Reviews

The loveliest book for children – but you’ll have to be quick!

We have the most beautiful children’s book in our house. When you read the words personalised children’s book you automatically think “Toy Story with my child and his three best mates names inserted strategically along the predicable narrative” but this is a story with a huge difference. For every child’s name, there is a different story. Lost My Name is a lovely story about a child who wakes up to find that the name on his door has gone, and with it, his memory of what his name is. He embarks on an adventure to find his name, meeting strange …

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Hogwarts at Christmas: my Mum is a witch

  My Mum is evil. I don’t say this lightly, because I love my Mum – today. I didn’t yesterday because she did the Hogwarts at Christmas tour. And she didn’t take me! I know! Evil, right? The Making of Harry Potter studio tour from Warner Brothers has been closed for a week – which is pretty epic news in itself, given that 6,000 visitors pass through its doors each day. But this is what they’ve been doing: They actually sieved fake snow onto the awesome Hogwarts model! Part of the tour over the festive period involves an explanation of …

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Beautiful artwork and personalised cards at a sensible price

By GG… On Monday I shared the very exciting news with you that Mum and Dad are getting married. Again. It has been 13 years since they married, and whilst they had a fabulous day, with good friends and family, there are now other people in our lives who we didn’t know then, and we want to celebrate with them too. A large part of these new additions to our social circle has been afforded purely by the arrival of moi. Well, moi and mon cute petit frère. From ante-natal coffee-mates, to a select number of mothers trusted to walk us …

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When pyjama day became party day: Wii Party U review

A rather epic parcel arrived in the post yesterday. As with another recent delivery, the word awesome was used quite a lot by my brother. As luck would have it, yesterday was also the day we had planned for a pyjama day, and we quickly cast aside all thoughts of baking, movies and craft in favour of exploring this box of goodies. We were beside ourselves with excitement and wanted to get started straight away. It did take Mummy about half an hour to set us up, but then she is a neat freak and wanted all the cables tidied …

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Saturday night is Sodastream cocktails night!

By GG… It’s the weekend! Which in our house heralds only one thing. Daddy cracks open the Sodastream flavours and mixes some mean cocktails! We reviewed our Sodastream Source machine back in June when Daddy took a nostalgic trip back in time on Father’s Day, recalling how he had once attempted to fashion champagne from a bottle of Blue Nun in the seventies. The new machines have come a long way since then, and ours is elegant enough to be allowed a permanent spot on Mummy’s minimalist kitchen work surfaces 😉 Now, we tried them all at the time and …

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Instagram fridge magnets: genius idea for Christmas Stocking Fillers

I have been 9 for all of 3 days. It was great, but it’s finished now, so I’m looking forward to Christmas 😉 I used to think that the best part of Christmas was unwrapping presents, but now I’m ancient, I actually love the shopping even more. And with only £2 pocket money a week (I know!!!) I can only afford the stocking fillers. So I was thrilled to discover Stickygram. Something about Instagram appeals to the narcissist in me – I have been known to take ‘selfies’ behind Mummy’s back on numerous occasions: With Stickygram, you can create Instagram …

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Skylanders SWAP Force is here!

By the Bug… I am the envy of all my friends. Skylanders SWAP Force is in shops today, but I’ve had it for a whole week already so I could review it and let you know what I think. Which means I have been much in demand for playdates. Understandably, as the Portal Master in our house, I impose certain conditions upon players. They are as follows: Skylanders SWAP Force – Bug’s rules of the game Swapability – you may swap the 16 SWAP Force characters into more than 250 unique combinations, but I retain final approval – especially over …

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I got my Festival Skirt! Miss Francis pettiskirt tutu review.

“This is epic! I look like a giant fluffy marshmallow. Don’t eat me, will you…?” I got excited on Friday when this fabulous pettiskirt tutu arrived from Miss Francis. It was out of its gorgeous box and onto my tiny tush quicker than you can say #autoawesome. I’ve wanted what I like to call a festival skirt since my visits this summer to Just So, and to Feastival, where I saw cute little girls in spotty wellies and frilly skirts rocking moves to the music in the mud. It’s a seriously cool look, in a “oh I just threw it on and …

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Children’s Book Week review: Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog

By Tom Watson. We hadn’t come across Stick Dog before seeing Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog. The narrator claims terrible drawing skills, but we think his stick caricatures add something to the slightly pre-teen humour you’ll find Stick Dog’s dialogue with his fellow strays (named to appeal to kids and make parents roll their eyes):  “We need to give the raccoon a name,” she said simply. “A name?” “Oh yeah, said Karen as if this was a perfectly logical thing to do. “If we’re going to have a nemesis who is trying to snatch what is rightfully ours, it …

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Children’s Book Week review: Why your kids will love Stranded

A book for children ages 7+ Jeff Probst. Heart that name before? You may in fact have seen Jeff on TV – he is the Emmy award-winning host of the US version of reality game show Survivor. Jeff – a father of 2 children aged around the same as GG and the Bug – has this year published the first two of his Stranded series children’s books, and we were lucky enough to receive copies for review. Stranded, by Jeff Probst As a Dad of 2 children the same age as GG and the Bug, Jeff was keen to write a …

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Children’s Book Week review: Barefoot Books

We’re in the middle of Children’s Book Week, and in solidarity with Save the Children’s Born to Read campaign we are posting a children’s book review every day. We started on Monday with a review of Skulduggery Pleasant, and today we’re pleased to bring you not one, but two books for different reading ages, from Barefoot Books. What are Barefoot Books? Barefoot books are beautifully illustrated books for children from ages 1 to 14. From picture books for the very young, through Independent Readers for those getting used to reading, and books that retell classic tales in original ways. The founders …

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What Age is Skulduggery Pleasant for? Children’s Book Review

What is the best age to read the Skulduggery Pleasant series of children's books?

