Masha and the Bear Doll & Winter Bear Treehouse Playset - Review

AD - We were sent these products for the purpose of this review, however, all opinions are my own.

Masha and the Bear is a favourite in our house! I don't get it myself - it seems a bit wild but the kids cannot get enough of the chaos! With this in mind, I was delighted to accept a couple of toys from the range to review - and to visit our local Entertainer store to see them in-store.

The first toy we decided to open was the Masha and the Bear Winter Bear Treehouse Playset. Suitable for children from 3 years it retails at a respectable £20.00. Included with the set is the house itself, Masha figure, Bear figure, snowman, and over 15 other accessories - including Bears infamous armchair, and juggling set.

It's quite a compact playset and once opened up all the attached furniture pieces such as the stove, and fridge folds down nicely. The smaller accessories can fit inside the breadbin, in the pan, or chest - it's a lovely touch and one which keeps children engaged in play. As a parent, I must say that I was a little disappointed that the figures and accessories don't all fit inside neatly once put away. It means that many of the pieces have to be stored separately, and will be prone to being lost. If the playset was a little larger everything would be able to fit inside - it would have made it perfect.

Our favourite part of the Masha and the Bear Winter Bear Treehouse Playset has to be the figures - they are so like the show and articulated at the hips. I keep finding them inside Ava's rucksack as she likes to take them to and fro. Overall, it's a fabulous little set and who can argue with the price?

Next, we have the Masha and the Bear 23cm which is suitable for children from 3 years of age and retails at £20.00 - however, it's currently in the sale. Masha looked super cute in the box and Ava couldn't wait to get her out of the box. The doll is a lovely size and weight for young children like Ava to carry around and she really likes how you could pull down her headscarf, to expose her little pineapple ponytail. You can grab both toys online, and in-store from The Entertainer.

FGTeeV Season 2 Toys - Review & Giveaway

AD - We were sent these products for the purpose of this review.

Noah has been obsessed with FGTeeV for years - following the FG family on their many adventures over on their YouTube channel. At one point he even started talking like one of their kids! With this in mind, I was delighted to accept a bundle of FGTeeV toys for him. As you can see he was squealing with excitement when he spotted the toys. Want to see what we received and enter for your chance to win a prize? Read on!

First, we have the all-new Season 2 FGTeeV Mystery Figure Blind Bags. This season features a cast of characters from the FGTeeV and FV Family YouTube channels including: Laser Gamer Duddy, Baggo Beans, Ape Chase, Raptain Hook, and rare figures like Colonel on the Cob. Each blind bag comes with a single surprise figure. Noah was so happy to find Ape Chase - such a cool figure. The FGTeeV Mystery Figure Blind Bags retail at £4.99 each.

Next, we have the Season 2 FGTeeV Giant Mystery TeeV Set silver which is filled to the brim with FGTeeV goodies; x3 mini-figures, x2 14cm figures, sound effects hanger, flashlight keychain, stickers, and of course, the reusable TV storage container. This product certainly has the wow factor - it's huge and the TV is so realistic! Noah recognised every character inside and favourite item was the mini flashlight and sound effect keyring! It retails at £39.99 which is quite pricey but I'm sure its worth is for a Christmas or birthday gift for an epic FGTeeV fan!

What's better than one mystery figure? Three! The FGTeeV Mini Figure 6 Pack is the ideal for kids who go bananas over collectibles. Three figures are on display, and three are blind creating a fun unboxing surprise. There are a whopping 46 different figures to collect. This 6 Pack retails at £24.99 but it is currently on offer.

Noah loves the FGTeeV Season 2 range - it's brought the family from our screen, straight into our home. We thought it was great finding Duddy but it was even more fun finding all the different characters that the FG family has created over the years!

You can buy these toys and more online and in-store at Smyths, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Argos, Amazon, The Entertainer, and other good retailers. How would you like to win an FGTeeV Mystery Figure Blind Bag? To enter simply use the Gleam form below. Good look and don't forget to enter my other competitions.

FGTeeV Mystery Figure Blind Bag

Terms & Conditions.         
1. There will be 1 winner who will win the prize mentioned above.
2. Prize provided by me. 
3. Competition ends 31/10/20.
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only. 18 years old to enter.

Pound Puppies Newborns & Classic Plush Toys - Review

AD - We were sent these products for the purpose of this review.

Pound Puppies were a household name back in the 80's - the must-have toy! They were originally released back in 1984 - this was before I was born but my cousins had them and I was ever so envious. I secretly hoped they would grow out of them and pass them on to me but they never did. My partner Nick also had one when he was a child - he named it Patch and it was his best friend for many years until he managed to lose it on a ferry to Spain. He was so upset that his Nan ordered him a new one but a dark brown one arrived in the mail - she told him that he'd gotten a tan while in Spain!

