Scalextric have taken it to a whole new level this year with some amazing themed sets. First up; The Wacky Races Micro Scalextric Set.
Peter Perfect takes on Dick Dastardly in this one-on-one Micro Scalextric race set. Who will win? You decide, will it be the menacing ‘Mean Machine’ driven by Dick Dastardly and Mutley, or ‘Turbo Terrific’ driven by the dashingly cool Peter Perfect.
This awesome Wacky Races slot car racing set can be expanded with the new Penelope Pitstop ‘Pink Pussycat’ Car meaning the whole family can enjoy playing their own Wacky Races toys for boys or girls, young and old. The fun never stops when the Wacky Racers are tearing up the race track in your own living room or the kid’s bedroom.
This mains-powered set contains over 4metres of track, with 9 layout options including a ‘loop-the-loop’ and a vertical stunt ramp. This is suitable for ages 4+ and has an RRP of £54.99.
If you want to feel a little super hero though why not go for the Micro Scalextric Justice League Set! The Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel take to the track but who will be fastest? You decide with this Micro Scalextric Justice League Batman vs Superman race set. This mains-powered set contains 5.7metres of track with 12 layout options including a double loop the loop and a vertical stunt ramp. You can also expand this set with the Justice League Wonder Woman Car or the Justice League The Flash Car! This has a suggest age of play of 4+ and an RRP of £59.99
If you do fancy adding any of the additional cars they retail at £12.99 per car – then the whole family can battle it out together!
From all the latest characters to loads and loads of amazing ideas, Very.Co.UK Must Have Toys this year is a great one stop shop for everything you might need for the kids this Christmas. My personal top pick has to be the Barbie Dream Plane! Alyssa is really getting into Barbies this year and having one of the actual play sets for her would be amazing! Kids imaginations can take off to anywhere in the Barbie Dream plane that is a Barbie vehicle and a doll playset. This playset has lots of Barbie accessories- including a puppy travel companion, provide children with a ticket to endless fun. Children can push the plane on its rolling wheels to taxi on the runway; then open the top and side to reveal the inside and create a play space to play out the flight. Suitable for ages 3+ and a RRP of £79.99 this would be an amazing main gift…especially as it is in the Black Friday deals for £59.99.
Very.co.uk have toys starting from as little as £7.99 making Christmas affordable for everyone!
Puro Sound Lab’s JuniorJams Bluetooth headphones for kids have been designed to give high quality performance and comfort at an affordable price. Featuring noise isolation and superior sound quality with effective volume limiting, they allow children to shut the world out and focus on their music or show without distraction or damage to their hearing health.
The ultra-comfortable protein leather ear cushion also keeps them comfortable whilst they listen and still offers 87% ambient noise isolation. Using the Puro Sound Labs’ Balanced Resposnse Curve allows them to give better bass, treble and vocal clarity without the need to turn the volume up. Limiting to 85dB means that they will be at no risk. Up to 22 hours of playback, they can last a long trip so are perfect for taking when travelling and the daisy-chain feature means they can link up with another pair so there’s no more fighting over a tablet. These have an RRP of £49.99 and are available from Amazon.
Cookie has been fascinated by flora and fauna ever since she’s been able to walk. She aspires to become a botanist some day to teach others all about plants! The collectable craze of 2019, the squishiest plush toy suitable from 3 and up. They have to be squeezed to be believed. Choose from different characters each with their own personality and download adoption certificates at www.squishmallows.co.ukÂ
Fans of ‘bubble football’ – a growing global sport, can now purchase their very own to bash, crash and smash with their friends in the local park. The Body Bubble Ball is also great fun to use in simple, one-on-one challenges with your mates, no football required!
The 4-foot inflatable protective bubble lets you collide into each other safely thanks to the durable vinyl, inbuilt safety harness and handles. It is an ideal toy for active, fun-loving adults and children aged 8+ years.
This has an RRP of £49.99 and is available from Argos.
