Woolly and Tig Toys

Woolly and Tig is the smash hit CBeebies show that has found a place in the hearts of pre-school children across the country and  Golden Bear is about to launch some cute new Woolly toys so little ones can have their very own Woolly friend!

The series follows 3 year old Tig, and her toy spider, Woolly. Each episode explores the feelings that children have when faced with new experiences, such as a first day at nursery school, where uncertainty and anxiety are replaced with fun and laughter when Woolly comes to life.  Woolly allows children to express their emotions and he gives sage advice that little ones will take to heart such as you can get to sleep by counting kisses or having a haircut makes you feel shiny and new!

We were sent some of the Woolly toys to try out.

• Woolly Soft Toy
•  Poseable Talking Woolly
• Jumbo Bedtime Snuggle Woolly
• Woolly Pick n Match Pairs Game

The Poseable Talking Woolly is the perfect comfort toy and the ideal companion for little ones who love to take a friend on the go! Kids can press his head to hear some of his most popular phrases and bend some of his legs to position Woolly. He’s great for giving little ones a confidence boost in new situations as he is always on hand for a reassuring cuddle.

The Woolly Pick n Match Pairs Game consists of 16 pairs of cards each depicting a different emotion.  Happy, Sad, Proud, Shy and Frightened pictures of Woolly are some of the feelings featured.  Not only are these cards good for matching or games of pairs, they also open up dialogue with your child as you can discuss the pictures and talk about the different ways your child might be feeling.  Great for helping them understand their emotions.

The Woolly Soft Toy is a cute little comfort toy, suitable from birth.  It is a lovely little companion for children to carry around and love.  The attention to detail and the likeness to the TV character will make little ones fall in love with their very own Woolly friend.

Jumbo Bedtime Snuggle Woolly is Freddy's favourite of all the Woolly toys.  He is big and soft and adorable. Perfect for cuddling, this toy is a perfect bedtime companion and can help with the bedtime routine.  Children need things to bring comfort to them at times, especially if they feel insecure or afraid, so this snuggly Woolly will soon become a firm favourite when an extra hug is needed.

Woolly and Tig is a perfect springboard for parents to discuss emotions with young children.  This makes dealing with common worries that children have that much easier, giving a focus and providing fresh ideas to approaching problems with positivity and fun.  These toys offer an extra aid in this process, bringing a familiar and cuddly companion into the proceedings.

12 Toys of Christmas #3

Today's selection of toys is for car crazy kids.  Freddy loves anything with wheels and I can see these being a big hit with any other like minded little lads.  These three toys are each part of a larger range of toys that are sure to be featured on many a Christmas wish list.  So if you are looking for a present for a boy, take a look at these for an idea of what is hot this year! 

GB Toys’ (Golden Bear) new collection, Go MINI, will bring fast action stunts and ultimate style to any Christmas wish list this year!

Go MINI Crew-zers are the perfect stocking filler gift to start a collection. There are five super cool styles each with its own character name, such as Chilli the red hot Crew-zer and Jaxx the patriotic royal blue dude emblazoned with a Union Jack.

The show offs of the forecourt, however, are the Go MINI Stunt Racers. There are six to collect and each comes with two modes – race and stunt, with every car having a different unique stunt.

Alternatively, the Go MINI Freestylers have their own unique and quirky features that make them a truly customised crew! Beats comes with a supped up sound box in his boot whilst Bulldog is a true Brit, complete with Union Jack decoration and a Bulldog which pops up from the roof with the press of a button.

For a top of the range Go MINI then the RC Wolf Rally Car is the highlight of the show room. This remote control speed machine has lights and sounds that are activated by the steering wheel remote handset.

 GB Toys’ Go MINI collection represents one of the finest and most exciting launches for the younger boys this Christmas. With four ranges and 17 cars to collect, each with its own name, fun features, and unique decoration there’s a Go MINI for everybody.

Find out more at GB Toys.

