Cluedo Junior Review

These days, Lara and Holly play a lot of board games after school. Now that Holly is able to understand the rules of a game such as Cluedo (and to some extent, follow them!), the girls can have a lot of fun together playing quiet games after school, or to play as a family with us at the weekends. Cluedo junior is a perfect family board game which we can play as pairs with the girls, or as individuals for a slightly more competitive edge!

We've been playing Cluedo Junior, the case of the missing cake; your challenge is to find out who took the last piece of cake, when they ate it, and what drink they had with it. It's very similar to the traditional grown-up game of Cluedo but with a little bit more guidance and structure (and not a murder in sight!). Inside the box you'll find everything you need for a traditional whodunnit challenge - a set of characters to move around the board and a pad of papers which allow you to tick off the rooms, drinks and times as you move around the board.  Throw the die to move around the board, trying to remember which rooms and pieces of furniture you've already checked.  The girls LOVE the challenge of trying to determine the result by powers of deduction.

 

The girls have played Junior Cluedo several times recently so it definitely has the return-factor for playing again. There are six different characters to play as - some you may recognise (such as miss Scarlet) and others who are new (such as Dr. Orchid the biologist).  It took Lara and Holly a little while to remember the rules about which spaces on the board meant you could check for clues under which things - furniture, or people. Lara has now totally grasped the concept and is very competitive about trying to be the first to guess who ate the last slice of cake!  I think the cake theme is particularly important for Lara who is, herself, a bit of a cake fiend.

I think the beauty of this game is that it isn't childish; it's suitable for everyone in the family and is a genuine challenge but not so hard that it puts people off. I think Cluedo Junior is going to become a family classic in our house.

You can find Cluedo Junior at Smyths Toys for under £15. It is recommended for children from age 5 and I think, given Holly is just about to turn 5, that the age recommendation is spot on.

Hug Time Poppy Trolls Review

As a child and into my teens I collected Trolls so I'm really excited to see them back on our shelves. Hug Time Poppy is an interactive troll toy featuring one of the star characters from the new Trolls Dreamworks movie; Hug Time Poppy is a fun, light-up interactive character with a strong positive message to pass on.

Holly and Lara haven't seen the Trolls movie yet but this doesn't stop Holly from really loving all the Trolls merchandise as the characters are hard not to love. Their cheeky faces, little legs and bright, soft hair are instantly recognisable.  Hug Time Poppy is a doll who speaks lots of different positive phrases (there's 25 different things to listen out for) she also plays music from the movie which I've heard is awesome - with a song in your heart you can do anything!

You can push Poppy's tummy to hear her talk or sing.  When Poppy sings her hair lights up. The lights are hidden behind a little tiara which can be removed so that you can brush her hair. Poppy comes with a brush and as I remember it, brushing a Troll's hair is very therapeutic.  When the dancing is done, Poppy often asks for a hug, and who can resist?

Perhaps the most interesting feature of Hug Time Poppy is not her hugs, but her bracelet.  When she sings, Poppy's bracelet lights up and your little Trolls fan will be super excited when they find out they can wear a matching bracelet that lights up as well. The bracelet is a good size for Holly who is 4.  When you wear the bracelet you can press the button and see it light up too - this prompts Poppy to say a phrase, sing a song or ask for a hug.  It's actually a pretty clever little piece of wireless wizardry.

Hug Time Poppy from Hasbro costs around £49.99 and is suitable for children from around age 4 upwards. She can be found in time for Christmas at Smyths or Amazon.

Casdon Christmas Gifts - Hetty Cleaning Trolley

Holly and Lara received a surprise Christmas present from Casdon, home of our favourite role-play toys. The girls were very excited to find out what was inside, so much so that I missed the opportunity to catch their faces on camera before they'd ripped off all the paper.  Who knew that my two girls could get so excited about cleaning products???

The Casdon Hetty Cleaning Trolley is a complete cleaning role play set for children of around 2-6 years old. The trolley has everything you need to pretend to be a professional cleaner! A modern style floor mop, a dustpan and brush, a broom, a pretend bottle of cleaning fluid and a bag to put all your rubbish in. The set is all branded with the Hetty imagery that we know from the Henry hoover cleaning range.  The girls just love it!

