Soothing the Smallest with Sudocrem x Ickle Pickles (+ giveaway!)

Every year, 1 in 8 babies are born prematurely or unwell, that's 100,000 babies every single year. These babies need to spend weeks, sometimes months in neonatal care units before they are strong enough to leave. Neonatal intensive care costs the NHS £1,500 per day and many hospitals do not have the equipment to care for extremely preterm babies. My own son was seven weeks premature and spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit then a week in the Special Care Baby Unit and I could not be more grateful for the care that we received.

My Ickle Sudocrem from SatellitePR on Vimeo.

This summer, Sudocrem and premature baby charity Ickle Pickles are teaming up to raise funds for the vital neonatal equipment premature babies so desperately need. In honour of the partnership a new, limited edition pot of 'My Ickle Sudocrem' has been created and will be sold in Boots and Tesco stores across the UK for six weeks from the 26th August. With each sale of the 'Ickle Pot', 50p will be donated to the Ickle Pickles charity. An historic event for the brand, Sudocrem have never before adapted their classic packaging for a charity campaign such as this.

A typical ventilator costs £25,000, the equivalent of 50,000 little pots. While this may sound like a lot, Sudocrem have enlisted the help of Laura Tobin, the nation's favourite weather presenter, and Georgia Jones, creator of the BUMP YouTube channel and wife to Danny Jones, to spread the word and give the campaign that extra push. Both Laura and Georgia hold the cause close to their hearts: Laura's daughter was born prematurely, as was Georgia's niece. The pair will be doing their utmost to raise awareness of how the public can get involved at home.

Laura says, "No parent should be separated from their child at such a worrying time, which is often what happens when their local hospital doesn't have the right neonatal equipment. Ickle Pickles are a fabulous charity and the more money we can raise for them, the better. It's thanks to the equipment they're fundraising for that Charlotte is the healthy, happy baby she is today."

"When Sudocrem approached me to be involved with Soothing the Smallest, I was delighted. A lot of the work I do is about raising awareness around parenting issues - the good, the bad and the messy - so the campaign was just a natural fit for me," says Georgia Jones. "I'll be doing my best to support it for the duration!"

How can you get involved?

Most importantly, buy a 'My Ickle Sudocrem' pot from your local Boots or Tesco! Every purchase means 50p to Ickle Pickles.

Who said only teddy bears have picnics?

Soothing the Smallest launches with a nationwide panda-themed picnic. Inspired by the UK's love of picnics, plus taking into account necessary precautions of lockdown, Georgia and Laura will kick it all off by launching their own panda picnic to show us how it's done. Those who want to get involved only have to pack up their picnic baskets and head out to the nearest patch of green for some relaxation - and don't forget to bring a panda too. Share the picnic on social media, tagging #soothingthesmallest and who knows? Perhaps a new record will be set for the most panda picnics held in one day! You also have the chance to win a giant panda and picnic hamper if you share your picnics on social media with #soothingthesmallest and #pandapicnic

I'm giving away 3 panda cuddly toys to help out families who don't have a panda of their very own. Laura, Georgia and Sudocrem will also be giving some away on their social media. With the aim to get as many families out there picnicking, Ickle Pickles charity founder, Rachael Marsh suggests inviting another family along for a suggested donation of £5 to the Ickle Pickles JustGiving page. Social distancing rules apply, of course!

"At Sudocrem, we take soothing families extremely seriously, which is why we're so excited about the upcoming Soothing the Smallest campaign. After all, isn't is these tiny, premature babies and their families that need our help the most?" says Nick Lang, head of OTC marketing at Sudocrem. "The aim is to raise enough over the six weeks to be able to help Ickle Pickles in a meaningful way."

"Spreading the word is easy," Nick continues. "We're asking everyone to get involved in whatever way they can. Share details of Soothing the Smallest on Instagram, visit the Sudocrem website and, most importantly, support the campaign by purchasing one of the 'My Ickle Sudocrem' pots."

To be in with a chance of winning 1 of 3 cuddly pandas, just enter via the Gleam widget below.

