Joie Pact – a small, lightweight, easy fold pushchair / stroller that is perfectly equipped for travel. We couldn’t wait to put it through it’s paces – here’s our Joie Pact review!
About the Joie Pact Stroller / Pushchair
The Joie Pact is a lightweight stroller and it’s features include:
Suitable from birth to 15kg
Compatible with Joie iGemm or other maxi cosi car seats (using compatible adapters)
How does the Joie Pact compare to the Joie Pact Lite?
The main differences between the Joie Pact stroller and the Joie Pact Lite is the weight and size. Whilst the Joie Pact is already incredibly lightweight at 6kg, the Joie Pact Lite weighs 0.5kg less at just 5.5kg.
What age is the Joie Pact Stroller suitable for?
The Joie Pact stroller is suitable from birth to 15kg (around 3 years of age depending on the size of your baby).
Can the Joie Pact be used as a travel system?
It’s a lightweight pushchair so whilst you can use it with a compatable car seat, it’s probably not the best choice for multi terrain / off roading. That said, for city living and strolls it can be used with the Joie iGemm or other Maxi Cosi car seat using adapters.
Our Experience of the Joie Stroller
First Impressions of Joie Pact
My first impressions of the Joie Pact were very positive. I loved the look and feel of the product and the fact it folded down so small was a real positive. The material feels soft and comfortable, and although small in stature, it appeared to be a sturdy and strong chasis.
We went for the Navy Blazer colour, which although you could argue is more of a traditional ‘boy’ colour we felt was perfectly gender neutral and a practical shade for a pushchair that would be used frequently on our travels. The Pact is also available in Cranberry (a red shade) if you prefer something a little different.
The carry bag and carry handle made it clear immediately that this pushchair was very different from others we have had before.
Does the Joie Pact require assembly?
The Joie Pact Stroller comes boxed and does require some assembly, but was very easy to put together, with the wheels simply clipping into place, and a small wire connecting the two wheels simply needing to be velcro’d under the cover flap to hold it in place. I normally wait for my other half to come home before attempting assembly jobs like these, however was able to do this on my own completely unassisted in less than 15 minutes.
How easy is it to steer?
We have tested the Joie Pact Stroller on a variety of different surfaces from tarmac, to pebbles and grass. It is very easy to steer, with the front wheels swivelling to help control (they can also be locked in place). Due to its smaller size, the Joie Pact doesn’t handle corners as well as a larger travel system (such as the Joie Litrax 4), however this did not affect the usability at all. On particularly bumpy terrain, such as over tree routes or pebbles the Joie Pact can struggle a bit to lift over the bumps (as the front wheels are relatively small), but again, for a travel pushchair I expect this is a compromise to maintain its lightweight and compact nature. If you live in a particularly rural setting, you may be better opting for a larger, multi terrain pushchair.
What is the Sun Protection / Hood like on the Joie Pact?
The hood of the Joie Pact, as with our Joie Litrax provides a large amount of cover for your child from the sun when they are reclined. When sat upright however I would’ve preferred this to be a little deeper, as when it is particularly sunny the rays did still get into her eyes a little. The Joie Pact hood provides UPF50+ protection, and there is also a visor at the top so you can peak through and check on your child, which is easy to open with velcro. This would be particularly reassuring for parents using the Pact with younger babies, as being forward facing you otherwise wouldn’t be able to interact easily with your child.
Straps and five point harness
The Joie Pact is forward facing only and has a number of recline options using a strap and pull system on the back of the seat. I found this quite fiddly at times, as it was more of a guess work job than a refined art, but once the strap was pulled into place the back did stay put. It’s worth noting here that the chair doesn’t allow a child to sit completely upright, more so at a subtle incline. It does however lie completely flat, which is ideal for younger babies who may nod off when walking and want to have a proper sleep on your commute.
There is a five point harness with long shoulder pads and pads at the centre, meaning it is both secure and comfortable. The centre pad did occasionally come off (see below) so for ease we often used without, however Neve was still very comfortable in her chair.