Lara who is now 7 is really too tall for using this play set but Holly who is 4 is just right for it. She can pull the trolley down the hallway complete with all its accessories. Given how rarely Holly sees me do any housework (!) I'm surprised at how well she manages this role play!!! I just wish she'd show a little more interest in genuinely cleaning up after herself!  The toy steam mop is a hit, it even comes with a replaceable cloth to place on the end of it, just like the real thing. In fact, there are so many little parts of this toy that it offers plenty of different ways to play; sweeping, mopping, brushing and scrubbing as well as tidying it all away.

For Holly, any toy that encourages her away from the TV is a good toy in my eyes! This little trolley encourages her to move around the house and explore different places that need a good clean; it's so realistic that she does actually manage to get the hard floors clean with the brush. It's good old fashioned role play and it is good to see both Lara and Holly happy to play together as part of their imaginary games.

Lara recognises the bright pink Hetty branding but I am not sure it resonates much for Holly other than a bright colour and a funny face. It's pink... and that's enough for her.

At just £14.99 in Toys R Us the Hetty cleaning trolley from Casdon is great value. It feels like a big toy and has lots of play options. I'd recommend it as a role play gift for a budding chores helper this Christmas!

Shimmer and Shine Pony Tail and Wish Come True Purse Review

Shimmer and Shine is a TV show that Holly and Lara have both enjoyed - it features two young genies-in-training and there is a brand new collection of Shimmer and Shine toys out now which allows every little Shimmer and Shine fan to dress up like their favourite genie and role play until their heart's content.

Look at this sparkly blue genie's pony tail - Holly is so immensely proud of her "new" hairstyle. The Shimmer and Shine pony tail is available to buy in both pink (to be like Shimmer) and blue (to be like Shine).  It is a long pony tail that you attach to your own hair using a comb and an elastic.  It took a bit of getting used to before I could put it into Holly's hair without it falling straight back out, but that may be because I'm not much good at putting Holly's hair into a bun, and not much good at putting in hair combs!  Anyway, once you've managed to get the hair comb to stay put, you flip your head back down and voila, one beautiful genie hair style!

The pony tail comes with a sparkly band where it sits on your head and it has a big sparkly "gem" in the centre. This matches wonderfully with the gemmed arm bands that you'll find in the Shimmer and Shine Wish Come True Purse Set.

The purse set includes a hard plastic purse in the shape of Shimmer or Shine's favourite pet, either Tala or Nahal. It also includes two gemmed arm bands, a necklace with a magical amulet, a hair brush (handy for brushing your pony tail!) and two small sheets of stickers.

The set is aimed at Shimmer and Shine fans from age 3-6 but we found the arm bands to be a little bit tight for Holly who is 4. Holly loves the purse and has tried to sneak it to school already filled with all sorts of stuff such as hair clips and pencils!  The necklace is also fun; it looks like a little magical pot and when you twist the lid, one of three different pictures is shown on the front.  Holly likes the necklace because it feels like it completes her outfit.  There is definitely a big dressing up theme with these new Shimmer and Shine products and Holly LOVES LOVES LOVES dressing up.

The two sticker sheets were a little disappointing - they're very small and Holly found them hard to peel off so I had to do it for her. The stickers lasted a couple of minutes as Holly stuck them mainly onto my T-shirt.  The purse however is much more of a hit. It's a very sturdy hard plastic purse that opens up like a butterfly. There is a sparkly gem and reflective eyes to give it a bit of bling and Holly seems very taken with it.

The combination of the pony tail, the arm bands, necklace and purse makes Holly feel very glamorous and she is enjoying the feeling of looking very different to normal when she wears these.

The Shimmer and Shine Wish Come True purse set costs around £14.99 and you can find it in both Tala and Nahal designs. The Shimmer and Shine pony tails cost £9.99 each and you can find them at Toys R Us.

Furby Connect Review

I shall let you into a little secret - I've wanted a Furby ever since I first knew about their existence. I am certain that I was the most excited person in my family when we found out that a new Furby Connect was going to be coming to live with us. The Furby Connect from Hasbro is billed as one of this year's must-have Christmas toys, an interactive pet with their own virtual world.  Our Furby Connect has been a fun addition to the family but I'm not sure I'd describe it as a must-have.

