Walkers Hoops and Crosses Review

Last weekend the kiddywinks took delivery of a rather special parcel from Walkers, their new baked snack Hoops and Crosses along with a very cheeky friend!

Walkers Hoops and Crosses

Rather surprisingly, Imogen opted for the Hoops and Crosses and Joseph quickly claimed Monty the Monkey.  Luckily for Joseph and I, in a very rare event, Imogen did actually share so that we could all try them out.

Hoops2

Hoops and Crosses are available in three different flavours, Prawn Cocktail, Salt and Vinegar and Beef (all suitable for vegetarians) we were sent the later and tucked straight in.  They have a nice crunch to them and the flavour was tasty without being overpowerful.

They are made from wholegrain with no artificial colours, preservatives or MSG.  As they are baked and not fried they contain 30% less fat than standard crisps and have just 85 calories.  The 18g bag is the perfect size for lunchboxes and a far healthier alternative to some snacks.

Hoops and Crosses

We were sent Monty the Monkey as well as a sample of Walkers Hoops and Crosses for this review.  I am also being paid a fee, however this has no affected my opinions.
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Woolly and Tig Toys Review

Later this month sees the long awaited release of a great selection of toys from the popular Cbeebies show Woolly and Tig from Golden Bear.  Golden Bear were so inundated with requests for these toys that they brought forward their launch by two months!

Imogen and Joseph were very lucky to get a sneak peek at the range when this little lot arrived for them.

Woolly and Tig

Their stash included a Jumbo Bedtime Snuggle Woolly, Poseable Talking Woolly, Woolly Pick n Match Pairs Game and a Small Woolly Soft Toy but there are other toys in the range such as a remote control Woolly!

Imogen and Joseph are both fans of the show and watch it every morning whilst Imogen gets ready for school.  It follows Tig, a gorgeous curly haired three year old girl and her toy spider Woolly as they face new adventures and experiences together.  Woolly magically comes alive to help Tig in times of need, offering comfort and support.

Bedtime Snuggle Woolly was immediately grabbed by Imogen who declared him her new best friend.  He’s huge, really soft and cuddly and is now a regular in bed with her at night.

Imogen and WoollyWoolly

They have both enjoyed playing with the Pick n’ Match Cards.  There are 36 thick, good quality cards with Woolly acting out 18 different emotions.  They can be used to play snap or a simple memory game, this is Imogen’s favourite and she usually wins hands down!

Woolly and Tog Pick n' Match Cards

Joseph’s favourite is the poseable talking Woolly, squeeze his head and he’ll say some of his phrases from the show.  He’s also very cuddly and super bendy, Imogen and I had great fun putting him into various positions from the Pick ‘n Match Cards.  This is “Puzzled”.

Poseable Talking WoollyThe kiddywinks are in love with Woolly and we’ll defiantly be keeping an eager eye out for the release later on this month.  There are a small selection of toys available for pre-order on Amazon now with hopefully more to follow suit very soon.

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Win a Six Month’s Subscription to Reading Chest

Relax, Read and Succeed this Summer!

Whilst children might think of a ‘summer slide’ as a fun activity on a sunny day in the park, the ‘summer slide’ is also used to describe what happens to some children’s learning, including a decline in reading achievement when they are away from school during the long summer holidays.

The Education Secretary, Mr Gove wants to reduce school summer holidays.  Although much of the current argument seems to be surrounding the pros and cons for working parents and teachers, Mr Gove is also trying to address the issue of the ‘summer slide’.  By reducing the length of the summer holidays, he is also hoping to reduce the setback in learning many children suffer by being away from school for such a long period.

Reading Chest

There has been lots of research to show that children who do not read during the summer holiday will start the next academic year with a reading level 2-3 months behind children who do read.

Shortening the summer holidays is one answer to this – but so is reading through the holidays!  Regular reading during the holidays can prevent the ‘summer slide’ and even give your child a boost.  

