Review - Brio World School

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You may have read our post last year when little J received a huge box and inside was a Brio Fire Station and Helicopter. He absolutely loves Brio and this was his first Brio World set. Since then we have bought a few more sets and a few weeks ago he received the Brio World School playset.

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Review & Giveaway - Mokuru Fidget Toy

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Having kids usually means that whatever the latest 'playground' craze is we usually know about it. We've had everything from loom bands to bottle flipping and now he most recent craze fidget spinners. We have a house full of them at the moment and I have to admit I have had a go of them myself. If you or your children are keen on fidget spinners then you may be interested in the new Japanese craze, the Mokuru Desk Toy.

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Review - Peppa's Family Home

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A few weeks ago we received Peppa's Family Home for little J. Little J absolutely loves Peppa and it was perfect timing as he has been watching the new Peppa episodes on Milkshake TV. Little J has a Peppa house already however this newer version is brilliant.  Once we opened the home I realised straight away that the quality of the newer home was better than the previous. Unfortunately this home doesn't fold away but it seems more durable and when you have boys you need that.

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Review - Thomas & Friends Trackmaster Scrapyard Escape Set

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You may have already read that last month little J experienced his first visit to the cinema. It's such a big deal going to the cinema for the first time and I am glad we waited till we thought he was ready. Now he has been once he is desperate to go again so we have planned a visit to see Thomas & Friends - Journey Beyond Sodor this weekend as it's released in Cinemas on August 25th. We haven't told him yet but he loves Thomas so we are sure he will love every minute of it. To get him in the mood we have been sent Thomas & Friends Trackmaster Scrapyard Escape Set which was inspired by the new movie. 

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Our #SuperWingsSummer . . . So Far

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We have had an lovely Summer so far and I am so glad that we still have another 2 weeks left before the boys go back to school. We've had some Super Wings friends come to stay with us these past few weeks and they have been joining in with our days out and play days at home. We've got lots of nice things planned so I thought I would give you a quick update on what we've been up to.

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Review - Dynamite Dare

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We love trying out new games so when the opportunity came up to review Dynamite Dare we accepted as we had actually seen the advert for the game and it looked lots of fun. The rules of the game is very simple, diffuse or lose.

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Jake Shoes Back To School Range | Review

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our unless stated. 

So it's that time during the Summer holidays that I start to think about buying big J's uniform. It is usually quite simple as we buy most of it from the school shop, however we do usually have some trouble finding shoes for him as he is very fussy and a typical teenager. As little J will be starting school in September I decided to be super organised and start buying his uniform early as I didn't know what to expect especially if he took after his brother when shoe shopping. Jake Shoes got in touch recently and offered us the chance to try out a pair of shoes from their back to school range. This was perfect as I really dislike shopping for school shoes as it's always manic, doing it online meant I could browse from the comfort of my own sofa. 

There was quite a selection on Jake Shoes including lots of well know brands such as Kickers, Geox and Timberland. You can search the school range by brand, young  boys or older boys. I searched through the young boys selection and was pleased to see most of the shoes available in this category were velcro fastening. We haven't begun to teach little J to tie laces yet infact even now big J were velcro fastening. They are so much easier to slip on and off when needed. 

We narrowed our choice down to two pairs, one Kickers and one Timberland. Due to sizes available we went for the Timberland Woodman Park. The ordering process was very easy and they arrived quickly. 

It's hard to imagine little J in school shoes because he's always in trainers or more casual shoes. When he saw them he smiled and said 'oooohhh' so I think he's impressed.

They are made with quality leather, velcro fastening and are cushioned inside. They look durable and perfect for school.

What We Loved

Lots of choice including well known brands.

Easy to browse using categories.

Free next working delivery if spending over £40.

The shoes we chose are great quality with velcro fastening which is a must for little J.

If online shopping isn't your thing, there are 2 stores in Manchester and Stockport.

What Could Improve

Nothing, everything was fine.

I am so pleased how easy it was to order online but if you would rather shop instore, Jake Shoes do have 2 branches in Manchester and Stockport. You can view more information by visiting Jake Shoes.

Michelle

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Keeping The Boys Active This Summer

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At the beginning of the Summer I spoke to the boys about keeping active over the school holidays. I know that the Summer is time to relax and enjoy yourself without the pressure of having to get up early but I wanted to make sure that we didn't just laze around for 6 weeks. Not so much little J but big J would sit online on his Xbox all day if you let him so I had to have a plan. I asked the boys to go in the shed and choose all the things they could find that could help us stay active this Summer. Typical boys just dumped everything on the grass but then they did make a nice arrangement in the end.

