Simba Toys Spiderman Marvel Plush - A Review

(AD - Gifted)

My children have all been Marvel fans for as long as I can remember, and my eldest child in particular loves to go to the cinema with all her friends whenever there is a new film release. My youngest son also really enjoys learning about all the different Marvel characters and his personal favourites are Spiderman and Iron Man.

This year has seen a great selection of Marvel offerings on the big screen, with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 and most recently The Marvels, which was released in the UK on the 10th November. My son was therefore really excited to celebrate all things Marvel, by being sent two Marvel Spidey and his Amazing Friends plush toys to review. 

These plushes are made by Simba Toys, who offer a wide range of products for children. There are several different Marvel plushes available to collect including Spiderman, Miles Morales and Ghost Spider. We were sent the Spiderman and Miles Morales versions which my son was delighted with. 

The plushes are approximately 25cm tall and are the perfect hand held size, which means even the youngest of fans can enjoy them. They are really light in weight and are made from soft fabric, making them perfect to snuggle up with or take on an adventure. We also found them to be a really good likeness to the characters and they appear to be excellent quality too.

One thing we really liked about these plush characters is the fact that they have Glow-in-the-dark eyes, which not only means that they are easy to find, but they can also offer some reassurance to younger children who may be afraid of the dark. We also found that if you shine your phone torch on the eyes for 30 seconds prior to the lights going out, then they have a fantastic bright glow to them.

Overall we were really impressed with the quality and likeness of these products and we also felt that they were the ideal size to be able to carry around and take on journeys too. In addition to being able to cuddle up with them, you can also create your own Marvel adventures and get them to strike some Spiderman poses which my son found to be lots of fun.

These soft toys are available to purchase from Amazon and can be found on the following affiliate links:

Spiderman 

Miles Morales  

Ghost Spider 

If you would like to find out more about Simba Toys and their products, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels: 

Facebook - @SimbaToysUK

Instagram - @SimbaToysUK

*Disclaimer - We were sent two Simba Toys Marvel Plushes for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are our own unless stated otherwise. This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission payment should you choose to purchase through one of these links. 

Crazy Construction Fun with Junkbots from Hexbug - A Review

My family has been huge fans of the Hexbug range of products for many years and my children have enjoyed many of their toys, with my eldest two children building up quite a collection at one stage. My youngest son Riley also loves Roblox and unboxing, so we were really excited to learn more about Junkbots, along with Hexbug's latest project that merges toys with entertainment.

A new eight-part digital series based on Junkbots, is now available to view on the HEXBUG Official YouTube page and from the 20th August, fans will be able to join in with the fun with the launch of the Roblox game that will follow a brand new adventure which all kicked-off when Junkbot Jack Static received a cryptic radio transmission. 

To celebrate the launch of the digital series and game, we held a fun screening event for Riley where he watched some episodes whilst also playing along with some awesome Junkbots toys. Of course no screening would be complete without some sweets and popcorn, so we made sure there was plenty on hand for us to enjoy whilst watching the show. 

Junkbots are the ultimate unboxing experience and there are items galore for you to rummage through and find the rubbish that can help you create your Junkbot character. They come in a selection of different sizes ranging from the Junkbots Trash Bin with an RRP of £4.99, the Junkbots Dumpster with an RRP of £9.99 and the Junkbots Industrial Dumpster with an RRP of £19.99. There are over 36 Junkbots to collect, but the beauty of this product is that items can be mixed and matched, which means that children can create numerous characters of their very own.

The Junkbots Trash Bin has an RRP of £4.99 and is the smallest in the range and perfectly priced for a pocket money purchase. Once you have opened the trash bin lid you can rummage inside to find the 15 pieces that you need to build the Junkbot character. Some pieces are loose in the trash bin, whilst others can be found inside the mini bin bags, providing plenty of unboxing fun. The design is fabulous and looks like a brightly coloured bin. The Junkbots are recommended for ages 3+ however there are some small parts, so I would definitely advise parental supervision if allowing younger children to play. 

The Junkbots Dumpster has an RRP of £9.99 and includes 30 pieces inside allowing you two build two completely different Junkbot figures. This was my favourite in terms of price and value for money as in addition to the two Junkbot figures, the pack also included an energy module. Our energy module was easy to build and was a light which could be attached to Junkbot figures to make them glow. My son Riley absolutely loved this and enjoyed moving the light from one figure to another. Some of the connections and joints can be a little difficult to put together, so I did need to help Riley from time to time, but personally I enjoyed that I could also be involved and it was nice to be able to work together.