It is so important that children have access to the right level of books – to consolidate skills, feel successful and encourage voluntary reading. If children read books which are too difficult for them, they end up using all their energy to decode individual words rather than engaging with the book and enjoying it.

www.ReadingChest.co.uk fills this gap by providing easy access to the right sort of books for individual children. Reading Chest has an extensive range of the latest fiction and non-fiction titles from top reading schemes used in UK schools for 4 to 9 year olds.  Reading Chest works along similar lines to DVD rental companies.  Members pay a monthly membership (from £9.95) and children get their own regular personal deliveries of books at their chosen level.  Not only is it fun and motivational for children, it is also convenient for working parents who might not be able to make it to the library.

how-it-works-steps-smaller1

But don’t forget there are opportunities for reading and learning all the time during the holidays children should also make the most of. Here are a few of Reading Chest’s favourites:

  1. Keep a scrap book or diary.
  2. Invent your own ‘Barnaby Bear’ for children to take on travels and write about.
  3. Board games – from Monopoly marathons to design your own!
  4. Write Grandad a postcard.
  5. Play schools - With a whiteboard and some bits printed from the internet, this can go on for hours!
  6. Write lists: – shopping lists, packing for holiday lists, birthday party lists…
  7. Top Trumps – are brilliant for reading, maths and learning facts.  You could take it one step further and make your own.
  8. Design a rocket – or something similar.  Draw up plans or even instructions before letting children loose on junk around the house to build their creation.
  9. Educational AppsApps4primaryschools.co.uk is full of apps which are recommended by teachers.
  10. Bake!  Everything involved in baking is fantastic for children’s learning, from reading the recipe to weighing ingredients to sharing them with friends.

Reading Chest is offering Me and My Kiddywinks readers the chance to win a 6 month subscription and as well as £5.00 off their first month’s subscription with Promotional code KIDDYWINKS. To enter simply do so via Rafflecopter below, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you want to keep the long summer holidays – keep your children reading!

To find out more go to www.readingchest.co.uk

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ChillFactor Slushy Cup Review

If like me you never found a Mr Frosty underneath your Christmas Tree then this is the product for you, the ChillFactor Slushy Cup from Character which is bound to be a hit this Summer.

Chill Factor Squeeze Cup Slushy Maker

The cup comes in three parts (lid, inner chiller and rubber outer) and with a spoon/straw.  It’s really simple to use, all you need to do is pop the chiller into the freezer (it’ll need a good couple of hours) and prepare your favourite drink (pop this into the fridge too).  When the chiller is frozen simply pop it inside the coloured outer rubber cup and pour a small amount of your drink into the ChillFactor cup, squeeze the sides of the cup and you’ll see your slushy appear on the sides of the chiller.  Keep squeezing, gradualy adding more and more of your drink and very soon you’ll have a cup full of slushy!

ChillFactor

I was very sceptical about the ChillFactor and genuinely didn’t think it would work, which at first it didn’t (I didn’t read the instructions so didn’t chill the drink first) but both Imogen and I were amazed at the results and it was really quick and mess free!  She likes hers filled simply with diluted blackcurrant squash but it can be used with anything from milkshake to cocktails (mine obviously) and is a great way to cool down and get kids drinking in the hot Summer weather, if we get any!

ChillFactor

The ChillFactor Slushy Cup is available in four bright colours from Character Online or Amazon priced at £12.99.

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Four Easy Holidays for New Parents

Newborn babies are exhausting, and the beautiful journey from baby to toddler does not become any less tiring.  In the first couple of years after having a baby it can be simple to forget how to relax when your sole focus is taking care of someone else – yet when the baby fog starts to clear and nappy mountain starts to subside, eventually the thoughts of holidays do creep back into your conscious.

Taking a baby or a toddler away for the first time can be a little daunting and for many off-putting.  However there are options, ‘easier’ holidays that will delight your little one and give the parents a rest!

Whether you book a short break in a local hotel or book a cheap cruise, the time spent away from normality will be time well spent.

Go all-inclusive

All inclusive holidays offer a nice easy vacation for parents; choose a resort which is children friendly and you will find entertainment for little ones, fully qualified nursery staff who offer evening babysitting so you can enjoy a rare night out alone, swimming pools complete with slides and toys and restaurants with play areas for adventurous toddlers.

Food needn’t be a worry, either, since all-inclusive resorts offer a wide variety of options so you are sure to find something your little one likes. The on resort store will stock everything you need from nappies, wipes and baby jars so if you forget to pack something you will be in safe hands.

All aboard: try a cruise

A cruise is a great way for parents with small children to relax and see a bit of the world.  On board there are plenty of activities for little ones, with special sessions catered to the age of the child.  In addition many cruise lines offer exceptional childcare facilities with nurseries on board and in cabin babysitting, so you can enjoy a little bit of time to yourselves whilst sailing on the sea.

