Craft Buddy x Harry Potter review : Wizarding World At Your Fingertips

 

Instead of planning a big holiday abroad this year, we've decided to go for two smaller trips over the summer, taking in a weekend at Disneyland Paris and another in London, to go to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio. Juliette in particular is a big Harry Potter fan and has seen all the films and even read the books so she's very excited. When the opportunity came up to review Craft Buddy's latest Harry Potter Crystal Art collection, I knew she'd be excited about that too. I wasn't wrong !

The first product that we discovered was from the Harry Potter Crystal Art Bag Charms range. Craft Buddy have recently added two new designs to their collection of sparkling bag charms, featuring Harry Potter's beloved snowy owl, Hedwig, delivering mail or the popular young wizard himself, zooming around on his flying broomstick.

 

We got the Harry Potter design which Juliette was very impressed with. The bag charms are perfect for attaching to backpacks, handbags or bunches of keys, making them harder to lose and rendering them instantly recognisable. 

Inside the pack, you get a Crystal Art Bag Charm with an adhesive template, a pick up pen, a tray, Jelly Wax, a clip-on hanger, bags of crystals and ziplock bags for the storage of spare crystals. I thought this would be fiddly and complicated to use but Juliette jumped straight in and found it very simple. You just need to stick the tiny resin rhinestones in place following the painting-by-numbers technique. The instructions say that it is suitable for fans aged 6 and over, with adult supervision, so this would be perfect for keeping crafty little fingers busy over the summer holidays. The £4.99 price tag is pocket money friendly too.

The second product that we got to try out was the Crystal Art Pin Badge kit. These come as blind bags so you have no idea which kit you will receive, adding some extra excitement. There are 16 characters available, so you could end up with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Hedwig, Hogwarts Crest, Lightning Bolt, Golden Snitch, Ravenclaw Badge, Slytherin Badge, Gryffindor Badge, Hufflepuff Badge, Harry Potter Name Badge, Hermione Grainger Name Badge or Ron Weasley Name Badge. Juliette thought they all looked good and she would have been happy with any of them.

Inside the pack, you get a metal pin badge with an adhesive template, a detachable metal badge stand, 2 removable pin backs, a sealed paper wallet with a tool kit, a pick up tool, Jelly Wax, bags of coded crystals and ziplock bags for spare crystals. The enclosed tool is simple to use and allows you to precisely stick each little resin rhinestone in place following the lettered guide. 

The completed 6cm-tall pin badge can be attached to jackets, bags, pencil cases, hats and accessories or displayed on the little strut stand on your bedroom desk or shelf. Priced at £7.99, they are perfect as gifts, party treats or stocking fillers, but they can also be swapped and shared to help you complete the full mystical set.

Both of these products provide a fun, creative and easily achievable project that children (and even grown-up fans) would be proud to show off or put on display. As everything needed is included in the kit and nothing messy like glitter or glue is needed, they would be ideal for tucking into mum's handbag or a child's backpack for using at a pyjama party, a visit to granny's house or a play date or even for keeping the kids busy during a weekend away or a summer holiday.

The new Harry Potter releases will be available at craftbuddyshop.com and join the successful and hugely popular Craft Buddy range, which has over 40 different products to date.

Disclosure : We received the products in order to share our honest review.

Photo Creator Retro Instant Camera review

 

Canal Toys recently sent us through one of their Photo Creator Retro Instant Cameras to review and, even though it is targeted at children aged 8+, all three of the Madhouse kids (aged 15, 19 and 23) were enthusiastic to try it out ! The camera is a funky light blue colour and it resembles a Polaroid-type camera. Inside the box, alongside the camera there is a USB charger/download cable, 4 different colours of marker pens, 3 rolls of paper, one roll of sticky paper and some stickers that you can use to brighten up your photos.

It is very simple to start using the camera. Pierre asked me how to load the paper and I started reading the enclosed instruction sheet but he'd worked it out before I'd even finished reading it. The camera is already charged and ready to use when it arrives so you literally point the camera at what you want to print and press the button. If giving the camera to a very young child, you might want to explain beforehand that they shouldn't go mad as it really is quick to use and I could see them getting through a roll of paper in minutes !

