what do you look for when shopping for your child?

Not sure if this is the answer your after, if not let me know and ill try again!

with toys i like something that i know has a few levels of play, so for example lola is having the little people palace for xmas, now she will enjoy the little people, then she may discover the music bits then she will use it as a dolls house, iyswim.

And also they need to look like they will last as in made well! I tend to stick with good brands, mellisa and dougs a huge fave, manhattan toy, pin toy, fisherprice, little tikes and so on!

Clothes i like bright colours, nice soft material that isnt thin, jack atm its nice jeans that arent plain and boring and character tops. Lola i like skirts and tops that match tights. Long sleeve tshirt tops and nice zip up tops are hard to come by at the moment!

Im a serial shopper, i spend a lot of time finding the exact right thing before ill part with cash.  And i can honestly say ive never brought anything for the children and felt I have wasted money!

hi susan,

i will always look for cheap and durable! because my son who is going to be 2 now, had broked most of the toys before his sister could use. I cant be ask to buy expensive toy. The toy I look must look durable and bright colour.

hope this will help!

 eileen

With  baby equipment reasonable price,well made.Not easily broken.Got to be easy to clean and safe too.Paid a lot of money for a Bruin highchair little over a year ago.It's failed on all those things,and I thought I'd done all the checking in the shop.That's something else,if it's a big purchase it's nice to get a good look and a play in the shop so you know what you're getting.

Toys again safety,durable,easy to clean.I expect toys to last years not weeks.I have plenty still going strong after ten years use.

Clothes need to fit well,if possible be adjustable,children come in all shapes.Just bought two pairs of trousers for Matilda from M&S,not adjustable too loose and she's a fatty.Adjustable elastic waists a godsend.Must feel nice,wash well(tumble dry too,we live in England it rains lots), and I like bright colours,hate silly unnecessary frills and overly trendy stuff.There's a time for that.Practical,comfy and looks nice.Durable too.Coats that wash in your machine and again tumble.I'm a bit of a fabric freak,I go around the shop feeling them,just can't do too synthetic,got to be soft.Price is some consideration but I don't do cheap anymore,learnt my lesson there.I don't go for brand names ,somewhere in the middle.Must confess to buying Jasper Conran coat for Matilda,but only cos it ticked all the boxes,and it wasn't too pricey.

I'm another shopping addict,but I do a lot of it on line,so I tend to stick to shops I know cos I know they'll be the quality I want.I'm a huge fan of Next and they're always my first port of call for clothes.

Thanks everyone for your help so far...yes this is exactly what I'm looking for. The reason behind my questions is that I am hoping to open a shop in county Antrim next year...which sells EVERYTHING you could possibly ever need from maternity right through to pre-school or slightly beyond.

So again thanks

Oh yes the trousers with the adjustable waists, i cannot buy any other kind for the kids!

On another note, we have a lovely independant shop that does children stuff of all kinds, alot of its the posh stuff, but i love it so much in there because they take time to say hello and chat and help as much as possible and they love the children having a play, Jack loves it in there, and we are on a first name basis (plus i occasionally get discount)

this my dear is my kind of shop!!! I am a firm believer in the customer is what your business is.... if your happy i'm happy!!! thanks..

girls once again you are fantastic!!

can i ask another question...if you were shopping how much would you appreciate a coffee shop in the same place to rest your weary feet????

very much so!!!

I love it at kiddicare that i can shop shop shop and then give the kids a snack while i enjoy a drink and cake while they play with some toys (that i often end up buying because they enjoyed them so much!)

Also gets parents to try out highchairs etc if you have space! x

you share my vision girl... thanks

thanks Laura i do value your opinions...

The best baby facilities I've used was a room where you could sit and comfortably feed your baby,and your toddler could play without escaping.There were also little tables where your toddler could eat ,and microwaves to warm up baby food.

Children's height toilets and sinks,probably a step would work too, are also helpful.I hate lifting them to wash hands and their jumper/coats getting wet

Yes the online option would be good too,as Audrey said.I shop a lot online.I was up till 1.00 this morning doing just that.I think we're a little way from County Antrim,and we're getting all excited about this shop now.

This is getting to Pie In The Sky now but what about a screen for children's TV?

Can the play area be not exactly a playpen but maybe a little friendly looking fence so you know the children can't escape while you're looking at something,but not so they think they've been put in a pen sort of thing.

Did wonder if you have a good baby change/feeding areas you'll probably get people through the door for that alone,if you're in a shopping area.There's no telling what people  like me buy they didn't intend to just because they saw it in the shop.

There's a baby shop in our High Street where you pay a deposit and an item is put away for you so you can pay over a period of time.That's how my Mum bought our first pram.