Littlest Pet Shop Hamster Playground - Netmums Blogging Network Review

I was over the moon a couple of weeks ago to be asked to join The Netmums Blogging Network. As they explain on their website, "Netmums have searched far and wide on the web to pull together an elite team of parent bloggers who know what it’s like to be a Real Parent. We’ve hand picked a selection of parent bloggers who are known for their community spirit and their ability to write truthful and fair reviews to help us out by reviewing products and services from time-to-time." Now, I was already beaming. Then the girls discovered what the first product up for review was and they couldn't stop jumping around the room !

They are both huge Littlest Pet Shop fans. They got loads of new LPS animals at Christmas but still say they want more and moon over the playsets and cute little critters whenever we go anywhere near a toyshop ! Like Lego or Playmobil, it's one of those toys that you can add to for numerous birthdays and Christmases, bringing in extra playsets and accessories to add to the cherished collection so that kids can really use their imaginations and make up lots of stories in their Petshop world.

The Hamster Playground comes with two pets - a regular-sized Pet Shop hamster (I would assume - I can never tell which animal they're supposed to be !) and a smaller hamster - but you can obviously use any of your other LPS figurines in the playground.

There are lots of different bits to play with so the girls had great fun spinning and turning the different elements. There is a hamster ball to roll along, a perch you can push round and - best of all, according to the girls - a hamster wheel that you turn with a handle at the back to make the little hamster run around. They also loved the little accessories such as hamster treats, a drinking bottle and a little toy that have been used numerous times in creative roleplay games with not just the Hamster Playground but the whole collection.

The playset is targetted at little girls aged 4-7, but both 6-year-old Juliette and 9-year-old Sophie happily played together with it all afternoon. What was great is that there are so many different things to do on it that there was no squabbling at all (for once !) because there was plenty to do while waiting their turn on whichever activity they wanted to do. The little plastic hamster ball - which comes apart so you can fit any of your Pet Shop figures inside it - can even be rolled across the floor and played with independently of the Playground.

It's a plastic toy, so I suppose if you actually analyse what's gone into making it, it's probably quite expensive for what it is, but you just have to look at the huge smiles on the girls' faces and listen to their excited chattering to know that it's well worth the £19.99 price tag, especially if you're adding this to a collection so that you can use all the other figurines with it.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £19.99 (but currently £14.99 at Argos)

 

(sponsored - but nevertheless totally honest ! - post)

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Squinkies

Strawberry Stables

Zoobles

John Crane 100 piece Wooden Train Set

Miffy Wooden Farm Playset