Toy Review: Mini Lalaloopsy Silly Funhouse Dolls - Marina Anchors

BG has been after a Lalaloopsy doll for ages so she was excited to receive the Mini Lalaloopsy Silly Funhouse Dolls - Marina Anchors.

What We Liked:

• Comes with a reusable pack which doubles as a game booth
• Comes with a fishing rod, fish and duck
• Easy to get out of the packaging
• Reasonably priced at £5.99

What We Didn’t Like:

• The accessories are a bit useless. The fishing rod doesn’t fit in her hands and you can really do anything with it.

Overall Experience:

As a toy on its on BG wasn’t really impressed she couldn’t really do much with it. I am sure if you have more and the fun house that it makes more sense.

BG ditched the accessories and used Marina as a normal doll with her other toys and had much more fun with it. A Silly Hair Lalaloopsy is still on her Christmas list!

Good if you have other Mini Lalaloopsy Dolls.

Toy Review: Matchbox Big Boots Blaze Brigade Fire Truck

Matchbox Big Boots Blaze Brigade Fire Truck & extra 3 pack of figures

Price: £24.99 + £7.99

Available from:  Amazon, Smyths (£18.49)

Suitable from: 3yrs+

Initial Reaction: I knew straight away that my 3 year old boy would love this! A fire engine and action figures – can't really go wrong!

Pros:

Well made, different actions to keep them entertained.

Cons:

Comes with some really tiny accessories for the figures to hold, which will inevitably get lost.

Value for money? It seems in-line with prices of other big toys so I think this is reasonable. It's well made and I think it will keep him entertained for a long time, so yes, it's good value.

Overall Reaction: A huge success! The 'big boots' figures are unusual looking; they can't fall over, like weebles they just ping back up. There are various places for them to stand on the fire truck and different levers to launch them up into the air which adds a new dynamic to a normal fire truck toy. I asked my son which was his favourite thing, but already knew the answer – the missile launcher on the top which fires out a plastic thing, that's supposed to be water. He loves having target practice and shooting the big boots figures with it!

He has since seen an advert for a Dinosaur Squad big boots toy which he now wants too, I might be tempted to get it for Christmas because they really are good toys. Thumbs up!

By Nicky

Toy Review: 3-Story Enchanted Castle from Mega Bloks

Mega Bloks have a new girls range called Lil’ Princess it includes a Sparkling Tower, a Magic Carriage, 3-Story Enchanted Castle, Twinkle Castle plus her friends and ponies.

We were sent the 3-Story Enchanted Castle RRP £34.99 to play with.

What They Say:

Pre-schoolers can also join Princess Ivy to discover a world of fairy tales in the 3-Story Enchanted Castle. Deep in the Secret Forest, your little one can design and build a beautiful palace that is the perfect place for a magical ball! Princess Ivy and her pony Chestnut can twirl and dance the night away on the spinning platform and balcony. The enchantment never ends with the Mega Bloks Lil’ Princess 3-Story Enchanted Castle.

What We Liked:

• It comes with a princess and a pony plus extra bloks and accessories such as tables and chairs and a bed.
• All stores away in the castle
• You can stack the castle up
• Comes with stickers so you can personalise the castle
• BG spent ages playing with this; she has really been using her imagination

What We Didn’t Like:

• It took forever to get out of the box, far too much packaging
• Costs about £10 more than I would be willing to pay

Overall Reaction:

BG really likes this and gets it out quite often and her friends play with it to. It’s been great from imaginative play, even if it’s a bit girly for my liking.  It would make great Christmas present and you can add to it with the other items from the range.

3-Story Enchanted Castle is available from Amazon, Play, Boots (included in mix and match 3 for 2).

Toy Review - Peppa Pig My First Laptop

Peppa Pig My First Laptop

Explore the world of Peppa with the exciting My First Laptop.  Use the 4 game modes to learn colours, numbers, the alphabet and more!  Peppa Pig’s Laptop allows children to learn and play in the most exciting way possible.  Open up the screen to reveal the colourful picture of Peppa Pig with her brother George and press the buttons to play music.  My First Laptop also has a large chunky handle that makes it easy to carry around with you

Price:  £19.12 at Amazon RRP £24.99

Available from:  Amazon, Mothercare, John Lewis, The Entertainer, Morrisons

Suitable from: 2 years

Initial Reaction:  I originally thought that this might be a bit basic for BG and wouldn’t hold her attention for long.