When cruising you get to see lots of different places, so make sure you take a pushchair – however you only have to unpack and pack once, which makes life much easier with a baby. Cruise ship

Self catering in the UK

If the thought of flying or travelling any great distance with your young child fills you with fear, a holiday within the UK could be a simple option.

Booking a cottage with friends who have children of the same age will afford you a nice break with a strong social element.  You can pop the babies to bed and then pour a nice glass of wine whilst ordering take away which relieves the pressure of trying to eat with the children – not always a peaceful occurrence.  Plus if you holiday with friends you can offer babysitting nights, so again a bit of time on your own with your partner to really relax into the holiday.

Leaving baby behind?

A final option for those looking for an easy break and time to relax, is to leave the baby behind with the doting grandparents and book a few nights away in a luxury hotel where you can spend your days sitting in the spa, having a round of golf and sipping Prosecco in the bar on an evening.  All of this and you will be safe in the knowledge that your little loved one is being spoilt rotten by those who adore her as much as you do.

This is a featured guest post by Jane Blackmore, a freelance writer, editor, blogger who likes nothing more than hopping on a plane and showing her three children the world and all the culture that lies inside it.

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Review: Talking Om Nom

Father Christmas gave Imogen a Kurio this year and one of her favourite apps on their is Cut The Rope, a game of skill where you have to cut the rope to swing candy into the awaiting open mouth of Om Nom, a very hungry little monster.  It’s a fabulous game and she loves it, so she was very happy to see her very own Talking Om Nom waiting for her when she arrived home from school one day.

Talking Om Nom

Om Nom has huge eyes, which make him very loveable, and he looks identical to his onscreen character.  He’s about 7 inches tall, just the right size for hugs and when squeezed he makes the same noises as he does in the game.

Imogen adore him and he sits with her when she’s playing the game and on her bed at night.  The only problem could be that his batteries aren’t replaceable, which seems to be something I come across more often now, but at £9.99 from Amazon he’s cheap enough to be replaced when the inevitable happens.

Cut The Rope Talking Om Nom

 

 

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Imogen the Flower Girl: A Next Review

At the weekend we attended the wedding of a dear friend in Cornwall and Imogen had the huge honour and responsibility of being one of the Bride’s flower girls.  As you can imagine she was very excited about this and preparations and questions started very early. What did she need do and what would she wear?  We were asked to provide Imogen with an ivory dress and shoes and after trawling the web and getting confused by a zillion frilly, bow and sequin covered dresses I decided to pull in a favour from Next.

Their collection of bridesmaid and occasion dresses are like the rest of their girl’s collections, elegant, beautiful and at a very reasonable price.  I opted for the Ecru Sash Bridesmaid dress which is available in sizes 3-6 months right up to 16 years.  Prices vary dependant of size from £35 -£46.

Ecru Sash Dress

It’s a simple but stunning very pale ivory with a lovely full skirt trimmed with satin ribbon and a 100% silk sash around the waist finishing in a large, pre-tied bow at the back.

Imogen and I also decided on these shoes, again ivory and embellished with large flowers centered with little pearls.

Bridesmaid ShoesThese are available in sizes 3-12 but there is a version for older girls (with the strap around the ankle) which goes from size 6 to an adult size 7.

Imogen was thrilled with her outfit and everybody commented on how gorgeous she looked and she really, really did look beautiful.  The dress was perfect and at £39.00 (size 5) it didn’t break the bank, after all it’ll never been worn again.  The shoes were £17 making her outfit just a little over £50, you wouldn’t even get a dress for that from elsewhere, believe me I’ve looked!

Here’s some pictures of her from the day, professional (non blurry) ones to follow.  Can you spot the fab “Dad” dancing?

PicMonkey Collage

 

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Joseph’s Dream Bedroom as Drawn By Imogen

Just before Christmas Imogen’s room was re-plastered and decorated, it’s almost complete there are just curtains to hang and shelves to be put back up (yes, I know it’s almost May!!).  A couple of weeks ago Imogen also took delivery of a pre loved mid sleeper bed complete with tent and slide thanks to her bargain hunting Mummy.  It’s looking good even if it has taken an awful long time to get there.  However, there is one small problem that we just can’t seem to get rid of………Joseph!

As soon as Joseph was moved into a big boy’s bed he’s bed a bed hopper, happily wondering the hall until he finds someone who will take pity on him and let him into their bed.  Tony and I tried to be strict but we’re just not very good at it so this was a regular sight in the morning.

