Now we’ve found our perfect little nursery placement for Dex, I’ve been excited about kitting him out with dinky little wellies, raincoats and everything else he’ll need hung up on his tiny coat peg. The folks at Munchkin must have been reading my blog recently as they sent Dexter the most amazing little lunchbox just perfect for nursery adventures. Even better, they stuffed it with colourful accessories for toddler lunchtimes. Now he’ll be the envy of all his new playmates!

We received:

• 2x bright wipe clean bibs with crumb catcher pockets
• A fabulous divider plate in a sweet dinosaur design with non slip base
• A toddler fork and spoon set with easy-grip handle and metal tips
• A new 10oz click lock straw cup (moving him on from his spill-proof Munchkin click lock bottle which we swear by)
• 3x super cute sea squirts
• And all arrived in a roomy, colourful and practical canvas lunchbox in the shape of an owl!

Everything has been custom-picked for us from the toddler range from Munchkin, and they’ve got him down to a tee. I’ve always been a huge fan of Munchkin products anyway as they’re so much more durable than other brands. They’re also crammed full of little innovative details - from the Click Lock™ system on their cups, to the ergonomic handles on their cutlery, to their superior non-budge bowls which stick to both highchairs and dining tables. Everything is designed with mum and dad in mind; to minimise accidents whilst encouraging as much independence as possible.

It was love at first sight for Dex! It took me half an hour to wrestle it from him to get inside!

We tested out our new bits and bobs for breakfast this morning. The divider plate was the perfect size for some toast soldiers, pear slices and a few cheeky party sausages. I’m a new convert to these plates as they help keep different foods separate - Dex is a bit of a stickler for this and hates sauces transferring from one another.

The lip of the plate also meant tricky to stab sausages didn’t end up on the floor. The rubber base is also a great little extra to stop you having to get out the 1001 during over-enthusiastic lunchtimes. With 4 designs to choose from, and priced around £2 each from all major retailers, they’re incredibly good value for money.

I made a big fuss out of giving the cutlery to Dex last night, even letting him help open the packet. This is because Dexter actually eats using adult cutlery now - he gets incredibly upset when he sees us eating with something different and will scream until you give in. I know his nursery use toddler cutlery however so I wanted to introduce them again before he disgraces himself with his new teachers.

Luckily, this morning he seemed more than happy with his Munchkin toddler set. They’re easy to grip with a curved handle, and longer than most toddler cutlery meaning they’re not too far removed from what he’s used to. In fact, he’s incredibly proud of them and has been playing with his spoon all morning! They’re on sale at the minute at Tesco and ASDA for just £2.50 (RRP £3).

The crumb catcher bibs are also fab. Dex has been using these for months now as we find them invaluable for keeping mealtime tidy. Previous brands have been a bit of faff to clean as they have fabric seams and are made of soft hard-to-clean plastic. These ones however are a breeze and entirely waterproof if we decide to chance it with gravy. They’re also attractive and engaging to look at and have a generous fit around the neck. my only slight criticism is that they could be a little longer to catch food that escapes from the plate, as well as his mouth. Babycity.co.uk stock these in packs of 2 for £3.89.

The only thing he struggled to get to grips with is his new big boy straw cup. Dexter is well behind his peers in regards to drinking. He still has a teat bottle in the mornings and before bed, and drinks from a spill-proof cup throughout the day. He is capable of using a beaker but we have to be prepared to chase him around the room with paper towels as he does get a little bit excited and will tip away what he doesn’t drink. The straw cup is new to him and will take some practice.

Nevertheless, his new cup is exactly the same quality we’ve come to expect from Munchkin. It has an ergonomic hourglass shape and the bottle is ribbed for extra grip. The click lock mechanism is a lifesaver as I’m often doing 5 things at once and have screwed on lids slightly squiffy when I’m distracted. The click lock system is audible, giving parents added assurance they’ve put the cup together correctly and creates a leak-proof seal so you know they won’t be wearing their orange juice after five minutes! Having tested it out myself, the silicon straw is easy to suck from so I’m confident Dex will get his head around it soon. Cheapest I’ve found them is under £3 at ASDA.

We then went out into the sunshine to play with our sea squirts. Although these will live in the bath, they’re also fabulous for cooling down in garden. Squeezing the little critters creates a mini jet of water helping to hone fine motor skills and make bath times much more fun. They come in packs of 5 and are available in ASDA, Tesco, Boots, Mothercare, Babies R Us and many other baby retailers. Cheapest I’ve seen them is £3.95 at Kiddicare.

We started off sensibly enough. Dexter squealed at the all the little bubbles created when you refill them, and got to grips with squeezing them. Aim perfected, he then went for mummy! Taking cover, I still manged to get these sweet shots of him splashing around in the garden. He was soaked when we were through!

If you want to find out more about any of the products mentioned above, head to the website. Munchkin are also a sociable bunch and have Facebook and Twitter if you have any questions.

Thanks Munchkin! We love our personalised lunchbox!