Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
Superdrug this Halloween!
Halloween, don’t you just love it? I always dress up, no matter how much my kids beg me not to! Why should they have all the fun? This year I will be wearing my long crushed velvet red dress with black boots. The sleeves are co-ordinated with spider web like material. For my make-up and hair I went to Superdrug. They have Halloween covered, and I picked up lots of hair colours, nail polish and a fab black lipstick!
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Superdrug hair colours start from £2.99. I have both pink and black so give a 2 toned effect. This is a great option if you want a dramatic effect but don’t want to spent a lot of money. My hair is brown and the pink actually shows up as pink, not pink and brown. The spray washes out easily and quickly. These are brilliant for childrens parties also, my daughter loves the neon colours.
My other accessories are black nail polish and black lipstick. These are also superbly priced and the quality is excellent. Sometimes cheap accessories don’t have the effect they claim to, but I can honestly say I was delighted with Superdrug products and will continue to shop there for my mad accessories!
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The crackling effect black nail polish is only priced at £1, this has got to be one of my favourite bargains this Halloween. The lipstick is £2.50.
With Superdrug you can go ‘all out’ this Halloween. Go have fun, dress up, and party with the kids, you know you want to!
Products available from Superdrug stores and online at
www.superdrug.com
Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
Magic and Erasable Markers from Selkin Media.
I have sorted Christmas and its not even November! I am so proud of myself, I have the stockings filled and very little electrical toys in sight. This year I have decided to give my family a ‘vintage’ Christmas. I have re-discovered board games, craft kits and drawing sets.
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My children will be receiving these wonderful markers from www.selkinmedia.co.uk along with a selection of books and games. Drawing and colouring fuels the creative mind and I am all for this activity, the bonus being it produces no noise!! With 3 children in the house, anything they can do quietly is music to my ears.
![images[4] (2)](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/images4-2.jpg)
Check out the site – www.selkinmedia.co.uk and the entire range of crafty stamps and markers. I went for the magic and erasable set. At £6.95 for 10 markers they are brilliant value. The magic colour set change colour when coloured over with a single ‘magic’ marker. This causes the ink of the other pens to change, giving a total of 18 colours from the 10 markers creating a fab effect for children.
![51hBt5zZ0+L._AA160_[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/51hBt5zZ0+L._AA160_1.jpg)
The erasable markers can remove the ink drawn by the pens, but here comes the cool bit – the erasable pen can be used to write and not be seen, until coloured over with the other coloured markers. My children will just love these, the 2 elder girls are always writing in code and flying messages to each other via the paper plane method. They will get such a thrill from writing secret messages to each other at the annoyance of their brother!
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Roll on Christmas, I can’t wait for my children to look in their stockings!
Toy Reviews
Rudolph and Clarice from Build-A-Bear Workshop.
In my opinion, these are the most beautiful plush toys ever! I love the story of Rudolph and Clarice as they work together to save the toys for Christmas. These plush figures from Build-A-Bear Workshop will melt your heart. They are the utmost in quality and definitely have the cute factor. Every little boy and girl would love these waiting under the tree on Christmas morning.
Rudolph has a light up nose and recites lines from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Clarice has a light up heart and also recites from the movie. Their accessories are gorgeous. Extra clothes can also be bought from Build-A-Bear Workshop and the reindeer can be dressed and undressed to the delight of your children. Both are 15 inches tall and free standing. Aside from the toy aspect, they would look beautiful as a ‘decoration’ this Christmas, standing in the hall or beside a Christmas tree.
With regards to a specific recommended age, these are enjoyed by both my 4 year old son up to my 10 year old daughter. The ultimate soft toys this Christmas. RRP £58 for the set.
Check out other toys in the Christmas range from Build-A-Bear Workshop. These vary in price so you will be sure to find one to suit your budget.
Build-A-Bears can be bought online at www.buildabear.co.uk or you can go to the nearest store and enjoy a bear building experience.
Recommended for ages 12 months and up.
Fancy treating your children to a unique Build-A-Bear Workshop experience this Christmas? Now is a really great time to visit as Pudsey will be in store raising money for Children In Need for the 6th year running. Pudsey and Blush are available in stores nationwide (and online).
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Watch while your children make and stuff their own BBC Children in Need mascot. The accessories can be chosen from a selection or you can go with the licensed pyjama outfit. £5 from every sale will go to this well deserved charity.
Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
The Real Wonders of the world and How to be a Dinosaur Hunter from Lonely Planet.
I am a very proud mummy! I attended 2 parent teacher interviews last week for both my daughters and both teachers said the same thing. Sure, the handwriting isn’t perfect and the maths may need a little work, but my daughters manage to astound the teachers with their vocabulary! Apparently this is down to the volume and variety of books they read.
My daughters and my son would visit the library weekly borrowing, returning and requesting specific copies of books. The teachers said reading books served to fuel the imagination and extend the vocabulary.