The bumper bar across the centre of the Joie Pact is cushioned and can be unclipped on the side (or removed completely) for easier access – I found removing Neve from the pushchair much much easier if I simply unclipped the one side of the bar.
The seat size on the Joie Pact is relatively small, so depending on the height / size of your child this is something to bear in mind – Neve is quite petite so for us it wasn’t a problem but for a taller child, you may find it a little on the tight side or find their legs hang a little more over the edge!
What is the Brake like?
The brake on the Joie Pact is a simple foot operated peddle to the left of the right hand wheel, which I found very easy to operate. Despite being a lightweight pushchair, the brake was strong, and it was quite hard to move the chair without releasing the pedal beforehand.
What is the basket like on the Joie Pact?
A full size shopping basket under the Joie Pact makes it very practical and I found this a huge positive for such a compact pushchair. There is plenty of room to pop in some shopping, a changing bag or heavier items that you do not wish to carry, and unlike with the Litetrax, the storage area can be accessed from all sides, even when the chair is in lie flat position. Due to its lightweight nature, I wouldn’t recommend placing bags on the back of the handle, as this is likely to cause the Pact to tip.
Easy fold option
The Joie Pact is EXTREMELY easy to fold up and down (can be done with one hand) – simply press and unclip at the top and the entire thing pretty much folds in on itself, into a very small compact size making it very easy to store in the back of your car and saving lots of valuable space. We recently went on holiday for the first time as a family of four, and I was amazed at how much stuff we wanted to take. The smaller size of the Joie Pact meant that we were still able to take a pushchair without needing to worry about taking up valuable boot space which could be used for other essential items!
Space Saving
The Joie Pact measures just 52.5 x 24 x 56.5cm when folded meaning that during travel on public transport, you can be confident that there will be enough space to tuck the Joie Pact neatly out of the way, or even on the overhead shelves on trains. The pushchair also stands on its own when folded.
Carry Strap
The carry strap is really really useful, ideal for when you are taking on holiday (especially abroad), but there have also been times when I have walked Neve to nursery, and then used the carry handle to carry home as opposed to walking back with an empty pushchair. When carried, the Joie Pact feels very light and does not feel uncomfortable at all – weighing just 6kg.
The Joie Pact retails at £150, making it a realtively affordable option for most families.
Pros of the Joie Pact:
Straight forward to assemble and easy to follow instructions.
Super easy one handed fold.
More than adequate storage space.
Very lightweight and easy to carry using integrated carry handle.
Very compact when folded, and takes up limited space in a car boot or on public transport.
Ideal for school / nursery commute, or those who travel frequently.
Despite its small stature, still has many of the benefits you would expect from a larger system.
UPF50+ Sun hood
Easy to operate break.
Cons of the Joie Pact:
Adjusting the back incline can be a little bit fiddly, and never quite felt like I was doing it right. Doesn’t sit totally upright, which for older babies might be something that frustrates them a little!
Seat size is small which for taller babies might be an issue.
Adjusting the height of the straps can be a little fiddly as involves repoking the straps through some small slits in the material – however once it is done it’s done!
Struggles a little with very bumpy terrain due to the small wheel size and doesn’t corner as well as a larger travel system may do, but this is a compromise for the other positive features above.
Overall
The Joie Pact is a lightweight, compact and super easy to fold pushchair that although small, has many features that you would expect from a larger travel system or pushchair. It is ideal for anyone who travels on public transport a lot, or to use on holiday when space is limited. The Joie Pact is also perfect for anyone who lives in a flat or home with stairs to contend with, as it is super easy to carry using the attached handle. For our family, the Joie Pact is perfect for the school or nursery run and ideal if you have limited storage space in your home and want something that wont take up too much room in your porch / hall.
Where can I buy the Joie Pact?
The Joie Pact is available to purchase at many high street stores including:
*Disclosure – We were sent a Joie Pact free of charge for the purpose of this review, however as always all thoghts and opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link*
I have always been a bit of a proud Brummie. A Brummie born and bred, I have never left, even attending Uni in the city, and have grown up loving the diversity and the range of amazing landmarks in my home town. I love Birmingham even more at Christmas, when the whole of the region seems to fully embrace the festivities and create a wealth of experiences for the whole family to enjoy. From the Birmingham Christmas Market, to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Christmas Light Trail, this year, we have spent time exploring them all.
