Sunday 19 November 2017

Dates for your Diary - The Siege of Christmas at Contact Theatre, Manchester

It is only a matter of weeks now until Christmas and there is a whole host of fun events taking place throughout December, that are sure to get you in the festive spirit.

One of those wonderful events is The Siege of Christmas, being held at Contact, from Wednesday 13th December to Wednesday 20th December 2017. Following last years sell-out production, Contact and Slung Low have once again joined forces, to present this high-octane, energetic and family friendly performance piece.

This theatrical adventure, allows you to immerse yourself in this interactive and fast-paced Christmas show. Once you are armed with your individual headphones, instructions and clues will be provided as the action kicks off from the theatre's main entrance. You can join your hosts who will lead you on your way, on this festive and fun-filled assignment throughout the building's many spaces, which have been transformed into a Winter Wonderland.

Photo Credit: Joel Chester-Fildes
The show is sure to delight thrill-seekers of all ages, as well as highlight the wonderful work that Contact continues to produce with its Young Company - for many of whom this marks their first professional engagement.

So book your tickets and get ready for militant mince pies, rapping wrapping paper and other unexpected seasonal surprises. Remember.... Christmas won't be Christmas until the Siege has ended!

Alan Lane, Director at Slung Low says: "We were overwhelmed by the audience response to The Siege of Christmas and the chance to revisit it and work again with the excellent Contact Young Company is one we're really excited about."

For more information or to book tickets, please visit www.contactmcr.com

Listing Details

The Siege of Christmas

Venue: Contact, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA
Box Office: 0161 274 0600
Website: www.contactmcr.com
Dates: Wednesday 13th December to Wednesday 20th December
Times: 11am, 2pm & 6pm

Tickets are available priced £13, £7 for concessions and £5 for Under 10's.

Groups booking offers are also available.

Photo Credit: Joel Chester-Fildes

Saturday 18 November 2017

Our Visit to Bristol Zoo Gardens - A Review

We actually came across Bristol Zoo Gardens by accident as we were travelling to Burnham-on-Sea during the October half term. I noticed a sign for it as we were driving along the motorway and realising that it was less than an hour away from our accommodation, I found the website online to see what the attraction had on offer.

The website was very informative and provided a really good insight into zoo life, the animals and the facilities that were available. There was plenty of information for visitors, as well as further facts about the Bristol Zoo Garden's charitable mission and conservation work.

I also learnt a little bit more about the history of the zoo and was astonished to find that it is actually the fifth oldest zoo in the world, having first opened its doors to the public, back in July 1836. Since then the zoo has helped save over 175 species from extinction both in human care and in the wild. Over 90 million guests have visited the zoo over the years which is an incredible number! Having discovered more about Bristol Zoo Gardens, I made the decision that it was somewhere we would definitely have to visit.

We were very lucky with the weather during the half term week and managed to pick a day to visit, that was abundant with sunshine. We followed the sat nav using the postcode provided, however this did take us over the Clifton Suspension bridge (toll required) and along some small roads. My parents who decided to come along with us for the day, followed the signs from the motorway instead and found it with no problems.

When we arrived at the car park, we found that the parking costs £3 or a reduced rate of £1 for Zoo members. This is cash only and is paid to an attendant on arrival, so make sure you have some change spare. It isn't a huge car park, so I would recommend arriving early during peak periods to make sure you can find a space with ease. Once you have parked up, it is then a short walk to the entrance.

Credit: Emma Foster
The main entrance was very welcoming and the staff all seemed very friendly and polite. We were asked if we would like a map and whether there was any information we required before entering. The children could see all the items available in the shop behind the main kiosk and so we had to make a promise to let them have a look around before leaving. Once we had obtained our tickets and map, we made our way out of the foyer and into the beautiful Bristol Zoo Gardens.

Although I had read all the information on the website beforehand, I was still a little unsure as to what to expect and how the layout would be. It soon became apparent that the whole zoo looped round so it was easy to visit each enclosure in order, whilst surrounded by the beautiful landscaped gardens and features. The first animals we came across were the flamingos. They all looked so elegant and perfectly still whilst resting on one leg. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to stay in this area too long as the children heard a loud roar on the opposite side of the path, so they all ran over excitedly, with us not far behind.


