Category: Reviews

1. Build A Bear Workshop : Review

   Posted on 10:16pm Thursday 11th Sep 2014

   Anyone who has read "We're going on a bear hunt" will know that finding the "big one" isn't always the best option but when you have a vast selection of bears to choose from, the bear hunt gets a little more exciting.

   The Build-a-Bear concept is a very basic one, you don't simply just pick a bear off a shelf and pay for it, you lovingly create it, from choosing the bear, to the stuffing and even giving it a heart (and let's not mention the outfits just yet). The little one had never had the pleasure of "building a bear", so when we were told about the new range, we were excited to be given the opportunity to go and check it out. 

   

   The array of bears to choose from was a little overwhelming for her to start with but she soon overcame this and went for the brightest bear she could find. No amount of persuasion was going to change her mind! (she is a determined one, that little girl).

   

   The new range features, Toothy Shark and Sea Splash Dolphin to Octo-Fun Octopus, the Build-A-Bear Workshop Beach Buddies are the perfect collection to remember the summer with. Despite trying to convince her to have one of the new range, the "Rainbow" bear was still the favourite for our little one. 

   

   The price is really reasonable, considering the whole experience (but you have to remember that this is for the bear only) and then on top, you have all the cute, amusing and frankly adorable additions that have the possibility to increase the cost of your bear.

   

    We chose a voice that had 6 different sayings ... including "you are my best friend" (see I told you it was adorable)

   

   You get to decide just how cuddly your bear needs to be ..... we chose extra cuddly of course. 

   

   And once our bear had her beating heart and a special wish inside her, she then needed a wash ....... obviously.

   

    And then came the difficult job of choosing an outfit .....

   

   And shoes ...... so your bear can be the best dressed bear in town!

   

   She wanted a car but we drew the line at that! The bear has only just been born, I am quite sure it is too young for a provisional licence!

   

   And so we create Rainbow bears birth certificate. The keyboard is very child friendly and allows them to get involved (with some parental supervision of course).

   

   And the best part? The final cuddle of course!!

   Would I recommend the Build-A-Bear experience? Absolutely! You are not just buying a bear, you are creating an experience, you are building a special friend for your child and a memory they will treasure.

   They also do birthday parties at Build-A-Bear, I might look at one for next year ....... that is perfectly acceptable for a 30-somethings birthday party right?

   Disclaimer: We were given the opportunity to review the Build-A-Bear experience but all views, opinions and cuddles are our own!

2. Beach Dragons : UV Protection Swimwear for Children : Review & Giveaway

   Posted on 9:49pm Sunday 10th Aug 2014

   . It is a super cool name and we loved it from the second we heard it but what we loved more was the gorgeous range of children's swim and beach wear that they have on their site.  was founded in 2012 by Jessica Dahlberg, a mother of three who decided to start her own business when she found just how difficult it was to find stylish UV protection beachwear for her children.

   The sun has definitely had its hat on of late but finding a sun hat that the children can wear in the water has been a bit of a challenge for me, so when we were given the chance to review some of the gorgeous  swimwear, we jumped at the chance.

    

   With two water babies in the family, they were both quick to jump into their new swimsuits (unfortunately the pool is not so happy for us to take photos, so stock images will have to do for now) and it was immediately apparent the difference in quality to many of the previous swimming costumes they have had.

   The Butterfly Swimsuit (shown centre above)

   UPF 50+ BLOCKS OUT 98% OF THE SUN'S UVA AND UVB RADIATION. 
   FABRIC: 91% POLYAMIDE AND 9% ELASTANE 
   INNER LINING: 100% POLYAMIDE

   The design is both adorable and practical and always gets comments in the pool. At £38 it is certainly not the cheapest swimsuit on the market but you how can you put a price on the protection of your childs skin?

   Blossom Bikini

   UPF 50+ BLOCKS OUT 98% OF THE SUN'S UVA AND UVB RADIATION.
   FABRIC: 91% POLYAMIDE AND 9% ELASTANE

   This bikini is perfect for a savvy tween. It is fashionable enough to be cool but sensible enough to satisfy mum too. The adjustable halterneck means that it can grow with your little one and my daughter loves the striking blue colour .... because according to her, not everything needs to be pink! We chose the size 9-10 and she is an average 9 year old and it fits perfectly, so if your little one is a little taller than average, it may well do to order a larger size.

   Sun Hat

   One of my biggest grumbles over sun hats is that you have to pick a neutral colour, so that it matches everything! Not with a  hat though, they are reversible giving you twice the wear out of them, which ticks all the boxes for me.  The hat is lightweight without being flimsy and again has an UPF50+. These two-tone hats keep heads protected from the sun's harsh rays and we love that the baby size (6-24 months) even comes with tie strings to help it stay put.

   All the  fabrics can be washed at 30 degrees and they have been in the wash a few times already in the past couple of weeks and there are no signs of the infamous "bobbling" on the swimsuits, as happens with many other brands.  recommend that you rinse it out after swimming but never ring or squeeze it as they may ruin its shape.

   The  collection of products are all their own design, so they are not mass produced and available at every shop corner, which coupled with the exceptional quality demonstrates what you are getting for your money.

