Introducing Gypsy Peru Arnaud-Gower

Here is my gorgeous girl Gypsy
Born on October 11, 2008
along with my other darling,
her big sister Sequoia

Travel bug

I think she inherited her wanderlust from me...

My Little Gypsy

Sequoia's travel album

These are some snapshots from our trips to Laos, Vietnam and California. Sequoia is such a great travelling buddy - we always have a great time exploring new places together!

She loves meeting kids who come from different cultures, and she's always so keen to wear the traditional clothes, especially when we were in Laos and Vietnam.

TOP TEN TRAVEL TIPS

To help educate my daughter, Sequoia, about different cultures and customs, I have taken her to locations like Laos, Vietnam and Bali – not an easy feat considering my partner was working thousands of miles away! So here are my top ten travel tips:

1. Travel DVD player with an assortment of movies and some kids music CD’s (such as Putamayo Kids Latin) for playtime in hotel rooms.

2. A special drawing book and a new pack of pens, pencils, stamps etc. Make it a kit that is special for the trip. The activity packs are good!

3. Their own little backpack for carrying water and their 'travel essentials' Sequoia's essential item in Laos was a baby doll and a pretend medical kit.

4. Health checks - Always good to do a little visit to your GP as son as a trip is booked to check on vaccinations required for that particular country, boosters needed in general, and that the little one is in tip top shape for travel. I always take a good quality multivitamin for kids and a child-friendly bifidus powder to help strengthen her stomach against foreign bugs.

5. A camera for them to use – I gave Sequoia an old digital camera to use on a trip that she loves; an old phone camera is also a cheap option.

6. A fully stocked medical kit containing pain relievers, antiseptic, anti-diarrhoea, thermometer, cough medicine and so on. I also like to have a few natural remedies such as homeopathic for fever, gastro and stress, such as rescue remedy. I tend to go a bit overboard on trips with this medical kit, but I figure if I have it all I will more than likely not need any of it – a theory that has worked so far!

7. Good assortment of clothes for all weather conditions and unforeseen accidents. Especially useful are the light muslin, kaftan style shirts that provide great sun protection and cover arms to deter mosquitoes. They take up virtually no space in a suitcase, and wash and dried easily in your hotel room.

8. Patience - Remember just as you may have jetlag and are tired, so are they. Try and get some early nights sleep in on the first few nights to give you the energy and patience needed for the days to come with your young one.

9. Make a wristband with your child’s name and all the hotel contact details on it. Alternatively, write in permanent marker your child’s name and the hotel’s number, just in case. It is always a great idea to put the hotel’s business card in their bag as a back up measure.

10. Passport and Visa check. Children's passports only last for five years, so ensure there is six months still to go before it expires and all relevant visas are obtained for your child prior to departure.

Happy travelling!

Eco-friendly toys for children

With climate change at the top of global agendas and environmental awareness on the lips of everyday consumers, Little Gypsies is fast becoming known for its range of eco-friendly, globally sourced kids clothes, toys, games, and bedroom accessories.

What is ‘eco-friendly’, you ask? It’s the term that refers to products that have been made with minimal impact on the environment, which often feature natural dyes, plantation timber and recycled materials.

Our promise is that each piece in our collection must meet one or more of the following standards: Eco-friendly, Educational, Charitable, Traditional, Collectible, Ethical and Fair Trade. These seven ‘core values’ are what we here at Little Gypsies see as crucial for the selection process when looking for items to add to each collection.

Like true gypsies, our wanderlust has led us to exotic locations like Laos, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Africa, Russia, Vietnam and Australia, all in search of traditional pieces that capture the essence of each culture. Our unique collection includes educational toys and games, decorative room pieces, and hand-made clothes and jewellery.

IT’S EASY BEING GREEN

A growing number of parents are turning to eco-friendly products to ensure their kids don’t come in to contact with chemical hazards like lead-based paints and asbestos tainted toys.

That’s why Little Gypsies’ eco-friendly toys and musical instruments are free from toxic materials. In fact, the majority are hand made using traditional techniques that have been used for generations.

For example, our quality Australian made, Mellow Sounding Drums are made from recycled materials, synthetic skins, plantation timber and 100% cotton. Each drum has a soft, mellow sound and entertains kids for hours on end.

Many of the fabrics used in our clothing and bedding lines employ natural dyes and environmentally friendly production methods, while our conservation-themed notebooks are constructed from 100% recycled paper.

The colours used in our striking Indian Block Prints are derived from nature – indigo, turmeric, madder root, iron and red mud – and then traditionally printed by stamping hand carved blocks on to fabric by a certified, Fair Trade family business.

Little Gypsies likes to encourage its customers to buy intelligently and responsibly by choosing quality products that last for more than one generation. Swapping mass-produced, disposable products for high quality, hand made versions means less landfill and, hopefully, more appreciation between kids and their toys.

To check out our range of eco-friendly kids clothes, toys, musical instruments, and educational games, please visit us at www.littlegypsies.com