Ravensburger My First Puzzles - Mothers & Babies - Review

Erin is at the age now where she has started to take an interest in puzzles and it's great to see her little brain working out what piece goes where. The problem with being a second child though is that all our puzzles are her brother's hand me downs and she doesn't actually have any of her own...oops!

Ravensburger offered to send us a puzzle from their "My First Puzzles" range and I thought this would be a lovely item to review...and a chance for Erin to have a puzzle of her own ;)

The Mothers and Babies set is aimed at toddlers from 18+ months and is a perfect introduction to puzzles. Containing 6 individual animal puzzles, each has two pieces. Featuring a cat, dog, sheep, cow, duck and pig the baby part is nestled in the Mum's tummy.

As with all Ravensburger puzzles, the quality is fantastic and each piece is made of sturdy, thick laminated cardboard. Some puzzles are so flimsy you know that they will bend and break but I know this one will endure the strength of a toddler and still be fine!

Erin is 2 years and 3 months and she had no trouble working out which baby went where. I think possibly she might be at the upper age level of who this puzzle is suited for but it still made for an educational game, despite the simplicity of the puzzles. We talked about what noises the different animals made, and what colours she could see on the puzzles.

She has played with it lots since we got it and it's great because it's something that she can do by herself, she doesn't need any help setting it up or getting it out of the box. (Well, I asked if she wanted some help and she said "no! Me do it!")

The Mothers & Babies Puzzle set is £6.99 and can be purchased from Amazon

Disclaimer: We received the product for the purpose of the honest review. All views are my own

BRIO MY HOME TOWN LIGHT AND SOUND FIRETRUCK - REVIEW

Growing up with a big brother, it was inevitable that Erin would become fond of Elliot's toys at playtime. Of course she has her own big toy box full to the brim of age appropriate toys but right now, some of her favourite items include the plastic dinosaurs (of which we have many!) and the vehicles. She especially likes the "neenaws"! Fortunately Elliot has a big box full of vehicles so she is always sneaking off to Elliot's bedroom to have a rummage in his toys!

We were recently sent the Brio My Home Town Light and Sound Firetruck and as soon as it arrived, Erin was clamouring to open the packaging and play with it. In fact, she was so keen I didn't even get to take any photos of her opening it - bad blogger! ;)

Brio is one of those reliable brands where you know exactly what you are going to get. The toys are predominately wooden and always of a high quality - and they are the type of toys that never go out of fashion! Brio also guarantee that all their wood is from FSC certified sources - which basically means that all the wood they use is traceable and originates from responsibly managed forests.

The My Home Town range is a fantastic set, just perfect for sparking the imagination. Featuring farmers, policemen, camping sets, trains and much more, the figures let you try out different careers. The range is suitable for children 18+ which is great, so many toys are for 3+ and they are at that inbetween stage where they are growing out of the baby stage toys and not quite ready for the pre-school toys!

Our Light and Sound Firetruck is made of sturdy wood and plastic and features a working siren that is activated by a simple button on top. It comes with a fireman and fire lady - these are both wooden and have no moveable parts, these are perfect for little hands. There is a firehose which can be reeled in and out and the fire people can be popped into this. Lastly there is a removable ladder.

We were really impressed with the set and it has got a lot of play since it arrived. Erin loves pushing it around and turning the siren on, but Elliot has also enjoyed playing with it along with his other Brio vehicles.

I am sure this toy will continue to be a popular with Elliot and Erin and I'm pretty sure we will be adding to our Brio collection very soon!

The Brio My Home Town Light & Sound Firetruck is £24.99 and can be purchased from BRIO

Disclaimer: We received the product for the purpose of the honest review. All views are my own

In the Night Garden Stacking Blocks - Review

We are big fans of CBeebies and it was inevitable that Erin would follow in this fashion too. Currently one of her favourites is In The Night Garden which I think is perfect for her age group (16 months). She's too young to know what's going on - and to be honest, none of us know what's going on there so it's perfect! She loves all the bright colours and the characters - she will sit through an episode clapping her hands and giggling to herself.

