Sparking Curiosity: How the Right Toys Enhance Children's Emotional and Social Skills

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Toys have long been a source of joy and learning for children. Beyond simple entertainment, the right toys can be instrumental in fostering a child’s emotional and social development. When carefully chosen, toys act as tools that spark curiosity, nurture creativity, and help children build critical life skills.

From collaborative play with an easel climbing frame 3 in 1 to self-expression through children’s musical instruments, the impact of toys extends far beyond childhood.

What’s the best wooden play equipment for kids?

 **Collaborative Feature**

The longer days of summer are fast approaching – and with brighter and warmer weather, there’s no better time for kids to spend their days outside in the fresh air. Unfortunately, modern life means many kids spend too much time in front of screens, from computers and TVs to mobile phones and tablets. So, if you want your kids to get outdoors and benefit from physical exercise this summer, you’ll need something that motivates them to play in the garden.

There are lots of things children can do to entertain themselves and burn off energy outside, but what better way to get kids active and inspire their imaginations than installing wooden outdoor play equipment?

Read on to learn about wooden play equipment for children and which types you can choose from to bring more fun to your back garden.

Exploring Imaginative Play with the Very Toys Range

 **Collaborative Post**

AD: Sometimes called role play, pretend play, or even imaginative play, whatever you call it, learning through play is a vital part of how children learn many skills as they grow up and is a vital part of development. Learning through play and through a variety of toys and games is one of the best ways children can learn these skills and develop things such as imagination, creativity, and storytelling as well as practical skills such as perfecting fine motor skills. 

From dressing up to creating make-believe scenarios, imaginative play is a completely normal and actually vital part of normal child development and should be actively encouraged. This can be done in several ways and is really simple to do so if you want to find out a little more about what imaginative play involves and how you can encourage your child more, keep reading below. 

InstaGlam Glo-Up Girls Doll **REVIEW**

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Two of Evelyn's favourite things at the moment have got to be her dolls and surprise toys, like many other kids, I am sure. So, when we heard about the all new InstaGlam Glo-Up Dolls from Character toys that combine both of those things I knew instantly they would be a big hit. Containing a doll that also comes with 25+ surprises the unboxing is just as much fun as the playing, and there are four dolls to collect! 

The InstaGlam Glo-Up dolls are eye catching even from the shop shelves, with their shimmering and glam packaging they give a feel for what to expect from these fun fashionable dolls. With four dolls to collect I like that you are able to see which doll you are choosing within the box to avoid any duplicates. You can also take a peek at the 25 surprises too as the side of the box opens up via a small Velcro flap to reveal the surprises down the side of the box. 

Lite Brite from Basic Fun **REVIEW**

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There is something so nostalgic about seeing toys that remind you of toys from your childhood and then getting to share them with your own children isn't there? Last week I introduced Evelyn to Care Bears which were a definite blast from the past and this week I got to show her the awesome Lite Brite! 

Some of you will remember the classic peg art activity where you could great a picture using coloured pegs on a black board. Well Basic Fun have brought back this classic and I love that they have kept it as classic as possible, it is definitely taking me back to my childhood! 

Apparently the Lite Bright was first created in the 1960's, however I am a 90's child and vividly remember playing with one of these at my nans at the time which just goes to prove how popular this toy really is. Its a classic activity that never really ages or gets old and that is why I was so excited to share it with my own kids. 

Series 3 Rainbocorns from ZURU! **REVIEW**

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We all love receiving happy mail, but when you are six and a gigantic (and I mean ginormous) pink surprise egg lands on your doorstep, the excitement is next level! So can you imagine just how excited Evelyn was when this giant pink egg arrived for her to open? It is full to the brim with new and exciting toys from the new Rainbocorns range for her to open and we can't wait to share them all with you. 

It's actually part of a very exciting new project with ZURU that we were over the moon to be selected for. We are part of the ZURU Instagram Elite League, meaning we get to share lots of amazing toys from ZURU with you, share our thoughts and even give you guys the chance to win some amazing prizes too (check out my Instagram for more information about this). 

Na! Na! Na! Surprise - Series 2 **REVIEW**

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Surprise toys have become increasingly popular over the last few years and there are now a huge range of different surprise toys and suprise elements built into toys. However when Evelyn was recently kindly sent a series 2 Na! Na! Na! Surprise to try out we were both excited to discover a totally unqiue way of unboxing this super cool surprise toy! 