T&C's:

• Giveaway runs from 30th August until 13th September at 23:59
• Three winners will win one cuddly panda toy
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

Sudocrem x Ickle Pickles Panda giveaway

Peppa's Laugh and Learn Laptop - Review & Giveaway

Peppa Pig is one of those shows that I don't think has been off my television for a single day since I became a parent six years ago. Kids are just drawn to the show and, I'll admit, she's grown on me a little. My four year old daughter E loves Peppa so we were excited to receive the Peppa's Laugh and Learn Laptop and it was perfect timing with E starting nursery.

E began nursery at the start of the month so we will be focusing a lot on her numbers and letter sounds at home to go along with what she's doing at nursery. The four game modes focus on colours, numbers, letters and word recognition so it sounded fantastic.

The laptop is full of bright colours, as well as an image of Peppa on the front, perfect to pique a small child's interest. It also has a little handle so it can be carried around easily. 

Upon opening, you are met with a whole host of buttons and E couldn't wait to see what everything did. Along the side, there is a slider to change activity; Discover, Quiz, What Can You Find? and Music. It's really easy for a young child to choose their activity by themselves and E happily played around with the buttons to see how they'd changed for each different one. 

When in the Discover mode, pressing one of the six buttons in the centre corresponds to one of the images on the backlit screen eg. telling you that there were "three red clocks" - great to teach both numbers and colours. The Quiz activity asks questions such as "What is the first letter of the word 'coin'? At 4 years old, E did need a little help with these but I definitely feel that when she gets playing more and more, it will teach her a lot of things that will get stuck in her head and aid her learning.

What Can You Find? is similar to the Quiz mode but will ask questions based on sounds, so it will play the sound of an aeroplane taking off or a clock ticking, then the child has to choose the correct button. E loves this setting and it would be great for younger children too. The Music mode transforms the main six buttons into piano sounds so when they are pressed, you can create your own tune.

The six buttons along the bottom add a little extra to each activity. Whether it be musical sounds from the bongos, recorder or saxophone or just telling you the character names of George, Danny Dog or Suzie Sheep.

I think this is a great little toy for children aged 2+. I love a toy that is both fun and educational and the addition of a well loved character helps. The Peppa's Laugh and Learn Laptop retails at £19.99 from all good toy shops.

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

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

  Peppa Pig Laugh and Learn Laptop

T&C's:

• This giveaway will run from 13th September until 30th September
• One winner will win one Peppa Pig Laugh and Learn Laptop
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries  

 

 

Rainbow Designs Talking Peter Rabbit Plush Toy - Review & Giveaway

For C and E who are almost 6 and 4, Peter Rabbit has been a staple on our television. They have both watched CBeebies since they were tiny with Peter Rabbit being one of their favourite shows.

Over the years, their love has a grown and that brings a bit of nostalgia for me as I have always been a fan of Beatrix Potter. We own so many Peter Rabbit & Friends books, toy figures and we even made sure to see the latest movie in the cinema on Easter Sunday.

Rainbow Designs have a super cute little Talking Peter Rabbit soft toy and both children were so excited to receive one of their own.

He is so soft and cuddly which makes him great for children of all ages, right from birth. In true Peter fashion, he has his famous blue coat and green bag perfect for storing his radishes that he nabs from Mr McGregor's garden!

Giving his tummy a little press prompts him to say one of five phrases such as "a good rabbit never gives up" and "let's hop to it!" The voice is instantly recognisable and you can match it straight to the TV show.

Talking Peter Rabbit is the sweetest little toy and would make a lovely gift for any small child. It's the perfect size for tiny hands, good for a snuggle (as E will tell you as she's brought him to bed with her every night!) and the addition of the phrases gives it an edge over a regular plush toy. I also love a toy that comes with batteries supplied too!

If you want to get your hands on your own Talking Peter Rabbit you can purchase it at £17.99 from Argos, in store or online. You can also keep up to date with Rainbow Designs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The lovely people at Rainbow Designs have also set one aside as a prize for one of my readers! To be in with a chance of winning your very own Talking Peter Rabbit, just enter via the Gleam widget below. Good luck!

Rainbow Designs Talking Peter Rabbit

T&C's:

• This giveaway will run from 28th July until 5th August
• One winner will win a Rainbow Designs Talking Peter Rabbit plush
• One entry per person
• UK residents aged 18+ only 
• No automated entries
• Winner will be emailed by myself to confirm their address. I will then pass the address to the PR for the toy to be sent out. The details will not be used for any other purpose.

