Category: Reviews

Christmas gift list – kids

It’s almost Christmas, which is my favourite time of the year. The one thing I always need help with, is gifting ideas for everyone. I’ve put together a little list, with some help from Hasbro, of gifting ideas for kids.

For ages 2 to 4
These are some of the toys I wouldn’t mind getting for Harper. She’s such a “girlie girl” and loves her plushies.

FurReal Cubby, the Curious Bear Interactive Plush Toy, is a dream companion for kids. He has over 100 different interactions and responds to touch, voice and motion with moving eyes, nose, and mouth, his face is delightfully expressive. Cubby is a totally lovable, curious young cub and is eager to be picked up and held (he hugs you back), plays peek-a-boo, and let’s not forget snack time – feed him his bottle or treat and he’ll make eating sounds. Then, when it comes to bedtime, you switch him into a nighttime mode and he slowly falls asleep and plays a variety of music and white noise to also help the child sleep. To watch Cubby in action click here.

Baby Alive Happy Hungry Baby loves to eat. Mix baby’s food with water to make doll food that looks like the real thing. When you give baby her spoon, she opens wide and really eats her doll food. She also giggles, moves, and asks for more. With over 50 sounds and phrases, this sweet baby doll makes feeding and changing time feel oh-so-real and fun for little mommies and daddies. The Baby Alive Snip ‘n Style Baby is ready for you to brush, trim, and style her hair. Brush baby’s fringe with her interactive brush and watch it grow then hold the interactive scissors up to baby’s fringe and pretend to trim and watch the fringe get shorter! Includes 35+ sounds and phrases, and 12 hair accessories to style baby’s hair for any occasion.

Gear up and get ready to ‘earn your wings’ with Top Wing. Now kids can join Swift in his Deluxe Rescue Vehicle for high-flying rescue missions as he zooms through the sky on the Flash Wing, which includes a Rescue mode (talons down) and Turbo mode (talons up), each with sounds for even more fun.

For ages 4 to 8
I know for a fact that these are items Ethan would absolutely love!

Mr. Potato Head Movin Lips is an interactive talking toy, that’s fun and entertaining for kids as well as adults. Just attach his mouth and press the buttons, his lips synchronise to wacky songs and some funny phrases.

Play-Doh continues to captivate kid’s imaginations. Picture a land of colourful dreams where unicorns poop Play-Doh ice cream. Meet Tootie, the hilarious unicorn ice cream maker who loves to create silly Play-Doh sundaes. As she dispenses Play-Doh colours this unicorn toy makes laugh-out-loud sounds and even changes her facial expression. There’s no stoppin’ the poppin’ fun with the Play-Doh popcorn maker toy, which includes everything you need to make creative Play-Doh popcorn masterpieces. Crank pretend popcorn into the 3 bucket sizes and mix it up with silly snack mixes. Add fun play food toppings like pretend pretzels, crazy candy, and more with the candy-themed stamps and moulds. Don’t forget to squeeze in some silly syrup or butter with the syrup tool. Little chefs can go pizza crazy with the Play-Doh Stamp ‘n Top Pizza Oven. Stamp a pizza crust in the oven, then go wild creating and customising with the variety of tools and moulds included.

The My Little Pony world is filled with magic, friendship, fun and laughter. Tickle Oh My Giggles Pinkie Pie toy and watch as she starts to giggle, wiggle and laugh – the more she is tickled the harder she laughs and the faster she moves. Cuddle and play with an adorable baby pony doll. Each My Little Pony baby doll has a moulded diaper and removable bib and bottle accessories. Feed the doll her bottle to activate sound. Poseable figure can sit or stand and is made of soft plastic for kids to cuddle and hug.

