How do you order Starlink?

I ordered our Starlink Kit direct from Starlink – this made the most sense to me for back up and service. The best news is, I have a discount link for one month free Starlink service for both you and me – that’s worth from $139 AUD each!

Use this link to get one month of Starlink free!

For new Starlink customers only buying a Starlink Kit from our referral code above. When the Starlink service is activated, 30 days later both you and I will receive a credit for one month of free Starlink standard Residential or Roam subscriptions.

Why should I get Starlink in Australia?

If you are having any internet service or speed issues, Starlink may just be your saviour like it was for us! Starlink completely changed our home internet for good.

Living in country NSW, we had always struggled to get reliable internet service. I tried every type of government satellite service going – my roof is the testament to just how many!

I tried modems from lots of companies including Optus and Telstra and was assured that I had tried everything possible. Our bad service was always explained to us that we were in a “bad service area”, despite the fact we were just a couple of minutes from a major highway in the countryside located in between two major cities. Nothing – and I mean nothing – reliably worked in decades.

Our country NSW internet continually dropped out

The internet was a constant struggle. The kids could be on the internet so I couldn’t be. School work was often difficult. The internet would just drop out – sometimes for days! We couldn’t stream movies, the kids couldn’t game at the same time – or at all.

For the last few years I tried buying the best Telstra mobile plan money could buy to use the personal hotspot, but even this was useless for us.

By the time I started to hear about Starlink, I was desperate – and a little skeptical – this would probably fail, just like Australia’s best telecommunication companies had…thankfully, I was very wrong. Starlink was our internet saviour!

Use this link to get one month of Starlink free!

For new Starlink customers only buying a Starlink Kit from our referral code above. When the Starlink service is activated, 30 days later both you and I will receive a credit for one month of free Starlink standard Residential or Roam subscriptions.

Does Starlink work in NSW country areas?

Starlink works amazingly for us – and we live in the countryside in NSW. I couldn’t believe that from the moment we switched our Starlink on, it worked! We all tried it and stared at each other in disbelief – everything online was working at the same time – rocket fast!

Now I can stream my favourite tv shows and both my teenagers can game on multiple devices and video chat with their friends. No more frustration! And what’s more, it hasn’t stopped for the entire six months we’ve had Starlink switched on! Starlink WORKS!

How do you install Starlink?

Here is my simple video showing you how I installed our Starlink Kit. I received it quickly, unpacked it, clicked it all together, pointed it to the sky in a paddock and plugged it in! Done!

Have a question? Drop a comment below because I love answering questions! I’d also love to hear about your own Starlink experiences in the comments below!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support! Prices are correct as of August 2024 – always check with the Starlink website for the most recent prices and conditions.

The post Starlink Australia NSW home review – plus a one month free discount link! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Dealing with the family wash on the road when you’re caravanning with kids is never easy, but I think I’ve finally got it sorted so that I can get our clothes clean AND not spend endless wasted hours serving time at the local or caravan laundry!

I bought my Sphere upright mini washing machine over two years ago now, and it’s been a real game-changer. Especially since I’ve had it installed inside my caravan.

No time to read? Watch our Adria 552pk Sphere washing machine review here.

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here 

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

No more launderettes on holiday

My pet hate when on holidays is wasting time at launderettes – even laundries in caravan parks. And if we are caravanning at a showground without a laundry, then I have to drive off to find a launderette and spend a couple of mundane hours washing and drying our laundry away from camp, or driving backwards and forwards. It’s all such a waste of what should be fun or relaxing time whilst I’m on holidays with my family.

Sure, with a washing machine at our camp site I’m still doing the laundry, but at least I’m with my family and can relax. I can have a cup of coffee and spend my time in my caravan in comfort – not at a launderette with strangers!

Having a washing machine in your caravan can save money

Launderettes, whether town laundries or caravan laundries are often expensive – and it adds up! I found that on average I was spending between $10 to $20 dollars a week in launderettes on coin washers and dryers. Plus you always need change on hand.

Service washes can save time and trouble, but of course they cost even more.

To justify the cost of the Sphere 3.3kg automatic washing machine (about $350 and later an extra $400 to have it fitted) I decided that the machine would eventually pay for itself – and certainly even on holidays, time is money too! I’ve also seen much more expensive machines in caravans that do far smaller loads, so the Sphere does represent very good value for money. The con being that the Sphere does take up more room in your caravan, as it does have a larger capacity.

Then I bought our Sphere 3.3kg washing machine

At first I carted our Sphere washing machine around caravan parks with us, strapped on the inside of the caravan during transit and then installing it under our awning when we arrived.