Having missed out of the Magical Lantern Festival last year when it was held at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, I decided this year we would head along as a family of four to its new venue – Kings Heath Park.
This magical trail of larger than life lanterns runs throughout December until January 1st (although with the recent weather causing potential disruption please do check before you travel!)
Our Experience
We headed along to the Magical Lantern Festival at Kings Heath Park in Birmingham on a cold and windy Sunday evening. On weekends at least, parking is available at a local school (King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys) with a £3 charge but this is then a very short walk to the start of the trail. On approaching the venue you can see some of the taller lanterns lighting up the sky and towering over the hedgerows in front of you and Erin was VERY excited and couldn’t wait to get inside to see them close up!
Frustratingly for 2017, there is no card payment for those of you buying tickets on the night (meaning a walk to the local pub and cashpoint for us!) For this reason (and the fact that tickets are selling fast) I would strongly recommend buying your tickets in advance using Eventbrite.
The trail itself follows around the natural turns and twists of the park, and each corner reveals a new sight and a new WOW when you see the lanterns lighting up the paths in front of you.
The story behind some of the lanterns is quite obvious – including the Birmingham backdrop, but others were a little random. The Bullring Bull which was pretty iconic at last years trail was also missing which I was a bit disappointed about as was looking forward to seeing him in the flesh!
Some of our favourite lanterns included:
These beautiful birds (peacocks?) in green blue and purple;
The amazing Fairytale Castle – this huge lantern (in which Erin can just be seen standing in front of the archway!) featured spires, tunnels, archways and flag poles and really was a huge statement in the centre of the park.
The Polar Bears on Ice were also a pretty epic sight, with lots of different sized bears floating on what appeared to be broken icebergs;
My personal favourite was the Giant Phoenix, towering above us into the night sky with its beautiful wings spread wide. This really was a stunning sight.
Around half way through the trail there is a fairground area with hot snacks and drinks stalls, as well as illuminated balloons to purchase (£10 each). Rides included a traditional merry go round and a bungee trampoline. The rides are an additional charge, and this, combined with the fact it was approaching the girls bedtime meant that we didn’t stay in this area for very long. There is also a Santa’s grotto on site, although if I am honest I completely missed this, and only realised it was there when we got home. It wasn’t immediately obvious, which for some may be a good thing, as there is a further additional £10 fee for a visit to the guy in the red suit.
The trail experience lasted just over an hour at a leisurely pace, and this was including time taking some photographs of the lanterns and me having to stop to make some extra room on my memory card from getting a bit snap happy! 🙂
Erin absolutely loved them, and Neve let out lots of little ooohs and ahhs as we walked towards the next delight in the trail.
The trail is open from 5- 10pm (last entry at 9pm) and the entry price in my opinion is not cheap – at weekends adults cost £16.50 each and children £10 (Under 3’s get in for free.)
I have been asked a few times by friends if the Birmingham Magical Lantern Festival it is worth the money and my answer would be this… If you go accepting that the entry fee is steep, you will have a lovely time. However, if you are expecting the earth based on the value of your ticket you may be left wanting more. With lots of additional extras that the children may want to include, it could prove to be quite an expensive evening.
That said, we all really enjoyed our visit to the Magical Lantern Festival, and I would recommend to anyone wanting to trigger off that festive feel on the run up to Christmas. You can learn more about the Magical Lantern Festival on their website here.
*Disclosure – we paid to attend The Magical Lantern Festival with our own money, however the experience is something I thought our readers may enjoy*
Neve is fast approaching her first birthday (sob) and as such, is getting to the point where she is wanting to explore a lot more of the world. Whilst we love going out for walks in the pushchair, for a now 11 month old, a practical pushchair is …. well…. just a little bit boring. Queue stiff arms, fighting legs and a slight annoyance at being restrained.