Let me start with the impressive bits:-

• Furby is an interactive fluffy pet with all sorts of different phrases, movements and expressions that really encourage interactive play.  I think of our Furby as another pet in our family and quite often find myself chatting to it while I'm busy doing a job and reaching over to stroke it as I would the cat!
• We looooove the fluff. Who can resist the brightly coloured fur?
• Furby is funny. Lara particularly enjoys looking out for all the different faces that Furby makes with his animated LED eyes which are really expressive.  Holly is most won over by the sneaky fart noises that he makes when you pull his tale. Fart humour - you can't beat it.  Lots of Furby's phrases are funny but some of the sayings don't mean a lot to Lara and Holly. I can't help but think that some of the humour may be lost on small people (but they do make grown ups snigger).
• I'm actually quite impressed with the number of phrases and the number of different movements that Furby makes. You can throw him, pat him, tickle him and he'll respond in different ways. When he wakes he talks you through his dreams and there are lots of different ways you can chat and sing with him.  Furby's language is fun to try and interpret - its closely modelled on patterns of English but with made-up Furbish words that feel familiar and make you giggle.
• You can send Furby to sleep. Now, from what I've heard from owners of older Furby models, this is life-changing! Using the supplied sleep mask you can effectively turn Furby off by sending him to sleep so that you aren't woken up by him.
• Furby knows the date and time. During night hours he tends to be hard to convince to do more than say hello (Furby, very much like our cat, likes to mostly eat and sleep). Furby knows when it is Christmas and Easter and will respond accordingly.
• Furby is a surprisingly good singer and whistler! We've tried getting him to sing with us when Strictly is on!  Press his light-up antennae and he will become all musical!

On the whole, we've found the Furby Connect to be good fun but there are a few things that mean I don't think it is worth the price tag of around £99.99 (though you can find them from £59.99 on Amazon).

One of the unique selling points of the Furby Connect is the fact that you can unlock loads more functionality and personalisation using the Furby Connect World app which is available in the iTunes store and Google Play.  This sounds fantastic but actually we were largely disappointed. Firstly, the app works with Furby through bluetooth and apple have had Bluetooth problems since iOS 9 (not a Furby problem, a known iOS problem that prevents lots of things working over Bluetooth on iOS) - for this reason we were unable to synchronise our Furby with the app and so we've only been able to use the app in the standalone mode.  The game is playable without a Furby.

The app is quite big (around 250MB); I had to remove several apps from the iPad to find space for it.  The app also takes quite a while to load up; longer than Holly (4yo) is prepared to wait, and so she always closes it before it has even completed loading.  Lara and I both have more patience but honestly, Lara's interest in the app lasted no more than 2 minutes; I don't think we had even really finished the set up at this point.  I persevered, navigated around a bit and started our Furby viewing content in the virtual cinema (this is where your connected Furby can learn new songs to sing).  I know Lara and Holly are missing out on some rich content for their Furby Connect such as hatching Furbling babies, feeding your Furby different foods, or finding out what happens when they go to the toilet!! I can't quite put my finger on why Lara and Holly are so disinterested in the app but I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that we haven't managed to connect it to the real Furby.  I'd like to see a web-based version of the game so that you can use it even if you haven't got access to a tablet or smart phone.

In terms of playability, I'm still struggling with the Furby Connect. I quite like having him there in the room pootling on about nothing much but Lara and Holly lost interest within a couple of days.  I've racked my brains to try and work out what would need to be different in order to keep them engaged and I'm sure that it is the gamification; there's no goal to aim for, no need to return to Furby other than for company.  He;s too big to take with you when you go out, but not big or shapely enough to be part of their pretend play (I can't picture Furby being invited into the Barbie house, or the dollies pram).  Unless I can get the app to connect via Bluetooth, I'm almost certain that Furby will stay with us, sitting on the dressing table being woken up about once a week for a few minutes of play before being abruptly sent back to sleep again.