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

Valentine's Gift Ideas (+ TWO giveaways!)

We are finally into February after what felt like the longest January in history and now begins the countdown to Valentine's Day. I know that choosing Valentine's gifts, especially if you've been together for a long time, can be difficult so I've put together a few items that I think would be great to gift to the one you love. If you read on to the end, I have two fabulous giveaways for you to enter too.

First up, cards! Hallmark have a really sweet collection of cards in lots of different designs and styles. Some of their bestsellers are showcased below - I love them all!

Going clockwise, we have 'To the One I Love, Love is in the Air, My Boyfriend and I Love Spooning with You. Inside the last one it says "the forking ain't bad either" very funny!

If we go clockwise again, we have a super cute Minnie and Mickey Mouse pop up style card, My Husband, For My Wife and I Only Have Butterflies for You.

Continuing on with Hallmark, they have a really cute range of couple Itty Bittys. Lady and the Tramp was one of my favourite Disney movies as a child (the spaghetti scene is iconic!) so I love that you can buy the Itty Bittys versions of the characters. They also have a cute little bride and groom so if you recently got engaged, married or are getting married soon, they would make the perfect gift. The Hallmark cards vary in price but you can purchase them here and the Itty Bittys are £6.00 each at Amazon.

I think beauty products - for both men and women - can be a great idea for a gift. You know they will actually get used and not sit on a shelf gathering dust.

Moosehead shaping dough (available from all good beauty retailers)  is a nice little gift addition for your man to perfect his hair. It's great for thick hair and leaves a matte finish.

Gold aftershave splash has a beautiful scent and it won't break the bank at only £8.95 at Amazon.

Sleek Makeup i-Art is a liquid eye colour and the shades are to die for! So easy to apply and they really make your eyes pop. Who doesn't love a metallic eye? These are available from Boots at £6.99 each.

St Moriz Dry Oil Self Tanning Mist is great if you like a natural bronzed tan. It is fast drying and leaves you with skin that glows naturally and deepens in colour throughout the day. You can purchase it from Boots for £9.99.

Scunci Bun Maker is absolutely genius. I am rubbish at doing hair and leave mine down 98% of the time so anything that is a hair hack is a winner in my eyes. You can purchase this from Amazon for £5.00.

The Sleek Makeup i-Divine Storm palette is just beautiful. It contains 12 super-pigmented, mineral based eye shadows which are designed to suit everyone. The pearlescent shades contain mica particles which highlight and illuminate. You can pick this up from Boots for £8.99.

Dove have a gorgeous little gift set which I think would make a lovely gift if your partner has just given birth. It contains bath item for both mother and baby so it's a lovely, caring present idea. You can purchase it from Boots for £12.00.

Every lady loves a pamper and getting time to herself. 7th Heaven (or you may recognise them from their previous name Montagne Jeunesse) have a pamper pack which contains everything that you need to treat yourself or your loved one.

It contains 2 hair masks, 8 face masks, a strengthen nail and cuticle masque, a soften glove masque, a soften sock masque, a flannel and headband and a pom pom. Everything needed for some relaxation time! You can purchase it from Argos for £19.99.

No outfit is complete without some gorgeous nails and lashes. imPRESS manicure have some beautiful press-on nail designs and I'm totally in love with these purple ones with a flash of sparkle.

KISS lashes are absolutely amazing and ever since I discovered them, I wondered why I hadn't tried them sooner. They do so many different styles and lash adhesive to ensure you have no fallers! You can pick these up at Superdrug.

If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, I have a giveaway for you to enter.

Want to spice things up in the bedroom this Valentine's Day? Look no further than the So Divine Kiss Kiss Vibrating Rabbit.

With three speeds and seven patterns, it's sure to have your needs covered. It even heats to body temperature (37-38 degrees) to leave you with a warm and happy glow.

You can purchase this from So Divine at a price of £64.99.

Anytime I receive a gift, I love a little surprise of sweets or chocolates. Jelly Belly have some super (pun intended) hero themed jellybeans which I absolutely love! If superheroes aren't your thing, how cute is the little bottle of bubbly? You can purchase these from Jelly Belly.