For ages 8 to 10
Some of these will be great for my fun loving, Nerf wielding 8 year old. I want to play with some of these lol

There is an exciting range of Nerf blasting options on offer:

o The Nerf Trilogy DS-15 toy blaster has ejecting shells to heat up your Nerf dart-blasting action. Unleash a triple-dart blast with this Nerf N-Strike Elite blaster that shoots 3 darts at once from each shell.
o The Nerf Fortnite AR-E blaster, inspired by the blaster used in Fortnite, is the only way to play Fortnite in real life. Drop into indoor and outdoor Fortnite action with this motorised, dart-firing Nerf Elite Fortnite blaster that features two flip-up sights to help you align your shot and an acceleration button to power up the motor.
o Go into battle with the bolt-action Nerf Rival Helios XVIII-700 blaster. Pull back the bolt to prime the blaster and unleash rounds at a velocity of 30 meters per second. The bolt placement can be customised to accommodate right or left-handed battlers.

Transformers War for Cybertron: Siege plunges fans into the epic fight to survive on the final day of the Autobot and Decepticon battle to control Cybertron. Build the ultimate battlefield with Transformers War for Cybertron: Siege toy figures with customisable weapon configurations.

On the Transformers Cyberverse animated series the Allspark can harness incredible new powers, including the power to convert Earth vehicles into Spark Armor: battle-ready gear that allows them to fight in new places and in new ways. Kids can collect assorted Spark Armor figures (each sold separately) to discover more exciting characters from the Cyberverse series.

Imagine teaming up and battling the Power Rangers’ toughest enemies with these Power Rangers Beast Morphers Action Zord figure assortment (which include: Beast-X Megazord and Beast Racer Megazord). Standing 25 cm tall, and with the included  accessories, these action figure toys are ready for action against any foe.

Young fans of the Disney Frozen movies will love the Frozen 2 Singing Elsa and Anna Fashion dolls (each sold separately). Each doll includes a Frozen 2 inspired outfit, press the button on the bodice to watch the dress light up and hear a snippet of an original song from the Frozen 2 movie. Sing along while imagining scenes with Arendelle’s favourite sister duo. Kids can take magical Frozen adventures on the go with the Fold and Go Arendelle Castle portable playset. Inspired by Disney’s Frozen 2, this castle set has two floors of fun that fold up and fun accessories are included to decorate the rooms.

For the Family
What’s better than spending time together as a family? Nothing. Here’s a list of perfect games to play together as a family.

Monopoly Fortnite – in this thrilling Fortnite inspired edition of the Monopoly game, players claim locations, battle opponents, and avoid the Storm to survive. The gameplay, design, and components of the board game include elements inspired by the video game including Fortnite locations and loot chest cards. Instead of Monopoly money, players earn Health Points (HP). Like in the Fortnite video game, the last player standing wins!

Make Monopoly Cheaters Edition board game a favourite go-to game for game nights and other fun get-togethers. Lean into those iconic (yet unspoken) Monopoly moments in which rules are bent, money is borrowed, and funny business is welcomed. Fake a die roll, steal some bills from the bank, and even skip out on rent. Complete a cheat to get a reward but fail a cheat and pay the consequences. The pretend handcuff unit that may leave players “chained” to the board is a fun addition to the game.

The Connect 4 Shots game combines the gameplay of the original Connect 4 game with fast-paced, competitive excitement. Two players at a time race to get four balls of their colour in a row to win. Kids can also practice solo to prepare for a future Connect 4 Shots matchup.

Stocking Fillers
The following are perfect for filling those stockings.

Hasbro products are available from leading retailers including: Takealot.com, Makro, Toys R Us, ToyZone, Toy Kingdom, Game and Checkers.

What’s on your kids’ list for Christmas?

Annie’s Baking Club *sponsored*

Do you love baking with your kids? Despite the mess that’s bound to happen. Despite them wanting to do everything themselves. Despite the nagging of when will it be done. I know I enjoy baking with Ethan (as he’s the only one that is willing to help out in the kitchen lol). When Tessa’s Bakery contacted me to test out their new baking kits I nearly jumped out of my skin with excitement and couldn’t wait to start.

There are 7 different types of baking kits available. Think unicorn, dinosaur, emoji and many more. The kits start at R195 and include everything you need to make baking memories with your child. They can be found at Annie’s Baking Club. They’re also launching a monthly subscription box in November. These are R295 each and I am so getting in on that!

