Showing posts with label Toy Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toy Review. Show all posts

Saturday 1 April 2023

(AD) SuperThings Rivals of Kaboom Vehicle Toy Review and Competition!

SuperThings Rivals of Kaboom toys have long been a favourite in our household, with my son collecting a significant amount over the past few years. Created by MagicBox, SuperThings are collectible toys that are based on everyday objects and can be found as rival pairings. For example for every superhero you come across, you can be very sure that there is also a super villain ready to be their rival.

My son Riley has been a huge fan of SuperThings for quite some time and has regularly spent his pocket money on blind bags to build up his collection. He also has some of the larger playsets which have allowed him to create many cities, scenarios and adventures using his imagination. He was therefore delighted to have the opportunity to try out the latest vehicle playsets in the Superthings Rivals of Kaboom range. 

The first item we received was the SuperThings Turbo Ice which included 1 x Mad Cone, 1 x Badnilla Ice Biker, 1 x Turbo Ice Vehicle and 3 x Ice Cream Balls. Riley was immediately drawn to the Ice Cream launcher at the rear of the bike and described it as being colourful, unique and fun!

The box is visually appealing and the bright graphics immediately draw your attention to the box. You can see the size of the exclusive Kazoom Kid, and the visual image of the Turbo Ice gives you a very clear idea of exactly what is inside. 

On opening the product Riley placed the exclusive Kazoom Kid, the Badnilla Ice Biker into the driver's seat and the Mad Cone SuperThings figure as the passenger rider. He loaded up the ice creams and began to launch his attack. The balls fit very easily into the launcher and fly with ease. 

There are two pegs on one side of the vehicle to store two of the ice creams, whilst the other can sit comfortably in the launcher ready to be fired. Launching the ice cream balls is really easy and you simply pull on the lever on the side of the bike to take aim and throw your ball.

The second vehicle was the SuperThings Pizzacopter which included 1 x Slicey, 1 x Superslice Pizza Pilot, 1 x Pizzacopter and 3 x Pizza Discs. Riley couldn't wait to test this one out and to see how effective the pizza shooter was. It was very simple to insert the pizza into the shooter and they could travel a good distance.


The front of the Pizzacopter lifts open so that you can place your pizza slices inside. There is then a circular handle at the rear of the vehicle which you pull in order to launch your pizza and send it flying. The SuperThings figure can comfortably sit on the side of the helicopter ready to jump into action as you fly the Pizzacopter through the air. 

I felt that both these toys really helped to encourage imaginative play as within minutes Riley was creating situations and scenarios between the two vehicles and having a pretend battle between Pizza and Ice Cream. Once they had battled, Riley decided that they should have a race to determine the ultimate winner and it was great watching him create interesting adventures between the characters.

Overall I found both products to be great. They were both a really good size and they compliment the other toys in the SuperThings range really well, as both are compatible with other Kazoom Kidz and SuperThings characters. Both items were made from plastic and felt really good quality and durable. I have always found SuperThings toys to be very good value for money and these vehicles are no exception with an RRP of £13.99 each. Both of the vehicles featured in this review can be purchased at The Entertainer along with other SuperThings products. You can also buy them at Amazon and selected Toymaster stores.

You can find out more about SuperThings on their website here: https://www.superthings.com/uk

We also have a fantastic competition for our readers and one lucky person can win one of these amazing vehicles. If you're feeling lucky then please have a read of the terms and conditions and then enter using the Gleam form below. Good Luck! 

