HABA Ambassador review - Creative Workshop Flowers

This is my first review as a HABA Ambassador and my first experience of the HABA range of toys and furniture.

This review is for the HABA Creative Workshop Flowers and it is a kit that lets children create their own accessory designs. Included in the kit are 32 flowers in differing sizes, 5 wooden rods, 2 hair slides and 2 securing pins, 5 decorative caps for the tops and templates to create 2 cardboard storage boxes.

HABA Creative Workshop Flowers kit

I let my 12 year old daughter try this kit with me and we designed a number of wooden flowers using the pre-cut flowers and 2 hair slides.  The flowers were easy to slide onto the wooden rods and also onto the slides but smaller children may need a helping hand from a grown up.  The pieces are well designed and the choice of colours is very good.  The whole kit is of made of good quality materials.

I really liked the quality of materials and the fact that they could be taken apart again to create different designs providing endless creations.  My daughter liked colours and shapes of the petals and although she is perhaps older than the age group this is aimed at, she happily created a number of accessories.  Both my daughter and myself found the templates to make the cardboard storage boxes quite difficult to put together considering it was a simple box but we persevered and got there in the end!

The hair slides were easy to open and close and the flowers attached easily but stayed secured very well although they are a little big for everyday use in the hair.

Our flower hair slide

I think that there is very little that could be improved about the product except perhaps the ability to add some leaves to the rods as well as the petals or perhaps brighter non pastel coloured flowers.  The product would provide any little girl (or boy!) with hours of entertainment making and remaking different flower designs and then being able to store them in their own little box. Great for stimulating creativity and design ideas in your little ones.

All the pieces were packaged in a pretty box that was very robust - a great gift idea!

READ MORE - HABA Ambassador review - Creative Workshop Flowers

Kia Sedona my chariot for the Tots 100 Christmas Party 2011

I have not been requested, suggested or paid to write this post, I have written it because simply I want to.

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity, thanks to Sally Whittle,  to drive a Kia Sedona to the Tots 100 Christmas party at Butlins over the weekend.  I was really nervous as the Sedona was a manual gearbox which is something I had not driven for nearly 3 years since changing to an automatic for my own car.  Not only that but there was no handbrake... but in it's place was a foot/handbrake so effectively instead of my normal 2 pedals I would have in my auto I was now faced with 4 pedals and a 5 hour drive to Bognor Regis - gulp!

Also with no Sat Nav on board I was driving solo (apart from my eldest son riding sidecar!)  We set off at 2pm and I must have stalled it so many times in the first 15 minutes that in the end my 19 year old, who himself is learning to drive, started to have to remind me to be in first gear every time I stopped.

After about 15 minutes and now on to a dual carriageway, so no gear changes to worry about, I was soon in my element.  The car was so smooth to drive especially as my own car has done 244 thousand miles and is very tired. The Kia Sedona was a chariot in comparison and I felt like it was pure luxury on wheels.  With the model I drove boasting electric rear doors and electric boot door you could drop the kids off at school and open the doors and boot for them without having to ever leave the safe warm haven of the cars exterior - am I a bad persons for noticing that advantage?!

Over the 4 days I had the Kia I drove 660 miles of pure driving bliss and I can honestly say it did not feel that many.  The seats were comfortable and indulgently warmed my bottom as I drove (such a hard life) and the miles passed by in a whirl of comfort.  With 7 seats there was plenty of space and with the 5 of us and luggage it was no challenge with the removal of 1 of the rear seats.  The seats are very easy to remove and although heavy are straightforward to store as they fold compactly.

I drove on dual carriageways, motorways, went shopping in it, did the school run and as we live in what some may classify as a rural location we could be on mud tracks one moment and tarmac roads the next so I got a good feel for how the car drove in a good variety of conditions.  The Sedona was happiest on the motorway (it even has cruise control) but still handles the more rural roads very well.

