Fingerprints are Forever - Make your own emotive keepsakes for Fathers Day with Smallprint

Perfect for Fathers Day: For a unique keepsake or gift for the one you love, Smallprint introduces the original range of Fingerprint Jewellery to Australia. Gone are the days of plaster baby booties and framed hand-and-feet sculptures. Smallprint creates beautiful pieces of handcrafted jewellery which capture your child's fingerprint forever.

Smallprint uses precious metal clay to create original pieces of silver jewellery every parent will treasure. Once the clay has been rolled out and shaped, your child's finger is gently pressed in place to create the fingerprint, meaning that your child is present and involved in creating the jewellery. read more

Continue a great sleep routine with the Merino Kids Go Go Bag for Toddlers

Babies can become reliant on routines during bedtime – a certain room temperature, a favourite toy and their Merino Kids Go Go Bag can all help them (and you!) to achieve a peaceful night’s sleep.

To carry this routine from newborn through toddler age, Merino Kids have released their toddler Go Go Bags in the new colours of Cornflower, Fairyrose and Oatmeal, to sit along-side the already popular French Navy. read more

Puppets out of the box and in the Square – affordable fun at Federation Square Melbourne!

Federation Square is set to come alive with a children's puppet playground during the July school holidays. In collaboration with ArtPlay, Snuff Puppets, Polyglot Puppet Theatre, ACMI and Yarra Trams, Fed Square will host a week-long program of puppet shows, roving performances, puppet workshops, films and parades.

The range of free and affordable activities will delight visitors of all ages and provide parents with an instant cure to the school holiday refrain, "I'm bored". read more

Are you ready to get ShagFIT?

ShagFIT is great for the newly single, those shaping up for a wedding, preparing for baby, getting back in the swing after baby or those just wanting something great and positive for themselves...

In the experienced hands of decorated Australian Soldier and qualified military personal trainer Matthew Murphy, our two-day weekend will kick-start a healthier, more confident, shagFIT you. Special Offer for Mum Zone Readers! read more

Last chance for women to score a $30,000+ Business and Life Makeover

Entries for the national 2009 Business and Life Makeover Awards close on Friday, June 26, 2009.

Run by popular women’s networking organisation, Essentially for Women, the awards are designed to provide hope, motivation and inspiration to Australian women facing difficult economic times. read more

Give Your Kids a Hug! A sustainable, chemical-free hug!

New to Australian in June 09 Bamboo LegHuggers are going keep Australian babies warm and snuggled in the coming months.

Designed perfectly to fit over baby's legs, Bamboo LegHuggers provide warmth from the elements and an added layer under dresses or over short pants. No more baggy tights or socks that fall off, these stay on and are always comfortable. read more

Chewing Gum Curbs Sweet Tooth

New Study Finds Chewing Gum Helps Reduce Cravings for Sweet Snacks and Lowers Kilojoule Intake As Australians continue to battle the bulge, new research confirms that chewing sugar free gum significantly suppresses sweet snack cravings and helps curb kilojoule intake.

The study, presented at the recent American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2009 shows that people who chew gum after a meal significantly reduced their desire to eat sweet snacks compared to those who did not chew. read more

Finally a portable steriliser that fits in your bag!

Nobody likes to see their baby sick. A pacifier is a common breeding ground and transporter of harmful germs.

The number of bacteria on dirty bottle nipples and pacifiers is far greater than on toys and general household goods. Help prevent these little nasties from harming your precious little ones by using the worlds first purpose built portable pacifier sterilizer - Pipila. read more

Engage and invigorate baby's senses with the new Fisher-Price® 2009 Nursery Range

Fisher-Price®, the brand that’s better for baby, and better for Mum, presents the new additions to the most trusted name in Nursery products. The 2009 range includes the gorgeous Precious Planet™ collection that celebrates the magic and wonder of the world’s baby animals; the chic designer Baby Studio baby gear collection; the innovative and highly practical Fisher-Price® 3-in-1 High Chair to Booster that grows with your baby; and the Fisher-Price® Remote Control Musical Monitor incorporating digital technology and remote control activation. read more

Good things come in little packages - Little Nest

We’ve all seen it. An amazing house lovingly filled with everything fabulous and stylish. Then, in the middle of that inspired space – a sparkly cartoon character mini sofa, with matching plastic table and chairs set. It is always a disappointment.

We had a thought. Wouldn’t it be perfect if there were an Eames lounge or Egg chair for the kids? It didn’t exist - but the idea was too hard to resist, and we began our mission to make chic furnishings for our little ones. read more

The best of breast and bottle - Closer to Nature range has a new look and a new bottle

The award winning Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature range has re-launched with a new look! Now with dramatic new packaging to ensure instant stand-out, mums can easily find the right bottle, teat or breastfeeding accessory to suit all their feeding needs.

And to mark this change, Tommee Tippee has introduced Australia’s favourite bottle, with all the same cutting-edge design and features, in a higher capacity 340ml bottle – especially designed for hungry bubs! read more

Pop up blocks, jungle friends and musical keys! The new Fisher-Price® 2009 Infant Range has it all..