If you have children and are thinking of buying books for Christmas this year, have a look at the ‘Not for parents series’ from Lonely Planet. They have released new titles this year and I have a couple of copies. The books are hardback and beautifully illustrated. The reading material is factual and perfect for boys and girls alike who are keen to discover the world around them.
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The Real Wonders of the World is a cool and upbeat take on the original wonders, making this a very appealing read to children. Discover the craziest world tour, luxurious extravagances, haunted locations, the biggest sweet shops and the scariest theme parks. The perfect distraction from the computer this Christmas! RRP £14.99
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How to be a Dinosaur Hunter suits girls as well as boys. I enjoyed reading this book myself! Discover where to look for dinosaur remains, and what you need for your adventure. You will learn to know what to look for and how to identify your finds. The most famous finds and the fossil rich areas of the world are discussed and I was delighted to learn one of these places in the Isle of Wight – so a visit is not out of the question. Appealing to both fossil lovers and dinosaur hunters, this is a great buy for £12.99.
Lonely Planet has printed over 120 million books and they are the world’s leading travel content provider. This year they celebrate their 40th Anniversary. They boast mobile apps, ebook portfolio and an award winning website and they can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.
facebook.com/lonelyplanet
Twitter @lonelyplanet and #lp
Toy Reviews
My 1st JCB Pullbacks.
Released earlier this year from JCB, these brilliant little pullback vehicles are perfect for filling stockings this Christmas. They are small enough to actually go inside the average stocking which always helps!
5 variations can be purchased for £5.99 each. Doug, Freddie, Joey, Larry and Rex, and my son has all of these on his Santa list this year. He first spied them in Tesco and played with one in the shopping trolley while I carried on grocery shopping. I was impressed as they are pullback toys, you pull them back, let go, and they spin off. However, despite having this confined to a shopping trolley, he still played happily for half an hour.
The vehicles are brightly coloured and made from strong plastic. Each one has cute facial features to add to the character and keep your child entertained. Doug the Dumptruck has plenty of room in his trailer for some toy bricks and Joey the JCB can also carry small items in his front loader. This adds to the fun and allows the child to experiment and use their imagination. What will we transport across the kitchen today?
Suitable from 12 months, these are super strong little toys which provide oodles of entertainment.
Available from Tesco RRP £5.99
Toy Reviews
Night Booma Boomerang.
Wicked Vision, the company who exports boomerangs to Australia! I think this very entertaining, but it is true. Wicked Vision have produced the worlds’ best selling boomerang in the UK and it is exported all over the world, and to Australia! Their boomerangs can be purchased in many familiar toy shops such as Hamleys and Harrods and they are available online from Amazon and from www.wickedmania.com
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There are indoor and outdoor boomerangs but my choice was the Night Booma. This is super cool and glows in the dark. We are lucky to have a big field behind our house and for the last few nights my hubby and the children were out after dark trying out this new boomerang. It glows quite brightly and can be easily seen. It looks a bit like a flying saucer when it is spinning around – so my 4 year old claims!
![Nightbooma-large[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Nightbooma-large1.jpg)
For added impact, it comes with a glowstick so it really does stand out against the night sky.
A really good toy to keep your children entertained outdoors and a big plus – it doesn’t need batteries. The perfect stocking filler.
RRP £9.99
Toy Reviews
Mr Pencil from Leapfrog.
My 4 year old son loves his Mr Pencil. This fun learning ‘toy’ has made a huge difference to his writing skills. It is from the well know and trusted Leapfrog who have the reputation of producing brilliant toys which help children learn through play.
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An app is included with Mr Pencil which can be used with an iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The purpose of this toy is to help children learn letter and number writing and to teach how to draw shapes. Mr Pencil himself is adorable. Big enough for tiny hands to get a good grip and brightly coloured with facial characteristics to have children interested.
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Mr Pencil and the citizens of Doodleburg will keep your child engaged, teaching drawing and writing skills through the fun learning activities. There are over 85 learning activities on the app which is brilliant as there is no repetition and your child doesn’t lose interest.
I have really appreciated Mr Pencil over the last few weeks. I have been really busy and have taken my son to the shops and even grocery shopping. Mr Pencil has got to be the most portable toy on the market, I never leave home without him and he is so easily carried in my handbag. The perfect little entertainer for Dr’s waiting rooms, car journeys or while sitting in a shopping trolley!
Available from www.leapfrogstore.co.uk
RRP £14.99
Learning Difference
Handwriting is an important element of school readiness. Recent research findings demonstrate that handwriting improves children’s creative writing skills and fine motor skills. Handwriting also contributes to children’s recognition of letters and numbers. (Source: Longcamp, Zerbato-Poudou, & Velay, 2005; Handwriting without Tears.)
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Toy Reviews
Finger Whips Scoot Park.