We were sent the Marvellous Monsters Cupcake Kit. The kit includes the Vanilla Cupcake Mix, Buttercream Icing Mix, White Cupcake Cases, Monster Cupcake Wrappers, White, Black and Blue Sugar Paste, Tooth Picks, Green and Purple Gel Colours, Piping Bags, Grass Piping Nozzle. And to make your cupcakes at home, you need eggs, oil, butter, milk and vanilla essence (the usual ingredients for premixes I think).

The instructions are bright and kid friendly. The easy to follow step by step instructions made it so that Ethan could see what he needed to do next. We had so much fun playing with the sugar paste, although I had to remind myself to take a step back and let him do this on his own. I think the most tedious part was cutting out the monster cupcake wrappers lol.

He was so proud of his creation and couldn’t stop telling everyone about HIS cupcakes. I can’t wait to try every kit in the collection. It’s a wonderful way to involve the kids in the kitchen, spend some quality time with them and make wonderful memories.

 

Do your kids help out in the kitchen? Which kit do you think would be the first one you’ll try?

Products we love from 4AKid

#sponsored

We were given some products from Ally Cohen from 4AKid to review sometime last year. I never got a chance to put the review up on the blog, so here you go. Some of my favourites from their website.

Knee pads
I loved these little knee pads. With Harper crawling all over the show, these pads helped protect her knees from scrapes. They stretch to fit over her knees and are very comfortable. They’re not too tight and don’t leave those elastic marks on her legs. They also minimized the stains on her pants that I struggle to wash out. Definitely a win for us! Available in light grey, light pink, and more.

Toothbrush holder
Oh my gosh, do my boys love this little ladybug. Toothbrushes don’t lay all over the basin now and the holder is easy to attach to the wall with little suction pads underneath it. And they rush to the bathroom to catch a glimpse of this cute ladybug and show him how they brush their teeth.

Plush pacifier holder and dummy
I thought this product was a brilliant idea! I mean what better way to find a lost dummy than to just look for the little stuffed dog. However, for us, it just didn’t work out. Harper didn’t like the dummy that was attached to the dog and there was no way we could remove the dummy attached and add our own one. I would definitely consider using this if there maybe a velcro strip to attach your own dummy to the plushie. If your baby is not as fussy as mine, then this is a win. They have other designs in the collections as well. I think there’s a monkey and a teddy.

Magic tracks
Anything to do with cars and racetracks have my boys jumping up and down with excitement. With these magic tracks, you can bend, flex and curve the track magically in 360˚ however you want – even while the race car is zooming around. They’ve even worn the tracks as a crown lol.

 

I also have a few items from 4aKid on my wish list.

Blackboard sticker
I’d love this blackboard sticker for the boys’ rooms. Those old school blackboards on the stands can get in the way and I love that this sticker is easy to apply and can be cut to fit any size you wish. I could even stick it on my fridge to jot down my shopping list or little love messages for Mark.

Unicorn backpack
Man oh man what’s not to love about this baby bag backpack? Not only does it have unicorns on it, it’s a multi functioning, versatile bag. We’ve only had shoulder bags for the boys and as much as I loved those bags, with 3 kids now it’s a bit difficult to juggle them all as well as struggle with a bag falling off your shoulder. Definitely one on my list to get soon.

Responsibility Chart
The boys are going through a stage of not listening to me and creating a mess wherever they go. I’m hoping to get this responsibility chart and start tracking their behaviors. According to the product info on 4aKid’s website, “kids can open the dry-erase boards to reveal a behavior chart on one board, with the 90 magnets on the other, including illustrated responsibilities and behaviors (like Clean Room, Set Table, No Teasing) as well as smiling rewards (Well Done!, Excellent!, You’re a Winner!) also two blank magnets to personalize. The attached sturdy cord is ideal for hanging and the fabric hinges ensure that it will remain durable for many responsible years to come.”