Pros:

• 4 different games
• Simple to use
• Educational
• Fun
• Kept BG entertained for a while

Cons:

• We found ours could be a bit temperamental and decide to start all by itself
• Sounds are really annoying like most children’s toys

Value for money?  Average

Overall Reaction:  Overall this was a hit with BG she is a Peppa Pig fan which helps. She enjoyed playing all the different games  and learnt as she played.

By Carol 

Toy Review - John Crane Tidlo High Tea Set

John Crane Tidlo High Tea Set

Price: £21.96

Available from:  Dillon’s Toy Box

Suitable from: 3 years

Initial Reaction: It looks fantastic; BG was very excited to play with it.

Toy Review - Squashblox

Squashblox

Squashbloxs are large soft “Construction Panels” that attach together to build whatever you can imagine.  Children can build large structures, yet the set folds down into a neat stack for easy storage and transport.

Price:  £35

Available from:  Several online retailers and shops. See stockists list

Suitable from:  12 months

Initial Reaction: Very bright and soft.

Pros:

• Bright
• Well made
• Soft
• Easy to store
• Make quite a lot of different things
• Easy to use
• Can be used a cushions
• Wipe clean

Cons:

• Can come apart quite easily
• Could do with a few more in the pack
• Not quick to put together

Value for money? Average

Overall Reaction:  Me and BG had great fun making things from the Squashblox’s.  I found they took a little while to put together and if you didn’t get the Velcro lined up perfectly they fell apart.  That didn’t stop BG having a good time.

Perfect rainy day activity. 

Toy Review - Tildo Noah’s Ark from John Crane

Tildo Noah’s Ark

Mr and Mrs Noah with six pairs of animals and one pair of doves Animals and figures can be stored inside ark. The top half of the ark attaches to the base with magnets Gentle rocking motion

Price:  £26.99

Available from:  Several online retailers and shops. See stockists list

Suitable from:  3+

Initial Reaction: Looks lovely. BG was really excited to play with it.

Pros:

• Bright
• Well made
• Easy to use
• Mr and Mrs Noah, the Doves and the top half of the boat have magnets to keep the on top the boat.
• Good amount of animals
• Keeps BG entertained for ages
• Ready to play with straight out of the box

Cons:

• Would be nice for all the animals to have magnets on them.

Value for money? Yes, it’s a well made wooden toy that will last for years.

Overall Reaction:  This is a real big hit in our house. It came ready to play and play is what BG did for hours! She loves walking the animals in and out of the boat through the little door in the side but she also just plays with the animals.

You can take the top off for quick storage of the animals, which BG also likes doing. She makes sure they are in their pairs instead of throwing them. I thinks the only toy we have where we still have all the pieces. 

The only suggestion I have is that all the animals have magnets so they can stand up on the deck BG gets really frustrated when they fall down.

Overall a great toy.

By Carol

John Crane sponsored me to attend Cybermummy this does not effect my views on the toy. 

Parent Panel Review - Chicco Teddy Count with Me – Bilingual

Product: Chicco Teddy Count with Me – Bilingual                                             

Price: £29.99                                     

Available from: Amazon, Babies R Us, Tesco Direct                          

Suitable from:  6 months                            

                               

Initial Reaction: I thought the bear was very cute. Lovely bright colours and soft fur.      

                 

Pros:     

• Teaches counting to 3 plus some words in English and French
• Cheerful songs.
• Lovely well made toy
• Buttons easy for baby to press.
• Very soft and cuddly.    

                                 

Cons:                                    

• The French is very muffled, so it’s difficult to make out words.
• Battery lasted less than a week.               

                                                 

Value for money? Slightly pricy.                             

                  

Overall Reaction:  This is a very cute and cuddly toy, and a clever idea. However, I really don’t think that the words in French are clear enough for a child to be able to repeat them. They are slightly clearer if you hold the bear up and don’t sit him down.

My baby loves playing with the toy and pressing the buttons, unfortunately we only had it for 5 days before the battery went dead.

Overall this is a lovely toy. It’s a shame that the French isn’t very clear. I would buy it as just an English speaking toy.

By Sarah 

Parent Panel Review - Britain’s Big Farm 6430 John Deere Remote Control Tractor

Product: Britain’s Big Farm 6430 John Deere Remote Control Tractor

Price: £40

Available from: available from all good toy retailers stockist number  01271 336155.

Suitable from:  3 years

Initial Reaction:  Lovely brightly coloured box with good size play tractor in – children very excited as they love tractors and both dream of driving one when they are older!

