Games & toys

Big Potato has a fabulous range of family games. We took a look at Snakesss and Mean Girls.

Create fragranced bath bombs with So Bomb Factory Aroma. Harriet Coates got creative mixing and designing her own combinations of fragrance and decorations.

Art Lab Pouring Art Studio from Canal Toys is a brilliant way to create some fabulous designs brining out the creative side of children. Harriet Coates loved using it.

As big fans of anything creative at the CM family homestead, there was much excitement when the So Sand Rainbow Cake kit arrived. Ben Cooper-Muir tell us how they got on with the Canal Toys kit.

Christine Mayle and her granddaughter have been having great fun with the Airbrush Plush Unicorn kit, from Canal Toys.

Leapfrog's Choppin’ Fun Pot is a stimulating toy with a number of functions to enhance learning play. It was certainly a hit with Lesley Lodge's granddaughter.

The Fun-2-3 Instant Camera is a role-play camera that features five double-sided, colourful photo cards. Little ones can enjoy selecting a card to put into the camera, before pressing the blue ‘shutter’ button to learn about a variety of animals, numbers, shapes and colours. From counting the number of starfish in the sea, through to learning about a turtle’s natural habitat, little ones are sure to be occupied for hours with games, songs and phrases. Reviewed by Joanna Roberts.

Educational toys like Science Stem Technics 10 in 1 Led Space Vehicle encourage children to learn through play. 

Having played the original game of Pass the Pigs, Helen  Burrows and her family were happy to review the outdoor version of this fun family game. 

Build your own Marble run by Buildyourownkits.com is an innovative cardboard marble run, assembled using slot together techniques – no glue, no mess, no fuss. Everything you need is provided in the kit – follow the detailed instructions: press out the pre-cut parts, build and watch them go. Ben Cooper and his son tried, tested and review the game.

What a find! The V-Tech 3in1 Motorbike is an innovative, child-friendly approach to mobility, working at different levels as children develop. Initially it is a rocker and an early walker, allowing children to take those first steps with confidence. As the child grows it easily transforms into a 3-wheeler trike, with a good stable base. Then, amazingly it converts into a 2-wheeler balance bike – an incredibly versatile purchase writes Christine Mayle.

Fancy a detective game to stimulate those little grey cells? Then try Foul Play Card Game created by After Dark Murder Mystery Events and reviewed here by Anne Coates.

Lockdown brings it challenges – especially keeping children interested and happy so the discovery of a uniquely different (and tactile) indoor activity was met with both enthusiasm and excitement by the three children and grown-ups alike in our family, writes Christine Mayle.

Eldrador Creatures is a new title from Wild River Games which brings to life the mystical world created by Schleich. Harriet Coates reviews

Every year the Toy Retailers Association announces what they think will be the most sought after toys and consumers are advised to buy early to avoid disappointment. The DreamToys list is the UK’s most authoritative predictive list of what will be hot this Christmas. Selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts, the list is independent of toy manufacturers and makers. 

Geomag Mechanics 769 reviewed.

Another amazing success from Leapfrog! The Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket arrived promptly and was enthusiastically opened by the children under adult supervision of course. No assembly required so the children went straight in – no hesitation or instructions needed writes Christine Mayle.

With the good weather we’ve been having this summer the prospect of reviewing the Leap Frog Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill was met with whoops of joy and excitement from the three children in our family. Since its arrival it has provided hours of engaging play and fun for all the children aged 4, 3 and 18 months. Christine Mayle reviews.