The Whispering Winds: Learning to Listen in Outdoor Spaces

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In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, the subtle yet profound melodies of nature often go unheard. 'The Whispering Winds: Learning to Listen in Outdoor Spaces' is an ode to the enchanting sounds that nature plays and a guide to truly tuning into this delightful symphony.

The Melody of the Morning 

Dawn is nature's soft awakening, a time when the birds announce the start of a new day. The first light filters through the trees, casting a golden hue over everything. This is the moment to step outside and immerse in the morning's serenade. Let the chirping of the sparrows, the cooing of doves, and the gentle rustle of leaves become your morning music. Pay attention to how these sounds differ between weekdays and weekends, seasons, and weather conditions. 

 

'Home' The Movie Toys Review

I'm not sure who is more excited about seeing the latest film from Dreamworks; Home. It looks like a feel good family must-see for Easter and we will be going to watch it next week at our local cinema. The Mini Mes are very much looking forward to it with pick n mix and popcorn to hand, and I think the main character will be so cute and lovable on screen having seen the trailer several times upon request!

"When Oh, a lovable misfit from another planet, lands on Earth and finds himself on the run from his own people, he forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who is on a quest of her own.  Through a series of comic adventures with Tip, Oh comes to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human.  And while he changes her planet and she changes his world, they discover the true meaning of the word HOME"

 In the meantime we have been sent some movie merchandise to enjoy in our own home. Flair have a great collection of toys with all the recognisable characters from the movie including Oh, Tip and Captain Smek so children can bring the world of BOOV's to life through play.

Hot Wheels Total Turbo Takeover

With over 10 feet of track and a die cast vehicle included, it's no wonder Jamster was pleased to see one of the latest Hot Wheels sets from Mattel arrive at the door. He has been a big fan of this range for years and has enjoyed reviewing the Triple Track Twister and 5-Lane Tower Starter Set previously while expanding his collection in the past.

Priced at around £39.99 and suitable for children age 3+, the Total Turbo Takeover is quite impressive and it spreads across the floor to play. Assembly took just 10 minutes due to the easy to follow instructions supplied and it it is great to know that there are enough pieces to build your own unique designs AND you can connect it to your existing sets.

Christmas Gift Guide - The Children's Edition

With the Christmas countdown truly underway, it's time to pick up and purchase all of the lovely gifts you will be popping under the tree for your little ones to open this December. Whether they prefer beauty and dolls or construction and crafts there is something to put a smile on any face with my ideas below.

Christmas Gift Giveaway - Day 26

WIN a GoldieBlox Play Set

Children's toys are regularly split both in store and online into pink and blue for the different sexes, but GoldieBlox tries to eliminate this gender separation and introduces girls to engineering concepts through play.

The CEO Debbie Sterling, a 32 year old engineer herself, spotted the gender discrepancy while studying at university and created the toy range to help tackle the gender gap in technology, science, maths etc. Minxy already enjoys these subjects thankfully and she was very pleased to be sent a kit to try out herself - she likes design and creativity too which the set covers well.

Win Dolphin Tale 2 Goodies

Inspired by true events, “Dolphin Tale 2” continues the story of brave dolphin Winter, whose miraculous rescue and rehabilitation - thanks to the invention of a groundbreaking prosthetic tail — made her a symbol of perseverance to people around the world and inspired the 2011 family hit movie “Dolphin Tale.”

Win a Jelly Jamm Bundle

Channel 5 Milkshake broadcast a lovely animated series named Jelly Jamm where your little ones can explore the planet of Jammbo and watch friendships develop with each fun episode. It's suitable for children aged 4-7 years of age but the characters are rather cute and comical so I don't object to watching this sometimes myself too! 

There is some rather energetic music to get the Mini Mes up and dancing throughout and it teaches important life sessions which is definitely a bonus. The kids can learn while being active, a win win situation.