Pros:     

• Quality product – very hard wearing (to survive a day with my children, who really do “test to destruction”, and get through it in one piece is saying something).
• Realistic tractor features – cab lights, engine sounds etc and also 1:16 scale of the real thing
• Forwards, backwards, left and right steering
• Supplied with batteries – always a plus particularly if giving as a gift
• Compliments the range of other toys – trailer, bales, fertiliser sack etc. – that are available
• Tough enough to work on grass and more rugged terrain
• Excellent for children’s coordination

Cons:

• It can go very fast (unlike a real life tractor!) particularly indoors

Value for money? Excellent, would be perfect for any tractor-loving child

Overall Reaction:  Really positive, the children loved it and played for hours with it. Great for role playing and with the sunny weather here it was great to get out in the garden and test out some off-roading. Highly recommended.

By Louise 

Parent Panel Review - Vtech 3in1 Zebra Scooter

Product:

Price: from £31.99
Available from:  Vtech, Amazon, ELC, Mothercare
Suitable from: 18 – 36 months

Initial Reaction: I thought this would be a great toy for LS to enjoy and one that could be changes when she got bored of it being a certain way.

Pros:

• 3in1
• Easily change from walker, to ride along to scooter.
• Great bright happy colours
• Great learning songs 
• Very stable product.
• Great design
• Lots of different things to do and play with on it.

Cons:

• Basket doesn’t stay on very well.

Value for money? Great value for money.

Overall Reaction: Fantastic product!! LS loves it hasn’t stopped playing with it since she got it. All the songs are really cheerful. I love how it can easily it can b changed from walker to ride along to scooter and also how quickly it can be changed back because some products are really stiff and some can’t be hanged back once you change them. Really love this product!

By Danii

Parent Panel Review - PaperJamz Guitar

Product: PaperJamz Guitar

Price: £24.99

Available from: Amazon, Argos Toys R Us

Suitable from: 8+ (although my daughter is 6 and still had fun with it)

Initial Reaction:

This looks very cool and the fact that it was pink made the initial reaction of ‘oh, aren’t guitars for boys’ totally obsolete!  As soon as we ripped open the packaging we were playing with it. 

Pros:

Very easy to make a sound and therefore get a happy response from a child!  Good and substantial, didn’t feel too flimsy.  The instructions were straight forward and the choice of demo, freeplay and pre-recorded songs means that there is lots to do from the off. 

It is fairly easy to hold too, even with little hands and arms which makes it comfortable to play with.

The ‘strings’ are strummed to make a noise and there is a great feeling of satisfaction when guitar riffs are ‘played’.  We also liked the fact that it was very responsive so a gentle strum produced a noise as did a great big swipe of the hand.

Cons:

It doesn’t seem to have captured her attention as much as I thought – she’ll play for about 5 minutes and then give up.  Bear in mind that the manufacturers say that it’s for 8+ and I think they are absolutely right.

Value for money?Very good

Overall Reaction: A great toy but I would wait until your child is 8 before buying unless they are already very musical and understand about notes, how music is put together and what sounds good.

By Sarah

Parent Panel - Mamas and Papas Twinkle-Wings Bethany Butterfly

Product: Mamas and Papas Twinkle-Wings Bethany Butterfly

Price: £12

Available from: Mamas and Papas

Suitable from: Birth

Initial Reaction: A lot bigger than I thought it would be, I really like the colours and design.

Pros:

• Bright and colourful
• Friendly face is great for newborns to look at.
• I haven’t seen many cot toys with flashing lights on them, my daughter loves looking at them twinkling.
• The mirrors, crinkly wings and teether means it will last long beyond just being a cot toy.

Cons:

• The sound quality of the lullaby isn’t particularly great and the bit you pull to make it play needs to be pulled quite hard to make start.

Value for money? The toy itself is really good quality and looks good but the sound quality does let it down slightly, I would say overall it is value for money.

Overall Reaction: The butterfly is really cute and the flashing wings are an added bonus, it is bright, colourful and very cheery. The sound quality isn’t great, however it doesn’t seem to bother my daughter and it gets her to sleep. 

By Ellie 

Parent Panel Review -Mamas and Papas Babyplay – Jangly Lion

Product: Mamas and Papas Babyplay – Jangly Lion

Price: £10

Available from: Mamas and Papas

Suitable from: Birth

Initial Reaction: I fell in love with this lion straight away, he is really cute and colourful.

