Sainsbury's have asked me a very simple question to answer;
"Have I got an 'Active Kid'?"
Colourful Copper (Giveaway)
I absolutely adore this time of year for the everchanging colours and rich tones in nature, the trees shift their colours from one day to the next. Autumnal walks to find pine cones, acorns and conkers are accompanied by the sound of crunchy leaves cascading down from the near-skeletal trees in the cool October wind, a flurry of coppers and golds in the air.
I'm sure that I'm not the only one with bowls of Autumn treasures scattered around the house, mixed up with cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices; the aroma is warming and comforting. I've found the perfect bowls to display our finds in as well.
What Would I Say To My Younger Self? (Giveaway: Win a Google Nexus 7)
Oh, there are so many things I could say to my younger self if I had the chance. I might point out running down that bank of rubble in high-heeled boots is not a good idea, it would certainly save the torn ligaments and months of pain. Or I might have to point out that the note that we were given as change in the Los Angeles' petrol station was in fact not $100 but a $1,000,000 Monopoly money note.
Possibly we had 'tourist' written on our heads that day.
But on a more serious note, what would I say to my younger self?
Loom Bands Twister Kit (Giveaway)
I was determined that loom bands would not enter this house, and I managed to hold off until mid August of this year when we bought a box to create with on a long car journey. For two hours we sat in the back of the car making our first loom band, and there wasn't even the slightest request for the iPad or a DVD to be put on.
Clearly something so creative which helps develop concentration and fine motor skills isn't such an evil thing after all?
Win A Family Pass To LolliBop 2014 (Giveaway)
Build it, paint it, climb it! LolliBop, the UK's biggest children's festival is back!
Orchard Toys: Pigs In Pants (Review & Giveaway)
We've been sent one of the new Orchard Toys games to review, Pigs In Pants. It is one of those fabulous games that really appeals to children, mostly because they get to shout things like "I'm going to pinch your pants!" or "I'm going to nick your knickers!"
Using a similar set up to 'Where's My Cupcake?', players have a board each in the shape of a cute pig who looks rather abashed at having no pants on, and the object of the game is to collect the most pants on your pig board by matching them in your hand with the other cards in play.
- Each player (2-4 players) starts with a pig board and they are then dealt two of the cards each, which they hold in their hands and can see.
- Four pant cards are placed face up in a line in the centre and the remaining cards are placed face down in a pile next to them.
- The youngest player starts by checking to see if they can match a card in their hand to one of four in the line. If they can, or if it matches one on another player's board, they collect those cards and place them on their pig board along with the matching pants card from their hand. (When collecting from another player though, the whole pile is taken from the pig board and the 'taker' must shout, "I'm going to pinch your pants!")
- If the cards in their hand don't match any in play, then they shout, "No knickers!" and place that card in the line-up of four.
- At the end of their turn, players must make their hand back up to two cards each time by taking from the face-down pile.
- The game ends when no-one is able to match any further cards, and the winner is the person with the most pants on their pig board.
The Boy absolutely loved this game, I'm sure it was the element of playing with pants and shouting about knickers which made him chuckle the most, but it is a really fun game to play with the lead position switching between players right until the very end! It's also an excellent game for promoting observational and matching skills, as identified in Orchard Toys Educational Guide, along with strategic thinking.
Pigs In Pants is available to buy from all good toy shops and directly from Orchard Toys online, with a RRP of £7.50.
However, the wonderful folk at Orchard Toys are giving away one to one lucky reader of TheBoyandMe. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below for the chance to win.
I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.
Orchard Toys: Yo Ho Ho (Review & Giveaway)
Pirates seem to be a little bit of a fascination for The Boy at the moment, and so I was pleased to receive this pirate memory game from Orchard Toys to try out with him.
Yo Ho Ho is a very simple and traditional memory game, along the lines of 'pairs', with players turning over two face-down cards at a time to try and match a 'pair'. Designed for 2-4 players and for children aged 4-8 years, but I'd say that children younger than four could play it easily, and likewise older children. The added twist to the game which can be included for older players is that if a pirate flag is turned over, then that player can do a dastardly deed and pilfer the cards from another player's treasure pile.
