My Britmums Live! Sponsor: Orchard Toys

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Today I'll be attending the Britmums Live! blogging conference in London, very kindly sponsored by Orchard Toys.

For those who regularly read my blog, or for those who occasionally saunter over here, you'll have noticed that I review a lot of puzzles and games from Orchard Toys. And every single one of those reviews is glowing, for three reasons:

  • they're bright and colourful, fun and engaging;
  • there is always an educational aspect which doesn't overshadow the fun factor;
  • The Boy loves them.

Now when I say I have a lot of them; I'm not actually joking:

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This collection has been built up over several years from review products, those scavenged at nearly new sales, and bought for The Boy's birthday and Christmas presents. We play one a day at least and The Boy alternates between them as to which his favourite is; at the moment it's 'What's Rubbish?', last week it was 'Baa Baa', and we're taking 'Shopping List' with us this weekend to Britmums Live! Even we have favourites; mine is 'Round and Round' and Mr. TBaM is 'What a Performance'.

My 'love affair' with Orchard Toys started many years ago, long before I had The Boy. I was visiting an ex-colleague and her two year old daughter who wanted me to play a game with her which involved rolling a dice to collect up different ingredients to make an ice-cream sundae. That was an Orchard Toys game (long since retired) and I made a mental note of the company for use with my own child. Little did I realised I'd be trying to collect every game they make, ten years later!

So who are Orchard Toys?

Orchard Toys are a British company located in Norfolk with a purpose built factory and office complex; meaning a low-carbon foot print and employment stays within the country. In addition, they also create new products from their own ideas using its team of in-house designers. Manufacture of components is subcontracted to a UK supplier base, some of whom have supplied the company throughout its history. They are also made from 75% recycled materials.

A leading manufacturer of educational puzzles and games for children aged between 18 months and 10 years, Orchard Toys has a reputation for excellence of design, manufacture and service. I'd be very surprised if most homes don't have at least one of their games or puzzles! Established in 1971 by Keith Harvey (who remains a director today), the company has stayed in the family passing down to the next generation.

Orchard Toys award-winning products are all designed with the ethos of “learning made fun” and combine bright, innovative design, durability and quality with sound educational principles. They completely support the Foundation Phase ethos of learning through play, and that's why as a teacher as well as a mum, I know how much they benefit The Boy's learning.

This is why I'm so very proud to be sponsored by Orchard Toys to attend Britmums Live!

If you could spare two minutes to nip over to the Loved By Parents awards site, Orchard Toys have been shortlisted in the Best Activity Toy 3-6 yrs category and the Best Board Game or Jigsaw category for the fabulous 'Old Macdonald Lotto' and they'd love a vote from you please!

Orchard Toys: "Baa Baa" (Review & Giveaway)

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I'm very fortunate that I have a fabulous sponsor for Britmums Live! in Orchard Toys, and as a result we've had a chance to review some of their amazing games and puzzles this year. Their latest game, entitled 'Baa Baa', is another excellent resource, and as always is incredibly fun.

Orchard Toys Baa Baa

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Orchard Toys: 'Big Police Car' Jigsaw (Review & Giveaway)

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The Boy is getting to the point where he comfortable completes 35+ piece jigsaws, using the image to help him identify the correct pieces. He's got the tricks of finding the edges and corners first, then working out the different sections of colour, quite practised and enjoys piecing jigsaw puzzles together.

We were recently sent the new Orchard Toys Big Police Car jigsaw to review, and although it has fewer pieces than he's used to (30 pieces) it actually offered him quite a large challenge due to the nature of the design.

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Days 27-33 of Project 365

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27-33 of 365

27. 'One Giant Leap' (Off to Porthkerry Park on Sunday to play in the sunshine and check out how high the water was in the brooks.)

28. 'Hello, Down There' (a trip to the local Victorian park on the way back from the supermarket. This is part of our bid to spend 15 minutes outside in the fresh air every day, inspired by Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Cerys from Nature and Play. Some days are really easy, other days – like a work day – are harder. Today was also the day of the epic play-dough making session; three colours and still he wanted more?!)

29. 'Do You Like My New Hat?' (Big activity day today, Tuesdays often are as I try to cram as much quality and quantity time in as possible before having to go back to work the next day. We made a wintery hat which ended up looking more like a space hat, did a science experiment involving moving water, went to gymnastics and also went scooting in the pouring rain in Cardiff Bay. Thanks for that Jenny and Cerys!)

30. 'New Jigsaw' (A work day but when I came home The Boy was able to play with his brand new jigsaw from Orchard Toys. Watch this space for a review!)