If you haven't heard of them before Na! Na! Na! Surprise dolls are a collection of soft, yet articulated fashion dolls with 6 to collect in each series. They are made by MGA Entertainment (the same people behind the much loved L.O.L Surprise dolls) and Evelyn was so excited about revealing her very first Na! Na! Na! Surprise doll doll and seeing who she would find during the fun unboxing process. 

L.O.L Surprise Furniture Packs **REVIEW**

**Review**

L.O.L Surprise has taken the UK by storm in the last few years, with their miniature collectible dolls including big sisters, little sisters and even a range of L.O.L Surprise pets. These adorable collectibles have taken over toy stores and kids bedrooms everywhere including our home! 

Evelyn has quite the collection now and they are definitely her most played with toy of all time. I love seeing her play with the dolls, her little imagination coming to life through the dolls and all their tiny accessories. But when she heard about a new series coming out, the L.O.L Surprise Furniture packs which contain not only the dolls, but furniture and accessories too she couldn't wait to add some to her collection. 

L.O.L Surprise OMG Fashion Dolls **REVIEW**

**Review**

L.O.L Surprise is everywhere and the adorable collectible dolls and pets are at the top of most birthday and Christmas lists for kids of all ages. But there is a new L.O.L Surprise product hitting the shelves which might just make this brand even more lovable and collectible than before!  

The new L.O.L Surprise OMG Fashion dolls look similar in features to the previous L.O.L Surprise dolls, but with twist... these dolls are large and more Barbie size that the traditional palm size dolls we are used to. But fear not they still come with all the same great features, tons of surprises too and have fast become one of Evelyn's favourite products yet. 

The new L.O.L Surprise OMG Fashion Dolls are a similar size to a Barbie in height and size. But that's where the similarities end really, because these dolls have so much more detail, have articulated body parts and come with a whole host of surprises. Whilst the OMG dolls may look different to the previous L.O.L Surprise big sister dolls, they still have the same surprise element and same great features. What's more is that these dolls actually belong to the families of the smaller L.O.L Surprise dolls so everyone links in together to create even larger families than before. 

Zak Storm Toys & App **REVIEW**

Recently I have seen more and more toys bringing together the fun of toys with the love of technology and this seems to be becoming a real hit with kids, mine included! So when we were recently offered to try out some new Zak Storm toys which are doing just that we couldn't wait for them to arrive. 

Zak Storm is a new animated series that is taking the world by storm! Zak stories begins when he steals his dads special necklace. He enters a surfing competition but ends up being sucked into the Bermuda triangle by a giant wave. Zak then finds himself as the captain of a ship called The Chaos and this is where the story begins on the app as you help Zak navigate his way home through trials and challenges. 

Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum **REVIEW**

Evelyn has always loved the vacuum, even as a baby she would crawl around after the vacuum whenever I would bring it out. When she started walking the role play toys and toy vacuum were always the first toys she would head for and not much had changed now she is 3. She adores role play toys and I love seeing her making up her own little world, so when we were asked if we wanted to try out the Casdon Dyson Vacuum I knew she would love it!

When the Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum I was instantly surprised at how realistic it looks! The replica design means it doesn't feel too babyish for independent toddlers who want to me just like mummy and daddy. It includes features realistic sounds, and this vacuum even has working suction and moving cyclone action to make play even more engaging and realistic.

Flush Force Collectibles **REVIEW**

You only have to mention the word "blind bag" or "collectible" in our house and both James and Evelyn get super excited. So when I heard about a new kind of collectible we just had to try it out.

Flush Force are gruesome new collectibles you will find lurking in their very owl toilet bowls! But these are no ordinary blind bag's in fact Flush Force characters are hiding behind a brand new "flush to reveal" technology, making opening these blind bags even more exciting.

Toxic sludge has mutated everything in the sewer! Now the Flush Force is coming up your toilets to attack! It's up to you to collect them all and Flush them back!

Colours of the sea Ariel **REVIEW**

There aren't many people out wont have seen or heard of the film The Little Mermaid. Its a Disney classic and even as an adult its a film I still enjoy to watch. So you can imagine my delight when Evelyn showed an interest in watching Disney films and of all the films we have watched together The Little Mermaid has been one of her absolute favourites. So when we were given the chance to try out and review a Colours of the sea Ariel doll I knew it would be a big hit with Evelyn.

Colours of the sea Ariel toddler doll from the Disney film "The Little Mermaid" who is able to fully submerge in the water and say 14 enchanting, recognisable phrases. Ariel's tail also shines and sparkles creating a beautiful light show when she is submerged in water at bath time. Of course Ariel wouldn't be without her trusty friend flounder though, who also comes included with this doll as a fun bath water squirter.

