Baby Alive Real As Real Can Be - or is it?

Last year Savana had the pleasure of reviewing a BABY ALIVE doll last year who had pretend food. Although i thought the face was kind of scarey she adored the doll and even now, one year on she still plays with it. Then along came Baby Alive - Real as Can be Doll which currently HAS A £10 OFF OFFER on at TOYSRUS and comes into a whole new world!

HUGE HUGE HUGE eyes scour the room or in our case the garden, when she left her box in the glorious October sunshine. At first, it was Savana who squealed with delight at the prospect of ANOTHER baby to her growing collection of Babies and loved the fact that this doll unlike the Baby Alive last year, is that this one has real hair to play with. She now has about 12 baby dolls and has told me she is going to have AT LEAST 20 babies when she is older - OH DEAR! Mabye Scarey Spice whoops I mean Baby Alive Real as Can be can alter her mind.

As the doll left the box with 2 batteries already supplied which is good- or is it? It was actually Bailey (age 7) who noticed food sachets and started to read them with interest. Minutes later there were shrieks of laughter as it dawned on Bailey and later Savana that this baby REALLY DID POOP yes I did say POOP (explanation to follow) and WEE! For the following hour both Bailey and Savana had tears of laughter as this baby speaks in a very annoying American/English accent and persistently asks for MORE AND MORE AND MORE FOOD AND DRINK - to which they respond and then wait (not for long I hasten to add) for the nappy to fill. The girls are delighted to mix up a bowl of her special doll food and spoon-feed her. After she drinks a bottle of water to wash it all down, it’s time for a new DIAPER! YES a diaper, not nappy - so language the girls are not used too. The girls learn when Baby Alive is sleepy by closing her eyes and when she needs a nap. As soon as she is sitting upright she’ll open her eyes to play all over again! With only 2 nappies SORRY I MEAN DIAPERS supplied, which is not enough, the girls resort to a naked doll. This is fine as the weather is hot, but since we reviewed this the weather has cooled down and the doll has been left to collect dust in the corner.

              

 After a while Bailey commented on the accent and said how annoying it was - to which no-one disagreed. The girls also felt that the small amount of food and 2 nappies and one dress and bib, was not enough at all and the doll soon became the same as most other dolls.

The initial fun factor faded along with the sunshine and the Hickmott Team felt that this doll deserved no more than 2 out of 5.

Cruz on by Toysrus and Grab a Potato! In fact - Mr Potato Head from Playskool

No idea what to buy this Christmas for your little one - then wonder no more.  Cruz Beckham has been seen safeguarding his Mr Potato Head and one can be yours too from TOYSRUS currently for £12.99.

So what did the Mini Toyologists Bailey and Savana think of Mr Potato Head?

This was definitely more for Savana than Bailey with a clear 2+ on the outside of the packaging.  - This fun and friendly character is very easy to spot through this see-through suitcase. 

The marketing team have been very clever - with TOY STORY 1, 2 AND 3 all being huge hits - "AHHHH TOY STORY"are Savana's first words NOT Mr Potato Head!

So what is in this suitcase?  Well basically LOTS AND LOTS in fact 40 different body parts alot more than the last version which makes the extra cost worthwhile - offering any child the opportunity to make hundreds of mad combinations.  The downside for me as with any toy, is with lots of parts comes the worry of them being MISPLACED or basically LOST as the case gives the illusion they will all fit in their snuggly  - well that is how it came?  But experience has taught us that you can NEVER get things back the way the came out of a box.  Savana is older at age 4 but younger children will tire very quickly at trying to put the items back.  Worse still the suitcase gives the illusion that is strong, solid and reliable JUST LIKE MR POTATO!  Sadly not, the catch can open so imagine the frustration from MEEEEEEE after managing to put everythign away only to pick it up and then the latch opens!   mmmmm brings a whole new meanign to SILLY SUITCASE!

Anyway, the Hickmotts loved MR POTATO HEAD and all agree with Cruz that a home is not a home without a MR POTATO HEAD or indeed MRS POTATO HEAD! this Xmas and give this a 4 out of 5.

