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Reviews for Mama & Babas

Reviews for Mama & Babas

Stikbot Farm Movie Set Review

I have written about these guys before – known as Stikbots my pair have been fans of these poseable figures for some time.  The Stikbots have suction cups on their hands and feet and can be positioned in many ways. We were sent the farm set to try out recently and my pair didn’t hesitate to get stuck in!

Whats included?

This is a  build-your-own farm themed movie set  made up of a farm house, a farm truck, picnic table, wheelbarrow, tractor and vegetable patch.   In addition you get one StikBot with a sheet of farm clothes stickers and 12 farm accessories – spade, saw and watering can etc. The purpose of the toy is to get imaginations in full swing to build a short movie around the theme of the farm with the props, movie set etc.  You simply download the app which is free on Apple and Android  and  your creations can then be shared online using the hashtag #StikBot. There is a large community of #Stikbot fans sharing their creations on line and on You Tube.

What we thought?

As you can see from our previous review, we have been  long time fans of Stikbots so this was always going to be a hit. If I had to be critical, I think another Stikbot in the set would really add value.  It was ok for us as we had many of them as the kids were already fans thus making movie scenes easy and fun.  In terms of building the movie set itself this was really easy as the elements were pre numbered making it very straight forward for even the creatively challenged like myself.

My pair have been enjoying using the set with their other toys as well as its surprising durable, even surviving my Mr Destruction’s notoriously rough play!! Its no secret I am a huge fan of imaginative play and this certainly lives up to that. Like the other Stikbot’s in our house I can see this being played with for some time to come in the Mamma Fairy house.

 

Note: We were sent the Stikbot Farm set for review however all view are mine of the boys where appropriate.

 

Reviews for Mama & Babas

Tech Deck Spinmaster Review

My oldest is moving away from the Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig toys now and is looking for more grown up toys which to be honest can be a challenge as he is only 6!

We were sent some Tech Deck toys to review a couple of weeks back and my oldest and the Dadda Fairy enjoyed some father son bonding time over these!!

What are they?

Tech Deck are  96mm fingerboards from real skate companies.  Ill be the first to admit I know zero about skateboaring but my more knowledgeable brother was very impressed! You make them up yourself and customise them with stickers/ graphics provided.  Be warned the part are teeny and my oldest found them a little fiddly and hard to do himself but he quite happily let the Dada Fairy do the work. I would definitely recommend if you have younger kids that might be prone to putting things in their mouths to keep these well away.

The point of them I think is that kids get used to the miniature versions before tackling the real thing.  

While he enjoyed the skate boards the real excitement was when the ramps arrived. Now these are super impressive and when you get your head around how to use them it really is cool.

Prices start from £2.99 and upwards with the ramps etc being at the higher price points.  I do think the ramps really do add to the excitement as they can practice their skills on them. The great thing is too you can actually build a much bigger skate park as the ramps all work together.

What we thought?

For imaginative play this gets a thumbs up from us.  My oldest and his pals have spent many hours challenging each other on the ramps.  I do think you need the ramps to keep the interest up. As mentioned above do be aware the parts are very small and younger kids may need assistance to assemble them initially.

See the Tech Deck website here for lots of videos of them in action!

 

Note: We were sent a Tech Deck bundle to review however as always all opinions are mine or the boys where appropriate.
Reviews for Mama & Babas

Meegos – The new collectable in town??

My kids like most kids their age love collectable items. They will collect pretty much anything from cards, to pencil toppers to their latest TV favourites and everything in between.  Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind buying them for my kids of course they want to join in the fun at the school yard. However perhaps its the Accountant in me or something but im always searching for that added value.  I realise im fortunate enough to be sent lots of bits and pieces to review some we love some we don’t but these little guys really got my attention and thats not just because they are super adorable.

What are Meegos?

crochet dog toys

Our collection of Meegos

Meegos are crochet dogs handmade in Bangladesh (yes you read that correctly), each one is handmade. That is so impressive.  Behind these adorable pups is a co op of workers in over 200 villages creating an incredible 4,000 jobs for women.  The organisation is non profit fair trade organisation adding a superb ethical dimension to any purchase. I really love this.

The Meegos come in two sizes a 5inch Meego and a mini Meego which is 2inches.  They take five and 1.2 hours respectively to make.  When you actually hold them you can really see the quality of the workmaship.

 

The collection

mini crochet teddies

All the Mini Meegos to collect

The collection is made up of 6 different Meego dogs and 12 mini Meegos. The mini Meegos are blind boxed – making it fun to find which one you have got. There is an associated website – http://mymeegos.com where you can find out lots more about these guys from personality traits to favourite food.  The website link is a nice touch and definitely engaged my oldest.