31. 'The Gruffalo' (Thanks to a 'heart-pressing' session when The Boy saw one of his friend's wearing a Gruffalo hat, he decided he wanted to dress up in his costume. I got the mirror down so he could see what he looked like. The irony was that five minutes later, the nanosecond I'd finished taking photographs, he insisted the costume came off. I think he scared himself!)

32. 'Slumber' (Absolutely exhausted, I let him have a longer nap today. I certainly paid for it as we had a ridiculous wake-up time of 5.20 this morning. Now where's that Gro-clock I was sent for review?!)

33. 'Rebel!' (We nipped down to Cardiff Bay Barrage for a cycle and a scoot in glorious sunshine, but dear God it was Arctic! The road across the barrage isn't used by vehicles and is a safe route for cyclists of all ages. The Boy has a minimal awareness of the highway code and road signs, clearly!)

My favourite photo of the week is The Gruffalo photo.

—

TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

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Orchard Toys: Shopping List

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If you don't have a copy of one of the most popular Orchard Toys games ever made then you need to get it. And soon.

Shopping List is an essential game for children aged 3-7 years because of the way that it takes an everyday situation that children are incredibly familiar with, and provides them with the opportunity to play it at home learning about the different foods available.

Orchard Toys Shopping List

The original game (for there are two booster packs) contains:

  • four cardboard trolleys;
  • four shopping lists with pictures and written names of groceries;
  • 32 grocery cards

The basic idea of the game is that each player takes a trolley, chooses a shopping list and then must fill it with the relevant items on their shopping list, taking it in turns to find them from the muddled, upside-down pile in the middle of all the players. If the grocery item card they pick up is one of theirs they can put it in their trolley, if not the must return it to the middle for someone else to take it. Play continues until one person has filled their trolley.

orchard toys shopping list

Only because we have a three year old who likes everyone to win (you just either win first, second or third) then we play it that rather than return it to the middle, we give it to whoever has it on their list. And yes, it does work which is the beauty of Orchard Toys games, they are adaptable for the needs of the child.

There are two Booster Sets available:

  1. Fruit & Veg
    • Containing two trolleys and shopping lists, there are 16 grocery cards each with an item of fruit or vegetable on it. The fruit and vegetables chosen show a range of everyday foods that the children should be familiar with: pears, potatoes, leeks, melons, cherries, kiwi fruits, asparagus, etc. This is a great opportunity to discuss healthy eating options and where the foods come from or how they grew.
  2. Clothes
    • Like the Fruit & Veg pack, this Booster Pack is designed for two players, this time containing 16 clothes cards showing clothes from different seasons like; shorts, vest top, watch, scarf, flip flops, trainers, jumpers, sunglasses, etc. It provides an opportunity to discuss the clothes that are worn at different seasons (or in this country, the same season but different days!)

Whenever we go away for the weekend this is the one Orchard Toys game that comes with us, having carefully selected the lists we The Boy wants to take; the booster packs are interchangeable with the main game. We've had this game for quite some time now (I'm ashamed to admit how long) and it is the single most played game in the house!

Educational guide:

  • encourage observational and memory skills
  • develop personal and social skills through role-playing and questioning
  • language development (modelling questioning and discussion)
  • healthy eating – PSHE

Shopping List is priced at £7.50 and each of the Booster Packs are priced at £4.50 each.

Orchard Toys: 'What's Rubbish?'

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I've got a little bit of an eco-warrior on the sly, he's keen to put rubbish in the bin and is most insistent on knowing whether he can recycle the items or if they go in the compost bin. Very rarely does it occur to him that the rubbish may go in the 'normal' bin, and I'm quite proud of him for this.

We were recently sent the Orchard Toys game, 'What's Rubbish?' to try out and it has gone down a storm (it's even knocked 'Crash, Bang, Whallop' off the top spot, and Inever thought that would happen!).

'What's Rubbish?' is a fun recycling game which features a board with interweaving paths on, four counters, a 3D wheelie bin, four recycling bank player boards (two of each type: metal, bottles, paper and clothing), a spinner, and a selection of 'rubbish' cards.

Orchard Toys

  • Each player chooses two different coloured recycling bank boards.

  • The corresponding small cards are placed face down on the table. If four people are playing all recycling bank cards and corresponding small cards are used, remove unused recycling bank cards and the corresponding cards for fewer players.
  • Choose twelve small cards and place them on the pathways all over the playing board.
  • Choose a playing piece/counter and place this anywhere on the board.
  • The youngest player spins the spinner and moves that number of spaces in any direction across the board. The aim is to pick up as many small cards on the board as possible to fill up your own recycling bank.
  • If the spinner lands on the litterbug section then a small card is taken from the table and added to the main playing board.
  • When you land on or pass a card, pick it up and see if it is one of your materials. If so add it to a space on the board, if not return it to another space on the main playing board.

