Summer Fun with the Fuzzikins Campervan Carry Case

Fuzzikins craft sets are a great gift for creative kids that come with extra added play value! The Fuzzikins are adorable little fuzzy animal figures that you can colour in however you choose using washable pens before playing with them.

The craft sets offer hours of fun as kids can customise the Fuzzikins and their  accessories with the pens and stickers and then enjoy some imaginative play. The Fuzzikins animals can be washed and  coloured in again and again to create new looks.

Freddy received the Fuzzikins Campervan Carry Case from Interplay (£19.99 rrp). The yellow and cream classic campervan can be decorated using the three colour-your-own sticker sheets with the felt pens that come with the set. With rainbows, flowers and peace symbols, kids can enjoy some real summery, hippy vibes when customising the campervan. Inside, the van has furniture for the cats including a table and chairs and a pull down bed, as well as a driver seat and steering wheel. The carry handle on top of the van doubles up as a surf board for catching waves. Perfect for a summer of fun at the beach. The set includes two cat figures, one medium and one large. They also have their own little felt blanket for when having a cat nap.

The side of the campervan opens up to reveal the inside of the vehicle when playing and it has real wheels allowing it to be pushed around. Everything can fit inside the campervan for storage.It's a really good design and a lot of fun. We liked that the cats can be washed and recoloured, meaning that element of the toy can be revisited numerous times.

I was impressed that the Fuzzikins sets combine two types of play: the creative craft side as you decorate both the cats and their accessories and the miniature, imaginative play world where you can act out adventures with your characters.

                 


This beautifully designed activity craft set encourages creative and imaginative play and is all contained in a handy carry case. Fuzzikins craft sets bring a fuzzi world of fun and imagination to creative kids.

For more information visit:
https://interplayuk.com/collections/fuzzikins-craft/products/campervan-carry-case.

The story or Rang-tan and the problem with palm oil

I am passionate about the environment and the animals that we share our planet with. I do my best to avoid single use plastics; my family enjoy a plant-based diet and I source as many cruelty free, ethical and sustainable household products as I can. I am constantly reading ingredients labels in supermarkets when I'm shopping, trying to find suitable things to buy. One of the ingredients I try to avoid is palm oil. You find it in so many things, in fact half the products on the supermarket shelves contain it, despite the fact that its production has such a devastating  impact on our planet.  The industry is linked to major issues such as deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty and indigenous rights abuses in the countries where it is produced, as the land is cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.

Greenpeace have launched a new campaign focused on raising awareness of the problem, with a new short animated film and children’s book to highlight the issue of palm oil and its link to the deforestation of our rainforests. Featuring a young girl who discovers an orangutan named Rang-tan in her bedroom, the book introduces children to the plight of the orangutans as man destroys their natural habitat. The book and the film contain a very powerful message and a dedication to the 25 orangutans that we lose everyday, but it also brings a message of hope that we can change things for the better.

Our consumption of palm oil is rising, and the cost to our global climate and environment is devastating. Currently, most palm oil is used in food products, cosmetics and increasingly for use in biodiesel. As a result, Indonesia has more threatened and endangered species than any country on earth. The Bornean orangutan population has decreased by half since 1999, and a new species of orangutan discovered in Sumatra in 2017 is already endangered – mostly due to the destruction of their forests for palm oil.

            

Greenpeace has teamed up with Dame Emma Thompson, who narrates the film, to reach as many people as possible to fight for the protection of our rainforests and all those who depend on them. Greenpeace are calling on the palm oil industry to clean up its act and calling on food manufacturers to stop using palm oil.  Iceland has already pledged to remove palm oil from its own brand products by the end of this year, paving the way for other big brands to hopefully follow suit.

It is International Orangutan Day on the 19th August – a day to encourage people to take action to help save this amazing species. The more people that watch and share Rang-tan, the more people can be reached in order to put pressure on brands like Nestle and Unilever to make sure the palm oil used to make their chocolates and soaps isn’t coming at the highest price for the world’s rainforests and the orangutans that live there.

You can help by sharing the film and signing the petition at greenpeace.org.uk.

Enjoy a Culinary Adventure with Emirates Holidays 'Little Foodies' Recipe Cards

Emirates Holidays reveals how travel broadens the taste buds of even the youngest holidaymakers and launches ‘Little Foodies’ recipe cards for families to try out over the summer!

The school summer holidays are in full swing and many families are taking well deserved breaks to foreign climes. Travelling with children raises a number of considerations, one of which is the issue of food. Research by Emirates Holidays has revealed that 55% of parents worry about what their kids will eat when they’re away, when their home comforts and go-to meals may not be available. 64% of worried parents will even stash emergency food in their suitcase, with the most popular items to take being biscuits (55%) and crisps (49%). However in reality almost half (45%) of brave British kids are willing to try at least one or two local dishes on holiday as they embark on a family culinary adventure. Little ones experiment with unfamiliar dishes and flavours when on holiday with 35% trying curry, 49% eating flatbreads and 28% munching on olives.

When families get home, a third of parents are pleased to find their children are more comfortable trying more unusual dishes – however 40% confess their kids revert straight back to their old eating habits as soon as the plane touches down, with 62% of children choosing pizza and 53% choosing pasta as their first choice foods.

