Paper Jamz - Pro Mic

The blurb: Be a real superstar singer with the Paper Jamz Pro Mic. Sing a duet with the artist or go solo and become your favourite artist. The system features an auto mode that adjusts effects as your singing to recreate a track’s original sound. 1 built-in hit song and voucher for 3 downloadable songs. Buy new songs to add to your set list. Jam with Paper Jamz Pro fans from around the world with your own virtual studio.

I’m sure this is music to the ears of any Parent. A microphone that auto tunes your children (or you!!) and therefore makes the noise levels in the house much more bearable.....kind of!!  This is a brand new product from Paper Jamz, which is completely awesome and that Chick has played with loads.......you may need ear plugs to watch the video....

We definitely need to download some more tunes as I’m heartily sick of hearing the three that come installed! The Pro Mic retails at £29.99 and for us would be well worth the money! This comes highly recommended from the girls in the Brooks household.

Wild Science Face Mask Laboratory

The Blurb: Learn the secrets of luxurious cosmetics with Wild Science Face Mask Laboratory! Create your own clay face masks using the same ingredients as top brands and your healthy-looking skin will be the envy of all your friends. Follow the steps in the full colour instruction booklet which will teach you how to diagnose your own skin type and make the best custom cosmetics.

Everything you will need is provided; just add water and a little imagination! The perfect kit for sleepovers, there are four exciting experiments to try meaning girls will have hours of fun. Collect the whole range and open your own Luxury Day Spa!

This is a great set that Chick and I had a lot of fun with. We liked it so much that we bought a similar set for her best friend for Christmas. It's fab for parties and sleepovers especially now that Chick is getting a little bit older and is after having movie nights etc with her friends!!!  Retails at £14.99 from Toys R Us which I think is very reasonable for a good kit.

Bubble Buster

The blurb: Children will love this game of bursting bubbles! Simply turn on the bubble blower and get busting!

The first player to burst 20 magic pinging bubbles wins! But beware! Only some of the bubbles have a magic ping, burst as many bubbles as you can and the pings will sound higher and higher until you burst the 20th magic pinging bubble and your wand plays the winner's chime. For 1-2 players.

As we are very lucky to be Toyologists I try and share some of the joy with Chick’s after school club and because this is quite a hectic messy game I figured they would have much more fun trying it out than Chick and I.  




They liked:


That it was easy to set up


The kids loved it and will play with it for hours




They disliked:


It can be difficult to get the bubbles to make the pinging noise


It's also difficult to count the one who is first to 20 when they are jumping around like lunatics!!

The only other downside to the game is that it requires 4 x AA and 4 x AAA batteries and also that it’s quite messy....I guess it’s not so bad if you save it for mainly outside play during warmer weather!! Retails at £17.99 which is ok and is aimed at ages 4+ although I’m sure with supervision younger children would be able to play. 

Pirate Snakes and Ladders and Ludo

The Blurb: Two games in one! Old favourites are given an exciting pirate twist on this double-sided playing board.  Raise the anchor and set a course for the buried treasure in snakes and ladders, or join the pirate fun on the ludo board on the back!

Suitable for 2-4 players.

I absolutely love these and would thoroughly recommend them. It’s a double sided set which we have played with constantly and it only costs £8.99.

The set is bright and colourful and can be played by the whole family although due to the small pieces it’s recommended from age 5. The design is predominantly aimed at boys but Chick had no issues in playing with a ‘boys’ toy!

Would make a fabulous birthday or Christmas present and comes highly recommended from the Brooks household! 

Teacup Piggies

The blurb: Teacup Piggies are everyone's best friend! Dress them, feed them and take them wherever you go. These cute interactive piggies talk and laugh and oink and each has her own unique personality.

Each piggie says over 25 different phrases. Lay them on their side and they go to sleep and gently snore, feed them with their bottle and hear them drinking! Each set contains:

·         1 x Teacup Piggie

·         1 x Teacup

·         1 x Feeding Bottle

·         1 x Birth Certificate

I can see why these may be attractive to children but if I’m honest it’s not something that I would buy for Chick. They are cute and interactive and they talk an awful lot but don’t say anything interesting. I don’t mind their American accent but it does get kind of annoying after a while. I think part of my problem with these is that they cost £15 but don’t really do much.