And poor old Furby...every time he wakes up he is ravenously hungry and yet it isn't entirely clear how you satisfy him. You place your finger in its mouth and he slurps enthusiastically but then keeps on complaining about being hungry.  Maybe the app helps here?

Furby Connect is available in Pink, Blue, Purple and Teal. Its eyes are animated and its ears and body move as it interacts with you. If you have more than one, they even interact with each other. Don't get me wrong, Furby is fun, but it hasn't quite hit the mark with us.

   

Octonauts Remote Controlled Gup K Review

Holly rarely gets a chance to watch the TV shows that she really wants to see - her big sister normally over-rules her but one program that they do still agree on is Octonauts; they both like to sit in silence and watch the underwater tales of the Octonauts.  Holly is super-happy to have been asked to review the remote controlled Gup K which is a new vehicle that features in some of the most recent episodes.

The Octonauts use their Gup K for exploring swamps and boggy areas; its a chunky vehicle that looks a little bit like an alligator or a crocodile with big teeth for chomping through weeds and obstacles.  This Fisher Price remote controlled Gup-K comes with one figure - Barnacles - who can sit inside the main cab of the vehicle or sit on one of the two little hello swamp vehicles which are used for exploring.  The Gup K can hold upto 6 different Octonauts figures.

Holly had never come across a remote controlled vehicle before; she has found it really magical that she can use the little controller to make the Gup K whizz around the house.  The controller only had two buttons - forwards and backwards but the reverse movement also turns the vehicle so you can manoeuvre it around, not just go in straight lines. Holly mainly enjoys ramming it against my feet or trying to get it to go under the TV unit (it won't fit)!

We like the two little swamp speeders which work well on hard floors or on the carpet - they encourage imaginative play away from the main vehicle and both girls reference back to the TV show when they play.

Also in the set you will find a little baby alligator figurine who needs rescuing (very cute) and a water cannon which catapults a pretend jet of water out of the Gup-K at any suspecting passer-by. There are lots of different ways to play with the Gup K.

I'm most impressed by the quality of the Gup K - it's what I'd expect from Fisher Price. Chunky, thick plastic with no fiddly bits. It feels like a toy that will last.

The Remote Control Gup-K costs around £30-40 and is available from Argos and Amazon.

Disney Princess Ariel Bath Styling Head Review

Holly was delighted to be asked to review the Disney Princess Ariel Bath Styling Head from Just Play as she is very much into princesses, hair styling and anything Disney right now. My interest dwindled soon after the epic 10+ minute struggle to remove her from her packaging - her hair was literally sewn into the packaging and was shaped to look "pretty" using some form of rigid glue-like-substance.

The Disney Princess Ariel Bath Styling Head is intended for use as a bath toy which is handy because the first thing we had to do was to wash her hair! She comes with a hollow sea shell that you can use to gently pour water over her hair and eyes to make them change colour. Ariel can stick to the side of the bath using three suckers but Holly finds it hard to brush or style her hair when she is attached to the side of the bath so in fact we have had more use of Ariel when she has been on dry land.

Ariel comes with a set of styling accessories such as hair combs, a selection of hair clips, a hairbrush and a necklace, all with a seaside theme. Because she is intended as a bath toy, she is a little smaller than many toy styling heads but that doesn't seem to reduce the opportunities for plaits, pony tails and clips! Holy is quite taken with her deep red hair which is instantly recognisable. I've never quite managed to get Ariel's hair to look quite as good as it did when it was plastered into the packaging, in fact she looks a little bald on top unless you give her a serious comb-over.

We weren't awfully impressed by the colour changing features. You can use ice-cold water to turn a sliver of Ariel's hair from light blue to dark blue (the change is noticeable but the effect would be more magical if it were to change from one colour to a significantly different colour). Ariel's eyes and lips also change colour with icy water, intending to give the impression of make-up but once again, the difference in the colour of the lips is so small that its almost instantly forgettable. The eye lids change from brown to pink. When you apply warm water, the colours change back. Given that this is a bath-toy, the use of water to change the colours is a good idea but most people don't have ice water on hand in their bathroom to change the colours too and from.

The Disney Princess Ariel Bath Styling Head costs around £24.99. I think there is play value in it, but we've found it more appealing as a regular styling head, rather than a colour-changing bath styling head. Find her at Argos and Amazon.

