Showing posts with label winaprize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winaprize. Show all posts

Thursday 22 October 2020

Nadiya's Bake Me a Story Deluxe Baking Set Review & Competition!

Like many families, baking became one of our go-to activities during lockdown, in order to keep ourselves busy with an enjoyable activity that would usually end with a very tasty result. It is also something that Riley likes to do on a weekend and his older brother will often help him make some cakes that they can then enjoy together. 

Over the years we have accumulated a various amount of mix-matched baking products, but none of these were specifically aimed at children, so it is fair to say that our equipment was definitely in need of some replacements. We were therefore delighted to be offered the opportunity to review Nadiya's Bake Me a Story Deluxe Baking Set, which is packed full of funky coloured bakeware, that have been specifically designed with children in mind. 

Riley was really excited when the box of goodies arrived and he couldn't wait to open it up and see what was inside. The box was a lovely purple colour and featured clear images on the front of some of the products inside. A full contents list is also displayed on the reverse of the box. The full kit included:

  • A Silicone rolling pin with plastic handle
  • A Silicone whisk with metal handle
  • A Silicone spatula
  • 2.5l Mixing Bowl (Microwave Safe)
  • 12 reusable silicone cupcake cases
  • Sieve
  • 3 x Metal Cookie Cutters with safe silicone edge
  • Measuring spoons - 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tbsp and 1tbsp
  • Apron
  • 6 x Recipe Cards
All of the tools are bright and colourful, dishwasher safe and most importantly, they have been tested to the highest LFGB food standards. They are the perfect size for children, without being too heavy or large for younger ages to hold. Riley loved the idea of having his very own special set of utensils just for him, which will be perfect in the future for any baking or cooking that we do together. 


Riley excitedly took a look through the recipe cards before deciding which baked treat we were going to attempt first. After much deliberation he decided on the Very-Berry Breakfast Muffins, so we made sure we had all the ingredients required and placed them all ready in the kitchen. We then selected the baking equipment that we would need and put on our aprons, before beginning to work our way through the recipe.

You can of course use your deluxe baking set to make any of your favourite baked goodies, but the recipe cards included all featured recipes that we had never tried before, so it made sense for us to try something new for a nice change. Riley chose the Very-Berry Breakfast Muffins, but the other recipe cards featured Star Anise Gingerbread Men, Cookie Mallows, Pastry Roses, Rock Cakes and Zebra Cake.

The Very-Berry Breakfast Muffins were super easy to make and the recipe was very simple to follow. We began by making sure we had all the necessary ingredients and then having a quick read through of the full recipe. The first step was to preheat the oven to 200 degrees, so I did this for Riley, whilst he placed the cupcake cases in the oven tray. 

We then placed the flour, oats and brown sugar into the bowl. Riley enjoyed mixing all these together and started wondering what the muffins may taste like. He used the measuring spoons to get the correct amount of baking powder and he also then added this and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Again he gave it all a good mix, before we added the wet ingredients of milk and eggs.

We varied the recipe ever so slightly as Riley doesn't like the smell of banana, so we decided not to put the mashed banana as suggested in the recipe into the mix. Instead we chopped up some more berries to make sure there was plenty of flavour and after adding these and 3 tbsp of sunflower oil to the mix, we gave it one last good stir before dividing the mixture into the silicone cases.

We baked the mixture in the oven for 25 minutes and Riley kept looking through the oven window to see if they were rising. They began to rise really well and also developed a nice golden brown colour so once the time was up, we were confident that they were ready to taste and enjoy. After removing them from the oven, we let them cool for around 5 minutes before enjoying them whilst warm. They were absolutely delicious and we will definitely be making them again in the near future.


Overall we thought that Nadiya's Deluxe Baking Set was fantastic and included all the tools required to create and enjoy a variety of recipes. I felt that the set was really good quality and whilst the tools are lightweight and easy to hold, they are not flimsy at all. All the products all felt really safe to use and I particularly liked the silicone trim around the metal cookie cutters which is a great idea. The recipe cards were easy to follow and not over complicated, so this meant that Riley (who is 7) could read through the instructions himself and understand what process he needed to follow. With an RRP of £24.99 I feel that this represents good value for money and I would happily recommend this set to others. 

In addition to Nadiya's Deluxe Baking Set (£24.99), there are two other sets also available to purchase from Smyths, which are Nadiya's Simple Baking Set (£14.99) and Nadiya's Savoury Cooking Set (£19.99). Further information on all of these sets can be found over on the Smyths Toys website here.


However, if you are feeling lucky, then why not enter our fantastic competition below, where we have the opportunity for one lucky reader to win their very own Nadiya's Deluxe Baking Set. If you would like to enter then please read the terms and conditions and then enter using the gleam form below. Competition closes on the 30th October 2020, so get your entries in quick and good luck! 


Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of a Nadiya's Deluxe Baking Set
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years old or over
  • Competition closes on the 30th October 2020 at 23:59
  • A winner shall be drawn within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • 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.