Despite having a cool retro feel, the camera incorporates cutting-edge technology, providing young photographers with an easy-to-use tool that produces instant prints, ready to be decorated with borders and smileys before printing or stickers and writing once printed.

The camera has a simple-to-use flash that means you can take pictures inside as well as outside, giving kids the perfect opportunity to capture memories and inspire creativity. Pierre is already used to using his phone camera day-in-day-out but he was still blown away by the experience and loved the instant results that the camera provides.

Here's one of the very first pictures that he printed : a candid snap of me, his lovely mum ! I was very impressed with the quality of the picture, which I actually found clearer and sharper than those taken on his big sister's Polaroid. Switching over to the sticky paper would allow young photographers to take selfies and stick them on their school books or other personal possessions. 

Extremely simple to use, the camera provides great quality prints and is a fun and interactive way for children to explore the world of photography. Inspired by classic designs, this camera appeals to both aesthetic enthusiasts and tech-savvy individuals seeking a unique photography experience. While young children enjoy the independence of taking their own photos, it also has a cool, nostalgic vibe for older kids. The camera’s companion app offers a range of creative tools, including filters, frames, and stickers, allowing users to personalise their photos before printing. This customisation feature encourages artistic expression and allows children to add their unique touch to every snapshot. You can also have fun with video content, capturing special moments and using fun sound effects to add another layer of excitement to the photography experience.

 RRP: £69.99 

 Retailers: Very, Argos and Amazon. 

 Explore further details about the Photo Creator Retro Instant Camera right here. 

Disclosure : We received the item in order to shar our honest review.

HEXBUG Junkbots review

HEXBUG have launched a new project that merges toys with entertainment through a new eight-part digital series and game on the Roblox platform based on Junkbots. (More about that at the end of the review.) The series and Roblox game will follow a new adventure that all kicked off when Junkbot Jack Static received a cryptic radio transmission. To celebrate the launch, Pierre was delighted to receive a package containing lots of Junkbots, as well as some sweets and popcorn to accompany our movie night.

We started off with the smallest product in the range, the Junkbots Trash Bin (RRP £4.99). This cool bin-shaped box contains 15 pieces of rubbish to dig through.

Here's what we got inside this trash can. The little black bin bags have extra secret pieces of rubbish to open up and discover. The grown-ups in the family instantly picked up the little pieces of paper, unfolded them and tried to find the pieces necessary to recreate the character shown. Pierre just jumped in and started fitting random pieces together. Well, he got on better than we did, so I think he had the right idea - or we were just useless ! - but either way, he loved developing new characters and seeing what he could slot together.

We moved on to the bigger Junkbots Industrial Dumpster (RRP £19.99), which is the biggest box in the range. It contains a whopping 50 pieces to discover and get creative with.

As well as lots more intriguing black bags to investigate, this pack includes special elements to allow you to animate your bots with a motor or dynamic vibrations or add a light-up cover.

Pierre emptied out the final product - the Junkbots Dumpster (RRP £9.99), which is the twin-pack, top left in the top picture. This contains 30 pieces, plus an energy module, allowing you to build two different Junkbot figures (or just get creative, as we did). Time to let your imagination run wild and fit pieces together !

There are all sorts of interesting things in there, including a chainsaw, a birdhouse, a cowboy hat, a broken tennis racket, plus lots of interesting product packaging to discover.

Here's one of the Junkbots (minus the arms !) that Pierre put together following the character sheets.

And here's another character that he completely made up. I love the concept of creative play, just letting the kids loose on all the interesting little bits to see what they can find and how they can fit together. It is the perfect toy for one child to play with on his own or two or more siblings or friends to work on together. I will be honest - we totally missed the energy/movement modules, so we'll have to look out for those the next time we get it all out !

Head over to HEXBUG Official on YouTube to start watching the series and join in the fun with the launch of the Roblox game on 20th August.