The Junkbots Industrial Dumpster has an RRP of £19.99 and is the ultimate construction adventure. It features over 50 different pieces allowing for 4 Junkbots to be built and this set also includes an energy module and a motion module which really help to bring the figures to life. Riley described this pack as being 'epic' and unlike other unboxing toys where the fun can be over very quickly, this set offered Riley hours of entertainment. He loved rummaging through all the bin bags, separating the junk from the pieces and creating the character designs. It kept him entertained for a full afternoon and once he has finished playing with the existing figures, he can do it all over again and create his own. I therefore really like the fact that these toys can be played with over and over again which definitely gives added value to the product.

Overall, we really loved the concept and design of the Junkbots and the fact that they offered so much unboxing fun. We particularly liked the fact that we could create our own characters, which was something that Riley definitely enjoyed. The initial diagrams are slightly difficult to follow and could do with being a bit clearer for children who want to make their character perfectly, but we managed on the most part and for any connections we weren't sure of, then Riley just used whichever part he liked the look of which seemed to work really well for us. The design is really fun and we loved that you had miniature bin bags to rummage through and find the pieces. I also feel that the RRP of the products is very reasonable and offers good value for money. I would definitely consider buying more of these in the future and will also look to buy these as birthday gifts due to their price. Junkbots are available to purchase now from The Entertainer, Amazon, Toymaster and other local independent retailers.

If you would like to find out more about Hexbugs or the Junkbots range of products then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Website - Hexbug.com/Junkbots

Facebook - facebook.com/hexbug

Twitter - @HEXBUG

Instagram - @hexbug

YouTube - hexbugtv

Why not also check out the HEXBUG Junkbots series trailer below:

*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary selection of Junkbots toys for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

A Night of Family Fun with Spin Master Games - A Review

Whilst lockdown has had many disadvantages, it has created a very positive experience for us, in that we have been able to spend plenty of family time together. In the summer we were able to enjoy the fabulous weather in the garden, but now the colder and darker nights are drawing in, it has given us the opportunity to enjoy some fabulous family games that have provided us with plenty of entertainment.

We were recently sent a selection of games from Spin Master which included Grouch Couch, Beat the Parents and Hedbanz. All of these games were great fun and suitable for all of our family with our age ranges being from 7 to 40. 

Grouch Couch Review

Grouch Couch was the first game that my children wanted to play. Our first impressions were that it looked like a fun game that was sure to make us laugh and we weren't wrong. The box has a clear window at the front (which is always my preferred choice when it comes to toys), so that you can see exactly what the product looks like inside. The text on the front describes it as 'The furniture with attitude game!™' and it is recommended as being suitable for 2-4 players aged 5+.

The rear of the box provides some clear images of game play along with a brief description of the game, which provides you with a good understanding of what is involved to play. It looked simple to understand, exciting to play and lots of fun, so we couldn't wait to get started.

On opening the box we found the following contents inside:

• 1 x Grouch Couch
• 16 x Treats
• 15 x Lost Goodies
• 1 x Dice
• 1 x Instruction Sheet

The Grouch Couch was fastened into the box using an elasticated band and two plastic connectors. These connectors simply need to be twisted to allow the product to be released from the cardboard base. This was really simple to do and even better they can be continually used going forwards, meaning that you can also refasten it back into the box once you have finished playing. My only slight frustration with the game arose at this point as it was only on removing the item that we realised it needed batteries. I had checked the front and rear of the box before opening it to check this, but hadn't noticed that the information was actually detailed underneath the box and that it required 3 x AAA batteries. Luckily we had already bought some spare packs in preparation for Christmas, so this was only a minor inconvenience that we could quickly resolve. We were soon ready to play and I began to read out the instructions to the rest of my family. 

To begin game play you lift the centre cushion of the Grouch Couch and load all the 15 Lost Goodies into the hole before closing the cover securely. The Lost Goodies look like tokens, but each one has an object printed on them such as a sock or a mobile phone.  You then place the treats in a pile within each reach of all the players. Underneath the Grouch Couch is an on and off switch, so when you are ready to play you simply switch this on to begin your game.

Starting with the youngest player, you roll the dice and place that may treats anywhere on the Grouch Couch. That player then presses the remote control button which will make the Grouch Couch come alive as it begins to move and open its mouth. If he likes what you feed him, the Grouch Couch will make some satisfied burping noises and then release one or more Lost Goodies. These are flung out of the bottom of the sofa and are released quickly and at speed, which my children found hilarious. You then need to keep these Lost Goodies safe as the person who has the most at the end of the game is the winner. You will know when you have reached the end of the game as the Grouch Couch will sing a song before releasing the final Lost Goodies.