SuperThings Rivals of Kaboom Vehicle Giveaway

Terms and Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a SuperThings Vehicle. Please note that styles may vary and the winner is not able to select a preference as to which vehicle they recieve.
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or older.
  • Competition closes 8th April 2023 at 23:59pm.
  • A winner shall be drawn at random from all eligible entries within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize. Should the winner fail to respond, then an alternative winner shall be drawn from the remaining eligible entrants.
  • Entries will be validated to confirm that the entry action has been completed as stated. Any incorrect or invalid entries shall be removed.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • The winners details shall be shared with the promoter for the purpose of prize fulfilment and permission shall be obtained from the winner prior to doing so.
  • The prize is non-transferable and their is no cash alternative.
  • The winner's name may be displayed on this blog post once the winner has been drawn and have confirmed their acceptance of the prize.
  • In entering this competition you confirm that you have accepted these terms and conditions and any additional terms that may be available to view on the Gleam entry form.
  • The winner's name may be displayed on this blog post once the winner has been drawn and have confirmed their acceptance of the prize.
*Disclaimer - We were gifted these vehicles for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means that I may receive a small commission should you purchase a product through the link provided.

Monday 12 April 2021

Anti-Bacterial Slime from Canal Toys - A Review

If you are a regular reader on this blog, then it will come as no surprise that my boys are huge fans of slime. They have tried out numerous different kinds over the years and despite my constant worry of it being embedded into my carpet or sofa, I know just how much they enjoy it, so I've always been happy for them to play with it. 

They were therefore delighted to be offered the chance to try out the latest Anti-Bacterial Slime from Canal Toys, which I found to be a really interesting concept. At a time where hand sanitisation and cleanliness is of the upmost importance, I really liked the idea of a product that makes hand hygiene fun and I couldn't wait to find out more.

Whilst I have always encouraged good personal health and hygiene with my children, it is safe to say that this has been extremely prominent in the last 12 months. Washing your hands, sanitising and regularly wiping down items and surfaces has always been important, but we are now seeing these recommendations absolutely everywhere, with hand sanitisation stations in shops, supermarkets, schools and pretty much any public space in general. For younger children I can imagine that this can feel very excessive and my youngest son will often comment that he feels like he has washed his hands a million times a day in school. I therefore knew that this product would be an instant hit with him and I definitely wasn't wrong.

Canal Toys Anti-Bacterial Slime is a unique product and the first of its kind in the market. It is child-safe and can kill up to 99.9% of germs. This isn't just a one time use product either, as it can be used over and over again, with it's anti-bacterial properties lasting up to 1 month. It is also alcohol free and comes in a funky little pot that can easily be carried around for use on the go.

The Anti-Bacterial slime is a great way to encourage keeping your hands clean through play. My son sat quietly for ages just quite happily covering his hands fully, which made me think that he was possibly also getting better coverage using the slime than he does with his usual hand sanitiser product. As a parent this gave me lots of reassurance that my sons hands were super clean and that the product was seeing off any germs that may be lurking.

The product can be bought as a single 40g pot with an RRP of £2.99 or alternatively it can be purchased as a tube of four pots with an RRP of £9.99. They are available at both Smyths Toys and Amazon and there are six different colours to choose from. My sons favourite is the purple, but all the colours look lovely and vibrant.

Overall we loved this product and I would be more than happy to purchase this for my children again in the future. I found it to be really innovative and I love the fact that the creators have taken a well loved product and added an anti-bacterial element. I feel that the recommended retail price of a single pot for £2.99 is a very reasonable cost and also an affordable pocket money price for children to buy themselves. For extra value the 4 pack tube is available at £9.99 which would also make an ideal gift. 

If you would like to find out more about the Anti-Bacterial Slime or other products in the Canal Toys range, then you can find their website and social media pages on the following channels:

Website - www.canaltoys.com

Facebook - fb.com/canaltoysglobal

Instagram - @canaltoysglobal

TikTok - @canaltoys


*Disclaimer - We were gifted sample products for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All opinions are my own. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means that we may receive a small commission should you choose to purchase this product through the link provided. 



Friday 12 June 2020

So Slime Tie-Dye Slime Kit - Review

(AD - This post contains gifted items)

You may remember that a couple of months ago we reviewed the So Slime DIY Slimelicious Soda Shop, which Riley thoroughly enjoyed. He loves getting creative and he also loves slime, so the Slime DIY kits are perfect for him and with a great selection to choose from, there is plenty of different products for him to enjoy.

