BRIO Airplane - Review

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

We are massive fans of the BRIO brand here and have reviewed a few of their products over the years, all of which are still played with to this day.

C and E were very excited to receive a new addition to their collection - the Airplane set!

Inside the box you get the airplane itself, a pilot, passenger, suitcase and rolling stair cart. Instantly the kids got right into playing and using their imagination - something that I love that BRIO encourages. C decided he would always like to be the pilot and E, the passenger. They like to come up with little scenarios, what the pilot would say and where the passenger was lucky to be flying off too. Both of them seemed to really enjoy it.

The top of the airplane opens up and inside there are three "seats". The little characters can bend and sit tightly in (their arms are poseable too) and C discovered that if you turn the suitcase sideways it can fit too. The rolling stair cart adds to the realness and it connects magnetically to the wheel of the airplane, meaning that the characters can board just like we do in real life.

I like the mix of plastic and wood with BRIO. The people and suitcase are made entirely from plastic but the airplane and stairs are a combination. They are all very sturdy and, judging by the sets we already own too, I know they will last a long time.

Although it can be played with as a standalone set, the kids have found it very exciting to play with all their BRIOworld sets together and be able to play in different ways with various ideas. This set is recommended for children aged 3+ and even at 6 years old, C still has lots of fun with it.

The BRIO Airplane set retails at £19.99 and you can find out more and purchase it at the BRIO website.

 

BRIO Classic Figure of 8 Train Set - Review

We absolutely love reviewing for BRIO. Their toys are fantastic quality and the children always ask for them to be set up to play with. A lot of the sets that we have reviewed in the past have been a bit too old for two year old E as she can be a bit rougher than her big brother. If there are any high parts, she'll easily knock them down accidentally whereas C knows to be more gentle.

The Classic Figure of 8 Train Set is the perfect starter train set. The set is comprised of:

• 14 equal length rounded track pieces
• 1 connector crossing bridge train piece
• 3 wooden trees
• 1 wooden station
• 1 three-part wooden train

As the end result is a figure of 8 track, it is super simple to put together - I didn't even have to look at the instructions. As long as you start with the connector crossing bridge, the rest is pretty straightforward. The others pieces (trees, station and train) can be placed anywhere.

E loved how quickly it was set up because as a two year old, she has patience for nothing. In typical BRIO fashion, the pieces were perfectly made, sanded and painted and E had no problems in pushing the train around the track. Each train part is connected by a magnet so the only thing she did have a little moan about was when she pulled the train apart, then couldn't get it back together again as she had the wrong sides of the magnets facing each other! 

She was great with using her imagination and would pretend that there was a little driver inside, shouting out to the people at the station as the train passed. Usually when E attempts to play with her brother's train sets, she'll easily knock the tracks apart but this hasn't happened with this set as the 8 shaped route is easy to follow and it's all flat on the ground. It definitely makes for a brilliant train set for beginners.

The BRIO Classic Figure of 8 Train Set is recommended for children aged 2 years+ and it retails at £37.99. You can find out more about the range at the BRIO website or you can follow them on Twitter.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

Win a BRIO Ant with Rolling Egg toy

Over the last year or so, we have done quite a few reviews of BRIO toys and each one has been loved by both children and they are always wanting to play with them.

In June last year, we did a review of the Ant with Rolling Egg. When I accepted the review, I wasn't really knowing what to expect as it doesn't sound like your typical toddler toy. As soon as I opened it out, E took to it straight away and still loves it now.

The Ant is effectively a pull along toy with springs on the neck and antennae so they bobble as you pull it. The egg sits on the back of the ant and as the wheels hit against the egg, they rotate it. The toy is great for encouraging early walking and coordination. You can read my full review of the toy here and check out my GIF below to watch it in action.

Want to win one for yourself? Just enter via the Gleam widget below. Good luck!

T&C's:

• One winner will win one BRIO Ant with Rolling Egg toy
• This giveaway will run from July 24th until August 27th
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

BRIO Ant with Rolling Egg toy

 

BRIO Farm Set - Review

We have reviewed a few different toys from the BRIO range over the past couple of years and I always get excited when we're offered something new to test as they've quickly become one of our favourite brands. I love that they encourage children to use their imaginations - and most importantly - no batteries are required!

