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On this page we're going to bring you a full range of toys and gifts that real parents and kids have reviewed for us, right from that all important 1st birthday to teens. Some present ideas are ideal as either a birthday present or to include in a party bag. Our Kids testers are busy testing at the moment ....read the latest reviews now with more to come!......
The new Doro 410s GSM Mobile Phone reviewed by Benn, Oli and James (10,9,12)
Although the idea of giving a mobile to your youngster is not without it's worries, the Doro 410s 
Mobile is designed to give parents peace of mind as their young adults get ready to become more independent. Perhaps taking some of the worry out of walking to school for the first time by themselves or going out to play with friends.
This is a basic mobile, with no facebook browsing, aps or itunes, the phone is there to be used when needed, which is a relief when our children can be stuck with their handsets unable to remove them fro their grasp.
The strap attachment can be worn around the neck or strung through a belt loop, so there's no fear of losing the phone whilst our intreped explorers get out and about. But the best function is that the phone has a panic button -
the button being really important in this age group; the phone would dial 5 pre-programmed numbers in the event of pressing in an emergency.
Benn says 'I love that I can loop the strap around my belt loop on my trousers, it means that I can play out and not worry that I will lose it and get told off!'
Oli says 'The phone is cool, it looks really funky and I know I'm safe with the special button.'
James says 'My phone has a rubbery kind of feel to it, I've dropped it twice now, once out of a tree and it's not broken yet!'
As you can see the phones are a real hit with our youngsters, if you would like to find out more please visit www.matobshop.co.uk
CALENDAR WIZARD Photo Calendar reviewed by Mel from Hampshire July 2010
"I decided to order a personalised calendar for my Nan who loves looking at pictures from her family and she has not been 
disappointed! The website is very easy to use and navigate round. Once you have decided if you want a calendar, notebook or diary you can create your own account so that it remembers what photo’s you have uploaded so you can leave it and come back to it at another time. The hardest bit for me was deciding which photo’s to choose! Once you have uploaded your photos it is easy to rearrange them until you are happy with the order and then you can add dates that you need to remember. There really is no excuse to forget anyone’s birthday now! The calendar was delivered within a couple of days and I was impressed with the quality and sharpness of the photos. This really is a unique personal present and I would recommend it to anyone!" Vists www.calendarwizard.co.uk for more details
Peppa Pig and Me’ reviewed by Lisa from Essex July 2010
"I chose to order this book as my daughter absolutely loves Peppa Pig and will be starting p
re-school very soon. The whole book is personalised with your child being part of the story. You can create your little one’s appearance by adapting a boy or girls character, choosing hairstyle, skin, eye and hair colour. My little girl was captivated from the first page! We both loved the storyline as it was based accurately on familiar episodes (that we both have seen more than once)! She felt ‘very’ involved and ‘very’ important and was so excited when she turned each page. So much so I had to read it three times over! This book is beautifully illustrated and I was really impressed with the quality of the product. With a personal inscription inside this makes an ideal and perfect gift or just a treat for your little one. Very much enjoyed and highly recommended. Visit Penwizard webiste for more details www.penwizard.co.uk
Penwizard Personalised Books reviewed by Mel and Leila from Hampshire July 2010
"When I was asked to review one of Penwizards books I was delighted that Peppa Pig 
was one of their ranges as my 2 year old daughter loves Peppa Pig. You enter their name and can choose the hair colour, eye colour and skin tone to match your child. Another lovely touch is that you can add your own personal message to make the book even more special for the child. When the book arrived and I showed it to my daughter she was so excited that we have read it hundreds of times already! She loves seeing herself on every page and part of the story with her favourite character, Peppa. This is a lovely present for any child and I would definitely recommend them to anyone!" Visit the Penwizard website www.penwizard.co.uk for more details.
BOOKADOO Personalised Children’s Books reviewed by Mel from Hampshire July 2010
"I was very happy to review these books as I knew my girls (and me!) would be delighted to see themselves as the lead character in one of the 4 books that you can choose from. The Bookadoo ordering system is very easy to use and you can actually see every page of the
book before you make your choice. I chose the Popstar book for my 8 year old and the Dreamland book for my 5 year old daughter. Once you have uploaded your chosen photo it checks it there and then for the quality so you know straight away how it’s going to look. I really liked the fact you could add your own caption which appears in the front of the book as it makes it even more personal for the child. I was given a date of when I could expect the books to arrive by but I received them at least 4 days early. I was so excited to open it and I was not disappointed!! To see my daughter’s smiling back at me on every page really made me smile. These books will be treasured for years to come! I will definitely be ordering more books for my nieces and nephews as this really is a unique, personal present." Visit www.bookadoo.com for more details.