This month we were sent the So Slime Tie-Dye Slime Kit which is recommended for children aged 6+. The front of the box is really bright and colourful and features plenty of images so that you can gain a clear understanding of the product.


The reverse of the box provides very clear images of what is included inside and there is also a colour chart which gives you an indication of what kind of tie dye effect you can create by mixing different colours. Below all of the images you can find a contents list, which consists of:
  • 3 Clear Slimes
  • 1 Tool
  • 3 Glitter Bags
  • 3 Scented Colourants

Riley carefully opened all of the packaging and we lay the contents out on the table and read the instructions before continuing. Just like the previous set that we reviewed, it seemed very simple and after making sure we were clear on what we needed to do, Riley started to create his very own Tie-Dye Slime. Riley's brother Ben also decided that he wanted to join in with this review, so each of them selected their colours and began the process.


The process of creating the tie dye slime was extremely simple. As the slime is already prepared, all that you need to do is select which colours you would like to use in your tie dye slime from the choice of red, blue and yellow. You then add a drop of the colour into the slime and mix it together using the tool provided.



Ben decided that he wanted to make a galaxy themed tie-dye slime and so he mixed the blue and red colours together, before adding the pink glitter. This gave it a fabulous effect and we were all very impressed by the colours.



After seeing Ben's creation, Riley decided to mix the blue and green colours. This created a really vibrant green and created a fabulous effect.  He loved seeing how the tie-dye effect changed as he began to mix it and really enjoyed being able to change how bright the colour was by adding another drop of colour.


When Riley was happy with the colours of his tie-dye slime, he then added some coloured glitter, which he chose to mix in with his hands, whilst also playing with the slime. This gave the tie-dye slime a lovely sparkle effect which you could see glistening amongst the colours.


Riley commented that he would have preferred the 3 clear slimes to have each come in a tub of their own and I would agree with this. As there is only 1 tub, the other slime creations have to be kept in a grip bag. This is of good quality, but for ease of storage Riley would have preferred a tub for each one.

Overall we really enjoyed playing with this set together and with an RRP of only £9.99, I think that it offers good value for money. Riley would have preferred the option to make his own slime as opposed to it being pre-made in the pots, however from a parents perspective I really liked the fact that it had been pre-prepared as this ensured that any mess was minimal. It also meant that it would be the right consistency as when you make your own  I have found it can be a bit hit and miss at times. The fact that there were three lots of slime included, meant that we could also experiment with the colours, as well as having something to store the slime in once we were finished. Again we have been impressed by the So Slime DIY Kits and look forward to trying more of the range in the future.

This item has an RRP of £9.99 and is from Canal Toys. It can be purchased from shops such as Argos and there is also a great choice of So Slime products available on Amazon, If you would like to find out more about Canal Toys and their great range of products, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - www.canaltoys.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/canaltoysglobal/


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

Sunday 24 May 2020

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.

Sunday 19 April 2020

Rubik's Cage from Ideal Games - A Review

Over the past couple of weeks, we have written reviews on some of the great family games available from Ideal Games. However, as much as we have enjoyed playing these together, we also love a good puzzle. My eldest son has always been a fan of Rubik's and as had various original 3 x 3 cubes over the years. He still hasn't managed to successfully complete it yet, but has certainly enjoyed trying and he has definitely got closer than me in his attempts.

We were therefore really excited to learn more about the Rubik's Cage, where unlike the original cube that is for a sole player, this puzzle can be played by 2-4 people at a time. It is a 3 in a row strategy game, which although sounds easy, it is definitely not as simple as it may first appear.


The box is quite small, so it is easy to take away with you and use as a travel game and there is a clear window at the front, so you can see the product inside. It is bright, colourful and certainly eye catching, with the phrase "Drop It, Twist It, Flip It, Win It" written across the bottom. The rear of the box provides some brief details as to how the game is played, along with some supporting images and a list of contents.