You can see from the picture of the box opposite all the different characters to collect. Our Meego is called Duke and we happened to get mini Meego Duke also however the Nana Fairy seems to have taken possession of him! I cant blame her, he is pretty adorable!

 

This current rage is quite literally just hitting the shelves and will be followed later in the year by series two featuring Wild Animals. You can purchase these little cuties in selected Sainsburys and Debenhams stores.

Note: We were sent a selection of the above to review however all opinions as always remain mine or the boys where appropriate.
Reviews for Mama & Babas

Some Star Wars Porg Lovin’!

My oldest loves Star Wars and with all the hype surrounding the latest in the series and being that bit older now he is really into it.  We were sent two adorable Star Wars characters for the boys to review. The owl like guys are known as Porgs and they first appeared in the new Star Wars Movie: The Force Awakens so very topical.

Star Wars Porgs

Just look at those eyes!!! Pic: The Mamma Fairy Blog

I had to ask my better informed brother in law about these cute and cuddly Porg creatures! I am reliably informed that the Porg characters in the film have become somewhat of an internet sensation due to how cute and cuddly they are.  He reckons commentators were saying they were the real stars of the film!  I also believe they were inspired by the puffins that live on Skellig Michael in Kerry, where the final scenes of The Forces Awakens were shot. How cool is that.

We were sent two of them the 10 inch tall version and the keyring sized one. My oldest immediately nabbed the bigger and the little guy took the keyring one and utterly adorably they claim they represent each other the big and small one.

If you have a Jedi in your house we can definitely recommend these guys. The fur is so soft and the character very true to life as they are in the film. My oldest has him sitting on his bed every night since they joined the Mamma Fairy house.

The lovable character is made of super soft fur and is 10″ tall, making him a real collectable item for any little Jedi Masters like my pair! The little guy is about 7cm and ideal to clip on school or sports bag.

 

Note: We were sent the Porgs to review however all views are mine or my boys were appropriate.

 

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Reviews for Mama & Babas

Zak Storm – Pirate Fun Review

Zak Storm Toy Review

It impossible to keep up with my pair and the cartoons they like.  Zak Storm is the newest dude on their radar.   I thought he was a superhero however I am reliably informed by an almost 6 year old that he most certainly is not! Rather he is a really cool pirate who ended up with sucked into the Berumda Triangle after taking his fathers necklace. From here he captains a ship called “The Chaos” (how very appropriate for my house :-)) and goes on many adventures in an attempt to find his way home.

The are lots of different toys in the collection available however for the purpose of this review we were sent the hover vehicle and figure together with the coins which are available to buy separately.

While I can’t profess to know much about the TV series what I can tell you about is the cool add on feature to this toy. You can download the Zak Storm app for iOS or Android for free. From this you can play the game or if you wish you can buy the coins (4pk) which  feature a unique QR code that you scan via the camera feature on your tablet to reveal digital rewards, including weapons, powers, and health.  This was the biggest selling point for my oldest.  While he still loves playing with toys, the ability to add Tech to the mix and he is sold right away. For hims its almost taking it to the next level.

He had no problem scanning the codes nor playing the game.  I was impressed by the fact the coins aren’t an essential part of the game rather a bonus add on. They are a little pricey at around €5 but do add value to the game.

All in all its a thumbs up from us. My son claims the app feature is seriously cool so I can see this one sticking around our house for a while.

Note: We were sent the hover vehicle and 2 packets of coins for the purpose of this review however all view are mine and/or the boys where appropriate.

 

Reviews for Mama & Babas

Rubik’s Revolution – An old school revival

The Rubik’s Cube

The Rubik’s cube is pretty iconic, I suspect there aren’t many people who don’t know what one is.  Originally developed in 1974 and its been gracing homes around the world ever since.  However in a world so engrossed in all thing technology, old school toys such as the Rubik’s have to jostle that bit harder for their place and to grab the kids attention. Quite excitingly that exactly what Rubik’s have done.

Range of products

Rubix cube shaped like a bear

Rubix Junior “Bear”

Rubix cube

Rubix 2×2

I will admit I always though Rubik’s just sold the stand cube we are all familiar with however that could be further from the truth.  They start with Rubik’s Junior which are “cubes” shaped like animals (four different ones to collect).

These are most suitable for ages 3 up wards. My youngest really likes this and it has become my changing bag staple when we are out and about as I prefer during meals out to avoid the phones and tablets if we can.

Admittedly I always thought Rubik’s just came in the well recognised 3×3 version however again there are lots of different combinations from 2×2, 3×3, 4×4 and even 5×5.  Added to this is lots of variants of these from the tower to the void to the twist (for more on these see here).