Ariel isn't just confined to being a bath toy though, she is so much more! With her wide tail she is able to stand unaided which has been perfect for when my little girl has wanted to use Ariel to play tea parties with. Her tail also light sup outside of the water too.

Ariel is larger than other standard size dolls making her great for toddlers as she is easy to hold and move around.

I was a little worried how her hair would cope once it had gotten wet as lots of dolls hair seems to get knotted and matted when wet. Ariel's hair however stayed silky soft and smooth and was easy to brush out and dry once out of the bath with her hair returning to almost the same style as it was when she arrived.

Would we recommend Colours of the Ariel? Definitely! She has been a huge hit with Evelyn and whilst the phrases can become a little repetitive for us adults little ones will loves them. The light show her tails gives off at bath time has made for great bath time fun and the lights are actually quite bright even under the water, lighting up a good portion of the bath water. She comes complete with the batteries required and so as soon as Ariel is out of the box the fun can begin. The doll feels sturdy and fantastic quality and it by far Evelyn's new favourite toy, its come everywhere with her bath time or not!

Does your little one have a favourite Disney Character?

xXx


** We received a colours of the sea Ariel doll which we used to create this review. All words, opinions and photos are my own.**

Stretchy Scooby Doo **REVIEW**

The Scooby Doo cartoon is one that I am sure many will remember, and the fact is that generation to generation, it is still loved. I remember watching Scooby Doo when I was a child and whilst the picture on screen may have got a little clearer, I love the fact that the stories and characters are all still basically the same and that we get the chance to introduce our own kids to some of the characters we ourselves loved as kids. 

At age 7 James has recently got in to watching Scooby Doo so when we were given the opportunity to review a new Scooby Doo toy, I knew James would love it. The new Stretchy Scooby Doo is the same recognizable Scooby Doo character but with a twist, he can be stretched up to 3x his original size and still ping back to normal. It still features all of Scooby's classic features such as his blue collar and rather nervous facial expression.

From his neck down every part of stretchy Scooby doo can be stretched out of shape, he can even be tied up in knots and he still returns to his original shape and size! I have to admit I was apprehensive as to whether Scooby would actually return to his original shape without some signs of stretching or sagging from the stretching, but I was wrong! Scooby pinged back to shape within seconds of stretching with no signs of him being stretched at all.

Stretch Scooby Doo is aimed at children aged 5+ which I would say is fairly accurate. Whilst Evelyn (aged 2) enjoyed playing with Scooby it can be quite tough to get him to stretch and so this part wasn't suitable for her. James is almost 7 and was able to stretch Scooby himself though so it is definitely doable for a child. It may require an adults help though if you wanted to really stretch him out!

Overall, James loves the stretch Scooby Doo and thinks it's great fun trying to stretch him a little more each time he plays with him or twist, stretch and knot him in different ways! He is currently priced at £19.99, and you can find out more or purchase your own Stretchy Scooby via the Character Website.

Do your kids watch Scooby Doo or do you remember watching it growing up?

xXx

BABY Born train Andy puppy **REVIEW**

When you think of dolls one of the names that springs to mind is BABY Born but did you know its not just dolls and accesories they sell as they also sell pets just like the train Andy puppy!

This adorable little puppy is the perfect companion for your little one. Andy is an interactive puppy who can walk, sit and beg and comes with a handy remote for your child to control and train Andy. Andy also comes with a bone which you can feed to him.

Evelyn adores Andy's soft fur and loves patting him on the back to make him sit. She thinks it hilarious when she feeds him the little pink bone only for him to poop it back out after! All of the main actions for Andy are controlled by the remote which is small enough for even a toddler to be able to hold on to.

We did find that the remote had to be held quite close to Andy's head for it to work properly which isn't a massive issue although did get a little frustrating for Evelyn who just wanted to wave the remote around in excitement.

I really liked how interactive Andy is which makes him really stand out. Sometimes Andy will start walking quickly which is a sign he is getting excited, a simple pat to the back is a sign for sit and Andy will stop. He also lets out a little whimper is you leave him switched on and unattended for too long.

 Evelyn has definitely taken Andy on as her very own pet which has been great for teaching her about looking after pets etc. It would be lovely to see some accesories brought out for Andy as I think this is a toy she will be playing with for quite some time. The toy states it is for children aged 3+ however Evelyn is just a little over 2 and adores it. She does need some help with a few of the functions but otherwise its a lovely toy for her.