Minecraft Mad - Animal Mobs and Steve with Diamond Armour

Minecraft certainly isn't something that appeals to me but the Mini Mes are obsessed with it. It's rare to have a day pass without Cave Spiders, Creepers and Endermen mentioned or without a request for time on the Xbox. They can be creative through game play and I've never seen them team up together so eagerly as brother and sister, with no bickering whatsoever, which is definitely a positive thing. They were delighted when some figures arrived in the post for them recently as they can now play the game off screen too - I don't need to worry about those square eyes quite so much either!

Articulates Animal Mobs 6 Pack





This set includes 6 animals featured in Minecraft; a cow, sheep, pig, wolf, ocelot and a chicken. Each figure has a pixelated look so they appear near identical to how they are on the game and each has

Organising Your Kid's Clutter

There is no task around the home more daunting than tackling a child’s bedroom in an effort to bring a little order to the chaos and introduce a system where things can be found, without the need for a grid search. And it is even more soul destroying when you realise that within hours of cleaning, the room will be once again a mess.

Children are perhaps among the most prolific hoarders on the planet, refusing to dispose of anything that has had special meaning to them while they grow up. And, let’s face it, parents aren’t so much better. Who hasn’t heard of the mother not wanting to throw out little Johnny’s first teddy bear, even as the youth now known as John is out buying his first car?

Remote Control Racing Fun

Jamster loves vehicle toys, be it bikes, tractors or trucks, so the Street Troopers Project 66 Gold really made his eyes light up when it arrived in the post from Hawkin's Bazaar. Not only is it a great remote control car but it has a unique feature that many other toys lack; it fires 5 darts from a hidden cannon! 

It certainly keeps Minxy and Spartan (or anyone else in it's path) on their toes when the big red

Hot Wheels Track Builder

The Hot Wheels Track Builder System; 5-Lane Tower Starter Set is suitable for children aged 4+ and is a great way to let kids be creative while having fun! The set enables your little ones to design and customise their track to make cars complete challenges in various directions, race through rings of fire and speed from heights that are higher than ever before.

There are plenty of places to attach your existing or new track to the tower plus there are the exciting Deluxe Stunt packs available to add on too.

We have already reviewed a few products from Mattel which Jamster has enjoyed so it was lovely to receive another to add to the collection. It was really quick and easy to assemble and the fact that it

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

Turtles Time

For Christmas we purchased Jamster the TMNT Secret Sewer Lair as he is obsessed with the pizza loving ninjas that are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo. It was definitely his favourite gift and it's lovely to hear him playing with his figures and putting on different voices for each.

While putting some washing away the other day I could hear him pretending to be Splinter; the turtles sensei.
Splinter asked all of the turtles to gather in the sewer for an important meeting.


Jamster as Splinter: "I've actually got a confession to make. 
      I'm really a mouse in disguise."


The seriousness in his voice had me sniggering!
Thankfully the turtles weren't too bothered by this revelation...


Jamster as Leonardo: "That's okay, can we go and destroy Shredder now?"

What have your little ones said to 
make you laugh this week?

 

Lite Brix

Lite Brix combines building bricks with funky lights and neon brights so they were an instant hit with the construction loving Mini Mes! 

Lite Up Runway

• 8 x Lite Brix, 
• 15 x special shaped parts, 
• 1 x battery power pack, 
• 1 x instruction manual, 
• 6 x connectors, 
• 170 x brick blocks, 
• 1 x Harper mini-doll figure, 
• 1 x decal sheet

Lite Up Candy Shop

• 8 x Lite Brix, 
• 27 x special shaped parts, 
• 1 x battery power pack, 
• 1 x instruction manual, 
• 8 x connectors, 
• 191 x brick blocks, 
• 1 x Ava mini-doll figure, 
• 1 x decal sheet

Each set is suitable for children aged 6+ and although these two sets are aimed at girls, Jamster was keen to play too - he now has his eye on the Fire Station and Jet Fighter from the boys range!

Building the Runway and Candy Shop took some time as although the instructions are informative and in a step-by-step style, the pieces don't click together and stay together well. I found that they lifted apart slightly when more blocks were added on but once fully complete the sets seem fairly stable. 