Silicone Ice Lollies
My kids love ice lollies, suckers, bunnylicks, whatever you want to call them. I love these silicone ice lollies because you can add your own fruit juice, yoghurt, etc and freeze. This way, you know what’s going into these ice lollies and they’re mess free.

 

Bake Snake
I try to bake as often as I can. But I’ve only ever baked a round cake. With this little silicone gadget, I can connect the “snakes” into any shape, place it into a foil lined tray and add my batter. And voila! A heart shaped cake for Valentine’s Day? A number 5 cake for Ethan’s next birthday? Maybe even a star to tell the kids they’re my stars? The possibilities are endless!

Have you been onto 4aKid’s website yet? What have you purchased from them or what is on your wishlist? Tell me in the comment section below.

Review: Childs Farm

Ethan has always had skin issues. Mostly some form of eczema and we’ve been treating it since he was a few months old. From good old Epimax, to Advantan and some more ointments I can’t even pronounce.

In March, I was sent something that claimed to be specially designed for all skin types, and is dermatologist- and paediatrician-approved for use on sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Childs Farm, the UK’s fastest growing baby and child toiletries brand, has recently launched in South Africa.

We’ve been testing it on the kids for the last 2 months. Firstly, and I’m sure this is the one thing everyone who uses it says, the fragrance of all the products in the range is amazing! I haven’t smelt anything like it in any other baby/child product on the market. The products don’t contain any parabens, SLSs, mineral oils or artificial colours and the majority contain over 98% (by volume) naturally derived ingredients.

I haven’t seen a remarkable improvement in Ethan’s skin but it also hasn’t gotten any worse, so it looks like the Childs Farm products can be used on eczema prone skin without harming your baby’s skin. Harper’s skin is silky soft after using the bath wash and the bubble bath is nice and foamy, with the scent lingering long after. The shampoo cleans well and leaves the kids’ hair nice and soft. I’m a little bit let down by the baby moisturizer as it leaves a bit of an oily sheen after application and seems to dry my skin out. But the bubble bath!?!? Gosh, it makes a lot of foam (which the kids love) and it also scented. Bathtime nowadays smells like a fruit salad on steroids in our home lol. We’ve haven’t tried their 3-in-1 Swim yet but I’ve heard others say that it’s just as amazing as the other products.

All in all, we’ve had a good experience and would definitely continue to use the Childs Farm products.

Childs Farm products are currently available in Baby City, Clicks stores and via takealot.com. Prices range from R99 to R119.99, with a range of over 15 different products to choose from.

For more information on Childs Farm products visit www.childsfarm.com or the local Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/childsfarmsouthafrica/

Rhodes Squish Review plus WIN

Have you ever celebrated a toddler eating just 1 spoonful of food? Or jumped up and down, made weird noises or stand on your head and do 100 cartwheels just to get that toddler to taste something new? Well, you’re not alone. I’ve done that and more 3 times over and I was so relieved when I discovered Rhodes Squish (and even more so when Harper tried it and loved it).

Convenience
The Rhodes Squish pouches are convenient and easy to use. Harper can now suck the puree straight from the pouch but before then, I just used to squeeze a little bit into a spoon and feed her. They are 100% natural and contain no nasties. There is no added sugar, salt, colorants, maize starch and flavorings.

Yoghurt Squish


Rhodes Squish has now added exciting new fruit and veg yoghurt purees and ready-to-eat jellies, adding to its popular 100% fruit and vegetable puree and 100% fruit and veg pressed juice ranges. The Squish yoghurts are made from 100% fruit and vegetables with double cream yoghurt, not yoghurt powder.

I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly


There’s more, Rhodes Squish has introduced four new ready-to-eat jellies. The jellies are free from gelatine, colourants, flavourings and preservatives, and are made with fruit puree. Harper loves the Mango and Rooibos jelly and gobbles it up within minutes. You won’t go wrong with Squish for a fuss-free, easy to use snack for your baby and toddler.