*Disclaimer - We were gifted Nadiya's Deluxe Baking Set in exchange for writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thursday 2 July 2020

Win a Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope - Competition

You may have seen our recent blog post about the fantastic outdoor learning products we have been using during lockdown, from Learning Resources UK. These items have been such a great help with our home schooling, with Riley's favourite product being the Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope.

This wonderful microscope allows Riley to view items with up to an 8x magnification and its bright and chunky size really appeals to him, as he is able to use it independently and with ease.


The Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope is recommended for children aged 3 to 7 years of age and the fixed platform means that children can observe both flat and 3D objects through the comfortable, extra large, dual eye pieces.

Riley found the microscope very comfortable and easy to use, which made him really keen to explore and view such a wide range of objects. He loved pretending to be a scientist and very quickly got the hang of using the microscope by himself. It also has a really cool feature of a bright LED light, which helps you to enhance the viewing of small details and the button was simple for Riley to control. This requires 3 x AAA batteries which are not included.


The Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope has an RRP of £20, which I think offers excellent value for money. It is available to purchase on the Learning Resources website here, however if you are feeling lucky, then why not enter our fabulous competition to win one!

For your chance to win, simply read through the terms and conditions and then enter using the gleam form below, before the 11th July 2020. Good Luck!

Win a GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope

Terms and Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years old or over
  • Competition closes on the 11th July 2020
  • A Winner shall be drawn within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • 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.


*Disclaimer - We were gifted a Learning Resources GeoSafari Jr My First Microscope as featured in this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.

Sunday 28 June 2020

Getting Crafty with Aquabeads - Review, Tutorial and Competition

My son Riley absolutely loves Aquabeads and if you are a regular reader to the blog, then you will have seen that we have reviewed a lot of their products over the past few years. My family and I think that Aquabeads are great and provide children with a fantastic way of getting crafty and creative, whilst also helping to improve hand to eye coordination and concentration skills.

During lockdown, we have been using our Aquabeads sets to create some wonderful designs using the online templates that are available on the Aquabeads website here. We were therefore delighted when we were sent some new products to review and Riley decided that he wanted to make some of his own designs and experiment with what he could make.


We had a little look on the Aquabeads website to get some ideas and Riley decided to create a name plaque for his door. He also wanted to incorporate a rainbow theme, so he wrote down a few ideas and did a little sketch so that he had a design to follow. Once Riley was happy with his design, he set about making his creation.

To make his new door plaque we used the Aquabeads Star Bead Starter Set, which comes in brightly coloured star shaped packaging and has an RRP of £14.99. The front and rear of the box are covered in plenty of design ideas to show what you can make with your beads. Riley particularly liked the look of the dragon and the rainbow designs which looked fantastic. Other images around the outer edge of the box, also included pictures of the kit inside, the contents and bead colours.

On opening the box, we found that the contents inside consisted of:
  • 1 x bead tray lid
  • 1 x bead tray
  • 1 x board
  • 1 x flip tray
  • 1 x bead dispenser
  • 1 x bead sprayer
  • 3 x reversible template sheets
  • 1000 beads of varying colours

The first thing that Riley noticed, was that the kit contained star shaped beads, which is something he has never seen or used before, so he was really excited to be able to use these in his designs. Riley had initially decided on a rectangle shape and that he also wanted his name across the middle. I therefore suggested making his name on the board first, so that we could then incorporate the rainbow colours around it. By placing the name first, it also meant that he could check that he was happy with the position, before we began to place all of the other beads on the board.


Once the letters were all in place, we began getting the rainbow colours ready and working out how many rows of each colour we needed. To do this we counted the paces across the board and also checked how many beads we had of each colour. We then began doing the outline and opted for rows of either 3 or 4 in each block of colour.


When Riley first started placing the beads on the board he used his fingers, but as the board began to fill, he found that it was easier to use the bead dispenser to get them accurately into place. We also sprayed the design once half was completed to prevent any beads from moving as the board began to fill. However, just before doing so, Riley decided he wanted to change the black beads for a light blue, so we were able to amend these to his chosen colour before he sprayed the water.


Riley was so pleased as the design started to take shape and he was so proud that it was his own idea that he was making, without the help of a template. The whole design took him around half an hour to complete and he was so happy with the end result. We gave the design a good spray and left it to dry before removing from the board.


We had used a large quantity of beads, so we took advantage of the refill sets to top up our beads. I really like the fact that you can buy refill packs, so that you can continue making great designs, without the need to buy the larger sets. If you already have a board, sprayer and bead dispenser then the refill packs are a great way to build up your collection.