We were recently sent a set of gorgeous In the Night Garden stacking blocks from Hacche. When they arrived Erin couldn't wait to get them open and start playing!

Suitable from 12 months +, the five stacking blocks are made of sturdy cardboard and are lovely and colourful. Featuring bright and eye catching images of numbers and letters, the blocks are a fab introduction to counting and colours. One of the sides features the famous characters from the show and if you line the blocks up carefully they will create a larger image.

Erin really enjoyed playing with these - her favourite thing is to let someone stack them up for her, and then she takes great pleasure in knocking them down! The blocks also fit nicely inside each other so she spends a great deal of time putting them in and taking them out again.

Elliot has also had lots of fun with these - although sometimes he can't get them built up quick enough with demolition Erin around!

The only negative thing I'd say about the blocks is that they are made of cardboard and not plastic. Although the cardboard is nice and sturdy, Erin has had a chew on some of the corners and they are starting to look a little ragged. At this age, everything goes in the mouth so it would have been easier to have them made from something a)wipe clean and b)not chewable!

Aside from the material, I love the colours and patterns on these and they would make a lovely gift for a toddler. We have had ours a few weeks now and Erin has had lots of play out of them. I'm sure they will continue to be a favourite!

*Disclaimer: We received this product in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own

THOMAS & FRIENDS MINIS MOTORISED RACEWAY - REVIEW

Elliot has been a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine for as long as I can remember. Over the years we have amassed countless different tracks and engines and the collection got so large that we had to move it into the garage! Elliot has often looked at the Thomas MINIS collection in the toy shop and was very excited when we were sent the Thomas & Friends MINIS Motorised Raceway to test out.

As soon as the parcel arrived Elliot wanted to play with it straight away so we had to drop everything and get the track set up. Fortunately this was quite easy and the instruction booklet was simple to follow, and luckily we had spare batteries in the garage - phew! With a few clicks, the track was good to go and Elliot couldn't wait to get racing.

The track comes with two engines, Thomas and James but it is also compatible with the rest of the MINIS collection which is handy.

The Motorised Raceway is lots of fun. The mini engines are taken up the steep vertical slope by the lift and as soon as they reach the top, they are off! There are three different routes to follow and these can be easily changed by moving the lever at the top.

The first path takes the engines down the waterfall track with a thrilling 360 degree loop before reaching the tunnel and beginning the steep journey up again.

The next route whizzes down the track which appears to be broken but the engines have no trouble jumping the gap!

The third path looks like it's heading nowhere as the MINIS roll off the edge and down a gravity defying track.

Cranky the Crane swings his arm and uses his hook to help any stranded engines!

This is a great set and has already had hours of play since it arrived. It is fast paced and thrilling and I like the fact that there are three different options. This keeps play exciting and inspires imaginations. It's great that all the MINIS collection is compatible - Elliot has already asked me for some more engines so he can race them all at once on the track!

SO FAST!

The Thomas & Friends MINIS Motorised Raceway (RRP £44.99) would make an excellent present for children 3+ and can be found at Smyths Toys


*Disclaimer: We received this product in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own

FISHER PRICE THINK & LEARN TEACH 'N TAG MOVI - REVIEW

My husband has always been into gadgets and this has passed onto Elliot - he's fascinated by robots and how things work. Sometimes we get products to review that are completely up our street, and the Fisher Price Think & Learn Teach 'N Tag Movi was one of them!

Aimed at children between 3-6 years old, Movi gets kids moving and learning along with him. On first impressions, Movi looks brilliant! He has big chunky wheels on each side, a large "face" screen (featuring over 60 different faces!) and easy to press buttons on his head and tummy.

It was nice and simple to set him up - we literally just took him out of the box, clipped in the back wheel and he was good to go. Batteries are included too so he's ready to start talking straight away!

The big chunky wheels mean that Movi can be used on carpets and smooth floors and he has 360 degree mobility.

Movi features 3 play modes:

• Alpha Fun Actions
• Think & Move Shapes
• Learn & Play Games

Alpha Fun Actions features the fantastic animal actions games where children can learn the alphabet whilst learning more about their favourite animals. Movi will say phrases such as " B, Bear! Paws up in the air! Now growl like a bear!". This was probably Elliot's favourite game - he especially liked slithering along the floor like a wiggling worm! 