Chick gives her opinion in the video:

Given how much she says that she likes it, she really hasn’t played with it that often at all. However, she is seduced by all the other accessories that you can buy to go with it and would really like the limo. I guess if you buy some of the other sets the kids would play with them a lot more.

Available to buy in-store and online from Toys R Us at £14.99. The limo retails at £24.99.

Bop It XT

The Blurb: Move to the groove and compete to the beat! Bop It XT takes Bop It gameplay to a whole new level. All your favourite actions are here, bop, twist, pull, spin, and flick. Now you have a shake action too! Six different actions - things are going to get manic!

A great game for children's parties. Adding to the excitement is a taunting, yet hilarious, electronic announcer directing your every move. The better you get the faster it goes, and when you miss a beat you'll hear about it! Practice alone and play at parties, it's a game you are compelled to beat!

This is kind of the new and improve Bop It. It has more functions and buttons than the normal version. We are big fans but Chick struggled to get to grips with this initially as it had so much going on but the more she has played with it the better she has got. After School Club were kind enough to help us out with the review and the video is of them trying to score more than 10 ;-) (Apologies that most of the video is sideways!!)

Retails at £17.99 from Toys R Us and is available online or in-store. It’s aimed at ages 8+ and as I say Chick struggled initially so I think that is about right, although younger children could play.

Galt Magic Science Kit

This fun Magic Science set contains 10 Magical activities for the trainee wizard! Make your own mysterious, shimmering magic wand, learn about famous wizards and cast spells as you mix up bubbling, colour changing, glowing potions in your test tube cauldron!

Set Contains:

·         3 test tubes and stand

·         1 clear tube wand

·         2 wand caps

·         Citric acid 20g

·         Bicarbonate of soda 50g

·         Red cabbage juice powder 3g

·         Cross-linked polyacrylamide crystals 28g

·         12 colour tablets

·         Zinc sulphide 2g

·         Pair of goggles

·         Medium and small scoops

·         Pipette

·         Purple paper

·         Star stickers

·         Goldenrod paper

·         Science and activity guide

My little Scientist has had most of the Galt Science sets and they’ve all been a huge hit. As Chick has so many of these sets we gave this one to After School club to review and they came up with the attached video, complete with child falling off his chair in the last 10 seconds!!!

Retails at £12.99 and is aimed at ages 10+. Available from Toys R Us instore and online.

Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Play Doll

The blurb: Girls will love these gorgeous Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Dolls! When their last stitch was sewn they came to life, taking on the personalities that come from the fabrics that made them.

Jewel Sparkles was made from remnants of a real princess' dress. She is very graceful, a little bit bossy, and loves to dance and wear sparkly clothes. She also has a Persian cat.

Chick is probably a little bit too old for this now but it doesn’t change the fact that she loves it!! Our doll is a ‘Jewel Sparkle’ doll and what I love about her is that she looks kind of like a rag doll but is actually really sturdy!! Throw in a cool website and Chick is a massive fan!! The other thing that I like about this is that it encourages kids to use their imagination and in this day and age I think it’s a good thing!

She comes with a brush, hair accessories and a little cat that has a curly tail that matches the doll’s hair.  I much prefer this to the old fashioned styling dolls with the grungy hair that gets all clumpy when you’ve brushed it  few times. Jewel has plastic hair that doesn’t tangle and can be curled or straightened and then twisted back around. Add bows, ribbons or hair jewels for more fun.

Aimed at 4+ years and retailing at around £39.99 (although TRU have £10 off at the moment!!) I think this will be a big hit with girls everywhere this year so get yours now before they sell out. A whole range of extra Lalaloopsy accessories are also on sale. Available from Toys R Us online and instore. Remember to check out the hundreds of brilliant reviews over at the Toybox.

Pumpaloons

The blurb: Race your opponents to pump air into your 3ft tall inflatable characters which bob and weave as the slowly rise up. The first pumpaloon to fully inflate and sound its whistle is the winner! A great game for 2 – 4 players.

This is a brilliant game and should definitely be on Christmas lists across the land. It’s super easy to set up and put away and can be used by all ages. We’ve challenged most people to try and beat us and had some great fun. Chick has also inflated the pumpaloons and dressed them as mini people in a whole variety of fashion outfits!!!

As the blurb says the game is a race to inflate your Pumpaloon first and can be amazingly competitive but in a super fun way. The only downside that we found was that one of the pumps wasn’t great but the manufacturer sent us a replacement for it and it’s been fine since.