The dice can also play an important part in helping you to win, as if you roll a vacuum cleaner on the dice, you can then roll a number and remove this amount of tokens from another player. This adds a good twist to the game as just when you think you are winning, another player could take some of your Lost Goodies. After we had played this game a few times, we also added a further challenge in for my older children, in that they had to catch the Lost Goodies as they were released otherwise they would be forfeited. This added another fun element to the game and we loved that it was easy to add our own variations.

Overall we all loved this game and found it really funny. I liked that as well as playing by the set rules, we were also able to adapt this to suit my older children and add some variation to the game. It is really simple and easy to understand and I know it is a game that my youngest son Riley will want to play with his friends repeatedly, once they are allowed to visit again. The game is currently available to buy at Amazon for £19.99, which I feel represents good value for money. I can see this being a game that many families would enjoy playing together and I would therefore happily recommend this to others.

Hedbanz Review

Hedbanz is a game we are familiar with and has been a firm favourite of ours for many years. As described on the box, it is the quick question game of "What Am I?" and provides a wacky guessing game as you try to figure out what is featured on the card on your head.

The game comes in a red square box with bright and colourful graphics on the front and rear. Whilst there is no description on the front, the images give you a good idea of what the game involves and what is included in the box. The rear of the box provides a contents list, further graphics and some more details about how the game can be advanced using the Hedbanz app.

On opening the box we found that the contents included:

• 6 Blue adjustable headbands
• 13 Scoring badges
• 69 Picture cards
• 3 Sample question cards
• 1 Timer
• Instructions

To set up the game you firstly need to separate the Picture Cards from the Sample Question Cards, then shuffle them up and place them face down in the middle of all the players, along with the Scoring Badges. Each player then places a Headband on their head, making sure that the Hedbanz logo is in the centre, as this is where the Picture Card will be placed. You then deal one Picture Card face down to each player, who must then insert their card into the clip on the headband. As tempting as it may be, do not sneak a peak at your card!

The youngest player then goes first, before play continues to the left. On each players turn the timer is flipped over and you have to ask the other players questions to try and guess the picture on your head.  The Sample Question Cards give you some ideas of what you could ask if you get stuck, but we enjoyed trying to think of our own questions. If you manage to guess the picture before the time runs out, then you take another card and continue asking questions until the time runs out. When you guess a card correctly, you can add a Scoring Badge to your headband and the first to collect 3 Scoring Badges is the winner.

Now whilst the rules of the game are simple and easy to understand, it is amazing how quickly your mind can go blank whilst you are trying to think of questions to ask whilst racing against the clock. I had a clear plan in my mind of how I was going to figure what was on my card fast, but once the timer began and the pressure set in, my plan of action went out the window. My family and I couldn't stop laughing throughout the game at some of the guesses that were made and it took a few turns each before we gradually started to work out our cards. Overall we think that this is a great family game that is easy to set up and understand. It is currently available to purchase on Amazon for only £10, which offers excellent value for money.

Beat the Parents Review

Beat the Parents is a game we have never played before, so we were keen to try this out and find out more. The front of the box didn't give too much away, but the reverse gave a good explanation of this head-to-head family game which is packed full of questions and challenges. Adults have to answer questions about kids' stuff, whils the children answer questions that the parents should know. As well as being full of fact filled trivia, it also includes fun and exciting challenges, with the team that crosses the game board first being declared the champion.

Inside the box we found the following contents:

• 1 Game board
• 110 Question Cards
• 50 Challenge Cards
• 2 Movers
• Instructions

My children were really excited about this game as they were determined to beat us parents. The object of the game is for kids to play their parents as both teams try to answer questions and complete various challenges. The first team to get their mover to the other end of the game board are declared the winners.

Setting up the game is easy and each team sits on opposites sides of the board. Kids are yellow, whilst the parents are red. You then shuffle both decks of question and challenge cards and place them face down next to the board. Kids go first and the parents must draw a Question Card and read out loud the first question on the card. If this is answered correctly then the kids can move their mover by one space on the board and the parents then go on to ask the next question that is displayed on the card. An incorrect answer means that they can not move ahead and their turn is over. If you land on a challenge space whilst moving your mover then you must stop there and draw a Challenge Card. 

The Challenge Cards feature a wide variation of challenges. The challenges can be anything from playing Rock, Paper Scissors with an opposing team member or having to quickly add up the ages of everyone in the room and being the first person to shout the correct answer. We found the challenges to be great fun and some of them also provided plenty of laughter. The team that wins a Challenge Card can then move their mover the amount of spaces indicated on the card. The first team to reach the Win space wins the game!

