Our Adventures

Sensory Play Time with Zara’s Play Tribe

Plum Play

As the Melbourne weather warms up we are spending more and more time outdoors. Ever heard the outdoors referred to as nature’s playground? Well, that is exactly what it is. Endless opportunities for play right out your back door!

Although our backyard already offers many sensory experiences in our grass, trees, flowers, textures, smells and sounds, sometimes Aidan and Evie like me to take it a step further and offer different sensory adventures.

We recently got an outdoor sensory table, it is called a sand and water table BUT has so much more potential than just sand and water!

Although it does have a removable lid, the lid rarely goes on because the kids are too busy creating! There are two sections in the table, one that is made for wet substances and one that is made for dry. Let’s be honest, it all ends up getting mixed together which is AMAZING!

So far, we have tried a few different table combinations:

  • Sand & Water with scooping and pouring utensils
  • Beans & Coloured Water as a potion making station
  • Blue gelatin & ocean animals as an ocean theme
  • Truck washing station

When I reset the table I have left the ‘leftovers’ from previous play in there, it adds extra elements and the kids love building on their previous play experiences.

Engaging in sensory play outside not only gives the kids room to move and explore in new ways it gives me, as their mum, peace of mind knowing that the couch, the carpet, and the walls won’t get covered in sensory goodies. Plus kids and fresh air certainly have a certain magic about it!

The best part is that cleaning up is literally just hosing it all down, how good is that!

Thanks for the fantastic review. For even more amazing play ideas, check out Zara’s website playtribe.com.au

Mum Central Trampoline Review

Plum Play

Bounce into Summer Fun with a Plum® Premium Magnitude!

We are very honoured to have received a glowing product review from Belinda Jennings, Founder of Mum Central – the go to hub for Australian Mums with real stories from real women.

Mum to two cheeky boys, and wife to her superstar husband, Belinda’s family live a busy but crazy lifestyle in Adelaide. Belinda is committed to celebrating the journey that is Australian parenthood and we LOVE that Mum Central provides a “no plastic fantastic and gossip” zone, a place for safe and authentic conversations with Mums of all walks of life!

When asked to provide one of our Plum Springsafe® trampoline models for Belinda to trial, we jumped at the chance!

Mum Central Video Review: Plum® Springsafe® Premium Magnitude Trampoline

Product Assembly: Watch the full build in under 4 minutes!

Read the full product review here and enter into our competition for the chance to WIN one: https://mumcentral.com.au/plum-springsafe-trampoline-review/

Explore the range: https://www.plumplay.com.au/trampolines/by-model/premium-magnitude-trampolines

Discover Nature Play

Plum Play

Inspire a love of nature, engage children in STEM education and discover the advantages of early play!

Discovery

The research is quite clear that the best practice in early childhood education is to break away from structured activities and allow for more play and investigation. This kind of learning early in life builds skills and interests that serve children throughout their school years and into adulthood.

In 2017, Plum® introduced the award winning nature play collection designed to get kids out into the garden, experimenting with STEM activities. The Plum Discovery® collection combines learning and play all year round whilst inspiring natures little ambassadors to get messy in the garden with outdoor role play. Children can interact with nature as they discover wildlife and engage in sensory and active play as the seasons change. Little green fingers can cut and trim the buds and shrubs to create their very own mini eco centre. All Discovery® toys have been made from FSC® sustainably sourced wood, include a bamboo wind chime, easy clean painting screen and mini growing station for beginner gardeners.

“The collection brings families, friends and communities together.
The idea is to use non-linear unstructured play features to stimulate
imaginative engagement. Our new design is feature rich and gives 360°
play. We have continued the rustic, earthy look & feel, discovery products
feel like a part of the garden, like they are were grown in the woodland.”

Product Developer, Francis Wright

Discovery® Nature Play Hideaway!

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Discovery® Woodland Treehouse!

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Woodland Treehouse Product Shot 1

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Discovery® Mud Pie Kitchen!

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Mud Kitchen Product Shot 1

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Discovery® Create and Paint Easel!

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Shop the Discovery® range now!

Explore Adventure Play

Plum Play

Adventure play to spark creative minds!