My Blue Nose Friends reviewed by Sherrie from Kent and Sam from Hampshire in October 2009
"Patch is a cute blue nose friend. Patch is gorgeously soft with beans in his bottom so that he can sit and pose. He's the perfect gift for children of any age. The happy dog...a loyal friend indeed...and always there for you."
"Really cute and well made, any child would love to receive this. Very good price too!"
Visit www.mybluenosefriends.co.uk
JojoMamanBebe Toys reviewed by Oona from Hampshire in October 2009
"Rubbabu Fire Engine: A really gorgeously coloured toy with a velvety texture and rubbery feel. The rubber feel is a nice idea but unfortunately its key feature also appears to be its downfall. The toy is labelled unsuitable for teething children and under twos, presumably because that age group is most likely to chew bits off. Older children may find the toy a little simple and lose interest quickly." Visit www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk for more details
Also reviewed by Katrina from Hampshire in October 2009
"New Classic Toys Musical instruments: Good, easy to keep together in the plastic bag, easy for little hands to hold but quite heavy for the younger ones, not sure how one of the instruments work but apart from that one the rest a great.
Dolly Harriet: Is ok but there are better dolls. Not good for young children because of the long hair, which has bits falling out.
Janod: My first magnetic rocket. Wooden, lovely colours, quite delicate, not an every day toy, more for sitting on the shelf. A couple of small parts for the little ones to be careful of."
Bagpuss from Past Times reviewed by Tina from Oxfordshire in October 2009
"I was actually thinking of keeping this for myself until my little girl found it and loved it! She has no idea who Bagpuss was but loved his fur and pressing the button in him to "wake him up" with a traditional Bagpuss jingles and yawn! I think Mums will enjoy this toy as much as children, maybe even more!" Visit www.pasttimes.com
Tinti Bath Fun reviewed by Sarah from Hampshire in October 2009
"Bath Pops....
Bath/shower coloured foam....
Good fun product that doesn't leave residue behind. It made them get into the bath much quicker than usual as they had lots of fun squirting each other with it!!"
Visit www.tinti.co.uk for more details
Horrid Henry characters reviewed by Sarah from Hampshire in October 2009
"Horrid Henry with spider...
Aqua Attack Scooter Water Pistol reviewed by Zena from Kent in October 2009
"When Benn was given this he almost ripped it out of the box. He's a bit of a terror so this was the perfect toy. This is the real pimp my scooter accessory. After a little bit of fiddly attachment he was ready. He had hours of fun in the garden squirting plants, then progressed to the dog (who seemed to enjoy the game) and then his big sister, before turning his attention to his friends who put up a good fight with water pistols. After some parental guidance on how not to terrorise the neighbourhood Benn really enjoyed this toy."
Metaboli On-line Gaming reviewed by Benn aged 8 from Kent
"From a parents point of view the best thing about using Metaboli is the price. Why spend on expensive games in ships when it takes seconds to download all the most popular games on line. The second advantage is how simple and easy it is to start playing a game. Once you're subscribed it's 3 clicks and you're downloading. I must admit, at first I was dubious, surely it couldn't be so easy? You are able to download as fast as your connection will allow you. Benn says 'I don't have to get Mum to run me to the shops every time I want to buy a game? And if you don't like a game, just download another. Up until now I've wasted my pocket money by buying a game and not liking it, now I don't have to.' Visit www.metaboli.co.uk
K-Nex Moto-Bots (aged 7+) reviewed by Benn aged 8 from Kent
The K’Nex Moto-Bots come in kit form, letting kids (or big kids) build and customise their own motorised robot.
The bots (£29.99 each) come in four varieties and, like any good robot, combine to make bigger, battle-ready Ultra Bots. Time for a Robot Wars revival?
Benn really like the Moto Bot, especially the fact that you this toy has a wonderful motorised movement. Benn says 'This was easy to make with some help from my Dad, the moving parts are really good, especially the moving head. My friends think it's really cool.'