WIN
Do you want to stop stressing over meal times or cleaning up bowls of food that was thrown by your toddler? You can win a Squish hamper with a Zoku slushie maker for some awesome slushies, milkshakes, and smoothies.

How to enter
Follow Rhodes Squish on Instagram here
Follow me on Instagram here
Leave a comment telling me what lengths you’ve gone to to get your baby/toddler to eat.

For an extra entry, you can enter on Instagram.

Terms and Conditions

1. Closing date for entries will be 13 March 2019. After this date no further entries will be permitted.
2. You must reside is SA in order to qualify for the prize.
3. Your prize cannot be sold or redeemed for cash.
4. Winners will be drawn via a Random name generator.
5. The winner will be notified via email and has 42 hours to claim their prize. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 2 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
6. Only one entry will be accepted per person. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified.
7. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
8. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Review – Pampers Baby-Dry

“What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all.” ~ Benjamin Spock

I’ve had a child in nappies for the last 8 years. Just as we got Matthew off, Ethan was born. Then the same with Ethan and Harper. And in the last 8 years, I’ve had my fair share of trying different nappies, so I was excited to hear that Pampers has now introduced a new Baby-Dry nappy – the first and only nappy with 2 Air channels.

What this means is that with the 2 air channels, air flows directly onto baby’s bottom, for breathable dryness.The new Baby-Dry nappy (previously known as as the Active Baby-Dry) has been designed specifically to distribute wetness evenly from the front to the back across the nappy and lock it away even better, allowing your baby to enjoy 12 hours of dryness.

“Pampers nappies are thus less bulky and don’t sag, providing great fit and freedom of movement for your baby.”

We all know what happens when a baby’s bum is left wet for too long. It can get red and sore and that dreaded nappy rash can happen. With Pampers Baby-Dry absorbent micro pearls (which absorbs up to 30 times it’s own weight) and the new air channels, baby’s bottom is kept dry by allowing air to flow freely. Your baby can now benefit from sleeping in the same nappy without the need for a change.

Pampers also still have all their other unique features that has made their nappies so well-known, such as the wetness indicator on small sizes (this turns blue when baby wets his nappy), their anti-leakage barriers (which provides great fit to help prevent leaks), baby lotion (to help protect baby’s skin from rashes), and their absorbent micro pearls.

The new Pampers nappies can be identified by the “Air Channels” symbol on the pack. At the moment, the Pampers Baby-Dry with the 2 Air channel nappies are only available in sizes 4-6 but sizes 1-3 will be made available soon. These nappies retail for around R230 per pack across all major SA retailers.

Hasbro has the perfect gift for kids

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Or are you more like me and waiting until the very last second to get those gifts? Every year, I promise myself that I’m going to buy gifts throughout the year so it’s not such a mad rush this close to Christmas. And every year, I just don’t get to it. If we’re in the same boat, I have some ideas on what to get the kids this year.

Yellies!
Hasbro introduces Yellies! the cutest, fuzziest collectible pets that respond to your voice. Each Yellies! pet has its own unique look and personality and is full of fun surprises. Voice and sound-activated, they respond to talking, yelling, clapping, singing, or even music. Talk softly to your Yellies! and they will move slowly or yell louder and get them scurrying faster across the room! Look out for the first wave of Yellies! spider collectibles at leading retailers, including Toy Kingdom, Toy Zone, Toy Adventures, Hamleys, and Takealot.com. Find your favorite and remember the louder you yell, the faster they go!

My Little Pony
The world of My Little Pony is filled with the magic of friendship where fans will be spoilt for choice.

  • Become besties with The My Little Pony Equestria Girls fashion dolls, each dressed in a stylish outfit, complete with fashion accessories that match their character personalities.
  • Enjoy bright adventures with the Glitter and Glow Princess Celestia figure. Press her sun-shaped cutie mark and watch her lights twinkle and change colors.
  • The awesome Singing Rainbow Dash has cool movable sunglasses and a microphone attached. Press her Cutie Mark to hear her sing “Time to Be Awesome” from My Little Pony: The Movie and more including 15 entertainment-inspired phrases.
  • Cuddle up with the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Plush Figures – the larger-sized soft and floppy plush pony figure is a huggable friend perfect for bedtime snuggles.

