Bing Magazine Review

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Fiona Martin

Bing magazine is a brand new release this year from Egmont aimed at 3-5 year olds, full of fun activities that really do capture little ones imagination. Bing is a bunny who has lots of fun and my little boy already enjoys watching the series on CBeebies.

Mister B is 5, so at the upper age range for this magazine but was really excited to receive it and kept asking when he can start doing Bing bunny! He really enjoyed the garden toys attached to the front and has been playing with them everyday in his own little imaginative way.

Each page of the magazine has things to do with a sticker sheet in the centre that is used across various pages. There is a story, basic writing activities, colouring and plenty of pages to use the stickers on.

There’s really fun page with a vegetable patch on and another page with lots of vegetables that you can rip apart and stick onto the vegetable patch which I thought was really cute and got us talking about vegetables. Mister B’s favourite though was making silly faces with the stickers on a page of potatoes!

I think Bing magazine is lovely for little ones, I like the themes running through it and thought it had a good balance of activities.

You can see more about the magazine in our video here:

We received the magazine to review and received compensation for this post.

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Blaze and the Monster Machines Twitter Party

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Fiona Martin

On Wednesday 16th March UKMums.tv is hosting a Blaze and the Monster Machines Twitter Party to celebrate the launch of the new Fisher-Price toy range.

A two hour Twitter party will take place from 1pm -3pm which we’d love you to join in with, just head over to @ukmumstv on Twitter and follow the #NickJrBlaze hashtag. Also tune in to an hour long special of Blaze and the Monster Machines at 2pm on Nick Jr and let us know what you think. Keep your eyes peeled too as there will be giveaways throughout the party!

Fisher-Price have launched a set of toys featured the characters from the programme starting at just £4.99 for the smaller die cast cars. Also in the range are larger Slam and Go cars, a Blaze Transforming Turbo Launcher and a Transforming Blaze Jet Activity Toy.

The toys are available from Argos and Smyths Toys Superstores.

During the party we will be carrying out lots of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) activities with the children to support their learning in a fun way using the Blaze toys as a theme throughout. Do follow along to see pictures of how we get on.

Dont’ forget to visit Nick Jr to discover more fun Blaze and the Monster Machine activities and games.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions and we received the product in order to write an honest review and participate in the Twitter party.

Alphabet Cards from The Appealing Rabbit – Review

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Fiona Martin

Alphabet Cards from The Appealing Rabbit are a rather cute, large size deck of cards designed to assist your children to practice their letter writing. The pack comes in a box which includes a black wipeable pen with eraser on the end.

The set contains all 26 letters of the English alphabet plus a couple of extra for other languages. Be aware that the letters included are all capital letters so probably best for a slightly older child than one who is only just learning their letters.

Mister B is 4 yrs old and has known his small letters for a while now. He recognises all his capital letters but hasn’t had much practice writing them other than those in his name so this was a good opportunity for him to get used to them.

The Alphabet Cards are glossy and fully wipeable from pen marks making them durable and a bit tougher than normal cards. What I really love about them though is the illustrations. Such cute, hand drawn designs, really different and unique from anything else I’ve seen. They also give you talking points to have with children, such as what objects they can see in the pictures, which always goes off on a tangent with Mister B and he finds plenty to chat about once given a starting point.

These beautifully designed cards are an interactive way for children to learn their letters. You can even play a game with them and there is a score card to mark points. If your child completes a letter neatly they get a point, if not you get the point. Obviously they want to win, so it encourages them to try hard.

This is a cute set that is handy to carry around and play when travelling and either in or out of the house.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions and we received a pack in order to write the review.

Cbeebies Swashbuckle Magazine

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Fiona Martin

Swashbucklers, a children’s game show on Cbeebies is one programme that both my children love to watch. They enjoy watching the challenges and always stand up to join in with the Swashbuckle Salute which they know and love.

Launched today is a fantastic new magazine, Swashbuckle, aimed at children aged 3-6, jam packed full of piratey fun!

The magazine has all the characters from the program, Captain Sinker, Gem, Cook and Line and 4yr old Mister B couldn’t wait to get stuck in and complete the activities inside. Firstly he was eager to open the gift on the front of the magazine, of which there will be a different gift on each issue. Issue 1 includes a pirate hat, game spinner and a treasure chest with five coloured gems. I think the free gift is brilliant and has had brought much entertainment to Mister B as he hides the jewels for his sister to find.

Inside are pages packed full of activities along with a sheet of 70 stickers. There is so much to do and we sat down for a couple of hours and still didn’t reach the end. There are sticker pages, questions, matching activities, stories, colouring and much more.

Some of our favourite pages that we thought were a bit different were looking through the telescope to see the octopus and learning all about octopuses. We also downloaded the free Blippa app to our iPad which allowed us to scan certain pages where we saw the Blippa icon and it brought up a video clip for us to watch such as Gem doing the Swashbuckle salute or a real life octopus swimming about in the ocean.

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed Swashbuckle magazine and can’t wait to see the next issue. With so much to do, and a pirate theme, this is sure to be a hit with most kids and great value for money too!