The lions were absolutely magnificent and it was quite breathtaking to be able to see such stunning creatures up close. I could have literally stood there for hours just watching them and they didn't seem phased at all by the public observing through the glass viewing panel. All around me I could hear the gasps of children along with shouts of "Wow" as everyone watched whilst they prowled around the enclosure. There was also an informative sign nearby, that provided plenty of information on the Asiatic Lions, which I always find interesting to read.




Next, we made our way through the Twilight World which featured a wide range of nocturnal animals. As you would expect, it was very dark inside and Grandad struggled a bit to see his way through, but managed ok with a little bit of guidance from the grandkids! On leaving the Twilight World we entered the fruit bat enclosure which then led us out to the Red Pandas. Whilst our family was busy watching the Red Panda's climb down from the tree, I took Riley over to the Carousel on the Piazza where he enjoyed a short ride. He was very excited to find a painted pebble as we made our way back to the rest of the family, especially as someone had decorated it with Peppa's teddy!



One thing that I was already impressed with, was the maintenance of the site. Everywhere was really well kept, clean and tidy. I was also pleased that there was plenty of benches scattered at regular intervals along the terrace, providing a lovely area to sit down and simply enjoy the surroundings. Grandad is disabled and so it was ideal for him to have somewhere he could sit and rest whilst the kids ran around.

Credit: Emma Foster
Our next stop was the Reptile House, where we saw some very large and fascinating creatures, including bright and colourful frogs, as well as large and scary looking snakes. My son Riley loved looking at all the reptiles, especially the lizards.

Credit: Emma Foster

Credit: Emma Foster
The exit from the Reptile House, took us to the Aquarium entrance, where we found an abundance of vibrant and lively fish. My children always enjoy looking for "Nemo's & Dory's" and so they were very happy to find a beautiful Dory near the exit.


By this point we had started to get a little thirsty so decided to purchase a drink. We made our way to The Hide Cafe Restaurant, which is a really nice dining area. On arrival you are taken to a table and provided with menus, then someone comes back to take your order. I found this to be a really lovely setting for a sit down meal, but thought it was a bit formal for just a few soft drinks and I also felt a bit awkard about taking up such a large table for just a drink. My husband then spotted a kiosk that had opened outside serving hot & cold drinks, along with some savoury snacks such as sausage rolls and pies, so we made our way over to this instead and enjoyed our drinks on one of the outdoor picnic benches instead. If we had wanted to have a meal though, then I wouldn't have hesitated to stay in The Hide Cafe Restaurant as it looked lovely, with a good selection of food available.

Credit: Emma Foster


After our drinks, we began to explore the monkey jungle and our favourite part of the zoo, which was the Lemur enclosure. We were fascinated watching the lemurs run around us and there were staff on hand to answer the hundreds of questions that the kids kept firing at them. It was amazing to witness them running around our feet and then swinging and chasing one another through the trees.



My children stopped to take a look at the map and saw that we were by Gorilla Island. We were just in time for the Gorilla talk and feed, so we hurried over to find out more about these incredible animals. We were astonished by just how big they were and Riley was convinced that the one in the picture below was actually a statue, until he put his hand in the air to catch a lettuce that had been thrown over.



Their size and physique was incredible and it was really interesting to hear about the diet the Gorilla's eat. We had seen a large board at the entrance to Gorilla Island that details Jock's daily menu and we had intially thought this was a joke!


In addition to the Gorilla talk, the map detailed numerous other talk and feeding sessions ranging from Lion's and Meerkats, to Penguins and Seals, which is always really useful if you want to learn more. We were going to visit the Seal and Penguin Coasts after Gorilla Island, but Ben spotted the sign for the Children's play area, so all the children quickly demanded a visit to the park for a play.


There was a wide range of play equipment available, as well as a sand play area. My only negative comment, would be that it was very hard for some of the smaller children to climb up to the slide and could have done with some additional steps inside the tower. Some children were able to pull themselves up with ease, but Riley and a few others were struggling. It was also in such a position that it was hard for parents to help from the outside. That being said, Riley did manage it twice and enjoyed the slide very much once he had managed to reach the top.


Once the children had finished burning off some energy in the Play Area, we returned back to the Seal and Penguin Coasts area, where we enjoyed a lovely stroll through the enclosure. The penguins all seemed busy, wandering around together, whilst the seals rolled gently in the water.