We would both highly recommend this and I’m pretty sure we’ll be using it on Christmas day when the whole family is together. It retails at £14.99 which I think is a good price considering how much we’ve used it. Available online and instore from Toys R Us.

Scraperfoil Gift Set

The blurb: The Scraperfoil Gift Set by Reeves includes three Scraperfoil titles, which can be mastered by scraping away the pre-printed outlines and by adding some individual touches of your own. Each pack contains: 3 pre-printed board, 2 scrapertools, 1 practice piece with full set of instructions, all presented in stylish silver packaging to compliment the range.

The idea is that you scrape off the grey print to get to the silver underneath. Once it’s done you get a lovely silver ‘etching’.  The pictures are quite detailed and I found that you had to concentrate but it wasn't too difficult.......Chick unfortunately wasn’t interested in doing this after the first 5 minutes, but to be honest she isn’t a big fan of concentrating!!!

You may remember back in July that we reviewed the ‘RainbowScraper Foil’ kit and were distinctly unimpressed with the scraper as it was plastic and didn’t work very well. Thankfully the scraper that comes with this set is made of metal and it makes a real difference to the detail of the pictures.

The set came with 3 different pictures and 2 scrapers so could be shared. I think this would make a lovely present for slightly older children and is suggested for ages six years and up. Retails at around £11.99 and available instore from Toys R Us.

Monopoly Electronic Banking

The blurb: Monopoly is the classic property trading board game. It’s the game about dealing in big money and getting rich quick! Swipe your bank card to transfer money - it couldn’t be easier!

Starting from the famous “GO” space, move around the board, buying and selling properties, building apartments and hotels as you go. Watch out for players landing on your property – they owe you rent! And don’t forget to collect £2,000,000 every time you pass “GO”! That’s right, £2 Million… on your Bank Card!

The places have changed to reflect the real London of today that we all know and love – from Bishopsgate to Kensington Palace Gardens. Choose from a range of new movers including a mobile phone, roller blade, or even a cheeseburger!

I’m a firm believer that every family should own at least one version of Monopoly. It’s great for some good old family rivalry and also for use during power cuts!!!

What I like about this version:

Updated board so Chick recognises the places in London

Updated counters....I’m all for a bit of moving forward

Being able to collect rent from the properties.....bring it on.

Having high rise buildings

Makes it a much quicker game

Collecting £2 million every time you pass go!!! I like having so much money!

What I don’t like:

There is no cash!!! What?? The fun of Monopoly for me is getting everyone else’s wads of cash! A bank card just doesn’t give you the same thrill!! However that may just be me as Chick doesn’t appear to be unduly bothered!

Updated counters....I’m all for a bit of moving forward but I much prefer the dog and the top hat to the skateboard or mobile phone!

The game includes:

·         1 x Gameboard

·         1 x Banker Unit

·         6 x Movers

·         2 x Dice

·         32 x Green Apartments

·         12 x Red Hotels

·         28 x Title Deed Cards

·         16 x Chance Cards

·         16 x Community Chest Cards

·         6 x Monopoly Bank Cards

·         Game Rules & Instructions

The only extra thing that you need is two AA batteries to make the cash machine work. 

Aimed at ages 8+ which I feel is right. Obviously younger children can play with some help and guidance. Available from Toys R Us at £21.99 and thoroughly recommended for Christmas!

Jack and Jill Game Giveaway

The blurb: Race up the hill and be the first to reach the well in this fun Jack & Jill counting and colour matching game. Roll the dice to climb the hill and be the first player to reach the well to win the game. But be careful, spin the spinner and you might fall down to the bottom and have to start all over again!

I’ve always been a big fan of board games, not just for the kids but for the whole family. I’m a big fan of spending quality time together playing. Obviously it doesn’t always end happily especially when I’m a competitive Mum and Chick is an only child ;-)

This game is a perfect board game for younger children. It’s bright and colourful and easy to play. It also has different levels of the game so you play either by colours or by numbers according to your child’s development level. 

Available to buy instore or online from Toys R Us at £8.99.

To enter all you need to do is check out the Toys R Us page on Facebook and have a look around at the amazing reviews in the Toybox and then leave me a comment here letting me know that you've done so. Alternatively you could copy and paste the following on Twitter:

I’d like to win the Jack & Jill game with @TRUToyologists and @AdventuresEM at http://adventuresofanenglishmumreviews.blogspot.com/

Closing date is Sunday, 27th November at 5pm. Good Luck :-)

Shark Chase Game

The Blurb: Are you ready for the Shark Attack? Players scramble with excitement and fear as they roll the dice looking for their colours. The motorised shark chomps and chases all the fish around the game board! Each player tries to out-swim the shark and their friends to be the last surviving fish to win the game!  Suitable for 2-4 players.

