If only all barbies were as easy to bring inside when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Designed to have “everything that can be found in a real BBQ” (or not if, as in our case, attempts have been limited to impossible-to-light disposables), this seriously smart new offering from Little Tikes – the Get Out ‘n’ Grill Backyard Barbecue (£39.99), widely available and at amazon – has all the authentic knobs and whistles (plus essential plastic burger, hot dog and ketchup) to keep mini-chefs busy in the summer hols, come sunshine or showers.
Once you’ve put it together, both the side hob and sink easily click off, so it’s not as tricky to store away as it looks. And don’t worry if the words “self-assembly” fill you with dread (have you seen the intro to the US sit-com Everybody Loves Raymond, with Ray stuck in the plastic activity castle he’s putting up for his daughter? ). This one is pretty straightforward (according to the person who helped us). More worryingly, we’ve caught ourselves eyeing up the real thing in the Homebase catalogue. Cover or no cover? Ash catcher or not? Maybe not. Throw another plastic shrimp on the barbie …