I love that the Beauty and the Beast obsession is still going strong and I'm clearly not the only one judging by my Facebook and Instagram feeds. This little jewellery box is absolutely adorable. I love that it isn't too cartoony and actually quite fancy. I love it! It's only £9.99 from Paladone.

If Beauty and the Beast isn't your man's thing, how about Snow White? This little mug and sock set, also from Paladone, makes me laugh so much with its little image of Grumpy the dwarf. Such a cute and funny little gift! This is only £12.99 from Menkind.

Bottega Gold Prosecco is a yummy Valentine's gift. It's floral and fruity on the nose and on the taste buds, it's an array of candied and exotic fruits. The gold bottle is designed to protect the wine from any light, ensuring the best flavours. This is £21.95 from 31DOVER.

The PopaBall prosecco shimmer is amazing! Simply add some into your prosecco to create the perfect uniform drink. It adds a bit of a shimmer with its raspberry flavour and rose gold hearts. What a way to make your beverage a bit more exciting! You can pick this up from 31DOVER for £7.95.

I love a bit of cheese and I don't mean the food kind! Cheesy music, quotes, movies; you name it, I'll love it. Genie Gadgets sell the best cheesy Valentine's Day t-shirts ever and I can't even begin to explain how much I love them. They really made me giggle when I opened them out and they have so many different design, images and colours to choose from! They are £12.99 per t-shirt and you can see all the designs here.

Maybe your partner is more of the outdoorsy sports type and this skateboard from Skates would be right up their street? It comes complete with a 100% Canadian maple deck, 5" lightweight pro trucks, 53mm 55DD wheels complete with ABEC 7 chrome bearings.

You can purchase it in either blue or orange and it retails at £44.95 at Skates. Want to win one for yourself? Enter via the Gleam widget below.

Skates skateboard

I'm also giving away this little bundle of lash and nail goodies. Again, just enter via the Gleam widget below.

Nail and lash goodies

T&C's (Skates.co.uk)

• One winner will win one skateboard in a colourway of their choice, stock depending. 
• Giveaway will run from February 5th until February 11th. Delivery is not guaranteed before Valentine's Day.
• UK entrants only
• 18+
• No automated entries
• One entry per person 

T&C's (Nail and lash bundle)

• One winner will win the bundle pictured. 
• Giveaway will run from February 5th until February 11th. Delivery is not guaranteed before Valentine's Day.
• UK entrants only
• 18+
• No automated entries 
• One entry per person 

(This post contains items that I have been sent in exchange for inclusion.)

Hello 2018, my fifth year blogging (+ giveaway)

Hello! I know, I'm super late in writing this. It's my first post of 2018 and we are 16 days in - oops! I think I got a bit too comfortable not really doing much blog work over Christmas!

On Sunday, Mum of a Premature Baby turned five years old! I honestly can't believe that, a) it's been that long. Time goes so quickly! And b) that I kept it up! Usually I get bored very quickly so I've surprised myself by doing something continuously for five whole years.

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to anyone who reads my blog posts or follows me on social media. It's so lovely to know that people are interested in reading what I have to say and take the time to like, comment and interact. You're all awesome!

I have a wee giveaway for you all too! Last year, you might remember that I did a Zomlings Twitter party and had some prizes to give away. If you weren't lucky enough to win some Zomlings goodies then, now's your chance! I have a massive Zomlings bundle up for grabs.

All you have to do is fill in the Gleam widget below. Good luck and don't forget to read the T&C's!

T&C's:

• The giveaway will run from 16th January until 4th February 
• One winner will win everything pictured above
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only 
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

Zomlings bundle

Dancing Paddington - Review & Giveaway

I think everyone is familiar with Paddington Bear. After first appearing in a book called 'A Bear Called Paddington' in 1958, he captured the hearts of many and went on to appear in more books, television series and movies. Almost 60 years later, he's still well loved and this Friday 10th November, the new Paddington Movie will be released in cinemas.

Rainbow Designs have a lovely range of Paddington products, with one of them being Dancing Paddington. Although my children only really know Paddington from the first movie, they were so excited to play with their new toy.

Dancing Paddington is super soft and cuddly but he's much more than just a cuddly toy. He stands at 35cm tall and has buttons on each of hands which you can press to either make him dance and play music or say phrases, such as "Marmalade sandwiches are my favourite." He will stand on his own and dance upright and C and E have loved having a boogie next to him.

