Marble Run by Galt Toys – Review

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Fiona Martin

We received Marble Run by Galt Toys to review. It is a traditional style marble run with plastic chutes and glass marbles aimed at 4 to 8 year olds.

My initial impressions were that this looked like a lot of fun but I was slightly concerned whether 4 and a half year old Miss M would be able to play this independently. My first thoughts were that she would require adult supervision and we would need to help construct the runs but actually I was completely wrong!! Her eyes lit up when I showed her the box and she couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Apparently they have a similar toy at nursery and before I got a look in, Miss M had taken control and built a tower!!

The plastic chutes and connectors are easy to assemble and relatively sturdy. The only thing you need to ensure is that you don’t create an empty column that the marbles drop down. You need to place the pieces in alternate directions in order to create a run but this concept was picked up by Miss M immediately.

This toy is fun, addictive, challenging and helps develop problem solving skills. I never envisaged how much Miss M would get out of it, but it has become a firm favourite that she has played with again and again. I think construction style toys are always a hit with children due to their varied nature in producing different creations everytime you get them out of the box. This helps keep their engagement with the toy but also stimulates them to experiment with new ideas and challenge themselves to create something bigger and better than before.

At £10.99 I would definitely say it is good value for money although I would opt for the larger set “Super Marble Run” which is £19.99 if you can, purely to have more pieces enabling bigger, higher runs – something Miss M is very keen to do!!

We have loved trying Marble Run by Galt Toys and summarise it as follows:

“A durable, lasting toy that sparks imagination and creativity giving your child many challenges and lots of play value along the way“

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.

Imagination…

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Fiona Martin

I was briefly looking through some old photos this morning when I came across a couple that sparked a thought back to the fabulous chat I had at Playfest this week. For those not in the know, Playfest is hosted by izziwizzi kids and is a weekly meet up on Facebook & Twitter for lovely mummies and daddies who want to talk about and inspire each other with children’s toys and play ideas.

This weeks topic was Imagination, providing ideas of how we can help to encourage and develop our own children’s imagination. One question asked about what props we can give our children, with the two most popular answers being cardboard boxes and blankets. This leads on to the photos I came across this morning which completely confirm the ideas of playfest this week and prove that after all these years (more than I wish to remember!!) that cardboard boxes and blankets are a top choice for children’s entertainment and a fabulous aid to help spark their imagination.

Here I am on the left in these two pictures with our homemade den and snuggled in a cardboard box alongside my little brother. How sweet?? xx

Gull Pink Spotty Dolls Pram by Brio review

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Fiona Martin

We were asked to review the Gull Pink spotty Dolls Pram by Brio for izziwizzikids.

When the big box arrived I immediately hid it out of view from Miss M so that I could build it when she was out. I spotted my opportunity and opened the box to reveal all the parts of the fabulous Brio dolls pram. It took very little effort to build as was already partially assembled. In under 5 minutes I had this amazing pink spotty dolls pram standing in front of me that any young girl would be very proud of to push along.

When Miss M arrived home I asked her to close her eyes and come into the room – well if only I’d captured the look on her face when she saw it. Her eyes were like saucers and a cute little grin spread across her face – she couldn’t quite believe that it was for her to play with and try out.

The Brio pram was an immediate hit and Miss M couldn’t wait to push it along. First we filled it with an assortment of dolls and teddies, not forgetting Peppa Pig of course!! Then off we went to the park – capturing lots of smiles from passers by on the way. Miss M found the pram very easy to push along and manoeuvre and loved the extra details like the removable cover and brake which she insisted was put on every time we stopped.

Back at home Miss M delighted in the fact that she could remove the carrycot from the frame of the pram and use it as a bed to put her dolls/teddies/Peppa Pig to sleep in – this has now become a bedtime ritual and goes on the floor next to her bed each night. And if mummy goes into a room to say something I get a big “ssshhhh!!” because the dollies are sleeping.