Excuse the blurred shot...this worm was fast!

In Think & Move Shapes, Movi will ask questions about different shapes and encourage the child to move around with him making the shape. 

Learn & Play features the Red Light Green Light game - just keep moving til you see the red light! 

All together there are 6 different games to play and the brilliant thing is, each game will encourage your child to get up and get moving whilst using their brains. Movi will help them learn important skills such as following directions and critical thinking. 

I'm all for kids getting active and I think Movi is a fab way of incorporating exercise into fun and learning. It was impossible for Elliot to stay still once Movi was switched on and he absolutely loved doing all the games and actions! 

At almost, 5, Elliot is nearer the top end of the age range and while he enjoyed playing with Movi,  I think the games are suited for younger children. He loved the animal games but kept asking if Movi could move any quicker! Erin (9 months) is well under the age bracket but she's crawling now and has enjoyed shuffling along behind Movi. I think as she gets older, she will be the one benefiting the most from the educational side of the robot. 

Think & Learn Teach 'N Tag Movi has an RRP of £44.99 (however is on offer at Smyths Toy Store for £39.99 at the moment!)

*Disclaimer - We were sent this item in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own

SCHLEICH DINOSAUR RANGE - SKULL TRAP & VELOCIRAPTOR REVIEW

We are big fans of the Schleich toys and they have featured many times on the blog. Most recently we reviewed the brand new Thor figure from the Marvel range. Our next item to review was the Large Skull Trap with Velociraptor - a fantastic toy, perfect for any little dinosaur fans! This one was right up Elliot's street, he is obsessed with dinosaurs and has literally played with this everyday since it arrived!

The trap is a large dinosaur skull which has a moveable jaw that can be adjusted to open in two positions. When you press the snout, the trap snaps shut! I'm not an expert on dinosaurs but it looks pretty lifelike to me and even comes with a full set of teeth. These may look sharp but they are actually made of soft plastic which makes the skull nice and safe to play with and with no risk of getting nipped by a dinosaur.

The skull comes with a fearsome velociraptor who has moveable arms (and extra sharp claws!), along with a Compsognathus (a two legged carnivore around the size of a pheasant) and a small lizard.

As with all Schleich toys, the quality is outstanding and the dinosaurs and skull are so well made. The figures are all handpainted and feature so much detail, like the pattens on the back of the velociraptor.

Elliot has had lots of fun playing with this set and really enjoys getting all his dinosaur figures out and pitting them against the skull to see who gets trapped!

The Skull Trap is £24.99 and can be purchased from www.schleich-s.co.uk

*Disclaimer - We were sent these items in return for an honest review. All views are my own

SCHLEICH THOR FIGURINE - REVIEW

We are big fans of the Schleich toys in this house. Over the last few years Elliot has built up a little collection which includes zoo animals, farm animals and even dinosaurs! Recently we discovered that Schleich also make Marvel and DC Comic characters which was pretty exciting for Elliot who is a big fan of superheroes.

To coincide with the release of the new Thor: Ragnarok movie (out in cinemas on 27th October), Schleich have added a familiar face to their Marvel team - the mighty Thor!  Also part of this Marvel range are Spiderman, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Dr Strange, Venom, Falcon, Iron Man and Green Goblin. 

"Thor, the Viking god, is almost invincible. His mighty hammer, Mjolnir, allows him to control storms, thunder and lightning, and it always returns to the hand of its powerful master. He comes from Asgard. When his father Odin, king of the gods, sends him to earth, he becomes a member of the Avengers so that he can fight side by side with other superheroes against the forces of evil – above all, his hate-filled brother, Loki."

Schleich sent us out very own Thor to review so what did we think? Firstly, the quality of Thor is top class. All Schleich figures are lovingly handpainted with detailed modelling.  The figure has a nice heavy feel to it and feels very well made. Standing with his hammer raised in the air and ready for action, Thor looks just like he does in the film! 