This was still a big improvement on using launderettes, but it was a pain to lift in and out of the caravan. Then it needed to be hooked up to a hose manually to use, depriving the caravan of water when it was washing.

It also added to set-up time when we arrived at a holiday park – when you really just want to get down to the serious business of doing nothing!

Getting our caravan washing machine fitted

Recently I had the Sphere washing machine fully installed into our Adria 552pk 2017 caravan by a Sydney Adria caravan service centre. It cost around $400 to have it fitted. Having the washing machine fitted into the caravan has made it even easier to use the machine to do the family washing when we are away from home on holidays, or road tripping! Now it’s just a matter of switching it on and turning a tap – perfect!

My Sphere washing machine review

The Sphere 3.3kg mini washing machine looks fragile. It’s plastic on the outside, and reasonably lightweight for it’s size compared to full-sized washing machines, coming in at just under 19kgs. But this little machine gives a lot of grunt for it’s size and price – plus is far tougher than it looks! Take a closer look at this washing machine on the Kogan website here.

Is it big enough to do a family wash?

Our Sphere washing machine is a 3.3kg. I have seen smaller and larger models, but I’m very happy with this small but adequate size.

I have a small single parent family – just me and the two girls, and this machine does a couple of days (summer) outfits, underwear and pyjamas in one load. Or a bed sheet and some undies. Or a small blanket. So it’s a matter of doing a small wash every couple of days and pegging them out on our little portable washing line. Any big bedding gets done at home after our holiday.

You can see a normal sized wash in my Sphere video review here.

How do you use a Sphere 3.3kg washing machine?

My Sphere machine is a full cycle automatic washing machine. It fills, washes, rinses, empties and spins the clothes ready for hanging – and then auto turns off . All just like a normal, large washing machine. It’s just a smaller load.

The full load cycle including rinses goes for 38 minutes. This washing machine also plays musical cues at you – just like the big brand washing machines, including when you turn it on and when the washing cycle completes. There are options for the size of the wash, the wash cycle only, rapid cycles and spin only. See our video for the timings of each option as I go through the buttons!

How do you dry the clothes when camping, especially in wet weather?

The Sphere washing machine’s spin cycle is very effective. It does get the thumps if the clothing gets off balance by not being distributed evenly, so you do need to pause the spin cycle and rearrange the clothing inside before restarting it. It does auto shut off when it gets off balance.

The spin function gets the clothes drip-free. When the wash is finished I just peg the clothes onto our portable washing line and they air dry quickly. In wet weather I hang the clothes under our caravan awning.

What clothes washing method works best for off grid camping?

When you’re camping off grid, water – and power – can be precious commodities. Automatic washing machines become more of a liability.

Can you use the Sphere washing machine free camping?

If you are planning to do more free camping than show ground or holiday park camping, I wouldn’t recommend getting an automatic washing machine. Due to their power and high water usage, automatic washing machines aren’t ideal for off-grid washing. Particularly on full cycle a lot of water is used,

If you do intend to use a Sphere (or any) automatic washing machine off grid you’ll need to conserve and manage both water and power.

As the Sphere runs on mains power – 240v – you’ll need to have an invertor or generator to power it (We have a 1000w invertor with lithium batteries, but I haven’t used it to power the Sphere).

To conserve power and water, the Sphere does have the option of running smaller loads and shorter cycles.

I would recommend that to conserve water you use the rapid wash option or wash cycle only and skip the washing powder. Alternatively use woolwash instead of washing powder so that you don’t need to rinse the clothes. Another consideration might be using recycled water from the shower to wash the clothes, and/or recycling the water from the wash for other uses.

Off grid bucket washing & spin buckets

Off grid, better alternatives may be as simple as doing your washing by hand the old fashioned way in a bucket, or by using a hand-cranked spinning or rotating bucket (available to purchase from camping stores) to save water.

Tip for washing the clothes when doing the lap

I’ve read on Facebook caravan forums that one of the simplest forms of washing clothes when on the road or doing the lap is to use an ordinary bucket with a lid! Pop your clothes and woolwash in, chock the bucket well so that it can’t fall over, and then let the motion of your driving to your next destination slosh your clothes around in the bucket – when you get to your destination, just wring the clothes out and hang them up!

Why I chose a Sphere over other caravan washing machines

We do show ground or caravan park camping with some free camping. So we usually have power and water.

Bucket washing machines need to be filled by hand, and often need to be worked by hand too – such as a hand-cranked or spinning bucket. Then you need to wring the clothes out by hand too. So whilst they can be great for off-grid camping, they are a lot of unnecessary work at a caravan park where you have already paid for power and mains water.