To share my thoughts on the car I have made a little video:



So was it comfortable to drive?       YES

Would I recommend it?                        YES

Do I want one?                                              NO .........I NEED ONE!!
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READ MORE - Kia Sedona my chariot for the Tots 100 Christmas Party 2011

Swimglows review - now and then a product comes along.....

...that is unique and obviously designed after having a 'brainwave'

As you may know 'Pre-teen' is a competitive or club swimmer and trains 5 days per week - I am very proud of her commitment and dedication to her swimming.  I started off as many other parents do with Mother and Baby swim sessions mainly spent splashing around and singing nursery rhymes to accustom babies to the water from a very young age. Pre-teen says she was born in water and born to swim as I had her at home in a birthing pool !!

I was lucky in that none of my children have shown fear of water but I am always amazed by the amount of children I see at our local pool that are terrified of even getting in the water let alone learning to swim and for many compulsary school swimming lessons would be a frightening experience.

When sent Gemglows and Coinglows from http://www.swimglows.com/ I could see just how such items could help a child gain confidence in the water.

Gemglows are soft silicone cones in a gem shape that light up for approx 35 seconds when pressed and slowly sink (and flash!) their way to the bottom of the pool.

Gemglows go from this....

... to this

They encourage children that are water confident to do surface dives or simple exercises like ducking down in the water or for those less confident they encourage them to put their faces into the water to watch the gems float down to the bottom or even reach into retrieve them. Very confident swimmers could use them as a race to collect the gems before they stop glowing.

The same can be said for the Coinglows as they go from this...

... to these!

On our recent trip to Butlins we tried out both the Gemglows and the Coinglows and I was really impressed by the concept, design and how easy it was to get them to light up.  Tala played with them happily throwing them into the water and of course letting me retrieve them.  I was asked by several other parents in the pool about the product and one little boy played alongside Tala for ages with them diving and collecting the coins and gems. My only reservation was that the silver coins were very hard to see on the floor of a white tiled pool when they had stopped flashing and we sadly lost one as a result.

My two older children trialled another Swimglows product - the Gogglows in the pool whilst we were there and they liked to press the goggles (glow is activated by pressing a button on each side of the goggles) and then slowly sink to the bottom of the pool and see how long they could see them glowing for.

Gogglows can be used without the LED lights

Or activate with the buttons to see them glow

When wearing the goggles the swimmer cannot see the flashing so does not interfere with their swim or fun! Again the lights encourage swimming to be fun and little ones gain the confidence to put their faces in the water whilst confident swimmers can see how far they can swim up the pool before the lights go out.  The can be used to play lots of water confidence building games and although they would not be suitable for my daughter to compete in sadly (could you imagine how they would look flashing away on the starting blocks before she dived in to compete in a race!!) they are a great swim item and I think very competitively priced at £10.99 (less any relevant P&P)

We really liked the Swimglows range and are very excited by the new swimming tension goggles soon to be launched.  No more red rings around Pre-teens eyes from her goggles being too tight.

A clever and unique range of products that makes swimming even more fun.
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READ MORE - Swimglows review - now and then a product comes along.....

Happy Feet Two for Xbox game review

Now and then there are a difference in opinion in our house when it comes to games.  The latest game the children have been reviewing is Happy Feet Two based around the new movie sequels release.

The game sees the Penguin Nation having to work, dance and face challenges together to recruit more penguins to help in the plight against extinction.  The dance moves are cool and Middle Son enjoyed playing as Mumbles and adding more dance moves as the game progressed.  Pre-Teen hated the game and said it had no story other than collecting penguins and dancing to the same song!!  NB In order to add other songs to your game you have to finish levels and progress through the game but this, depending on your childs gaming ability, can take ages and until then you just hear the same song over and over - it drove us mad!!

Middle Son was oblivious and played, danced and recruited merrily but Pre-Teen remained unconvinced.  The scenery is very repetitive (how different can ice and then more ice look) and to be honest I don't think I would have been happy if I had paid the RRP £34.99 for it.