The figure comes in a smart collectors box and wouldn't look out of place on a collectors shelf. However there was no chance of him staying in his box in this house! Elliot couldn't wait to start playing and immediately went to get his other figures from the superhero box. (Yes, we have a Superhero box!)

Thor standing tall!

He had a great time with all this figures and I'm sure Thor is going to be playing a prominent role in Elliot's playtime for the foreseeable future! He's already nagging me to get the rest of the Marvel gang for him....

The Thor figurine is priced at £9.99 and is available from www.schleich-s.co.uk (suitable for 4+)

*Disclosure - We were sent a selection of schleich figures for writing this honest review - as always, all thoughts are my own. And we genuinely love Schleich toys! 

GIGGLING TIDDLYTUBBIES PLUSH - REVIEW

Tellytubbies are one of the most iconic toys of my lifetime - infact, can you believe Tellytubbies are celebrating their 20th anniversary?!  I remember working in WH Smiths at the peak of their popularity and people went crazy for the toys. And who can forget when they almost made it to Christmas Number 1 back in 1997!

Now 20 years later, the Tellytubbies are more popular than ever and these days, they even have babies! The Tiddlytubbies were first introduced in 2015 and have been a big hit with the viewers. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, there is a brand new range of plush toys which are sure to appeal to tots.

We were sent two of the 8" Giggling Tiddlytubbies - Umby Pumby (yellow) and Nin (purple) and I couldn't wait to see what Elliot and Erin thought.

Elliot's reaction was hilarious - I wish I'd got it on camera but as he took the Tiddlytubbies out of the packaging, he actually screamed with excitement!! I assumed he might be a bit too old for Tellytubbies as these days he's more into dinosaurs and superheroes but he loves it. As does Erin!

The Tiddlytubby plush toys are equally as cute as they look on screen. Made of soft towelling material with cute little faces and big eyes, they have been a big hit in our house. Press their tummies and they giggle and say a range of Tellytubby babbles! The colours are bright and vibrant and they are just perfect for snuggling up to.

Erin has a range of baby toys but she always makes a beeline for the Tiddlytubbies - she's taken a real shine to Umby Pumby especially! The giggling is really cute and the look on her face when she hears it is priceless!

Here's a little video to show you just how cute they are...and how Elliot is convinced one of them says "idiot"!!

It's safe to say these were a big hit and I'm sure they will be played with for a long time....I've already been nagged to get the other characters too!

The 8" plush toys are priced at £9.99 and can be found at www.character-online.co.uk

*Disclaimer - We were sent this item in return for an honest review. All views are my own

Fisher Price Hippo Projection Soother - Review

We were recently sent the Fisher Price Hippo Projection Soother in pink for Erin to test out. Fisher Price is one of my favourite brands for baby toys as you can always guarantee the quality and this product was no exception!

Place the hippo on a dresser or table top to help sooth baby, filling the room with soothing, starry lights.

The hippo is made from soft, plush material and his head and legs are lovely and squishy. Three audio modes play 30 minutes of calming lullaby music, nature sounds or white noise to help baby drift off to sleep. The music and noises are controlled by the buttons on the side of the dome - they will play for 30 minutes and switch off automatically (by which point hopefully your baby has drifted off to the land of nod!) - if you wish to stop them earlier, you just need to press the button again.

The hippo is suitable from birth so it was ideal for Erin to test out at 8 months old. I loved the projector - the dome area is quite big so the stars cover a massive part of the ceiling, if not all of it. They aren't too bright or flashy but very soothing. Placing the soother in the middle of the room gets the best coverage I found.

Photo credit - Smyths Toys

I've never really used white noise for Erin (or Elliot) to sooth but I do really like the nature noise option - it's very relaxing and I could certainly drift off to sleep listening to it!

Although the soother isn't really a cuddly toy (due to the big dome in the middle!), Erin has enjoyed playing with the hippo on her mat. I imagine the plush material feels really nice on her fingers.

Erin is generally a good sleeper but I have been using the noises for naptime as a background noise - our house is never quiet (having a 4yr old does that) so it just makes it a bit more soothing for her when shes napping.