This self-stabilising remote controlled robot runs mesmerizingly on dual spinning rings. Watch it spin, tumble, and flip over a full 360 degrees! Push your robot to the limits. Two-speed settings allow you to drive in regular mode, or blast-off into turbo mode! Create your own clever stunts and recharge your bot’s batteries to keep the fun going! RRP £25.00 and available from Hexbugs.Â
This colourful Peppa pig wooden clock will help little ones learn to tell the time. With movable hour and minute hands and 12 shaped number pieces to count, sort and place. It will help to enhance problem solving skills whilst also developing number recognition. This has an RRP of £14.99 and is available from Amazon.
You might be as surprised as I was to discover that Funky Pigeon not only do cards but also have some really great Christmas gifts and items for the holiday season. I took a peak at some of their stocking fillers as I was in need of a few for Alyssa and not only did I find a couple of fillers but I found a stocking as well!
Alyssa is obsessed with Unicorns, so this Personalised Unicorn Christmas sack is perfect for her and will last us for many years to come. Not only that but as I said I found some amazing stocking fillers including this Unicorn Sequin Art and this Bus Lotto game. They also had snow globes, socks personalised items and of course all the wrapping you could want in all price ranges. So definitely worth checking out the Christmas range from Funkypigeon.com
Perfect for the arts and crafts enthusiast in your life, and bang on the sustainable Christmas trend, the study wooden puzzle – available for a wallet friendly £12 via the Tower Bridge website – fits together without glue to make a model of the model famous bridge in the world. Made of 100% responsibly sourced wood, it is the perfect gift for anyone looking for their next challenge and is great fun for both children (ages 7 and up) and adults alike.
Learn about the science of sight with this funky optical kit from Brainstorm toys. What does the world look like if you are a baby? Or a T rex? How does a cuttlefish see its underwater world? Just pop on these cool glasses and you will see the world through others’ eyes! 22 interchangeable lenses allow you to see in more than 17 different ways – or create your own! Suitable for 3+ and RRP of £14.99. Available from Smyths Toys.
FurReal Friends Cubby the Curious Bear is the perfect pet. This delightfully curious, expressive bear cub loves to play with you during the day. Cubby the Curious Bear loves to play peek-a-boo, and even dance from time to time. In night-time mode, Cubby makes sleepy sounds and plays soft music. He’s a day-to-night best friend! Let’s not forget snack time! Feed him his bottle or treat and he’ll make eating sounds. He’s a chatty little bear, too – he babbles back when he’s spoken to. Suitable for ages 3+ with an RRP of 69.99 he is available from Smyths Toys.Â
This Charming Peter Rabbit Christmas sack makes a brilliant alternative to a Christmas stocking, so why not make a new tradition this Christmas. Made of 100% cotton, this Christmas sack is durable and can be used year after year. It is large enough to fit lots of presents in for Christmas morning and looks great underneath the tree. Suitable for Children right through to Grandparents…this Peter Rabbit Christmas Sack will make a lovely touch for the whole family this Christmas. The artwork for each product is taken from the original illustrations from the Beatrix Potter stories, helping to bring the featured characters to life. RRP £15.00 and available from Enesco.
This delightful Flopsy children’s apron is perfect for little ones who love baking, painting or generally getting into mischief and making a mess. They have a gloss laminated coating so are easy to wipe down. The front features a large scale Flopsy, taken directly from the original illustrations, from the Beatrix Potter stories. RRP £5.95 and available from Enesco.
The brand new Robo Dash is a lovable robotic dachshund that moves, sounds and acts like a real dog. This adorable and lively puppy destined to be your best friend with all the characteristics of a real four-legged friend; he pants, he barks, he yelps, and he even wags his tail when he’s happy. Manual control mode allows you to make Robo Dash go any direction you want by using the multi-directional remote. Touch Robo Dash’s head to see his fabric like body shrink and grow up to 45cm. Play fetch using the ball shaped remote. Built in obstacle detection means that Robo Dash can keep himself safe! Suitable for ages 5+ with an RRP of £49.99 and available from Amazon.
