I’ve written before about how much Toby and Gabe love science and especially STEM toys like this magnetic construction set from Geomag. In fact we reviewed the Geomag Gravity Track set a few months ago which the boys really enjoyed playing with. And so when we were given the chance to add the Geomag Confetti set to their collection of magnetic toys we were delighted to accept.
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Review // Zoom Tubes Car Trax
As we get closer to Christmas I’m always on the lookout for new toys, especially ones that would suit both Toby and Gabe. Finding toys that can be enjoyed by a three year old and five year old together isn’t always easy so when I was asked if we would like to review Zoom Tubes Car Trax I was hopeful that they would fit the bill. Read more
Superzings Series 2 Collectibles
There are so many collectible toys available these days that it’s hard to know where to start, if you want to start collecting at all! We’ve mostly avoided blind bags and collectibles until this year, but when the Superzings stand appeared in our local Co-op I bought Toby and Gabe one bag each and they were hooked! Read more
Review: Peppa Pig wooden toys from Milly & Flynn
I have a confession to make – I have never seen an episode of Peppa Pig, and neither have my kids. Not in my presence anyway, but at about 20 months Toby did start calling all pigs Peppa so I’m guessing she might have made an appearance at nursery somewhere along the line. Anyway, when I was asked if we would like to review some Peppa Pig wooden toys from Milly & Flynn my initial reaction was to say no. But then I had a look at the range and realised they were just some really nice wooden toys that happened to have Peppa Pig on them and there was really no reason for the boys not to play with them.
Milly & Flynn have a variety of different Peppa Pig toys; we were sent the Magnetic Play Set (RRP £12), the Peppa Pig Push-Along (RRP £15) and the Skittles Set (RRP £20). My theory was that Toby and Gabe would both be able to play with the skittles, the magnetic play set would be great for Toby and newly-walking Gabe would enjoy the push-along. Of course things don’t always work out the way you plan!
We set up the skittles but I think Toby managed one shot before Gabe decided it was much more fun to knock them over himself.
He then carried them off to the other side of the room and that was the end of that game! Gabe has had a lot of fun with the skittles though. He likes banging them together, or practising standing them up – which is trickier than it sounds when you’re only 15 months old.
The Magnetic Play Set is fab for Toby. He’s only just started to make up stories when he’s playing, and this double sided board with lots of pieces really helps him use his imagination. Here he was telling me a story about the purple dinosaur who was playing football in the park.
There are plenty of magnetic pieces to put on the board – enough that Toby and Gabe even managed to play together for a little bit without arguing!
The last item we were sent was the Peppa Pig Push-Along. Gabe has only just started walking, so walking and pushing is a skill he is still working on but he definitely enjoys it and the push-along is just the right size for him.
All the wooden toys that we have been trying out are lovely – they are really well made, and sturdy enough to cope with my not so gentle boys playing with them. There are more wooden toys available from Milly & Flynn – in the Peppa Pig range and they also have a Dear Zoo range.
I’m sure we’ll get plenty of use out of our new Peppa Pig toys for months, and even years to come. And you never know, one of these days Gabe might even let us have a proper game of skittles!!
**Disclosure: I was sent the featured products in return for this review. All opinions are my own.
Review: Twirlywoos Talking Great BigHoo and Toodloo
Toby has loved the Twirlywoos ever since it first appeared on CBeebies back in February. I have to say, of all the TV programmes that Toby watches, I quite like it myself! I knew then that he would also love the instantly recognisable Talking Great BigHoo and Toodloo toys from Golden Bear Toys that he was lucky enough to be sent to review.
And I was right! As soon as they were out of the box Toby loved the toys. They are a great size for toddler cuddles, and the plush fabric is super-soft. Each toy makes several different sounds and my only slight criticism is that with his small hands Toby finds it quite tricky to find the right part of the toy to press to make the noise come out. Other than that these Twirlywoos toys are brilliant and they have certainly become firm favourites with Toby and they were in hot demand when his friends Thomas and Edward called round the other day too!
I’m not a big fan of buying loads of toys that are linked to films or TV shows and sometimes it does seem that they are all that’s available in the shops but I can also see why. Kids love getting toys that they recognise from the TV, and seriously, how cute does Toby look watching Twirlywoos with Great BigHoo and Toodloo by his side?
Our only problem now is that he keeps asking for Chickadee and Chick too!
Talking Great BigHoo has an RRP of £16.99 and Toodloo has an RRP of £14.99.
