Best kids' hot water bottles, according to parents

This Teddy Bear Hot Water Bottle from Dunelm brings all the soft, cosy comfort of a teddy bear and combines it with the warmth and comfort of an excellent hot water bottle. Big enough for older children and/or adults (and easy enough to sneak under your best blanket hoodie while working from home while the kids are at school) it comes in three neutral colours.

The super-soft cover helps ensure the hot water bottle stays warm for a long time. Not bad for just £7! Mumsnetters love the whole Teddy Bear range at Dunelm, which also includes a blanket hoodie, throw and cuddle cushion.

Long hot water bottles are growing in popularity thanks to their versatility - they're very cuddly, with a greater surface area than traditional hot water bottles. For tween and teen girls, they can be worn around the hips to help ease period pain, or draped around the shoulders to supercharge their best dressing gown's cosiness.

This one from Dunelm comes highly recommended, and at a great price. The teddy fabric is soft and snuggly, and at 77cm, it's a generous length for kids.

More of a traditional hot water bottle and cover, this cosy Netagon hot water bottle is available in a handful of fun designs but we love this cute Westie in particular. All come with a thick knitted cover to protect little ones from coming into contact with too much heat.

This is a great no-nonsense way to pre-warm beds before bedtime and reviewers reported that it stayed warm for a long time. And if you do need more long-lasting heat coverage, you can combine it with one of the best electric blankets.

We love the fact that it comes in a presentation box so it would make a lovely gift for any winter birthdays.

More like a soft toy than a traditional hot water bottle, a Warmies plush is a great way to keep kids warm on cold winter nights and no hot water is needed. Simply heat the lavender-scented bag in the microwave and this adorable sloth will be ready to offer your little one a warm cuddle before they drift off to sleep. Lavender is said to induce sleep (yes, we are willing to try anything!), however, if your child is sensitive to new smells it may not be the best option.

The heat will only last for an hour or so but many parents saw this as a positive as it prevented little ones from getting too hot. Just make sure everyone is already tucked up in bed before you pop it in the microwave to make the most of the heat before it goes cold.

Did you know Warmies also make microwavable slippers? Don't miss their entry in our guide to the best women's slippers!

As much as we love a visit to Santa’s Grotto or a trip to a winter wonderland, it's hard to fully enjoy it if your kids are feeling the cold. With temperatures set to drop, you may need more than just a pair of the best kids' gloves to keep little hands warm when out and about. This hot water bottle is extremely small so it's perfect for popping into pockets (why not slip one into the pocket of your best heated gilet while out and about in the cold?) The manufacturers claim it’s completely leakproof so it should be safe to use when your child is moving around.

The hot water bottle is designed to be filled with cold water and then heated in the microwave so there’s no need to worry about using boiling water around your little ones. This clever design also means these hot water bottles can be put in the fridge and used to keep your family cool during the hot weather. The downside? You only get one for the price so if you want one for each pocket this could work out quite expensive.

We were almost prompted to take a poll at Mumsnet HQ to try and decide which was the sweetest design when it came to the Country Club Collection! With everything from a cheeky monkey to a cuddly koala, it will prove almost impossible to pick a favourite for your little one.

Not only do they look great, but the covers are super soft and easy to clean and the bottle itself is made from natural rubber. They’re also the perfect size for little ones to snuggle up with and, unsurprisingly, nearly all reviewers reported they were a huge hit with the kids.

Combine with a pair of the best thermal curtains in your child's bedroom to keep them cost-effectively warm and cosy this winter.

Keep the Christmas spirit up even in January and February with this adorable festive penguin hot water bottle. There's also a reindeer or snowman design too, so you can choose the one your child will love the most. We think it would be ideal for snuggling up with on the sofa whilst finishing up the Christmas chocolates and watching a film.

Many Mumsnet users recommended using a hot water bottle with a cuddly cover like this one as it’s a good way to avoid the traditional rubber surface being too close to young, sensitive skin. The fluffy cover can provide a protective layer against the heat too. It's worth noting though, it is on the small side compared to some other options, but reviewers agreed it was great for youngsters.

Whilst younger children are bound to love cuddling up with a novelty hot water bottle, older children may want something a little more grown-up and sophisticated. We love the large capacity and soft, fleece cover of this hot water bottle from ARMA, offering a simple comforting heat source for tweens and teens without feeling too babyish. It comes in a variety of wintry designs, though Amazon will dispatch a random one so it might be better suited to un-fussy teens and tweens.

For more energy efficient ways for the whole family to stay warm this winter, don't miss our guides to the best men's dressing gowns and best thermal underwear for women.