Jamie Oliver has been a mainstay on our TVs for the last two decades with numerous shows and books under his belt.
We’ve watched him go from the Naked Chef zipping round on his motorbike to banning turkey twizzlers and becoming an international success.
Despite his previous troubles regarding the collapse of his restaurant business, the 46-year-old has been bouncing back. During the pandemic, he presented Channel 4's Keep Cooking and Carry On with his family and released his latest cookbook 7 Ways: Easy Ideas for Every Day of the Week.
How many children does Jamie Oliver have?
Jamie and Jools Oliver have five children.
The couple were teenage sweethearts having met when they were just 17 and have been together ever since.
The couple’s brood are known for their unusual but adorable names.
They are:
- Poppy Honey Rosie, age 19, born March 2002
- Daisy Boo Pamela, age 18, born April 2003
- Petal Blossom Rainbow, age 12, born April 2009
- Buddy Bear Maurice, age 11, born September 2010
- River Rocket, age 5, August 2016
Jools became pregnant with her first child in 2001 after a successful round of IVF treatment.
She detailed the moment she discovered she was expecting for the first time in her book, Minus Nine To One: The Diary Of An Honest Mum.
In an extract published to The Telegraph in 2005, she wrote: "I took the test into the bedroom and ever so casually sat down to watch This Morning. With one eye on Richard and Judy, I glanced at the test. This time it was different – before my eyes, the test became positive.
“That magical blue line appeared and I just didn’t believe it. I felt weak at the knees.
“I grabbed the phone to call Jamie, but his bloody mobile was turned off. I had to tell someone, so I phoned my mum – I screamed into her answering machine: 'I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!'”
Jamie also revealed in an interview with Hello! years ago that Jools had always wanted to be a mum.
"She just wanted to be a mother and that was it," he explained.
"I didn’t understand at all. Why would you want to be a mother? We all want to have jobs and careers don’t we?
"Until she became a mother, I never understood how honest she was being. She’s a mum and that’s her world."
Following the birth of River Rocket, Jamie considered opting for a vasectomy but Jools later revealed on the Made By Mammas podcast that they were thinking about trying for baby number six.
Jools also recently reflected on experiencing two miscarriages and has opened up about her fertility struggles due to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in the past.
She told Vogue in 2017: “I had a miscarriage at three months, which makes you so worried once you are pregnant again – it makes it impossible to enjoy the early stages of the pregnancy."
The family recently moved from London's Primrose Hill to a country estate in Essex.
Brilliant outdoor toys for kids
A mainstay of nurseries, tuff trays may not look that fancy, but they offer so many play opportunities for young kids.
Able to be used for everything from messy play to a sand pit or for arts and crafts, the Tuff Spot is such a versatile bit of kit. It has quite a following – check out #tufftray on Instagram for ideas – and will last from baby stage right up to primary school years. It’s great for focusing attention – a few toys and some water on the tray and my toddler’s engrossed for a good 20 minutes, which is no mean feat.
You can buy the tray alone, but it’s often more cost effective to buy the adjustable stand at the same time if you want one.
While bulky, tuff trays can be folded down and, as they have so many uses, can take the place of a myriad of other toys. We stash ours in the shed, but it could also be tucked away in a cupboard or under the sofa.
My First Foam Pogo Jumper
Available in four colours, we reckon kids will have hours of fun with this foam pogo jumper. Whilst this toy can be used both indoors and outdoors, we think it's the perfect sunny day garden game.
This budget-friendly toy helps to train your child's balance and hand eye coordination, and it's suitable for little ones aged three years old and over.
Let kids explore the garden and mix up some messy treats with this great value wooden mud kitchen that comes with four metal hooks and a metal basin. It doesn't comes with accessories, however.
Peter Rabbit Children's Croquet Set
This super cute croquet set will keep kids and their friends entertained during spring weekends. Featuring four sweet arches, two mallets, and two balls, this game not only encourages team playing, but also won't look out of place on your lawn.
Little Tykes’ iconic yellow and red car is as cute as it is fun, with an openable petrol cap, steering wheel and working horn.
Kids can move the car along themselves with their feet or add in the floor provided and push them with the handle at the back, which is set at a comfortable height. Simple to steer, it will travel across a bumpy lawn easily.
While it looks like child play, putting it together does take a bit more effort, requiring two people and an electric drill. So if flat-pack furniture isn’t your thing, rope in a willing friend or family member to help.
Once put together, it’ll be a mainstay of your outdoor toy collection. For ages 8 months to 5 years.
JoJo Maman Bebe Picnic Basket with Wooden Food
For the child who likes to get involved with your plans, there's this super adorable picnic set is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Featuring toy foods and a super sweet basket, this is a great option for the little one with a big imagination.
Bestway Rectangular Paddling Pool 9ft
Make sure the whole family can cool down this summer with this 9 ft paddling pool.
Suitable for kids aged 6 years and older with adult supervision, it's easy to set up in a hurry, taking just 10 minutes to inflate and 15 minutes to fill. What's not to love?!
Give older kids something to aim for this summer with the Decathlon archery set. The set comes with a target, ambidextrous bow and two suction cup arrows, making it perfect for solo practice or a family tournament. For ages 8 and up.
Get your little ones confident in using a slide with this 3ft option. Within a few weeks, our toddler became confident climbing the steps and letting themselves go down the slide. Easy to clean, it's small enough to not take up too much of your outdoor space.
We all love a space hopper, and for smaller kids Happy Hopperz have a range of beast-shaped rubber inflatables for them to hop around on. They come deflated with a pumping that will inflate them in around 5 minutes, although we found it did need pumping up now and again.
Aimed at ages 12m+, make sure your child is tall enough to reach the floor so they can balance and bounce around.
Sturdy and compact, this tiny trike also folds down making it easy to store or sling in the bottom of a buggy for a trip to the park.
With a front-wheel steer, this foot to floor three-wheel ride is easy for toddlers to get about on and learn how to balance on a bike. We love the bold bug-inspired designs. At around £20, it’s a great value set of wheels for 1 to 3 year olds and can be used both indoors and outside.
Nothing says summer like a water fight – and this Nerf Super Soaker is just the ticket.
Open the hatch and submerge for a quick-to-fill water pistol. At such a decent price, it worth’s buying enough to make sure all your family can get involved.
For the older kids, there's this Bug Safari kit. Featuring equipment designed by nature expert Nick Baker, this kit encourages your little one to explore the world around them.
The set includes a bug guide that'll help your child identify creepy crawlies lurking in the garden and beyond.
Matalan Kids Strawberry Pong Set
Featuring summery strawberry face paddles and a soft yellow ball, this game set will help energetic little ones burn some of that energy!
Thanks to their lightweight design and comfy handles, they're easy for smaller hands to use, making this game suitable for kids over 36 months old with adult supervision.
This has been an indoor and outdoor staple in our house for a few months. Our toddler can confidently get on and off this sturdy rocker on their own, as well as rock back and forth. It’s a sturdy one piece that’s easy to clean and is a well-loved classic for good reason.
Perfect for the budding footballers amongst us and football fans who need to play alone. Practice the art of keepie uppies with the ball that will count for you...
Another must for football fans with room to spare is their very own goal. This resilient model is made with steel corners to resemble a real match and is has non-slip pads to help keep it stable. Perfect for practicing those penalties.
Can't get to the playground? Bring it into your back garden with this 7ft slide they'll never bore of.