The Mini Mes created one each with some assistance, due to the blocks lifting, and I inserted the batteries (3xAA in each) for them which are not included. I also added the stickers which seemed to tear quite easily - I had to be gentle with removal from the decal sheet.

The dolls are able to hold the accessories supplied (hair dryer, mirror etc) and their feet fit onto the blocks with ease so that they can remain standing in a position. With seats, cash register and other items in each set there is plenty to play with and keep little ones entertained. 

Once switched on we were all impressed by how well the lighting illuminated the transparent blocks. The different colours and flashing patterns were 'really cool'. The children were able to have the lights in their rooms switched off to play and really enjoyed this unique experience. 

You can find out more here: http://www.character-online.com

*We received Lite Brix for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*

A Castle Fit For Your Prince and Princess

Faced with the competing demands of modern digital media and electronic toys, there is something refreshing and reassuring about the continuing popularity of the toy castle. While today’s children could not be further removed from the times when knights rode across the land on quests and crusades, they still love to hear the stories of armoured warriors on horseback slaying dragons, jousting at tournaments and rescuing maidens who always seem to be imprisoned at the top of a high tower.

Parents who are looking for toys that encourage children to use their imaginations can be confident that a toy castle from WoodenToyShop.co.uk is a sound investment. These wonderfully detailed and (especially nowadays) colourful toys will inspire even the most unwilling children to start playing and dreaming up stories and adventures. Children love finding trap doors and hidden dungeons; they enjoy raising the portcullis and the drawbridge; and they are always ready to lay siege to a castle, especially when there are catapults and trebuchets involved.

Here at WoodenToyShop our customers’ favourite castle is the Le Toy Van Lionheart Castle. This magnificent wooden castle has seven towers, each of which is topped with vibrant red ramparts. Two pennants fly from the castle’s flagpoles and as stated earlier there is plenty of fun to be had lowering and raising the drawbridge and portcullis. Customers have praised this castle for its robustness, detail and design. It is easy to assemble, “well made and brilliantly finished”.

Toy castles, like train sets and dolls’ houses, can always be enhanced and improved by a whole host of accessories – a fact that is not only perfect for children, but also for family members who are desperately trying to come up with a present for the next birthday or Christmas. Need some knights or a Royal Family set? No problem. How about a play mat or (we love this one) a siege tower? You’ll always find something to add to the fun and to help the children enjoy their favourite toy even more.

If you prefer your toy castles more ‘fairy tale’ than ‘fearsome crusader’ then the new Le Toy Van Fairybelle Palace is an excellent newcomer that is guaranteed to enthral children who love to hear the story of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or Rapunzel.

This utterly fabulous palace really is fit for a princess and is packed with delightful detail and delicate designs. Painted throughout in a wildflower theme, the garden even has room for a table and tea set, while the back of the palace has a cobbled courtyard where ponies and carriages can be stabled. Fairybelle Palace is arriving in August and is complemented wonderfully by the equally fabulous Fairy Carriage and Unicorn.

Nowadays many classrooms also contain toy castles as this is a popular topic at the Early Years Foundation Stage and also Key Stage 1. Teachers use castles to encourage creative thinking, teach literacy and numeracy and of course history. Parents who play alongside their children can supplement this learning with questions and stories, although who could deny that grownups just want to have fun, slay a few dragons and rescue the odd damsel just as much as the kids!

*Guest post*

Bin Weevils Bling Collection

Bin Weevils is the free online community for children that has over 2 million active users throughout the UK, where they can create their own nest, interact with others and play games.

 

 

A new collection of playsets and figures has been launched which come complete with codes, to unlock different areas of the website, and Jamster was very pleased to receive a set to review.

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from being a great place to store your toys, the exclusive Bling Collectors Tin from Character contains 8 super special figures including a ‘blinged’ Tink and Clott, 6 crystalised Bin Bot characters, 6 clear Bin Bot plinths and a glitter sticker sheet. The plinths are a great way to display the figures and they also connect together to form paths or a circle which you can use during play. 

