Friday 4 June 2021

Disney Classic Plush Collection - A Review

During the most recent lockdown, my family and I subscribed to Disney+ which not only allowed my children to watch some of their favourite films, but it also gave us the opportunity to rediscover some Disney Classics together. I was therefore really excited to learn about the Disney Plush Classic Range from Simba Toys, which features iconic characters from films such as 101 Dalmations, The Aristocats, Lady & The Tramp, Dumbo and even more. 

Riley recently received three plush toys from the collection with the first one being the stunning Dumbo. I used to love this film as a child and each of my children had a small Dumbo soft toy when they were babies, so this particular item brought back some really nice memories for me. My son is still at the age where he loves pretend play, so from the moment it arrived, he immediately began to run round the garden with Dumbo, trying to teach him how to fly. 

The quality of this product is absolutely superb and the stitching is very neat and detailed, which really contributes to the character likeness. Riley loves how cuddly it is with the material being so soft. My son enjoys placing his face next to Dumbo's ear as the fabric feels so lovely and it is such a nice item to snuggle up to.

The second toy Riley received was the beautiful Marie from The Aristocats. She is so snuggly and features a pretty pink bow. Like the other toys in the collection, Marie is hand wash only, but given their size, this shouldn't be too difficult a task and in the summer months they can easily dry outside in the sunshine.

Riley hasn't actually seen The Aristocats before, so he is now intrigued to see the film and find out more about Marie. In the meantime he has been enjoying plenty of pretend play and cuddling up to the adorable snuggly fabric.


The Dalmation is so huggable and this was Riley's favourite of them all. He has watched the film 101 Dalmations numerous times, so he was delighted to have a plush toy of a beautiful dalmation pup. The fabric is so gentle and incredibly soft and even the little red collar is nice and smooth. The collar is also centrally stitched at the front and rear, so no worries about it coming loose or being removed.

The attention to detail is fabulous and Riley enjoyed counting all the spots over it's body. He kept losing count of how many there were, but I am now reliably informed that there are 30 spots in total.

Overall I absolutely love this range of soft toys and they are the perfect gift for both children and Disney fans of all ages. They are beautifully made, super soft and there is a great selection to choose from. They can be purchased in a range of different sizes which include 17cm, 25cm and 35cm. The toys featured in this review are the 25cm size which I felt was just perfect for playing with at home, or for taking on our travels too. 

The toys are really light and comfortable to hold, so Riley has already decided that the Dalmation will be coming on holiday with us in the future. One thing I really liked about the soft toys in this review, was that they can also be displayed nicely without just falling over, which is a common problem I have had with other toys. I feel that these plush toys offer excellent value for money and they can be purchased from Amazon.

If you would like to find out more about Simba Toys UK or the Disney Plush Classic Range then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Facebook - Simba Toys UK

Instagram - @simbatoysuk

*Disclaimer - We were gifted three Disney Classic Soft Toys for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

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. 



Sunday 14 March 2021

Love Corn - Crunchy Snacks Review

(AD) We were gifted a LOVE CORN care package for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a family of five it is fair to say that we go through a fair amount of snacks on a daily basis. This has been especially highlighted during the recent period of home schooling, where it has become apparent that my children have felt the need to have a snack break every hour. However, on a positive note, this has encouraged us to try some new food products and discover some snacks that are different to the usual contents of our weekly shop. 

One of the new tasty treats that we have recently tried is LOVE CORN, which are crunchy corn kernel snacks that are packed full of flavour and available in a range of different varieties to suit all tastes and appetites. We were sent a Love Corn care package to review the product and we were very excited to try them out and learn a little bit more about the brand.

The four fabulous flavours are Sea Salt. Salt & Vinegar, Smoked BBQ and Habanero Chilli and there are a choice of portion sizes which are a 20g snack pack, a 45g portion size and a 115g packet that is perfect for sharing. They are ideal for families to enjoy at home, great for on the go, enjoying with a picnic or packed lunch, or even as a meal topper such as on soup or salads.

Love Corn snacks are plant based, vegan, gluten free, verified Kosher and Non GMO. The ingredients are super simple, just corn that's been roasted then seasoned. For example, on looking at the ingredients for the Smoked BBQ flavour, these are listed as Corn, Paprika, Onion, Garlic, Sea Salt and Sunflower Oil. So simple, yet so tasty!

Each of my children were keen to try specific flavours that suited their individual preferences, whilst I was looking forward to trying out the Habanero Chilli. My youngest son opted for the salt and vinegar flavour and the first thing that he mentioned was that the smell was not too overpowering. This can put him off foods quite quickly, so it tends to be the first thing that he notices. I emptied a 45g packet into a bowl for him and he was able to help himself throughout the day. He really enjoyed them and was very complimentary about the taste and how crunchy they were. He has already asked me to put some in a small container in his lunch box each day when he returns to school next week. The salt and vinegar was also my eldest son's favourite, who enjoyed them in moderation.

My daughter usually dislikes Salt & Vinegar flavouring, but she also helped herself to a few in the bowl and was pleasantly surprised. However, her personal favourite was the Sea Salt. She found she didn't want to eat a full packet at a time, but enjoyed getting a handful every now and again when feeling hungry. She therefore made good use of the fact that the packs are resealable and she enjoyed a packet over 2-3 days.

Both my husband and I enjoyed the Smoked BBQ and the Habanero Chilli flavours and these went down a treat with a glass of wine and a pint of lager in the evening. My husband usually enjoys a snack of ready salted peanuts with a beer, so this was a great alternative that also provided much more flavour.

Overall we really enjoyed Love Corn and we each had our own preference to our favourite flavours. We found them to be really crunchy and delicious and a great alternative to a packet of crisps. I will personally continue to use these as evening nibbles and my children have said that they would be happy to eat them as a regular snack, especially in their packed lunches. We all agreed that they were tasty and enjoyed trying something new and different from our usual choices. 

If you would like to try Love Corn snacks for yourself, then I have a 20% discount code available to my readers. Simply visit the Love Corn Website and enter the code "CRUNCH20" at the check out. Alternatively, if you would like to try before you buy or you're not quite sure which flavour to purchase, then why not request a free sample pack (Postage additional at £1.99).


*Disclaimer - We were gifted a LOVE CORN care package for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday 1 January 2021

Happy New Year!

There is no denying that 2020 has been very difficult for many including ourselves. We started last year full of excitement and looking forward to all the plans we had made, but it turned out extremely different from anything we could have anticipated.

As a blogger who focuses on travel, day outs and theatre, this meant that the majority of my work simply disappeared overnight. Our usual routine of visiting family every weekend quickly became impossible and we had to see people very close to us begin to struggle with both their physical and mental health. 2020 was definitely our year of challenges, but despite all the difficulties we faced, we did still manage to have some positive moments, for which we will always remember and be grateful for.

We currently have no plans at all for 2021, which feels very strange. However, we do have hope and lots of it. We hope for a better year, for better health and for a year of love and happiness. We don't know what this year will bring, but we can hope for the best and I sincerely hope that 2021 is better for everyone. So on that note, Happy New Year to you all!