Overall we really enjoyed this game and particularly liked the variety of challenges it offered. Beat the Parents is currently available on offer at Amazon for only £10, which offers great value for money, especially as this game can be played many times without feeling too repetitive, due to the amount of question and challenge cards available. You do need some extra items to complete some of the challenges such as a pencil or ice cubes, however most of these are ordinary items that you would have in your home and you could always remove any Challenge Cards that you would be unable to complete. My family and I enjoyed this game and felt that it also helped to improve our general knowledge skills. I would therefore recommend this game to others.

*Disclaimer - This blog post features items that were gifted to us for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. Any thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Any prices stated within this post are subject to change. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Garden Fun with the Giant Pass The Pigs Game - A Review

As we regularly enjoy holidays and weekend breaks, it is fair to say that we have accumulated a nice selection of travel games over the years. However, one of our favourite games, which always comes with us on every trip, is the classic family favourite of Pass the Pigs. My children love this game and the simple uncomplicated rules, makes it easy for even the younger members of the family to join in.

We were therefore delighted to hear about an even bigger and better version, that not only could we take on holiday with us, or to the beach, but that we could also play together in the garden whilst enjoying the sunny weather outdoors. But what could possibly be better than the original Pass the Pigs?............GIANT Pass the Pigs of course!!

Giant Pass the Pigs comes presented in a medium sized box. The front of the packaging features a large image of two inflatable pigs, along with an age recommendation of 6+ and a suggestion of 2-4 players. The rear of the box provides more images along with some suggestions of where you could play the game. There is also a contents list that explains exactly what you get inside.

On opening the box, we found that the contents included:

• 2 x Inflatable Pigs (approximately 50cm x 40cm)
• A Carry Bag
• Pencils
• Score Pad
• Repair Kit

If you aren't familiar with the game of Pass the Pigs, then it is really simple to learn and very easy to play. Firstly we removed the pigs from the packaging and inflated them, before moving into the garden to begin our game. We each took it in turns to be the "Swineherd", which is the person in charge of both the pigs and the points. You then simply place one pig in each hand and hold them by the ears, before swinging them up in the air at the same time and releasing them. You then have a look to see how your pigs landed and match it with the score point images to see how many points you gained. Super easy and plenty of fun!

There are numerous positions your pigs can land in, which all have various points allocated to them. The aim of the game is to earn as many points as possible and the first to reach 100 is the winner. However some positions could see you earn zero points, lose all of your points, or even force you to retire from the game. The positions and their points are as follows:

• A Sider (1 point) - This is when both pigs land on their same side.
• Trotter (5 points) - This is when a pig lands on all 4 legs.
• A Double Trotter (20 points) - This is when both pigs land on all 4 legs.
• A Razorback (5 Points) - This is when a pig lands on its back with its legs in the air.
• A Double Razorback (20 Points) This is when both pigs land on their back with their legs in the air.
• A Snouter (10 Points) - This is when a pig lands on its nose and front trotters.
• A Double Snouter (40 Points) - This is when both pigs land on their nose and front trotters
• Leaning Jowler (15 Points) - This is when the nose, trotter and ear are to the ground.
• Double Learning Jowler (60 Points) - This is when both pigs land with their nose, trotter and ear to the ground.
• Mixed Combo (Add points together) - A mixed combo is the combination of a trotter, snouter or learning jowler and you simply add the individual points of each position together.
• The Rumper (15 Points) This is when you pig lands on its bum with its nose in the air.
• A Double Rumper (30 Points) This is when both pigs land on their bums with their noses in the air.
• Pig Out (0 Points) If the pigs land on opposite sides, then you don't score any points.
• Makin' Bacon (Lose Points) If your pigs land and they are touching, then you lose ALL of your points!
• Piggy Back (Retire) If you get a piggy back, then you are out of the game.

Overall we absolutely love Giant Pass the Pigs and it has been great fun to enjoy together in the garden. The rules are so easy to understand and it is an enjoyable game to play with family and friends. With an RRP of only £14.99 this represents excellent value for money and I would absolutely recommend Giant Pass the Pigs to others. It is entertaining, fun and easy to play and this will no doubt become one of our top garden games to play this summer. Giant Pass the Pigs can be purchased from retailers including Amazon.