I also think the game has missed a trick as there is no option to play using the Kinect box so game play is through a standard controller.  I do think the option to use the Kinect, especially with it being dance moves, would have made the game more interesting and fast paced as it did seem to rather drag to me as a spectator but for very young players this may be much of it's appeal as they would be able to play along quite easily and pick up the controls quickly.

Overall great for little ones just starting out with gaming but not much to keep bigger players entertained for long.  A Kinnect option may have counteracted that. We did not try the 3D compatible mode as we do not own a 3D television so we cannot comment on how will this option worked.

READ MORE - Happy Feet Two for Xbox game review

Lego Harry Potter Years 5 - 7 on Xbox 360 review

We have been reviewing the new Lego Harry Potter game recently for the Xbox.  The game follows the last three Harry Potter books through both Magical and Muggle worlds setting you challenges along the way.

I absolutely love the Lego games and Middle Son has all of the Lego Star Wars games for his DS.  I love the way you can makes things from Lego as part of the game play and in this Harry Potter game it is no exception.  The graphics are clean and sharp and the Lego game figures resemble the Harry Potter characters very well so there is no confusion as to who someone is.

You have to perform spells and complete challenges as you explore Grimmauld Place, Godric's Hollow and many more with the game complimenting the books very well.  The challenges are just that but are not too difficult that children will give up and stop playing or become frustrated.

My children (ages 10, 12 and 19) all enjoyed playing the game and it can be played alone or in pairs using a drop-in/drop-out system.  It does warn that the game includes violence and fear but for those that are old enough to enjoy the films and books I don't see the game would cause any problems.  I did not see anything I found to be upsetting when I watched them play and as the figures are Lego they can be built back up again when they battle so that takes some of that away from being negative and fearful.

A fantastic game that kept my children entertained for ages and they are still in the processing of completing so value for money as well.

The game also includes the ultimate showdown with Lord Voldemort - are you prepared ?!
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READ MORE - Lego Harry Potter Years 5 - 7 on Xbox 360 review

It's all about the wheels!

Last month I gave away a Mookie Scuttlebug on my blog and this month Tala has been trying out the Mookie Whirlee.

It is so lightweight that I thought the box was empty when it was delivered! It is a moulded ride on toy with 4 sturdy wheels that rotate in any direction which makes it so easy to move it when you only have little legs.

Tala was able to touch the floor with his feet and found it fairly easy to move - although going in one direction was not always easy for him.

Handle was good for toddler stability

The logo of a plane had Tala fascinated

It was easy to push him along it and I was impressed by how stable the Whirlee felt for such a lightweight design, although the handle was helpful for Tala to hold on to for support as the seat is not non-slip and at times he wobbled (he is just 1 bear in mind)

Tala was able to manoeuvre himself onto the Whirlee although did need to hold onto the sofa for support.

The thing that fascinated him the most was the wheels....

Ah ha Wheels!

As soon as he found them and the fact he could lift the Whirlee up I soon found it was all about the wheels!!

Lift it!

Whirl them!

Bite them!

I really like the simple but sturdy deign of the Whirlee.  Because there are no metal exposed fixings to rust or rot (the wheels are safely covered so no trapped fingers) it also meant that it would make a fantastic outside toy.

With the lovely weather we are still having at this time of year it would not be difficult to carry for trips out especially with the moulded handle and the fact it weighs next to nothing.

I would like to have seen a non-slip seat for younger, less wobbly toddlers, but Tala seemed happy enough and as I was pushing him I had my arms either side of him as I pushed.

Another fantastic and cleverly designed ride on from Mookie.  Would we buy it? Yes we would!
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READ MORE - It's all about the wheels!

Ravensburger Puzzle Club - Me to You Bathtime puzzle

I am lucky enough to be part of the Ravensburger Puzzle review Club.