The smaller or cheaper automatic washing machines that you sometimes see at Aldi or camping stores can be hard work too. Machines with twin tubs may require you manually fill them with water, and then to refill them to rinse, and/or move the clothes from one tub to the other to rinse or spin, or wring out by hand.

The Sphere does it all – put the clothes and powder in – the machine washes, rinses and spins them – then you get the clothes out at the end and hang them – done! It offers much of the home washing machine or launderette convenience whilst you are caravanning.

Test run and still using it

I love my Sphere washing machine. I feel like buying my Sphere was a sound financial decision, and it has definitely freed me up a lot at caravan holiday parks now. Holiday time is expensive and family time is precious – I don’t want to waste any more time than I need to doing daily chores like washing the clothes!

Two years later it’s still not missing a beat, and I can very happily recommend this caravan washing machine to you!

Where can I buy a Sphere caravan washing machine in Australia?

You can buy a Sphere 3.3kg here at the official Kogan website with free postage (this was the cheapest Sphere washing machine online I could find, even without the free postage – I priced postage/freight at around $80 Australian dollars extra from several other websites with exactly the same washing machine). This is an affiliate link, which means if you buy a machine I will receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

The Sphere washing machine at a glance:

Pros:

• Does a reasonably sized family holiday wash
• Fully automatic and easy to use
• Great washing results
• Cheap to buy and readily available automatic caravan washing machine
• Reliable, good quality, travels well and long-lived

Cons:

• Uses a lot of water
• Needs supervision during spin cycle if clothes become unbalanced (but does eventually auto shut off)
• Not as suitable for off grid camping due to water and power usage
• Uses a larger space inside caravan

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

The post Adria 552pk caravan – Sphere washing machine review & installation appeared first on Let's go Mum.

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

Capital Cities Book

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book contribution!

The Capital Cities Travel book is a brand new 258 page hard cover travel book – perfect as a gift, or for your own coffee table!

This gorgeous book is a collaboration between 68 travel writers. It features an around the world snapshot of 118 capital cities through a series of breathtaking photographs. Highlights include the architecture, history, culture and of course beauty of these amazing destinations, along with a short story from each.  Every continent is included – even Antarctica!

Written by travel bloggers from around the world

A huge project that has take two years to come together, this world-travel book is the culminative result of some of the most experienced travel bloggers in the world who want to show you some of their favourite destinations – and why you should go there!

Canberra is the best city in Australia

My book feature is the only Australian one – and the best city in Australia in my not so humble opinion – my local stomping grounds of beautiful Canberra in the ACT, Australia.

Canberra is a city I have slowly but surely developed a deep love affair with over the past 30 years. It’s an amazing city with a wonderful, safe and welcoming culture all of it’s own. A city where you’ll find beautiful architectural and natural mountain vistas in every direction – and as any Ken Behren will tell you, even more beautiful people!

With so much to choose from, I settled on the spectacular – and beloved – Lake Burley Griffin as my photographic contribution to the book.

The perfect gift

Give this book as a treasured and inspiring gift, or keep it for yourself. This is the ultimate travel wish-list, and will have you reminiscing fondly – or even jumping on an airline booking website quicker than you can say, “I need more beauty and adventure in my life!”

Use my exclusive discount promo code for 10% off!

I’m so pleased to tell you that I have a discount code for you to use! Pre-order your copy of Capital Cities and use the discount code “LETSGOMUM” for 10% off your order at checkout!

Go to the official website here to pre-order your copy now!

Your purchase helps support my small business as well as 68 of your favorite travel creators who receive a royalty on every book sold. Thank you so much for your support, and I really hope you love your new Capital Cities travel book!

Pin it on Pinterest!

The post The Capital Cities Coffee Table Book – my exciting new travel blogger collaboration! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Canberra’s FIRST LEGO® Certified Store is now open at the Canberra Centre!

We were so excited to be invited to take a special media preview look at the new store, and we certainly weren’t disappointed!

Parents, prepare to empty your wallet into the cash register, because your children (and you!) are going to love so much in this store!

Today is the grand opening day, and we’ve already heard that people are queued up to get in!

Watch our video tour of the new Canberra LEGO store!

No time to read? Watch our video tour of the first ever Canberra LEGO shop

LEGO® collectors of Canberra – rejoice!

One thing is for sure about LEGO® – it isn’t just for kids – there’s a lot of adult LEGO enthusiasts and collectors out there! And yep, my family are LEGO lovers from way back! We were lucky enough to be invited to do a Visit California famil trip last year and were hosted at LEGOLAND California and got to stay in the LEGOLAND Castle hotel. And of course we’ve been to the wonderful LEGOLAND Melbourne too. We are also avid watchers of LEGO Masters. So you can bet we were super-eager to see the new LEGO store in Canberra – our local stomping ground!

All LEGO fans are catered to in the new Canberra store, as there are some incredibly technical and huge LEGO® sets here on offer. From Star Wars ships to a massive Disney Castle, there’s a lot to unpack here!

Everywhere you wander, LEGO® staff are on hand to help you out with questions and information about the different sets on offer.

Fun LEGO® statues and installations in-store

Not just any ordinary toy shop, the new Canberra LEGO Store encourages interaction and hands-on fun!

Kangaroo Selfie LEGO Girl

The first thing that you notice when you enter the new LEGO store in Canberra is the huge Kangaroo and LEGO girl taking a selfie together.

This fabulous construction was made by Ryan McNought (AKA “The Brickman”), with 87,173 lego bricks and took 394 hours!

The Kangaroo Selfie Girl is an awesome spot to “do it for the gram” and get an Instagram selfie right along with them – we had to do this immediately of course – so fun!

There are lots of LEGO installations scattered around this large new store – it’s a real adventure just to wander around!

Brickman Black Mountain Tower Canberra Mosaic

Not to be missed is the incredible mosaic covering a pillar towards the rear of the store. Also built by The Brickman Ryan McNought, this beautiful LEGO mosaic was inspired by a photograph taken by local artist Erna Glassford.

The artwork features Black Mountain Tower surrounded by hot air balloons drifting over from Lake Burley Griffin. It’s such an iconic Canberra image art work!

Interactive Digital Box screen

An interactive Digital Box screen is installed on one wall which allows users to stand on a feet-sticker on the floor to make LEGO® sets come to life!

LEGO® Play Table

There’s a fun play table for the kids to build their own dream DUPLO designs in-store! With a huge range of DUPLO sets available in the new store, this larger, easier to use LEGO for smaller hands makes the perfect gift for toddlers and preschoolers.

It’s here also that you’ll find the popular LEGO City and Ninjago sets, with the huge LEGO Friends range just a few steps away in the next section.

Build a Minifigure™ Station

Yes LEGO fans, you can even build your own LEGO Minifigure here with a special minifig station!

Put together your very own LEGO mini figure creation. Choose a head, hair, top and bottom, and add your favourite accessories of course! It doesn’t get much more LEGO fun than that! Build three minifigures for $19.99.

A LEGO® Pick a Brick Wall

The new LEGO® Canberra store has a huge “Create your own masterpiece” Pick a Brick Wall that looks a lot like Australian LEGO masters brick room shelves – grab a cup and get picking!

LEGO® brick engraving

You can also get LEGO Brick engraving done – I was gifted an engraved LEGO brick key ring with my name on, and I just love it! This is a great gift idea – everyone loves a personalised touch, after all!

LEGO® Christmas gift ideas

Are you looking for that special gift for someone? The new Canberra LEGO store has it! The whole store is a showroom display of pre-built LEGO sets that you can buy.

LEGO Creator sets, LEGO Technic, LEGO Architecture, LEGO Marvel Avengers, LEGO Harry Potter sets – it’s a great way to see what the set in the box actually looks like.

Here are just a few special finds we came across in-store…

New Home Alone LEGO set

There are masses of exciting LEGO® builds in the new store, and some of them are very hard-to-find sets, but one set in particular has LEGO® fans buzzing – it’s the new Home Alone LEGO set, and the Canberra Store has them in stock!

Kevin McCallister and the Wet Bandits are going crazy in this awesome idea of a LEGO set. It’s the McCallister family residence out of the popular Christmas movie Home Alone!

Surely this LEGO set is going to be in huge demand for Christmas – because who doesn’t love Home Alone?!

The LEGO Home Alone set is priced at $399.99.

LEGO Harry Potter advent calendar

We love the new LEGO advent calendar – it’s a Harry Potter LEGO Advent Calendar – how fun is that going to be each day during December, discovering a new LEGO surprise!

Be sure to check out the Harry Potter LEGO range too, with Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and more!

Star Wars Lego – R2-D2 LEGO build

Star Wars LEGO gifts are always in demand, and right now there’s a big R2-D2 LEGO set available (that is actually quite adorable!).

You’ll also find Boba Fett (from the Mandalorian) and Darth Vader mask sets, a big Republic Gunship set too.

Disneyland LEGO kits

These incredibly beautiful Disneyland-themed LEGO kits would make the perfect gift for any Disney fan!

