Online and in the shops: Children's knitwear

Irish knitwear designer, Liadain de Buitlear is launching a children’s knitwear range at the RDS this weekend.

¦ CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR: Irish knitwear designer, Liadain de Buitlear, is one of 500 exhibitors in the National Crafts and Design Fair at the RDS this weekend, where she is launching a children’s knitwear range. Knittle Rascals, a quirky collection for babies to five-year-olds, includes hat-and-scarf sets with star prints, from €18; reversible polka dot dresses, €20; and cotton-striped cardigans, €15. In vibrant colours, they are Irish-made in machine-washable wool. Order at cartgalore.com.

¦ BOARD GAMES: Another exhibitor at the crafts fair is West Cork-based Gosling Games. Their first board game, Discovering Ireland, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It costs €22.99 and is suitable for ages 8+. Other gifts from Gosling include, Make It Bake It puzzles, which reveal recipes for cookies and cupcakes, €9.99, age 6+, and a traditional, wooden ring board, €24.99; www.goslinggames.ie.

¦ TRADITIONAL TOYS: A new and bigger (30mm) version of the award-winning Rory’s Story Cubes has been launched for Christmas. The award-winning Irish game of nine dice, which you roll and tell a story, is one of seven winners in Britain’s first Slow Toy Awards this year. The awards promote traditional toys that inspire a child’s imagination and encourage real play. The seven winning toys are on display in the toy department at Selfridges, London. Rory’s Story Cubes are €11.99 and available from bookshops and toy stores; the new Max edition is €23.99. An app is available to download for iPhone and iPad, with an Android app about to be released; www.storycubes.com.

¦ TEA UP: Looking for a festive tipple? Teapigs’ spiced, winter red is a treat. Rooibos tea can be drunk during pregnancy, as it is caffeine-free. This festive blend contains orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and spices. It’s less than three calories per cup and is recommended with hot, frothy milk to make a latte. Teapigs’ range of 21 teas contains whole leaf tea and comes in biodegradable mesh bags that give the leaves lots of room to infuse. Teapigs’ spiced, winter red tea box of two teapiglets is €2.16; a box of 15 is €5.88.