Overall we were really impressed with the Aquabeads Star Bead Starter Set and felt that it contained a huge variety of beads to help make some fabulous creations. As you can see the possibilities are absolutely endless with Aquabeads and as well as using one of the many templates available both in their sets and online, you can quite literally make whatever your imagination desires. With a little patience, determination and creativity, you can create some wonderful designs, animals and objects, which look fantastic once completed. We really like the fact that we can top up the sets with the many refill packs that are also available to purchase and feel that all the products in the range offer excellent value for money.


Aquabeads are available to purchase from most good toy retailers including John Lewis, Smyths, The Entertainer and Amazon.

However, if you are feeling lucky, then we have a fantastic prize to give away of an Aquabeads Star Bead Starter Set for one lucky winner. If you fancy your chances, then simply enter using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Aquabeads Star Bead Studio Set


Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of an Aquabeads StarBeads Starter Set
  • Entry is open to UK Residents aged 18 years or over
  • Competition closes on the 11th July 2020
  • A winner shall be drawn within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • 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.
*Disclaimer - We were gifted the Aquabeads sets featured in this post for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.


Monday 14 October 2019

Win the Electronic Game of Bank Attack from John Adams Toys - Competition

Bank Attack is a brand new game from Ideal by John Adams Toys, which is sure to get families working together to crack the code and win the prize. This highly innovative and different play experience is both challenging and rewarding, but can you become criminal masterminds to break the vault and release the hidden gold inside?

Each player must pick their role in the group from Hacker; Money Man; Look Out or Explosives Expert and then use your special talents to break the bank. You can also select a difficulty level, then follow the spoken commands without delay: grab the right tools, pass them on at the right moment, use them quickly and grab the millions.

You can see how we got on when we recently played this game in our full review here.


Bank Attack is recommended for ages 7+ and has an RRP of £24.99. It is currently available to buy now from Argos, Smyths, Amazon and The Entertainer.

To find out more about Bank Attack or other games in the John Adams range, then you can visit their website and social media on the following channels:

Website - www.johnadams.co.uk
Twitter - @JohnAdams_toys
Facebook - facebook.com/IdealGamesUK
Instagram - @johnadams_toys
YouTube - JohnAdamsToys

We are delighted to be able to offer our readers the chance to win their very own copy of the electronic Bank Attack game and we have a fantastic competition for you to enter below. One lucky winner will soon be able to take on the Bank Attack challenge and see if you are able complete the mission!

If you are feeling lucky, then simply read the terms and conditions and enter using the gleam form below.

Win a Bank Attack Game from John Adams

Terms and Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a Bank Attack Game from Ideal by John Adams.
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on the 31st October 2019 at 23:59
  • A winner shall be drawn from all eligible entries within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 14 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • No bulk or third party entries
  • The winner's details will be shared with the promoter for the purpose of prize fulfilment and permission shall be obtained from the winner prior to doing so.
*Disclaimer - This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. 

Monday 22 July 2019

Baby Shark Let's Go Hunt Game and Wooden Puzzle Review & Competition

There is no denying that Baby Shark took the world by storm last year, with people of all ages joining in and singing the Baby Shark song. It is one of those tunes that simply can't help but make you smile and the colourful shark characters certainly gained peoples attention.

We were therefore delighted when Spinmaster recently sent Riley some Baby Shark toys to review including the Pinkfong Baby Shark Let's Go Hunt Fishing Game and the PinkFong Baby Shark Wooden Sound Puzzle.


The Let's Go Hunt game was an instant hit with Riley who was drawn to it immediately by the packaging alone. The box is very brightly coloured and adorned with the Baby Shark characters all over the front. There is a clear plastic window which allows you to see the product inside and so you can instantly gain a clear understanding of exactly what is included, as well as seeing how the game can be played.

The game is extremely simple to set up and inside the box the following contents were provided:
  • 1 x Musical motorised game board
  • 15 x Fish
  • 4 x Fishing Rods
  • 1 x Instruction Sheet
Unfortunately batteries are NOT included so you will also need to ensure that you have 2 x AA batteries available before you can begin to play.


Once batteries have been installed then game play can commence, with the aim being to collect as many fish as you can with your shark themed hooks. Up to 4 players can take part at a time and each player can choose to use one of the coloured shark themed rods to collect their fish.

This may sound simple, but when you flick the switch into the on position, the board will start to rotate and the fish will begin to not only move up and down, but open and close their mouths too, making it a really fun and challenging game. The winner is the person who manages to collect the most fish and I will be honest when I say that my 6 year old managed to beat me every single time we played. Just look at his concentration face!


Another fun element is that the Baby Shark song is also played during game play. Whilst for me this quickly became very repetitive, my son Riley was in his element singing along to the tune whilst catching his fish. He thought it was hilarious and so much fun!

My whole family ranging from 6 to 39 enjoyed playing the game together and it certainly provided plenty of entertainment. The RRP of this toy is a really reasonable £9.99 and it is available in most good toy retailers including Smyths, The Entertainer and Amazon.


After the excitement of playing the Let's Go Hunt Game, Riley then took some time to play with the Baby Shark Wooden Puzzle. This is a really good quality chunky puzzle board which has a fantastic bright and colourful appearance.