You can check out more about train Andy over on the BABY Born website.

xXx


** I was not paid for this review, we were provided with a train Andy puppy free on charge in exchange for our honest review. All words and opinions are my own.**

BABY Born Interactive Doll **REVIEW**

Evelyn has reached that age where she adores dolls and babies so when we were recently offered the chance to review one of the dolls from Zapf Creation I knew Evelyn would be only to happy to help!

We received the BABY Born Interactive doll.

The BABY Born Interactive doll is a hard bodied doll which comes with plenty of accesories. Included in the box with the BABY Born is 1 body suit, 1 hat, 1 plate with spoon, 1 bottle with lid, 1 potty, 1 dummy, 1 nappy, 1 portion of porridge, 1 friendship bracelet each for your child and the doll and a birth certificate.

The BABY Born interactive doll is a good size and weight which definitely makes this doll feel more realistic than other dolls we have had. It feels sturdy and has movable arms, legs and head. One of the reasons we went for a hard bodied doll is because Evelyn likes to take her dolls everywhere including the garden and the bath! BABY Born is able to do all this and be easily wiped down is needed which is a big bonus. 

The BABY Born doll has several interactive features including the ability to cry, wee and poo, the doll is for children age 3+ although as Evelyn is only 2 she wasn't to interested in these features just yet and was happy to just pretend. As I mentioned the doll is aimed at children age 3+ and Evelyn is only 2 but she got on just fine with the doll and really loves playing with it. We did have a go at making it cry but found it quite difficult and I would imagine a child would find it quite difficult to apply enough pressure to make tears appear on their own so this may require some help from a grown up.

I would have loved to have had a few more nappies/ portions of food for the baby in the box as the set does only come with 1 of each of these and they were used quite quickly. However I have noticed you can purchase these separately so if you are thinking of purchasing this doll I would definitely recommend purchasing some of these at the same time to go with your doll. 

The BABY Born Interactive doll is currently priced at £44.99 and we think its definitely a worth while investment. I can see Evelyn spending years playing with this doll and with so many accessories to buy for it and outfits to change there is always plenty to add to your child's doll. It is great for role play and imaginative play and being such a sturdy doll is made to last. 

Do your children like dolls? 

xXx

Og On The Bog Game **REVIEW** and Giveaway!

Og on the Bog is a new tongue-in-cheek game from Drumond Park. A completely outrageous children’s game perfect for the whole family to play, where adventurous players are creeping up on Og while he sits on his bog in the forest. 

The aim of the game is simple, you have to try and steal Ogs toilet rolls without him noticing. You use the tree trunk spinner provided and each player has a spin to take their turn. As you spin you will hear Og in his Bog making all sorts of crude noises including burping and farting. Each player takes a turn and what you do during your turn depends on what the spinner lands on! 

If it lands on the "red cross" it means you have been to noisy and have disturbed Og, you miss a turn this time. When the spinner lands on the hand holding the loo roll you get the chance to pinch a loo roll of another player!

If during your turn the spinner lands on the green tick you get the chance to steal a loo roll from Og! But you must remember to push down the toilet step first and be sure to be quiet because if he hears you or feels you stealing his loo roll his Bog will explode! 

The winner is the first player to successfully get 3 or 4 loo rolls (depending on the number of players). 

Og on the Bog has been a big hit in our house and it has definitely provided plenty of giggles and laughs for all the family. The game is aimed at children aged 5+ and I think this is definitely the right age range and something my son who is 6 and his friends will have lots of fun playing, however this game is very simple and so I would say with supervision would be fine for slightly younger children too. The Og on the Bog game is simple yet fun and will definitely be a game that will be pulled out time and time again. The "jump" factor adds that extra bit of excitement as everyone eagerly awaits the "exploding" bog and this makes for exciting game for all. 

The game is easy to assemble and just requires you to clip on the loo roll holder and slide on the loo roll. You will also need to add 3 AA batteries which are not included. Then thats it you are ready to play! 

You can find Og on the Bog and many more fun games on the Drumond Park website HERE. 

Fancy a chance to win your very own Og on the Bog game (RRP £22.99)? Then simply enter our Rafflecopter giveaway below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Gross Magic Set **REVIEW** and GIVEAWAY!