Choose from Disney Train and Station (suits 12+yrs) and the Disney Castle (suits 16+yrs) priced at $499.99.

See the pre-built Disney Castle complete with Micky, Minnie & several other Disney characters in-store – it will leave you breathless!

A free LEGO gift

If you spend $199.99 in store, you will receive a Limited-Edition LEGO® Retail Store set FREE! This is a 500-set limited edition LEGO model, so be quick!

WIN News Canberra LEGO store story

WIN News even dropped in to do a story on the new store opening. The grand opening is big news in Canberra. You can watch the story here, and watch out for our Brooke in it too!

Where is the Canberra LEGO Store?

The Canberra Lego store is located on the ground floor level of the Canberra Centre shopping mall, which is on Bunda Street, Civic in the Canberra city centre.

The Canberra LEGO store contact phone number is – Australian Customer Care: 1300 832 843

Canberra LEGO store opening hours:

Love it? Pin it on Pinterest!

The post Canberra LEGO Store review – we got a sneak peek – watch the full video tour! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

This is one for our Aussie lap, vanlife, caravanning and motorhome trippers – plus homeschooling folk!

We’ve recently received a new map of Australia that sticks to the wall inside our caravan, and I’m totally in love it!

Our new educational “Australia Road Trip” fabric wall sticker is so elegant. For me, it has a vintage-y, retro feel about it.

The map features numerous Australian town names – not just the major cities & towns, and it includes the major highways and roads too. It’s incredibly detailed – much more than many comparable maps.

And unlike some other cheaper maps on the market, not only does it look and feel luxurious – it won’t rip paint off or damage your caravan walls.

To see what our map actually looks like in our caravan, watch our video here

This stick-up map of Australia looks gorgeous in our caravan, but would also be just as perfect for your kid’s bedroom or learning area, or even the family kitchen or lounge.

It comes in different colours (mine is pink – so gorgeous!) and sizes, plus there’s a cut-out shape option which takes up a smaller space, such as on a fridge.

Our caravan Australia road map is the 50 x 70cm size. It’s just perfect for our Adria caravan, and suits the white, clean caravan decor.

Amazingly you can remove & reuse this adhesive map of Australia over and over – so if you’re doing the lap around Australia you can move it into your home when you’re done to remind you of your trip around Australia.

If you want to store it, all you need to do is stick it back onto its backing paper – so be sure to keep in in the cardboard roll it was mailed in! Our map will always be our Aussie road tripping souvenir!

The map is made with water based inks, as they are the best for the environment and don’t release toxic fumes into your caravan or room.
You can even use permanent markers to write on it to mark your travels/draw your route and the marker doesn’t go through onto the wall

Use our exclusive Wondermade discount promo code

I’m really excited to tell you I have a 15% off discount code for you to use on the Wondermade website for 15% off of your Australia map (& almost everything else on their brilliant website, actually!). Just include the promo code   “LETSGO15” at checkout!

The post Stick on adhesive road map of Australia for caravans review appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Some of the toys included in our gift guide contain affiliate links. This in no way affects the price you pay, however we earn a small commission on any purchase you may make. 

Here is a selection of cool, trending and sometimes down-right bemusing Christmas toys that kids are loving this Christmas season – and as I hit the publish button on this list, they’re all still available for purchase and delivery before Christmas. Although I price-checked these toys, online prices do go up and down, particularly on Amazon – so you may want to price-compare first. Also, double check the postage dates for your area.

Tip – If you are 100% clueless on what to buy, here is a shortcut to a big long list of the 2018 toy best sellers on Amazon Australia)

So, without further ado, here is our Christmas toy gift guide for the stressed-out, time-poor, just plain lazy (guilty!) or forgetful parent…
Nintendo Switch – Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con – Let’s admit it – when you buy a Nintendo Switch – Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con, you’re really hoping the kids are going to give you a turn (or you can just wait until after they go to bed – problem solved!). It’s like giving yourself a present, really. Nice one! NOTE – this one just price-dropped from $399.00 to $359.10 with free postage – that’s the cheapest I’ve seen so far this Christmas! Don’t forget to buy a game or two for it too, or the kids may accuse you of buying them a brick for Christmas.

What’s better than a scooter for Christmas? Why, it’s an electric scooter for just $149. Plus we have a $10 off your cart code for you for this nifty kid-pleaser – just use “LETSGO10” at checkout at MyDeals Australia – don’t delay on ordering this one though, time is a bit tight and numbers are limited. 