Building Blocks are a favourite at Christmas and Character Building is set to wow again this year with exciting new additions to the range, including a brand new Ben 10 collection!

The Ben 10 range will feature eight collectible construction micro-figures of characters from across the series, including Ben and popular aliens such as Big Chill, Water Hazard and Ultimate Swampfire. Larger playsets include Kevin’s Car and a fully functional Azmuth’s Laboratory with 430 bricks!  Kids can spend hours constructing their own Ben 10 alien adventures.

Find out more at Character Building.

Series 3 of The Trash Pack collectibles will launch just in time for Christmas. The grossest gang in town are back with a whole host of new yucky characters to collect.

Clean up your neighbourhood with the Trashie Street Sweeper (SRP £19.99)- a must have toy for this Christmas. Watch as the rotten rollers rotate and sweep your Trashies into the waste catcher! Crash your sweeper and watch as the waste catcher ejects freeing your Trashies! Comes with two exclusive Trashies and their bins!

Also out is the Scum Drum (SRP £24.99) the grossest game ever!  Launch your Trashies into the Scum Drum, fill your trash pile and win the game! The Trashies have turned an old drum into the grossest game ever!  Will they land in the disgusting Scum Drum?  Or hit the target and release the caged Trashies?  Comes with four exclusive Trashies, two exclusive and two ultra-rare.

Kids can have loads of fun taking out the trash with the Garbage Truck (SRP £19.99). Use the Tip ‘n Flip action or Wheelie Bin Launcher to catapult the Trashies into the truck and clean up Trash Town! Each Garbage Truck includes two exclusive Trashies.

Find out more at The Trash Pack.

12 Toys of Christmas  #2
12 Toys of Christmas #1

Fun With Poppy Cat

Poppy Cat continues to be a much loved character in our house with the gorgeous books and the Nick Jr TV show, so when Freddy was sent a Talking Poppy Cat Soft Toy he was most pleased.  Voiced by Joanne Page, the orange cat with the lilting Welsh tones is a favourite among pre-schoolers who love sharing in her fantastical adventures, so it is lovely that they can now have their very own Poppy Cat to play with and interact with.

The talking Soft Toy says five fun phrases when her tummy is pressed.  One of the phrases is Poppy Cat counting down "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" which generally results in her being blasted off into space by the power of Fred's best throwing arm!  Her chirpy chatter encourages children into imaginative role play as Poppy urges them to "Come On!" and says "That was a great idea!"

Being quite a small toy, Poppy Cat is perfect for a pre-schooler to carry around as a new best friend and give big hugs to.  Poppy is really soft and cuddly and looks so cute with her patchwork scarf around her neck.

This is just one in the range of fabulous Poppy Cat toys that will give young fans lots of extraordinary adventures and will make perfect Christmas gifts for any child.

RRP: £9.99 - available at john Lewis, Amazon, Play, The Entertainer, Boots and more.

Something Special

CBeebies star Justin Fletcher is a household name in any home that includes a toddler or pre-schooler.  No-one could fail to be charmed by his larger than life personality and infectious grin!  His hit show Something Special  encourages children to explore the world around them and uses the internationally recognised sign language Makatron to enhance communication. Justin's alter ego Mr Tumble sends things for Justin to find in his magical Spotty Bag and adds laughter and surprises to this colourful and fun-filled show.

Golden Bear are launching a brand new range of Something Special toys aimed at fans of the show.  Children can now have their very own Mr Tumble toys and interact further with his on screen antics. Freddy received a selection to see what he thought of them!

He received a cute and cuddly Mr Tumble Activity Toy that has a smart waistcoat and bow tie.  Press his hand and he speaks one of six phrases.  His nose also lights up with a rosy glow!  Freddy enjoyed cuddling his new friend.