My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle Review

When we review toys on Mellow Mummy, I always like to leave it a few weeks after a toy has arrived to see if the toy still holds appeal after the initial excitement - The My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle has been played with EVERY SINGLE day over the past few weeks - its fair to say it has withstood the "lastability test".  Holly absolutely loves it. She loves showing it to others but mostly she loves to disappear into her own little world of imaginary play with her ponies - something I've never seen her big sister do. If you've ever met Holly and know her normal attention span, you'll know that anything she is happy to play with for more than 20 seconds at once is a big hit in our household.

The My Little Pony Crystal Empire Castle playset includes the castle, Princess Cadence and her baby Flurry Heart. It also includes a number of accessories such as a throne (and baby throne), a swing, a mirror and plenty of jewels to decorate your princess pony.

I found the playset really easy to remove from its box and assemble - Holly didn't have to wait long in order to start playing. When I discovered that the castle required batteries, I panicked a bit because I didn't really want another noisy toy but to my relief, we discovered that there is no noise - just a sparkly crystal pattern which spins under the castle to create a special place where Holly invites all of her My Little Pony friends to come for a ball! There are flashing, spinning coloured lights, perfect for a pony dance floor and this seems to be one of the main themes of imaginative play when Holly is playing with her castle.

Princess Cadence comes with a sparkly coat that matches the castle and which fits neatly over her wings. Holly find it quite hard to put this on her, so it tends to become my job. Holly (and her big sister) enjoy letting baby Flurry Heart play on her swing and Holly also enjoys placing all of her My Little Pony figures at different places around the castle.  I'm really pleased how the arrival of the playset has breathed new life into the girls' collection of My Little Pony characters.

The My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle Playset costs around £41.99 and is suitable for ages 3 upwards. It would make a stunning centre piece in a playroom and has really lit up Holly's evenings.  Find it at Smyths, Argos and Amazon.

Stretch Scooby-Doo Review

Stretch Scooby-Doo - one of the more unusual toys the girls have tried and tested on our Mellow Mummy journey!  Lara and Holly both really got into Scooby Doo while were were on holiday and so, when we first found out about the new, Stretch Scooby, they both couldn't wait to give him a try.

Stretch Scooby is a pretty big and chunky toy - he's a good 35cm tall even when he is in his un-stretched state but when you squeeze and pull his body, his arms and his legs he can extend to nearly 3 times his original size! He's massive!  You can pull him with all your effort and yet, when you let go, he springs back to his original state. The girls think it is hilarious because when one of them lets go, the other one falls over!

We loved the fact that when he isn't being stretched about, Scooby is simply Scooby-Doo and he looks pretty cool sitting on the shelf in the play room - a classic TV icon.  Lara not only likes to stretch Scooby with us but she has also discovered the hilarity of trying to tie his legs and arms in knots and then rotating Scooby's head and neck!  It's all rather surreal but has definitely been the source of much laughter and smiles over the past few days. 

Scooby's funny squishy texture (especially on his belly that feels like modelling clay) is of great fascination to Holly but at 4 years old she is not quite strong enough to really stretch Scooby without help from us, or her older sister.

We think that Stretch Scooby-Doo is fun, and silly and a little bit grotesque...no doubt perfect for a spooky halloween party or a Scooby themed party with friends!

Stretch Scooby-Doo from Character Options can be found online for around £19.99.

Puppy In My Pocket Review

Puppy in My Pocket is back and soon to be followed this summer by Kitty in My Pocket!  Since the 1990s Puppy in My Pocket soft miniature puppies have been highly collectable and now my girls have started their own collection too.

Lara and Holly were sent a Puppy in My Pocket Dog Park Playset to review which includes two puppies to get the collection started as well as a whole host of fun for the puppies to play including a swing, slide and play house as well as a series of obstacles for an agility race and of course a few puppy treats for when they're finished.  Lara and Holly have enjoyed using all the puppies from their collection to host competitive dog shows where the puppies have to complete the agility course (including jumping the fence, climbing into the playhouse and sliding down the slide) all against the clock!  The Dog Park Playset costs £19.99 and is a great way of letting the imagination run wild with the little collectable puppies.

