Tots to Teens: Take a step in the right direction

From January 19 to February 15, the 2026 Forvis Mazars Steps Team challenge calls on people of all ages and fitness levels to take on one of two physical challenges and raise funds for Jigsaw and Bumbleance

Forvis Mazars Steps Team Challenge 2026 Ambassadors Tommy Bowe and Laura Fox.

STEP up for children’s charities with the 2026 Forvis Mazars Steps Team challenge. This national campaign runs from January 19 to February 15. 

Over the four weeks, it calls on people of all ages and fitness levels to form teams of four to take on one of two physical challenges and raise funds for national youth mental health charity Jigsaw, and Bumbleance, the organisation that provides free nationwide medical transport for sick children.

The teams can opt to walk, jog, or run one of two virtual routes. The four-province route involves taking 10,000 steps a day, while the 32-county route requires an average of 16,000 steps a day.

Participants must register online and download the Steps Team Challenge app, which will connect to their smartphones and fitness devices to monitor their daily progress.

Forvis Mazars will make a donation for every registered participant and sponsor weekly prizes totalling some €30,000.

Plant the idea

Primary school children across Ireland will once again have the opportunity to learn about planting, harvesting, and eating healthy food. This is thanks to Grow at School, a programme delivered by GIY, the not-for-profit organisation that aims to create a more sustainable world where people grow their own food.

David O’Hanlon, FBD branch manager and Mary Bishop, GIY head of education with pupils and staff in the vegetable garden at Our Lady’s National School Clonskeagh. 

GIY has partnered with FBD to provide vegetable gardens and educational resources to schools in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Donegal, and Dublin. It has also created educational content to help teachers guide children through the food-growing process, from planting their first seeds to reaping their final harvest.

The aim of the programme is to give children hands-on experience of growing food, encourage them to develop a deeper connection with what they eat, and foster their awareness of the environment, climate action and biodiversity. To find out more about how to get involved, visit giy.ie/programmes/grow-at-school.

Cosy and colourful

Keep children cosy during winter with this colourful children’s roll neck cardigan from Aran Woollen Mills.

Aran Woollen Mills cardigan for children, on sale for €65.60.

Made from 100% Donegal wool, it comes in sizes for children aged three to eight.

It’s also available in a range of colours.

It usually costs €82, but it’s currently on sale for €65.60 at aranwoollenmills.com

Sooth and protect

The herbal baby wash from Bláthana Herbal Cosmetics is perfect for little ones’ sensitive skin.

Designed for babies aged three months and older, it is infused with calming chamomile and soothing lavender and made from pure, plant-based ingredients. This means it is entirely free from parabens, sulphates, and artificial fragrances.

It is one of a range of products made by blathana.com, a natural skincare brand based in Mayo, and costs €13.90.

Animal instincts

Humans is the latest instalment in children’s author John Devolle’s Big Science for Little Minds series, and it contains mind-boggling facts about what makes human beings so different to other animals. 

‘Humans’ introduces scientific questions for curious readers, €18.

If you know a curious child who is constantly asking questions like, “Why can we play the guitar and write with a pen when dogs and cats can’t?” then this is the ideal book for them.

This colourfully illustrated picture book is designed to be a fun, accessible introduction to science for younger readers and it costs €18.

Regift for charity

The Barnardos children’s charity is calling on the public to turn unwanted Christmas gifts into support for children in need this January.

If you’ve got leftover Christmas presents or if you know you have no real use for one of the items you found under the tree this festive season, the charity is asking you to donate them to one of their seven shops nationwide.

These shops are located in Carlow, Cork, Wexford, and Dalkey, Clondalkin, Kilbarrack, and Dún Laoghaire in Dublin. All donated items will be sold on to generate funds for Barnardos’ work with more than 35,000 children and families across Ireland.

For more information, visit Barnardos.ie.