Joe and Immy

When they both started falling out of bed due to a lack of space we moved Joe’s bed in and it’s stayed there ever since.  Imogen seems to enjoy the company and they do seem to settle down well together, now that the novelty of Imogen’s “new” bed has worn off and there is no sliding until 9pm!

Imogen never really gave consent to Joseph moving in s when I saw a creative competition opportunity with Little Greene (A UK paint manufacturer of child safe paint) I thought it may be the ideal way for her to express herself.  Her task was to draw a picture of her dream bedroom, I wanted to see if that dream included Joe but she surprised me and used Paint on her tablet to create a room for her little brother instead and here it is.

Joe's Room

When I asked why she’d decided to create a bedroom for Joe instead of herself she told me “Maybe if Joe-Joe likes his room a bit more he won’t need to sleep in mine.  I drew him toy boxes and the sun is shining so it will be nice and warm.”  Ahhhhh.  I love how she’s included bits that he already has in his room like his hand and foot print picture and his racing car wardrobe, he looks happy in his new room doesn’t he?

This is my entry into Little Greene’s child safe paint competition. Find out more at: http://www.littlegreene.com/blog/news/child-safe-paint/

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Plan Toys Melody Xylophone Review

Imogen has always been interested music, whether it be dancing to it or making it herself and recently asked if she could have lessons to learn to play an instrument, she didn’t car which one.  As she’s only just turned five it’s been decided to wait just a little while, perhaps until she starts year one at school.  Funnily enough, Imogen was asked to test out the Melody Xylophone from Plan Toys which has proven to be the perfect introduction into making her own music.

Plan Toys Melody Xylophone

Plan Toys are an eco-friendly toy company that creates beautiful, durable wooden toys whilst minimizing the impact on the environment.  The Melody Xylophone is made from preservative free rubberwood and has eight, bright differently coloured musical bars with their note stamped on.  There is a rubberwood mallet to strike with and this can stored, cleverly, underneath when not in use.

Plan Toys Melody Xylophone

Also included are three double sided song sheets, these are laminated to make them more durable and feature songs such as Jingle Bells, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Frere Jacques.  These are printed onto a musical score with the notes in colour coded and letter order, a great introduction into reading music.

Normally I would dread a “noisy” toy but the Plan Toys Melody Xylophone is different, it produces a lovely sound and Imogen has successfully learnt to be highly tuneful on it, all we need to do now is sort out her singing!!

Plan Toys Melody Xylophone You can view the full range of Plan Toys on their website www.plantoys.com.

 

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Making the most of your outdoor living space this spring

Does anyone remember sunlight? With spring underway, it’s making a comeback after a winter season that dragged on for longer than first anticipated.

It’s now ok to go outside without fearing being stuck in a blizzard or having your view obscured by freezing fog; but one look at your garden might dampen your spirits, especially if you’ve not tended to it for years.

Our garden

You might find that the grass is growing and needs to be mown, some of the plants that still remain are dying and that the whole area doesn’t seem like a safe or welcoming place to spend long spring and summer afternoons. Fortunately, with summer still a long way away and the days getting longer, you have plenty of time to fix all that.

A place to relax

First and foremost, when turning your garden into the best living space imaginable, you should think about getting something to sit or lie down on – preferably both! A hammock like these could work, especially if your garden has a couple of trees where you can attach both ends to, while a bench or some cool patio furniture might make your garden seem more inviting.

It’s possible to get an outdoor sofa such as this one for your garden too that will be able to cope with a little rain or extreme sunlight – two things that can ruin a nice warm spring or summer’s day. Furniture alone doesn’t make a garden though, so you will want to sort out plants and the exterior of your home to complement it.

A place to play

If your garden has a lawn and it looks a little on the unkempt side, giving it a trim won’t do any harm. If anything, it will give you a green canvas from which you can work out what you want to with it – grow some new plants, install a water feature or leave it for the kids to play football on.

Make sure that any plants you do decide to grow should be seasonal, as they’ll be easier to take care of.

As a finishing touch, the addition of a glass veranda placed over the top of your patio could look great on your home’s exterior and can add a touch of class to your home. It could provide something to sit or stand under when it’s lashing down during an outdoor dinner party or, perhaps, some much-needed shade for when it gets a little too hot to stand in direct sunlight.

Guest Post In Association with Nationwide Ltd

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