Category: Reviews

1. Alice in Wonderland : The Old Rep Theatre Birmingham

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 6th Dec 2017

    

   You don't want to be late for a very important date, do you? That was the question on the White Rabbits lips in this modern adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale at the Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham.

   

   The story follows Alice on her journey through the enchanted and extraordinary Wonderland, meeting many peculiar characters along the way. From intriguing white rabbits, bizarre riddles, mad tea parties and dangerous encounters with the Queen of Hearts, will Alice ever find her way home? 

   

   This much loved tale has been transferred to the stage by Director Scott Le Crass and ensures that the frankly quite bonkers story is told well, without some of the more extreme craziness that could be a little frightening for small children.

   The intimate setting of The Old Rep theatre is the perfect introduction to theatre for school children and we understand that it is regularly attended for school trips. Ticket prices are £13.80 for children, £16.50 for adults but there are discounted rates for families and groups. The performance lasts for approx. 115mins including a 20 minute interval. For this particular show, there are two performances from Monday to Friday with one show on Saturday.. We were also impressed to note that they also have British Sign Language days and relaxed performance days (suitable for autistic spectrum) on selected dates.

   

   Grace Dean takes the lead role of Alice with Alec Fellows-Bennett playing the Mad Hatter. Katie Paine plays the Queen of Hearts, Ewan Goddard is the White Rabbit, with Mark Collier and Laura Curnick playing the dual roles of the Caterpillar and Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee and Dormouse. Those characters playing multiple roles demonstrated their versaility and we were able to easily distinguish between each character and get swept along with the story. 

   

   Despite Alice being the much loved central character, with Grace Dean creating the right balance of cute and childlike behaviour, the Mad Hatter was crowned our favourite character of the show, with his tea party songs being stuck in our heads for the remainder of the day. 

   We're all mad here ......

   So if you enjoy a little dose of madness and would like to see the show for yourself, it is running at The Old Rep Theatre until Saturday 30th December, making it the perfect family Christmas outing. 

   Disclosure: We were invited to attend the show for the purpose of the review.

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2. Wave Racers Sky Loop Rally Christmas Giveaway

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 17th Nov 2017

   We talk a lot about girls toys and activities on the Lilypad, mainly because I have two girls (makes sense eh?) but we don't want to leave the boys .... or indeed the adrenalin fuelled girls out, so we are talking cars today! 

   Not being entirely savvy as far as boys Christmas wish lists are concerned, I didn't know that zooming onto everyone’s Christmas list this year are the Wave Racers, the revolutionary new wave technology aimed at ages 6+. Players can race on their own or against friends with expandable track sets, providing hours of fun for any racing enthusiast!  

   I remember my brother having car racing tracks when we were kids but they were nothing like these. The Wave Racer cars are capable of reaching sensational speeds and the track sets feature a number of different stunt capabilities offering young racers the chance to perform stunts and tricks such as 360 loops, side by side racing and mid-air jumps! The innovative new range allows you to activate your racer by waving your hand over the sensor. The faster you wave your hand, the faster your Wave Racer will go! 

   

   Complete a full 360° vertical loop at ultra-high speed with Skyloop Rally. 

   

   There are a number of Wave Racer sets to choose from but the features of this one include:

   • Tracks can be combined with other Wave Racer Sets
   • Revoluntionary wave technology
   • The longer the players wave their hand, the longer the car will run for
   • The faster players wave their hand, the faster the cars speed
   • Contents: 24 track pieces and one Wave Sensor Car
   • Assembled dimensions: 59.5L x 43.5W x 26H cm
   • Batteries required: For car 2 x AAA (Not included)

   The Wave Racer range is available to buy now from Smyths Toys and Toys R Us with an RRP from £19.99 - £49.99 but we have the chance for you to win one .... all you need to do is enter below.

   

   Good luck!

   a Rafflecopter giveaway  

   Terms & Conditions

   The Prize: Wave Racers Skyloop Rally
   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 7 working days by email
   By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 09/12/2017 at 12am

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3. Skin Genius | Review | Giveaway

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 29th Oct 2017

   Anyone with an (almost) teenager will know that with the teenage years brings disagreements, attitude, lack of conversation and the delights that are hormones. The hormones don't just manifest themselves in a change in attitude but changes in their skin too! So teenage skincare brand SkinGenius are committed to helping youngsters return to school fresh faced and confident by helping them clear any spots, pimples and acne from their skin. 

   

   My daughter has "found" makeup this year, so in addition to the changes in her skin, she is also caking putting on makeup on a regular basis, so making sure that she cleanses her skin has never been more important but finding the right products has been an ongoing challenge. I often urge her to use organic cleansers and scrubs for better and healthier skin!

   

   The SkinGenius products are jam-packed full of natural and organic ingredients which are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and will also soothe and calm the skin. They really can make a difference to teenage skin and the results are lasting as the products address the cause of acne, pimples and spots and don’t just mask the symptoms.

   The no junk SkinGenius range comprises of three products – key active ingredients are listed below.

   SkinGenius Clarifying Treatment Lotion (£19.99, 100ml) is packed with 98% natural ingredients. It takes just one minute to soak in too! 

   SkinGenius Facial Wash (£17.99, 150ml) is specially formulated to help restore harmony to oily skin troubled by pimples, spots and acne. 

   SkinGenius Moisturiser (£18.99, 100ml) is rich in nut oils which work in synergy to soften the skin, manage excess sebum production and calm inflammation caused by acne or break outs.  

    

    

   

   Our "almost" teen got a chance to try the facial wash and clarifying lotion and the delighted look on a usually non commital face, meant that it was a winner!! Parenting win right there!!

   So if you want to gain parenting bonus points, why not enter below to win a set of Skin Genius products for your teenager worth £49.99

   

     a Rafflecopter giveaway

   Terms & Conditions

   The Prize: Skin Genius natural skincare set
   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 7 working days by email
   By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 19/11/2017 at 12am

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4. The Mini Hornit | Review | Giveaway

   Posted on 11:00pm Friday 27th Oct 2017

   Do you remember being a child and having a bike with a bell? You know the most painful sounding bell you can imagine and you rang it and rang it and rang it? Yep, I was that child. A bell or a horn isn't something that is intentionally designed to drive the neighbours bonkers but it is also a safety accessory, although it is an uphill struggle to try and convey that to small children.

   Not any more!

   

   The Mini Hornit is the world’s most fun accessory for children’s bikes and scooters and we are told that it is fast becoming a craze in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. It comes loaded with 25 sound effects from bells and trumpets to racing cars and animals, and has bright lights (white AND green!) for safety.

   

   It is loud without being defeaning and some of the sounds are hilarious .... especially when people are not expecting to hear a police siren in the park. The mini hornit has an attachable remote trigger you can activate these lively, attention-grabbing sounds without ever taking your hands off the handle bars. Using a pair of large rubber wings, this nifty little device also easily clips onto the frame or handlebars which makes it is the perfect accompaniment to a child's bike or scooter.

   

   The tech bit is:

   Product Features:

   • Rubber wing-clips lets you attach it to any bike or scooter
   • Packed full of 25 fun and attention-grabbing sound effects (85 - 90 decibels)
   • Super bright 12 lumen white and green lights, with constant/slow flash/fast flash modes
   • Dedicated "lights off" switch so you don't have to scroll through all of the various settings
   • Shower-proof (IP33 rating)
   • Batteries will last for 7 hours on constant light mode and it needs 2x AAA batteries

   Oh it also looks like a super big eyed turtle ;-) 

   The mini hornit retails at just £14.99 but we are excited to be able to give you a chance to win one! All you need to do is enter below.

   

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

   The Prize: Mini Hornit - colour of choice.

   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 7 working days by email
   By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 12/11/2017 at 12am

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