There are a few Moto Bots to choose from, Turbo, Chomp and Razor, Benn tested Moto-Bot Spider (373 parts) the creepiest of them all, with all those legs and moving eyes. More details here
Rubik 360 reviewed by Alice (aged 5) from Hampshire
"I liked this as I managed to get one of the balls into the right hole when my Mummy couldn't. She said it was 'very frustrating'. There are balls in the middle you have to get out to the outside but when you try and turn it around the balls drop back and miss the hole. My friend Sammy who is 8 has borrowed it so she will write a review soon too." Visit www.drumondpark.com
The Kingdom of the Deep by Frank Hinks reviewed by Sammy (aged 8 1/2) from Hampshire in July 2009
"I was really excited when I was asked to review this book because it was about mermaids who I love. When I picked up the book the cover looked boring with no mermaids around. I tried reading the book myself, but it was hard with words I did not know. Looked at the pictures instead but did not like them as they were scary. My Dad started to read the story to me instead but we did not finish it as I did not like it. It says it is for 5 plus, but I am eight and it is too old for me." More reviews of this book to come...
JojoMamanBebe Toys reviewed by Oona from Hampshire in October 2009
"Rubbabu Fire Engine: A really gorgeously coloured toy with a velvety texture and rubbery feel. The rubber feel is a nice idea but unfortunately its key feature also appears to be its downfall. The toy is labelled unsuitable for teething children and under twos, presumably because that age group is most likely to chew bits off. Older children may find the toy a little simple and lose interest quickly." Visit www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk for more details
Also reviewed by Katrina from Hampshire in October 2009
"New Classic Toys Musical instruments: Good, easy to keep together in the plastic bag, easy for little hands to hold but quite heavy for the younger ones, not sure how one of the instruments work but apart from that one the rest a great.
Dolly Harriet: Is ok but there are better dolls. Not good for young children because of the long hair, which has bits falling out.
Janod: My first magnetic rocket. Wooden, lovely colours, quite delicate, not an every day toy, more for sitting on the shelf. A couple of small parts for the little ones to be careful of."
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"The cube was flat when it arrived of course and wasn't very inspiring but on closer inspection was very good quality with sturdy zips, big zip pulls and quite thick material. We used it for games and jigsaws and it soon filled up and looked quite cool. You can't really stack them because they don't have any strength themselves but if you're looking for some flexible and good looking storage these do fit the bill and would cover the overflow after Christmas nicely!" Visit www.nubie.co.uk
Bike and Scooter Accessories from Micro Scooters reviewed by Sam from Hampshire in September 2009
"I love this brilliant but affordable "extras" for bikes or scooters. My fave is the Breo Roam watch which is like a rubber bracelet with a watch in it. According to the blurb it's made of Tourmaline which is supposed to make you calm, can't say I can report that but Alice didn't get a look in and now Mummy is wearing the pink Breo! They come in 25 colours and are only £9.99 so a cool gift for children and Mummys! Alice has got the BBB Quick Release Bell, Frog light by knog and the red coloured brake to replace the old one on her mini micro scooter! And she'll loving whizzing around with the light on and bell going. But seriously, these will be make me feel a bit happier if she is using her scooter on the path on the greyer days of autumn and winter." All these items available from www.micro-scooters.co.uk.
Tomy Discovery Magical Melody Maker reviewed by Sarah from Hamilton, Scotland in September 2009
"The Tomy Discovery Magical Melody Maker is a fantastic toy for any toddler. My 21 month old son has been enjoying this toy for a month now and always comes back to it. It is a very cleverly and innovatively designed toy for little ones. The toy has a very clever storage system which will help to develop colour awareness in little ones. It can also be used to play a matching game as each storage pocket has a matching character on it. Along with this it helps to develop hand eye coordination with the cleverly designed musical instruments. The toy has been designed in such away that each of the 5 musical instruments makes a different sound. These can either be place on the top of the toy individually to hear one sound or together to create and orchestra. The pieces are all a perfect size for little hands and my son loves to play with on and off the base unit. I would highly recommend this as a fun and educational toy." For more information visit www.tomy.co.uk
Spotty Gift Boxes Cookery Set reviewed by Jana from London in September 2009
"I like Spotty Boxes Mixing Bowl and Spoon for many reasons. When we received the Mixing Bowl and Spoon, my 11 and half months old daughter had a good giggle at the faces painted on both of the items. The face on the spoon was especially good as you can play endless games of peekaboo with it. (Needless to say, the spoon is carried around with us a lot.) Using the bowl and spoon for its intended purpose has also been great fun. My daughter liked the fact that she has her own cooking set and now prefers it to taking over mine. Even though my daughter is still small, she can manage to mix things together in it (at the moment pieces of fruit or pasta and vegetables for her lunch). The design seems very good and when I need to I am sure I will be borrowing hers as it has everything a grown-up set has (spout and handle). And that is another good thing about this set – it will grow with us for years to come." Visit www.spottygiftboxes.co.uk for more details.