She isn't too fussed about the stars but Elliot has been using the hippo as a nightlight recently. He always complains that his room is too dark when we put him to bed so the hippo has been really handy for him to pop on while he's settling down. (I then take the hippo back to Erin's room when he's asleep incase she wakes up and needs settling!)

Our Fisher Price Hippo is a lovely pale pink colour but he also comes in blue and costs £22.99.

*Disclaimer - We were sent this item in return for an honest review. All views are my own

Disney Pixar's Cars 3 - Soft Toys Review

One of the biggest films to hit the cinemas this summer is Cars 3 - Elliot has been watching the trailers on You tube for months and he's really excited to go to the cinema and see it!

Posh Paws, the UK's leading plush toy manufacturer, have recently launched a brand new range of Cars 3 soft toys which will sure to appeal to the younger fans.

At 4, Elliot still loves soft toys - infact his entire top bunk is full of them and he seems to take a different one to bed with him each night! Posh Paws sent us a selection of the brand new Cars soft toys and he was rather pleased to open the package ;)

Characters available are Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cruz Ramirez, Jackson Storm, Guido and Mack. There is a selection of sizes including 8", 10" and 20" and you can even get bag clips which feature in the pocket money range.

We were sent a large Cruz, smaller Cruz and two of the bag clips; Lightning McQueen and Mack. The first thing I noticed was the quality of the toys - they are lovely and soft and don't feel scratchy like some cheaper soft toys. They have great detail, even the smaller ones and I love how colourful they are.

Elliot has had loads of fun playing with his cars - big Cruz has been racing against little Cruz! It's nice that Erin can get involved too - the little Cruz is just the right size for her little hands.

Elliot is really taken with the bag clips and is going to be clipping one on his new school bag in September!

The toys were a big hit and I'm pretty sure at least one of them will be coming along to the cinema when we finally get to see Cars 3!

The Posh Paws plush range is priced between £5.99-£19.99 and available from Debenhams, Sainsbury's, Shop Direct Gamestop, Next Retail and Independent retailers.

*Disclaimer: We received these products in exchange for an honest review. All views are my (Elliot's!) own

Chuggington Toys - Brand New for Easter! Review

Elliot is a typical 4 year old, he loves trains. Playing with trains, watching trains, waving at trains, going on trains...you get the idea! His Grandad is a real train buff so that's definitely where he gets it from :)

We were lucky enough to be one of the first families in the country to receive some of the very latest Chuggington toys. Elliot was over the moon and couldn't wait to rip into the box to see what he'd got!

The new range features 24 collectable Little Chuggers and various ConnecTrax track packs. The track is really handy as it is compatible with lots of other pre-school train sets - and I'm sure we've all got at least one of them in the toy box!

We received the Track Pack which contained sturdy blue track and Chug Patrol Wilson who is one of the exclusive chuggers. We also had Hanzo and Hoot & Toot which were 2-car chuggers and then Koko and Wilson who came in little plastic sheds which also fit onto the track. All the chuggers fit together too so they can be played with separately or as one long train.

The set is aimed at 2+ and the little chuggers are perfect for toddlers who are just getting into trains - they are very sturdy and well made and can be used really easily on the track. At 4 and a half, Elliot is probably a little old for these toys as he is used to playing with his Thomas Trackmaster sets but that said he did have lots of fun with the chuggers still.

I like that the Track Pack comes in a zip up bag, we managed to squeeze all the chuggers in there so it makes it really handy to take out . There are other chuggers in the set so we might have to look out for the others to add to the collection!

These toys are brand new and will be hitting the shops this Easter so keep your eyes peeled for Chugginton coming to a toy shop near you!

*Disclaimer: We received these products in exchange for an honest review. All views are my (Elliot's!) own

When you try and take a picture....!

Turtles Half-Shell Heroes Mutant Loader Vehicle with Mikey - Review

I'm not quite sure how Elliot got into  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but it's one of those things that has crept up on us. He enjoys watching them on his iPad and TMNT stuff was at the top of his list last birthday and Christmas! ( I remember going a bit mad when Sainsbury's had their toy sale - so much TMNT stuff!!)