All reviews are my own opinions and I received the magazine in order to review.

Abney and Teal Magazine – Review

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Fiona Martin

Abney and Teal is one of the hit tv show on Cbeebies. My two both watch it which kind of surprises me as I’ve never really taken too much notice of it myself although if they like it, then it’s the sort of programme I’m happy for them to watch. It seems to have a calm nature but one that keeps them intrigued hence why I was happy to review the new Abney and Teal magazine.

First impressions where that it had a winning musical instrument set on the front – something my two loved! Although I’m sure I’m not the only parent to say that the recorder sounded like a whistle that my little boy decided to repeatedly blow on for days on end – not that I’m complaining – he obviously enjoyed it showing that the magazine was a hit with him.

I next looked inside the magazine and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pages. Either filled with stories or worthwhile activities that kept my just turned 4yrs old Mister B thoroughly entertained and wanting for more. From adding stickers to practising letters, counting objects or making his way through a maze, Mister B didn’t want to stop. He knew all the characters and immediately declared his favourite as Toby dog. He was totally familiar with the neeps and the poc pocs – obviously I haven’t been watching it enough lately!

This magazine totally gripped my newly 4 year old. He was eager to learn through the activities and loved the familiarity of characters he knew. I’d definitely buy this magazine again based on the amount of interaction my little boy has had with it, to be honest I’ve been pleasantly surprised!

The magazine was released on 23rd October, why not grab a copy now?

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions and we received the magazine in order to write the review.

Win Heroes of the City Goodies

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Fiona Martin

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Heroes of the City is a television cartoon about rescue vehicles in a small town where everybody gets to be a hero! There are lots of fun characters such as Pauli Police Car, Harry Hot Rod, Percy Post and not forgetting Fiona Fire Engine! Well this has been an instant hit with my two children, particularly three year old Mister B. With my name being Fiona, he just loves that I am a Fire Engine in the show!

The storylines follow the exciting adventures of the characters as they help the townspeople find thieves, put out fires, and solve one of the many mysteries that happen in the otherwise quiet town. You will also get to know Calamity Crow, the most misunderstood bird in town.

Aimed at ages 3-7, Heroes of the City is the perfect first app for three year old Mister B to be using, he loves watching the episodes and has really got to grips with the games. He does require a little assistance with some of them but loves playing Fiona Fire Engine to put out the fires and also has spent much time playing the puzzle games which he can sit and do himself. I love the way the app motivates and applauds the child after each stage of the game with cheers, stars and fireworks. Mister B is so proud of himself when he see’s this as he feels like he has done really well. With trophies in each game to be won, there is plenty of scope for him to play this and reach higher levels.

With episodes to watch, games to play and trophies to collect, Heroes of the City has plenty to do to keep little ones occupied. I highly recommend it as a preschool app, one of the best we’ve tried.

The app is available from the following app stores:

AppStore: https://itunes.apple.com/app/heroes-of-the-city-movie-app/id602592310
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rutaett.HeroesMovie&hl=en

If you’d like to win an exclusive bundle of goodies like the one shown above then enter below. The book is full of bright pictures and easy to follow stories that little ones will love and the little vehicles are great, Mister B loves playing with them and more so carrying them around in his pocket when we go out and about!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to UK entrants only
Winners will be emailed and will need to reply within 5 days or a new winner will be drawn
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

New Sprouts Grill It Playset – Review

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Fiona Martin

New Sprouts play food collections from Learning Resources are a fantastic range of toy food sets for young children to play with through imaginative and role play. There are many exciting food sets in the range including Garden Fresh Salad Set, Baking Set and Super Sandwich Set. We were sent the Grill It! My very own barbeque set to try.

Mister B who is 3yrs old, was very excited when it arrived and was eager to play with it. The set consists of a barbeque with lift off grill, tongs, tray and 15 pieces of play food including burger rolls, burgers, tomato slices, a chicken breast, corn on the cob and more.

The first thing I noticed about this New Sprouts play set is that the play pieces are very well made. The food items are a lovely quality and look good. The barbeque is a flexible plastic which is great as it helps to avoid any breakages making it a toy that will last and withstand a not so gentle toddler!

As well as having fun playing with the barbeque set, it is excellent for improving fine motor skills and hand eye coordination. Mister B who is 3 initially found the tongs a challenge to use, but after a few go’s, he got to grips with using them. You can see his little mind ticking over working out how far down the tongs to hold them in order to get the best grip.

Both children loved playing with the set to cook each other food and make different burger combinations. This set will provide hours of fun and easily combines with other food/kitchen play accessories they have to provide long term play value. They love to use the barbeque when playing picnics, or having a pretend cafe etc.

The New Sprouts Grill It set is a great, brightly coloured set that little ones will love. My two love playing with pretend food and the barbeque gives them something to cook on. It also gives great interaction with parents as Mister B loves asking what I want and then cooking it for me. Although he is a bit cheeky and I usually get what I’m told to have rather than what I ask for!!