Lucky because in our house the children love puzzles and so they were thrilled to receive the Me to You Bathtime puzzle which is a 1000 piece puzzle that features the loveable Tatty Teddy.

Me to You - Bathtime

Along with the puzzle we also received the Puzzle Store that is an all in one puzzle workstation that not only allows you to safely store away your puzzle when you are in the process of completing it but has handy trays that mean you can sort out the pieces into different pieces - for instance all the edges in one tray.  This means no lost pieces and because the lid closes securely, your puzzle is held in place until the next time.

The Puzzle Store has handy 'sorting' trays

The puzzle is aimed at those age 12+ and because it is 1000 pieces I have to agree with this recommendation although my Middle Son did offer the odd bit of help.  The picture was well illustrated and we found the image on the front of the box was easy to follow when we got stuck.  The picture had lovely detail to it and there was plenty of detail to discover.  This Me to You puzzle is the 3rd in the range.

The pieces themselves were made of sturdy cardboard and although one piece did bend on the connecting piece (my daughter was determined it fitted THERE!) the pieces connected well and held securely in place.  The pieces also had a 'matt' type finish to them to prevent glare - wow puzzles have come a long way since I was a child!

The puzzle was finished over a week or so with us dipping in and finding pieces whenever we passed the Puzzle Store.  At 1000 pieces it is challenging but not too hard that you give up. Great to complete as a family as the picture appeals to both young and old.

The puzzle measured 70 x 50cm.

Read other reviews on Ravensburger puzzles on the Blog

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READ MORE - Ravensburger Puzzle Club - Me to You Bathtime puzzle

Kalide by Imagination review

I recently received a game that I have not come across before.  Kalide from Imagination is a game of skill that requires 2 players and an ability to flick your fingers.

Winning is all about how well you can flick, slide and score points with your magnetic 'pucks'  This game reminds me of those air hockey tables but on a smaller, magnetic scale you can easier set up and play at home.

The game includes a magnetic play mat, 12 magnetic pucks and an instruction leaflet.  To start playing just unroll the mat and share out the pucks - simple!

Mat simply unrolls for gameplay.

The object is the game is to score more points than your opponent and points are scored by flicking your pucks across the mat and aiming for the black circles containing a point value.  However as the pucks are magnetic this may not be as easy as it sounds as there is a 'dead zone' in the middle of the mat and any pucks that go into this or go off the mat are not counted.

Flicking fingers at the ready!

The pucks can also affect other pucks as they can knock (repel) or magnetically push another puck into or out of a points circle or even off the mat which is great if it is one of your opponents pucks.

Players flick their pucks from different sides and the player flicking from the red side can only score in the red section of the mat and the opposite for the yellow player.

Red players aim for red section of  board to score

The game is scored over three rounds with the player with the highest score winning.  I found the game simple to get the hang of and played against my pre-teen daughter but quickly it became quite 'samey' and we ended up adding obstacles to the mat to give a twist to the game.  I really liked the fact that the playmat was able to be rolled up and that the pucks were so easy to pack away and couldn't be lost as they just attached themselves to each other magnetically - no more lost game pieces.

Although the game is aimed at players of 8 years + I do think younger players could get the hang of it as long as they were careful as flying pucks could break things and adequate playing space is suggested because of this.

Kalide is a simple to understand game of skill that would brighten up a rainy afternoon.

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READ MORE - Kalide by Imagination review

Peppa Pig International Day and other stories DVD review

As I mentioned in my Ben & Holly DVD review Tala has found a few favourites.  Ben & Holly and Peppa Pig are guaranteed to amuse and I find it so adorable that when Peppa Pig says her trademark "Oink" he always laughs.

From October 24th October Peppas latest adventures are available to own on DVD from Entertainment One.  RRP is £12.99.

As you probably know Peppa Pigs favourite things are dressing up, jumping in puddles and spending time with George and Mummy and Daddy Pig and this DVD includes the International Day episode that sees Peppa and her brother George dressing up in costumes from different countries.