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Giveaway - Cuco's Big Adventure DVD

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If you are struggling this Summer for ideas of what to do with the kids then I have the perfect solution for you. Snuggle up on the sofa and watch Cuco's Big Adventure which is out on DVD and Digital on 14th August. Our weather has been pretty awful this Summer and we have had lots of movie days so far and we are so excited to watch this next. 

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Review - Super Wings Toys

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You may have read recently that we were chosen to be one of the Super Wings Ambassadors for this Summer. We absolutely love the Super Wings programme on Cartoonito so little J was very excited to receive a range of toys to play with this Summer. We received the Super Wings Airport, remote Control Jett and transforming characters both large and mini. 

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Review - Jungle In My Pocket Treehouse Playset

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 Welcome to the jungle, if you're a fan of puppy and Kitty in my pocket, you'll go wild for these new fuzzy jungle pets. Jungle in my pocket is the latest line of collectible characters to join the in my pocket family. They're soft, cute and ready for adventure. We have not heard of Jungle in my pocket so we were excited to receive the Jungle In My Pocket Treehouse Playset last week. We also received two blind bags which little J finds very exciting. 

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Review - My Summer Wear From Jacamo

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You may have read recently that Michelle was invited to choose and review some new clothes from J.D. Williams. I was lucky enough to also be invited to try some clothes from Jacamo. My clothes tend to be a bit scruffy. I wear typical ‘Dad’ clothes most of the time when I’m not in work. Tracksuits, Everton Shirts, Shorts and Film and TV orientated T-Shirts.  I noticed recently that Big J’s wardrobe is actually a lot smarter than mine, and decided it was time I got myself some smarter clothes to wear.

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Mickey and The Roadster Races and Minnie's Happy Helpers Toys

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our unless stated. This post contains affiliate links. 

Last week we received a huge box of goodies from The Mickey and The Roadster Races and Minnie's Happy Helpers range. We absolutely love Mickey and Minnie and already own a few of the toys as they were available to buy in America when we visited DisneyWorld in April. The toys were sent to us to help us co-host a twitter party on Thursday 10th August at 1pm, so if you want to get involved with the chance to win prizes look out for the #MickeyandMinnieToys and make sure you are following PlaydaysRunways. For now I just thought I would show you some of the range so you had an idea of what to expect on Thursday. 

The first thing you will notice is just how colourful the range is. The colours are bright and bold and definitely eye catching for the little ones. The range by Flair and Just Play is aimed at 3-6 year olds and prices start at just £6.99

Mickey Roadster Racers Talking Tool Belt

Set up for the tool belt was very easy. We popped in the batteries (which were included), popped it round little J's waist and he was ready to play. 

The tool belt has loops and pouches to hold the tools. The drill spins when pressed and the the tool belt also includes a tyre air pressure gauge, motor oil, funnel, wrench and screw and sockets.

Minnie's Happy Helpers Bag Playset

The Happy Helpers bag is perfect for any Minnie fan as it looks just like hers. The bag includes a lights and sounds phone, a bracelet with charms, a pretend passport and holder, pretend boarding pass and stickers.

The bag is ready to use as the batteries are included. The bag opens up and fits everything inside plus more as it is a good size.

Mickey Roadster Racers Pit Crew Tool Box

The tool box is perfect for any wannabe Mickey. It's chunky and sturdy and includes 23 pieces which is amazing. The mallet is a favourite as is the nuts and bolts. 

Ideal for mending and fixing. 

Minnie's Happy Helpers Boutique Cash Register

The Boutique Cash Register is ideal for pretending you own your own shop. The till has a real working calculator, hand scanner, money, credit card and realistic sounds. 

Again batteries are included in the box.

Minnie's Happy Helpers Shopping Basket

The shopping basket is a great addition to the Boutique Cash register. It includes play food which is well made and I know will last. Also some of the pieces can be cut in half with the knife included.

The baskets handles are also strong and again I know will last when we are playing shop.

Mickey Roadster Racers Musical Microphone

The microphone plays the Mickey theme tune whilst the lights flash. Again includes batteries so was ready to play.

*****

What We Love

The range of toys are so bright and colourful.

Made of strong chunky plastic that will last

Batteries included which is such a relief - there is nothing worse than when your children wants to play with a toy and you need to pop the shop for batteries. 

Realistic items perfect for role play

What Could Improve

Nothing, we love the range.

*****

To find out more you can visit Flair and the range of Mickey and Minnie Toys are available in most good toy shops or online at Amazon.

Don't forget to join us on August 10th for lots of fun, games and prizes. You need to use the #MickeyandMinnieToys and follow PlaydaysRunways.