Play-Doh
Play-Doh continues to captivate kid’s imaginations by providing them with the best in creative, colourful, creatable, makeable adventures with a selection of Play-Doh playsets, tools and accessories.

  • Dive into creative fun with Wavy the Whale – while building sea scenes with the accessories, press down on Wavy’s tail, and watch as Play-Doh water rises from the whale’s spout. 
  • Junior bakers can make the most creative pretend treats with their very own Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Spinning Treats Mixer , where the best ingredient of all is imagination! 

Nerf
Designed for older members of the Nerf Nation (14+), the launch of the much-anticipated Nerf Rival range, which includes high-powered blasters and durable, battle-tested accessories, enhances the action-packed NERF experience. Choose from a selection of new NERF Rival blasters and accessories – available from ToyZone, Toy Kingdom, Hamleys and Takealot.com .

  • When the Nerf Rival battle starts, the ultimate accuracy of the Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 blaster will put you in charge.
  • Experience ultimate precision and power with the Nerf Rival Artemis XVII-3000 blaster or dominate blaster battles with the Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K blaster, which offers a massive 100-round capacity to outlast the competition.
  • Go into battle in your team colours with the breech-loading Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500 blaster.

Look out for the latest additions to the NERF Elite, Zombie Strike and Nitro ranges.

  • Load and fire fast with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Infinus blaster with motorised Quick-Load Technology.
  • The Nerf Zombie Strike Survival System Scavenger Blaster keeps battlers ready for any zombifying challenge that comes their way.
  • Fire up an inferno of double action blasting with the Nerf Nitro Double clutch Inferno Blaster. This 2-barrel blaster allows kids to launch two cars at the same time. 

Transformers
The latest movie in the Transformers franchise, Bumblebee, will be launching in December. Immerse yourself in the Bumblebee world with an exciting range of movie inspired products from Hasbro. 

  • Join the buzz with the Studio Series H-01 Movie 6 Bumblebee Showcase Helmet that captures the cool swagger of the loyal Autobot scout.  
  • Imagine charging into battle with Power Charge Bumblebee. Action figure converts from robot mode to classic Volkswagen Beetle mode in 17 steps so kids can amp up the power in 2 modes.
  • The Bumblebee DJ Stryker figure brings a whole new beat to the game by interacting with fans and allowing them to create their own original tunes.

Little Dreamers
Little dreamers can create endless memorable Princess moments with the Disney Princess range, including tiaras, magical wands, hair play assortments, dolls and castles, movie inspired ball gowns and a whole lot more. 

FurReal Friends
If your child has been begging for a pet, FurReal Friends, family of pets may be the ideal solution. Designed to be played with, lived with, and loved, their exciting and engaging play can help create unforgettable childhood memories.

  • Rock-a-too, the Show Bird is a real star and is sure to entertain wherever he goes! Laugh at his kooky parrot jokes, or join him in an original song-and-dance number.
  • Ricky, the Trick-Lovin’ Pup is always ready to perform tricks. This poseable pup can balance his toy bone on his nose and with a voice command or loud sound, flip it into his mouth. He’s so eager to do tricks, he’ll often shuffle his paws in sheer excitement and gives affectionate doggie licks as well.

Hasbro Gaming
Get your family time game on with a wide range of games to suits all ages from Hasbro Gaming . New games include the popular Speak Out Showdown version, Hearing Things, Don’t Lose Your Cool as well as Trivial Pursuit Family Edition. Kids will love Pie Face Cannon and Don’t Step In It as well as a new take on an older classic with Blindfolded Twister. Keep your piece of Mzansi with you over the holidays with Monopoly Mzansi, the local version of Monopoly. Hasbro Gaming also offers a series of preschool Mensa approved learning games from Mousetrap to Downfall Machine to Cranium Sculpt-It and more keep kids entertained while developing their sensory and motor skills.

Stocking Filler Suggestions:

  • Nerf Microshots Series Blasters: blast into big fun with this range of collectible, mini-sized versions of Nerf blasters (each sold separately). Each blaster fires 1 dart at a time and comes with 2 Elite darts.
  • Play-Doh cans come in a variety of colours and are available in sets or individually.
  • My Little Pony Cutie Mark Crew combines the worlds of My Little Pony and Equestria Girls to imagine a universe of play and friendships beyond the mirror’s portal. Each blind pack includes a 4cm adorable figure, cafeteria snack-themed accessory, collector card, and a stackable case.
  • Hasbro Collectables: Lock on with Lock Stars – the collectable lock accessory lets you hold the key to unlock your collection. Lost Kitties, an adorable collection of mischievous little kitties, who always seem to end up hiding in a carton, where it’s up to you to find them. Can you find who’s hidin inside? The Littlest Pet Shop is back with fun new characters and accessories, it’s the littlest pets with the BIG personalities!  

Hasbro products are available from leading retailers including: Toys R Us, Toy Kingdom, Toy Zone, Toy Adventures, Lilliputs Toys, Hamleys, Checkers and Checkers Hypers, Game, Makro A and online at Takealot.com. 

Hasbro is committed to creating memorable experiences for your family. From toys and games to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfils the fundamental need for play and connection for children and families around the world.

For more information visit www.hasbro.co.za or Facebook :

This post was written in collaboration with Hasbro.

Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie

I introduced Ethan to Thomas and Friends a few months ago and my child is in love with that little tank engine. When I found out that there is a new movie being released in October, I knew that I had to ensure that I take Ethan to see it.

The movie is called Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie and is launching in Ster Kinekor theatres on 5 October 2018. The new movie features new friends along the way including first Kenyan tank engine Nia, guest-voiced by Nairobi born voice-over artist, Yvonne Grundy and racing car Ace, guest-voiced by Australian singer Peter Andre. Bobby van Jaarsveld, is a South African Afrikaans-language pop singer-songwriter and actor will sing the local version of the theme song.

Yvonne Grundy – voice of Nia
Peter Andre – voice of Ace
Bobby van Jaarsveld

The Big World Adventures theme song shares the message that we should be open to exploration; to traversing the globe, seeking out adventures, engaging with new and different people, and making new friends along the way.

This is the thirteenth feature-length film to be produced by the word-famous franchise and the first to hit screens following a major refresh to its content including: a new theme tune and narrator, new characters and locations and a revolutionized Steam Team with a greater representation of girl engines. The movie features a fun-packed plot full of wonder and curiosity, plus tons of animals and several musical songs that will captivate the imagination of young Thomas fans and parents alike. This is the biggest and best Thomas movie to date and one not to be missed!

Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie sees Thomas undertake his most epic journey ever as he leaves Sodor to fulfill his dream of seeing the world! The action-packed adventure begins when a mischievous little racing car called Ace comes to Sodor and inspires Thomas to embark on an ambitious trip-without the Fat Controller’s/Sir Topham Hatt’s permission!

This heroic quest takes Thomas across deserts, through jungles and over dangerous mountains as he travels across five continents seeing sights he has never seen before! On his journey to discover new places and cultures, Thomas visits Africa and makes friends with an adventurous, inspiring and fun tank engine from Kenya called Nia. But with so much for Thomas to learn about the world, will Nia be successful in teaching him a lesson about the true meaning of friendship?

“Thomas & Friends™: Big World! Big Adventures!” is introducing the first tank engine from Africa – Nia, an adventurous and fun character who teaches Thomas a lesson about the meaning of friendship.

Thomas the Tank Engine™ was created over 70 years ago and that story quickly grew through content to become the award-winning global brand franchise it is today, with multiple touch-points and formats, including apps; toy consumer products; publishing; live attractions and much more with over 1 engine sold per second. Watched in over 160 territories, in over 50 languages with over 1.16 billion lifetime views on YouTube, Thomas & Friends offers more than 80 hours of original content produced from 500 episodes and 12 specials.