To help families experience some amazing foodie delights, Emirates Holidays has partnered with a selection of chefs from their top family hotels to create a series of exclusive ‘Little Foodies’ recipes for download so families can cook together, expand their taste buds and prepare for - or remind themselves of - their holiday culinary adventures. You will be able to taste your way around the world with Emirates Holidays this summer.

Freddy and I have tried out one of the Little Foodies recipes. Not only do we love cooking up a storm in the kitchen, we also love exploring the ingredients and dishes of other cultures. We aren't venturing abroad this year, but the Emirates Holidays 'Little Foodies' recipe cards are giving us a gastronomical adventure in the comfort of our own home, transporting our taste buds with the local flavours of exciting destinations.

We were excited to try the Traditional Mauritian Chilli Bites made with yellow split peas, shallots and onions, flavoured with cumin, curry leaf and chilli. This plant-based recipe is filled with authentic flavours and children can get involved, helping to prepare them in the kitchen.

We used a food processor to make the Chilli Bites, making it a quick and easy recipe. The split peas and spices are processed to a thick paste before pulsing through chopped onion and shallot. Just be sure to soak the split peas overnight so they are ready for using. Kids can get involved by adding ingredients to the food processor and helping shape the bites ready for an adult to fry.

Freddy enjoyed discovering all the different ingredients; their aromas and flavours. Cooking with kids is a great way to get them interested in a range of foods, encouraging them to try new things and explore exciting new tastes.

I deep fried the chilli bites and served them up hot with a bowl of sweet chilli sauce for dipping. Freddy was really impressed with our handiwork. The bites had a nice kick of warming chilli and the fragrance of cumin and curry leaf added an authentic aroma. The crispy bites had a soft inside and tasted delicious!

This signature recipe has been created by a top chef at the Emirates Holidays Mauritian Attitude Hotels Resort.  The Chilli Bites are adventurous while still being kid friendly, inspired by the Indian immigrants who made their way to this idyllic island in the early nineteenth century.

You can find this recipe for Traditional Mauritian Chilli Bites in the Emirates Holidays Little Foodies Recipe Cards. This free to download collection of family friendly recipes take your taste buds on a culinary tour around the world, allowing you to discover new foods or relive gastronomic holiday memories.

Crate Creatures Surprise - Meet Blizz!

Crate Creatures Surprise are a brand new toy range from MGA Entertainment. Featuring characters such as Blizz the ice monster, Pudge the troll, Sizzle the fire breathing dragon and Snorthog the bog warthog, the Crate Creatures are ferociously fun, monstrous creatures, which each come with 45+ cool creature sounds and effects. Each creature comes chained up in its own crate and is waiting to be broken out using the crowbar. Once the beast is unleashed, it is ready to play!

Pull the creature's tongue and it will vibrate and make noises as his glowing eyes flash. A motion sensor reacts when the creature is turned upside down or knocked over making it respond to being played with. Arms flap when you pull the tail and there are roars of delight when you shake them.You can record your voice and the creature will play back your message in his own monstrous voice. Each creature also comes with its own tasty snack and will chow down on it noisily.

Freddy received Blizz, a white and blue yeti with a ring through his nose, who has his own ice lolly snack. To unbox him, you use the crowbar to pop the padlock, then release the lid of the crate. Then Blizz pops out to play! He has big feet, yellow horns, a long, red tongue and flashing green eyes. To fully activate the Crate Creature, you have to switch him fully on, accessing the switch under his fur using the velcro section on his back. This activates a whole host of interactions, funny noises and gross sounds such as chomping, snoring, roaring and farting!

The voice recording feature is a huge hit. Freddy made him repeat lots of funny things as I'm sure you can imagine! The creature can record and replay 10 seconds of audio, simply by pressing his belly to activate the recorder. Hearing your words repeating in a funny monster voice is a lot of fun.

When you've finished playing, you can secure Blizz back into his crate for safe keeping. The crow bar fits onto the side of the crate and the chains and padlock can be re-secured easily. The re-usable packaging is a really good feature of this toy and the boxed Crate Creature will look good on a shelf with his eyes peeping through the bars and tongue lolling out.

The Crate Creatures Surprise toys add a gruesome element of  monstrous fun to playtime. The crate, crowbar, padlock and chain are a novel feature and add to the play value as you break out your very own creature. The toy pops up when the lid is opened, which is a nice touch. The designs of the creatures are very appealing to kids with their fuzzy fur, glowing eyes and waggling, sticky-out tongues. Children will thoroughly enjoy interacting with the creature and the funny noises are guaranteed to make them giggle. Freddy particularly enjoyed Blizz's snoring! Blizz can hold his ice lolly in his gripping hand and sticking the lolly in Blizz's mouth elicits lots of noisy and gross eating sounds, which is very amusing. Blizz is a cute, furry little ice monster who will definitely melt any child's heart.

Each Crate Creature takes 3 x AA batteries, which are included. Each of the four creatures comes in a padlocked crate with its own favourite food item. They are recommended for children aged 4 and up and retail for £39.99 RRP at stores such as Amazon, Argos and Smyth's Toys.