Artisto by Keter - for Toys R Us

When this box arrived at our house we were all very sceptical.  The outside displayed young children at a plastic table having lots of fun but we were not so sure.  As we opened the box in the garden our doubts soon began to heighten.  The box which was very small contained LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of pieces, "Oh my god, how did so much fit into such a small box?" Worse still was the FEAR OF TERROR running through my mind of Oh no HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE ME TO PUT TOGETHER! 

Ok the Hickmotts were ready for the challenge - well at least Mum was - and was determined NOT to be defeated. Suprisingly the challenge was not very difficult at all - in fact it was incredibly easy with the help of the two toyologists within 15 yes I did say 15 minutes the whole thing had been put together.  The girls had not lost interest and were soon keen to add the stickers over the areas which contained screws - which I may add were only a few and that was it.

Well not quite - marker pens. We searched high and low - felt tip pens did not do the trick they had to be MARKER PENS so a quick journey to the shop and back we were playing non-stop games, drawing, attaching images with the study clip (see below) and letters to trace and also using the bench and table for lunch.

So what is not so good about this - well it was definitely a bit of a squash and squeeze for Bailey (7) and the actual space on top is limiting for paper etc.  The screen is also quite a reach if you are sitting down, but a quick stretch up onto their feet and the girls were fine.  Also a word of caution, it does take up alot of space - and it has been in our garden since it was built.

Price is £79.99 which some may argue is a hefty price for a piece of plastic - but then again it is for two so great if you have twins for instance.

Overall:-
As a former primary school teacher - making learning fun is key and the idea of using the clear screen is a great concept instead of pen to paper - Savana in particular loved practicing her letters and had no worries about making a mistake, as one quick wipe and she could have another go.

The mini toyologists and mum love this table.  It is very sturdy, and wipes down INCLUDING the screen after being left out overnight in the garden (or in our case since it was built) very easily.

Check out our video to see how we got on with it:-

This is probably one of our favourite toys received so far this year and we all give it 5 out of 5 - thanks Toysrus!

Top Toy from Top Toy Shop Toys R Us

Check out what Mini Toyologist Savana thinks this toy!

We are Back

Bailey and Savana were delighted to be asked back to review toys again for 2011 with Geoffrey- take a look at their first box of goodies!

CLICK ON THIS LINK BELOW TO VIEW

http://www.youtube.com/embed/NKA6lgtQAfI"

This game - may tip you over the edge!

TIPOVER

This new mind challenging game takes 3-dimensional brainteasers to a whole new level. 40 Beginner-to-Expert challenges show you how to set up the grid with crates of different heights and your Tipper (red figure) assists you in the tipping. All you need to do is figure out the correct tipping sequence to reach your goal! It is recommened from Ages 8 to adult however toyologist Bailey (age 6) LOVED THIS GAME!

What does the box contain?

·         40 Challenge cards ·         Game Grid ·         Tipper ·         Crates (10) yellow, (4) green, (2) blue and (1) red ·         Travel Bag (which is great!) ·         Instructions and Solutions

Toyologist Verdict

Bailey and her dad absolutely loved this game.  It was the perfect pool side game whilst we were on holiday in Egypt. 

The travel bag is a fanastic idea, one which other game producers should adopt.  There is nothing more frustrating when you open a box and then have nowhere to put all the pieces, and worse still when you go to play the game again, yep you guessed it pieces are missing!

                                      

There were levels to challenge both Bailey and her dad, and gave them hours of entertainment.  It was a great to see and encourage Bailey to stretch her mind.

Both Bailey and her dad give this game a well deserved 8 out of 10.

Ooo and one last fact…..DID YOU KNOW?

TIPOVER™ was initially developed as an online game by Atlanta-area eccentric James W. Stephens. Mechanical versions were designed by prolific puzzle inventor M. Oskar van Deventer and prototyped by George Miller

LEGS 11 - THINKFUN ZINGO GAME

http://www.precious-memories.co.uk

BINGO FOR THE YOUNG

This game is great fun for all members of the family - great interaction away from TV and Computers with an educational twist!

CONTENTS:-
Double sided cards - 2 levels
Children learn about image and vocabulary recognition, memory, matching,concentration, and social interaction.
The Zingo cards are thick and durable and so too are the Zingo chips with a fun sliding dispenser.

This is great for children learning to read. Simple rules, easy set up and great interaction for older silbings with younger ones.