We were recently given the opportunity to review the SmarTrike 5-in-1 infinity trike which is suitable from 10 months until 3 years of age. Having had a trike with Erin and bought her one just before her 1st birthday (which feels like yesterday!) we were confident the trike would be an immediate hit, and I couldn’t wait to introduce Neve to the concept.
SmarTrike has matured somewhat in the four years since we last took one out for a spin – with the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity including new features such as a compressible sun canopy and the amazing recliner option- I couldn’t wait to take her out for a spin!
About the Product
SmarTrike’s 5-in-1 Infinity reclining purple Tricycle is suitable for babies from 10 months to 3 years of age, adjusting and growing with your child.
With the lightest touch and smart patented Touch Steering Technology, the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity trike manoeuvres like a stroller, and is easy to steer one handed by the parent until the child is old enough to navigate themselves. Using a unique button on the mudguard. the trike can easily switch from parent Touch Steering to child ride-control.
The seat is washable and padded seat cover is stylishly coordinated with the extendable canopy, the parent bag and the large, multi- purpose storage bag.
Stage 1: Sleep mode – High back seat reclines, baby rests in comfort and security.
Stage 2: At 10 months baby safely uses foot rest & sits comfortably in padded seat.
Stage 3: At 18 months baby can sit upright independently, remove the safety bar. Parents continue to push and control the trike. Baby enjoys the ride while developing confidence, balance and motor skills.
Stage 4: At 24 months it becomes a training trike where kids learn to pedal.
Stage 5: At 30 months you can remove the parent handle, close the safety clutch and it becomes an independent trike that kids pedal by themselves.
Our Experience
The SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity comes requiring assembly, and with most DIY jobs in our house, I tend to leave them to someone else! Thankfully, the two handy men in my life came to the rescue, and Grandad (my Dad!) kindly popped round to put it together. The whole process was very quick and easy, with the whole thing taking just 25 minutes to construct, from removing the box to us popping Neve in for her first ride!
My first impressions were that it looks fantastic! Having had a SmarTrike a number of years ago I was really impressed with the new features, whilst it had kept some of the original elements which Erin had loved.
You can see the trike in action on our video below!
Key Features
Sun Canopy – The style of the canopy has changed since our original trike, and definitely for the better. The retractable sun canopy is now consortia style. This is lower to Neve’s head than the old style twisting flat canopy and as such, created a lot more protection against the sun. It has come away from the frame a couple of times when using it, but is relatively straightforward to click back into place.
Recliner
Oh my goodness this is excellent! The amount of times I had taken Erin out in the trike for her to get tired walking back from the park and the cursed myself for not having taken the pushchair. Previously this would have resulted in a screaming baby whilst I rushed home as fast as possible – not anymore!
Using the two buttons either side of the seat, the back rest can be reclined slightly into a more relaxed seating position, meaning that Neve was able to rest back in her seat and drift off to sleep on our way home.
She was so comfortable in fact (and napping is such a rarity in this house!) that I wheeled her into the garden and left her snoozing for a little while (in sight!) whilst I watched Neighours – happy days 🙂
Multi Purpose Storage Bag
The small parent bag at the top of the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity is really useful for popping in smaller items that you need to access quickly, such as your keys, purse or baby wipes. However, there are times when a small space just doesn’t cut it, and carrying a changing bag isn’t a fun option. The large multi purpose storage bag is FANTASTIC, and I was able to fit a fair amount of items inside – we popped to the shop and I was able to take my camera, my changing mat and nappies, and still had room to pop in a book from a charity shop and a few groceries in with room to spare.
Phone
The phone accessory on the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity is lots of fun for Neve to play with and at the perfect height. It is so handy to have something at easy reach for them to play with which cannot be dropped or discarded. The phone makes subtle music and sounds – but they are not at all overbearing. Neve found the little ariel perfect for chewing on – extra handy when you have some teeth coming through!
Steering & Ease of Movement
From a parents point of view, the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity is really easy to steer. I was able to do so one handed with ease, and found it very easy to manoeuvre round corners or to avoid other children running past us in the park! The Trike has it’s own easy to apply break, which can be flicked on and off with one foot.