With that in mind, when I got offered a Turtles Half-Shell Heroes Mutant Loader Vehicle to review I could hardly say no could I! In fact, just like the Imaginext Arkham Asylum, he bugged me everyday waiting for the postman! 

So what does the loader vehicle do? In simple terms....it's for catching the baddies! They can be scooped up on to the forklift and with a turn of the wheel, they are lifted and flipped into the capture cage. 

Well....Elliot loved this! He immediately went and got his other TMNT figures and each and every one got scooped up into the cage, good guys or bad guys...he wasn't picky! 

The vehicle comes with a Mikey figure who is coming out of his shell for the first time ever...is this possible?! Where did he leave his shell?! Also, in my day he was called Michelangelo - how long has he been known as Mikey!? 

What I loved about this toy is that it's really chunky and well made, perfect for younger TMNT fans.(2+). Some toys can be quite flimsy but Mikey and his vehicle have already been bashed around and fallen from a great height several times with no breakages. 

The Half Shell Heroes Mutant Loader Vehicle costs £19.99 and can be purchased from most leading retailers. You can find out more about TNMT at the TNMT Toys Collectors Club or Flair PLC

*Disclaimer: We received this product in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own

Jonathan Adler's New Fisher Price Range - Review

When you think of Fisher Price, you wouldn't normally associate Jonathan Adler, iconic American potter and designer. However last year he was named as Fisher Price's new Creative Director and he has been bringing his sense of style to some brand new products.

A new range of baby toys, suitable from birth, is inspired by contemporary art and features bright bold colours, geometric prints and gorgeous animal designs. It's never too early to develop a baby's sense of style!

We were lucky enough to be sent a selection of these new toys and Erin finally got a chance to do her first review! Obviously she is only very young still (9 weeks at the time of writing this!) but it's never too early to introduce toys to your baby to encourage their development.

Monkey Mirror (RRP £19.99)

This was my favourite of the range! Featuring a very cute monkey face, the mirror is perfect for tummy time. I love the clash of the geometric pattern and the bold colours and the attention to detail. There are lots of things to play with including a squeaky monkey, clacking bananas, a crinkly panel, fleecy grass, a jingling parrot and of course the mirror. The other side features colouring jungle animals. 

I have been encouraging tummy time recently and usually Erin gets a bit grumpy (she's prefers being propped up so she can see around!) but I think the mirror is going to be a great help getting her to spend time on her tummy. There are so many features on the mirror to keep baby entertained and I love the fact it can just be folded up for easy storage. It's really lightweight too so it would be an ideal toy to pop in your suitcase if you were going away with your baby. 

Activity Alligator & Activity Elephant (RRP £12.99 each)

These are lovely sensory toys that can be attached to your buggy or changing bag which is handy. Much like the monkey mirror, the toys are brightly coloured and feature the same geometric pattern as the rest of the Jonathan Adler range. 

The alligator has bright red and orange scales, a crinkly belly, a knotted tail and lots of different textures to boost baby's senses. He has a rattle attached to one foot and some rings on the other which make a fun clacking sound. I love that he is made of such lovely soft material, it feels almost suede like. 

The elephant is similarly coloured with a variety of textures including crinkle, corduroy, knit and plush. Like his alligator friend he features dangling toys which include a colourful butterfly and noisy rattle. He makes a really satisfying crunchy noise which Erin was fascinated with! 

Signature Style Pegs - Giraffe Spinner (RRP £4.99)

This cute little fella is bound to be popular with babies. He is bright and eye catching and features the same striking patterns as the rest of the range. Sensory stimulation is provided by the spinning bird and clacking rattle. Like the activity animals, the giraffe can be attached to your changing bag or buggy. 

We loved the giraffe and Elliot spent ages showing Erin the spinning bird! 

I think this is a lovely range and I adore all the bright colours and funky patterns. Sometimes baby toys can be a bit samey but Fisher Price are definitely onto a winner with these ones. I like that that toys are suitable from birth - Erin is still very young so she's not quite at the playing stage yet but she has started to find her hands and the toys are brilliant for her with all the sensory stimulations.

Are you a fan of Fisher Price toys for your children?

Selected Products available from Argos