As you can see Pound Puppies meant so much to children back in the day and I was delighted to hear that they were making a comeback. Basic Fun has just released replica Pound Puppies which are just like the originals, just a bit brighter - it's time to relive the magic!

We were sent two Pound Puppies for the purpose of this review - one large Pound Puppies plush which measures at 17 inches long and an eight-inch Pound Puppies Newborns plush. Each pup comes with its own retro-style cardboard kennels and adoption certificates. The lack of plastic packaging with these toys is very refreshing. The cardboard kennel they are displayed in can be reused as a toy carrier, as a keepsake, or somewhere just to store it.

Ava insisted we open the "big doggy" first and was delighted when she spotted the collar and birth certificate - she named him right away like a good Mummy! Introducing Chip; 17 inches long, dark brown, and super soft and cuddly! He has hard eyes and nose, just like the originals - giving a huge dose of nostalgia.

Just look at that face and those puppy dog eyes - he's irresistible. Ava likes to "bop" him on the nose with her finger and tickle behind his ears - just like she does with our real-life pup Tucker. Speaking of Tucker, he's been a little jealous of all the attention we've been giving to our Pound Puppies. Don't worry, there's enough love to go around

Also included, within the reusable carrier, is a sheet of adorable Pound Puppies stickers. Ava decided to use them as plasters when playing vets with him - I love how her mind works. The large Pound Puppies plushes retail at £19.99 each and there are four different pups to collect - we will probably have to collect them all.

The Pound Puppies Newborns are a fraction of the size at just 8 inches long. They are just like the large ones, just smaller versions which in my opinion makes them even cuter! There are 8 different newborns to collect which I think is wonderful - you can create a whole Pound Puppies litter. It's worth noting that the Pound Puppies newborns don't come with a tag on their collar or sticker sheet, however, they do include a small carrier and a birth certificate. I think this is fine, especially at just £7.99 each.

This series of Pound Puppies is in partnership with Dogs Trust - the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, rehoming around 14,300 dogs every year. For each Pound Puppy sold (keep a lookout for the Dogs Trust logo on the cardboard carrier) Basic Fun will make a donation to of 11p for each Newborn Pound Puppy and 27p for the Classic Pound Puppies. I think this is wonderful for raising money and bringing awareness but also as an avenue to teach children about adoption and rescuing animals, about compassion, and creating life long bonds with our pets.

This delivery from Pound Puppies have brought so much happiness into our home during lockdown - they are lovely and just how I remember them. You can purchase them today, online, or in-store at Smyths, Argos, and Tesco.

Bandai Rescue Runts Spaniel Puppy - Review & Giveaway

Ever since the kids were old enough to interact with animals, we've shown them how to treat animals with love and respect, which is something that I think all children should learn from a young age. Over the years they've inherited our affinity to animals, and I love it. I hope it's a trait that will follow them throughout childhood and beyond.

I was delighted when I heard the news that a Rescue Runt was on it's way to us because they looked like the ideal toys for my two little animal lovers. We didn’t know which puppy we'd be receiving and was delighted when we opened the box to discover a spaniel. There's also a husky, dalmatian and german shepard in series 1. I think we might need to adopt them all.

Rescue Runts are adorable, plush puppies, who need some TLC and a forever home. When we took our pup out the box it was evident that he needed our help, love, and care and that is just what he got from the kids. They used the grooming kit which is included, to nurture him back to health. They wiped away his tears with the small cloth, picked the fleas out of his fur with the tweezers, cleaned the mud off his paws and combed his hair out with the comb. They were in their element.

The kids also removed the bandage from his leg, perked up his ears up and made him smile. We then lovingly named him Coco, and we wrote his name on his collar. They've been taking such good care of their pup for the past couple of days, brushing his fur again when it gets messy again, recleaning his paws, and smothering him in plenty of kisses. It's great that they are able to redo this over and over.

At first glance, Rescue Runts may just look like a standard cuddly toy, but they are so much more than that. They are an engaging role play toy, one which encourages children to show compassion and empathy towards animals. What more could a parent ask for in a toy?

Each Rescue Runt comes witha brush, a cloth, a collar, a bandage, a pair of tweezers and 6 coloured fleas. They are suitable for children from 3 years of age, retail at £17.99, and are available to buy now online and at Smyths Toys. How would you like to win a Rescue Runt for your little one? To enter simply use the Gleam form below! Good luck and don't forget to enter my other competitions.