Joanna from Basingstoke has reviewed the following two Hauck toys for us:
Winnie The Pooh Prema Tricycle
"As with other models, this tricycle has a removable handle for Mummy and Daddy to push and steer with until such time as your child can peddle alone and it comes with a basket for all those toys your little one wants to take for a ride. However, on this particular tricycle, Mummy and Daddy especially liked the padded handle and that the front wheel/steering column was lockable to override Annabel's occasional wayward steering. We also appreciated the very secure, padded 5-point harness for younger children, like our 9 month old son, which can be transformed to a basic lap-strap for older children. Annabel also loved this tricycle and found the sturdy pedals much easier to use and more effective than on the tricycle she already has. She also appreciated the comfortable back cushion."
Play Gym Baby Walker
"My son, Rory, enjoyed this underwater themed play gym with its 7 different toys that include a mirror, tooting horn and light/sound panel. The playgym is aimed at 6-12 month olds but, I would suggest that, at nearly 10 months, Rory is almost outgrowing it from an interest point of view. It was extremely easy to construct, is solid and well-made, has a high backrest and generally looks smart. There are 3 different height positions so the gym grows with your baby and, usefully, the activity tray can be removed to leave your baby with a large playtray to put toys or snacks on. My only criticism would be that the playgym was relatively difficult for Rory to maneouvre on our carpet although I am sure this could be seen as a positive and save too much furniture bashing!" Rory is pictured right in the Hauck Play Gym Baby Walker.
For more information and stockists please visit www.hauckuk.com
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Freya Design Keepsake Boxes reviewed by Sam from Hampshire in July 2009
"Beautifully made little boxes that form a set to store hospital id bracelet, first curl and first tooth - any new Mum would love this as a present! They are very chunky ,made out of wood, with a little well inside lined with felt. Blue or pink designs." Visit http://www.freyadesign.co.uk/baby-keepsake-boxes.html
That's Not My Polar Bear (available in August 2009) reviewed by Hannah from Staines in July 2009
"I reviewed a book called That's Not My Polar Bear with my son who is 3 yrs old and my daughter who has just turned 4 months. They both enjoyed the book so did I. The book was coloufull, very clear illistrations and wording, very simple to understand and very realistic with the touch and feel pages. The touch and feel pages give the children an understand of what different materials feel like and where they would find them. I would recommend anyone to purchase this book for the group ages of 4 months upwards. I also think that the price £5.99 was reasonable for this type of book." Visit www.usbornebooksathome.co.uk
Personalised Story Books reviewed by Sarah from Solihull in July 2009
“Now Lexi is Two....a personalised story book featuring your child’s name, address, friends name’s, and photo! I love this book – it is so sweet, the cartoons sketches that features Lexi’s picture as the head are really bright and fun. The book is well made, nice thick pages that will withstand a lot of reading, and I think slightly wipe-clean too! Nice short and clear sentences on each page that Lexi will be able to help read eventually, and the activities in the book are true to what a child of 2 would be doing; painting, building blocks and playing at the park with their friends. I’m sure she is going to love this book – it’s a great, unusual present that they can treasure for years." Visit www.itsyourstory.co.uk for all the details.
Build-A-Bear-Workshop Review (Animal's start at only £8) take a look at www.buildabear.co.uk for information on products, locations, parties and vouchers. Also games and a whole virtual world!
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We had the wonderful opportunity, with our Kids testers! to review Build-A-Bear Workshops and for that we set off to our local store in West Quay, Southampton.
The Team made the children feel really welcome, first they were introduced and given a sticker with their name on. Then it was explained how they would be making their Animal and the first choice began...we had 3 testers with us and 2 Dogs and a very cute Pink Bear were decided upon.
The children were guided step-by-step through the process and round the shop by Jane and 'Bearemy' who made a wonderful guest appearance much to the delight of our testers.
Then the children had to choose a sound for their animal, then a heart which they had to kiss before placing in their 'bears' and then to the stuffing machine!!! Stuffing and sewing took place and games were played around the shop with Lloyd and Jane and Bearemy all taking part!
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The final part of the 'building' involved choosing an outfit (not an easy decision but a fun one!) Lastly the testers registered their Animals with their chosen names on the computer and into the virtual world!
Now...if ever the Animals get lost...... then if someone hands them in to one of the many locations nationwide.... they will ensure it gets back to its rightful home! Something our testers thought was absolutely great! All 3 children, aged 4, 5 and 6 loved the whole experience and their animals have been a big part of their lives ever since!
These Build-A-Bear Workshops provide parties, walk-in fun and shop, cub vouchers for birthday presents and a range of outfits that would do any "bear!" proud!