If you want to build your collection of Puppy in My Pocket then the best way to do so is with one of the clip on pouch sets which are available in three different colours and comes with 5 puppies in the set - at £9.99 this is the best value way to really boost your collection.  Each puppy is just over an inch tall - they are flocked with a soft material and each has a distinct character.  While we LOVED this collector set, I was a bit disappointed with the clip on pouch as the clip attachment came off the pouch within 5 minutes of opening it.  Thankfully, because the puppies are pocket-sized (hence the name), if you really want to take them out and about with you, they are small enough to carry in a pocket, purse or bag.  I think my favourite pup of the collection is a little husky on a sledge!

If you're on the lookout for additions to your Puppy in My Pocket collection then you can buy single puppies in little blind packs for about £2.49 each.  Inside every pack is a puppy surprise and a collector's sheet so you can tick off which puppies you have in your collection - this really adds to the interest for Lara as she is just at the age when she wants to collect and show off her toys to friends and share the fun with others.  With over 100 puppies to collect, I'm sure she will be looking for more of these and trying to find swaps with her friends!  There are loads of different breeds of dog and several really rare puppies to collect including glitter puppies which I'm sure are highly sought after.  

Now Lara is hooked on Puppy in My Pocket I'm really looking forward to seeing kitties to collect too!

You can find Puppy in My Pocket play sets, collector sets and jewellery sets at Smyths Toys.

Orchard Toys Woodland Party Jigsaw Puzzle Review

My girls LOVE jigsaw puzzles.  Whenever Holly is getting a bit restless and over-excited, I always recommend a jigsaw puzzle to help her refocus.  We own a lot of jigsaws but Orchard Toys puzzles always stand out as ones that are particularly child-friendly and puzzles that the girls will go back to time and again.  The Woodland Party puzzle is a new "talkabout" floor puzzle from Orchard Toys and Holly has very much enjoyed playing with it.

The puzzle is suitable from about 3.5 years - about 6 or 7 years old.  It has 70 pieces which makes it a challenge for Holly, but one that she is more than capable of applying herself to.  I love seeing the concentration that she puts into puzzle-solving and it is so fascinating to see her little brain working overtime to try and find the right pieces.

A talkabout puzzle is one specifically designed to promote discussion with your child.  On the box you will find a few ideas of things you can talk about together but really the options are limitless.  The picture that the puzzle builds is so packed full of activity that you always notice new things when you go back to it.  You might want to count the numbers of cupcakes, or try spotting as many different types of animals as you can.  You might talk about why the squirrel is taking a photo of the badger on its smart phone, or wonder where the other squirrel managed to find so many coloured pencils.

The jigsaw really is a big party full of activity.  There are patterns and colours to match as well as animals and birds to help you work out where each piece goes.  There are lots of different people of all colours, shapes and sizes and this really got Holly talking - I'm not totally sure she knew what a wheelchair was until we started talking about the picture in the puzzle so this was a great opportunity for us to talk.

 

This is so much more than a jigsaw - its a chance to chat, a chance to test Holly's observation skills (spotting is one of her hobbies!) and a chance to think up crazy stories about what is going on in the picture.  We love it!

Of course, the jigsaw puzzle comes with nice chunky pieces which are easy to fit together and they all go into a handy carry box.  The woodland party puzzle from Orchard toys costs around £9.75.

Leapfrog Imagicard - Blaze and the Monster Machines

Blaze and the Monster Machines is the brand new set of Leapfrog Imagicard games.  This is the first time that Lara and Holly have played with Imagicards from Leapfrog and we have all been very impressed - this clever bit of technology really brings the Leappad tablet to life and it is a fun and engaging way to elevate a card game into something really interactive.

Imagicards are a set of playing cards featuring your favourite characters.  Blaze and the Monster Machines is the latest theme of cards to appear on the scene featuring lots of the 4-wheeled favourites from Nickelodeon.

Both of my girls love traditional card games (I wake up to find them playing cards of some sort most mornings) such as happy families and uno.  In the past we haven't had a lot of success with card games that are intended to tie into apps or games - its the cards that usually interest the girls more than the tech.  Largely I'd say that Holly and Lara feel the same way about the Imagicards and I've already seen them playing the "offline" games recommended in the instructions - there are counting games and science games recommended.