It features five wooden sharks which represent Baby Shark, Mummy Shark, Daddy Shark, Grandma Shark and Grandpa Shark. These are all really nice sized pieces for little hands and really help with hand to eye coordination.


In an added twist, the puzzle also plays music (requires 2 x AAA batteries) and will sing the corresponding part of the song for each shark. So for example if you successfully place Baby Shark into it's shape then you will hear Baby Shark Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo! This makes the puzzle so much fun and Riley absolutely loved moving them through the air in a swimming motion in time to the music.

It is recommended for children aged 2 years+ and with an RRP of around £10 I think it represents great value for money. It's bright and vibrant colours, chunky wooden pieces and musical sounds make this a fantastic little puzzle which I am sure will be loved by children.

The Baby Shark Wooden Sound Puzzle is available to purchase in most good toy retailers including Smyths Toys, Argos and Amazon.


We also have a fantastic competition for the chance to win a Baby Shark Wooden Sound Puzzle. If you would like to enter then please read the terms and conditions and complete your entry using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Baby Shark Wooden Puzzle

Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of a Baby Shark Wooden Sound Puzzle as featured in this review
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on the 31st July at 23:59
  • A winner shall be drawn 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 before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • No bulk or third party entries
  • The winner's details will be shared with the promoter for the purpose of prize fulfilment and permission shall be obtained from the winner prior to doing so.

*Disclaimer - We were gifted these items for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. All opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Saturday 20 July 2019

Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set Review and Competition!

If you are a regular reader to the blog, then you will know that over the past couple of years we have had the opportunity to try out some of the fantastic Aquabeads products available in the shops. All three of my children have grown up enjoying the range, with my youngest son Riley quickly becoming a huge Aquabeads fan.

One thing that has always impressed us is the evolving changes that Aquabeads have made to their products, whether this being a new theme, or the introduction of new tools, cases and accessories. Every set my children has played with seems to have got bigger and better each time, with the new Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set being no exception.

This fabulous box of fun offers excellent value for money and is jam packed with over 3000 jewel and solid beads. There is so much to make and do within this set and Riley couldn't wait to get the box open and start creating.


The set is well presented and comes in a fantastic blue box which is easy to carry using the handles either side. There is a large image on the front which provides examples of all the different animals that can be made and the monkey, flamingo and panda all caught Riley's attention immediately. The top of the box presents a full list of contents along with more images, so that it provides you with a clear understanding of exactly what is included within. There is also a clear safety warning that advises that the product is not suitable for children under 3 years.


We were amazed at just how much was in the box, with the full contents including:

  • 1 x Storage container
  • 1 x Bead Tray
  • 1 x Playmat
  • 10 x bead stands
  • 1 x water sprayer
  • 1 x template booklet
  • 1 x flip tray
  • Over 3000 jewel and solid beads in 24 different colours

Getting started simply involved unpackaging the beads, placing them in the bead tray and selecting which design you want to start with. Riley has been playing with these products now since the age of 3, so he knows exactly how to begin making them and enjoys a nice bit of quiet time to himself whilst working on his creations.


Riley first chose to make the monkey design, which was soon followed by the flamingo, parrot and koala bear. He sometimes likes to change the colours a little and so he also made a multicoloured elephant using different coloured beads along with a unicorn.

Once his designs had been completed he would spray them with water, which helps the Aquabeads stick together and you can then leave them to dry. This set also comes with the innovative new flip tray design, which means that you can immediately remove the designs from the trays without the need to wait, so that you can continue crafting straight away. Riley thought that this was a great idea and it meant that he could spend a good hour making his designs without the need to keep stopping in between.


We thought that the included stands were also a great idea and once the animals were dry they could be placed in the stands and used on the playmat which added another element of play to the set.

Overall we think that the Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set is absolutely fantastic. It has been our favourite set in the range so far and offers great value for money. There are so many choices of animals to make and Riley loved looking through them all and creating his favourites. We loved the introduction of new ideas such as the flip boards and stands and Riley loved being able to display all of his creations on the play mat.

This item has an RRP of £19.99 and is currently available to purchase from most good toy retailers including Amazon, Smyths Toys, The Entertainer and John Lewis.


If you are feeling lucky though, then we have a fantastic competition for our readers, to give you the chance to win one of these fantastic Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Sets. If you would like to enter then please read the terms and conditions and complete your entry using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set


Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of an Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set as featured in this review.
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on the 15th August 2019 at 23:59.
  • 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 before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • The winner's details will be shared with the promoter for the purpose of prize fulfilment and permission shall be obtained from the winner prior to doing so.
  • This product is not suitable for children under the age of 36 months due to small parts.
*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari Set for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Tuesday 5 March 2019

UEFA Champions League Match Attax - Review & Competition

My son has collected Match Attax for several years now, accumulating quite an extensive collection of all his favourite football players. Like most children he loves to collect things, so with Match Attax currently being available at 'pocket money prices' he has been able to purchase packs regularly to help complete his teams. He also enjoys swapping his doubles with friends and it has been great to see him and his class mates help one another with their searches for some of the most wanted cards. At Christmas we also purchased the Match Attax advent calendar for him, which we found to be great value for money as there was a pack of cards behind every single door, which was a fabulous alternative to daily chocolate.