If you would like to find out more about Giant Pass the Pigs or the other games in the Pass the Pigs range, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - www.passthepigsofficial.com
Facebook - facebook.com/passthepigs
Twitter - @PassthePigsGame
Instagram - @passthepigsofficial

*Disclaimer - We were gifted the item featured in this post, for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Superzings Series 5 Collectibles and Superzings Mission Playsets - A Review

(AD - This review features gifted items)

My son Riley was first introduced to Superzings towards the end of last year and it is safe to say that since then, he has become a huge fan and has regularly been adding to his collection. He was therefore really excited to learn more about the new Superzings Series 5 Collectibles along with the new Superzings Mission Playsets and wasted no time at all, in opening the latest additions.

Created by Magic Box Toys, Superzings are based on everyday objects that can transform into superheroes or supervillains. They are a fantastic collectible series that encourage children to use their imagination and create scenarios that bring their characters to life. Not only are these a great fun range of toys, but they are also excellent value for money, with the blind bags having an RRP of only 80p per pack. They are recommended for children aged 4 to 8, which I would agree is the suitable age range.

The first items Riley began to open were the blind bags. He opened one and then took some time to look over the leaflet inside so he could see all of the different characters that were available. This leaflet also showed which ones were rare in this series and Riley was hopeful that he might find an Ultra-Rare in one of the packs.

This series also features some new special vehicles called Skyracers, which each have their own unique attack method. Priced at only £4 the vehicles also come with a Superzing character, making them ideal pocket money priced toys. There are 4 different models to collect which are the Hungry Hunter, Mighty Cannon, Rusty Blades and Turbo Kicker.

Riley carefully cut each pack open and began to line up his new characters on the table. He did get a couple of duplicates, but this didn't bother him at all and instead he just pretends that these characters are twins. He absolutely loves blind bags and the anticipation of what is inside, makes it so exciting for children as they open them up and get to reveal the character within. I love watching his reaction and then seeing him check the leaflet to find out what their name is.

This series has also seen the introduction of some new Superzings Mission Playsets which have an RRP of £15. The characters can be seen through the packaging on these items, so it does remove the element of surprise, but Riley was extremely happy with these regardless. The first mission playset he opened was Mission Fire Strike and this consisted of a fire engine, helicopter, 2 exclusive figures and some accessories.

Each vehicle has its own special feature and in this playset the helicopter can shoot fireballs, whilst the fire engine can shoot water jets. As you push the helicopter along, the rotating blades also spin, giving a great effect whilst carrying out your imaginative missions.

Riley's favourite however, was the Bank Assault Mission Playset, which contained two exclusive Superzings characters, 2 exclusive vehicles and a bank vault that can be filled with gold bars. Riley really enjoyed this playset, especially as it connected well with some of his existing Superzings toys, such as the police station. This meant that he could come up with countless scenarios and really enjoyed pretending to recover the gold from the Supervillains.

The gold bars all fit into the vault nicely and it is a really fun accessory to have within the set. Riley also asked me to hide the gold around and within his other playsets and he would then try and find it with the help of the superhero figures.

The exclusive figures that come with the vehicles in the Mission Playsets also sit nicely in them. However, the great thing about Superzings is that they are interchangeable, so you can use any of your figures in the vehicles and then swap and change them as you wish.

Riley finds all the toys so easy to use and the chunky, colourful and well made designs, means that he doesn't have to be too gentle with them, or be scared of them breaking quickly. For example on the police vehicle below, the top can open so that you can sit your chosen figure inside. This can be done with ease and doesn't feel flimsy or easily breakable when doing so.

After Riley had finished checking out all of his new Superzings, he began to lay out all of his Superzings Toys to create one huge combined playset. It was great fun creating some new play scenarios and Riley set up teams of superheroes and supervillains. The villains were on a mission to try and steal the gold from the vault, whilst the superheroes were working hard to prevent the robbery and then retrieve the gold.

All of the toys really encouraged his imagination and after capturing all the villains and placing them in the police station, he then created a new hide the gold game. This involved me hiding the gold bars around the various playsets whilst Riley then looked for them using his superhero characters.

Overall we have been really impressed with the Superzings range of toys. The products are such good quality and offer great value for money. Like most children Riley absolutely loves opening the blind bags and enjoys the surprise of seeing what is inside. He was so excited opening each pack in the hope of finding a rare. I personally think that the design of the characters is great and I love looking at the details on each one. They are ideal for birthday gifts or pocket money treats and both Riley and I look forward to seeing what other products join the Superzings range in the future. These items can be purchased from supermarkets, toy retailers and online retailers such as Amazon.

If you would like to find out more about Superzings, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

YouTube - SuperZings
Instagram - superzings_uk
Twitter - @superzings
Facebook - SuperZings.UK

*Disclaimer - We were gifted the items featured in this blog post for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Some products featured in the images from earlier series have previously been gifted or purchased by myself. This blog post features amazon affiliate links.