   This together with the fact that all of the fabrics are tested and come with a UPF50+, which means that 98& of the sun's harmful UVA & UVB radiation is blocked out, means that you can have confidence every time they jump in the water.

   We genuinely fell in love with the  brand , so we not only wanted to share it with you BUT give you the opportunity to win one Anchor sun protection suit in baby pink or blue (available sizes are 6-12 mths/1-2 yrs/2-3 yrs/3-4 yrs) and one sun hat too (available sizes 6-24 mths/2-5 yrs/5-9 yrs).

   

   

   So what do you need to do? Enter below ......

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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3. Edible Sweet Art Review

   Posted on 9:28pm Thursday 17th Jul 2014

   My sweet tooth is well documented, so when I was asked if we would like to review Edible Sweet Art, resistance was futile.

   We were told that the small Edible Sweet Art kits come in a range of gorgeous designs to inspire children to get creative. Inside each box are easy to follow instructions, coloured blocks of Sweet Art sugar dough and where necessary shaped moulds or icing to complete the designs.

   Given that we have two creative monkeys in this house, I was thankful that we were sent a set which was able to make two shapes. It does say that the kits are suitable for 6+ and the 9 year old definately wanted to get straight into the pack as soon as she saw it. We had to hold her back and make sure that we were reading the instructions properly and working out how much we had to seperate and lay out.

    

   The pack contains:

   120 grams sugar dough

   10 grams cornflour, rolling pin, brush and instructions.

   Now the pack very clearly says that the kit is not suitable for children under 36 months but the "almost" 3 year old didn't want to be left out. So she had to get involved but needed a considerable amount of help and supervision from Daddy (who is the most creative one of the family, I usually give up when he starts his creation). She loves panda's so this was hers (aka Daddy's) first attempt.

   

   The kit comes with cornflour to help prevent the dough sticking to the surfaces but we found that we didn't need it ..... except from when the 2 year old got the dough extremely wet trying to stick different pieces together. I reiterate that it does say it is suitable for children over 6 but we were supervising, so all was well.

   

    

   The 9 year old managed to actually make two animals out of her half of the mixture and thankfully (for her teeth) she doesn't actually want to eat them. The same can't be said for the 2 year old.

   We had to prop them up with cocktail sticks while they were still soft but within a couple of hours, the sweet dough had hardened and the animals able to sit up alone. We followed the instructions closely but you could make whatever you wanted, given a little imagination.

   It was a great activity for the children on a Sunday morning and would be lovely for them to make decorations for their own birthday cakes. You can always nibble on them afterwards but my eldest daughter thinks that they are just too cute to eat!

   These affordable small Edible Sweet Art kits make perfect gifts, cake toppers, party activities or holiday fun. Designs available include bears, elephants, caterpillar, snails, frogs, penguins, cookies, lollipops and candy box.  RRP 7.00 and available from www.tobar.co.uk 

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4. Bubble Bum Travel Booster Seat Review & Competition

   Posted on 12:11pm Monday 7th Jul 2014

   I have to admit that I hadn't heard about the BubbleBum Travel Booster Seat before we had the opportunity to do this review but I have no idea how it managed to pass me by! 

   I did a little bit of research before the Bubble Bum arrived and it seems that there is divided opinion about it and as I am usually the first to know about new products, space saving and indeed child safety items, I was thrilled to have the chance to try it out. I then found a friend has had one for years *insert slightly cross face for not sharing this fabulous find!!*

   

   We were told that BubbleBum is the world's first inflatable, deflatable, portable and packable car booster seat for school aged children, 4-11 years old and weighing 15-36 kgs. I like the fact that BubbleBum is ideal for everyday use, taking on holiday, rental cars, taxi's, car pooling and with to its narrow design, you can easily fit 3 seats across the back seat of any vehicle!  Thankfully it doesn't take much "puff" either. I managed to inflate it with relative ease .... which is something for a woman who gets lightheaded blowing up balloons!

   

   The 9 year old couldn't wait to test it out, putting her own seat straight in the boot of the car and declaring that one is now the "spare". She took abosolutely no notice of the installation instructions and said it felt a bti "wobbly" but when we clipped it in correctly, she was delighted at how comfortable it was. (whereas I was more thrilled about the safety aspect of the additional securings).

    

   In terms of safety, the car booster seat has even been safety tested and approved under the United Nations ECE Regulation R44/04 in its deflated state, making it completely safe to use! It inflates in seconds with just a few puffs of air and deflates and packs down into a carry bag just as quick. When deflated this lightweight car booster seat can be carried in a hand luggage, mum's handbag or any little one's rucksack, saving you money on expensive car seat hire. 

    

    

    

   There are handy reminders on the side of the seat, incase the grandparents borrow it for the day, so there is no reason for anyone not to be strapped in securely. 

    

   For those who like to co-ordinate (like me), the BubbleBum also comes in four colours including: purple & lime, black & silver and brand new BubbleBum neon pink and neon yellow. Everything is a bit pink in our house, so we went for the neon yellow for a change and my daughter loves it!

    

   All in all, the BubbleBum gets a huge thumbs up from the 9 year old and from me (and the two year old who can't wait till she is old enough to have one) and if you would like the chance to win one, just enter our giveaway below.

    

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

    

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