Credit: Emma Foster
We ended our visit to Bristol Zoo Gardens, with a lovely walk through the Butterfly Forest, where stunning butterflies of all different colours, flew around us. Some of them were really beautiful and Riley enjoyed looking for all the different species, that were on a sheet we had been provided with as we entered. There was also a fascinating area where you could see the cocoons that had been built ready for butterflies to emerge from.


As we made our way to the exit, the children enjoyed a quick run around the Turtle Maze. This was a lovely fun area, surrounded by lawns that looked really peaceful and well cared for. We all agreed that we had enjoyed a wonderful day at Bristol Zoo Gardens and felt that it was a great attraction for families to enjoy together. Nana and Grandad also commented on how beautiful it was and that they felt the layout was perfect and easy to follow. Overall we were very impressed and had a brilliant time. We would definitely return in the future and would recommend to others.

Attraction Details

Address: Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol, BS83HA
Website: www.bristolzoo.org.uk
Opening times: 9am til 5pm, 364 days a year.
Ticket Prices: Tickets can be purchased both online or on the gate. Prices vary, so please visit the Bristol Zoo website to obtain the most up to date details here: Ticket Information

Disclaimer: We were provided with complimentary admission for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience. Opinions and photographs are my own, unless stated otherwise.

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Dates for your Diary - Kidz to Adultz North at EventCity, Manchester on 16th November

Earlier today, I was made aware of a major exhibition taking place tomorrow at Manchester's EventCity on the 16th November, called Kidz to Adultz North. The exhibition offers inspiration on independent living for young people with disabilities and is organised by Disabled Living, which is one of the regions oldest charities - celebrating its 120th year!

Kidz to Adultz North is a unique, inspiring and FREE event, that is a celebration of independent living and offers a one-stop shop for the most up to date advice, support and information for youngsters with disabilities, up to the age of 25 and their carers.

Last year, the Manchester show welcomed nearly 5000 guests and the charity is hoping that many young visitors with disabilities and additional needs, will come along to the exhibition tomorrow and enjoy the range of hands on activities on offer. Hundreds of experts will also be on hand throughout the event to offer valuable support and advice on all areas of disability; from mobility, funding, seating, beds, communication, sensory, transition, education, housing, employment to accessible vehicles, transport, sports, leisure, independent living and much, much more.

This years Kidz to Adultz North event, will be looking both forwards and backwards, by paying homage to the charities early beginnings as well as highlighting the contributions Disabled Living have made to enhance independent living over the years. The exhibition will also be looking forward to the future and will feature it's very own innovation hub, where young people and their carers will be encouraged to share and draw their own ideas of innovative and life enhancing equipment. Staff and engineers will be ready to assist to help discuss and design these thoughts on equipment and products for the future. There is every chance that at least one of these imagined ideas could very well be realised by Disabled Living in the future!

There will also be an exciting competition taking place to 'Design a Christmas Card', where the winner's design will be turned into the very one that Disabled Living will send out in 2017. The charity's archives show that the tradition of sending out Christmas cards to it's young users dates back as far as its launch, back in 1897.

Debra Evans, Disabled Living's Chief Executive says: "We are delighted to be bringing out annual Kidz to Adultz North event back to Manchester this November in a very special year for us. The past 120 years has seen us transform from a small and unique outfit teaching about kindness into an acclaimed organisation that has transformed thousands of lives across the region. And so this year's event will very much celebrate all that we have achieved to date, with a special emphasis on heritage and celebrating history whilst very much looking to the future to show that we are always looking for new and pioneering ways to help makes lives better and more independent".

For more information on this fabulous event, then please visit www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

Listing Details:

Event - Kidz to Adultz North
Date - Thursday 16th November 2017
Time - 9:30am til 4:30pm
Venue - EventCity, Barton Dock Road, Manchester, M17 8AS
Ticket price - FREE, but please go to www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk to register.

Sunday 12 November 2017

Nikko RC Pyscho Gyro Vehicle by Toy State - A Review

For the last few weeks we have been bringing you some toy reviews and recommendations. A lot of these have been aimed at the younger market, but we were very excited to recently be given the opportunity to review the Nikko RC Pyscho Gyro Vehicle, which is recommended for children aged 8+.