As a Mum of two, being able to steer one handed whilst still holding the hand of my eldest makes this the perfect way to get out and about in the park. Erin also loves helping push her sister along, with the adjustable handlebar just at the right height for her! 🙂
Overall we absolutely LOVE the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity, and I am looking forward to transitioning the trike to the other stages as Neve grows in size and confidence. The only real con of the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity has to be storing it, as it is obviously rather on the large side. We don’t have a porch, so have to pop ours into the shed at night,but I would rather not leave it outside as it could get wet / sun damaged. That said, the handlebar does slot down to a smaller size and as such, I was able to easily pop into the boot when required.
You can learn more about the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity Recliner on the SmarTrike website.
*Disclosure – we were sent the SmarTrike 5-in-1 Infinity Recliner free of charge for the purpose of this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own*
We have been loving the Little Tikes Go Green Playhouse over the summer.
At four years old, Erin absolutely loves spending time in our garden. Over recent months, I have made a real effort to teach Erin about the environment and nature, including telling her about seeds and how things grow, planting and growing our own vegetables and explaining about the role of sunshine and water.
As well as being educational, Erin finds this super fun, and over the last few months we have played together whilst growing green beans and tomatoes in the process.
I was recently given the opportunity to review the award winning Little Tikes Go Green Playhouse – the perfect play house for mini eco friendly fanatics!
About the Product
The Little Tikes Go Green Playhouse is an innovative, educational outdoor playhouse, filled with Earth-friendly features and activities for kids to learn about recycling, solar power, gardening, and much much more!
The Playhouse features include:
Recycling centre with removable bins – great for teaching about separating paper and plastics to be recycled.
Water reservoir leading to a rain barrel – collecting rainfall which can be reused elsewhere in the garden.
Letter box
Solar powered light and Skylight
Dutch door and doorbell with sound
Small roof section can be filled with soil to grow grass (like a green roof)
Planting box where children can grow flowers and vegetables
Erin was super excited when the large box arrived from the courier, and was desperate to see what was inside.
I stupidly decided to open it to take a look, which in hindsight would have been better done when Erin wasn’t around, as she immediately wanted to pull out pieces and play with them, and got a little impatient wanting to open lots of the little bags contained inside. The assembly of this play house is not a quick and easy task, and as such,, my advice would be to wait until the kids are in bed before you attempt it. Luckily for me, I have two very handy men in my life, my partner and my father, the latter of whom very kindly offered to come and help put it together.
By help, I of course mean do it completely unassisted, other than me continuously dragging Erin out of the half assembled house whilst he tried to work around her, and of course making him a drink – I am not a complete slave driver after all.
The construction of the house probably took about an hour all in, as there are quite a few pieces to screw into place. My Dad advised that the instructions were very easy to follow, and that the pieces were clearly marked in diagrammatic form so that it was fairly straightforward to figure out which pieces went where.
The most fiddly part of the entire build was slotting the garden tray into the base of the house, but this was mainly because some of the edges of the house itself had warped slightly in the box, and as such the wall of the house wasn’t as straight as it could have been. We have had the house up a couple of weeks now, and the wall hasn’t gone back as straight as I would have aniticipated, however this doesn’t detract from the overall look and feel of the playhouse.
Erin has absolutely loved playing in her house, and here are just a few of the adventures we have had over the last month.
Recycling
Using the two different recycling bins included in the playhouse, I have been teaching Erin about the kinds of items we can recycle, and which ones need to go in the regular waste bin. Erin has enjoyed sorting pieces of cardboard and bottles, and popping them in the right bins using the pictures to guide her!
Planting Flowers:
The Playhouse comes with its very own garden tray, perfect for popping in some soil and growing some flowers. Whilst we could have planted some seeds, we bought some flowers from our local garden centre, and Erin helped me plant these herself using her very own trowel and watering can. Once planted, Erin used the water butt to fill her watering can with rain water and gave the flowers a much needed feed.