**Disclosure: I was sent the featured products in return for this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
Review: My First JCB Farm Fun Tractor Tim
Toby has recently started to really enjoy playing with cars and trucks, and is getting much more imaginative in his play too. When I was asked if we would like to review the My First JCB Tractor Tim from Golden Bear Toys I knew he would love it!
According to the people behind My First JCB…
My First JCB is a colourful, kid tough pre-school construction vehicle range based on real life JCB vehicles, created for little hands with big imaginations!
My First JCB Farm Fun Tractor Tim (RRP £14.99,) is the newest member of the My First JCB team. Perfect forlittle hands, children will have hours of imaginative play as they use the trailer to load and transport. The trailer has a drop down tail gate for added fun and can also be detached from the tractor if Tractor Tim wants to go solo.Farm Fun Tractor Tim has big chunky wheels making him great for indoor or outdoor play. Suitable for children aged 12 months+.
Toby was excited about his new tractor as soon as he got it out of the box and was very impatient whilst I got it out, which wasn’t too difficult – always a plus in my book!
Tractor Tim is made from plastic and it certainly feels like it’s robust enough to withstand everything a toddler can throw at it. The big wheels make it perfect for using both inside and out and I’m sure Toby will enjoy using it in the garden – although perhaps we’ll wait until the weather improves a bit before putting that to the test.
Tractor Tim comes with his own detachable trailer which is a great added extra. Toby loved collecting his bits a pieces (a stone and a little figure from one of his other toys on this occasion) together and wheeling them around the living room.
He also liked lifting the bonnet and having a look at the engine…
My First JCB Tractor Tim is a fabulous toy for any tractor or digger mad little boy or girl and there are lots of other toys in the range too. I can definitely see a few more appearing in our house at some point!
**Disclosure: I was sent the featured product in return for this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
Review: Fisher-Price Smart Stages Chair
If you look in any home where there are kids you will almost definitely find something from Fisher-Price – they have been making toys since 1930 after all! But what’s great about Fisher-Price is that they are always innovating and creating new toys that allow kids to learn through play. Toby loves the Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy that we reviewed a while back so when Fisher-Price got in touch again and asked if would like to try a new baby learning toy, the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair I was pretty sure it would be something that Toby would enjoy playing with.
The Details
The chair has over 50 songs, tunes and phrases – there are three different levels suitable for 12 months+, 18 months+ and 24 months+ and the integrated Smart Stages technology means that the interactive elements change as your child grows. The Smart Stages chair uses 3 AAA batteries. The chair has an RRP of £34.99 – however, at the time of writing it is selling on Amazon for £26.94.
The Pros
- The chair was easy to put together, just a few screws required to attach the feet and the chair back. Once it’s put together the chair feels very sturdy and well made – as you would expect from Fisher-Price!
- It’s just the right size – I was a bit worried before we got it that the chair was going to be enormous and take up loads of space but it’s actually very compact.
- It’s very easy for toddlers to grasp what they need to do to get the sounds and songs – Toby got started on playing straight away!
- There are so many different songs and sounds that it doesn’t get repetitive – especially for mum and dad who have to listen to it. There are two different volume levels as well so it doesn’t have to be too loud.
- The Smart Stages technology means you can program your child’s age into the chair when you first turn it on and then the activities will automatically change when they reach 18 months and 24 months. You can also change the stage manually if you prefer.
- I like how a sound is activated when the child sits down or stands up from the seat – Toby hasn’t really learnt to sit on a chair by himself yet (or stand up from one) but I’m sure this will encourage him to do so.
The Cons
- The only slight issue with the chair for Toby (it may well be different if you have a smaller child!) is that he can’t really reach any of the things on the arms whilst he is sat in the chair. This isn’t really a problem as he can play with all the buttons whilst facing the chair but just something we noticed.
- You need to put the batteries in before you attach the back legs, and will also need to remove the legs if you need to change the batteries. This isn’t a massive inconvenience as it’s only a couple of screws but it is a bit annoying (especially if like me you don’t really read the instructions before you start putting it all together!)
The Verdict
The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair is a great addition to any playroom. As you can see from the pictures above Toby wasn’t entirely sure about sitting on it at first but he soon got the hang of it and was dancing along to the ABC song! The fact that the interactive elements of the chair can change as your child develops makes it even better and great value for money.
**Disclosure: I was sent the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair in return for this review. All opinions are my own.