My son Ben has always loved anything remote control and has built up a collection of supercar remote control vehicles over the last few years. We were therefore intrigued to see just what the Nikko RC Pyscho Gyro Vehicle could offer in terms of fun, speed and stunts. Could it keep my 9 year old son entertained? Well we couldn't wait to find out!


When the product arrived it came in a large box, with a clear plastic front. This meant that you could completely see both the vehicle and the controller inside the box. I always prefer it when companies do this, so that you have a clear understanding of exactly what the product looks like and how big it is. It looked very impressive and immediately generated a loud "WOW" from Ben. The box displays that there is a 40m range, as well as providing some images of the product in use. It also shows what batteries are required and that there is a fast 1 hour charging time.


The reverse of the box provides some large pictures of the vehicle in different positions, as well as a very clear picture of the controller. There is also some links provided to watch some stunts on YouTube, as well as the Nikko website address www.nikkorc.com, where there is further information on the product available.


Ben couldn't wait to get the box open, but we explained that we would need to put it on charge for a while first, before he could use it. This resulted in Ben eagerly waiting in the kitchen whilst it charged for an hour, asking every five minutes whether it was ready yet. Once it was fully charged, Ben immediately took it into the living room to try it out and get used to the controls. It didn't take him long to get the hang of it and he found the vehicle very easy to manoeuvre.

The Nikko Pyscho Gyro is capable of some fantastic feats. It's gyro stunt technology allows users to spin their cars around on two wheels. Amazingly it is also possible to spin on only one wheel! The vehicle has high grip tyres which allow for high performance traction both indoor and outdoors. This has enabled my son to be able to play with the toy both on the carpet, as well as on the decking and concrete outside without any issue.

Before long, he had realised how easy it was to get it to spin on two wheels and so we were treated to the sound of it spinning on the kitchen floor until the battery ran out, which took quite a while. It had certainly grasped Ben's attention and was keeping him well entertained. He managed to drive it all the way to school the following day. I explained that we were going on holiday the following week and that there would be plenty of places to try the product out there, so he was excited to take the toy away with us too.

As expected there was plenty of outdoor space to play with it and put it to the test. We were staying on a lodge park which had very quiet roads and long concrete areas, which meant that the vehicle could travel smoothly and that we were able to test the distance it could travel accurately.


Ben loved the fact that the vehicle could rotate at speed on both one wheel and two wheels. We found this to be really clever, as each time we thought the vehicle would flip over, but bizarrely it was able to spin around and balance on one wheel without any problem. Here you can see a clip of the Nikko RC Pyscho Gyro Vehicle in Slow Motion:


The vehicle is approximately 27cm in length, which is a great size to be able to carry or store away with ease. As mentioned previously, we took ours away on holiday with us and it fitted in the suitcase, amongst all our other things, with ease.

If I was to change one element of the Nikko RC Psycho Gyro Vehicle, it would be the battery casing on the underneath of the toy. It requires a small screwdriver each time you need to remove the battery and it is also quite a compact fit getting it back in once charged. It is definitely something best handled by an adult as think it would be far too tricky for smaller hands. A clip release battery cover would have been much better.

Overall, we have been really impressed with the toy. It seems very durable and is built from good quality materials. Ben drove it into several kerbs whilst getting the hang of the controls and it has had numerous bumps into walls and other items, but there has been no damage to it, nor are there any visible marks, which is a good sign of a well built product. My son loves being able to control the stunts and the one wheel spin is his favourite. Accompanied with a cool and trendy design in a choice of two colours, this toy certainly looks the part and at an RRP of £59.99 it offers great value for money.

For more information on the Nikko RC Psycho Gyro Vehicle or other products in the Toy State range, you can visit the Toy State website here - Toy State

This product is available to purchase from Argos, Debenhams, Menkind, Hamley's, Smyths & Amazon.


Disclaimer: We were provided with this product on a complimentary basis, for the purpose of providing an honest review of the product. This post contains an affiliate link. Opinions, photographs and videos are my own, unless stated otherwise.

Thursday 9 November 2017

The Snowman at Manchester Opera House - Review

My children and I attended this show last night, a little unsure of what to expect. We watch the film every year and it has always been part of our Christmas tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve, but I was slightly sceptical beforehand as to how it would work as a stage production. I had read the preview, so I was aware that just like the film, there was no dialogue, but that the show would be full of music, mime and dance. As someone who studied both music and dance in college, this really appealed to me, but it did leave me questioning as to how the children would take to it. Would they enjoy it & understand it, or would they become bored?