Novie the Interactive Robot - A Review

Christmas is fast approaching and if you are still looking for that perfect last minute gift or a little stocking filler, then we may have just the idea for you. Introducing.......Novie!

We have recently been sent Novie for review and have been really impressed by this super cool interactive robot that can fit easily in the palm of your hand. Novie has the ability to learn new tricks and can be cleverly taught by recognising various different hand gestures. With 12 different tricks to perform, along with a total of 75 actions, Novie provides plenty of entertainment as you watch how he reacts.

Novie comes neatly packaged in a clear box, so you can see exactly what you are getting for your money. It also comes complete with batteries, which definitely gives it bonus points from me. There is also a manual enclosed, along with numerous quick start guides that are in various languages.

Whilst I began to read the instructions, my children set Novie into free mode and just start waving their hands in front of him in any direction just to see what he could do. There was no method to their approach, but they had plenty of fun just experimenting and seeing how Novie would respond. Once I had read through the information, we switched Novie into the Beginner mode and started to work our way through the listed actions.

There are various hand gestures that you can use, which are then picked up using the sensors on the front of Novie. He will then respond according to the gesture you have made. This can involve moving your hand from side to side, round in circles, or forward and upwards. The latter was my children's favourite as this would make Novie do a wheelie and it was quite amusing watching him spin about on the table.

We haven't had the opportunity to discover all  of the tricks that Novie can perform yet, but we have been learning a few more each day, which the kids have really enjoyed. Tricks include the Spinout, a Wheelie and a Fartnado to name just a few. Once you get the hang of certain hand gestures, you can switch the training mode from beginner to either intermediate or advance. It is very simple to change modes and all you have to do is press the button on the top of Novie's head.

The more you train Novie, the more he does and he will make an exciting noise as he carries out his tricks. When he successfully learns a new command he will make a Ta-da sound, which also helps you to know when you have got the hand gesture just right.

This interactive robot may be small in size, but he certainly has a large personality and as well as being able to do over 75 actions, he has LED eyes that can change colour, sixy animations, three motor speeds and also has over 70 different sounds to enjoy too. Novie is recommended for children aged 4+ which I think is an accurate age guide, especially to be able to learn how to do each specific hand gesture and trick.

Overall we found Novie to be great fun and all of my children from age six to thirteen have enjoyed teaching it tricks. So far it has provided hours of entertainment and Riley has been looking forward to coming home from school each day to teach it some more moves. I think the RRP of £24.99 is really good value for money and it is available in a selection of different colours too which include red, purple and blue. I would definitely recommend Novie to others and also feel it would make the perfect last minute Christmas gift.

At the time of writing this review, Novie is currently on offer at Amazon for less than £20 and can be found here - Novie (Price subject to change).

*Disclaimer - We were gifted this product for the purpose of writing an honest review of the item. All opinions and photographs are my own unless stated otherwise. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Still Shopping for the Perfect Gift? Read our Christmas Gift Guide for Under 10's

Christmas is fast approaching and if you are still looking for the perfect gift, then check out our Christmas Gift Guide for Under 10's to give you some great ideas. Featuring STEM toys, parody slime making characters, craft products, collectibles and even winter clothing, this guide provides you with some fantastic suggestions.

1. Gears! Gears! Gears! Movin' Monkeys Building Set from Learning Resources

We love Learning Resources products in our home due to the fact that they offer fantastic educational toys and games that really aid development and skills in children. One of our favourite products is the Gears! Gears! Gears! Movin' Monkeys Building Set which encourages children to use creative thinking whilst building a bright and colourful jungle, packed full of monkeys.

The use of cogs and gears helps children to understand how they work together, as well as assisting in the development of fine motor skills. This set fully supports STEM learning and the clever features provide hands-on learning and plenty of play possibilities.

Consisting of over 100 pieces including sturdy plastic gears, monkey figures, vines, trees and bases, these can all be mixed and match to create countless combinations either as a solo or group activity.

Once creations have been completed, then these can be spun with a simple twist of a gear handle, making it an ideal and fun educational gift for young learners.

This item can be purchased for £46 on the Learning Resources website here. However if you would like to find out more about Learning Resources and their other products, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - https://www.learningresources.co.uk/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LearningResourcesLtdUK/
Twitter - @LRUK
Instagram - @learningresourcesuk

2. SuperZings - Rivals of Kaboom Playsets

We have only recently been introduced to the SuperZings and you may have seen our recent review here. However, we instantly fell in love these toys and their sturdy, colourful and great quality designs and feel that they should definitely be featured in our gift guide.