He is wearing a calypso shirt which is reversible and can be switched for him to wear his traditional blue coat. The children tend to make him wear his calypso shirt when he's going on holiday and his coat when he's home! His red hat can be removed too but I've kept it attached so far because I just know that my two little ones will lose it and meltdowns will ensue.

I loved watching my Paddington VHS tapes as a child, and having this toy around has brought back that feeling of nostalgia and I love that my children are falling in love with him too. He is suitable for children aged 3+ and requires 3 AA batteries which are included.

Dancing Paddington is available to buy from Smyths at a price of £29.99.

Want to win one for your little one for Christmas? Just enter via the Gleam widget below. Don't forget to read the T&C's beforehand!

T&C's:

• The giveaway will run from 7th November until 19th November 
• One winner will win one Dancing Paddington 
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only 
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

Dancing Paddington

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

Bigjigs Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set - Review & Giveaway #PlayPatrol

We have absolutely loved being a part of the Bigjigs Play Patrol over the past few months and we've enjoyed testing out a variety of different sets from the Bigjigs rail range. Most of what we've reviewed were stereotypically "boys themes", E loves train sets and had as much fun as C, but there's no denying that she can be a typical girly girl who loves all things pink too.

The Bigjigs Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set was perfect for her. She was so excited to have a train set just for her and instantly fell in love before I'd even opened the box because she spotted her favourite pink and purple colours.

The set contains 40 pieces:

• 17 pieces of track
• 2 ramps
• 3 train pieces
• 2 signs
• 8 trees
• 2 toadstools
• 3 fairies
• 3 houses

Figure of eight sets are always my favourite to put together because they are so simple - there really is no way you can get it wrong. It took about five minutes to set it all up and E was raring to go. As well as pushing the train around the track, E enjoyed making the fairies interact with each other, play at their houses and go for rides on the train. As long as you have your imagination, you can do anything.

In typical Bigjigs fashion, the wooden train track and ramps are left plain but sanded down which just makes it look gorgeous and good for little hands to hold (no risk of splinters!). All of the other pieces are painted beautifully with tons of detail included from little hedges on the houses and apples on the trees. You can also purchase addional track and accessories to expand the set.

I think it's beautiful toy for any child who loves fairytales and train sets. The Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set retails at £25.99 and is available from the Bigjigs website. You can also keep up to date with all things Bigjigs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Want to win a Bigjigs Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set for your little one for Christmas? Just enter via the Gleam widget below. Don't forget to read the terms and conditions before entering. Good luck!

T&C's:

• The giveaway will run from 24th October to November 12th
• One winner will win one Bigjigs Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only 
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

Bigjigs Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set

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

 

Win a copy of 'Milkshake! Brand New Besties' on DVD

My children love watching Milkshake! on Channel 5 every morning before school, it's become a routine. I actually remember watching it myself and my mum sending a birthday card in for me way back 20-odd years ago! Both C and E have taken a shine to all the shows and characters so I'm really excited that Abbey Home Media are releasing a brand new, over two hour long, DVD collection of Milkshake! favourites on Monday 23rd October.

Whether it's keeping a secret, learning to compromise, solving a problem, searching for clues or planning the best sleepover ever, our heroes put their friends firmly first!

This special compilation of the very best pre-school shows from long-running Channel 5 pre-school brand Milkshake! features some of their best-loved characters including PAW Patrol, Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, Poppy Cat, Noddy, Toyland Detective and Bob the Builder.

In this new collection, you will find:

PAW Patrol in 'Pups Save the Paw Patroller'
Mayor Humdinger has swiped the Paw Patroller! The pups need to get it back and save that meddling mayor too.

Digby Dragon in 'Disappearing Spell'
Digby's friend Sprite comes to visit and Fizzy casts a disappearing spell on her. When Grizel and Mungo take Spellbook it seems impossible to magic Sprite back again.

Bob the Builder in 'Where's Pilchard?'
When Muck has to shoo Pilchard out of his way, she suddenly vanishes. Leo and his machines run around trying to find her before Bob realises she's disappeared.

Peppa Pig in 'Playing Pretend'
When Peppa's bike gets a flat tyre and needs fixing, Peppa and her friends have fun riding their imaginary bikes and jumping in muddy puddles.