This is a really easy game to set up - which is always a bonus. It’s bright and colourful and very easy to play and Chick really enjoys playing this. We’ve played it several times and it’s always accompanied by lots of shrieking and laughter. Chick filmed the video so it’s a bit shaky:

It needs 2 AA batteries so isn’t too expensive to run. It’s aimed at ages 5+ but smaller children could definitely play with a bit of help setting up the game. The only downside from my point of view is the price. I think for what it is £19.99 is a lot of money. Having said that however we have played with it quite a lot and Chick likes it and would give it 4 out of 5.

Available online or instore from Toys R Us. Don’t forget to check out all the fabulous review over on the Toybox before you think about buying the kids Christmas presents.

Pinypon Travel Pack Gift Set Giveaway

Do you fancy winning a couple of new toys in the run up to Christmas??? We just received the last Toys R Us Toyology box for this year (booooo hiss) and I have two great prizes to giveaway.....one today and another tomorrow!!

PinyPon Travel Pack Gift Set

Pinypon loves to travel! She loves to visit all the trendy cities - such as New York and Paris and it's much more fun when you travel with a friend! There's so much to see and do.

Contents:

2 Pinypon Dolls

1 Pet

30 Accessories

3 Postcards

Sets are available from Toys R Us instore.  To enter all you need to do is check out the Toys R Us page on Facebook and have a look around at the amazing reviews in the Toybox and then leave me a comment here letting me know that you've done so.

Closing date is Sunday, 27th November at 5pm.

Pinypon 6 Figure Set

The blurb: This great PinyPon 6 Figure set is perfect for hours of creative fun. Comes complete with 4 Pinypon dolls, 2 pets and 30 accessories.

Pinypon dolls can be customised with the latest accessories and hair styles giving them a completely different, unique look.

To go with the Pinypon caravan that I reviewed last week, we also received a bonus pack of six Pinypon figures. They come with all kinds of accessories and are all mix and match.

They are quite sturdy figures that are all interchangeable. You can change the hair, faces, clothes and make them male or female. I really like the whole Pinypon set as it encourages imanginative play and although these are relatively pricey at £14.99 think that the kids will definitely get the use out of them.

These would be better as an addition to one of the other sets i.e. the caravan or the car but they can be used as a stand alone toy too. Available online or instore from Toys R Us.

Pinypon Caravan

The blurb: Take your Pinypon doll and her pet on a caravan adventure. This pretty flower caravan comes complete with a surfboard, a boat with a slide, deck chairs for relaxing in and even a little pool with a shower that really squirts out water.

Pinypon dolls can be customised with the latest accessories and hair styles giving them a completely different, unique look.

Includes:

·         1 x Caravan

·         1 x Pinypon Doll

·         1 x Pinypon Pet

·         2 x Deck Chairs

·         1 x Table

·         2 x Surfboards

·         1 x Pool with working shower

·         Sheet of Stickers

When I first saw this in the box I thought about giving it to my old friends at the hospital as I presumed that Chick was too old for it. Turns out I was completely wrong!! She caught a glimpse of it when I was trying to do something else and had it away and open quicker than I could say ‘no’!!! 

Out of everything that we’ve had so far this has definitely had the most use.  I’m not sure if they have a clever advertising campaign (as Chick knows all the words) but according to her, the buzz on the playground is that these are the toys to ask for at Christmas.

The set is mainly plastic and seems well made. It comes with a few annoying little pieces but actually is pretty cool. Everything folds up and can be put away inside the caravan so it stores very easily.

Chick loves that it’s compact but also everything else about it. The fact that you can add water and make the shower actually work, the fact that the dolls come with different hair, faces, clothes and accessories. Every time she’s had a friend round they’ve had the set out and been role playing. As I say I thought that she’d be too old for it but I can’t recommend it highly enough from her point of view.

The set is aimed at ages 4+ which I think is fine and as I say Chick is almost 9 and has used it constantly. Smaller children could use the caravan and dolls but you would have to take out the tiny pieces.

Retails at £24.99 and is available from Toys R Us online or instore.