I certainly shouldn't have worried however, as our evening at the Manchester Opera House left us feeling magical. The performance took us on an amazing journey through a wintry world of fun and adventure, which had my children captivated from the very beginning. The Birmingham Repertory Theatre production of The Snowman was not only fascinating to watch, but also left a feeling of enchantment amongst the audience, who were all observing the mesmerising choreography that really brought the characters to life.

The show begins in the young boys home and we watched as he woke from his sleep, to find heavy snowfall outside. His expression of excitement reminded my son of the last time we had snow and how happy he had been to play outside. We observed as the boy had fun outdoors, just waiting for the moment that he decided to build The Snowman! The opening scenes also contained humour, that created some laugh out loud moments. My son particularly enjoyed the part where the boys mother was trying to get him to go to bed, but he had other ideas and was misbehaving instead. This is certainly a familiar routine in our home, which I think was why my son found it so funny.

Once The Snowman had been built, the magic really began and we watched with excitement as The Snowman came to life. He entered The Boy's home and we enjoyed scenes in different rooms of the house as they both explored together mischievously. Each scene brought something special into the production and this ranged from dancing fruit attempting the limbo in the kitchen, to toys coming to life in The Boy's bedroom. I thought that Tomoyo Tanimoto Jaquier's representation of the music box ballerina, was absolutely beautiful and we were also treated to another breathtaking performance by the enchanting dancer, when she returned as the Ice Queen later in the show.

Photo Credit: Alistair Muir
The woodland scene that followed featured some beautiful animal costumes and my daughter commented that she thought the squirrel one in particular was fantastic. We were treated to more humorous elements as the animals tried to avoid The Snowman as he excitedly steered a motorbike with his enthusiastic passenger across the stage.

As the interval approached, the moment came that we had all been waiting for, as The Snowman and The Boy took to the sky for the iconic song 'Walking in the Air'. There were gasps amongst the audience as the duo flew across the stage, whilst I remained mesmerised by the music which is always magnificent, no matter how many times you have heard the song before. The song bridged the interval so we were given the chance to enjoy this moment again at the start of the second half.

As the show continued, we were introduced to more Snowmen, as well as the delightful Father Christmas himself, with each character being individually charismatic. My children absolutely loved it when they all danced together and the music made me want to get up on stage and dance with them.

Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton

The introduction of Jack Frost brings another element to the show, but nothing that was too scary to frighten younger audience members. The Scottish Snowman ensures in comedic fashion that Jack Frost causes no further problems and both The Snowman and The Boy return safely home.

The whole production is inspirational and features the perfect blend of accomplished performances, choreography, humour & emotion. I had chosen to only bring my two older children aged 9 & 11 to The Snowman thinking that it would not have been suitable for Riley who is 4, however I genuinely believe that this show is perfect for all ages and would capture the hearts of all generations. The young girl in front of me who was the same age as Riley sat beautifully throughout the show and I also noticed children who looked younger than Riley enjoying it too, which makes me very tempted to take him.

Emma and Ben talked non stop on the train journey home about their favourite parts and it was interesting to hear how they had each noticed different things and that the show had appealed to them in unique ways. One thing we all agreed on, was that the show had truly got us in the Christmas spirit and more excited than ever for the coming weeks ahead. The Snowman production is a beautiful story told on stage and we would highly recommend it to others.

Listing Details

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre Production of The SnowmanTM  

Venue: Opera House Manchester, 3 Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3HP

Thursday 9th November 2017 - 10:30am and 2:30pm
Friday 10th November 2017 - 7pm
Saturday 11th November 2017 - 1:30pm and 5pm
Sunday 12th November 2017 - 11am and 3pm

Tickets: From £15*

To book please contact the box office on 0844 871 3018 or visit the website ATG Tickets

*Booking transaction fee applies.


Photo Credit: Herbie Knott
* Disclaimer: We were provided with complimentary tickets to the show for the purpose of providing our honest opinion of the production. All opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. This post contains an affiliate link.

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Shark Bite Game by Drumond Park - Review and Competition!

