Plum Play Blog – Plum Play Blog

Get Kids Outdoors

20th February 201820th February 2018Plum Play

Plum are celebrating 30 years of play and we want to inspire families to get outdoors and stay active this spring! We provide play for every stage of childhood, from baby’s first steps to their first swing and slide, bigger jumps, adventures and beyond.

There is so much more to play than meets the eye, the simple joy is seeing children learn, discover, experiment and grow in confidence through play and create a childhood of great memories.

According to the Play in Balance Campaign commissioned by Persil, almost a third of children in the UK play outdoors for 30 minutes or less a day. Sir Ken Robinson, expert in education, says “Play helps children to learn and experiment, to focus and concentrate, be more self-directed, and to build social confidence. Play also helps children to learn important social values, such as sharing, following rules, taking turns, valuing the choices of others, accepting losing, perseverance, tolerance, open mindedness and empathy.”

Let children be children

We believe outdoor, active play helps to develop these skills and is great for bringing families together to enjoy the great outdoors. Allowing children the freedom of play will create cherished childhood memories for years to come. We want children to have the freedom of play and you the parent the peace of mind.
Check out our outdoor play ideas for you and your family this spring:

Go for a picnic at the park

Go camping
Explore and create a new adventure every day

Fly a kite
Build confidence in physical play

Family spring walk
Share special moments and childhood memories

Build a garden den
Improve cognitive skills

Go on a daffodil hunt
Inspire new interests…a love to care for nature

Paint a picture of your garden
Fuel imaginations and creativity

Plant sunflowers
Explore nature and discover outdoor play and learning

To celebrate our 30th year of play, we are giving you the chance to win a Create Your Own Springsafe® Trampoline and two Fitbit Zips for your family so you can track your activity while you play! Enter now for your chance to get active this spring.

Plum Play Gifts – A Kid’s Guide To Christmas

1st November 201720th February 2018Plum Play

Christmas is just around the corner and we want to make it the most magical Christmas yet!

The Plum® Space Zone II Trampoline was the must have gift last year after featuring on the 2016 John Lewis Christmas TV Advert with the now famous Buster the Boxer.

Need some help with your Christmas shopping list? We’ve got gift ideas with the fun factor to keep kids playing throughout the holiday season. Browse our range of carefully selected gifts from £50 Playsets to ultimate outdoor climbing frames. From scooters to trampolines, we’ve got the perfect gift for your family!

This year, Plum Play® are counting down to the festive season. Each week Plum Play® will reveal an exciting new bundle including one of our products and complementary toys or accessories to go with the product. Make sure you check back each Wednesday to see the gift bundle of the week!

Enjoy imaginative play in week 6 with the Creative Cooking Christmas Gift Bundle!

It’s the final week of Christmas gift bundles, it’s time for little chefs to help out with the festive bakes in the run up to Christmas with the Peppermint Townhouse! Bundled with the fun Baking Gift Set from BKD London, this is the perfect gift for aspiring bakers this Christmas. Finished baking? The Peppermint Townhouse is also a stylish dream home for children’s figures and characters.

The countdown to Christmas begins in week 5 with the Party Pack Christmas Gift Bundle!

It’s the start of December this week and time to get ready for the Christmas parties! Little ones can gather around the picnic tables and enjoy a festive celebration with friends and family. Bundle the picnic tables with a fun party pack from Pretty Little Party Shop for the ultimate Christmas party!

Take a trip to the countryside for week 4 with the Farmhouse Gift Bundle!

Full of country charm, this bundle will provide hours of fun, creative role play with our Farmhouse Kitchen. Pick your favourite veg from your farm, give them a wash and they’re ready to cook ready for the Christmas dinner! Protect little one’s clothing from any cooking spillages with the beautiful Chicken Oilcloth Apron from Sophie Allport.

Time for an adventure during week 3 with the Festive Feast Gift Bundle

It’s time to explore and create childhood memories with the Festive Feast Gift Bundle. Little ones can enjoy a secret den in the garden with the Plum® Wooden Teepee Hideaways which are perfect for all the family. Bundle the teepee with a cosy Christmas throw and a yummy John Lewis hamper for the perfect festive picnic.