Ben was therefore delighted when we were recently sent a huge bundle of the recently released UEFA Champions League Match Attax. This not only scored me some mega brownie points, but also kept him quiet long enough for me to enjoy a cup of coffee, whilst he opened all of the packets. Definitely a win win situation for me!


The first item Ben opened was his Starter Pack, which with an RRP of only £5 seemed to offer great value for money. Inside there was a collection binder, the 2 player game mat, game rules, an online game code, 5 cards plus 1 limited edition card.

The binder is a great storage solution to ensure that all your cards are kept in the best condition and it is really easy to arrange the cards and place them inside. Ben decide to sort all his cards into teams first knowing that he quite a lot to open, before placing them in the binder afterwards. There are over 450 cards to collect, swap and play with, so he was also trying to keep count of how many he had, as well as placing any doubles to one side ready to trade.


He then began to open his Super Strikers Mega Tin which contained a fantastic 50 cards which consisted of:
  • 29 x regular cards
  • 5 x special foil cards
  • 15 x exclusive cards
  • 1 x Limited Edition Card
Some of his all time favourite players were in this pack and he continued sorting his cards into the corresponding teams. The Mega Tins have an RRP of £10 and are available in 4 different varieties which are Rising Stars, Title Winners, Super Strikers and Superstars and the tin also acts as great storage for keeping your cards safe. Ben uses the tins to keep his swaps in, so that he can carry them around easily when trading with friends.


Next he opened a Match Attax Mini Tin which has an RRP of £7. Ben really liked the mini tin as it is small enough to fit in his pocket, so he can keep his cards to hand whether for swapping or playing. It also helped that two of his favourite players were featured on the front of this tin, so it'll most likely become the tin that he uses the most. The mini tin contained a total of 42 cards which consisted of:
  • 36 x regular cards
  • 5 x special foil cards
  • 1 x Limited Edition card
Lastly he opened a multi pack which contained 5 packets of cards. His sister had also become interested by this point, so they both sat on his bed whilst opening the remaining packets. It was lovely watching them chat together as she asked Ben about who the players were and what he thought of them. She then asked him to explain the game to her and this ended up in them playing nicely together for well over an hour. He also shared some of his doubles with her and his younger brother Riley so that they could both start their own collection too, which I thought was a lovely gesture.


Once they had finished playing, I took a closer look at some of the cards, to see what kind of information each one provided. The two cards below are part of the new Pro Performance cards and they help you to identify the players who are the fastest or the most accurate passers in the UCL. As with all the Match Attax cards in the set, the player names are always clearly identified on the side, which is really useful if you come across a footballer you are less familiar with.

In the top right hand corner you will notice that there is a monetary value, as well as a series of scores for their skills, all of which come in useful when selecting your team for playing the game.


The aim of this two player game is to beat your opponent by scoring more goals, just like in a real match. The rules are easy to follow and understand which helps to make it a simple and fun game for children to enjoy.

Firstly you need to put your team together by selecting 11 players along with 3 substitutes, before laying them down in formation on the game mat which is pictured below. (If you don't have the game mat, then don't worry, you can still play). The first player is then determined by flipping a coin and choosing heads or tails. When selecting your team you should ensure that you adhere to both the formation and tournament rules.

Whoever goes first must choose an attacker or defender, with the opponent choosing the opposite. So for example if I was to select an attacker, then my opponent must select a defender. If your attack scores beat their defence, then you score and vice versa. You then keep the cards to one side so you can easily count the score. It really is easy, yet lots of fun to play and you simply continue with your players throughout the game. In the event of a draw, then no-one wins, so the chooser must make another selection.

Just like in a real game of football, you are able to choose a sub at any point in the game as well as being able to use a team boost card, both of which can improve your chances of winning. Once all the cards have been played, then you add up the score, congratulate the winner and play again!


Overall I would highly recommend Match Attax as a great fun trading card game that is available at affordable prices. The guide age for these products is 6+ which I would agree with, as I think this is a suitable age to be able to understand how to play the game correctly. However, I would not say that these collectables are limited to just children as I am sure that there are many teenagers and adults that would also enjoy to collect, swap and play with these cards as well. I think that both the mini tin and mega tin offer value for money and with individual packs also being available for only £1, it is possible to build up a collection at a cost and frequency that is suitable for you.