On opening the box, we found it included:
  • 1 x Rubik's Cage
  • 24 x Cubies
  • Instructions

Setting up the game is really easy and you simply start with the Rubik's cage empty. The number of cubies each player has, depends on whether you are playing a 2, 3 or 4 player game. We played a two player game first, so this meant that each player selected three different sets of coloured cubies. For example, I chose red, blue and orange and Riley chose white, yellow and green. In a two player game, each person should have 12 cubes. 

The object of the game is to be the player who manages to align three of their coloured cubies in a row on one face first. This row can be vertically, horizontally or even diagonally, which might sound simple, but once the game is in play, anything can change.


Each player must take it in turns to make a move, which can be any of the following:
  1. Drop a Cubie - This is when a player places one Cubie into any of the eight sections.
  2. Twist the Cage - This is when a player turns one layer of the Rubik's cage 90 degrees in either direction.
  3. Flip the Cage - This is when a player turns the cage upside down by rotating it 180 degrees.
It is also important to remember that you cannot simply reverse the previous players move, no matter how much you may want to!


The winner is the person who manages to get three of their Cubies of the same colour in a row on one face of the Rubik's cage first. If the game continues until all pieces have been played then it is classed as a draw.

Overall we absolutely loved the Rubik's Cage and felt it was a great addition to the Rubik's puzzle range of toys. It is really easy to understand how to play, but we loved that you needed to think carefully about your move to prevent your opponents from winning, making it the perfect family strategy game. With an RRP of £19.99, I think that it offers good value for money and can definitely keep you entertained. It is available to purchase from toy retailers including Smyths Toys, Asda and Amazon and I would happily recommend this product to others.

If you would like to find out more about Rubik's or other products in the Ideal Games range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:



*Disclaimer - We were gifted this Rubik's Cage puzzle for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product and our experience. All opinions and thoughts are my own, unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Wednesday 8 April 2020

Brightening Up Our Day with Triominos Sunshine - A Review

We have another fabulous review for you today, this time covering the wonderful game of Triominos Sunshine, which is a bright and colourful version of the classic game Triominos. It is a fun variation of the well known Dominos, however instead of rectangular pieces, these are triangular shaped instead and if used wisely, you can create various formations and gain some extra scores too.


It instantly appealed to me from the outset, due to its portable size and handy travel bag packaging, which means that we will be able to take this with us on our adventures and holidays in the future. It can be played by 2-4 players and is recommended for children aged 6+ which I would agree is a suitable age.

The contents of our game included:
  • 1 x Handy Travel Pouch in Orange and Yellow
  • 56 x Triominos
  • 1 x Instructions
The aim of the game is simple and you must try to get as many points as possible by strategically matching the Triominos. Each Triomino is unique, so it is wise to think carefully before using a piece in the hope of achieving some extra points. The aim of the game is to be the player who scores the highest number of points and this can be done in a number of ways, by simply placing a piece down to adjacent numbers, or laying your pieces to create a shape such as a bridge or a hexagon.


We played this game initially with 4 players which meant that to begin we placed all the Triominos face down on the table and mixed them all up. We each then chose 7 random Triominos each and placed the remaining tiles at the end of the table to create a 'pool' of spare pieces. If you are only playing with 2 players then you each draw 9 Triominos instead.

In order to decide who begins, each player selects a Triomino from the pool and adds up the numbers on the tile. The person with the highest number gets to go first, which I think is a very simple way to select the starting player and also prevents any arguments.


The first player then places any Triomino of their choice on the table and adds up the value of the numbers. The next player must then try to place one of their Triominos next to the tile that is already on the table by matching the numbers on one side. This might sound easy but as the game progresses it can become quite difficult and requires some thought into your chosen move. Only one Triomino can be placed down per go and if you are unable to use any of your existing tiles, then you must select a spare from the pool. If you are still unable to go, then you can take a further tile from the pool up to a maximum of three times. For each Triomino that is selected this way, you must deduct 5 points from your score. If you select the maximum three pieces and still cannot place a tile then you lose an additional 10 points. This means that you can lose points just as quickly as you can earn them.