We absolutely loved this pink spotty Brio dolls pram along with all its beautiful features and give it a big 10/10. We would highly recommend it and think it would make a fabulous Christmas present for any little girl to treasure for many years to come. This is a very durable toy that can be used both indoors & outdoors and can be folded down for storage or portability.

Here is our video review for izziwizzikids:

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.

Fruit Frenzy by Orchard Toys review

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Fiona Martin

We were asked to review Fruit Frenzy by Orchard Toys for izziwizzikids.

A fruity card game that’s fun and simple to play. Collect five matching fruits to win, but watch out, when the spinner shows “fruity frenzy” it’s everyone for themselves! This game has great educational value:

Improves observational skills
Develops social communication
Promotes healthy eating
Links with Early Learning Goals
Links with National Curriculum Science and PSHE Key Stage 1

This was a fun, easy to play card game with thick, durable cards and a spinner which added interest and gave the game another feature which helped with the amusement and fun factor.

Miss M thoroughly enjoyed playing this game and it has become a firm favourite for her – although she does prefer to win!! But the educational benefits have been great for her especially with social communication. As she is quite young we have only just started introducing games into her everyday play and this has encouraged learning to take turns, following rules and playing together.

We all loved this game and had lots of fun playing it. We also used all the cards to play alternative games such as pairs which we found a lot of fun. The pieces are all exceptionally durable and it comes in a compact box ideal for taking on holiday etc. therefore we would definitely recommend this game from Orchard Toys.Here is our video review for izziwizzikids:

This game – Fruit Frenzy – can be purchased directly from Orchard Toys £7.25.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.

Crayola Washable 3D Outdoor Chalks Review

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Fiona Martin

During the summer we were asked to review Crayola Washable 3D Outdoor Chalks for izziwizzikids.

The 3D Outdoor Chalk allows you to create eye-popping 3D effects with the dual coloured 3D outdoor chalk and 3D glasses. They are simple to use, give you amazing results and the special chalk combines the right colours to make the magic happen! To get your creative juices flowing, there’s a “How To” leaflet included which shows you how to start with simple shapes, eventually building up to using the 3D effects.

When I first showed these to Miss M and told her she could draw in the garden her eyes lit up and she couldn’t wait to get started. At first we followed the simple instructions to create a basic drawing which allowed us to sample the 3D effects successfully. We then had to wear the 3D glasses to view the effect which proved a great hit with Miss M. I was impressed with the 3D results as the drawing really did seem to lift from the ground with the different colours appearing at different levels.

Miss M loved this activity and the chalks were continued to be used day after day to turn the entire patio area of the garden into a myriad of colour. This was a thoroughly fun activity that could be done again and again. We loved it and would definitely recommend it for children as a fun summer outdoor activity that encourages creativity, has a fun novelty factor with the 3D effect and keeps them occupied for a good length of time.

Here is the video review we produced for izziwizzikids:

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.

Fab Fairies by Galt Toys review

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Fiona Martin

A few months ago I was lucky to be asked to review Fab Fairies by Galt Toys for izziwizzikids.

It is essentially a very girlie Arts & Crafts kit to create two cute fairies! Simply glue together the heads, cord, fabric pieces and then stick on some gems. The skirts, hands and feet are made by simply fraying the thick cord.

Due to my daughter being under the recommended 5+ age she did require supervision, so I happily identified the pieces and handed them to my daughter to glue, copying the picture on the front of the box. As glueing and sticking is one of my daughters favourite activities she throughly enjoyed it especially when it came to finishing the fairies by added gems and sequins.

The 2 fairies now take pride of place hanging from the picture rail in my daughters bedroom (I stuck a loop of ribbon to the back of their heads).

We would definitely recommend this as fun crafty activity and for a slightly older girl it would be something she could sit and do independently. It is a fantastic kit to help encourage creative play.

Here is the video review we produced for izziwizzikids:

This would make a fab birthday present or great for Christmas for any young girl.

It currently retails for £4.99 and can be purchased directly from Galt Toys.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.