Bandai Rescue Runt Toy

Terms & Conditions.         
1. There will be 1 winner who win the prize mentioned above (style will vary)
2. Winners details sent to the PR to arrange the prize. 
3. Competition ends 23/12/18.
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy - Review

I don’t know how it happened but I feel like someone has come and pinched my baby and replaced him with a toddler. I feel like I’ve blinked and babyhood has just flown on by and we are now diving head first into the world of toddlers. 

This is totally new grounds for me as a first time Mum but I am already seeing so many differences in Noah. One of the changes that I have seen is that the toys that used to be favourite’s are now been discarded and instead he is looking for ones with really make him think. With this in mind when I was offered the chance to review the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy from Fisher Price I snapped up the chance because I knew it would really appeal to Noah, especially at the age that he is now. 

Details-
The Smart Stages Puppy has had a makeover but he is the same cuddly pup that we all know and love. He’s an interactive toy that responds to your child’s touch. Not only has he had a makeover but he has had an upgrade too because he now has stages which you are able to set to the level which is most suitable for your child. The Smart Stages Puppy talks, sings, lights up, plays music and many sounds which is sure to keep the kids entertained for hours minutes at a time.

Features -

50+ sing-along songs, tunes and phrases

Paws, tummy, ears and light-up heart respond to baby’s touch (7 activations in all!)

Includes Smart Stages technology—learning changes as baby grows with 3 levels of play!

Level 1 – Explore – 6M+ First words and sounds spark baby’s curiosity

Level 2 - Encourage – 12M+ Prompt baby through questions and simple directions

Level 3 – Pretend – 18M+ Imaginative fun and early role play

Introduces body parts, letters, colours, counting and more!

Batteries required: 3 X AA 

What we thought -

As a fan of buttons, lights and everything interactive the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy was a big hit with Noah. He will sit down for minutes at a time discovering what all the different buttons do and I throughout the day I will spot him giving him cuddles and kisses, it's very cute. 

I love the fact that you can change the level of the puppy to suit your child's age or development stage, it means that you are buying a baby learning toy that is going to last because your child will find it interesting and entertaining while they grow.

The only niggle that I have is that the puppy doesn't look as cute as he used to do, his head is too large! Ha ha! See, it's just a little niggle! 

I think the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy would be a welcome addition for any baby or toddler ever-expanding toy collection. You can buy online for as little as £19.99 which I think is a bargain considering how it's a toy that is going to suit so many different ages. 

- We were sent this product for the purpose of this review. However, all opinions are my own. 

Introducing the new wooden toy range from ASDA

Wooden toys are all the rage at the moment and for good reason too. There are so many pro's when it comes to choosing them over their plastic competitors. 

They look fabulous, are usually great value for money and are very hard wearing too. The main advantage for me is that they are a type of toy that don't need all the buttons, lights or batteries and they really encourages your child to use their creativity and imagination more. In this day and age where everything is electronic and digitial this is invaluable for both children and parents.  

When we were contacted asking if we would like to review a couple of the toys from ASDA's new wooden toy range I was more than happy to accept. I then had the hard feat of deciding on which toys to go for. I would of probably gone for one of the fabulous wooden kitchens if Noah was a little older but I chose the Wooden Toy Car Transporter and the Wooden Food Crates as I thought they were more age appropriate for him at the moment.

Wooden Toy Transporter- 

This is such a lovely toy. Not only do you receive the wooden car transporter but three little removable cars too. It's like two toys for the price of one! Each part of the transporters trailer comes apart too which is also a nice feature. It's clearly well made and excellent quality and for it to be just £12 is an absolute bargain. 

Noah really likes to play with the cars but is a little young to fully understand how they work just yet. It's a toy that's going to grow with him and I can see him having many years of fun with it. Photo's really don't do this toy justice, it's almost too beautiful to play with. 

   

Wooden Food Crates-

Food based toys are my favourite and as soon as I spotted these on the website I just had to go for them. For just £10 you receive 2 separate food crates filled with wooden toys foods; bread, cheese, onion, apple, aubergine, mushroom, baguette and a tomato. All of which look good enough to eat and I know that because Noah has tried on many occasions! 

I am so glad I chose this set because Noah absolutely loves them! He will take all the foods out of the crates and then put them back in. He chews on them, passes them to me, throws them around. He's had so much fun with these already in the short amount of time that we have had them. 

All in all we are very impressed with ASDA's new range of wooden toys. Both toys are superb quality, beautifully crafted and are excellent value for money. I can see us buying many more toys from the range in the future! 

- We were sent these products for the purpose of this review. However all opinions are my own.