Also included are 10 other episodes:  International Day / Grampy Rabbit's Boatyard / Shake, Rattle and Bang / Pottery / Mr Fox's Van / Biggest Puddle in the World / Chatterbox / Chloe's Big Friends / Edmond Elephants Birthday and Gym Class.

Bonus episode - Paper Aeroplane.

For Peppa fans it is a must and sure to delight - Tala certainly loved it!

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READ MORE - Peppa Pig International Day and other stories DVD review

Paper Jamz Pro Microphone - sing like a star at home......

I have had to drag myself away from the entertainment of the Paper Jamz Pro Microphone to write this review... I was sceptical at first at to how much fun it would be but I can assure you we have never laughed so much, at each other singing and at the many other things we found that the Pro Mic was good for.

Paper Jamz Pro Microphone

Paper Jamz are perhaps better known for their guitars and I tried one of these at the Christmas in July event.  The Pro Microphone come with 2 songs included although we had never heard them before so was impossible to use them to sing along to.  The Microphone itself has 5 different sound effects; Perfect Pitch, Chorus which adds strength to your voice, Auto Harmony, Melody Match and Auto Vibrato.  Some of the effects are better than others but we had so much trying them out.

Eldest Son found it irresistible to download the free app so he could add his own songs to the Pro Microphone (except they were screamo songs from a band called Bring me the Horizon) and he 'sang' along to it.  Being able to add your own songs adds an extra fun element to the mic and allows it to be personalised to individual music tastes.

Included in the pack is the microphone, a portable amp and a USB cable and requires 4 x AA batteries which were not included.  RRP is around £34.99 and I think it would make a really great form of family entertainment at Christmas - especially after Aunt Agnes has had a sherry or 2!

Hours of fun and versatile - could you resist using the Microphone to say the first opening lines of the SAW movies - we couldn't!?

"I want to play a game....."

READ MORE - Paper Jamz Pro Microphone - sing like a star at home......

Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom - The Tooth Fairy DVD review

Tala has discovered television and one of his firm favourites are Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom.

Holly is a Princess with an elf friend called Ben and together they share many adventures whilst Holly learns to do fairy magic.  Tala sits glued to everything the duo do and so when we were sent The Tooth Fairy DVD to review (released 3rd October) I was sure he would approve.

The DVD contains 10 episodes:

The Elf Factory / Ben's Birthday Card / Books / Batty Caterpillar / Queen Holly / The Woodpecker / The Elf Band / The Ant Hill / Redbeard the Elf Pirate and The Tooth Fairy

Tala was mesmerised and instantly recognised his favourite characters (which are only surpassed by Peppa Pig which interestingly is from the same creators - Entertainment One)  Although he wasn't able to sit through the entire DVD with it being in 10 episodes it was easy to pause and come back to - perfect for young children.

The Tooth Fairy RRP £12.99

I also have a copy of for grabs for a lucky blog reader and entry is simple:

1) Follow my blog via GFC or Networked Blogs (buttons over there on the right hand side!)

Then for an additional entry do the following but leave a separate comment below for each form of entry and a way of contacting you should you be my lucky winner....

2) TWEET "Ben & Holly are just magic - win a Ben & Holly DVD with @Bobbity666 http://bloggomy.blogspot.com/2011/10/ben-hollys-little-kingdom-tooth-fairy.html  "

3) POST on Bloggomys Facebook page "Winning a copy of Ben & Hollys DVD would be magic!"

Winner will be chosen using Randomiser.org after the closing date of  19th October 2011. UK Only.  No correspondence will be entered into and winner must claim prize within 7 days of announcement via this blog.

Good luck!!

READ MORE - Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom - The Tooth Fairy DVD review

Review and competition - Baby & More Wonder Bibs

Even though Tala is my 4th child he is the first one that I have used bibs with - not sure why but I am a bib newbie!