We loved this set and recommend it as a great play set for toddlers who love to cook.

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.

Woolly and Tig Books – Review

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Fiona Martin

Woolly and Tig has been a surprise hit with my two children since it started on television – they are absolutely glued to the programme and love Tig with her pet spider Woolly in their day to day adventures.

Night Night, Woolly is a delightful paperback book from Random House for young children. The book is beautifully made with each page being thick and sturdy. With it’s rounded corners it looks smart and inviting, full of bold bright colours that little ones will love. On the corner of each page is a little image of Woolly with the words “Lift me up…”, a simple but fun guide to turn the page which my two found fun.

The storyline is all about Tig overcoming her fear of the dark with Woolly by her side to help. At first her parents give her a little lamp to glow through the night but then she sees shadows on the wall which turn out to be her sheep mobile. Woolly shows her how to have fun making shadow puppet shows on the ceiling which becomes a fun thing to do and Tig forgets about her fear of the dark.

I love how all the Woolly and Tig stories follow an experience that many little ones face in life and then show them a way to overcome it. Woolly the friendly spider is a big hit with my children. They trust him and listen to his guidance with open ears and keep asking for a cuddly Woolly of their own.

The Woolly and Tig Let’s Play Sticker Book is a glossy covered activity book, packed full of pages to colour, practice writing skills, counting and do observational puzzles. There are also plenty of sticker pages in the centre which my two love, to be used across the pages of the book with some extra stickers to use how you want.

I think this activity book covers a good selection of things to do, all fun but incorporating hidden educational aspects. This is ideal for preschoolers, giving them something to focus on and something to sit down and do with the aid of a parent. My two both wanted to have a go, so Miss M took charge and did the harder activities but very kindly guided Mister B through the simpler ones encouraging him to have a go at tracing the letters. She also helped him to place the stickers in the correct places. Being big Woolly and Tig fans they loved it and in my opinion the sticker book is well thought out with a good variety of activities and of a nice quality.

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.

Win 1 of 5 Jollywobbles: Car Wash DVD and Review

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Fiona Martin

Jollywobbles: Car Wash is the latest DVD release featuring the ever popular Justin Fletcher. Jollywobbles is full of comedy sketches featuring Justin and his car getting up to all sorts of hilarious antics, perfect to keep little ones entertained.

My children were eager to sit down to watch this as soon as they saw the DVD, they tend to know that anything with Justin Fletcher in will normally appeal to them and in the case of Jollywobbles: Car Wash, it certainly didn’t disappoint. Three year old Mister B was most impressed and sat giggling out loud finding the whole thing hilarious. They love it when there is mess or water involved and Jollywobbles has the lot, laughter, fun, mess, water antics.

After having watched the DVD numerous times, my children are now able to tell me what is about to happen before it does getting all excited at the prospect of a funny disaster about to happen. This Jollywobbles DVD has been a huge hit with my two and one I know they watch again and again.

Six fun episodes included:
Car Wash
Wildlife Park
Dining Hall
Library
Camping
River

Jollywobbles: Car Wash DVD was released this week on 21st October 2013 and can be purchased from all good DVD stockists.

For more information can be found on the Abbey Home Media website or their Facebook and Twitter pages.

If you’d like to win a copy of the new Jollywobbles: Car Wash DVD, then fill out the form below for your chance of winning 1 of 5 copies:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to UK entrants only
Winners will be emailed and will need to reply within 5 days or a new winner will be drawn
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

The Hive: Buzzbee to the Rescue DVD – Giveaway and Review

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Fiona Martin

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The Hive: Buzzbee to the Rescue is one of Abbey Kids Media’s latest releases, an animated series that follows the fortunes of the extremely cute Bee family, who live together with friends and relations in The Hive.

Pappa Bee, Mamma Bee, Buzzbee, Rubee and little Babee are really just like any other family, except they are tiny, stripey and can fly!

Featuring 10 episodes

Buzzbee to the Rescue
A Royal Visit
Postman Buzzbee
Babee’s Room
Useful Bee
Bee in Charge
Computer Bee
Sporty Bee
Buzzbee’s Garden
Teddy Bee Lost

Having never heard of The Hive before, I was eager to sit down and watch the DVD with my children. My immediate thoughts were that the images were bold and bright, sure to catch a little ones eye. Almost 6 year old Miss M wasn’t too fussed on this but 3 yr old Mister B was glued to it and wanted it on again and again. I think this is a really cute animation about a family of bees and their day to day shenanigans. Mister B found the storylines really enjoyable and something he was happy to watch multiple times (subject to me allowing him!). We give The Hive a thumbs up for it’s cute cartoons and fun adventures.

The Hive DVD is released on 7th October 2013 and can be purchased from all good DVD stockists.

For more information can be found on the Abbey Home Media website or their Facebook and Twitter pages.

If you’d like to win a copy of the new The Hive: Buzzbee to the Rescue DVD, then fill out the form below for your chance of winning 1 of 5 copies:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to UK entrants only
Winners will be emailed and will need to reply within 5 days or a new winner will be drawn
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com