Dobble and Jungle Speed

When I attended Christmas in July, I met the people behind Esdevium games.  I was very impressed by the gorgeous wooden boxed retro edition of Monopoly they had on display. It was sheer nostalgia and would look fabulous gracing any coffee table.

Monopoly how it used to be!

Esdevium Games also make an impressive range of other great family games and I was happy to be asked to test out a couple of card games...Jungle Speed and Dobble.

Dobble is a game of speed, observation and reflexes.  There are 5 ways to play, each game having different rules.  Each card contains a series of images and the idea of the game is to spot matching images on other cards.  The images are different sizes and on different places on the cards so it isn't as easy as you'd think!

There are 55 different cards which all have an image in common with every other card in the deck.  The circular cards are sturdy and tidy away into the circular tin.  We played Towering Inferno which involved trying to match your card with the central playing card.  First person to call a match takes the card from the central pile to build their own tower or pile of cards.  The player with the biggest tower wins.  It was fast, furious and you had to be really observant to spot the matching images and symbols before the other players.

Concentrating hard!

The other mini games are variations on this theme, all involving matching your card's symbols before anyone else!  These games are The Well, Hot Potato, Catch Them All and the Poisoned Gift. Each game lasts about 15 minutes so you can play all the variations in one sitting.  The game can be played with 2-8 players ages 6 and over.  Adults and children alike can play together.  It is really fun and simple to play.  It is perfect for travelling or while on holiday and can be packed away into the tin and carried in a bag or pocket.  For just £12.99 on Amazon.co.uk  it is fantastic value.  The 5 -in- 1 aspect of the game keeps it really interesting and fresh.

The Dobble Champion

Jungle Speed is another family card game which is easy to play and again relies on keen observation skills and lightning reflexes.  The game consists of  a set of cards and a wooden totem which fit neatly into a funky cloth drawstring bag.

For 3-8 (or more) players aged 7+, this game is a lot of fun.  The totem sits in the middle of the table.  The cards are dealt out.  Each card has a symbol on it.  The idea is to match the symbol on your card with an identical one on someone elses' card before they do.  Players reveal their cards simultaneously.  If you have a match, a duel is triggered and you have to grab the totem before the other player does. The fastest player gives his discarded cards to his losing adversary. The winner is the first to get rid of his cards.

Grabbing the totem.

The pack includes some special cards which if turned over change the method of play.  One such card makes everyone grab at once, another allows you to match colours instead of patterns.  If during play you grab the totem by mistake (this is easy done due to the patterns being very similar) you are penalised by having to pick up all the discarded cards on the table.  So you have to keep your wits about you!  Act quickly but be sure.

You also need a steady hand...dropping the totem carries a penalty! This game is a lot of laughs as players go to grab the totem at the same time or mistakenly grab when the cards don't match.  Kizzy ended up launching the totem off the table in her haste to grab it!

Jungle Speed sells for £14.99 on Amazon.co.uk.

We spent a good hour or so playing these two fun, family card games.  I really liked the fact that they were both straight forward and not overly complicated, yet were still challenging and fun.  It is nice to play a game where 8 year old Kizzy can play alongside her 15 year old sister and myself.

I can see both games being used a lot over the holidays and beyond.  They make a nice change to playing regular card games and are much quicker and less fussy than board games.  They are definitely a hit with us!!

*Esdevium Games has a Take Me Out game coming soon...so keep your eyes peeled for that...if you are a no likey, no lighty fan!!*

Burton Riglet Snowboard Summer Camps

If you live near the Snowdome in Tamworth, your kids could take part in the Burton Riglet Snowboard Camp.  They provide a rare opportunity for kids aged 5-8 to learn to snowboard without having to go up a mountain!  This is a brilliant opportunity for your little ones to do something really different this summer!

With a dedicated team of instructors and with specialist Burton Riglet Equipment, youngsters can learn to snowboard in a safe environment.  Each four day camp runs from Monday to Thursday  with 2 hours of instruction per day (9-11am or 2-4pm).

The main focus is on fun through learning, where children can access the basics of snowboarding in an exciting setting.  The end goal of the camp is to see the child riding the main slope of the Snow Dome on their snowboard!

Camps cost £79.  Places are strictly limited so to give your child the chance to take part in this unique and exclusive opportunity book online today or call 08448 000011! 