Playmobil Vet Operating Room (4346 RRP from £16.99) Ranges available from the Playmobil Online Shop, John Lewis, The Entertainer as well as www.toysrus.co.uk
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" It's really fun! - I'v got little bandages for the animals, there is an x-ray machine with x-rays and there is even a little tortoise!" were some of the comments from our 5 year old tester. Mum said " She is now at the age where she can appreciate the detail of toys and spends time creating "real-life" and playmobil provides the tools to enable her to do that as well as the sturdiness to deal with a Child's play" It also has the advantage of being reasonably compact and therefore easy to get out and play as well as put-away!
Launched this year(2009) along with other inspirational collections like the Underwater Expedition and Pharaoh's Temple the Vet's Operating Room comes with 2 Playmobil figures, includes a dog and cat as well as all the Theatre equipement. Accessories can also be added if required for example the Vet's Car! Playmobil - a success again.
Cube Books - World Football (£6.50)from www.zoobookoo.com or telephone 014723-735346.
Age 5-8 years but full range of products from 3- 12 years.
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"These are excellent - and such good value, my son absolutely loved the World Football Cube" said our Testers Mum.
Our 7 year old tester says "This was really, really, good. I can get lots of information and its great fun" " He loved the informativeness of the cube book and couldn't put it down as he also just loved playing with it in his hands!"
The range of Cube Books include Geographical, Multiplication, Planets and Dinosaurs to name just a few. They magically turn inside out to reveal 12 sides (not just 6!) contain lots of interesting, bite-sized chunks of information and make excellent Birthday Presents.
Originally designed for children the range has grown to cater for all ages!!
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(£6.50) are also available from www.zoobookoo.com for 2-4 players Age 5 - 7 years supporting the National Curriculum.
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Two of our Testers aged 5 and 6 played Demon Dice and loved it!! "I'v won a Demon !!" "AAAhhh!" could be heard as they played together.
Mum says "Its really good for either learning maths skills or enhancing them in a fun and entertaining way" My 2 are at different levels but managed to play together thanks to the role of the dice!!" "The winning of Demon's is an excellent incentive and you can actually play this game on your own trying to get the highest score that you can. It comes with a Drawstring Pouch making it easy to put away or take in the car, the dice are brightly coloured and sturdy - a real winner, I would have no problems in recommending this product."
Kid's 'Crocs' Rally Footwear (RRP £25.95) & the Brand New Jibbitz range (SRP £1.69) available from the Crocs online store www.crocs.eu where you can also find stockists.
The 'Crocs' Rally Shoe is their first kid's sneaker and 2 of our kids testers tried these out as well as the Jibbitz range of accessories which the children can personalise their footwear with! .jpeg)
"Cool..I love the colour..they are crocs & trainers!" " Great - I can have lots of football's and my team's name on my shoes!" were comments from our testers aged 5 and 6 years. After wearing them constantly for 2 weeks one tester said " I love wearing them, there sooo comfy! and I can change my patterns!" ( Jibbitz !)
Mum said " The children really liked them and wanted to see all the Jibbitz they could have online! They tell me they are really comfortable and from my perspective they are easy to clean and the elastic laces enable them to be put on and off quickly and easily - always good when you are rushing to get somewhere!"
The Jibbitz accessories come in varying shapes & sizes with designs such as happy faces, hearts and sporting items for girls and boys. Letters of the alphabet are also available and they can be added to any shoes in the Crocs Range.
Disney Princess Pop-up Play Tent (RRP from £27.99) from Worlds Apart , available from Amazon & Toys R Us and other main retailers. Contact 0800 389 8591 for Stockist information or visit www.worldsapart.com.
" I love it!", "Its beautiful!" and " I want my castle to stay up all the time!" were some of the comments from our 5 year old tester! Our Mum said " It was very easy to set up and kept my daughter amused for long periods of time - when she had friends round they played in it together, having picnic parties and role-play games. It was also a big hit for quiet times with cushions added to enjoy a book or watch a film in a quiet, secret place!"
There are various pop-up tents and tunnels in the range including In the Night Garden, Cars, Dora The Explorer and Thomas the Tank Engine. They encourage role-play embracing the children's imaginations and are suitable for inside and outside use.
The Kingdom of the Deep Book (£11.69)
Author Frank Hinks. For ages 5 Upwards.
Visit www.ramion-books.com for information on the series of books as well as Games to play, stories to listen to and Masks to download!
This wonderful book is the 13th in a series by Frank Hink and was reviewed by a 6yr old boy tester and his Mum.