I never really looked at them before but now I have there is such a selection of styles, designs and fabrics to choose from that it is not just a case of 'seen one seen them all'.  I have worked out I don't like plastic or PVC (argh!) type bibs and muslin is just not for me.

I was recently sent a Baby and More Bandana Wonder Bib to try on Tala.  I love quirky takes on everyday items and so the design instantly appealed to me.

Tala puts the Bandana Wonder Bib through its paces..

The Wonder Bib is available in a range of 9 bright and cheerful colours and have an adjustable neckline that is secured by poppers.  I thought that scrambled eggs on toast would put the bib (and Tala!) to the test in regards to it's food and spill catching ability!

"I love scrambled eggs"

Because it is shaped as a bandana I found that the creases in the material caught any stray pieces of food quite well (not sure if that is designed to happen but it was handy)  The material itself, according to Baby & More is capable of holding upto a 1/4 cup of liquid so it is great for teething babies as well.

Material creases caught dropped food pieces well.

The bib washed surprisingly well and I have to say I was very impressed and would recommend to others.  The Baby & More Bandana Bib retails at £5.00 (less and P & P charges) and there is a reduced cost for bulk buys on the website.

COMPETITION:

Fancy trying a Bandana Wonder Bib on your child? Well look no further as I have one to give away in either Navy or Cerise.

To enter:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect or Networked blogs (buttons on right hand side bar)

For extra entries:


Tweet "I would love to try an @Baby_and_more Wonder Bib with @Bobbity666 http://bloggomy.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-and-competition-baby-more-wonder.html "

Follow @Babyandmore on their Twitter page

Please leave a comment below telling me what you have done, a form of contact and whether you would prefer a navy or cerise Wonder Bib.

A winner will be chosen from all correct forms of entry and will be announced following the closing date of 15th October. UK only. Good luck!

READ MORE - Review and competition - Baby & More Wonder Bibs

The magical world of Fairies & Friends

Do your children love Fairies? Girls that adore pink and sparkly things? Well if they do then they will love Fairies and Friends

The website is filled with gorgeous items to delight any fairy fan from delightful fairy costumes to the most amazing play tents - all with a magical fairy theme of course.  There is a lovely range of party accessories on the site.

Large Fairy Cottage Playhouse

Because you are never too old for fairy magic I chose a beautiful Fairy Dream Catcher at a reasonably priced £13.00.  When it arrived it was all wrapped up in pink tissue paper with a pink heart sticker.  The Dream Catcher inside was within its own silver organza gift bag and as I lifted it I could hear the tinkling of tiny bells....

The silver organza bag was a lovely touch

The Dream Catcher itself was well made and importantly was a Fair Trade item designed in the UK but handmade by Fair Trade friends in India who are paid a fair price for their work and work in a safe enviroment.

'Fairy Dream Catcher'

Hang me above your bed and I'll catch dreams for you,

I'll magic away your bad dreams and make your good dreams come true!'

Fairy Dream Catcher £13.00

I love the fact that this is a Fair Trade item and the attention to detail was lovely - just look at this sparkly star..

 

So what was the tinkling bell I heard when I opened the packaging? Look closely at the fairies feet in the picture of the Dream Catcher and you will see!

You can follow Fairies and Friends on Twitter and also on Facebook and join in with all things pink and sparkly.  Because we are never too old to believe in fairies.

READ MORE - The magical world of Fairies & Friends

Looking for an unusual but practical gift idea?

The birth of a baby is a great excuse to buy gifts and I love to find something that is practical, unusual and special for the new addition.  I think BabyBlooms may have that covered!

I was recently sent the Pyjama Cupcakes to review and I have to admit I hadn't seen the range from BabyBlooms before.  The cupcakes arrived packaged in their own cupcake box all tied up with a bow...

Tied up with a bow

Remove the ribbon to then reveal the cupcakes....

...open it up and there are the cupcakes in their wrappers.  I love that sort of attention to detail.

With a cherry on top!