At present we haven't added this rule into the game, but we do have great fun playing it as a simple pairs game. There are actually four cards of each design, which helps increase the chances of younger children finding a pair. The illustrations are trademark Orchard Toys; bright and colourful, fun characterisations of familiar figures.
The educational guide states that Yo Ho Ho has been designed to:
- encourage observation, memory and language skills
- develop personal and social skills
- link with Early Learning Goals and National Curriculum Key Stage 1
In addition to the above, I'd say it is also great for:
- oracy – it encourages discussion, and can even lead to storytelling if they are used in the same way that story stones are;
- drama – role play either with small world toys or with costumes and re-enacting the scene;
- geography – looking at pirate maps as an extension activity.
Yo Ho Ho is available to buy from Orchard Toys directly for £7.50. A fantastic, traditional and quick game for all ages.
However, the very lovely folk there are offering a copy of this game to one reader of TheBoyandMe. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below to be in with a chance of winning.
I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.
Orchard Toys: Who's In Space? (Review & Giveaway)
'Who's In Space?' is without a doubt one of my favourite Orchard Toys products produced in the last year or so. And I am a big fan and we have a lot of their games and puzzles, so that statement is not made lightly.
The 25 piece jigsaw puzzle is aimed at children aged 3+, and depicts a scene of three astronauts (mixed gender and race, as with all Orchard Toys illustrations) on the moon completing some research. In the background are five of the planets in our solar system, the International Space Station, a comet, and a small green alien in a purple spaceship. Because after all this is a puzzle for children!
Front Loader Digger Toy Truck (Review & Giveaway)
Ever since The Boy randomly asked Father Christmas three days before Christmas for a robot that moves (sending me into a blind panic!), he's developed a liking for controllable toys. The ultimate one that he has is the retro Big Trax which is excellent for teaching control and programming and makes Mr. TBaM very happy indeed, but remote controlled toys are his latest big thing. Grandad found a Scalectrix set at a car boot sale and when he visits my grandparents that is where the three of them can be found.
I wouldn't mind, but I'd quite like a go as well!
Therefore when The Boy was recently sent a digger toy truck from Hifi Tower, he was not the only one over the moon at the brilliant front loader remote controlled digger!
'Justin Fletcher: The Best Of Friends' CD (Review & Giveaway)
Imagine the combination:
'Reach for the Stars' + 'Justin Fletcher' = ?
To me that equals one of the best things I've heard in an awfully long time!
There is something so intrinsically right about Justin Fletcher and the way he makes children and adults smile, that listening to his CDs has the same effect. And while the songs are certainly not the latest Goyte chart-topper, they do introduce children to a diverse range of different musical genres and classic songs in a non-patronising manner.
The Boy has passed the stage of listening to nursery rhymes and wants to listen to music, but finding suitable music is hard as so much of what is in the charts has unsuitable lyrics or themes for children. Justin Fletcher has taken a great selection of older and well-known songs and covered them in a child-friendly manner to suit the 21st century. The 'Best Of Friends' CD includes:
- Rockin’ Robin
- This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddywack)
- Reach
- We’re Off To See The Wizard
- Zip A Dee Doo Dah (The Boy's favourite on the album, I keep hearing him singing it as he's playing)
- Let’s Go Fly A Kite
- If I Only Had A Brain
along with the title track ('Best of Friends') and many others.
Justin will ber performing the title track on his new Justin's House tour this Easter, and I'm very excited as we're going to be seeing this in Cardiff (thanks to securing tickets months ago!). I just know that The Boy is going to love it.
The 'Justin Fletcher: The Best Of Friends' CD is available to buy from Amazon, iTunes and all good retailers. For more information on the CD, please visit Justin's Facebook page.
However, I'm lucky enough to be able to offer a copy of this CD to one lucky reader. Please fill in the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win.
I was sent a copy of this CD for the purpose of this review. My opinions are honest and unbiased.
