THE summer holidays have arrived, yippee! If you’re planning to spend some time in the shops this summer, ANGELA POPLETT intu Lakeside’s Personal Stylist, is here to offer some advice for shopping with kids – and reveals some tips for an unforgettable family day out, too.

“Shopping for kids can be a lot of fun, but it can also be just as difficult for mums as shopping for themselves.

"Just like mum’s, many kids’ wardrobes are full of great colours and fun patterns, but are missing the basics to tie it all together. Get this bit right and shopping will become a breeze.

“For girls, invest in commonly missing basic items like jeans, a denim jacket, chinos and shorts. H&M and Next at intu Lakeside are always my first port of call for these staple items that stay in fashion year after year.

"The denim blue and khaki will complement any colour making it easy to put outfits together and these items work well in both summer and winter (just pop on some tights and boots to transform the look).

“For boys, you can’t go wrong if you stock their wardrobes with t-shirts, jeans and a few smart shirts. Boys are now typically dressing just like their dads and it’s not hard to find on-trend items for them in the boys sections of River Island and Primark. Stick with bright colours wherever you can; no-one likes to see kids dressed head-to-toe in black.

“If your kids will only wear what’s in fashion right now and follow the trends as much as you do, the designers at Debenhams (particularly for boys) and Tammy Girl range in BHS will be right up their street. It’s never too early to get into fashion!

“To make sure you’ve got it covered from top to toe, don’t forget to visit Schuh Kids (the perfect place to pick up adult styles in smaller sizes). Treating them to a pair of Converse will win you some serious style-points, and you can’t go wrong with new trainers from JD Sports for all that running around. Office at intu Lakeside excels in fashionable footwear for small feet, too.

“Finally, if you are planning a shopping trip with the kids in tow this summer, make sure the whole family stays hydrated and you take lots of food and drink breaks.

"No-one likes being dragged from store to store watching someone else shop so make it fun and shop for each other, or set shop-and-seek challenges along the way (find a red hat, blue blouse or Mickey Mouse, for instance). This way it’ll become a fun day out instead of a chore.

“Or, if you’re still not sure about a day just spent shopping, break it up with a visit to VUE cinema (we’re looking forward to seeing Monsters University) or the Build-a-Bear workshop; take a pedalo out on the lake; join in the fun and games at the Disney Store or spend some time at intu Lakeside’s Monster Summer Camp.

"There’s a different theme and new activities each week and the kids even get to graduate at the end! Best of all, it’s completely free.”

For more information about intu Lakeside’s Personal Stylist or the Monster Summer Camp, call 01708 869 933 or visit www.intulakeside.co.uk