Pros:

• Perfect size for hanging on the car seat
• Bright and colourful
• Good quality
• Includes crinkle, squeakers, chime, different textures and teethers

Cons:

• None

Value for money?: This toy is definitely worth the money, it is the perfect size for the car seat and great for keeping your little one entertained.

Overall Reaction: I really can’t rate this enough, the jangly belly is just perfect to catch the attention of my daughter and help her get back to sleep if she wakes up in her car seat. The different textures are great for when she gets older and wants to start reaching out. Overall I cannot fault this toy, it is great quality and just perfect for any newborn, the cute face is enough to make anyone smile.

By Ellie

Parent Panel Review - Mamas and Papas Lotty Playmat

Product: Mamas and Papas Lotty Playmat

Price: £65 (currently on offer at £55)

Available from: Mamas and Papas

Suitable from: Birth

Initial Reaction: I have seen this many times when in the Mamas and Papas store, it is bright, colourful and looks great.

Pros:

• Bright and colourful
• Soft padded play mat makes it comfortable for baby to lie on
• Reusable bag to pack away in  (although it did split slightly when I tried to put back in)
• Lots of different textures and noises to stimulate and entertain.
• Arches can be removed as baby grows for tummy time and there is something to do on each of the feet.

Cons:

• Although it is soft and padded which is good when they are on there back, it is maybe a little too soft and I can see my daughter sinking into this when on her front as she gets older.
• Quite expensive compared to other play mats but it is well worth it if you want lots of features.

Value for money? Although expensive it is definitely value for money, with flashing lights, sounds and lots to entertain it’s great, and the padding makes it a nice place for your little one to fall asleep.

Overall Reaction: This really looks like a fun place to be and the bright colours make it stimulating and entertaining for my daughter. The re-useable bag means it is easy to store away and the arches mean it can carry on being used well past my daughter lying on her back. 

By Ellie 

Parent Panel Review - Chicco Sing Along Airplane

Product: Chicco Sing Along Airplane

Price: £24.99 

Available from: Amazon, Mothercare,

Suitable  from: 12 months

Initial Reaction: My 20 month old son was very excited when we opened the box to the fun, pull along toy airplane. The packaging could not be removed fast enough! The toy consists of 4 different passengers and their companion, from different cultures – England, Africa, China and Australia.

Pros:

·    Fun music which isn’t too loud or annoying for parents

·    Interactive features for children to push and spin plus lights and sounds to keep them amused.

·   Often difficult to find a toy that a child under 3 understands that offers stimulation and is safe for them – this one seems to plug that gap.

·   Provides opportunity to talk about who is travelling on the plane and learn about different  cultures.

·   On/off button on the top so gives the child control of switching it on/off

·   Lightweight so lots of “whooshing” and swooping!

Cons:

·    Toddlers love pull along toys which this is, only thing of note is the pull along cord is a bit short so child cannot stand and pull it along. Still possible to do if sat down or crouching though. I realise this is possibly a safety precaution but I am struggling to find anything negative about the toy!

·    The red button that chances the children/pets is sometimes a little tough for small fingers to press but they soon get used to it.

Value for money? This toy is excellent value for money especially given how much time they spend playing with it.

Overall Reaction: A wonderful gift for a toddler and lots of potential for future use with the cultural element and learning about different countries. Can see this toy becoming a firm favourite in my little boy’s toy box!

By Louise

Parent Panel Review - Lego Duplo Police Station

Product: Lego Duplo Police Station

Price: Retails at around £49.99

Available from: Most toy stockists.

Suitable From: it's aimed at pre-schoolers ages 2-5.

Initial Reaction: Wow the box picture looked so exciting. Lets get building. 

Pros: Easy to build and lovely big pieces for little hands to manage. Picture instructions are so easy to follow. Once build it isn't too huge and can be left assembled without taking up too much room. Flashing siren for the car is fabulous and realistic. The figures and motor vehicles add an extra dimension. All the little interior touches to the office and jail are great and hold kiddies interest for ages. 

Cons: Tried and tried but couldn't find any.

Value for Money: Excellent.

Overall reaction:  When this arrived, Caleb and I couldn't wait to get building. It took all of 15 mins to assemble and them Daddy, Caleb and I had literally hours of fun. The Squad Car and Helicopter were instant hits and the realistic touches to all the interiors are fabulous. Caleb has been playing with it for over a week now and makes a bee line for it first every day. The police set also has a Police Bike and Police truck which are sold separately from the station so guess what our boy will be getting for his Birthday and Christmas this year?! 

by Julie