Monopoly board games – how can you go wrong? It’s a hugely popular family board game – but it’s not just the classic version available anymore of course – there’s almost every theme you can think of! The big sellers this year are the Fortnite Monopoly (popular with teens) , Monopoly Classic, Monopoly Cheaters Edition (super-cheap at $20), Monopoly – Star Wars 40th Anniversary Special Edition, Monopoly Sydney and Monopoly Melbourne ($34.95 – this version even has a tram-piece in it!). 

Yellies – thank goodness these little yell-activated spiders are really cute colours, otherwise they might really creep you out! Kids basically bellow at these little toys to get them to run, so you may wish to purchase a nice set of ear plugs to go with them. You can get Yellies online from Target for just $15 each. Or, you could skip buying this one all together and just watch this music clip of Jimmy Barnes screaming for 10 hours.

Poopsie Pooey Puitoon – Yep – it’s a poop, but not just any poop, it’s a unicorn poop, and in little girl and boy world, that makes aaaaall the difference. Plus it’s full of – well, cute poop unicorn stuff, you know. You can get this one for $92.88 on Amazon, plus I saw a couple of these in store in Kmart. 

Jumanji The Game In Real Wooden Box – Okay, so this Christmas gift idea is a little bit expensive for a board game at $157.47 but come on – it’s Jumanji! You just know the kids are going to hear jungle drums beating in their head when they unwrap Jumanji The Game In Real Wooden Box ! (Or go the whole hog and completely mess with the kids heads by actually playing a jungle drums soundtrack on Christmas morning). These deluxe wooden-box versions may sell out fast, there was only 3 left at last count. 

With $10 off your cart using our discount code “LETSGO10”  AND free shipping, at $80 this Trunki kids suitcase is an awesome Christmas bargain. Trunkis keep kids happy at airports, train stations, whereever by allowing them to ride their suitcase – or just get pulled along my you. Slightly annoying to other passengers perhaps, but hey – a parents gotta do what a parents gotta do for sanity, right? You’ll find this model Trunki at MyDeal Australia – don’t forget to use the discount code LETSGO10 

Nerf – Laser Ops – Electronic Deltaburst Blaster – The Ultimate Laser Game – One for the boys and girls (okay, so maybe their parents too) to release all that inner Christmas tension on each other without breaking the china – available for $49 with free shipping from Amazon.

Best Furry Friends – these little guys are oh-so-cute tucked into their little handbags, and when you pat them on the head, they talk to you! At $36 each, they’re a great price, AND you can still get Best Furry Friends online at Target right now – win-win! 

LOL Surprise Bigger Surprise, – Go big, or go home. We’ve all seen the (okay, so slightly irritating) LOL toy ads – well this is the huge version – it’s the LOL Surprise Bigger Surprise, and don’t the kids just love this box of cutesy lil’ dolls and accessories – and it makes for a nice big pressie under the Christmas tree too. I checked about 4 different department stores to see if these were in stock and couldn’t find any left anywhere, but if you can, it’s probably worthwhile checking stores near you first. They can still get them online from Amazon for $128.81 at the moment – not many though, so be quick. 

Harry Potter Lego – Starting at just $17.60 for LEGO Harry Potter Aragog’s Lair Playset Toy, these Lego sets are perfect for any Harry Potter fans. This LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall Playset Toy is as cheap as I’ve seen anywhere at $119.20, plus there’s the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Playset Toy and LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Whumping Willow Playset Toy. 

Boxy Girls – from the bizarre world of YouTube unboxing (and yes, we are totally guilty of this too -what can I tell you? It’s fun!) comes the inspiration for a curiously compelling toy – the Boxy Girls unboxing doll! They are actually fun, cute – and who doesn’t love to open boxes? Big W have these in stock, and at the moment for the cheapest price we can find at $20 each. 

Kidizoom Duo 5.0 Camera – hugely popular and pretty hard to find right now, this is a kid-camera which comes in both pink ($91.82) and blue ($88.68)  (recommended 3-9yrs) and actually does a pretty good impression of an adult camera – front and back cameras, 5mp photos, zoom, photo effects and even some built-in games. No wonder it’s selling out all over the place. Try your luck at your local department store first, but online Amazon stock both colours with slightly differing prices (so much for gender-equality) with free postage.  

Pikmi Pop Giant Pikmi Flips – At $69 these enormous feral lollipops seem a little overpriced – but they’re just so FLUFFY and rainbow, you know you’re on a winner for most little girls and boys on this planet. They’re Giant Pikmi Flips, a curious ball of fluff which turns inside out to reveal a cute soft toy – and Kmart still has them in some stores, and available online. 