You can find out more about Topps and Match Attax by visiting their website or social media pages which can be found on the following channels:

Website - https://uk.topps.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myTopps
Twitter - @myTopps
Instagram - @myTopps

Competition

Do you have a Match Attax fan in your family? Then why not enter our competition for the chance to win a fantastic bundle of goodies which includes:

1 x Mega Tin (RRP £10.00)
1 x Mini Tin (RRP £7.00)
1 x Starter Pack (RRP £5.00)
1 x Multi Pack (RRP £5.00)

For your chance to win, simply enter using the gleam form below and be sure to come back daily throughout March for some extra bonus entries. (Terms and Conditions can be found underneath). Good Luck!

UEFA Champions League Match Attax Competition

Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of a UEFA Champions League Match Attax Bundle consisting of 1 x Mega Tin (RRP £10), 1 x Mini Tin (RRP £7), 1 x Starter Pack (RRP £5), 1 x Multi Pack (RRP £5.00). Contents of these packs vary and there is no guarantee that you will receive the same cards that my son did in the review images.
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on Sunday 31st March 2019 at 23:59.
  • A winner shall be drawn within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entries.
  • Once the winner has confirmed acceptance of the prize and provided their address details then the prize shall be posted out via a trackable delivery method within 14 days.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • Prize is as stated, is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for a cash equivalent.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a bundle of Match Attax items for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. All opinions and thoughts are my own unless stated otherwise.

Monday 1 October 2018

Winter Wonderland at St Luke's "Bombed-Out" Church, Liverpool 1st to 23rd December 2018 - Competition!

One of Liverpool's most iconic landmarks will be transformed into a magical, immersive, Christmas attraction for 2018.

St Luke's "Bombed-Out" Church, situated at the top of Bold Street, will be turned into a Winter Wonderland for almost four weeks this festive season and is set to become the 'must-visit' Christmas Grotto experience of the year in Liverpool.

Set against beautiful and atmospheric festive backdrops and with lots to explore, families will be escorted by an elf and immersed into their very own Christmas spectacular full of festive characters, workshops and fun activities.

Winter Wonderland at St Luke's "Bombed-Out" Church will take place between Saturday 1st December and Sunday 23rd December 2018, with sessions available to pre-book now.

Fondly known as the 'Bombed-Out' Church, St Luke's is one of Liverpool's best loved heritage sites. The festive attraction will transform St Luke's and its grounds in a way which has never been seen before. The interior of St Luke's will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland, where families can make their way through a whole host of activities which includes a special appointment with Santa during the experience.

Two-hour timeslots are available to book in advance and the Winter Wonderland ticket price includes Santa's Workshop where youngsters can make their own bauble or Christmas Card to take home; art sessions at Mrs Claus's Art Studio; build and dress up a snowbuddy in hats and scarves in the Snowland; storytelling in Storyland with characters; show off fun dance moves in the Silent Disco; and not forgetting a trip into Santa's Grotto with a gift and framed photograph with Santa to take home. Adults are also treated to a hot drink and mince pie.

Ms Christmas from Enchanted Productions said: "We are so excited to be bringing to Liverpool a brand-new, top-quality immersive Grotto experience that hasn't been seen before, and in such an iconic and historic location! It is going to be a really magical and unique attraction for the festive season, for the whole family to enjoy."

For further information, you can visit their social media channels which are:

Facebook - StLukesConservationTrust
Twitter - @bombedoutchurch

Listing Details

Event - Winter Wonderland at St Luke's "Bombed Out" Church
Dates - Saturday 1st December to Sunday 23rd December 2018
Tickets - Children £18.99 / Adults £12.99 / Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children) £59.99
Early Bird Ticket Offer - Quote SANTA1 when booking for a 20% discount for the first two weeks on-sale. This will be valid for sessions booked for the first two weeks of December only (excluding weekends).
Booking - Bookings can be made online at www.ticketquarter.co.uk, by telephone on 0844 8000 410 or in person at the Liverpool Echo Arena Box Office - Kings Dock.

Photo credit: David Munn 

Competition

We also have a fantastic competition for our readers, offering you the chance to win a family ticket to Winter Wonderland at St Luke's "Bombed-Out" Church in Liverpool for either the 3rd, 4th or 5th of December 2018. Please read through the terms and conditions and then enter using the gleam app below. Good Luck!

Win a Family Ticket to Winter Wonderland at St Luke's "Bombed Out" Church, Liverpool

Terms and Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) to attend the St Luke's "Bombed-Out" Church Winter Wonderland Grotto, for either the 3rd, 4th or 5th December 2018. Prize can be used on 1 (one) of these dates only and tickets are not transferable to an alternative date.
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on the 31st October 2018.
  • Winner will be drawn and notified within 3 working days of the closing date.
  • The winner shall have 7 (seven) days to respond to the winning notification and confirm their acceptance of the prize. Should the winner fail to respond, then an alternative winner shall be drawn from the remaining eligible entrants.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • Winner's 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 family ticket is not transferable
  • If circumstances arise that prevent the event from going ahead as planned, then It's A Family Adventure accepts no liability and no alternative prize will be offered.
  • Entries shall be validated to confirm that the entry action has been completed as stated. Incorrect or invalid entries shall be removed.