Now that the clocks have turned back, the evenings are dark before we know it, so it's nice to have a fun activity to do as a family whilst keeping warm and cosy at home. One of our favourite things to do together, especially when the weather is poor, is to play some family games. We have had some firm favourites over the last year including Stoopido and Rapidough, which are always guaranteed to provide a good laugh together. However, the lovely team at Drumond Park, recently sent us their Shark Bite game to review and we couldn't wait to see how this fared in the fun factor stakes!


Shark Bite was released earlier this year and I am sure the box is sure to have caught the attention of many children when browsing in the toy shops. The front of the packaging features some brightly coloured graphics, displaying an angry looking shark whose mouth is full of fish and lobster delights. It also features a photo of two children playing the game in the bottom left hand corner, which helps you to gain a better understanding of what the product and the contents look like inside.


It is designed to be played by 2-4 players and is recommended for children over the age of 4. This really appealed to me, as my youngest son is 5, so I felt reassured that it would be suitable and easy enough for Riley to play, as well as understand.

The reverse of the box provides some brief information on how you play the game, as well as providing further graphics and images. The contents list is also provided which is as follows:
  • 1 Shark
  • 12 pieces of shark food
  • 1 fishing rod
  • 1 sticker sheet
  • Instructions

After Riley had taken a quick look at the packaging, he couldn't wait to get the box open and get the game ready for us to play. We removed the contents and began to prepare the shark and dice. This was really simple to do and simply involved placing some stickers on the dice, as well as applying the sharks eyes and pushing the shark into its base. Riley insisted on doing this himself and found it really easy. We then took the 12 pieces of shark food and began to push them into the holes in the sharks mouth. In less than a minute, the game was ready to play, with the added bonus that there were NO batteries required. Perfect!


Emma and Ben joined Riley and I, so that we could all play the game together. We read through the instructions and we were all confident that we knew exactly how to play. The game itself is a really simple concept with easy to follow rules. To play you simply roll the dice which shows you how many fish you need to catch. You could roll one fish or two, so it is easy for very young children to identify how many they need. Once you have rolled the dice, you then need to catch your fish, using the fishing rod provided. Riley found it a little difficult to remove the fish during his first couple of attempts, but soon got the hang of it and realised that if he pulled the rod with quite a quick tug, then the fish would come out easily.


This is where you have to be careful though, as when you try to remove the fish, the shark may bite without warning and if that happens, then you need to return any food back to the sharks mouth. The aim of the game is to be the person to collect the most fish.


We immediately fell in love with this game as soon as we began to play. Everyone was laughing, as each person took their turn to try and retrieve an item from between the scary sharks jaws. Each of us hoping that it wouldn't snap on our go. Not only was it great fun to play, but it also encouraged Riley to recognise colours and numbers. It also tested his coordination skills by trying to hook a fish or lobster onto the fishing rod.


We played the game for over an hour, as each time a round ended, I was met with shouts of "Again, again". Due to how easy it is to set up and play, the kids have also been playing it every day both before and after school and I have been really impressed at the fact that it has also been an 'argument free' game so far!


My only minor criticism of the game, would be that I think there should be more than one rod included. I am a little concerned that if the one rod that is included should break, then we would be left unable to play the game properly, which would be very disappointing. If there were additional rods provided, then this would prevent that potential problem. The game could be played by picking the objects out using your hands, but I think that the rod adds more skill to the game, and that makes it more enjoyable.


Overall we all really enjoyed this game and it is certainly very popular in our home at the moment. There are no fiddly parts, no batteries required and no great skill needed to put the game together. It is literally ready to play in seconds and provides lots of fun and entertainment. The instructions are simple and it is the perfect game for families to enjoy together. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others. It is available to purchase from all good toy retailers including Amazon and has an RRP of £24.99.

You can also find out more about Shark Bite and the other great games in the Drumond Park range, on their website here:  Drumond Park



We love this game so much, that we have teamed up with Drumond Park, to giveaway a Shark Bite game to one lucky blog reader! If you would like to enter, then please do so, using the gleam form below. Terms & Conditions apply. Good Luck!

Win a Shark Bite Game by Drumond Park

Terms & Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize available on a Shark Bite game by Drumond Park. 
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or older.
  • The prize is as stated and no cash alternative is available.
  • Competition closes on 6th December 11:59pm.
  • The winner will be notified via email and will have 7 days to respond to the winning email to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entrants.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • The winner's details only will be shared with Drumond Park for the purpose of prize fulfilment.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary Shark Bite game for the purpose of providing an honest review of the product. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.