SuperZings are based on every day objects that can transform into Superheroes or Villains. They are a great collectible series that encourage children to use their imagination and create scenarios that bring their characters to life.

The blind bags are perfect as stocking filler gifts and there is a great selection of over 90 to collect, whilst the playsets are an ideal present to pop under the Christmas tree from Santa. They are currently available to purchase from good toy retailers including The Entertainer, Smyths Toys and Amazon.

If you would like to learn more about products in the SuperZings range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Facebook - SuperZings.UK
Twitter - @superzings
Instagram - superzings_uk

3. Hangrees

We reviewed Hangrees earlier this year and since then I have purchased several more as birthday gifts and stocking filler presents due to their low RRP of only £9.99. The Hangrees are a great range of outrageous slime collectables that come in a selection of parody figures such as Harry Plopper, Chew-kaka and Fartnite. They look hilarious, but most of all they are great fun to play with and it is very easy to follow the simple instructions and create your own slime.

There are currently 20 Hangrees to collect in Series One and they are recommended for being suitable for children age 8+. They currently retail at £9.99 and are available to purchase from Smyths, The Entertainer, Amazon and other good toy retailers.

If you would like to find out more about Hangrees, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - https://thehangrees.mgae.com
Instagram - @TheHangrees

4. Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set

We have enjoyed countless amounts of Aquabeads sets over the years and they are always a popular Christmas gift, due to the great range of products available at a cost to suit all budgets. However, we particularly love the Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set that we reviewed earlier this year, as with an RRP of only £19.99 it offers great value for money and contains everything you need to get making some fantastic Aquabeads creations.

There are so many choices of different animals to make and the box is jam packed with over 3000 jewel and solid beads, a bead tray, playmat, bead stands, water sprayer, flip tray and bead tray, as well as the lovely blue storage container to keep everything safe inside when not in use.

Aquabeads products can be found at most good toy retailers including Smyths Toys, The Entertainer and Amazon.

If you would like to find out more about the Aquabeads range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Facebook - facebook.com/aquabeads
Twitter - @aquabeadsuk
Instagram - instagram.com/aquabeadsuk

5. Bright Eyes Hats

I have decided to include this product as part of our gift guide, as although not a toy, it is a lovely item of clothing perfect for children and aimed at keeping them safe and visible when outside. Riley was gifted a Rusty the Raccoon hat last month and I was so impressed with the design and quality, that I feel it definitely deserves a mention.

Bright Eyes Hats not only look great, but also have a fantastic safety feature too in the form of LED lights located within the eyes. These lights can be switched on and off when needed and ensures that your child can be seen safely when outside. There is the option to have the lights static, or on a flashing mode and they can be seen from over 200 metres away, with a bright beam of over 10 metres.

Designs in the range currently include Rusty the Raccoon, Cassie the Cat, Una the Unicorn and Amanda the Panda. The hats can currently be purchased directly from the Bright Eyes website starting from £17.95.

*Disclaimer - This guide contains some items that we have previously been gifted, however their inclusion in this gift guide was based on our honest opinion of the products and our genuine like for the items. Details provided such as prices/stockists etc are believed to be correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

SuperZings Series 3 and Rivals of Kaboom Playsets - Toy Review

We love a good collectible in our home, especially when there are accompanying play sets that allow you to build and play with your collection. We were therefore really excited to learn more about the fantastic range of SuperZings toys, which are based on everyday objects that can transform into Superheroes or Villains. Created by Magic Box Toys, they are a great collectible series that encourage children to use their imagination and create scenarios that bring their characters to life.

We were recently sent a selection of blind bags, a Superzings Hero Monster Roller Truck, a SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Play Set and a SuperZings Power Assault Tower to review and Riley couldn't wait to start testing them out.

Firstly, Riley absolutely loves blind bags and gets very excited when he has the opportunity to open some. They create that feeling of intrigue and suspense as you get to see which character you have inside. It was therefore no surprise that Riley was absolutely delighted with his SuperZings blind bags and he very quickly started to open them. Much to our amazement he received no duplicates at all, so we were both really happy with each of the figures enclosed.

SuperZings are now in their third series and have quickly become a popular choice of collectible, and it is easy to see why. The blind bags are ideal pocket money purchases with an RRP of only 80p per pack and there is a great selection of over 90 to collect.

These brightly coloured and cleverly designed collectibles are aimed at children aged between 4 to 7 years old and when combined with the play sets, they can encourage a whole world of storytelling. Riley absolutely loved getting creative and imagining a whole variety of adventures as the Superheroes and Villains took on challenges against one another.