Adults you will be pleased to know you will not tire of this game either. Based around the Bingo theme, Players not only have to be the first to have the item on their card, but also be the first to call out. Pieces can be lost or set up and the children LOVE setting this up.

As a former primary schol teacher this game definitly teaches visual discrimination, matching, following directions, object recognition, and good sportsmanship. With primary colours, and clear visuals it is very robust.

This game has an additional rule in the Hickmott household - THE PRIZE - a trip to the sweet shop is always inevitable for this game - well would be rude not too!

We give this game a great 9 out of 10

CAN WE FIX IT? Guest Toyologist Review for Toys R US says YES THEY CAN!!!!!

http://www.precious-memories.co.uk/

Black and Decker Work Bench £59.99

Bob The Builder Can we fix it?  Bob the Builder - well actually TOYS R US - YES THEY CAN!

Mum Laura - What a hit!!  This work bench was instantly loved by my nearly 4 year old, and 17 month old.

PROs

* The live action circular saw and drill are probably my boys favourite bits - if not a little noisy for my delicate ears at 6.30am!!

* It was relatively easy to put together and my 4 year old enjoyed helping daddy to build it.  Took about 15-20 mins

* The range of tools it came with was good, along with the nuts and bolts

* The little bird house was great as my son is trying to master putting it together - my 17 month old loves cutting the bits of wood with the circular saw!

* Nice bright design, lightweight to lift, not TOO cumbersome so we bring it downstairs in a morning and then put it back in my 4 year old's bedroom at night

CONs

* Price - I don't think I would have purchased it at £59.99, possibly £49.99 to stay under that £50 mark

* Bench is a little flimsy considering the price - wobbles a bit if knocked, would have liked it to be a little more sturdy

* Batteries were not included in the product- for the price tag I think they should be and was a little disappointing not to see it full working until I got round to getting the batteries

Toys R Us Toyologist Review - now you see it - now you don't - cos mummy keeps playing with it!

http://www.precious-memories.co.uk

The mini toyologists had already had the pleasure of reviewing the Aquadoodle Mat so gave Megan and Isabelle a chance to experience something magical from Tomy - The Aquadoodle Desk - £29.99 

Well what can I say??...we were kindly given the fab opportunity to review the Tomy Aquadoodle desk (mon bureau) by mini toyologists Savana and Bailey..... I have 2 girls....Megan who turns 4yrs this month and Isabelle who is 8 months. Megan already has a aquadoodle which is the small mat however this 'mon bureau' has been a real hit!!...everytime the adverts have been coming on the tv recently she kept saying she wanted one for her birthday yet I kept thinking 'youve already had one'....

The minute Megan saw the box she knew exactly what it was and within 5 minutes of having the box the toy was up and ready to go. The assembly was really simple and there was no screwing or fixing etc, the pieces (of which there about 5) all just slotted together!

The desk is made of a firm foam which is sturdy enough for leaning on to draw but also really safe for Isabelle who has pulled the desk onto herself whilst trying to stand up several times! The mat that you draw on is green on one side and a yellowy colour on the other so really nice for girls or boys and also allows double drawing opportunity as there is no waiting around for the mat to dry...simply flip it over!

Whilst the toy has been a big hit with all friends (aged between 2yrs and 10yrs) who have visited and played with for a good hour each -  the main things for me as parent have been, real easy assembly, no small awkward parts, packs away into a reasonable size box but best of all Megan has been really enthusiastic to write on it and trying to spell her name and practice letter shapes....no endless pieces of screwed up paper and extra mess, just lots of flipping the matt over and trying again.....we have nearly mastered it too!!...so and educational side aswell!....a real bonus!

This gets a HUGE thumbs up from us - Thanks for such a FAB opportunity this has been a real hit!

Toys R Us - Toyologist Review for Play-Doh Puppies

http://ww.precious-memories.co.uk/

The mini toyologists already had lots of their own play dough and were suprised to hear that Isabel had never played with it before.  So we handed her over the Play-Doh Puppies Play Set to see what she thought.  Her mum Rachel wrote the following review which is fantastic!