"It's a great story,I really like Boris!" "So do I......" says Mum. I decided that we would read the book together as X-men and Football are normally the things that motivates him to read. I am so glad I did it was an unusual mix of fast-moving events and humour as well as a good dose of adventure while exploring different worlds! The illustrations are eye-catching and my son particularly liked the Characters being introduced in pictures at the beginning of the book. Some references are maybe suitable to an older child rather than a 6 year old but an enjoyable read.
Tinti Bathwater Colours (RRP £2.99 3Pack/£6.50 9Pack)Tinti Crackling Bath Pops (RRP £2.99 3Pack/£4.75 6Pack) Tinti Coloured Bath Foam (RRP £3.75) available to buy from www.tinti.co.uk or tel. 01934 743569 for stockist information.
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"Wow....the water is really, really red!" (or blue or yellow!), " It's so cool!" were some of the comments from our Kid's tester's ranging in age from 3 to 8!
"I'v never seen them so keen to have a bath!" was one Parents comment."...And at only 72p each when you buy the 9 pack they are also a fantastic idea for party-bags!"
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"The Bath pops really crackle and the bath foam is excellent fun & smells yummy!" said one 5 yr old tester.
Tinti products contain natural ingredients, are soap-free & dermatologically tested. Suitable for age 3+, for use in the bath or paddling pools it leaves no residue and does not stain the skin - providing good clean fun!!
TWF Thumb Wrestling Federation Ring with 'Ouch' Character Thumb (£4.99) Double Character Packs (£2.99) Foil One Character Pack (£1.49). Major Stockists include Asda, Toys R Us, WH Smiths, Borders, Martin McColls, The Entertainer and Amazon. .jpeg)
" 4,3,2,1....Who will be the strongest Thumb? " was a regular echo when 2 of our testers aged 5 and 6 were playing this fun game which re-creates the hit TV Show!
"I was pleasantly surprised by how long this kept a brother and sister occupied and how many times they went back to playing it". I feel the ages of our testers were just old enough to keep it fair and the kids soon had their favourite characters! A fun present very reasonably priced.
Little Princess and her New Toy & Book Range - including Nessie Stick Horse (from £15.99SRP) Inflatable Hopper (£7.99) Little Princess Books (from £3.99) visit www.littleprincesskingdom.com .jpeg)
to shop, play and also register for her new fan-club. Also available in shops nationwide. .jpeg)
These toys are inspired by The Little Princess's hit show and her enchanted kingdom. Our tester aged 4 said "I can ride the horse at the same time as pressing the ears to make horse noises!- I didn't know it was going to do that!" Parents comment "It's a nice design and my daughter played with it a lot more because of the sound effects which enhanced her play! You just press each ear for either a neighing or clip, clopping noise - easy to do while riding."
The Little Princess Hopper was enjoyed by our tester and her brother - having bouncing competitions as to how high and how fast they could bounce!! "The Hopper is an alltime favourite toy that stands the test of time, hectic play and can be enjoyed by boys and girls of varying age ranges" said Mum!
MyFirst Thomas (£3.99) and Talking Thomas (£8.99) from 12 months
These chunky Thomas the Tank engine characters were easy for little hands to push along and the choo-choo from the Talking Thomas was a big hit!
Smart Builders Piano from Mega £29.99 from 12 months to 4 years
My daughter loves this, she plays with it at least once every day. She is 15 mnths old but I am sure even a just sitting baby would love the chunky blocks and big keys on the keyboard to bash away at. Great for keeping babies entertained while Mum is busy getting on with jobs.
PlaySkool Makka Pakka Bath Toy
Charlie and Lola Stick-on Felts (£8.99) and Memory Game (£4.99) from 3 years
The stick on felts are a great way for your Charlie and Lola fan to create their own stories just like the real thing! And the familiar characters help make this classic card game more engaging.
Pingu and Friends Igloo and Playmat (£19.99) and Character Playset (£7.99) from 3 years
My little Pingu fan loved recreating her favourite programmes with these good-sized characters and all their assessories. Really well made pieces and the igloo home is a carrycase/storage so you might even keep the set together!
Moccis Moccasins £15.00 from 6 months to 3 years www.moccis.co.uk
Lots of people commented on how cute and practical they are. They are excellent for a bottom shuffler who is big for her age and not about to walk in a hurry because the amount of soft shoes for over size 4 feet is minimal. They keep her warm and she has to work really really hard to pull them off, so that's also a bonus! overall they have my vote!
These are the best slippers I have ever had for my daughter. They are lovely and soft but have really durable soles so can be worn on hard tiled floors. I love that they never slip off but at the same time dont leave marks on my daughters chubby little legs.