Bonus points can also be scored if you manage to create a shape such as the following:
  • If you form a Bridge you can score 40 extra points
  • If you form a Hexagon you can score 50 extra points
  • If you form a Double Hexagon then you can score 60 extra points
  • If you form a Triple Hexagon then you can score 70 extra points


The game comes to a conclusion when a player manages to place down their last tile and they then score a bonus of 25 points. In addition they can also add the total of all the points the other players still have on their racks.Each player then simply adds up their score and the person with the highest number of points is the winner!

Overall I really liked this game and I am pleased to have found a fun new game that is small and portable enough to come on our travels with us in the future. The handy zipped pouch is ideal for keeping all of the pieces safe and I loved the bright and vibrant colours. I would have liked the addition of a little score pad, so that you can keep a note of the points as you play, but we have simply used a small spare notepad instead. It is a strategic game that really encourages you to think and my youngest son Riley particularly enjoyed this game and working with numbers. With an RRP of £14.99, I think this is a very fair price for an enjoyable family game that can be used both at home and away and I would gladly recommend this to others.

Triominos Sunshine can currently be purchased online from Amazon, but if you would like to find out more about Triominos Sunshine or the other products in the Ideal Games range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdealGamesUK/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idealgamesuk/


*Disclaimer - We were gifted with the game of Triominos Sunshine for the purpose of writing an honest review of the game and our experience. All opinions and thoughts are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains and Amazon affiliate link.

Thursday 2 April 2020

Wordsearch Junior - A Review

Like most parents we are still trying to find the right balance between learning at home and still having some fun, during the school closure period. My children are doing great with the work that has been set by their teachers, however I think it is also good to add a touch of educational fun into the mix to help try and maintain a positive mood.

Therefore, when an opportunity recently arose to review Wordsearch Junior, I thought this would be an ideal game to help Riley learn how to identify and read some new words, in addition to working on his spellings. We therefore excitedly waited for it to arrive, before involving it in one of our literacy lessons this afternoon.


Wordsearch Junior is described on the box as being a fun way to play and read. It is recommended for children aged 5+ and can be played by 2 to 4 players at a time. There are three levels of play which each vary in difficulty, so you can choose the most appropriate game boards for your child.

The front of the box is really bright and vibrant, which features the name of the game across the front in large text. The rear of the box has some really clear images, that give you a good idea of how the game is played and what you will find inside.


On opening the packaging we found the following contents:

  • 1 x Game Board (consisting of a base, transparent disk and ring)
  • 6 x Blue Picture Grids
  • 6 x Red Picture and Word Grids
  • 6 x Green Word Only Grids
  • 140 Counters (35 red, 35 green, 35 yellow, 25 blue)
  • 1 x Instruction Manual

The grids have varying levels of difficulty, with the Blue picture grids being the easiest. These grids consist of pictures only and you have to look for sets of 3 pictures in the right sequence. The red grids feature both pictures and words, so this is ideal for younger players who can use the picture clues to help them locate and identify the words. The green grids are words only and you simply have to search for the word as quickly as possibly against your opponent.


As this was Riley's first attempt at such a game, we opted to try one of the red grids first, so that he could get use to the game and understand exactly what he needed to do. We therefore chose one of them and placed it into the base of the game board. I then covered this with the transparent disk, which then holds the grid into position, before finally adding the blue ring.

To begin the game, you simply turn the board until the grid colour appears in the word gap in the ring. Each player then takes a turn to turn the grid and reveal a new word and reads this out aloud for everyone to hear (or in the case of the blue image board, simply describe the picture instead).

The words can be displayed in any direction so it is important to look not only left, right, up and down, but also diagonally too. Everyone searches for the word and the first player to spot it, shouts out the word and points at the answer. If this is correct, then they can place down their coloured counters to cover the word.

Game play continues like this until all the words have been found and the coloured section appears in the word gap again. If a word you find has to cover a space that already has another players counter in, then you can remove it and replace it with yours. Riley particularly enjoyed this part of the game and thought it was hilarious that he could remove my counters.