Scrabble – Aussie version – Australian Edition – Straya mate – we couldn’t end our list without yet another piece of Australiana (quite possibly made in China). It’s the Scrabble Australia Edition (there’s a picture of a Kangaroo on the front, in case there’s any doubt). This one you may like to purchase for yourself as a pat on the back for all your tireless Christmas shopping key-pressing – available for $48.42 from Amazon – enjoy! 

Some of the toys in this article contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This in no way affects the price you pay, however we earn a small commission on any purchase you may make. 

Although I price-checked these toys, online prices do go up and down, particularly on Amazon – so you may want to price-compare first. Also, double check the postage dates for your area. Whilst every attempt has been made to show toys, prices and postage times accurately, I cannot guarantee prices, presentation or availability of any item represented.

Do you recommend any of our Christmas gift-picks? Let us know which ones you’ve test-run!

The post Hot toys you can still get online in time for Christmas! Kmart, Amazon & more appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Together we chatted about independence, life as a single parent, motivation, happiness and success amongst lots of other things, which you can check out here https://www.yarratrail.com.au/trailblazers-barbara

I also had an absolute ball dressing up in some seriously gorgeous Yarra Trail outfits, getting pampered with beautiful hair and makeup, and feeling like a strong, independent queen!

You can check out some of the outfits below and on the link above.

Outfit 1: Cavalry Rib Knit Jumper $119, Classic Blue Boyfriend Jean $109

Super soft, really comfy and stylish. This is something I’d easily wear every day.

Outfit 2: Indigo Leather Jacket $449, Fjord Blue Fine Stripe Tee $89.95 & Classic Blue Boyfriend Jean $109

This leather jacket is my absolute favourite! It looked fantastic and felt even better. This will definitely be on high rotation in my autumn / winter wardrobe for years to come!

Outfit 3: Indigo Check Shirt Dress $129

I was surprised how great this one looked and felt on me! It just goes to show that with style, you should always keep an open mind 🙂

If you love these looks, you can shop them now at yarratrail.com.au (or in-store at Myer, David Jones and good boutiques across Oz).

The post Family, freedom, fearlessness (& fashion!) appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Ever since my very first solo-travel days, I have always taken a Lonely Planet guide along with me on my journeys. So when I heard that Lonely Planet also produce travel books for kids, I knew that they would be worth checking out!

The Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys book series

We received the two latest additions to the popular Lonely Planet Kids Unfolding Journeys series. “Following the Great Wall” is all about the Great Wall of China, and “Secrets of the Nile” explores Egypt along the River Nile. Other great books in this series include Amazon Adventures and Rocky Mountain Explorer.

These children’s books are big, bright and colourful – a real hit with kids. My girls Samantha and Brooke, ages 9 and 11, absolutely love their new books – and I must admit that now that I’ve taken a closer look at them, I can understand why.

Beautifully illustrated, Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys kid’s pull-out frieze books take their young reader on a magical trip of knowledge and adventure. They highlight famous destinations, including their ancient and modern sites, fascinating geographical features, plus so much more along the way.

The book pages fold out accordion-style to a 6 feet – or nearly two-metres! This means that kids read them as normal, or open the fold-out frieze to lay along the floor to read. Another option is to pin up the removable frieze as a beautiful wall display. It’s a very adaptable and engaging design, and really sparks a child’s imagination – and their desire to travel!

Even though our family has been lucky enough to have already visited the Great Wall of China, the girls now know much more about it, thanks to their Unfolding Journeys book. They are both very eager to visit Egypt now too, since reading their Secrets of the Nile volume.

The perfect road trip or flight activity idea

A brilliant boredom-buster, the attractively laid-out information is delivered in short, interesting sections by author Stewart Ross. Gorgeous illustrations feature all along the opposite side. This format works really well to help keep kid’s attention focussed, yet not overload them. This also makes these books the perfect road-trip or flight activity companion – occupying young minds with something other than mind-numbing games tablets!

They are a great reading size for children too, yet lightweight enough for kids to carry around with them. Our books have already been all over the place with us – the kids just can’t put them down!

Children will enjoy many hours of discovery and entertainment to be had within the pages of these delightful children’s books.

There’s just so much to read and absorb in Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books. Two weeks on after receiving theirs, Brooke and Samantha are still discovering new facts.

It’s really rewarding as a parent to hear my children excitedly sharing random geographic or historical facts. They are proud to show-off their new-found knowledge to anyone who will listen!

Now my girls want all the books in the Unfolding Journeys book series – and I’m enjoying that they are unknowingly learning so much, whilst being entertained at the same time.