My oldest thought the 2×2 cube would be easier as there are less cubes however there are still 3,674,160 permutations and only one solution!! His personal favourite is the 3×3 cube.  He hasn’t solved it yet but its only a matter of time according to himself.

Mamma Fair Verdict

We love these and they have become a birthday present staple for the boys friends. From €10 upwards they aren’t expensive and give hours of play. Ideal for us for travelling with the kids as they are very portable. They are readily available online or in toy shops such as Smyths, my local Tesco even stocks them!

Note: We were sent a selection of Rubik’s products to try however this in no way influences mine or the boys views of the product.

 

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Reviews for Mama & Babas

Good Quality durable kids clothings – check out Tunetoo!

A couple of weeks back we were asked to give Tunetoo clothing a try out on my little men.  Anybody who reads our adventures will know we love getting out and about exploring whatever the weather. Always ready for a task we said why not and off we went on line to the Tunetoo website to pick our designs.

About the Brand

By way of background Tunetoo are based in France having launched in 2013.  The produce a range of personalised clothing for kids and adults such as hoodies for kids or kids tshirts (and for the grown ups too!). Not only clothing they also produce accessories (hats, bags, towels) and gift items such as personalised mugs and mouse pads.

Our picks

pic of hoodie

Pic Credit: TuneToo

So I let the wee men loose to pick exactly what they wanted.  It was an easy decision both wanted hoodies.  In order to get some inspiration we decided to look at the Art Shop section which is the pre printed designs.  Both fell in love with the dancing sheep design in aqua blue (pic opposite).

I am not exaggerating when I say the variety of options and colour combinations is endless from animals to automobile and everything inbetween.  I could spend hours browsing the designs.

All designs are also available in male/female and kids…….family hoodies anyone?

Mamma Fairy Verdict

Durability is a mega plus here. They have been worn many times resulting in being thrown in the washing machine many times and they have maintained there shape, colour and the  graphic totally intact. This is a huge bug bear for me when you buy printed good and the graphic fades but this really wasnt the case here.

So if you are often a fab personalised or customised product thats hard wearing and reasonable do check out the fab selection from TuneToo.

 

Note: We were sent the hoodies to review but we were not asked to write this I (and the boys) genuinely love them.

 

 

Reviews for Mama & Babas

kiddiewinkles personalised toy basket

Peronalised Toy Basket Review

As I have mentioned previously on the blog we have been renovating the house of the last number of years.  The last big task was the boys play room.  When Kiddiewinkles asked if wanted to review a personalised toy basket, I thought it would be an ideal addition to the boys room and hopefully clear away the toys which never seem to make it back to presses!!

toy basket full of toys

Personalised Toy basket from Kiddiewinkles

We personalised the basket with their surnames which they totally loved. We choose the blue gingham design as it complemented the room colour scheme perfectly. Have a look on their site above, there is a huge selection of fabulous colours and patterns.

 

The personalisation is the big thing for my pair. They adore anything with their names on it!!

What we thought:

  • Quality –  amazing, its durable, hard wearing and survived being used as a boat by my pair!
  • Size – the basket is deceptively large, it holds a huge amount more that a first glance when this neatly folded package landed at my door (see opposite – spot our much used Spider Catcher !!)
  • Value – at £25 plus extra for personalisation this product in my view is excellent value and would make an ideal Christmas present and with the huge number of options of patterns there is definitely something for everybody.

Overall its a thumbs up from my pair who just love seeing their name in lights!

 

Thanks to Kidiewinkles for sending it to us however this in my way influences mine or the boys views.

 

 

 

Reviews for Mama & Babas

PJ Masks Deluxe 16 piece set review

PJ Masks Deluxe set review

You might recall how I mentioned the utter hyper reaction to the arrival of the Sea Patroller well this was pretty much repeated with the arrival of the this fabulous set of PJ Mask figures. PJ Masks really is the programme of the moment for kids my boys ages. They both love it.  In fact I am not longer Mamma they refer to me as “Owelette” my oldest is “Catboy” and the youngest is “Gekko”.

I am a huge believer in imaginative play and sets like these do wonders to foster it. I see how the kids can be consumed with TV and tablets so I try do encourage this type of play.  The fact they love the show is a massive help in this task.