The past few sets we have reviewed have been for an older age group (3+) so when we were offered the BRIO Farm set which is recommended for age 18 months+, I thought it would be perfect for 2 year old E.

The set is comprised of:

• barn
• farmer figure
• cow figure
• horse figure
• four fences
• bucket
• wheelbarrow
• spade
• hay bale
• water faucet 

 
In typical BRIO fashion, there is a good mix of plastic and wooden pieces, which is great from a texture point of view but also makes the set durable. The barn doors open and close and there are spaces for the hay bale to sit for the farm animals to "eat" it.

The fences connect together so you are able to leave it open or close it completely to keep the animals inside. This was a little bit difficult for the children to do themselves so I did need to help them with it. 

At the side of the barn, there are two circles where you can keep the water faucet and bucket. The bucket, wheelbarrow and spade all have a circle attached, meaning you can pop it over the wooden farmer's head for him to use them.

Both four year old C and two year old E have enjoyed the open ended play with this set. They like to put the characters in different scenarios and make the farmer look after the animals from getting them water, carrying the hay to the barn in the wheelbarrow and making sure to bring the animals into the barn from the pen at night time. They love imaginative play and this is a great set to encourage that.

The BRIO Farm set retails at £39.99. You can find out more at the BRIO website and you can also keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

BRIO School Playset & Village Modules - Review

We are massive fans of BRIO toys and we have been lucky enough to review a few items from the range in the past. If you aren't familar with the brand, BRIO have been creating high quality toys since the end of the 1800's. Originally founded in Sweden, today the family run business has developed into a global company. The idea is that the simple designs spark creativity and encourage development.

I was really excited to receive the new BRIO School Playset for the children to review. The set contains 22 pieces which are a mixture of plastic and wood. Four year old C does request that I build it for him as he has a bit of trouble with needing assistance for a lot of things. The two base pieces slot together easily, and it's just a case of putting together the walls and other bits that are super simple - it can be done without even reading the instructions.

Since C started preschool, he has enjoyed roleplaying where he is the teacher with a class full of students so he has really loved using the two figures that come with the set as a teacher and student. He will make the teacher let the student have outside time where he can play on the attached slide then have the teacher stand in front of the blackboard, ready for the days lessons. The set does not require batteries so children are encouraged to use their imagination. I love watching C act out little scenarios.

In addition to the School Playset, we also received a BRIO Village Module. The expansion module is simply 14 additional pieces that you can use to either expand your school playset or create extra buildings to create a proper village style scene. They are really bright and colourful which is something that I love to see with preschool toys. These slot together in the same way as the School Playset and you can use the pieces to create differently shaped buildings. When built, the sets are very sturdy and can even withstand a boisterous two year old playing with them.

C has had lots of fun playing with these sets, especially using them with his BRIO Rescue Set that we reviewed a few months ago.  I love that the BRIO range work together quite well and I can almost see the cogs whirl round in C's head when he plays with them, wondering what situation he can put his characters in next.

The BRIO School Playset retails at £29.99 and the Village Module is £19.99. They are available to buy from all good toy shops and online retailers. Both sets are recommended for age 3+.

You can keep up to date with at the BRIO website, Facebook and Twitter.

(We received these items for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

BRIO Rescue Set - Review

This month at preschool, C's topic of learning is 'People Who Help Us'. C has always been a massive fan of the emergency services and is constantly changing his mind between wanting to be a firefighter and policeman. BRIO recently sent him the Rescue Set to review so it was perfect timing to tie in with his current school subject.

If you aren't familar with BRIO, they have been creating wooden toys to encourage imaginative play since 1884. This Rescue Set is a mixture of wood and plastic which is a bit odd but I understand why they've done it.

C has owned quite a few different types of railway tracks and I always dread building them for him. I always go wrong somewhere, mess the whole thing up then end up getting Chris to build it. This set contains 30 pieces and I have to admit that although very little of it was train track, that same feeling of dread washed over me. I needn't have worried though and it only took me around five minutes between looking at the instructions and the photograph on the box.

The truck, track and trees are all made of wood. The firefighter figures, fire engine, fire station, crossing and bridge are plastic and the fire is a rubber material. 