But the real power of Imagicards is when you pair them with the a Leappad tablet (we've played successfully on the Leappad Ultra and the Leappad Epic).  Once you have downloaded the matching app for the cards, you use the camera on the Leappad tablet to "capture" images of the cards of your choice.  Different cards unlock different games and challenges.

Holly has most enjoyed playing racing games using her Imagicards.  In the racing game you need to answer simple maths questions to gain bonuses and extra speed - these are just about manageable for Holly now (she is 3 and a half).  There are also questions about forces, a foundation of science and maths principles.  For instance, you have to choose the right speed to approach a ramp in order to avoid an obstacle.  Holly hasn't quite grasped this yet but enjoys the challenge.

Inside the app you will also find cards which set you missions you need to complete.  And others which unlock the ability to create your own Blaze-themed selfie!  There is a Blaze and the Monster Machines quiz and some simple science questions designed to make you think about shapes, materials and forces.

I think the thing that Lara and Holly enjoy most though is simply seeing the cards come to life.  When you take a photo of a card, it really does make it look as if the card is coming to life with a bit of sparkle!

One of the little things I really appreciate about this game is that you don't NEED to have the cards available to play. I always worry about games which have a dependency on something that can easily be lost of damaged so it is nice to know that there is a digital card picker available for when the Imagicards aren't to hand!

  

Check out my Teletubbies Toy Reviews on the 11th January

This week a special box arrived from Character Options bearing the Teletubbies logo.  I'm under strict instructions not to open it until the 11th of January when you can come back here and find out what exciting things lie inside.  Holly and I will be reviewing the Teletubbies Toys from Character Options and we can't wait to find out what we have in store.

Come back on January 11th to share the Teletubbies fun with Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po.

Fisher-Price Rainbow Dazzle Minnie Review

Holly is my little fashion diva at present and Fisher-Price Rainbow Dazzle Minnie is a fun toy to encourage her fashion creativity while learning about colours, matching and combinations.  Holly has always been a big Minnie Mouse fan; there's something about her high heels and collection of spotty bows that fascinates Holly who has now started her own collection of high heels and hair accessories!

Rainbow Dazzle Minnie Mouse is a free-standing hard light-up toy who speaks and sings.  Press her hand to start the process of choosing a new magical outfit for Minnie Mouse.  She will ask you to choose a colour for her bow, her dress and her skirt. Each time you touch her magical touchpoints, the colour of the light will change and Minnie will make a comment about the colour, or the combination of colours you have chosen.

Once you are happy with Minnie's outfit you can press her hand to finish the outfit and Minnie will sing "True Colours" to you.  The lights change through a range of colours - green, blue, yellow, white, purple, pink and red.

Rainbow Dazzle Minnie also comes with a little camera-shaped toy which, when you look through it, shows all of the rainbow-coloured lights in sparkly wonder.  Holly loves looking through the camera and even likes to look at other things around the house - even the television!

I was worried that the entertainment factor of Rainbow Dazzle Minnie Mouse was very limited as she doesn't move when she sings and the range of phrases and music is very limited.  However, Holly doesn't seem to mind the repetitive music and genuinely seems to enjoy the challenge of choosing a combination of three colours that offer a new fashion outlook for the day!  Minnie's arms are poseable and even when she is not lit up, her pink dress has a pearlescent shimmer so she looks very pretty as an ornament on the shelf in Holly's room, even when she isn't singing.

This  Minnie Mouse Toy is perfectly suited to children aged 2-5 who want to explore colours and shapes and sing along with Minnie Mouse.  Fisher-Price Rainbow Dazzle Minnie costs around £24.99.

My Little Pony Style & Groom Rainbow Dash Review

I can't think of many toys more perfect for Holly than the new Rainbow Dash Style & Groom by HTI.  Both girls are very much into My Little Pony right now as there have been two recent DVD launches which helped them to rediscover their soft toys and My Little Pony models.  This Style and Groom Rainbow Dash is something a little bit special - a hair styling toy with clips, bands, beads and jewels that suits Holly - my little fashionista - down to a T.  My girls got a very special chance to try out Rainbow Dash for themselves at Happy Faces salon in London where they were able to style their own My Little Pony and then have their style recreated for them on their own hair!