Children’s book week review: Skulduggery Pleasant – Last Stand of Dead Men (Review) by Derek Landy. Recommended age 11+ Today sees the start of Children’s Book Week in the UK, and we are celebrating by posting a children’s book review each day between now and Friday. Today we are reviewing the latest in the children’s book series Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landy. Last Stand of Dead Men is number 8 in the series, and the sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked. GG has always been a prolific reader. She almost literally consumes books, maxing out her library card and finishing …

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Harry Potter Studio Tour London review – don’t bother with Universal

I am not well-known for wanting to go out. I may have mentioned before that leaving the house is a process which requires expert “people management” skills on behalf of my parents. It begins with a bright and cheerful “Today we’re going to….” followed by some strategic groaning and face-making by yours truly. So I astonished even myself when I was up and dressed before the old’s alarm went off, on the day we had scheduled to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. When you book tickets you have to choose a time-slot, and we were a tad early …

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7 reasons why you want to be a Center Parcs blogger in 2014

This year I was a Center Parcs blogger. What this means is that I had a bit of a giggle joining in with challenges every month and writing about them on the blog, and then I had a free holiday at Center Parcs. As an 8 year old, anything which forces my mother into the craft box with me is welcome, so I can thoroughly recommend it from that perspective. You too can be a Center Parcs blogger! Center Parcs are now looking for next year’s recruits, so I thought I’d give you 7 reasons why you might like to …

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Tesco Mum of the Year Awards 2014: do you know an incredible Mum?

Image by Stephanie Belton “Muuuuum, how come I love you so much?” I asked Mummy as we left the supermarket. “Because I’m the most awesome person in the world ever?” She replied, with irony. “Yessss! That’s exactly why!” And I gave her a massive squeeze as we walked, just to prove it. The truth is, although I think she’s pretty epic, there are mums out there who beat her hands down in terms of what they do, what they’ve been through, or what they’ve inspired. The Tesco Mum of the Year awards honours these “women who have inspired a generation,” …

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Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival the only family-friendly festival you need (review).

Highs for the kids at Big Feastival 2013

Call me Victor Meldrew if you will, but most of the time I enjoy staying at home. I like my own company, my family (though if you tell my sister I said that I will shoot you with my best stick), and just hanging out with my toys. Going out is – well, it’s hard work to be honest: getting dressed, putting shoes on, walking, all of those things are just an irritation, and I prefer to be getting on with life. But on Sunday I was actually keen to leave the house. I surprised everyone, including myself by looking …

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A Just So Festival Review – Not your average camping trip…

The Just So Festival feels funky and colourful

This year we attended our first festival as a family. Prior to my arrival, M&D spent a fair bit of time at festivals, by all accounts being carefree and jolly, though how that’s possible without the presence of a fun-loving child, I have no idea. Anyway, they’ve been in enforced festival-hibernation for 8 years, and this was the summer they intended to go back to their grass roots – literally. We started with Magic Summer Live – a music festival, breaking ourselves in gently with just one day. That ticked, could we manage a whole weekend? We donned our wellies …

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What floats my boat – a Center Parcs family post

This year we are a Center Parcs family. What that means is that me and the Bug bang on and on and on about “when are we going back to Center Parcs, Mummy?” while Mummy daydreams about the 3 blissful hours she spent in the Aqua Sana spa there, not having to listen to such stuff. It also means that we get to feature Center Parcs on our blog, whilst having a go at the fun challenges that they set us. All good so far. However, several of the challenges this year for the Center Parcs family team have revolved …

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5 things you never knew you could do in London for kids

We live close to London, so we’re lucky to have it on our doorstep whenever we’re stuck for something to do. From lunches in Chinatown, to cycling practice in Regent’s park, via an hour (or several) in Hamley’s. Our children are so lucky to have this city available to explore. And yet more often than not we go to the usual places, the obvious sites, missing the many hidden jewels that London for kids has to offer. So this holiday we decided to explore some of the secrets of London for kids. London for kids: Stratford This week we visited The …

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Do I need glasses Mummy?

Glasses are so cool, don’t you think? My friend has been wearing a pair at school for a couple of years now, and I’ve been coveting them. I’ve been begging Mummy to take me for an eye test, but she hasn’t obliged. Until recently. What is it about your siblings that makes them more convincing than you, I wonder? I’ve been trying on glasses in Claire’s Accessories for months now, without a whisper of an appointment at the opticians, but the minute my brother says his eyes go blurry when he reads, we’re off to Specsavers! Mummy is also as …

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