GoGlow Bedtime Trainer £19.99 from 3 years available at Argos and Woolworths
Great idea - we have been looking for some way to stop our 4 year old shouting out to find out whether it is time to get up. This clock is a simple way of showing a child who is not old enough to tell the time when it is "morning" time. It has the added advantage that a usual alarm clock lacks, in that if the child miraculously happens to sleep in past the Wake Up time, no alarm goes off to wake them up!
Mini Micro Scooter RRP £39.99 from all good toy stores
Alice's eyes lit up as soon as she spotted the scooter and it had to be tested out straight away! The scooter is very funky looking with clear plastic wheels and bright but not babyish colours. It's also very light and the handle prop is very quickly removed and reinserted - must be one of the faster pre-schooler toys to assemble! It also comes with picture instructions and safety guide so you can explain easily to a non-reader the dos and don'ts of scootering. And there are some stickers included as well. A well-built first scooter for any child!
For kids aged 5-7
. . . The hugely popular and award winning Creature Comforts and Shaun the Sheep Complete Collection are guaranteed to amuse the little ones long after all the presents have been unwrapped.
For kids aged 7-11
…How about investing in a boxset of your favourite Sci-fi show guaranteed to keep any fan glued? Doctor Who The Complete Series 4 will certainly entertain almost to the next birthday! What's more, the spectacular modern version of the Merlin story is guaranteed to enchant the birthday boy or girl and you could even journey into the heart of Kenya with Big Cat Week. 
Benn says "I love Dr Who, I will be very sad when David Tennant leaves but atleast with the DVDs I can watch him anytime!'
These DVDs are available at stockists througout the UK.
Deglingos!
All of our team loved this, 'Really snuggly for a bedtime cuddle' Kieran (6). Forget tired teddies and red.jpg)
undant rag dolls, this Birthday the coolest toys in town are these Deglingos! French slang for ‘The crazy ones, there are ten different characters including; a Wolf, Dog, Rat and Cow, each made from twelve different bright and tactile fabrics.
The new Deglingos cost £29. from www.funkyfeetfashions.co.uk.
Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro r/c car
The only r/c car that can defy gravity and drive up walls. RRP £29.99
"I really like the Air Hogs Zero Gravity remote control car. Its dead fast and I can spin it and skid all over the place. This is so much fun to play with." Benn (7)
This 1/43 scale Radio Controlled car has modern sports styling, full function IR control and superior manoeuvrability. And to fuel your competitive streak there are two styles of car with different frequencies for head-to-head racing action. The cars can run for a spiffing 10 minutes run time per 30 mins charge and even have working headlights for night time cruising.
Available from all good toy and gadget shops
Miidio Piggy Vibro-Speakers
Boy did we hear about it when I team tested this!
These ultra-compact speakers take the signal from almost any music device and transform the surface on which they stand into an effective and powerful speaker. You can simply plug in and play music from any device featuring a standard
3.5mm audio (headphone) socket such as an iPod, MP3 player, laptop, PC, most multimedia mobile phones and many other hand-held devices. Miidio speakers are highly portable and truly bring the idea of music anywhere alive – they work on glass, wood or plastic and even on the floorboards! Miidio Vibro-Speakers are available in 3 designs but kids would most appreciate the Miidio Piggy which is available in white with a choice of pink, green or blue detailing.
Available from www.twistedcarbon.com priced at £49.99.
Imagine - Nintendo DS - £29.99
Aimed at girls aged 6-12, Imagine is a range of video games that encourages young girls to use their imagination, creativity and have fun creating their own virtual world through a number of different games such as Imagine Fashion Model, Imagine Interior Designer and Imagine Baby Club.
Our older girls loved this game, we just couldn't get them to put it down!
To learn more please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
TOMY Guitar RockStar
Now everyone has the chance to live out their dreams as a rock legend this Birthday with Guitar RockStar from TOMY, the must-have gadget that takes air guitar to a new level of fun for everyone from 8-80. 
Our team just had problems getting their Dads to give it back.
All a wannabe rock legend has to do is turn on Guitar RockStar, grab the electronic guitar neck, finger the frets and strum the infrared ‘strings’ to play a choice of two modes. Pre-programmed enables the user to strum along to one of eight pre-programmed tacks by running your hand through the infrared ‘strings’, while freestyle allows would-be rockers to compose their own classic rock songs. RRP: £14.99
Available from www.guitarrockstar.co.uk, Toys’R’Us and all good toy shops
Blast From the Past - Traditional Space Hopper £12.99
The first Space Hopper was patented in Italy in 1968, and was called a Pon-pon. These large bouncing balls with handles were introduced to England in 1969, sparking a Space Hopper craze that was to last over a decade. Our team had fun seeing how high they could bounce, how far they could bounce and how many of them could fit on this all at once. Great fun!