Sewing grass seed on the roof and watching it grow
This was probably Erin’s favourite ‘task’ with the Go Green Playhouse so far. Grandad came round with a big bag of grass seed, and helped Erin plant it in the living roof tray. We taught Erin how important it was to make sure the seeds got lots of water, so every day after preschool or nannies, she ventures out with her little watering can and stands on a step to reach it.
The grass grew really quickly and Erin was fascinated to see how quickly the entire tray turned green!
Watering the Garden
We have a lot of other plants to water in our garden, particularly on the upper patio, so Erin also took responsibility for this, making sure that our vegetables and potted plants were kept hydrated! The best part was that we didn’t need to get out the hosepipe once. With the amount of rainfall we have had over the last few weeks, the water butt was full of rain water ready for us to reuse. Erin loves opening the little tap to fill up her watering can.
Whats Your Order?
I love how the Go Green Playhouse also allows Erin to use her imagination. The house isn’t just only an Eco Home but a Restaurant too – Erin asks me to post my ‘order’ through the letter box before pretending to make it at the sink. The working sink is fantastic, again pulling water through from the water butt. Erin pretends to cook and wash up, before calling me to the front door to collect my order, or asks me to be the chef as she drives up in her Cozy Coupe (a little like a McDonalds drive through!) – Slightly embrrasing this one, as we have clearly done that a tad too regularly!
Anyone Home?
Who doesn’t love hiding from their baby sister? Erin loves hiding behind the door whilst Neve rings the bell, before scaring her by popping up into sight again! Hours of fun! The door is just the right height for Neve to pull herself up against, so she loves to come and see what her sister is up to, and touch the interactive elements she can reach.
Overall
The Go Green Playhouse has been a HUGE hit with both of the girls, and I know this will be fun for playtime for many years to come, particularly when Neve is old enough to walk and play inside with her sister! It is so much more than a regular four walled playhouse, with educational and interactive elements that really make it stand out from the crowd.
At £250, this is obviously a fairly significant investment, however when compared to other playhouses on the market, I think this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for!
*Disclosure – we were sent the Little Tikes Go Green Playhouse free of charge for the purpose of this review, however as always all thoughts and opinions are my own*.
AD – Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus gifted in exchange for my honest review
Meet the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus.
After Neve was born last September, and the sepsis nightmare that followed, my postpartum mobility was somewhat of a challenge. It took me almost 3 months to walk properly again and get my strength back. Even when I did finally got back on my feet, I found it incredibly hard getting Neve in and out of the carseat – in particular leaning over to apply the seatbelt, and carrying her to and from the house. Now that she is getting a bit bigger, I am transitioning to car seat that remains permanently fixed, so no longer need to worry about lugging her around whilst bruising my knees! Woohoo!
When I heard about the new Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus – an isofix carseat which swivels 360 degrees, enabling your child to be buckled up easily from the doorside – I couldn’t wait to find out more!
First Impressions of Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus
We were sent the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus in Nomad Sand – a beautiful grey green shade, which looks absolutely stunning. My first thought was how beautiful this car seat was, closely followed by “I hope she’s not sick in it”. I needn’t have worried however, as I quickly learnt that the seat linings are fully washable should that event occur!
There are 11 different colours available, meaning that you could even match the colour to your car interiors should you wish. This makes a pleasant change from being limited to one or two shades. Whilst they are all variations of Red, Grey and Black, it is great to have some variety.
About the Product
The Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus retails at around £350 and includes the isofix base. The AxissFix Plus is suitable for your baby from birth to four years- this is an enhancement to Maxi Cosi’s predecessor AxissFix carseat which was only suitable from 9 months.
The seat of the AxissFix Plus allows your child to rearward face up until they are 87cm in height (which is about two years old). After that, the seat rotates into a forward facing seat for children of 87cm-105cm. A clip on the bottom of the seat is used to specify which ‘mode’ it is being used in, preventing the seat from swivelling the entire 360 degrees in one turn.
The seat comes with a highly padded and very cozy looking newborn inlay, which in our case wasn’t required, however, had I been using with Neve from newborn, I would have been confident that she would have been snug and secure in this seat.