Michelle

Disclosure - We received the above toys from The Mickey and Minnie Range to help us join in with a Twitter Party and for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

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Review - My Summer Wear From JD Williams

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A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to review some clothes from JD Williams. You wouldn't believe how excited I was because usually it's the kids who get to try out lots of different stuff but mainly because I can't remember the last time I bought myself new clothes. I do have all the intentions of buying clothes for myself but usually walk out with a trolley or basket filled with clothes for the boys. The joys of being a Mum. Anyway I made myself a cup of tea and went browsing on their website. There was a lot of choice but I managed to narrow it down to just 3 things, which did take me quite a while.

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Our #PeppaPlayDays Summer Bundle.

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To help us survive enjoy the school holiday's we have been sent a huge selection of Peppa Pig goodies to use this Summer. Little J absolutely loves Peppa and although I try to deny it I do have a soft spot for that pig. We received a huge box last week and I know we are going to enjoy playing with this bundle this August.

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Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat Review

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our unless stated. This post contains affiliate links. 

As the boys are now off for 6 weeks there will be plenty of opportunities for us to go on day trips which involves a lot of car journeys. I try to make the car journeys interesting for the boys, we play games, sing songs but mostly they just want to play on their devices. Little J always brings two cars with him and his teddy wherever we go. When we were offered the chance to review the Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat I thought it would be a great addition to our car journeys as now teddy would have somewhere to sit. 

The Casdon Baby Huggles Car Booster Seat is a perfect role play toy but more importantly it promotes safety. Little J loves popping teddy in to the seat and instantly fastening him in. The seat has a 3 point harness secured by a pair of hand shaped buckles. Little J has always understood the importance of putting our seat belt on in the car. He will always remind me if I haven't buckled him in  before we head off on a journey. Now he is doing the same for his teddy which is so cute to watch. 

The car seat can also be used as part of role play inside the home too. Little J often pretends the sofa is a car and he is driving somewhere far away. 

The car seat can fit a doll or teddy up to 46cm, it has a padded head rest and arm rests too. It looks just like a real car seat. 

What We Loved

Realistic Role Play Toy

3 Point Harness ensures dolly or teddy is safe

Promotes Car Safety

Fits dolls up to 46cm

What Could Improve

Would be nice if it came in another colour. Little J absolutely loves pink but I know some boys don't.

The Casdon Baby Huggles Booster Car Seat is available in most good retailers and Amazon. To view the Casdon Baby Huggles range you can click to visit the Casdon Website.

Michelle

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Theatre Review - Wicked at The Apollo Victoria, London

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A few weeks ago Daddy and I headed to London for the day. We got the 6:45am train and was in London by 9am. I had booked us tickets to see Wicked at the The Apollo Victoria. It’s not a musical I had wanted to see before but Daddy really liked the sound of it so I booked them for Father’s Day.

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Perudo Dice Game Review and Giveaway

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A few weeks ago we received a new game for us to try, Perudo. Perudo is based on a Peruvian dice game known as Liar's Dice. It is a skillful game that requires guesswork, bluff and luck. We love playing games and this looked lots of fun.

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Review - Wobbly Worm By Spin Master

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Last week we were sent a game to try called Wobbly Worm. I had already read reviews about Wobbly Worm online so I knew what to expect but little J had no idea. Wobbly Worm is a ring toss game with a difference, you have to toss the rings on to the worm while he wobbles from side to side. 

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Super Wings Giveaway - #SuperWingsSummer

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You may have recently read that we have been chosen as one of the Ambassadors for Super Wings this Summer. You can read our introduction to Super Wings here and if you have read our post I do hope you have checked Super Wings out already as it's a great show for the kids. Alpha Animation have introduced a line of toys at Smyths to go alongside the TV show and I will be fortunate enough to be reviewing these over the next few weeks. For now I have the chance to offer one lucky reader and follower the chance to win a fabulous Super Wings bundle. 

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We Are A Super Wings Ambassador

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I am so pleased to announce that we are teaming up with Alpha Animation this Summer and becoming an Ambassador for Super Wings.  If you don't already know Super Wings is an action packed animation series which launched on Cartoonito in February.  The storyline aimed at children 3-5 years, encourages pre-schoolers to develop problem solving skills. 

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Disney Pixar Cars 3 Posh Paws Soft Toys Review

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This week we are having a Disney Pixar Cars 3 Takeover on our blog to celebrate the new movie being released at the cinema on Friday 14th July. To help us celebrate Posh Paws sent us a selection of soft toys to enjoy. We received a large Cruz Ramirez, Medium sized Jackson Storm and two claimable characters, Mater and Guido.