Lonely Planet Kids Unfolding Journeys books would make a great gift for little adventurers, and are a fantastic addition to any childhood library.

Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books suit children from ages 7 and up, and retail for $24.99 each. To learn more or purchase Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books, or other books in the Lonely Planet travel book range, visit the official website here.

The Let’s Go Mum family received the Unfolding Journeys books from Lonely Planet as unsolicited gifts. We are an independently owned website, and all opinions are our own. This article may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, we will receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

What are your favourite travel books or activities to keep the children occupied on planes, trains or automobiles? Comment below!

The post Lonely Planet Kids Unfolding Journeys Books appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Plus, to celebrate the release of Ballerina, in cinemas January 12 you could win a prize pack!

A little about the movie Ballerina…

Félicie is a young orphan from Brittany with only one passion: dance. With her best friend Victor, who wants to become a great inventor, she devises a madcap plan to escape the orphanage for Paris, the City of Lights where the Eiffel Tower is still being built! Félicie will have to work like never before to surpass herself and to learn from her mistakes, to make her wildest dream come true: becoming a prima ballerina at the Paris Opera…

Ballerina dances into cinemas January 12!

Take a sneak-peek at the Ballerina movie and watch the official trailer here:

Go to the official Ballerina website for more information, activity sheets and more, here: www.ballerinamovie.com.au

Win 1 of 5 fantastic Ballerina Prize Packs!

I’m excited to tell you that Studiocanal have teamed up with Let’s go Mum! to giveaway an amazing prize-pack of Ballerina treats to five of our lucky Let’s go Mum followers!

Here’s what you could win…

1 of 5 x Ballerina movie prize packs!

Each prize pack includes:

1  x Family pass (two double passes) to the movie Ballerina*
1 x one ballet tutu
1 x ballerina necklace
1 x ballet bag

That’s a total Prize Pack value of RRP $75!
Total prize pool value: RRP $375

 What a gorgeously pink prize pack!

To enter this awesome competition, simply:

1. Facebook Like or Share this competition page

PLEASE NOTE – we do check the above step!

2. Use the form below to enter– and good luck!

Win 1 of 5 Ballerina prize packs!

*See competition terms and conditions for full ticket details and conditions.

The post Win 1 of 5 Ballerina prize packs! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Summer holidays are all about relaxing and spending quality time with loved ones but traveling when pregnant, or with little people means you have to be switched on to SAFETY needs, at all times. Here are a few key items from Dreambaby®, Australia’s leading child safety brand, to make sure you and your family have a safe trip this summer and you could win them all!

This great prize includes the Dreambaby® Bump Belt™ which helps keep seatbelts under ‘baby bumps’ as opposed to across abdomens (RRP $34.95) and the Dreambaby® No Tools, No Screws Safety Value Pack. As nothing requires screws, it’s an excellent choice when in rental accommodation. This pack includes a number of safety items from outlet plugs to help stop access to power outlets to an appliance latch for ovens and fridges ($24.95).

Also included in this prize is the Dreambaby® Stroller Fan, which, with its soft foam fins, is ideal to safely keep your baby or toddler cool. It can be attached to a pram, on the side of a playpen or even to the handlebars of their favourite tricycle (RRP $12.95).

Last but not least you can win the adorable (and ingenious) battery-operated Dreambaby® Ladybug Nightlight (RRP $32.95) and the Dreambaby® Auto Sensor Swivel Light which automatically turns on in the dark and off in the light. The 360° rotating swivel head means you can cast a soft light in any direction, making them ideal for use in many areas of your accommodation (RRP$9.95) and of course at home too!

Visit the Dreambaby website here

Enter to win a Dreambaby® Summer Safety Prize Pack!

Each Dreambaby® Summer Safety prize pack includes:

1 x Dreambaby® Bump Belt™ (RRP $34.95)
1 x Dreambaby® No Tools, No Screws Safety Value Pack. (RRP $24.95)
1 x Dreambaby® Stroller Fan (RRP $12.95)
1 x Dreambaby® Ladybug Nightlight (RRP $32.95)
1 x Dreambaby® Auto Sensor Swivel Light (RRP$9.95)

Total prize pack value: $115.75
Total competition value: $463.80

To enter this awesome competition, simply:

1. Facebook Like or Share this competition page

PLEASE NOTE – we do check the above step!

2. Use the form below to enter– and good luck!

Win 1 of 4 Dreambaby® Summer Safety Packs

The post Win 1 of 4 Dreambaby® Summer Safety Packs valued at $115.75 each! appeared first on Let's go Mum.