Shimmer and Shine in 'Flying Flour'
The girls bake magical flying cookies, but Zeta and Nazboo sneak in to steal the flying flour.

Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom in 'Lucy's Elf & Fairy Party'
Lucy celebrates her birthday with an Elf and Fairy party. Lucy's dad does a magic show but things get a bit out of hand when Princess Holly and her friends join in...

Fireman Sam in 'Best Sleepover Ever'
Norman, Mandy, Sarah and James are having a sleepover at Mandy's house. Norman is determined that it will be the best sleepover ever.

Simon in 'The Secret'
It's Gaspard's birthday and Simon has found out where Mummy has hidden his brother's present. But Simon has sworn he'll keep it a secret!

Poppy Cat in 'Underwater Picnic'
When Zuzu and Alma both arrive with plans for the group, Poppy teaches them the art of compromise. They set off in the submarine for Seaweed Sea to look for the speedy turtle and have an underwater picnic.

Floogals in 'Project Caterpillar'
Boomer has become very fond of the 3 stripy caterpillars that the kids are keeping in the shed. When one vanishes, the Floogals stake out the container they are in to see if they can solve the mystery.

Olly the Little White Van in 'Bad Luck Olly'
Olly is going through a run of terrible luck. The more he tries to help people, the more things go wrong. Help comes from the most unlikely place as Bazza helps him relax and do what comes naturally - helping!

Puffin Rock in 'Mossy Impossible' 
Oona is in danger. She's tangled up in fishing twine near Seagull Cliff and the seagulls will be back soon! Mossy and Bernie try to free her, but they need help from Mama and Papa Puffin.

Noddy, Toyland Detective in 'Broken Crystal Memory'
Noddy needs to find out who broke the Crystal Memory Game before the start of the Daredale Challenge Obstacle Race!

Thomas & Friends in 'Toby's New Friend'
Philip spots Toby and assumes that he is a diesel boxcab just like him. Convinced that they will become best friends, Philip rushes up and introduces himself, but Toby finds him rather overwhelming.

Milkshake! Brand New Besties will be available to buy from all good DVD stockists from Monday 23rd October. Want to win a copy for your little one? Just enter via the Gleam widget below. Good luck!

T&C's:

• The giveaway will run from October 17th until October 31st
• One winner will win one copy of  'Milkshake! Brand New Besties' on DVD
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only 
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

Milkshake! Brand New Besties DVD

 

Mokuru Desk Toy; the new fidget spinner? | Review & Giveaway

If you're a parent - or maybe even if you're not - the fidget spinner craze earlier this year will not have passed you by. C owns two fidget spinners himself and if you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that we are currently awaiting an ASD assessment for C, so they have been a great help to keep his hands occupied when he is sitting down.

I first heard of the MOKURU desk toy when I saw them with the fidget spinners in our local Smyths Toys store but I didn't really study the packaging to see what exactly they were. They've come from Japan and are said to test your creativity and help dexterity. It's made from beech wood so it's very light and at 9cm long, it is the perfect size to fit comfortably in your hand.

It took us a little while to get to grips with how to use it and to be honest, we are still learning! Each end of the MOKURU has a rubber circle so when you stand it up and tap against one side you are able to flip it across the table. This is a good starter task but when you have mastered that, you can keep trying new techniques to keeping your mind active and focused.

We've been watching some YouTube videos of MOKURU whizzes and we are nowhere near that stage yet - it's amazing what you can do with this tiny little toy if you really put your mind to it and concentrate. Aside from the tips and flips, C has liked to spin it on the table when it's on its side. He gets really excited with flappy arms and straightened out legs so you can tell that he's really enjoying it.

The MOKURU comes in seven different colours; genbu, byakko, seiryu, kirin, suzaku, inazuma and, the one we've been testing out, matcha. They are available to buy for £9.99 from all major retailers and are suitable for ages 3+.

I have two of these nifty little toys up for grabs so if you want to win one for yourself, just enter via the Gleam widget below. The MOKURU that is sent will be at random, I cannot specify colour.

T&C's:

• Two winners will win one MOKURU desk toy of a random colour
• The giveaway will run from 8th September until 22nd September
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

MOKURU Desk Toy giveaway
 

(We received a MOKURU 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