The expression and sounds of joy my 2 ½ year little girl came out with when she saw the puppies playdoh set was just magical. We had kindly been given this to review by a friend, and trutoyologiest Precious Memories Mum Glenda and mini toyologists Bailey and Savana.  After setting up a space with a cloth ( as we don’t have a table ) and a very egar little girl, we sat down and showed her what all the bits did. She soon picked it up and played with it straight for 1 ½ hours!! OMG not one toy has made her sit down for this long! Isabel after that had alittle break and played with something else for all of 15 mins, than decided to play with the playdoh again – for another hour! Even my partner sat with her for ages playing with the doh and her.

Since then – every morning Isabel gets out of bed and the first thing she wants to do is get the Puppy PlayDoh set out. Amazing!  We never thought before being given this fantastic opportunity to test this out, about getting my daughter PlayDoh and I now can’t believe why I hadn’t before.  This set is just fantastic. I think Playdoh as a whole would be a great toy to invest in. Not only does it give them opportunity to use their hands but its gets them creative and role playing. Isabel loved pretending to make dog food and giving it to the dog and playdoh puppies.

See Isabel in action!

The set comes with  4 different colour pots – two browns, a white and a red. A bowl for the food and a basket for the playdoh puppies. The dog has different moulds around him and underneath to make different shapes like a bone, sock, steak and puppies. It comes with grinder to make dog food, and if you place the doh inside the two holes in his head and push it down, it makes hair and a tongue ( Isabel loves this bit and goes mad when she sees the hair come out on top ).

For the price of £12.99 and the enertainment value I rate this 10/10. I would definitely recommend this and have already told some of my friends to go and by from Toys R US.

C O M P E T I T I O N ! Toys R Us Carnival Continues......

Precious Memories website at http://www.precious-memories.co.uk/


COMPETITION Toys R Us Carnival Continues.......


NEW TOYOLOGIST REQUIRED TO HOME THIS AMAZING PET FROM ANIMAGIC £16.99



NAME - Bramble the hopping Bunny
Favourite Books - one with hoppy endings
Favourite Animal - Giraffe (esp Geoffrey)
Favourite Game - Hopscotch
Favourite TV Programme - The Wonder Pets
Favourite Dance Style - HIP HOP
Favourite Airline - British Hare-Ways
Favourite Sport - Hareobics
Favourite Food - hot cross bunies
Favourite Film - Wallace &Grommit - The curse of the Were Rabbit
Being sent from a very loving home.


Bramble is very shy and so the 2 Mini Toyologists, Bailey and Savana want to make sure that she goes to a very loving home. Just like a real rabbit she will need feeding and petting to make her feel happy. Feed her her carrot to hear her munch and then hop off happily. Pick her up to give her a drink from her bottle and hear her slurp. When she's full she will shake her leg and you can hear her tinkle - already well housetrained.


So how are the mini toyologists going to decide where Bramble goes?

Competition Question..........The Mini Toyologists have given Bramble has a middle name, what is it (clue: it is not hopping bunny!)?

Send your answers to the following places:-


a) Like this BLOG and leave your your guess for Bramble's middle name in the comment box
b) Become a follower of this BLOG and email your answer to glhickmott@gmail.com
c) Visit our TWITTER PAGE - become a follower and email your answer to glhickmott@gmail.com
d) Visit the toysrus facebook page and become a fan - post a comment WE LOVE THE MINI TOYOLOGISTS ANIMAGIC COMPETITION and don't forget to post your answer!

So in total you have 4 chances if you do (a-d) OR

Even better - If you recommend any of the above (a to d) to a friend get them to quote your name and then you can have another go wherever your friend has done their posting!

Please note: - This competition is open to everyone and postage in the UK will be FREE. If you are overseas please note postage charges will apply*


Competition will run until next Wednesday 2oth October and Bailey and Savana will announce the winner on the Toys R Us Facebook page.




Personal Message from the 2 mini toyologists, Bailey & Savana

"Can the winner please do a review with lots of photos and send them to mummy at glhickmott@gmail.com so we can see Bramble in her new home"

OOOO and don't forget I am not the only one doing a competition for Toys R Us UK the carnival continues on:-

Thursday 14th at New Mummy's Tips
Saturday 16th at Carrots and Kids
Monday 18th at The 5 F's Blog


You can find out more about the Toyologist Carnival and about the different giveaways coming up over the next few weeks on the Toys R Us Facebook page.

Thanks for your time and get thinking!