Adventure

Children have a natural desire to explore their surroundings, create their own world and set out on new adventures. Adventure play will build your child’s confidence as they push their boundaries, developing new skills.

Up, up and away!

The Plum Swing Set range includes sustainably sourced round poles made from whole tree trunks which are stripped of their bark, trimmed to size and left to retain their natural charm and strength. Built for a healthy playtime and packed full of fun features, each frame will encourage year round physical and imaginative play.

The Plum Create Your Own Swing Set range is designed for the way you want to play. Simply choose your frame, decide on your colour and pick your interchangeable play accessories.

“When I first showed the kids a sneak peak of the Create a Swing package that was available through Plum Play, I was so happy to see the excited expressions on their little faces. We were long over due for an upgrade and for years Rylee had been asking for a basket swing like the “cool ones” they have at the public playgrounds. We sat down as a family and talked about what features they wanted most of all in their set. Although this part was quite difficult we finally agreed that a slide and basket swing were our top picks! Installation was a success and the kids have barely been inside ever since LOL. The slide and basket swing are both very generous in size and are definitely made to stand the test of time. I love how sturdy the frame is and very pleased with the overall quality. We now are the talk of the neighbourhood and the kids friends have so much fun here that they never want to leave. Thank you Plum Play they will still be swinging in years to come!”

Sam Walker, Mummy Blogger

Love to climb!

Free play helps children develop confidence and express themselves through problem solving whilst overcoming fears. A climbing frame can be whatever a child wants it to be… a place to let off steam and create stories. Climbing will increase hand, feet and eye coordination and stimulate the mind.

Let’s tell stories, explore and make believe with friends!

With a wooden playhouse at the bottom of the garden, children have an outdoor hideaway that they can call their very own. Choose the Wooden Cubby House in teal for something classic and colourful, or the Wooden Teepee Hideaway or Nature Play Hideaway for hours of fun outdoor play.

Shop the Adventure Play range now!

Imagine and Role Play

Plum Play

Give presence to a child’s world of make believe!

Role Play

With Plum Play’s range of Indoor Role Play Toys, children can explore new interests and passions whilst learning problem solving and communication skills through language and movement.

Choose from feature rich wooden play kitchens, action-packed activity tables or traditional wooden dolls houses.

Cook up a storm!

For mini bakers to master chefs, Plum Australia has the kitchen to cook a feast fit for a king. Browse traditional role play kitchens or take a look at Interactive Kitchens, which are brought to life with sounds and animation. Looking for something different? A space-saving 2 in 1 Kitchen and Dolls House will keep children, siblings and friends entertained!

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Build new worlds!

A wooden doll house will keep little ones entertained for hours as they rearrange furniture and inject fun into a fantasy-filled world. Choose from Plum Australia’s traditional wooden dolls houses, or a contemporary 2 in 1 Wooden Dolls House and Kitchen combining cooking and drawing with imaginative role play.

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Play pretend!

Play sets inspire children to imagine new worlds and possibilities.

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Be inspired…

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“After nearly 8 years of being a mum of 3 kids the amount of storage we have left in our home has diminished. This means that when looking for toys for the kids birthdays and Christmas presents I am always in search of something that will not only get a lot of use but will be easy to pack up and store away. The Roar-a-saur roll away base simply sides under the bed after being played with. When it is time to get it out it is easy for any of the kids to pull out and it can be set back up in no time at all. I love that the base of the table can be flipped over to reveal a second scene and I am also really impressed with the size of table. A number of kids can be sitting around it at time so it is great for when their friends come over also.!”

Sam Walker, Mummy Blogger

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“When we were asked to collaborate with Plum Play, of course I jumped at the chance! We have a few things from their range already so I know what great quality their products are. When I told the kids they were getting the Plum Cookie kitchen, they were so excited! The reason I chose the kitchen is because Mason loves to watch and help me cook at home, so I knew he would love it. Their Dad did a great job of building it, it was pretty easy too! Of course it took a bit longer with little helpers who couldn’t wait to play! Our favourite feature would have to be the interactive element, using the Plumplay app as the microwave really got the kids excited, and I’ll admit I loved having a turn myself! It has been so lovely to watch both boys bond over their kitchen, and they love when Mum and Dad get involved too. It’s a toy that I know will last for years to come, as it’s perfect for all ages. My boys are two years apart and they both have great imagination for ‘cooking.’ Whenever anyone comes over, the kitchen is the first thing Mason shows them! I’d highly recommend it for any kids play room or bedroom. They will love it!”

