Hi everyone….forty days!

That’s all I need to say to strike fear into you? 

Or are you one of these abnormalities that have already signed, sealed and delivered your gifts for old saint nick? Well like us, if you are just scrambling to complete that ever changing list of toys little ones have written numerous times; then look no further to our blog over the next coming weeks whilst we review some most wished toys this holiday season!

Okay let’s get to it, introducing Twisty Girlz!

Similar to the original Twisty Petz, these fashionable dolls can transform into jewellery! Yep not only is it a cute doll to play with, it’s also a sparkly piece of bling to adorn little wrists; don’t you just love a toy with multiple uses!?

Not only do you get the stylish girl you also receive a mystery pet, (again it transforms into a ring…amaze) with a lead to clip it close, so no fear of it getting lost. Also in the packaging comes an instruction sheet and collectors guide to show the other girlz sporting adorable outfits and showcasing who is rarest! 

So the fashionistas we received are Krystal Kool, sporting a ponytail Ariana Grande would be jealous of and Glitzy Bitzy with a unicorn crown in tow! As for the little pets that get tote around in their mini package crate, we got a mini unicorn and a cat with a cute bow atop its head. My little one was absolutely besotted with these; sparkly, check, cute, check, teeny tiny, check!

Transforming the product was surprisingly simple, all you do is pull apart the chest and skirt and connect the ends; there are easy to follow diagrams on the instruction sheet to follow, if you mess up! Little girl spends most of her time with it as a bracelet, like a fiddle toy, there is something quite soothing in breaking it apart and remaking it repetitively. The pet is in its animal form much more than as a piece of jewelry as it is quite chunky between her fingers, but with the clip on lead she keeps it close by! 

Overall we were really impressed with this toy and would recommend it for all little ones, it is especially handy for stocking fillers or birthday treats! It comes in a nice package with jewel hearts and diamonds decorating it which is really eye catching. So far, she has played with it as a doll-pet combo and also wears it as a bracelet so we are pleased with the continued use and multiple play ideas. And only retailing at £9.99 it isn’t going to break the bank!

Stevie x

* We were sent these products free of charge for the purpose of this review. All words and opinions are honest and our own.

K’Nex is a brand I’ve always know of, but wasn’t really aware of how many products they actually sold until recently.

The first time we introduced K’Nex to our home was last Christmas. My eldest had played with it at school on multiple occasions and asked Father Christmas to bring him his own set for Christmas.

Unfortunately he didn’t quite get the correct set so it hasn’t been played with too much…

We’ve recently received a couple of K’Nex products to review, and in all honesty I was a little worried the boys wouldn’t be fussed.

Oh, how I was wrong.

The K’Nex 50 Model Box comes with 417 individual pieces to make 50 building ideas. This sort of toy normally gives me anxiety. So many pieces. So many teeny tiny pieces to lose. However this set comes in handy storage tub, meaning all pieces should remain in one place when not being played with.

Such a key selling point for me.

After flicking through the huge instruction manual, my eldest decided a Robot would be his first construction.

Initially, the instructions can look quite daunting. There really are a lot of pieces that go into each design. For a 7 year old, this could be a little overwhelming. We began following the instructions together, picking out the pieces we needed for the robot design (as shown above) and beginning at stage one.

After a short while I had to go and make dinner, so suggested the kids wait for me to carry on. My eldest was too impatient and decided to continue alone.

To my surprise he was actually able to follow the images in the manual and completed the rest of the robot ALONE.

I was so, so proud of him, because he really thought to would be too tricky to complete by himself.

Next my youngest wanted to make the Tyranosaurus design (no surprise there). Although there are 50 designs to choose from, a selection of instructions can only be found online. Again, another great selling point for me. Instruction manuals don’t last too long in our house and are either lost or damaged pretty quickly. Being able to access online is such good idea.

My youngest is only 4, so this set isn’t suitable for his age, however the set we got last Christmas is for ages 3+ years and much easier for him to play with. The pieces are larger and easier to hold and fix together. Take a look at the K’Nex Budding Builders set for the youngsters.

 

As well as the K’Nex 50 Model Box were also sent the K’Nex Architecture London Eye. Now this one is an ongoing project for us, so I’m afraid I won’t be sharing any photos of our masterpiece just yet.

Our house is small and the boys are too young for this piece, so we are saving it for after our house extension next year where will have the space to take our time with the construction (I’ve heard it takes quite a while!)

We originally sent the set to to my in-laws house so my eldest could start work on the review with his Grandad, however lockdown has put a spanner in the works and we’ve had to come up with plan b – wait.

The K’Nex architecture range is a new line of building sets based on some of the worlds greatest architectural designs. Perfect my any budding architect! Each set comes with historical information about the landmark and detailed easy-to-follow, step-by-step building instructions.

This set can be bought from John Lewis and retails at £59.99.