 

Insuring with Incompass – a little behind the scenes after our accident

Sponsored by Incompass, but ALL opinions are my own

It’s been more than a week since our accident and I would give anything to have this whole incident over and done with. The one thing I am so grateful for, is that we recently changed our insurers.

GETTING INSURED
Making the decision to change was a daunting one. We were with a very well-known insurer and it seemed that they offered the best rates for our car. My amazing friend, Cindy (who blogs over at 3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House) co-owns an insurance brokerage called Incompass and convinced me to at least try them out and see if they can find some competitive rates for us.

Incompass has been working in the Insurance industry for 10 years and have built very good relationships with reputable insurance companies, ensuring that we provide you with the best cover for the most affordable price.

I agreed and was put into the very capable hands of Jemimah. Gosh, that woman works magic. First, we received a set of questions that we had to answer. I think was the hardest part. Jemimah then came back to us with a few companies that had the best rates. I had a load of questions because everything was foreign to me. The terms, what exactly everyone was offering, what was included, what wasn’t, etc. But the staff at Incompass is absolutely incredible and patient (and I’m not just saying that because I’m friends with Cindy lol).

After lots of emails between us (because I had lots of questions), the contract was finalised and we were with a new insurer! Yay us! And yay to Incompass for the easy and no fuss handling of this matter. Seriously, these guys and gals do everything for you. They liaise with the insurers, send you any questions they need answered, answer all your questions you may have, send you the contract, go through it with you and then ensure that everything is finalised.

CLAIMING PROCESS
Then the inevitable happened. We had just changed insurers and were then involved in an accident. Not knowing how claims work and if we were even eligible because we had only been with our current insurers for 4 weeks. First, at the scene of the accident, I spoke to a consultant at our insurers and registered a claim. The next day, I emailed Incompass’s trusty Jemimah. Again, I’ll say it, that woman is seriously incredible. She said that she’s available to me if I need any assistance with the claim.

She contacted the insurance, she got all the documents and details they needed to them, she followed up and kept me up to speed. She is still helping me to get in touch with the assessor and claims agent. I don’t think that this would have gone any better with our previous insurer and I honestly don’t think I would’ve received this type of personalised service elsewhere.

So take it from me, you need to get in touch with Incompass and let them help you find the best cover at an affordable price. You won’t be sorry. (And don’t worry if everything sounds like gibberish or goes over your head – like it did with mine. They are patient and will explain everything to you.) Have a look at their website here, it’s really easy to use. They also have a Facebook page.

Tooky Toys with BabyWombWorld

A few weeks ago, the kids received a special delivery from BabyWombWorld and they’re loving it (so am I). I love the quality and the educational value of these Tooky Toys.

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The boys received a 135 piece box of wooden blocks. It was a jungle theme with little wooden jungle creatures! There’s  floor puzzle that you connect and use as the base for your blocks. Ethan had a ball building a little story for us, making the tree lines, with the hippo in the pond and the lion roaring at the giraffe. Matthew eventually joined in and the 2 of them played happily (and without fighting) for a good hour.

The fact that the blocks are wooden means they’re durable and can withstand being thrown around (or aimed at someone’s head) and stepped on. I often find the boys playing together in their room having added some of their other wooden blocks and creating bigger scenes and stories. I just wish these toys came with an automatic pack away option.

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We also received a beads coaster for Harper. She loves moving the beads around on the rungs and because they’re wooden, I find her using some of the beads as teething toys. Chewing on them and trying to get her head through the rungs to reach a bead at the back. This toy is colourful and everything is fixed to the base, so there’s very little risk of baby losing anything. Oh and the coaster also has suction cups underneath to stabilise it. Love, love, love! I even catch Ethan now and again playing with the coaster. So it doesn’t only keep babies occupied.

There are loads more options on BabyWombworld‘s website. Check them out. They make wonderful gifts and are definitely a worthy investment.