Kate Flegman, Mummy Blogger

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“My boys have learnt so much about space, astronauts and space creatures with this space rocket…as it comes with ALL the accessories and small toys as pictured. Hugh is playing with the alien which comes in the huge set of wooden toys in the rocket.”

Eliza Hamilton, Mummy Blogger

Shop the Role Play range now!

Teepee

Teepee Styling with @alittleatlarge – Featuring our Wooden Teepee Hideaway!

Plum Play

When we came across the @alittleatlarge Instagram account we couldn’t be more inspired by wonderlust and fairydust!

Writer and creative photographer for A Little At Large, Narelle and her daughter Tiah have crafted a profile full of cherished childhood memories.

We loved the beautiful beach vibes and couldn’t resist reaching out to see how they would style their very own Wooden Teepee Hideaway!

This blog entry below is a repost, originally written by Narelle at A Little At Large – http://bit.ly/LittleLoves 

JOY Teepee Hideaway

One of the things I love most about having a 5-year-old is finding things to do that ignites both our imaginations, but also creates an opportunity for us to work together to make the kind of memories we will both cherish.

With this in mind, we recently partnered with Plum Play Australia to create and curate our very own Wooden Teepee Hideway.

I have to admit to not being the handiest of handywomen, and my husband had never excelled in the “build it yourself” stakes either. So I posted the task on airtasker.com and within half an hour I had Andrew, my trusty handyman on route.

Andrew made pretty short work of putting it all together, while Tiah supervised.

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With the building done and the excitement rising, we hit Bunnings to pick out some paint. Tiah insisted she wanted it to look just like our big house, so Cabot’s Beach House Grey was the winner, a water-soluble wood stain that would be easy to apply and just as easy to clean up little paint dipped fingers.

To the garden shop we ventured, where we picked out some marguerite daisies in bloom and two Chinese star jasmine that we thought would look pretty amazing growing over to form a natural floral arbour in time. A quick stop to Domayne to pick up some joy (you will spy the sign later), and also to Spotlight, for some tulle and fancy lace ribbon.

Completing the painting was the fun part. Tiah worked on the bottom and I worked on the top simultaneously, giggling as we went when paint splashed down on her nose from my drips and my feet from hers. Two coats and we were done. We left it for a few hours to dry and got our accessories ready for the part we both love the most – the styling.

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With plants in place and a few choice bits from inside the house (including the gorgeous Sheridan fluffy Icelandic sheep pillow and a sustainable reindeer hide), we were almost ready for the exciting final touches.

A swag of tulle placed over the door (the teepee does come with a roll down awning that affixes with Velcro, we just embellished it a little), some battery operated festoon lights that we got for a song and the final piece – JOY- the battery operated light from Domayne’s Christmas collection that fitted snugly above the door.

Tiah was glowing, her teepee was more beautiful than we ever imagined and proud as punch, she immediately rounded up the neighbours, including Grace, the friendly dog from next door to join in the housewarming. We did not expect there to be jumping- well maybe just from Tiah – but when Grace joined in the festivities, I could not help but snap a moment I know we will smile about well into the future.

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As a play space, the teepee is ideal. We have a small yard and its compact footprint fits perfectly. As for the materials themselves, we were thrilled with the excellent quality. Even our handyman Andrew commented, saying how well cut the pieces of timber were, no rough edges and everything fitted together so snuggly that he said it should last a lifetime. Thumbs up Andrew.

We created some beautiful memories building and styling our teepee, but the ones I am most looking forward to are the ones still to come. I know this will be a place where carefree summers will be savoured, where tea parties will be hosted and treats from the pantry smuggled. There will be secrets shared, giggles giggled and good times had with friends. And not forgetting Grace, who pops in pretty regularly for a snuggle and random joyful jumps.