Fisher-Price®, the experts in child development through play, proudly present the new range releases in Infant toys for 2009. Stack ’n Surprise™ Blocks is a contemporary new and innovative take on classic block play with characters hiding in every block! There’s new additions to the iconic Brilliant Basics™ classic play range; fresh sights, sounds and characters in Laugh & Learn™; and more adorable and exotic creatures in the Amazing Animals™ range.

The Fisher-Price® Infant range specialises in developmental toys for babies aged between 0 and 18 months. read more

Build your own Nursery Package online at Australia’s Lowest cost baby store!

Bubs n Grubs has announced a new way to put together your new nursery package which is customised to your specific requirements on-line which is easier and faster than the old way of visiting your baby store or sending emails.

New parents no longer need to email a baby shop and wait sometimes several days to a week to get a response with their list of items why wish to buy. Bubs n Grubs has released their BYO (Build your own) package deals. read more

WithoutSurgery Gets Real About Cellulite

WithoutSurgery.com.au, an online community for consumers interested in non–invasive cosmetic procedures, launched this week, with cellulite solution Lipomassage by Endermologie® the first non-invasive treatment championed by the site. WithoutSurgery is lead by Suzie Clifton and Natice Fairburn, both beauty industry veterans who have said, enough is enough, time for Australian women to get real about beauty treatments and cellulite in particular.

Natice Fairburn, General Manager, WithoutSurgery said, “...We want to explode the myths around cellulite and cellulite treatments and show real women, with real cellulite a real, honest solution to a problem almost every Australian woman faces.” read more

Belly Art Baby Inkless Print Kit

Choosing the ideal gift for new parents has never been easier due to the recent launch of Belly Art's innovative Baby Inkless Print Kit.

The Inkless Print Kit is simply “miraculous” just wipe the child’s foot or hand with the inkless wipe, press onto the magic paper and hey presto, a perfect print appears, no mess, no fuss and no tears! Baby stays clean and dry while every adorable wrinkle and line is captured forever. read more

Rafferty's Garden appoints leading dietitian

Premium baby food range, Rafferty's Garden, has appointed leading dietitian Karen Kingham as its new nutrition spokesperson. A dietitian for more than 15 years and a nutrition writer for the past nine, Kingham is passionate about sharing her knowledge to help people enjoy the healthy benefits of great-tasting food.

All of Rafferty's products have been developed following strict nutritional guidelines. Kingham will be advising Rafferty's Garden on how the latest research has an impact on food for babies and toddlers, as well as ensuring that new products in the Rafferty's range meet Rafferty's high standards. read more

The Wiggles new interactive virtual world for preschoolers - www.wiggletime.com

Website created providing preschoolers worldwide with internet access in a safe, educational and advertisement-free online environment. The world’s premier children’s entertainment group The Wiggles has officially launched its first interactive website WiggleTime.com.

Created for preschoolers and their parents, the website is a virtual world providing a safe online environment to learn and play. It doubles as an educational resource centre for parents to monitor their child’s development and keep up to date with parenting news. read more

Mess-free Meals for little tackers!

Baby Sticky Bowl™ is an ingenious device invented by Australian Chef, Mauro Felici. It has been designed to stick children’s feeding bowls to the surface of their high chair or table top, making it easier for little people to feed themselves. Baby Sticky Bowl™ not only gives children the confidence to feed themselves, but also makes meal times less messy. When the bowl of food is secured, your little angel can’t drop it on the floor or throw it across the room! read more

Help the Environment with a makeUwell WaterWell

makeUwell WaterWell is reusable and 100% recyclable made using lightweight stainless steel which is environmentally friendly and an ideal substitute to plastic bottles and BPA FREE.

makeUwell WaterWells have been designed to enable you to respect the environment, allowing you NOT to use plastic bottles to hold your liquids. Made with high-quality 18/8 stainless steel more commonly know as 304 food-grade stainless steel. read more

The future of baby monitors is here

Take the worry out of monitoring your baby and give yourself permission to relax with the Safety 1st High-Def Digital Monitor. Using Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) technology, the monitor provides a crystal clear sound with no interference up to 1600 feet so you can immediately tell the difference between a sigh and a whimper.

The Safety 1st High-Def Digital Monitor guarantees your privacy and security by using the 1.9GHz radio band reserved for DECT frequency so the rest of the street won’t be listening to you and your baby. read more

Mokopuna – A Child in Sheep's Clothing

Metro Mum is proud to announce the arrival of the Mokopuna Merino Wool Cocoono this winter. Luxurious sleepwear for baby!