It’s week two! Time to enjoy imaginative play with our Bookshelf Gift Bundle

Invent imaginary worlds and encourage learning through creative role play with the Bookshelf Gift Bundle. Keep little ones entertained throughout the Christmas period with the Hove Wooden Dolls House and Fortress Wooden Play Set which are packed full of fun features. The play sets fold closed to fit perfectly onto bookshelves and inspire creative thinking. Bundle the play sets with a set of fun books for play and learning.

It’s week one and time to start our Christmas festivities with our Nature Play Gift Bundle!

This Nature Play gift bundle is perfect for little ones to tinker in the garden and explore the outdoors all year round. The award winning Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen combines hands on play and learning as children mush, mix and mould a mud pie. We know little ones like to splash around and get stuck in with messy play so check out the beautiful outerwear for your little ones from Muddy Puddles! This is the perfect bundle for little ones who love messy play and exploring wildlife!

This Christmas, we’ll be giving away our NEW 12ft Space Zone II Evolution Trampoline with a trampoline accessory kit and a £100 John Lewis Gift Voucher which will all arrive in time for Christmas. Head over to our competition page for your chance to WIN this exciting Christmas bundle!

Follow Plum Play® on social media and be the first to enter our exciting bundle competitions each week in the run up to Christmas.

Revolutionary 4-in-1 Strollcycle™ For Kids

9th October 201720th February 2018Plum Play

Have you spotted our exciting new product, the Galileo 4-in-1 Strollcycle™?

The award winning 4-in-1 stroller and tricycle transforms between stages as your little one grows and learns how to ride. Choose your favourite colour between red, green or blue!

The Strollcycle™ folds in one single action, allowing the product to be stored away easily.
Beginning with a parent controlled pushchair, the pedals serve as a safe footrest for children and the seat can be adjusted between sitting and napping mode, perfect for tired toddlers!
Children have more control as the pushchair transforms into a Strollcycle™ from 18 months+ allowing them to pedal and steer. To build confidence and ensure safety, the steering can be controlled by parents with a steering lock button.
Your little one can ride solo from 30 months when the Strollcycle™ transforms into a tricycle.

With no tools or assembly required, your little one can start their journey learning to ride straight away!

Plum Colours Trampoline - Right Start Award Winner

Plum Win Top Right Start Awards

9th October 201720th February 2018Plum Play

Plum® had brilliant success at the Right Start Toy Awards 2017 winning 3 category awards and 2 Top Winner’s Awards!
Our stylish Colours by Plum® Springsafe® Trampoline won GOLD in the Outdoor Category and was awarded a top award for BEST INVESTMENT! Reversible colour pads provide twice the fun, mix and match between two fun colours and two foam sets to find your favourite combination!

“Trampolines are a great investment and this one is big and bouncy enough for adults, too. Excellent quality, it will provide years of fun” –Tester’s feedback in the Right Start Best Toy Guide 2017

The Plum Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen was awarded SILVER in the Role Play Category. Little ones can explore the outdoors and interact with nature as they mush, mix and mould a mud pie!

“The organic look and feel of this wooden workbench is perfectly suited to the outside and it looks lovely in the garden. There’s plenty to keep children entertained from the painting screen for messy artworks to the washing up bowl and hobs for mixing up and making some fabulous mud pies. A great way to keep little ones busy outdoors.” – Tester’s feedback in the Right Start Best Toy Guide 2017

The Globber EVO 5-in-1 from Globber by Plum was awarded GOLD in the Sit and Ride category and was awarded a top award for BEST TOY 0-3. The three wheel scooter features five stages to grow with your little one as they learn to ride.

“Great value for money. The stylish, clever design easily grows with the child, switching from a lightweight parent pushalong to a balance bike to a first scooter. It works well in all modes and was loved by our testers.” – Tester’s feedback in the Right Start Best Toy Guide 2017

Plum Wins Junior Design Awards

3rd August 201720th February 2018Plum Play

The results from the Junior Design Awards are in! Plum have had great success with 3 products winning awards in Children’s Toy Categories.

Our innovative Plum® Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen has won GOLD in the Best toy design 3-5 years category.

Junior Editor Bonita added, “This is possibly one of the coolest toys I have seen in a long time. I would have loved this when I was a child. It’s beautifully made, sturdy and stylish to boot. What a lovely way to get kids outdoors.”

Plum Mud Pie Kitchen - Gold Junior Design Award 2017

The stylish Plum® 10ft Colours Springsafe® Trampoline has won SILVER for Best toy design in the 6+ years category. With reversible pads in two fun colours and two foam sets, little ones can mix and match to find their favourite combination!

Plum Colours Trampoline Silver Junior Design Award

Finally, the Globber Evo 4-in-1 Plus Scooter has been awarded FINALIST for Best toy design 3-5 years! This scooter will grow with your child while teaching them balance.

Globber Evo 4-in-1 Plus Scooter Junior Design Awards Finalist

Exciting news for Plum! We are delighted the judges liked our products, thank you Junior Magazine!

Bounce Safe & Fun!

5th July 201720th February 2018Plum Play

How to pick the right trampoline for playtime…

Finding the right trampoline for your child is the key to playtime bliss. Trampolines provide a vertical play space, meaning even small city gardens can still enjoy active play!

Plum Springsafe® trampolines are a great solution to get kids outside and active, making garden play fun all year round. Our trampolines combine innovative safety features with cutting edge technology and unique designs. The Plum® Junior Trampoline range is perfect for little jumpers, helping them to build confidence for years of play. Our bestselling Classic Trampolines and our Premium Trampolines provide a bigger bounce for jumpers over 6 years old.

Each bouncer will have different requirements which will influence your choice, so check out our trampoline buying guide for more information.

We often get asked the question Are trampolines dangerous?

Our design team are committed to ensuring each and every Plum® product is safe for your little one. Our Springsafe® technology ensures users are out of reach of the springs, making Plum® trampolines a safe choice! However, to ensure your aspiring acrobats or junior jumpers are safe, do not allow them to perform any tricks outside of their ability. We know children like to take fun to the max, but remember to play safe!

Always remember #oneatatime when bouncing with friends and family

According to RoSPA, 60% of injuries that occur on trampolines are due to more than one bouncer! Ensure your little one is always supervised by a responsible adult and locate your trampoline in a safe place. Take a look at the Plum® guide to safe trampolining, which shows a full list of do’s and don’ts to keep your little one safe.

Making sure your child has the correct trampoline for their age

Plum® has trampolines for all ages ranging in size from 4.5ft for little bouncers to 14ft for experienced acrobats. The Plum® junior trampoline range is a perfect choice for beginner bouncers and can fit perfectly into small garden spaces.

Our larger trampolines are ideal for older children and adults ensuring a bigger bouncing space and a bigger bounce!

The Plum® 4.5ft Trampolines are an ideal first trampoline for little jumpers aged 3-6, while the 6ft and 7ft trampolines are recommended for children aged 3-9 years old. The Junior Trampoline range are designed for little ones to be safe whilst bouncing by having a lower height frame and shorter springs, giving a softer and more predictable bounce. Our 8ft Classic and Premium Trampolines are ideal for children aged 6-12 years old while the 10ft plus trampolines are a favourite for any children or adults over 6 years old.

A common question is Will my trampoline be safe in the winter or bad weather?

Kids love to play in all weathers, but we would recommend moving your trampoline in windy conditions to a sheltered area. To prevent the trampoline blowing away, remove the enclosure and secure the trampoline to the ground using our trampoline anchor kit.

During the cold winter months, we would advise you to dismantle your trampoline and tuck it away for winter to prevent rust and damage to the frame, springs and enclosure. Looking after your trampoline will allow years of play.

Introducing Our New Scooter Range

1st February 201720th February 2018Plum Play

Have you seen the new scooter ranges available on our site?

Plum have launched an exciting new collection of Globber scooters with innovative and stylish child and adult ranges available.

Your little ones can learn how to scoot with Globber’s My Free range comprising of three wheel scooters designed to provide a safe learning experience for your child. The My Free range features low foot decks and steering locks allowing your little one to gain confidence. Height adjustable handlebars allow the scooters to grow with your child, providing a fun experience for years to come.