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Most kids and adults alike love the wonder and mystery that comes with magic. That jaw dropping moment when a trick goes right and it leaves you guessing and wondering exactly how they even did it? I know as a kid I was always intrigued by magic and would wish I could learn some cool tricks to show my friends! But now kids really can get stuck in with learning some pretty cool (and gross!) magic tricks with the Gross Magic set from Drumond Park. 

The Gross Magic set is full to bursting with truly outrageous gags, tricks and spell binding magic that will have even the grown ups wondering how you did it (well that or totally grossed out, but either works for kids right?). The set combines amazing magic with fantastically gross tricks and with so many tricks to learn it is sure to keep the kids busy. 

Fisher-Price Princess Walker **REVIEW**

Evelyn finally reached that big milestone of walking a little over a month ago and whilst she is still a little wobbly she loves to walk everywhere. Now she is on the move she loves pushing things along and taking her teddies on walks is great as it seems to steady her much more and gives her lots of confidence.

So when we were given the chance to try out the new Fisher-Price Princess Walker we jumped at the chance as I knew Evelyn would love it, and I wasn't wrong.

The princess walker is perfect if your child is learning to walk right up until they are confidently walking, the wide, sturdy base and easy grasp handle are just right for little toddlers. As I mentioned above Evelyn is already walking but this is still helping her grow in confidence, speed and stability.

The Fisher-Price princess walker is great for developing motor skills and also encouraging role play scenarios. Evelyn is a huge fan of this baby walker and she loves pushing around her dolls and teddies around in it.

The princess walker also has the added feature of music and lights! With a simple press of the heart shaped wand at the top it rewards your toddler with magical sounds and lights along the top of the walker. Evelyn loves this added edition and happily bops her head and wiggles along to the music as she strolls along. To run the music the walker requires 3 AA batteries which are not included and has 3 settings - off, on quiet and on loud.

We are giving the Fisher-Price princess walker a huge thumbs up! This has been one of Evelyn's favourite toys since it came out of the box. It seems to be really well made, strong, sturdy and built to last as with all Fisher-Price products we have tried. Evelyn has pushed this indoors and outdoors on all different surfaces and it still looks as good as new.

The Fisher-Price princess walker is suitable for ages 9 months + and is priced at £34.99. The Fisher-Price princess doll which you can see in the pictures above can be purchased separately and is priced at £9.99. Stockists include Smyths, Toys R Us, Argos and Amazon.

If you want to know more about either product of more products from the range you can visit the Fisher-Price website here - www.fisher-price.com.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Thomas & Friends - My First Rail Rollers Spiral Station **REVIEW**

Now that Evelyn has turned 1 and is now on the move we have had a big overhaul of her toys and its been out with the "baby" toys and in with the noisy, musical, light up, stand up toddler toys which has been met with shrieks of excitement from Evelyn!

One new toy Evelyn has been trying out is the Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station.

This rail rollers spiral station allows children to drop their favourite engines into the top of Tidmouth sheds and watch them zoom down the spiral tracks. As they speed past the track signs which spins as the rail rollers hit it they then reach the bottom and are greeted by the fat controller who guides them into the clear lift tube to start the journey over again!

The track comes in several pieces which are really easy to put together and are just clicked in to place. I also liked the fact this toy doesn't require any batteries or fiddly bits to assemble so you don't have to worry about the batteries running out or replacing them etc.

Evelyn loves watching the rail rollers speed down the track and even her brother who is 5 has been having lots of fun racing them down the track with his little sister. The rail rollers are a good size perfect for little hands and can be easily gripped, Evelyn is able to pick them up unaided. She did struggle to master the lift handle at first but once we had shown her a few times she had it masters and was soon whizzing the rail rollers up and down the engine lift.

There are several ways the rail rollers can get around they can either spin around the track, drop down the centre (there a windows on the side so you can see it traveling down) or they can go up and down in the lift.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station makes a fantastic toddler toy as the bright colours are eye catching and the chunky parts and ease of use make it easy for toddlers to handle and master by themselves.

We would definitely give the Rail rollers spiral station a big thumbs up as it definitely kept Evelyn (and her big brother) entertained and both were giggling and encouraging their rollers as they watching the rail rollers whizz down the track. It feels sturdy, strong and built to last which is a must with toddler toys especially.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station is aimed at children 12 months + and is priced at £32.99. The set comes with two rail rollers (Thomas and a diesel engine) although more rail rollers can be brought separately. It is available to purchase from many stores and online include Argos.

Check out the range over at the Fisher Price website here - www.fisher-price.com.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **