A New Craze - Zomlings! *WIN*

If you are looking for pocket money mini figures, look no further. Zomlings are a new collectible and swappable from Magic Box for children, available in shops near you now!

We received a box filled with the squishy characters to review and they were an instant hit... not only with the Mini Mes but with their friends too who were begging for a look in the playground.

Each figure is like a miniature monster being zombie themed but they are more cute than scary and are suitable for both boys and girls. They are vibrant in colour and come in individual blind packs for

Monstros Money Box *Review and Giveaway*

Monstros Money Boxes are a quirky yet clever idea to make saving money fun for children. As soon as my two receive any money they are desperate to spend it, but when putting coins away suddenly involved feeding a monster it definitely encouraged them to save!

We selected the Khaki design to receive, although there are several styles to choose from, and it was an instant hit with Jamster in particular. The cuddly monster is made from a variety of soft fabrics which gives it a nice look and texture and it has weighted feet so that it can be sat upright with ease. It's also easy to clean with a damp sponge if needed.

The money box is easy to use and the chunky zip and twist open bottom make it ideal for younger children to have too. There is no stiff rubber bung to pull out like alternative versions.

The idea of putting coins into a monsters mouth and watching them 'poop' it back out was highly amusing to the Mini Mes and Jamster was keen to share this with everyone! It's definitely a great novelty gift idea as it is fun yet practical.

Quick demo of it in action...

If there are issues with siblings trying to 'borrow' money this would be a great solution as it can be placed among other soft toys and remain a secret safe - they wouldn't notice that it was a money box at first glance. This would also be a good idea for adults trying to hide valuables at home or away safely and discreetly.

The RRP is £12.50 which I feel is good value, especially for the quality of the product, and the way that it has helped the Mini Mes to save which is always beneficial.

*** WIN ***

For your chance to win a Monstros of your own you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 19th September 2013.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*We received a Monstros money box for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own. 

The giveaway is being run by Blooming Surprise*

The Trash Pack

A new craze has hit, The Trash Pack and the collection of Trashies! The small and strangely cute, yet gross, pocket money toys are perfect for entertaining little hands and imaginations. They are educational too as they help to teach about the importance of recycling through play which is a great bonus!



The unique characters come in various sized multipacks; 2, 5 or 12 and the larger packs contain bigger bins to keep more Trashies inside. There are play-sets available including the Garbage Truck, Scum Drum, Street Sweeper and you can store all your Trashies securely in the Collectors Case.




With each pack of Trashies containing a collectors poster you can easily keep track of which figures you have and which you need to complete the series. The poster also helps your little one to learn how to use the Trashies to play fun games with friends.

We have quite a few Trashies already and the Garbage Truck, both of which have been very popular with Jamster and Minxy.

The truck opens up for easy access to play...

You can store the Trashies and bins inside and the characters can sit on the driver and passenger seats to play.

The attached bin can be filled with Trashies and then tipped up and over to empty them out into the truck.

There are ultra rare, special edition and glow in the dark Trashies for some added variation to the collection. They are well detailed for their size and each character has a hole in the base so that they can be used as pencil toppers or stay put on the play-sets that you can purchase.

What the Mini Mes have to say...

Minxy "I think that Trashies are awesome as they fit on your pens and pencils to take wherever you go and it's a nice surprise opening the different packets to see which new ones you have got."

Jamster "I think The Trash Pack is really good. I like collecting and playing with the different Trashies and using my Dump Truck."

For more information on The Trash Pack you can check out their website. You can print of the poster and play games there too!

Pocket Money Palava

The Mini Mes are at the age (8 and 6) where I expect them to keep their bedrooms tidy, put their clean washing away, put dirty washing in the basket and draw their curtains and make their beds each day. But I always wonder if they should be paid for what they do at the end of each week with pocket money or whether they should just do it as a way of learning to be tidy, organised and to look after their living space. I don't get paid for housework!

Ever since they were dinky they would help to put toys away in the toy boxes. I would time them or make it into a game so it was fun and it became second nature to them. They are generally very good at putting rubbish away and putting toys back where they belong once they have finished playing and if I give them a pile of clothes they will automatically take them upstairs and put them in their drawers.

They get bought new toys, books and games regularly anyway so do I need to give them cash as well? I also put money into their savings account monthly so they have funds for when they are older.

I feel as though giving them pocket money each week may help them to learn the importance of money and to gain a sense of achievement when saving to buy things themselves from being helpful around the home. BUT then I wonder if they will expect more money as they get older and assume I will pay them for every little task I ask them to do. Also, how much is the right amount to pay them? Should it be a set amount each week or vary upon the tasks they have completed? Should they get the same amount regardless of age?

What do you expect your children to do around the home? Do you give them pocket money for chores?