The collectibles are based on everyday objects, so it is easy for children to see what their object relates to and identify it. We absolutely loved the great range of names for each of them and Riley checked through each of his figures to see if he had managed to obtain any ultra-rares. He also enjoyed checking each of them to see whether he had a Superhero or Villain. The Superheros each have white eyes and the Villains have yellow eyes, so it is very simple to tell the difference between the two. There are also team leaders and the Ultra Rare Mr King to look out for!

Riley didn't receive any of the team leaders or the Ultra Rare, however he was really happy with the selection he had and immediately set up his playsets and figures to start their escapades.

The first item that caught Riley's attention was the SuperZings Rivals of Kaboom Monster Roller, due to its brightly coloured and chunky design. I had read the caption on the front which stated 'Catch the Villains' so Riley was hoping that the figures would fit inside and indeed they could.

In addition to the Monster Roller vehicle, you also receive two SuperZings which can sit inside the vehicle to drive it. We found the opening hatch slightly stiff to open the first couple of times, but once Riley had started playing with it regularly it was absolutely fine and you can simply lift this up to place your figures inside.

However, the best bit, is the vehicles ability to capture the villains, using its innovative roller system underneath. Riley placed his Superheroes in the driving hatch and then lined up a series of villains, which he then drove over with the truck. The roller collects them and traps them in the SuperZings Monster Roller cage. This can hold a maximum of 10 figures at any one time and to remove them you simply pull the lever down on the front of the truck, which will open the bars to release the villains.

Riley absolutely loved capturing the villains and it was great to see him using his imagination as he drove the vehicle around the floor. It is a really good quality toy and feels very sturdy and strong, so it is perfect for little hands and SuperZings adventures. The Monster Roller also has another fun feature in the form of a built-in blaster that can be used to fire at the villains, helping to create yet another element of play. It has an RRP of £29.99 which I think is a good price for this product.

Whilst Riley was busy playing with the Superzings Hero Monster Roller Truck, I set about putting together the SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Playset. Self assembly is required for this, but it only took a few moments as it was simply a case of slotting the pieces together, so in no time at all the playset was ready for use.

The SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Playset was a really good size and it also included a further two Superzings collectibles which were Enigma and Professor K. Riley instantly noticed that there were a number of great features within the lab, so he started to explore it with his figures and began pressing the buttons and pulling the levers to see what each part could do.

He found a number of hidden traps and thought that the super-cannon was great. The set also included a rocket ship vehicle and robot to add to the fun which Riley was really pleased with. He noticed that there were plenty of platforms to place your collectibles on, so he brought in some more Superheroes and Villains to join in with the battle and displayed them all in various parts of the playset.

There is plenty to play with and explore, so with an RRP of £40 I think it does represent good value for money. It has lots of features to enjoy and Riley loved pressing the button on the top of platform that would reveal the hidden Kaboom.

The last set Riley received was the SuperZings Power Assault Tower which has an RRP of £19.99. This is a relatively small playset, but still has plenty to be enjoyed. It includes the Power Assault Tower, a ramp, skateboard and two SuperZing collectibles Metalhead and Skateboy.

Using the ramp you can launch different SuperZings, by placing them on the skateboard and pulling the lever to set the height. You then simple flip the launcher behind the skateboard and watch as your SuperZings fly through the sky to reach the target.  Riley absolutely loved trying to aim them at the tower to get them into the building. This is yet another great item for encouraging imaginative play, as well as helping to improve hand to eye coordination.

Again it was a really good quality item and its bright design and chunky hard wearing plastic, makes it ideal to withstand regular play. It is also a great place to store your SuperZings when not in use, as the cage at the front can hold quite a few inside.

Overall we were really impressed with the SuperZings Playsets. This was our first experience with these products and Riley absolutely loved them, especially the SuperZings Hero Truck Monster Roller. Riley really enjoyed opening all the blind bags and it was great to see the excitement on his face as he opened each pack and built up his collection. I thought that all the toys seemed really good quality and I liked the colour and design of each product. I think that SuperZings will make excellent stocking fillers, especially the blind bags, whilst the playsets will be perfect Christmas presents to put under the tree for Christmas Day.

If you would like to find out more about SuperZings, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

YouTube - SuperZings
Instagram - superzings_uk
Twitter - @superzings
Facebook - SuperZings.UK

*Disclaimer - We were gifted these products for the purpose of writing an honest review of the toys. Thoughts, opinions and photographs are my own. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.