Remove the cupcakes and unwrap.  One cupcake was the pyjama top, the other the bottoms.  We tried the 6-12 months size (Tala is 10 months) and they were a really nice fit.  It is a shame that after unfolding they are creased as the photo does not show how lovely they are but I wanted to show what they were like out of the box for those thinking of buying as a gift.

Pyjamas from 2 cupcakes

The pyjamas are lovely and soft and I was really impressed by the sizing.  Tala has long legs but the bottoms were perfect as was the top.

Long legs? No problem!

BabyBlooms offer the Pyjama Cupcakes in 2 sizes (0-6 mths & 6-12mths) and in three colours, pink, blue or the cream that Tala is wearing.  They are £14.99 (less any relevant P & P charges)  Have a look at the website and you will find a huge range of other great gift ideas including Baby Clothes Bouquets which again are really unusual.  There are also gifts for Grandparents, new Mums and Dads as well as for many other occasions.

A practical alternative to flowers and combines a gift - clever idea.

READ MORE - Looking for an unusual but practical gift idea?

Playground crazes? Is your child a collector?

My 9 year old son is a big collector.  From football cards (yes Mums you know the ones!) to coins and figures he is a child that loves a playground craze and will happily trot along with his pocket money to get his latest collecting fix.

When we were sent a packet of Bumpeez my son was practically tearing them out of my hand when he read the packet...

Each packet contains 2 Bumpeez which consist of two parts , a circular playing 'chip' and a removable rubber feeling 'ring' that holds the chip.  Both parts are collectable and the chip comes in 100 different variations each with a different Bumpeez character on and in 10 different colours.  The ring comes in a variety of different shapes, colours and sizes and the different shapes mean different degrees of skill are required to bounce them.

Here are our Bumpeez

On the one side of the collectable chip is your character, with 'Omar' being the rarest one, and on the flip side is a raised B. This B on the chip fits into the B-shape of the ring - clever!  It also means that they chips now have the ability to bounce. 

The flipside - our B's

Middle son was hooked as soon as the packet opened and eagerly read the inclosed leaflet on games to play with them and off he went. Bumpeez will also have an online element to them through Bumpeez official website where children can access games and exclusive features - great for rainy days although Bumpeez can also be used inside as well as outdors.

My son played for ages with them and has already said he will be getting some when they launched in the UK on August 24th.  Priced at £1.99 a pack they are certainly pocket money priced and compared to the many other playground craze type toys out there they are very reasonable.

Once launched you will find Bumpeez in newsagents, toy stores and supermarkets.  Also you will no doubt be behind a line of 5 - 11 year old children clutching their pocket money - no doubt my son will be front of the queue!!

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READ MORE - Playground crazes? Is your child a collector?

Review - Dobble

Dobble is a fun matching card game for 2 or more players aged 6 + years and is guaranteed to liven up your school holidays and would make a great game at a childrens party or picnic.

Playing requires a good memory, perception, speed and observation and the game can be played in 5 different versions. The handy tin storage container holds 55 circular cards each with 8 different colourful symbols. Each card is unique and contains only one symbol that matches a symbol on another card but watch out as this matching symbol can be a different size which adds a real twist to the game and can throw your whole game off balance!

The carrot is the matching symbol even if different sized!

In order to win the card the player must find the matching symbol, name it out loud and then either lose or use the card they have won depending on which of the 5 variations of the game they are playing.  The variations are also known as mini-games and the player that wins the most mini-games is the overall winner.

Winning depends on observation and this game was made even funnier by us fumbling over naming the objects - the words just didn't seem to want to come out properly when we were in the middle of a fast round.  One symbol of a tree suddenly became broccoli when it had to be shouted out!

Great family fun that is easily transportable in it's own tin.  Great for in the car, on a picnic or just for playing at home.  Only down side was that my instructions were all in French and I had to look up how to play on the internet - a minor task and a worthwhile search.

READ MORE - Review - Dobble