Once a full turn of the grid is completed then each player counts how many counters they had placed down on the board, with the winner being the person who has successfully used the most counters. A player can also win by using up all their counters, which Riley managed to do on a couple of occasions, much to his delight!


Once Riley had got the hang of the game, we decided to try one of the harder levels and switched from a red grid to one of the green wordsearch grids. Riley was a little apprehensive at first as he thought he would find it too difficult, but to be honest he surprised both himself and me, winning the first game with ease!

The green grid works in exactly the same way, except you are solely looking for words and there are no images this time to help you out. There were a couple of occasions where I thought I had found a word only to find that I was wrong, so make sure you definitely know where the word is before shouting it out.

For younger members of the family, the blue grids are ideal as these feature pictures only, so it is a great way of improving observation skills from an early age. I felt that these boards would have been too easy for Riley so we didn't attempt them, but they looked great and easy to understand.


Overall I really enjoyed playing this game with Riley and felt that it was a great way to help him learn some new words, whilst also staying focused. He enjoyed reading out the words, as well as racing against me to be the first to find them. We also made sure that we spelt out each word as we placed our counters down, which I hope will help Riley with his spellings going forward. We both found it to be a fun educational game and I look forward to playing it with him regularly going forwards. 

The game is very easy to set up and it has simple instructions to play, making it an ideal game for families to enjoy together. Wordsearch Junior has an RRP of £19.99 and can be purchased from Amazon.


*Disclaimer - We were gifted with this item 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.



Tuesday 31 March 2020

So Slime DIY Slimelicious Soda Shop - A Review

You may have seen from some of our previous reviews, that Riley absolutely loves all things slime, especially when it comes to making his own slimelicious creations. I therefore decided that whilst home schooling this week, we would use a So Slime DIY kit for one of his creativity lessons, that we were recently sent to review.


So Slime DIY have a great selection of products available, but for this review we used the Soda Slimelicious Set which is recommended for children aged 6+. The front of the box has a bright and colourful design which resembles a shop front and features plenty of images along with three clear windows so that you can see some of the products inside.


On the side of the packaging is some simple three step instructions and the rear of the box provides even more images along with a contents list. The whole design is really bright and appealing, which definitely makes it stand out. I also noticed some small pieces of text that stated it was a no mess product, which definitely gave it bonus points from me.


The box was simple to open and we were able to remove all the items from the packaging with ease. The full contents included:

  • 2 Mini Slime Shakers
  • 6 Scented Slime Powders
  • 2 Charms
  • 3 Decoration Bags

Riley lay all the different coloured slime powders out and decided that he wanted to use the green colour first. He then chose which decorations he would like to add once the slime was ready and we began to create our slime.


The whole process was super simple and made no mess either. Firstly we poured the powder into one of the slime shakers and then added some water up to the line. I then clicked the lid into place to ensure there was no spillages and Riley set about shaking the water and powder together for approximately 30 seconds.

We then left it to set for just over 5 minutes before checking on it and letting it set for a further couple of minutes, before adding our chosen decorations. Riley decided to add the Lemon Fizz packet and he did this by pouring a small quantity directly into the slime and then added a further amount with his hands, mixing the slime and decorations together. The slime is also nicely scented, with the smell not being too overpowering.


We both really liked how easy it was to make and the slime shakers can also be used as storage tubs, so that you can place your slime in there to be used again. The inclusion of six different powders also means that it is a set that can be used quite a few times before you run out and being small in size they are easy enough to put away for use another day.

Overall this was a fun and creative product that Riley and I really enjoyed doing together. It was so simple to use and the instructions were very easy to follow. The RRP of this set is only £7.99 which I think represents really good value for money and I like the fact that there is the opportunity to make six sets of slime. I will definitely be purchasing more So Slime DIY sets in the future and would happily recommend this toy to others.

This item has an RRP of £7.99 and is from Canal Toys. If you would like to find out more about Canal Toys and their great range of products, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - www.canaltoys.com


*Disclaimer - This is a collaborative post and we were gifted this So Slime DIY set for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Details provided are believed to be correct at the time of writing.