I have always loved wooden toys and have always chosen some lovely ones for Alyssa since she was little. This incredible marble run from Hape Wooden Toys is no different. Escape from the castle’s rotary tower with this exciting Quadrilla set featuring two transparent stairways. As the marbles make their way down the rail they sound three hanging bells. The set comes with 102 pieces and a bag of 50 marbles! A lovely bright wooden set suitable for ages 4+. This has an RRP of £74.99 and is available from Amazon.
The Elephant on the Moon light is great fun and has a cute elephant sleeping on a crescent moon. Pretty gold star detailing finishes off the night time feel. Great to use as a night light with it’s soft warm glow. LED light, safe to touch. RRP £35.00 and available from Room to Grow.
Make-up, styling, hairdressing… Baby Born Sister styling head is perfect for young stylists who love playing hairdresser and makeup artist!
With over 20 accessories including hair brush, clips and stick-on sequins, little ones can get creative designing a new style every time they play! Simply brush, wipe and start again! A trendy styling head with 24 accessories, including hair brush, make up set in butterfly shape, clips, head band, sticker sheet, rhinestone set on butterfly print and elastic hair bands. Suitable for children aged 3+ with an RRP £34.99 and available from Amazon.
Join Peppa and the gang in this NEW calendar. This ‘My First Calendar’ encourages young children to learn about the days of the week, months of the year, weather and seasons alongside a fun colourful design with activities for your little one to complete. It also features a large panel for each month and writing space for those all important play and tea dates plus any appointments, which can be wiped clean – so this non-dated calendar can be purchased / used all year round!
Enjoy 2020 with this official Minecraft mini calendar with bright fun cubed images throughout along with monthly date panels to keep you organised with all your notes and appointments. The perfect calendar for small wall spaces.
Suitable for all ages and prices starting from as little as £5.99 all these goodies are available from Danilo.
There is nothing I love more than books and I always try and give Alyssa a few for Christmas. We especially love personalised books, so this “Goes to Sleep” book is perfect. ‘Goes to Sleep’ is a personalised children’s bedtime book(paperbook version) featuring your child throughout. You can select a girl or boy, their hair colour, skin tone and preview each spread. Using proven methods from world renown hospitals, The Children’s Sleep Charity and leading children’s sleep specialists, to help you develop a highly effective Bedtime Routine. Recommended for children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years old. This book has an RRP of £16.99 and is available from Goes to Sleep.
I am always on the lookout for “toys” that are going to help Alyssa learn and grow and Brightminds is a great place to do that because all their products are designed to make learning fun. See and Spell is a top selling wooden puzzle. Complete the puzzle to spell a word while developing a sight-reading vocabulary, or use the letters for stencilling. 72 colourful wooden letters fit into the 8 double-sided cut out boards to spell three and four letter words.
See and Spell is suitable for ages 4+ and has an RRP of £16.99 and is available from Brightminds.
Made from the highest quality clinical grade silicone the Slappie watch is designed for ultimate durability and comfort. It’s hygienic too as its designed to be easily wiped clean! Collect different Slappie watches and you can mix and match the faces to create a special colour combination. Express yourself with something unique to match your personality! With one quick flick against your arm the Slappie watch securely attaches itself to your wrist. One size fits all, and it’s fun, quick and easy!The Slappie watch has an RRP of £19.99 and is available from Brightminds.
Build a colourful wooden Marble Run and watch in delight as the marbles roll down from the top to bottom! Supplied with a variety of wooden pieces to create lots of different designs. Perfect for creative play sessions. Comes with 53 pieces and is suitable for ages 3+. The BigJigs Marble Run has an RRP of £31.99 and is available from BrightMinds.Â
GeoSafari Jr Explorer Scope. A 2-in-1 8x magnifier and 15x magnification telescope that’s perfect for the preschool perspective. Includes rubber hand grips and binocular eye-piece. Suitable for ages 3+ this will be perfect for when Alyssa goes on her adventures with each of us. The GeoSafari Jr Explorer Scope has an RRP of £15.99 and is available from Brightminds.