Tuesday 11 September 2018

Aquabeads Minions Playset - Review & Competition

After all the glorious sunshine we have had this summer, the weather was bound to turn eventually and this weekend saw us endure some heavy rain and wind. However, whilst our plans for some outdoor fun may have been placed on hold, we certainly weren't short of some indoor activities to enjoy, starting with our favourite crafty and creative toy....Aquabeads!

Our last Aquabeads review featured the Star Wars Playset, which Riley really enjoyed, but we were recently sent this Despicable Me Minions Playset which features some marvellous Minion characters to create. Riley couldn't wait to get the box open and get started on his designs.


The front of the box is really bright and colourful and features several Minion characters. One thing that stood out to us, was the image of the bead peeler in the centre of the box, as none of the previous sets we have used included one of these. We all agreed that the graphics were displayed well, with plenty of informative detail on the packaging, such as a mini three-step guide as to how Aquabeads stick together with the water spray.

It also stated that it only takes 10 minutes to peel, so we were keen to try this claim out as we often leave our creations to dry for a much longer period.


As always the reverse of the box provides a clear contents list so that you are fully informed as to what you are receiving in the playset. There is also an image on the right hand side of the box which provides pictures of all the different characters and items that you can create with the enclosed beads. The Aquabeads Minions Playset includes:
  • Table Tray
  • Bead palette
  • Sprayer
  • Bead Peeler
  • Template sheets
  • Yellow beads x 220
  • Pink beads x 5
  • Brown beads x 120
  • Blue beads x 151
  • Light blue beads x 20
  • Green beads x 5
  • Black beads x 127
  • Grey beads x 74
  • White beads x 43
  • Brown jewel beads x 5
  • Instructions
The Aquabeads Minion Playset is recommended for children aged 4+, however due to containing small parts, parental supervision is required when being used. There are several clear safety messages on the box and it is important to read these prior to use.


We opened the box and lay all the contents out on the sofa so that we could make sure that we had everything that was needed. Riley really liked that the case was in his favourite colours of blue and yellow, so he was already really happy with the set before we even began.

I cut off the corners of each of the bead packets and Riley arranged them into the case and placed them where he wanted the colours to go. Once everything had been arranged, Riley selected the design that he wanted to attempt first and began to make his creation.


This set also caught his sister's attention and so Emma asked Riley if she could help with one of the designs. Riley was more than happy for them to play together, so Riley followed one template whilst Emma attempted another.


When we first started using Aquabeads a couple of years ago, Riley would often need my help to assist him with placing beads, however he now finds this really easy and found the minion templates simple to follow. He finished his design completely independently and only made one mistake which was the colour of the eyes, opting for two brown beads instead of one brown and one green.

Emma completed the design on template two and it was great to see them playing together nicely throughout the activity.


Once the templates had been completely covered in beads, Riley filled the sprayer with water and began to spray the Minion creations. The sprayer was compact and easy to use and also fitted nicely in the storage case once finished. We left the designs to dry for the recommended 10 minutes and then Riley excitedly used the brand new peeler to remove his Minion from the tray.


The peeler made removing the creations a much easier process. Previously it has been too tricky for Riley to remove them with his fingers, so I have had to take my time to remove them from the tray myself, hopeful that no beads become detached. However, with the peeler, you simply slide this along the roof of the tray and it evenly removes the Aquabeads with ease. It is a great idea and a fabulous addition to this Aquabeads playset. It is great that the company are looking at ways they can improve their product and introducing innovative ideas.


Riley and Emma enjoyed this activity so much, that they continued to use all of the templates in the set, using up nearly all of the beads. I believe that there is a Minion add-on set available, so I will certainly be purchasing this to top up our collection.

The RRP of this set is £19.99 and it can currently be purchased from Amazon* and other good toy retailers. If you are feeling lucky though, then we have a fantastic competition for our readers, to give you the chance to win one of these fantastic Aquabeads Minion Playsets. If you would like to enter then please read the terms and conditions and complete your entry using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Aquabeads Minion Playset Giveaway!

Terms and Conditions
  • There is 1 (one) prize of an Aquabeads Minions Playset as featured in this review. 
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
  • Competition closes on the 30th September 2018 at 23:59.
  • A winner shall be drawn within 7 days of the closing date and notified via email.
  • The winner will have 7 days to confirm their acceptance of the prize before an alternative winner is drawn from remaining eligible entries.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • Winner's 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.
Disclaimer: We were provided with this product complimentary for the purpose of providing an honest review of the item. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. *This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon which means that I may receive a small commission should you choose to purchase from this retailer. 