Finger Whips are the new craze and I am so happy to see my children engrossed playing with these as they have totally forgotten about their computer games. These great little construction toys are just what children need, and mum’s too. They are small, so very easily stored, something I always consider!
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Finger Whips require an element of construction and children use the miniature wrench to build the scooters, so they are educational. Construction play is so important for areas of development. The parts are interchangeable, so children are not instructed to build a certain way and can use their imagination to construct their individual scooter park.
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With the Scoot Park set, children can build a scooter park with ramps and the scooters are included. This would be a great starter set as there are ample pieces to keep the children entertained and they can add to the set at a later date. The set includes 2 scoot ramps, and 2 scooters. One of the scooters is red and blue and the other is a limited edition gold one.
This would be a great toy to take along when travelling or when on holiday as they really are very compact. Children could collect lots of the different sets and they would still fit into a small storage box.
![Finger-Whips-Ramps[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Finger-Whips-Ramps1.jpg)
Priced very reasonably considering they are die-cast, the Scoot Park is £14.99.
Other sets start at £4.99 upwards, so thumbs up for Finger Whips! Educational, entertaining, inexpensive and non-electrical!
Available from www.fingerwhips.com/
For ages 6yrs and over.
Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
Lego Friends Book-light and LED Brick Light Key-chain.
Lego – how long has this been on the go? A long time! The beginnings of Lego actually began in 1932 and the ‘brick’ came into play in 1949.
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Lego has a great ethos and we always love to review the sets and accessories on Pampered Presents. Many many sets are to be found ranging from Space Ships, to the Wild West – however one major theme is missing and that the ‘military style’ toys. Lego have stated they will NEVER sell toys that resemble war and present war to children in game form – Why can’t all toy manufactures learn from this?? Maybe some-day, in a more perfect world.
Lego now have over 10,000 employees and the toys are sold in over 130 countries, amazing! Well done Lego, we love you.
I still have the Lego I had as a child and it is compatible with the modern sets my children play with so it is an excellent toy to buy. Accessories from Lego are very popular and my children have the Lego Friends Book-light and Key-ring light.
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The Book-light is great as it clips onto books to enable my children read at night and saves them reading with the full light on which might hinder them from falling asleep – God forbid!
We have been through quite a few book-lights in our household, between the children and their father, they all enjoying reading in bed. However, the Lego Friends Book-light is by far the strongest – it is simply made, with no exposed wires and fiddly parts like some of the others. I would be happy letting my 4 year old use this. Priced from £9.99 this is very good value as it will stand the test of time.
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My 10 year old has a great key-chain collection and her latest addition was the Lego friends Brick Key-chain. This too is strong and built to last. Well priced from £6.99.
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The key light is actually quite strong and I have called on her to use it to help me find the house key on my key chain in the dark. Although this is a toy, it is a handy little item to have on a key-ring. The colours are from the Lego friends series to co-ordinate with the sets.
As ever, all Lego toys and accessories have a special place here at Pampered Presents, and they all come highly recommended.
Available at John Lewis and Sainsbury’s.
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Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
My Blue Nose Friends, Pout, Abbey, Glide and Crest.
I adore the Blue Nose Collection and I am delighted that my girls share my enthusiasm. Tatty Teddy has been a firm favourite in our household, featuring on pyjamas, books, key-rings as well as the actual teddy himself.
He has some of the cutest little friends joining him from September 2013 and they are every bit as gorgeous as Teddy is.
![securedownload[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/securedownload1.jpg)
There are 4 new friends to collect, each different, but all snugly soft and adorable.
It’s difficult to choose a favourite, but being a fan of the Dinosaurs, I have to go for Crest.
![crest[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/crest1.jpg)
This little Pterosaur is pink and grey with a few little blue specs on its nose. The signature ‘patch’ is in two places, and he is stuffed with those lovely little beads that give him the lovely squeezy feel which gives just as much satisfaction as a stress ball!
![glide_1[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/glide_11.jpg)
Glide was ‘stolen’ by my niece within an hour of arriving to the house. She is horse mad and fell for the cute little pink wings and expression glide possesses. Glide is a Pegasus who is always up for an adventure, and with the fluffy tail and mane, is just as soft and cuddly as the others.
![british-cat[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/british-cat1.jpg)
For cat lovers, we have Abbey. This little blue cat will steal your heart as soon as you set eyes on her. She is perfectly bread and British through and through.
![puffer-fish[1]](http://pamperedpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/puffer-fish1.jpg)
Last but not least, comes Pout the puffer-fish. This little fish is a round pink ball of adorable fluff. My other niece who is three years old had her pick of these friends and she chose Pout. He is just the right size to hold and squeeze! Soft and fluffy with the little blue nose, he makes the collection of four friends complete.
All the friends are available now online from www.carteblanchegreetings.com
RRP £5.
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