The Pick and Match Pairs Game consists of 36 different pairs of large size, sturdy cards.  Each pair includes a picture of a character, icon or object from the show along with an illustration of its Makatron sign demonstrated by Justin.  The cards can be used to play match pairs using an appropriate number of paired cards to suit the ages and ability of the child.  It is a great memory enhancing game that children can play with their parents.  Freddy enjoys finding matching pairs (even though a little bit of peeking goes on!)  The cards can also be used to teach Makatron signs and improve vocabularly.

The Mr Tumble Phone is a snazzy yellow spotty mobile with three different character discs that can be inserted into a slot in the handset to allow the different characters to talk.  They speak different phrases allowing the child to interact with them.  Freddy chatted to Mr Tumble and accepted an invitation to go for tea and cake with Aunt Polly and Grandad Tumble!  The discs can be stored in the back of the handset and their is a handy clip to attach the phone to a child's pocket.  The volume on demo mode is quite loud, but removing the plastic tag reduces the sound level to protect little ears.

As you can see from the photos above, Freddy loved playing with the Something Special Toys.  He recognised them as being Mr Tumble and immediately interacted with the toys.  I wish I could have had the cuddly Mr Tumble when he was younger.  It will be a lovely toy for a very young child to have.  His plush body, woolly hair, textured fabric clothes and opening waistcoat are really tactile and the light up nose and spoken phrases make it perfect for multi-sensory play.  For an older child, he is a fun companion to hug!!   The phone is great for pre-schoolers, offering scope for imaginative roleplay.  The cards are excellent for language development, memory skills, learning Makatron and for playing games.  They are very versatile.

Golden Bear has done a great job in bringing the fun, colour and humour of the show to the range.  Something Special fans and fans of Justin alike will love these toys.  I'm sure they will be very popular and find themselves on a lot of Christmas wish lists this year.

www.goldenbeartoys.com

On Site With My 1st JCB

My 1st JCB On Site play sets from Golden Bear combine construction and role play for pre-schoolers who get to complete important tasks with their favourite JCB characters.  The chunky sets from Golden Bear are robust and  loaded with kid appeal!

The On Site Charlie Crane Set includes Joey, everyone's favourite JCB!  He is ready and waiting to collect the barrels that Charlie Crane is picking up with his giant claws and dropping down the chute.  Charlie has to be careful not to knock down the collapsible wall as he works.  A JCB garage, a giant turn table and the office, where the crane operator can oversee the job at hand, are part of the play set offering lots of scope for imaginative play.  Charlie says seven different phrases with the touch of a button and has a wind up, gripping claw so is very interactive.

The On Site Rock Loader Set includes Doug the Dump Truck.  He must deliver rocks from the excavation site up the chute and into the hopper where they are stored ready to drop and be taken away.  The control panel is up a ladder for the workman to use.

Both sets work together making an action packed and exciting construction site for budding little builders to explore.  Freddy was lucky enough to be sent them both to try out and he really loved putting them through their paces!

Both sets need to be put together and have the stickers put onto them, but full instructions are included.  Once built, they are very sturdy and solid and look great.  There are lots of things to explore and both sets include one workman and a vehicle to add to the play value.  The Crane Set includes a wall that can be built up like a jigsaw puzzle and knocked down by the swinging jaws of the crane.

Charlie Crane requires two AAA batteries (which are not included) which enables him to say phrases to add to the play value.  Other than that, everything else is kid powered!  The sets are fully compatible with existing JCB products so the fun can just keep building.

I love these sets.  The branding is brilliant.  The size, durability and solidity of the sets are superior to many others on the market. The are brightly coloured and look great.  The faces of the characters are just so appealing.  Little hands develop fine motor skills with the interactive features and pretend play is promoted by these imaginative toys.  Freddy really enjoyed role playing with the little workman and the vehicles.  He enjoyed transporting the rocks and the barrels and whizzed the vehicles up and down the slopes.  He had a lot of fun with the two playsets.

The On Site Charlie Crane Play Set is £34.99 (RRP) and the On Site Rock Loader Play Set is £24.99 (RRP).  They are available to buy alongside other toys in the JCB range at www.goldenbeartoys.com.