The Mokopuna Cocoono is the perfect solution when out and about, it can be used in bed, buggy or car seat. The cocoono is designed to be used in place of blankets. The merino fibre breathes and insulates, keeping baby’s temperature constant, preventing overheating. read more

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite

Ever woken up with a runny nose, itchy watery eyes, or a skin disorder you could not explain? You might be like the millions of Australians suffering each year from an allergic reaction to dust mites. Those microscopic relatives of spiders thrive inside our pillows, quilts and mattresses, feeding on the skin flakes we constantly shed. Their allergenic faecal pellets are so small that they get easily airborne and – when inhaled - can cause symptoms associated with an allergic reaction or even an asthma attack. read more

Loosen Up With Weleda Arnica Massage Oil

Weleda are launching their new Arnica Massage Oil during the coming winter. Perfect for women after birth, it helps to restore tired, aching muscles before and after physical activity. This preferred choice of massage therapists throughout the world is formulated with rejuvenating organic arnica extract and organic birch leaf extract in a warming base of sunflower and olive oils and essential oils.

Arnica Massage Oil can help with muscle aches and pain, bruising, sports injuries and backache. Whether you are a serious athlete or enjoy an active lifestyle, looking after your muscles by massaging with Arnica Massage Oil before and after training and exercise can help avoid injury. read more

Less mess at toddler mealtime

The task of teaching a toddler to self-feed has become speedier and less messy with the launch into Australia of a new plate barrier which fits to a child’s plate and prevents spills. My Plate-Mate is designed to stop food ending up on the floor and givestoddlers more opportunity to learn to eat solids by themselves and use utensils properly.

My Plate-Mate is a flexible barrier that clicks onto a child-sized plate, stopping food from falling off the side. read more

Splish-splash! Having a bath has never been so much fun

Break a boring winter bathtime routine with Tommee Tippee’s exciting range of bath toys that make baby’s time in the bath a fun and enjoyable experience. Your baby will love playing in the warm sudsy bubbles with their new friends – Caterpillar Spiller, Bath Squirters and the sea creature Bath Appliques.

Bathtime is a great opportunity to help nurture your baby’s development by creating a stimulating environment where lots of opportunities are provided for touching and holding objects. Your baby can develop early sensory skills by playing and interacting with bath toys that are designed to be educational and entertaining. And what better way to learn and interact than with Tommee Tippee’s great range of bath toys? read more

Forever Barbie - Celebrating 50 Years of a Pop Culture Icon

Exhibition in Melbourne - June 26th – July 12th 2009
No matter where you go, the mere mention of Barbie™ elicits a reaction. People are passionate, persuasive, and just plain personal about their Barbie story. How could one doll create such a response? Barbie is more than a doll she is a major part of pop culture!
To coincide with Barbie’s 50 th Anniversary, Federation Square in Melbourne will host an exhibition celebrating Barbie’s past, present and future. The Forever Barbie exhibition will immerse visitors in every aspect of Barbie’s illustrious life over the past 50 years as well as give an insight into the future of the world’s most loved fashion doll! read more

Situation vs Determination: Affordable maternity wear thanks to a child with special needs

One mother's determination has created an affordable maternity store to allow her to give her Autistic son the best of care.

Patrick is 4 and has been diagnosed with ASD (High Functioning Autism). To enable him to start school in 2010, he requires upto 20 hours of early intervention services per week. With so much time taken up with appointments, mum, Kath Shipham, was faced with the reality of caring for a special needs child and no longer being able to work full time. read more

Be one of the first in Australia to trial EA SPORTS Active - Personal Trainer: a virtual personal trainer for your living room!

Calling all busy women! Don't miss the chance to experience the EA Sports Active Challenge! Be one of the first to try EA SPORTS Active – Personal Trainer, a revolutionary new interactive workout program, designed for the Nintendo Wii.

The EA Sports Active Challenge is happening at Westfield malls across NSW during June 2009. Consumers are invited to try the product, take part in fun calorie-burning sessions and discover first-hand the real and tangible benefits of this innovative new home fitness tool. read more

Nickelodeon Gotta Have it! Guide 2009

Nickelodeon gives you the first look at the toys that are going to be the top picks for kids in 2009!

Dora the Explorers Musical Adventure - Dora the Explorer’s first range of musical instruments aims to inspire a passion for music in children between the ages of 2 to 7 years old.

Go, Diego, Go! Role Play Rescue Centre - Go, Diego, Go!, Dora’s animal loving cousin, has inspired an imaginative role play set encouraging children to learn about animals, with everything a young vet needs to become an animal rescuer.

A new generation gets a soft spot for the Sponge - SpongeBob SquarePants, the iconic cartoon character, has been experiencing a resurgence in popularity with a whole new generation of kids, since his return to TV! read more

Winter warmers at Centennial Parklands – activities for kids and adults alike

Winter doesn’t have to mean staying indoors, especially with a host of new activities available at Centennial Parklands (Sydney) that will amuse and enthuse visitors of all ages. Adults can book into cycling, art and photography classes, Busby’s Bore Walk, Birdwatcher’s Breakfast, a Tree Tour and the popular Spotlight Prowls which are fun for the whole family; or bundle up the kids in their coats and beanies for affordable fun in the park where kids can play and learn in a safe outdoor environment.

See Full Winter 2009 Centennial Park Sydney Activity List! read more