Camps run from August 8th-11th, 15th-18th and 22nd-25th 2011.

Kizzy will be enjoying a free taster session and we will report back about how well she did  after the event!

Badge It!

Toys R Us sell loads of fabulous creative toys which are perfect for keeping the kids occupied and entertained in the summer holidays.  We were sent Badge It! from Ban Dai to review and as ever, my eager Tiny Tester Kizzy was ready and willing to try it out.

Badge It! is a gadget which makes metal badges using pictures or photographs.  It comes with enough pieces to make 15 small pin badges.  You basically pop the badge front, picture and plastic cover  in a special compartment, turn the dial, add the badge back, turn the dial again and voila...your badge is ready to attach the safety pin to.  It was a very simple process, but it took some effort to turn the dial enough to make it work properly.  Some minimal adult help was required with this.

The set came with some ready printed circular pictures for making badges which were in fun and funky designs.  Alternatively, there was a template that could be used to cut pictures from magazines.  Kizzy enjoyed being able to use pictures she had found herself to make really unique pin badges!

Once she got going, Kizzy got through the badge making pieces really quickly.  Thankfully refill sets are available to buy separately.  Badge It! would be a perfect activity for making name badges for a party.  It is  really fun, quick, not messy and easy to operate.

Here is Kizzy demonstrating how easy it is to make your own unique badges using Badge It! from Toys R Us.

I really liked how the badge making machine came fully assembled and ready to use.  The see through purple casing means you can see what is going on inside as you turn the dial. Kizzy was quite interested in the process.  It is something she could do independently without it being too fiddly and the end result was good.  She was very proud of her creations!

Follow Toys R Us on Facebook for more Toyology reviews, news and monthly competitions!

CLOSED - WIN a High Tea Shape Sorter in my Giveaway!!!

Now Closed...the winner is @mummiafelice!  Congratulations!


I reviewed the gorgeous High Tea Shape Matching set and totally adored it.  Now, thanks to Wooden Toyshop I have one to give away to one of my readers!

They are this summer's must have toy, perfect for shape and number recognition, hand eye co-ordination, role play and for teddy's tea parties!!  The beautiful, crafted wooden pieces look good enough to eat.  This and other John Crane toys are available from the Wooden Toyshop and come with a price promise guarantee!


To win a High Tea Shape Sorter all you have to do is follow any or all of these instructions.  Each step counts as one entry so please use separate comments for each one.  Maximum of 4 entries per person:

• Follow this Blog (using the join button in the right hand side bar) and comment below to tell me you've done so. (1 entry)
• Follow Wooden Toyshop on Facebook and leave me a comment to tell me you've done so. (1 entry)
• Tweet:  Win High Tea with @wendymcd83 and @woodentoyshopuk at http://tinyurl.com/3fyscbv  (1 entry)
• Comment on another post I've written and leave a comment telling me where you've commented. (1 entry)

This giveaway will close on August 22nd and is open to the UK only.  Winner's details will be passed on to Wooden Toyshop for delivery of their prize.  Drawn by randomizer.

Good luck to everyone...it is a gorgeous prize!  Please share this competition with your friends!

Rowntrees Family Challenge

Rowntrees is a well established old school brand that has been around since 1881 making fabulous sweeties!   They have recently introduced sharing bags of Jelly Aliens, Very Berry Jellies and Sour Faces perfect for days out, watching movies or for sharing with friends.  They contain real fruit juice so they are bursting with fruity flavour. We were sent some Rowntrees sharing bags and challenged to take part in the Rowntrees Family Challenge.  This is the result!

Check out the range at www.rowntrees.co.uk or join in the juicy chat on Facebook!

Formal Wear for Little People

Summer is party season!  Many of us will be attending a wedding or some other formal do and will want our little boys to look the part.  My Tuxedo  has the solution for providing smart, formal wear with their new boys' range that will enable you to suit-up your sons!

If your son is a page boy, My Tuxedo have many of their Groomswear products available in boys' sizes.  The result is a gorgeous mini-me look which will have all the guests oohing and ahhing!  With tuxedos, waistcoats, cravats, bow ties and formal shoes, the range is the biggest in the retail sector!

My Tuxedo offers boyswears' packages ranging from Bronze at £20 to Platinum at £80, helping brides-to-be and families in this tough economic climate find a price to suit their budget.