Does your family enjoy building with K’Nex? These would make a perfect Christmas gift for any child who loves construction.

Ax

* We were sent these products free of charge for the purpose of this review. As always all words and opinions are honest and my own.

* I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co.uk.

A new favourite in our household is the fun and exciting Ricky Zoom show. Available to watch in the mornings on Channel 5 Milkshake, this has quickly grasped the attention of my 2 boys whilst eating their breakfast.

Particularly for my 4 year old, who loves anything that moves, our latest review has been some what of a hit to say the least. It’s been the go-to toy for after school playing and has resulted in some light hearted bickering over who gets what vehicle.

Firstly we have the Ricky Zoom House Playset, available from The Entertainer and retails at £39.99.

‘Ramp up’ playtime with this multi level fun play house featuring a rotating rescue pod, bike launcher, life and more. Not forgetting the sound effects!

The set also comes with an exclusive Ricky Zoom toy bike.

We were also sent the Ricky Zoom Family Pack retailing at £22.99, which includes the 4 characters from the TV series. Hank, Helen, Toot and Ricky Zoom. (SO glad we received a second Ricky Zoom toy to avoid further arguments!)

Each bike features free rolling wheels for zooming around and can also stand freely without toppling over.

Overall we were really impressed with the quality of these toys. My boys, aged 7 and 4, (somewhat) happily played together, sharing the family of bikes and racing against each other down the ramps.

It was so nice to see the boys playing together. Swapping and changing bikes and creating stories as they played. These really are toys for the whole family.

It’s not often my 7 year old plays with toys, especially with his brother, so having half an hour of peace was delightful!

Charity partnership – Barnardos Kidsmas Toddle with Ricky Zoom

Ricky Zoom is supporting leading children’s charity Barnardos this Christmas with its Barnardo’s Kidsmas Toddle with Ricky Zoom. There is nothing more incredible than children helping to support other children who need their help. Visit https://www.barnardos.org.uk/kidsmas for more details on this Zoomtastic fun event.

Watch Ricky Zoom weekdays at 7.40am on Milkshake!

Ax

* We were sent these products free of charge and paid for our time writing the review. All words and opinions are honest and our own.

Hey guys!

The leaves are changing, the weather has turned, we can bust out the boots and cozy sweaters, retiring away those dreaded flip flops and sunglasses; it’s Autumn!

It’s officially my favourite time of year. Autumn brings about this change in me, where I just want to grab my loved ones and hibernate in my home, does anyone else feel this way? Spending my time finishing puzzles, cooking up stews, lounging under a big fluffy blanket, and of course baking some special treats! Which brings me to our newest review; Nadiya’s Deluxe Baking Set.

I’m guessing all of you can recognise this lovely lady, but for those that may need a refresher on who this person is; Nadiya Hussain is an author, tv presenter and chef who won the heart of the nation following her stint of Bake Off, (do I really have to explain how amazing GBBO is?)

In recent years she has used her voice to write a book for children which blends versions of fairy tales we all know, with a baking twist – Bake Me a Story, Bake Me a Festive Story, and Bake Me a Celebration Story. These updated works may be her inspiration on this new product which we at Lamb and Bear have been eager to receive!

So let’s get to it! This bakeware set features a silicone rolling pin with plastic handle, a silicone whisk with metal handle, a silicone spatula, 2.5l mixing bowl (microwave safe), 12 reusable silicone cupcake cases, a sieve, 3 metal cookie cutters with safe silicone edge, measuring spoons, little apron and six of Nadiya’s favourite recipes for kids! 

Woah that’s a long list – it’s basically everything you need in one handy box! 

I love to bake and would do it a lot more if time wasn’t an issue, but I’m also a very neurotic chef; I like to be the only one in the kitchen and hate mess, so it’s very rare that I allow the kiddos into my den.

In this instance I let the kids take charge, (picture me hands over eyes, trying to peek through). The great thing about this set though, is that it has all you need at a foundation level, from start to finish, so I don’t have them bickering to find the tools they need, smashing through cupboards and chaos erupting! The recipe cards from her story book are super easy to follow and also feature one of my absolute favourite things to make as a kid, so that a sense of nostalgia was overwhelming – Rock Cakes! 

What I love most about this range is the quality. It looks so professional and feels expensive, better than some of my own tools and products which I’ve accumulated from different brands.

The bright colours look classy, they aren’t flimsy, and they enhanced my children’s experience; they felt like proper chefs with their special tools and apron, it wasn’t just pretend for them! (By the way I will be stealing some of these bits kids:) in exchange for your yummy treats you create of course!)

You can get your hands on this fab kit from Smyths for £24.99. If you want something a little smaller, then you could try her Simple Baking Kit for £9.99, or what about her Savoury Cooking Set for £14.99.

Now off to clean up!

Stevie x

* We were sent this product free of charge for the purpose of this review. All words and opinions are honest and our own.