 

 

 

Suitable for children aged 5+ the figures themselves are solid and even the larger two, that have moving limbs, seem sturdy enough to be played with regularly without fear of bits falling off!

 

 

 

 

Jamster was pleased with the set and has found the tin really useful for storing both Bin Weevils and other micro sized figures he collects. The code was handy as it unlocked a nest item for him to use while playing online too.

 

 

 

The RRP is £12.99 for this set which is reasonable in comparison to similar alternatives.

 

You can find out more information on Bin Weevils, purchase the products and play the online game on the website:

 

http://binweevils.com/

 

 

 

*We received a Bling Collection for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*

The Perfect Playroom For Your Home

To create the perfect playroom you need a space that is fun, functional and, above all, safe. Your playroom should also be low maintenance and let you clean and tidy it quickly with minimal fuss. The last thing you want is a playroom that is so cluttered with mess that no one can enjoy it!

Make It Safe
This is the first and most important rule you should keep in mind when designing your playroom. A playroom needs to be safe for children of all ages and allow you to be in another room of your house without worrying about what your children are up to. Make sure your playroom doesn’t have any outside doors that lead into the street or unsecure gardens and there should always be a window available for use as a fire escape.


Practicality
Right, now that the serious stuff is taken care of, on with the fun! Being practical doesn’t mean being boring. You can make every part of your playroom fun as well as functional.
Try some funky overhead lighting instead of free-standing lamps for added safety and paint your walls using washable paint. You can even find paint that doubles as a chalkboard so why not paint on wall with it and let your kids go crazy?


Fun, fun, FUN!
A playroom is intended for children so it has to be fun and appealing to them. You may love beige tones in the rest of your house but children want something more eye-catching. Go for primary colours especially, like red, blue and yellow in big bold blocks and add soft cushions and little plastic chairs in bright colours for reading or colouring. A lovely bright Roman shades will add a great touch of colour and help keep the bright sun out of your little ones eyes at the same time. Just remember to keep the pull cord out of reach of little hands.


Neat and Tidy
Despite what you may think, it is not impossible to keep a playroom tidy. All you have to do it make it fun! Hanging storage bins made of fabric are great for storing toys and you can turn it into a game. For example, why not see who can put the most toys into their own bin the fastest, or sing a song together as you tidy? As long as you join in and encourage them, children will find tidy up time as much fun as playing.


Keep Them Occupied
It is a well-known fact that children get bored easily so make sure there is plenty to keep them busy. A bookcase with their favourite stories, paper and crayons for colouring, arts and crafts, soft toys and dolls and board games should be enough to keep them happy for hours and out of your hair. You could also utilise your unwanted old shoes, clothes, make up and hair accessories and create a fantastic dress-up box for your children to play with.

What makes the perfect playroom for you?

*Guest Post*

Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine Playset

I was always a fan of Scooby-Doo and those 'meddling kids' as a child and it's nice to see the Mini Mes enjoy the show too. We received a Mystery Machine Playset to review and Jamster was keen to construct it straight away to play!

 

The Mystery Machine Playset comes with a step by step booklet to help make the 198 piece playset and it is fairly easy to follow. Jamster, just turned 7, was able to create the vehicle himself quite quickly and attach the stickers in no time at all. The pieces fit together well and I've found that they are also compatible with alternative branded products as well.

The vehicle opens up to reveal a control centre featuring a monster radar and specimen jars for ultimate mystery solving fun. Included within the set is Fred, Scooby-Doo and a motorbike that all fit within the van for easy transporting/storage.

You can reuse the bricks to create a giant leaf trap, the instructions for this are within the booklet also, which is great for trapping monsters which you can buy separately.

 

 

Jamster: "I really like having a motorbike and the van and it's good that the windows lift up so I can put Scooby and Fred inside".

 

The set is suitable for children aged 5 and over due to the small parts and it is a good quality product from Character Options.

 

You can purchase this playset from Amazon:

 

 

 

 

*We received a Scooby Doo Mystery Machine Playset for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own.*

 

 

 

LEGO Legends of Chima Speedorz *Review*

Jamster has been a massive fan of LEGO for several years now as he loves construction toys, especially when combined with vehicles! We received the new Legends of Chima range to review, aimed at children aged 6+, and they were an instant hit.