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Disney Pixar Cars 3 Movie Review

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Last weekend we headed to our local Odeon to watch Cars 3. It's been 11 years since the first movie was released and in the 11 years since, we have been massive fans of Lightning McQueen. Big J's first cinema visit was when he was just 4 years old and we watched Cars so its odd that Little J's first ever cinema visit is when he is also 4 but he's watching Cars 3.

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Disney Pixar Cars Are Back In Town

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The movie Disney Cars has a special place in our hearts as it was the first movie big J ever watched at the cinema. It wasn't the first movie we went to see, that was Happy Feet. We didn't actually get in to screening for that one as he was too scared but that's another story. So Disney Cars was a part of our lives for a long time until big J grew out of the toys and the movies. It was a 'Toy Story 3' moment, you know when Woody and Buzz are preparing themselves for the attic, we packed up the cars and playsets and off to the loft they went. It's was so sad when they went up and I honestly didn't think they would see the light of day again.

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Sensse Deep Pore Suction Cleaner and Blackhead Remover Review and Giveaway

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A few weeks ago we received the Sensse Deep Pore Suction Cleaner and Blackhead Remover to try out. I have never really suffered from blackheads but recently I have noticed a few which did shock me a little. Obviously when we were asked to give this a try I jumped at the chance as my skin isn't getting any younger. My skin has always been on the dry side and as I've got older I do find myself wearing make up more now than I ever did and it has had a big effect on my skin.

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Board Game Club Review - Cortex Challenge

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A few weeks ago we were asked to join Blogger Board Game Club. As we are huge fans of board games we were excited to say yes. We are amongst a group of 50 bloggers who will receive a board game each month to try and review. This months first game arrived and it is Cortex Challenge by Esdevium Games. 

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The Gruffalo and Organix Giveaway

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You may have read my earlier post about us being a Merlin Annual Pass holder, which means we get to visit attractions across the UK throughout the year. One for our Summer Bucket List this year is to visit Chessington World Of Adventures for two reasons. Firstly we have never been and secondly because little J absolutely loves the Gruffalo and Chessington World of Adventures now have a new Gruffalo River Ride. Celebrating its partnership with the new Gruffalo River Ride Adventure at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Organix are giving one lucky Playdays and Runways winner the chance to win a Gruffalo DVD and a £10 bundle of its top selling Goodies healthy snacks. 

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Sea Stars At Sea Life, Blackpool

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Having a Merlin pass is probably one of the best purchases we make each year. Being a Merlin pass holder entitles us to free entry to 32 attractions across the UK after paying a one off fee at the beginning of your membership. Over the past few weeks we have visited Alton Towers, Legoland Discovery Centre and last weekend we Sea Life in Blackpool to check out Sea Stars which is new for 2017.

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Travelling To Majorca With The Kids

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Majorca was the first holiday we went to as a family of 3 way back in 2003. As we had never had to plan a holiday with a baby before we relied heavily on recommendations from our family and friends and whoever we spoke to Majorca always came up as a possible destination. If you are a parent, when it comes to booking a holiday to Majorca you want to know that it is suitable for your children and what we have found over the years is Majorca ticks every box.

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Our Top Tips For Staying Safe In The Sun

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You may have read our recent post about our favourite places to go on holiday, one of the things that we always plan very well for when going abroad is the heat.  Whether it be Florida, Majorca, or even at home in the UK, its always important to stay safe when the sun is out.  The last thing you want to happen on holiday to either yourself or your little ones is Sunburn.  You can lose a good few days from your holiday to the effects of sunburn and it can be easily avoided.  

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Casdon Minimarket Till Review

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Little J absolutely loves playing shop and cafe. Out of all the role play activities he has they are his two favourites. He has always loved numbers so anything that involves numbers of any sort is always a winner. When we were sent the Casdon Minimarket Till to review I knew he would love it as soon as I read it has a built in calculator. 

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Charlie Bigham's Meals Review

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It's always nice to find out about brands that you haven't heard of before so when we received some vouchers to exchange for a few Charlie Bigham's meals we were very excited. We headed to Tesco that morning and found the meals in the fridge section. We have never seen them before but if I am being honest they look very posh and we have probably just walked past them. There was a small choice in our local Tesco but we decided that we would try the Chicken Tikka Masala and Lasagne.

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Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow Review

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A few weeks ago we received the Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow to review. It's a kids pillow so ideal for little J. When it arrived it was very thin and when I actually looked on the website although the packaging says kids the website has toddler in brackets so possibly not the right size for little J although we did give it a go. 

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