Thursday 3 May 2018

Letterbox Cakes by bakerdays - Review & Competition

My family and I have quite a few special occasions coming up over the next couple of months and it can be a bit of a struggle at times, to try and find the perfect gift for that special someone. I like to buy presents that are personal to the recipient, but also something that I know they will enjoy.

Thanks to the blog, I have been introduced to numerous brands over the last couple of years that offer some amazing gifts, so I know that there are some fabulous presents out there to suit all tastes. However there is one brand in particular that I often find myself returning to and that is....bakerdays.


The company bakerdays create personalised cakes for all occasions in a variety of different flavours. There is a huge selection to choose from in various sizes, which not only look fantastic, but taste absolutely delicious too! My favourite product that they offer is the innovative letterbox cake, which is a wonderful and unique gift idea for friends, family or even work colleagues that you may want to surprise. Measuring at approximately 5 inches in diameter (12cm x 2.5cm) they fit nicely through your letterbox and can provide 3-4 nice sized portions.

The bakerdays website is really user friendly with everything being clearly displayed in corresponding categories. I could literally spend all day browsing through the many different designs that are available and it is easy to navigate through the pages until you find the perfect one. Once you have decided on a design, then you simply need to select the size that you want, choose a flavour and then add a special message of your choice. Some cakes can even feature one of your very own photographs, for that added personalised touch.

My children and I had a little think about who we would like to get a cake for and Emma, Ben and Riley all had the same person in mind.....GRANDAD! My kids are all very close to their grandad and so it was a really easy decision for them all to make.

I initially suggested that we could get one as a Father's Day cake, but my son very rightly pointed out that it doesn't have to be a special occasion to eat cake and that it could simply be a gift to show how much they care about him. So with the recipient agreed, all we had to do now was choose a design.

We didn't want anything that was over complicated and Riley was quite specific in his request that it must have a teddy bear on it as well as lots of lovely colours. It didn't take long to find the ideal design which was exactly what the kids had imagined. We selected our choice and then chose a traditional sponge cake with jam and buttercream filling. There were lots of other flavours available though which included:

  • Traditional Sponge
  • Lovely Lemon Drizzle
  • Rich Chocolate Chip
  • Gluten Wheat Free Sponge
  • Dairy Free Sponge
  • Fabulous Fruit

I think it is great that bakerdays also provide a full list of ingredients for each flavouring, which is ideal if you are buying for someone with an allergy or an intolerance. This way you can be sure that the cake you buy is suitable for the recipient.

We were happy with the design exactly as it was, so we chose not to add personalised names as the example text suited us perfectly. The order was placed and we waited excitedly for our cake to arrive!



The website offers a range of delivery options and bakerdays assures customers that your cake will arrive fresh and in perfect condition. They have created special packaging to protect the cake which makes the product suitable for both national and even international delivery. Our cake arrived in a sturdy cardboard box, which had a lovely card enclosed, along with an advertising leaflet and discount code that could be used against future purchases. It was carefully contained within a miniature cake tin, which made the item look really presentable, which is exactly what you want when buying a gift for someone.


The image and text on the cake was great and we were all really pleased with how it looked. We knew that Grandad would absolutely love it and we weren't wrong. In addition to the presentation the quality of the cake was wonderful with a lovely taste that we all found delicious. The guide states that the cake is ideal for 3-4 slices, but we managed to get 5 decent sized portions between Grandad, Nana, Emma, Ben and Riley.

Overall we were extremely impressed with bakerdays, we have used them on several occasions now and have never been disappointed. The efficiency of the service and quality of the product is fantastic which is always reassuring when buying a gift for someone. My children now want to buy these for their teachers as an end of term gift which I think is a lovely idea, which also goes to show how much the kids enjoy the product too. I think the fact that you can choose the design yourself and personalise it, makes it all the more special and my children really enjoyed being involved. The ordering process isn't only simple, but also great fun too and we look forward to using the service again in the future.


If you would like to purchase your own bakerdays cake, then I have also been given an exclusive discount code for my readers. Simply enter code FAMILYADVENTURE15 to get 15% off your purchase. (Code expires 31st May 2018).

To find out more about the great range of cakes that bakerdays offer, then you can visit their website or social media channels on the links below:

Website - www.bakerdays.com/
Facebook - facebook.com/bakerdays/
Twitter -  @bakerdays
Instagram - @bakerdays

If you would like the chance to win your very own Letterbox Cake from bakerdays, then please read the terms and conditions and enter our competition using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Win a Letterbox Cake from bakerdays

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a bakerdays Letterbox Cake
  • There is no cash alternative available.
  • Please allow up to 28 days for delivery
  • Competition is open to UK entrants aged 18 or over.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • Competition closes 20th May 2018 & the winner shall be drawn at random and contacted within 3 working days.
  • The winner 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.
  • The winners details will be shared with bakerdays, for the purpose of prize fulfilment and the winner's consent will be requested prior to any information being shared.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary letterbox cake for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience. All opinions and photographs are my own, unless stated otherwise.