Tots To Teens: Tights to keep girls and boys cosy and warm

Kathleen Redmond set about designing funky gender-neutral children’s tights

Slugs and snails tights

If you're eager to keep your little ones snug and warm this winter, we recommend checking out the tights produced by www.slugsandsnails.ie, a family business based in Roscommon.

Following the birth of her son in 2008, Kathleen Redmond realised that tights didn’t just have to be for girls. They were just as effective at keeping boys cosy.

So she set about designing funky gender-neutral children’s tights. She decided on a mix of organic cotton and recycled polyester, meaning Slugs & Snails tights are soft, flexible, eco-friendly, and free from harmful chemicals. It’s a formula that has won her clients such as Katy Perry, Kate Hudson, and Ronnie Wood. The selection on offer at Slugs & Snails has since expanded to include leggings, socks, sleepwear, and loungewear, some of which are also available in adult sizes.

Kids’ tights cost from €14.50.

Music classes for toddlers

Speech and language therapist Deirdre O’Mahony has always loved music and song. She spent 16 years working with children until she took a career break following the birth of her third child in 2020.

Now, she has decided to marry her professional experience with her passion by setting up DoReDee, a language-rich music class for toddlers in three locations in Co Cork: Whitechurch, Watergrasshill, and Fermoy.

The Whitechurch classes take place in the Community Centre on Thursdays, the Watergrasshill classes in the Arts Centre on Fridays, and the Fermoy classes in the Community Centre on Mondays.

All classes are 45 minutes long and suitable for children aged 10 months to three-and-a-half years. During the classes, children are encouraged to explore songs, instruments, books, nursery rhymes and LAMH signs to develop their communication skills in a fun and engaging way.

Classes cost €75 for a six-week term, and a sibling discount is available. Contact Deirdre at 087-9959547 or follow her on Instagram at @doredee2023 for further details.

BT Young Scientist

The 2024 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) takes place this week from January 11 to 13. It will showcase 550 innovative science and technology projects from primary and secondary school students all over Ireland. It will also feature an unmissable programme of events hosted by experts from the worlds of science, technology, engineering, and maths.

These events will include an interactive show called Limitless, where Mark Langtry, aka The Science Guy, explores the extremes of planet Earth to inspire his audience to make a positive impact on the world. There will be a 3D presentation highlighting the challenges that must be overcome during the next 60 years of space travel. There will also be performances from Juanita the Clown, a show of mind-bending illusions and more.

Tickets to BTYSTE cost €10 for children, €15 for adults, and €35 for a family ticket. To book, visit ticketing.btyoungscientist.com

Keeping children safe

It’s a parent’s responsibility to keep their child safe and well. However, this is easier said than done. How can we tell the difference between a simple cold and a more serious health issue? What’s normal when it comes to breastfeeding? And how to treat cuts and bleeding.

The HSE’s www2.hse.ie/my-child/ website aims to answer all of these questions and many more. It’s an online pregnancy and health resource that provides invaluable information for parents and parents-to-be.

It’s got everything from advice on trying to conceive, monitoring your baby’s movements, antenatal classes, vaccines, childproofing your home, and supporting your child’s social, emotional, and behavioural development. There are Instagram and Facebook accounts you can follow too.