Boys look sharp in a Tuxedo...like James Bond Junior!   The most popular package is the Silver Package priced at less than £65.  A 2 piece tux, dress shirt and bow tie is a great value option for any wedding or formal party.

I was sent a gorgeous 2 piece Tuxedo by Alexander Dobell and a dress shirt for Freddy.  The classic, single breasted, one button jacket features a notch lapel.  The fully lined trousers have a quarter inch satin side stripe which makes them look really dressy!  The jackets are available from a 20" - 32" chest and the trousers from an 18" - 32" waist size.  The dress shirt is available in a 10" - 14" neck size and is beautifully tailored with a stylish wing collar and double cuffs.

Inside pocket detail.

Satin Collar.

Cuff Detail.

Dress Shirt.

I would have loved to photograph Freddy is his exquisitely cute suit, but it is a bit big for him.  We got a 22" chest which is a size 3-4 so it will be perfect for next year. The satin collar and the detail on the pocket and cuffs result in a fabulously smart, top quality look.  The trousers' hems come unfinished so you can have them made to measure ensuring a perfect fit.  The sizing is generous so the suit will last for more than just one wear!

The package arrived in strong cardboard packaging and the suit itself was on hangers within a fabric suit carrier which will keep it clean and protected.  I was extremely impressed!  I am so excited for the day when Freddy gets suited and booted in this incredibly cute and stylish Tuxedo....photos will most definitely follow!

MyTuxedo.co.uk is the number one online formalwear shop catering for any age and any occasion. Bringing style, expertise and convenience together MyTuxedo.co.uk enables a hassle free service and high quality formalwear at unbeatable prices.

As the fastest growing formalwear website in the UK, MyTuxedo.co.uk has been supplying suits for the last six years to a number of prestigious clients including the BBC, MTV, Lloyds TSB, Big Brother and the James Bond film Quantum of Solace!

Top That! for Summer Holidays

We're now into the long six weeks of the summer holidays and if you are anything like me, you'll be looking for ways to keep the kids happily entertained.  Top That! Publishing have sent me two books that are just perfect, especially when travelling with little ones.

Colours is part of Top That!'s Sticker Activity Book range.  Introducing key early learning concepts is made fun with this book.  It comes with 100 re-usable stickers that children will enjoy matching to the colours on each page.  Fun activities will keep the little ones entertained, perfect on a long car, plane or ferry journey.

I love the big glossy pages which combine photography and illustrations.  The spaces for the colourful stickers complete the pictures.  The activities support National Curriculum early learning objectives and include drawing, spot the difference, dot to dot and colouring.  The book includes smiley face stickers to reward your child as they learn about colours.

Priced at just £4.49 from Top That! this lovely quality 32 page book is a perfect solution for keeping the kids happy on their travels or entertained on a rainy day.  Other titles in the series include Counting, First Words and Shapes.  They are suitable for ages 3+.

Explore, Dream, Discover is a travelling book for creative kids.  Described as a travel-diary, memory-maker, doodle-pad, brain-engager, boredom-stopper, idea-waker, captain's-log and a thought-provoker, it is a truly unique book.  It is a hard backed journal which will make a wonderful travel companion for children aged 7+.

With sections dedicated to different aspects of their holidays, children are challenged to think, predict, research and observe things before, during and after their travels.  Diary pages are made interesting as children are challenged to write their entry in imaginative ways such as in rhyme, as if they were a time traveller or from the point of view of their shoes!  There are ideas for taking holiday photos with purpose such as using reflections, framing shots through doorways or selecting interesting themes.  You can then stick in your shots on the album pages.  A storage pocket lets the child store tickets, messages, menus, leaflets etc from their holiday.  The book is packed with over 100 activities, games and projects.

I for one would have loved this book as a child.  Holiday journals are such fabulous keep sakes but can sometimes feel like a chore for the child.  This book is inspirational, fun and full of amazing ideas and children will love keeping their holiday diary and it will be something unique to look back on in future years.

Priced at £7.19 from Top That! this is a wonderful book for creative kids.  I absolutely love it!  I know my girls will enjoy filling it in on their next holiday!  

*Top That!'s When I Dream Of ABC that I reviewed here, has won the children's category of the People's Book Prize 2011 Awards.  Congratulations to Henry Fisher and Top That! on their prestigious award!!*