Once a pristine, natural paradise, CHIMA has become a battle ground for eight animal tribes. Best friends are now enemies. The animals fight for control of a natural resource called CHI, a powerful element that is both a source of life and potential destruction. Only a few brave heroes in CHIMA understand the true nature of CHI, and the possible downfall of CHIMA that will result from its misuse. Their stories, and the stories of those who seek to destroy them, are known as... THE LEGENDS OF CHIMA.

The Lego Legends of Chima Speedorz Nest Dive includes:

• Eglor minifigure
• 2 x Weapons
• Nest with 4 leaf ramps
• Eagle Speedor
• Rip cord
• Power-up
• 6 x CHI orbs
• 5 x Battle game cards

You place Eglor in the Eagle Speedor, use the rip cord and fire the vehicle into the leaf ramps to earn CHI for the Eagle Tribe.

The Lego Legends of Chima Speedorz Jungle Gates includes:

• Lennox minifigure
• 2 x Weapons
• 2 x Jungle gates
• 2 x Fire cones
• Lion Speedor
• Rip cord
• Power-up
• 6 x CHI orbs
• 5 x Battle game cards

Lennox is placed upon his Lion Speedor to race through the jungle gates to win CHI for his lion tribe.

We received two sets from the range and Jamster was eager to assemble them to play straight away. The instructions, like all LEGO, are very well detailed with great imagery to follow. He therefore completed both fairly quickly and with ease which he was impressed with.

You can use your existing LEGO characters to sit on the speedor and you can also use the speedorz supplied to crash into other toys or LEGO towers/buildings that you create yourself - making these products even more entertaining. 

Jamster had no issues using the rip cords and it was great fun watching the speedorz zooming off!

These are good quality sets and great value at just £10. 

I would happily purchase further sets in the future as gifts for the Mini Mes and for others.

You can purchase your own sets from The Entertainer

*We received 2 Legends of Chima sets for the purpose of this review*

WOW toys and RSPCA My Pocket Pets *Review and giveaway*

The Mini Mes love animals, with Minxy longing to be a vet when she is older, so the new My Pocket Pet figures from WOW Toys and the RSPCA are the perfect pocket money pals!

The cute and collectable RSPCA Animal Figure packs are suitable for children over the age of 18 months and created by WOW Toys. There are 6 animals to collect in this series: Pippi the pooch, Socks the cat, Clarissa the cow, Patch the pig, Wiggles the Dalmatian and Jenny the horse. 

 

Every pack contains an animal figure and an activity sheet. The sheet includes activities like colouring in and dot-to-dot which is great for building fine motor skills. There is a cartoon and information on animal welfare teaching the importance of taking care of animals.

The Mini Mes thought these were really sweet, although they are aimed at a slightly younger age group, and they liked the idea of each foil wrapped toy being a surprise until it was opened. They have had fun with the figures in the bath and combined with their other animal and character play sets too.

The RSPCA’s trading manager Cathy Snow said: “Pocket Pets perfectly brings together charming and fun toys that children will love with an easy to understand and appealingly presented message about animal welfare. It will not only encourage awareness but will also help to raise valuable funds that will allow the RSPCA to continue helping to care for animals. We are delighted to be working with WOW Toys in what we are sure will be a long and productive partnership.”

RSPCA MY Pocket Pets will be on sale with an SSP of £1.99 which I think is good value. It makes a nice treat as an alternative to sweets and would go well in toddler party bags. You can purchase your figures from a variety of  high street and online outlets including Waterstones, Tesco, WH Smiths, Tesco Direct and Amazon and participating RSPCA outlets. The toys will also be listed in independent toy shops as well as a number of post offices and newsagents. 

*** WIN ***

For your chance to win 1 of 6 RSPCA My Pocket Pets you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 15th March 2013.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*We were provided with My Pocket Pets for the purpose of this review and giveaway. The opinions given are honest and our own*