The award winning 5-in-1 is a favourite due to its adaptability as a ride-on, balance bike and scooter for children from 12 months to 6 years.

As well as our range of fun kid’s scooters, we also have stylish scooters for adults. The My Too range provides two wheel scooters which are suitable for intensive use due to their durable design. The My Too Fix Up is designed for children over 6 years old and the My Too 18.0 and My Too One 180 are created for adult users. The innovative design makes this range ideal for urban users.

Our selection of Globber accessories include flashlights, safety pads and protective helmets, which ensure your little one’s have a safe but enjoyable experience.

Our exciting venture provides fun for all ages so make sure you check out our stylish range!

The Plum Must-have Award Winning Swing Set!

1st November 201620th February 2018Plum Play

It’s been a great year so far for Plum^® and after winning over twenty awards for both Role Play and Outdoor Toy products we thought it was about time we started to shout about it. We want to pay homage to one of our favourite products that’s seen huge success across the toy award shows in 2016.

Picking up seven awards so far in 2016 the Plum^® Wooden Growing Swing Set has received five of these awards in the Outdoor Toy categories.

Winning awards for the best outdoor toy for 2016.

Loved by Parents have awarded the Plum^® Wooden Growing Swing Set PLATINUM for Best Outdoor Toy for 1 to 3 years and GOLD in the 3 to 6 years category. It was a Best Outdoor toy WINNER at the Rainbow Awards, picked up SILVER at the Right Start Awards and a BRONZE at the Best Baby & Toddler Gear Awards by Mumii for Best Outdoor Play Equipment.
Its stylish, fun design and exceptional quality have also secured awards from Loved by Parents for BEST WOODEN TOY and Right Start awarded the Swing Set BEST INVESTMENT overall!

The Plum^® Wooden Growing Swing Set is suitable for 12 months and up, its easy adjustable design means you can switch between baby and toddler, making it ideal for growing little ones and growing households. The Swing Set includes a 3 in 1 adjustable seat that can be easily altered for all ages, going from baby to child and back in no time at all. The wooden leg extensions allow you to quickly extend the swing meaning it grows up with your child.

The Swing Set has an adjustable, fun seat design, making it a great investment for your garden.

We’ve had some amazing feedback from some very pleased parents and we’re very excited to share their reviews with you…

Here’s what the parent testers had to say about this sought after product…
“Very easy to set up and to adjust to different heights, we loved the animal themed seat too.”
– Tester for Rainbow

“Made from high quality wood, the swing is sturdy and looks good in the garden. The frame can be quickly height-adjusted and reset back again as required. Our one year old loved it!”
– Tester for Right Start

A Swing that's fun for the whole family. — A Swing that’s fun for the whole family.

We’ve also had great reviews for the press…
“We reckon this is the best garden swing on the market. The frame can be adjusted, so it suits everyone from babies to early teens, and it features a three-stage, animal-themed seat for growing bottoms.”
– The Independent Online

The Plum^® Wooden Growing Swing Set is the must have garden toy for 2017. Look out for this investment piece, back on sale next year, this tried and tested product will look perfect in your garden!

Saving The Forest On FSC Friday

30th September 201620th February 2018Plum Play

It’s FSC Friday and we want to remind all our customers of the importance of buying sustainably sourced products and choosing FSC certified wood!

Here at Plum® we are proud to be certified members of the Forest Stewardship Council®. From the get-go Plum® have used FSC certified wood and continue to work with environmentally and socially beneficial forest management, ensuring all our products have a long term positive effect on the forest.

FSC International principles include maintaining and restoring the ecosystem, the forest resources and landscapes, as well as sustaining and improving the forest workers and local community’s social and economic well-being.
From our Round Pole to our Pine and Spruce Square Cut timber, Plum® customers are buying green when they order our Wooden Swing Sets, Climbing Frames, Outdoor Toys and Children’s Furniture. All Plum® wood is sustainable and durable and includes natural properties that look great in the garden.

FSC Friday is a chance to celebrate the programs success, raise awareness and spread the word about the threats to our forests. Choose sustainable wood and help prevent negative environmental change and illegal logging. You can learn all about our wood HERE.

We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you’re doing for FSC Friday…