C was so excited to get playing, especially when I showed him that pressing the yellow button on the top of the fire truck made the siren go and the lights flash. For a little track, there is so much fun to be had. C was placing the fire at different areas then making his fire engine speed out of the station and go around the track. The door of the station can be opened and shut and the ladders on the engine can move to reveal a hose. The hose can be extending by pulling (and it can fit perfectly in the firefighters hand) then retracted easily by twisting the yellow plastic that it's attached to.

There is so much imaginative play to be had with this set and C has played endlessly with it. I particularly like that the track isn't flat, parts of the track are resting on the rocks meaning that he has to push his vehicles uphill. Sometimes C can play a little too vigorously meaning that he'd knock the track off so I'd have to fix it over and over again. A little annoyance but not the end of the world. It is so well-made, sturdy and the detailing is fantastic, I can definitely see lots of play happening with this set over the coming years.

The BRIO Rescue Set is suitable for children aged 3+ and retails at £79.99. You can find out more about the full range at the BRIO website and you can keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

 

Brio Ant with Rolling Egg - Review

Although I adore wooden toys for children, my children had never owned any Brio products prior to the Stacking Clown that we were sent to review a few months back. It was an instant hit and the kids still play with it daily now. When we were given the opportunity to review the Ant with Rolling Egg, I did think that it was a bit of an odd idea for a toy but I accepted just to see how it worked as I was a little intrigued.

The Ant with Rolling Egg is a pull-along toy. The ant makes up the main body of the toy and there is a bright yellow string attached to the front. The egg sits right in the middle of the ant's back where there is a slight dip. The wheels are large meaning that as you pull, the egg spins. It is such a simple toy and I cannot believe how much C and E like it. E especially loves pulling it around the room. The little bouncy antennae and tail have been the source of many laughs too.

The design is very simple which is what I like about Brio. Their toys don't need to be over the top and complex for children to like them. The block colours are a massive plus for me and E (who is currently learning her colours) likes to point them out to me. The wood is finished perfectly and I love how shiny the paint job it. The toy helps to develop motor skills, perception and balance. This is the first toy that E has had where she is recognising balance. She knows that she has to pull it slowly so the egg doesn't fall off.

The Brio Ant with Rolling Egg is recommended for children aged 19 months+ so it is perfect for 21 month old E. C at almost 4 loves it too so I do think it will be played with for quite a while. It retails at £17.99 and you can find it at most toy stores. You can find out more about the range at the Brio website and keep up to date with all things Brio on Twitter.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

 

Brio Stacking Clown - Review

The age gap between C and E is pretty close (2 years) but I've noticed that many of the toys that C owns and plays with are a little too old for E who is 18 months.

We recently had the opportunity for her to try out Brio's Stacking Clown which is suitable for children aged 19 months+. This is a classic toy from 1955 and you can really see why it's been popular for so many years. As soon as E saw the box, she was trying to prise it open to get playing. I think she was attracted to the bright colours.

Inside the box is the base and stick and eight rings of different shapes and sizes to slot on the stick. E has never really perfected these fine motor skills before so I was eager to see if she knew what to do. Straight away, she was picking up rings and slotting them on. She even had a little technique where she placed her thumb in the hole and slotted it on the opposite side, ensuring that she still had a good grip. We didn't have any incidences of her not lining it up properly so I was really impressed! 

The rings are the perfect size for her little hands. Of course, she was putting them on in any order she liked but when I played with her and told her what colour to lift, she did try. She hasn't really learned her colours yet but I think this will be a great help for us over the next few months and she'll start to recognise them. 

After watching his little sister playing, C (3.5 years) wanted to try too. The big difference with the two of them is that C can tell what order the shapes go to make it look like a clown. I think from watching and helping her brother, E will get there eventually too.

The Brio Stacking Clown has been loved by both children and by me too. I honestly cannot fault it. I love wooden toys as they tend to be durable and long lasting. With a boisterous boy, the pieces have been thrown a little! All of the pieces are well-made with no sharp edges or issues of paint flaking off. I would definitely recommend this and at £13.99 I think it's really affordable too for the quality. This is the first Brio product that we've tried and doing this review and looking at the website, I have some other gift ideas for upcoming birthdays!

You can find out more about the range available at the Brio website and you can also keep up to date on their new Twitter account. 

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)