Before installation, you can check online that your car is suitable HERE by popping in your car’s brand, model and type.
Installing the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus
The Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus was VERY easy to install – using the isofix ports, the seat simply clicks into place. You then need to tether the seat to the anchor point in the boot, and then specify the orientation depending on which side of the vehicle you are placing the seat.
Mike installed the seat for me, however, I think it was so straight forward that I may have been able to do this on my own without assistance (this is a rarity!). There are also detailed videos available on YouTube which may be easier to follow for those that prefer visual instructions.
Once installed, the seat has two green indicators to show that it has been installed accurately. This is great for reassurance and peace of mind.
The seat took about 10 minutes to install and whilst straightforward, we wouldn’t want to be swapping from one car to another with this seat regularly due to the tether in the boot (my boot is usually pretty full of rubbish!). As such, we will be using this as a permanently fixed seat in just the one car.
Our Experience of the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus
The seat is incredibly easy to use, and it is such a refreshing change to be able to secure your child in the seat without needing to lean over or bend at a funny angle. With the seat facing the door, I can very quickly and easily pop Neve in the seat and apply the harness whilst standing relatively straight – no excess pressure on my back!
Rotating the AxissFix Plus
Once the seat is fitted in your car, you specify whether you are using the seat in forward facing or rearward facing mode using the scale on the bottom of the seat. This is to ensure that it only rotates 180 degrees and in the right direction 🙂
To rotate the seat, you simply use the handles under base of the chair, pull and rotate to the doorway, where you can then easily pop your child in the seat without having to lean. If you wish, you can recline the seat whilst it is facing you too.
Once the child is securely in place, you then lift the handle and rotate the seat back to its desired position (in our case rearward facing).
It feels a little high tech, and Neve finds the rotating process particularly amusing 🙂
The Harness
The five point harness on the AxissFix Plus is one of my favourite elements of the chair. The straps are really long when fully extended which I found a real positive, making it super easy to get even the most wriggly of children in and out. The straps also have a rubber underside, making it harder for younger babies to slip out of the harness and keeping the protective shoulder pads in place.
Built with practicality in mind, another clever feature of this seat is the hooks present on both straps. These nifty rubber hooks mean that the straps mean that they can be clipped up out of the way whilst you get your child in the seat – a massive help with a very wriggly toddler!
To loosen straps to remove your child you simply press down on a button in the front of the seat and pull.
Recline Settings
There are four reclining positions in both directions on the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus – great for snoozing on the go, which Neve tends to do the minute we get in the car!
In her first stage car seat, The Maxi Cosi Pebble, Neve sometimes used to slump forwards when she nodded off, and I always used to worry that she would hurt her little neck! I had read a few reviews of this seat reporting something similar, however we have personally not had that happen with Neve. She looks MUCH more comfortable in the AxissFix Plus, leaning her head back into the cushioned headrest, and nodding off leaning up against the side.
There isn’t much I can critique about the Maxi Cosi Axiss Fix Plus, as it has been a big hit overall.
The only real con I can identify is the fact it can only be used rearward facing until approximately 2 years. For safety conscious parents who have been following the iSize regulations closely, they may prefer a seat that can remain rearward facing until they are four. For us personally, we would most likely change to forward facing within this time scale anyway, so it wasn’t a major concern for me.
It is also a fixed car seat, so is not travel system compatible, meaning you would need to have a pushchair suitable from birth alongside this seat when using with a newborn.
Overall I absolutely love the swivel concept behind the AxissFix Plus, and would definitely recommend to any parent who has mobility or back problems, or indeed anyone who wants to make life that little bit more straightforward!
You can learn more about the Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus carseat on the Maxi Cosi website here.
*Disclosure – we were sent a Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus free of charge for the purpose of this review, however all thoughts and opinions are our own. This post contains affiliate links*
Hi, I’m Lucy, a thirty something mum of two from Birmingham. A memory maker, tradition keeper, stationery addict and Mr Men fanatic. HR Advisor by day and sleep deprived Mama by night!
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