I remember buying Lara a doll styling head when she was about Holly's age (3 and a half) so the age is absolutely perfect.  But what makes Rainbow Dash stand out (apart from her brightly coloured rainbow mane) is the wide selection of accessories that she comes with.  A hairbrush and hair bands is just the start.  There is a big selection of beads which you can place in the hollows at the base of Rainbow Dash's cloud and then use the special tool to thread them onto the hair - both my girls were in awe when they learned how to do this.  The set also includes stick-on jewels and tattoos that can be re-used a couple of times to decorate the pony all over.  Finally, Rainbow Dash Style & Groom also provides a string of thread and a necklace charm which you can combine with the beads to make a necklace for your pony.

My girls must have spent hours in the last week plaiting, beading and tying Rainbow Dash's hair.  They both take it so seriously and concentrate sooooo hard when they are styling!  Hair clips and new hairstyles are something Holly "plays" at nursery with her friends every day and so this toy had given her lots of new inspiration. The beads and stickers have all very quickly been distributed around our house; under the sofa, under the dining room table and even in the bathroom; I would look upon these smaller accessories as "consumables" and honestly, they fall out of the cloud base very easily so I've given the girls a little clip-top bowl to store them in now.

Compared to a number of other Christmas toys we have seen recently I was really very surprised to find out that Rainbow Dash Style & Groom is priced at a very reasonable £24.99.  In terms of number of hours fun, I think this is really good value for money.  Be warned though, you may spend the rest of your evenings trying to carefully remove hair elastics from multi-coloured pony hair upon your child's request.

If you fancy recreating Lara's favourite My Little Pony hairstyle then I'd attached the step-by-step instructions below!

  

Casdon Little Learners Toy Post Office Review

Postmaster Holly is in the house!  Holly is absolutely loving this toy post office from Casdon Little Learners - it is a chance for her to boss us about and play the boss!

Role play and imaginative play is a very big part of Holly's day right now.  Every evening when I pick her up from nursery I see her playing 'mums and dads' or 'babies' or 'teachers' with her friends.  At three and a half, this is the stage in Holly's life when she will learn simple life skills through mimicking others and so we are more than happy to let her boss us about.  One of Holly's favourite activities at the weekend is to come with me to the post office at the end of our road and then run home again so she was super excited to own her own post office counter!

The Little Learners post office toy contains everything Holly needs to run her own post office including basics for sale from her own little shop.  The set comes with a set of postal consumables such as stamps, air mail stickers, envelopes and paper as well as a couple of small parcel boxes.  There are newspapers and postcards for sale too!  It is fair to say that Holly worked her way through the consumables very quickly - the envelopes were all "written" on and the stamps and stickers all used within a couple of days.  Even the postcards had been written and posted!  Thankfully the set includes spaces big enough for full-sized notepaper, postcards and envelopes so we have been able to top up with our own stationary from home and Holly has raided her stash of stickers to use as stamps!

The set includes a simple weighing scale onto which you can place parcels and look at the indicators on the scale.  Holly has great fun when I bring her all sorts of items from around the house that she can weigh and tell me how much she wants to charge me.  The toy post office comes with pretend money - both notes and coins that Holly likes to exchange with me and count out my change.

There is, of course, a miniature post box as part of the set, into which the postcards and mini envelopes can be posted.  I'm not sure Holly has yet worked out what is intended to happen once the letters are posted...magic, I think!

The part of the post office set that Holly most enjoys is the pretend stamp pad - every letter we take to her for posting needs her stamp of approval before it can be posted.

I'm really pleased with the way Holly has embraced this set - I always enjoy seeing Holly take things seriously (it doesn't often happen).  I find the set to be a bit small and fiddly but it is the perfect size for her little hands to practice fine motor skills and it also means that the whole set is compact enough to sit on a coffee table or workbench.

Holly and Lara love playing post offices together and they take it turns to play the customer or the postmaster.  The Casdon Little Learners Post Office costs around £12.