You can win your very own Grand Wooden Teepee from Plum Play, head HERE to find out how to enter.  But be quick, competition ends this Sunday, 10th December 2017. Alternatively, if you’d like to purchase a Grand or Great Wooden Teepee Hideaway for your little ones this Christmas, use the promo code ALITTLEATLARGE for 15% off (also valid until Sunday, 10th December 2017). These dates are in line with Plum Play’s Christmas delivery deadlines, but this can be extended to Wednesday 13th December for Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Wollongong, and Newcastle.

Plum Garden Games

Cementing the Bond Between You and Your Child

Plum Play
Here at Plum Play, we dedicate ourselves to helping children learn through play. That’s why we were thrilled recently when we were asked to contribute to an article about fun activities that parents and children can enjoy together in order to cement the bonds between them. The article was published on the Bupa Life Insurance company blog entitled ’12 Fun Activities to Enjoy with Your Kids’.
It was extremely satisfying for us to be recognised as a trusted voice in our industry. Our contribution talks about the power of role play in bringing you closer to your child.
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The Vital Role of Play
Role play can bring so much value to your child’s life, and can also help them develop many extremely important skills. Making up stories gives your child’s imagination an outlet, letting them push the boundaries of what they can create. Acting out these scenarios has been proven to help with their physiological and cognitive development. Through role play your child can learn to make sense of the world, giving them a great preparation for the real life situations they will face in the future. It also increases their mental and physical and confidence, self-esteem and decision making abilities, as they learn to take control of the world they have created.
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Getting to Know Your Child
Getting involved in role play with your child enhances the bond between you, as you can collaborate on the stories and act them out together! It offers you the chance to escape from your traditional roles of parent and child, allowing you to get to know your children as little people in their own right. This will build their trust in you and could even make them more likely to confide in you.
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Fun for the Whole Family
We love to hear about the fun families have together with our activity toys like the Plum Peppermint Townhouse! It has a unique two-in-one design that is a play kitchen on one side and a doll house on the other. The kitchen in particular is perfect for role play scenarios as it incorporates all the features of a real working kitchen! Your little chef can put pans on the hob or chop ingredients on the work surface. It’s a wonderful way of exploring your child’s creativity alongside them, even if you do get stuck with the washing up!

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Activities for Kids To Do This Summer

Plum Play

Keeping up with children and their endless supply of toys can seem at times a little overwhelming.

Spring cleaning is unbearable enough as it is, without the thought of trying to de-clutter your child’s toy box. That’s why in MyDeal.com.au recent blog, ’5 Genius Ways To Organise Your Home From Aussie Experts’ our top tip to organisation is to clean as you go, this way it doesn’t all have to be done in spring.

Children are continually outgrowing their toys; trends are changing and they want the next ‘it toy’ to play with. So instead of hanging onto the half-broken doll houses and swings that have sat in the back cupboard for the past three years, and are now completely covered in dust- why not get rid of them?

Plum are the active play specialists providing the fuel for active imaginations to flourish and grow. Our range of products offer quality toys, at affordable prices and are unique in that they teach balance and coordination in physical play, while also giving presence to a pretend and fun-filled fantasy world.

Providing for boys and girls of all all ages, be they 18 months or 18 years Plum has the toys for you!

Stuck with ideas on what to get your children heading into this warmer weather? Look no further we have you covered.

  1. Encouraging children to incorporate physical activity into play is critical for brain development, so check out our range of Trampolines. With colours and sizes to suit all ages, this toy is sure to get used all summer long. You can also choose between buying an in-ground trampoline or getting enclosures to ensure your children are kept safe if your busy inside cooking.
  1. All childhood memories include a sand pit, so why not get your child one this summer. Our range offers affordable prices that won’t take up too much room in your backyard. You can even check out our Plum Palm Beach Wooden Sand Pit that offers shelter from the sun so your little one won’t get burnt.
  1. If you’re too busy to bring your child to the park, why not bring the park to them? Creating a safe environment to play in, your children can get their very own Play Centres right in their backyard. With the option to choose from a range of sizes, it’s sure to keep your child active this summer and it’s a toy that won’t go unused!

By keeping on top of your children’s clutter, and investing in toys that they will get plenty of use out of will save you from the dreadful annual spring clean, and will give you more time to spend with your littles ones.