Saturday 4 November 2017

PJ Masks - Time to be a Hero DVD - Review

PJ Masks is a hugely popular preschool TV Show by Entertainment One (eOne) that has all budding young superheroes captivated, as they follow the exciting adventures of a trio of friends, who work together to become an unstoppable team. Accompanied by a catchy theme tune and great stories, the DVD is sure to be a hit with any PJ Masks fans.

My son Riley absolutely loves PJ Masks, so we were really excited to learn about its first ever DVD release, that soared into stores & online demand sites earlier this week on the 30th October. Riley was first introduced to PJ Masks last year, when he began to watch the Disney Junior TV channel. He became an instant fan and loves to sing and dance along to the song, as well as dress up as his favourite character Gekko.

PJ Masks - Time to be a Hero, features six fan-favourite episodes and follows the exciting adventures of Connor, Amaya and Greg. The three friends attend school like everyone else, but when something goes awry in the city, they get ready for their mission.

As day turns to night, the heroes put their pyjamas on and activate their animal amulets. They magically transform into their dynamic superhero alter egos: Catboy, Owlette and Gekko and become the fantastic PJ Masks team.


The episodes featured on the DVD are:

  • Speak UP, Gekko! - When Romeo starts using Gekko's voice for no good, Gekko has to get over his stage fright and get his voice back.
  • Catboy & Master Fang's Sword - Night Ninja has stolen Master Fang's prized sword and Catboy wants it back, but he will have to learn not to let his anger get in the way first.
  • Catboy vs. Robo-Cat - Catboy has to get Amaya's and Greg's stolen superhero pyjamas back from Romeo so they can transform into Owlette and Gekko and help him save the day.....unless he learns that you don't need superpowers to be a hero.
  • Owlette and the Giving Owl - Owlette's prized 'Giving Owl' statue is stolen by Luna Girl to decorate her new headquarters. If Owlette doesn't learn that it's better to give than receive, Catboy and Gekko could become trapped in Luna Girl's newest HQ for good.
  • Catboy's Flying Fiasco - When Catboy receives a scooter as a gift from an unknown aunt, something smells fishy. But when he can use it to fly, it's too good to leave at home. Too bad that it's really a gift from......Luna Girl!
  • Owlette and the Flash Flip Trip - Using his newest machine, Romeo erases all the stories from books and replaces them with pictures of himself. Rather than relying on her own skills, Owlette plans to use the moves of her favourite comic character, Flossy Flash, to save the day.
Our copy of the DVD arrived just before Riley went to school, so he was excited all day about coming home and being able to watch it. The DVD is approximately 72 minutes long, so it was perfect for me to put it on and know that he would be settled for over an hour, whilst I could prepare dinner. I could hear him singing along to the theme tune, as well as shouting out some of his favourite catchphrases such as "Into the night, to save the day".


Once I had dinner in the oven, I was able to sit down and enjoy the remainder of the DVD with him. Despite being an adult, I actually really enjoyed the episodes and I like the fact that they tell a story as well as teaching valuable lessons along the way. Riley really enjoys watching them solve the mysteries and working together as a team, so it is great to now have a DVD that we can put on at any time.

Riley enjoyed the DVD so much that when we went on holiday this week, it was the first item he packed in his little suitcase. We were staying in a luxury lodge and I knew that there was a DVD player available, so it was great to be able to take this away with us. It meant that in between visiting attractions and going out in the evening, Riley was able to watch one of his favourite programmes over and over again, as well as introducing his Nana and Grandad to the wonderful world of PJ Masks and getting them to watch the episodes with him too.


The DVD also came with a lovely set of stickers, which Riley has used to decorate his notebook. There was also an advertising insert which showed some of the great products that are available to purchase, as well as some of the activities that are available on the PJ Masks website www.pjmasks.co.uk/grown-ups. I also found out there is a PJ Masks Time to be a Hero App which looks great fun.


PJ Masks - Time to be a Hero is available to purchase now from retailers including Amazon, and has an RRP of £9.99. It is also available as a digital download so that your little ones can watch it on the go. It has a U rating, so it is suitable for all the family to enjoy. We really enjoyed the DVD and would highly recommend it.


*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary copy of the DVD for review purposes. All photographs and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.