  • Occasionally there are 'litterbug' pieces which are picked up. When they appear, everyone must return one of their materials from the recycling bank to the table upside down. That litterbug card is then put in the wheelie bin.
  • There are also some small cards which cannot be put on a recycling bank card, like a broken tv, alarm clock etc which are put into the wheelie bin.
  • Each time a material is added to the recycling banks, or is put in the wheelie bin, then a replacement small card must be put onto the main playing board.
  • The winner is the first person to fill their two boards.

'What's Rubbish?' is a really fun game to play as a family; it does involve some form of strategy when playing (for example Mr. TBaM and I are very careful to ensure we lay the small cards down on the board in our counter's path – or The Boy's if he's losing), but likewise it's purely chance as to whether a litterbug is picked up and pieces are lost. Even The Boy has started to realise that he needs to think carefully about the path he takes while playing.

Aimed at 5-10 year olds, I actually think that a child younger than that and capable of logical processing would be able to play this as well as The Boy does. As always,Orchard Toys games aren't just about having fun (although that is the primary aim!):

  • develop strategic thinking
  • encourage personal and social skills (turn-taking, etc)
  • linked with National Curriculum Maths (counting, number recognition, shape and colour recognition.
  • scientific development (identifying different materials and whether they can be reused or not – a tricky concept)
  • moral and spiritual development (taking care of our world).

This is one of the entire family's favourite games from Orchard Toys; it's fun, educational and allows for a little bit of devilment whilst playing it with other adults. Excellent games and top marks from us!

I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Orchard Toys: Jungle Express Puzzle (Review)

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We've got quite a few Orchard Toys jigsaw puzzles, especially the big ones, and I'm a big fan of their brightly coloured and attractively drawn illustrations. They are very attractive for pre-schoolers and The Boy is always drawn to Orchard Toys' games and puzzles above any others.

The Jungle Express puzzle is a slightly different puzzle to normal, as it has been designed as a 'talkabout number puzzle' ideal for pre-schoolers and children in the Foundation Phase as it promotes discussion about numbers in a natural way giving context to the concept.

As you can see, the picture shows a train with an engine and ten carriages following behind. In each carriage is a different quantity of an animal, dependent upon the number carriage they are in. It's a 30 piece jigsaw; three rows and ten pieces in each row.

Normally The Boy is capable of doing jigsaw puzzles between 30 and 50 pieces, and so I was initially apprehensive of the challenge of this jigsaw, but was happy to review it for the mathematical development available through it. However, it is actually quite a challenging jigsaw because of the way that the carriages have been drawn going up and down hills; they don't join together in a straight forward manner. This in itself is mathematical development because it relies upon The Boy drawing upon problem solving skills; using a picture to solve a problem, trial and error, and logical thinking. (And if you think I've just made up those areas of problem-solving, then I shall happily show you the hand-outs from a Maths course I went on a few years ago).

We've developed our own way of doing the puzzle, in opposition to the normal 'do the edges first' approach; we do the middle row first. This way he can link the carriages together in the correct order, then we do the 'sky' row and then the 'ground' row.

This puzzle of course can be left at just joining the pieces, but it would be a travesty not to take advantage of the opportunities for discussion. There are times when I look desperately for a question to ask about something, and my brain fails me. Orchard Toys recognises that sometimes there are days when there's not enough coffee or chocolate to help, and so on the back of the box they have printed a brilliant guide which gives over fifteen questions to start you off; Can you find the ___? What is the colour of the ____ carriage? Are there more ___ or ___ on the train? and my favourite question: Where do you think the train is going?


One of my favourite parts of any Orchard Toys product is the 'Educational Guide':

  • Develop counting and number skills.
  • Develop hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor skills.
  • Help compare, discuss and investigate.
  • Links with Early Learning Goals and National Curriculum Key Stage 1.

But of course, our most favourite part is how much fun they are!

'Jungle Express' is available from Orchard Toys for £9.75

We were sent this product for the purpose of this review, our opinions is honest and unbiased.

Orchard Toys: Where's My Cupcake? (Review & Competition)

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Anyone who has read any reviews on my blog will know that the statement above is true. I am a massive fan of Orchard Toys and think that they really are the leading producers of educational games and puzzles in the UK at the moment; long-lasting, sturdy, attractive, environmentally friendly and fun, you'd be hard pushed to find a better brand.

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