Available from www.pasttimes.com
Our Girls Loved
HannahMontana Design ‘n Create Rockin’ Guitar, RRP £24.99 for ages 6+
Girls will love the flip-open centre compartment crammed full of sparkling gem tattoos, mini photo frames, stickers and more perfect for making beaded key chains, cool body art, a shimmering sash and funky jewellery! MP3 compatible so girls can rock to the beat and the fun flashing lights while the Hannah Montana theme song plays!
High School Musical Design ‘n Create Stylin’ Keyboard, RRP £24.99 for ages 6+
From designing and decorating your own CD book, CD case and wipe off board with the prettiest gems, foam stickers, glam glitter glue and photos of the High School Musical cast, to making trendy friendship bracelets with the colourful charms and letter beads, the Stylin’ Keyboard has it all! Also features flashing lights and plays a High School Musical tune and is MP3 compatible!
Our Boys Loved
MagNext, available in various set sizes from £9.99 - £49.99, for ages 6+
An awesome and highly innovative new magnet construction system, MagNext gives kids the tools to build bigger, stronger, faster and ultimately better than ever before! With specially designed, intricate new pieces, kids can create more detailed and exciting builds, resulting in the ultimate fun and best building experience. (MagNext has just been named the SMart Toy of the Year 2008 by the Science Museum, as well as winning the SMart Build category of the Awards programme).
iCoaster, RRP £79.99 for ages 6+
An impressive and high tech multi-sensory joyride, the iCoaster will thrill boys and techno fans alike with its extreme magnetic force, state-of-the-art design and ultra cool physics! Assembling the towers, tracks, sensors, stunts and Magnetic Elevator is easy, fast and exciting. Sensors can be placed along the tracks, and when the “Sound FX Music Studio” is turned on, boys can create their own mix of tunes and effects! You can also plug in your MP3 into the “Sound FX Music Studio” for your own music selections. (iCoaster has just won the SMart Play category of the Science Museum’s SMart Toy Awards 2008).
Struxx, available in three set sizes from £19.99 - £49.99, for ages 8+
A dynamic new, hyper-flexible and super-scale construction system, Struxx features futuristic skeletal pieces for innovative large scale building and awesome high-tech features such as sound and light, motion detection, elastic pieces and wheels. Kids can achieve new heights in their construction experience and put their Struxx builds into motion!
Kidizoom VTech Digital Camera
Kidizoom from VTech is an award winning* multimedia digital camera for children aged 3 upwards. Perfect for any little adventurer, Kidizoom is sleek in style but ultra tough to deal with rough and tumble.
Children will find it easy to capture images and snap away with a dual viewfinder, 1.8” colour LCD screen and big chunky buttons. Budding photographers or moviemakers can link their Kidizoom to a television or computer to play back photos or movies sure to impress friends and family.
Fun features include hilarious graphics to add to pictures, interchangeable face plates for camera personalisation, a creative workshop to edit photos and a range of in built games to play on the go or via the TV or PC. Compelling games on the camera develop key skills such as problem solving and co-ordination whilst photo editing software develops creativity.
Kidizoom is also available in Pink exclusively at Toys ‘r Us RRP: £49.99
Zoggs Dive Sticks
These Zoggs Seal Sticks are a fun sinking swim game. These PVC seal sticks have a stainless steel weight inside to make them sink. Simply dive down retrieve the seal sticks - the one with the most wins. Beth and Benn love swimming and adored this great confidence building game. Beth (11)says 'my swimming instructer throws weights in the water for us to get in our swimming lesson, now I can do with it with Mum when ever I want'.
Dive sticks retail at £8.99 and are available from www.zoggs.com.
Combat of Giants Dinosaurs
Ideal for dinosaur-mad boys, Benn aged 7 would not put this game down 'It's so much fun I will never get bored of this game' says Benn. The aim of the videogame is to battle through the prehistoric age, roaming through Jurassic jungles fighting your way to become king of the dinosaurs!
Combat of Giants Dinosaurs is available to buy for the suggested price of £29.99
High School Musical Electronic Microphone Alarm Clock
Mornings will never be the same again thanks to the fantastic new High School Musical Electronic Microphone Alarm Clock. Already a huge hit in the
£19.99 For more information visit the company’s website www.worldsapart.com or call the customer service number on 0800 389 8591
The Maxi Micro Scooter – exclusively in the UK in 2008 via: www.micro-scooters.co.uk.