I love websites that help you find what you don’t know you’re looking for and that is what The Present Finder does. As I said, I love “toys” that help children learn, whatever the age and these Stem Puzzles are a great idea for a gift. If you’re looking for the perfect present for a budding scientist, check out this super-fun and surprisingly challenging Stem Puzzle Set. Based on the four core STEM disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths – this brainteaser makes for a great gift for those who enjoy using their noggin’ to solve head-scratchingly tricky problems. Consisting of anti-gravity and robot transformer puzzles, as well as a ball bearing test and number challenges, this excellent gift idea pits your wits against four of the most devilishly difficult tasks around. Constructed from wood and colour-coded for ease of use, this set tests your abilities and looks pretty cool, too. Suitable for ages 8+ with an RRP of £14.99 The Stem Puzzle Set is available from The Present Finder.
For every one who dreams big, there’s a Princess to show her it’s possible. Disney Princess Rapunzel doll is a dream in her story inspired gown and tiara. Join as she lets her hair down and journeys to discover the lights. For any one who dreams of Disney princesses this is a perfect gift! Suitable for ages 3+ and with an RRP of £19.99 the My First Toddler Princess Rapunzel Doll is available from Smyths.
The perfect size for table top utilisation and is simple to fold away Perfect for children to unleash creativity anywhere! The handy clip Can be used to utilise the art station as an easel for painting or drawing On paper. Storage pots to store paint sticks & Chalk sticks. The perfect little art station you can keep at home or take on the go with you. Suitable for ages 3+ with an RRP of £29.99 this is available from Amazon.
Nothing says Christmas like all climbing under a blanket together and snuggling up with an amazing family film and there are some crackers to choose from be they old classic or new super hits.
Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved classic. The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous spirit. Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, The Grinch is fun for the whole family – available from Amazon!
From Illumination Entertainment comes The Secret Life of Pets and The Secret Life of Pets 2, which continues the story of Max and his pet friends. In this highly anticipated sequel, Max the terrier encounters canine-intolerant cows, hostile foxes and a scary turkey when he visits the countryside. Luckily for Max, he soon catches a break when he meets Rooster, a gruff farm dog who tries to cure the lovable pooch of his neuroses – available from Amazon.
Mr Tutu is a bit of a gamer as is his brother as is every man on my side of the family too so you can’t swing a reindeer around without hitting a Nintendo Switch and there are some cracking games available this year!
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Join Mario, Sonic and friends for their greatest adventure yet at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Go for gold as you compete in action-packed sports games, including four brand new events to Tokyo 2020 — Skateboarding, Karate, Surfing, and Sport Climbing, as well as a large selection of classic events. Get the party started on your Nintendo Switch with a variety of ways to play, including button play and motion controls in multiplayer game modes that support up to four players locally and up to eight players online. Play as Mario, Sonic, Yoshi, Amy Rose, Luigi, Dr. Eggman, and many more of your favourite characters. For 1-8 players and suitable for ages 7+ this game has an RRP of £49.99 and is available in hard copy or digital download from the Nintendo store.
Luigi’s Mansion 3. Wield the upgraded Poltergust G-00 to slam and blow away the ghosts’ defences, or summon Gooigi, an all-green doppelganger that can help Luigi overcome obstacles he can’t get past alone. Interchange between Luigi and Gooigi as one player, or grab a friend and control one each. For more frenetic multiplayer action, race the timer to clear various objectives on a series of floors in ScareScraper mode. ScareScraper mode can be played online or locally with up to eight players on four Nintendo Switch systems. He may still be cowardly, but Luigi has more tools and abilities at his disposal than ever before. Master Luigi’s new powerful moves of Slam, Suction Shot and Burst. Up to eight players can race the timer to clear objectives on a series of floors in the ScareScraper and is suitable for ages 7+. This game has an RRP of £49.99 and is available from the Nintendo Store.
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