The set 

The set is made up of 16 parts that’s 14 figures and 2 accessories:

  • The core crew of Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko
  • The bad guys as im reliably informed of Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja and the Ninjalinos (these guys are stackable and pretty adorable!)
  • Pet figures for each of the core crew ie – Catboy’s Cat, Owlette’s bird, and Gekko’s lizard
  • The accessories included are Squashatron, Luna Girl’s Luna Orb, and Night Ninja’s Sticky Splat

The verdict

Toys like this I really feel are almost guaranteed to be a hit such is the popularity of the underlying shows.  Personally what I liked was the size of the figures, often sets like this come with small figures which get lost easily and result in poor mama spending hours searching for them. By way of illustration see pic of opposite of Gekko in my five year old’s hands. At the pricely sum of €36 this set isn’t cheap but having given it a through road test by the five year old and a trial with my almost 3 year old aka Mr Destruction the set is pretty robust. I think this is a great option as a gift for little people ages 3+ the popularity of the show and the comprehensive nature of the set will make it a sure fire hit.

 

Note: We were sent the set to review however all views are mine or the boys where appropriate.
Reviews for Mama & Babas

Mamma Fairy Great Reads – the kids edition

The Top 10 books we are loving

I loved reading as a child and I still do. I think my own love of reading developed from my own parents love of it and the time they spent with us each evening succumbing to the often relentless – one more story please.  History is most definitely repeating itself in The Mamma Fairy house and requests of one more story are nearly always met! I have put together a list of our current 10 favourite books. At the moment this is the core group where “one” (!!) story is chosen from these nights.

 

  1. Midnight Creatures (By Helen Friel)  – This is really cool, its a pop up story book that you use your torch to find various animals across the five scenes in the book.  
    Scene from the book Midnight Creatures

    Midnight Creatures – Pic Credit Laurence King Publishing

    The detail is really intricate and the kids absolutely love being using their torch to show the shadows on the wall. This one suits both boys ages 2 and 5 and keeps both engaged. 

  2. Pirates Love Underpants (By Claire Freedman and Ben Cort) – Nothing like the mention of underpants to emit howls of laughter from young kids.  Join the pirates as they search for the fabled pants of gold!!! It doesnt matter how many times I have read this they love it every time and laugh their heart out a the mention of “big knicker bay”. Its beautifully illustrated. Their are loads of other underpants loving books by Claire Freedman, kids are looking forward to adding to their collection!
  3. children's-books

    Stunning illustrated books

    Animal Architects (By Julio Antonio Blasco and David Nassar) – This is a stunningly intricately illustrated hard back book that gives you an insight into how animals build there homes. It really is a fascinating book. Each home contains a pull out section with more details.  The kids adore this book.

  4. Hide and Seek (By Charlene Man) – As with number 3 above this is another Laurence King published title with the same level of intricate detail. While not strictly a story book this is more of a interactive book where you have to find the animal that doesn’t belong in the scene. The illustrations are just gorgeous and its a firm favourite  in our house.
  5. Salty Dogs (By Matty Long) – Sticking with the pirate theme. Salty Dogs is another action packed mad cap story involving the Salty Dogs setting off on an
    toddler-books

    Some of our current favourites

    adventure around the Pirate Islands.  Each page of this one has absolutely tonnes of detailed illustrations with something new to spot each time. This one is enjoyed by both boys.

  6. Rhyme Crime (Jon Burgerman) – Not quite a fall asleep type story but a funny interactive one. Premise of this that a thief has committed a crime and everything he stole is replaced with a rhyme! Really silly but really funny for the kids. Probably not the wind down before bed type of book though!
  7. I want to go first – (By Richard Byrne) – This one id say is my youngest little mans favourite at the moment.  Its a gentle tale encouraging (just enough) reader participation.  The story centres around a baby elephant who in contrast to elephant rule wants to go first not last. She enlists the help of the reader to assist her. I like this one, its really nicely illustrated too.
  8. How to Babysit a Grandma (by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish) – our love affair with this book began well over a year ago and its certainly a testament to its popularity in the Mamma Fairy house that its still going strong a year later.  In a reversal of roles this clever book teaches you how to babysit your grandma. I am not joking when I say I can quote from this word perfect.
  9. Animals at home (By Claudia Boldt) – Not strictly a book but I have included this one as its our bedtime game. Quite simply its a gorgeously illustrated card game where you match 27 animals to their home.  Its really lovely and both kids play together for this one which I really love to see.
  10. The Magic of my Name – This book belongs to my oldest and its a personalised story based on the letter of his name.  I think all kids go through that stage where they ask why did you call me x.  Its a really detailed book, in fact my husband calls this “the long one” as there are about 40 pages in it!! Kids love it and the mention of their names makes it all the more special.  Again like many of the others above it contains lovely illustrations.

Reading back the above I have come to realise visual books are what really appeal to the boys.

I love reading with them, its a lovely special time when my time is 100% theirs no distraction. I do hope they grow up with the same love of reading that I did. All books above readily available both online and in traditional bookshops with the exception of number 10 which is personalised therefore available direct from the publisher.

 

 

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