Instagram and Twitter : @HEXBUGUK

Facebook : Hexbug UK

Disclosure : We received the products in order to write a review.

Foul Play Murder Mystery Card Game review

What can you do in the middle of a pandemic when your entire business activity revolves around interacting with the public? Such was the problem faced by After Dark Murder Mystery during lockdown. Rather than sitting around twiddling their thumbs, they decided to look at news ways to keep their business afloat. Faced with the large number of companies offering online activities, they decided to go down a different route. The Foul Play Murder Mystery Card Game was born !

The basic aim of the game reminds me of Cluedo - you have to uncover the perpetrator of a vicious crime. In this game though, you just need a pack of cards, rather than a big playing board, making it the perfect game to pack in your bag when travelling or going on holiday.

The game is set in Edwardian England and the Lord of the Manor has been murdered ! Obviously, the servants are the lead suspects and your job is to unearth evidence and catch the culprit. You have a choice though - will you play Good Cop or Bad Cop?

If you play as Good Cop, you set up the game by removing the fifteen evidence cards from the pack, selecting one of each colour, putting them back in the pack then reshuffling the cards. The evidence cards have facts such as hair colour, sex or clothing on them. Next, lay out nine cards in the middle of the table in a 3x3 grid as "the crime scene". Each player is dealt five cards and the rest go to the side as the "evidence locker". On each turn, you can take a card from the evidence locker and discard one in your hand or play a card, swapping a card with one of your opponents' cards. As you play, you will see the evidence cards go through which will show you who the murderer is. You must have the card showing this person to be able to announce your suspect, lay out your proof and (hopefully !) win the game.

In Bad Cop mode, each player takes seven cards and all cards are in play. You just need to find three evidence cards that match with a suspect card in your hand to win.

It takes a couple of games to get used to how to play and what each card allows you to do, but once you've got the hang of it, it's great fun. There's no waiting around as everyone is involved on each turn so it's a great option for kids who tend to get bored quickly, especially as you can watch players' faces when they pick up a card and try to detect signs of excitement, then remember which colour the back of the card was to try and pinch it ! 

Throughout confinement, I think we all spent far too long online and playing video games, so finding a new card game that is quick to learn, fun to play and keeps everyone off their screens is absolutely great !

FOUL PLAY The Murder Mystery Card Game -   The Manor House Murder 

 A game for 2 – 5 players | Age 8 + 

 £8.95 + p&p www.foulplaygame.co.uk 

 

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest opinion.

The perfect anti-COVID toy : Antibacterial Slime !

 

Fingers crossed, we are starting to slowly, tentatively tiptoe out of lockdown. Wearing masks and keeping our distance from those around us remain key points but we can slowly start looking ahead to brighter times. Sending the kids back to school was a big step towards getting back to normal but we still have a long way to go.

As parents, one of our biggest concerns is getting the kids to constantly wash their hands and/or use hand gel. Well, Canal Toys have the answer to our prayers - anti-bacterial slime that kills up to 99.9% of bacteria on hands. Let the kids have fun as they keep themselves (and those around them) safe !

Hand gel dispensers are often available in public spaces and, as shops and restaurants start to open up again, they will be commonly used, but they are not always suited to children. They can be fiddly to use or may be placed too high. Then there's the gooey, cold, slippery feeling that many kids don't like. Hand gel is simpler and, let's face it, much more fun to use !

I'd never even thought of this kind of product but it's a no-brainer. The Madhouse kids, even the teenagers, will quite happily (and almost hypnotically !) squish slime through their fingers so adding anti-bacterial properties is a genius idea. It's a child-safe, alcohol-free slime that can be used over and over again for up to one month.

I have a top tip for you - just before you throw it away, squish it across your computer keyboard to get out all the dust and muck that gathers in the keyboard !

Each pot costs £2.99 and you can buy a four pack tube for £9.99. 

 

 Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our opinions.

Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club review : Picture Show

As the nights are drawing in and temperatures are dropping (not to mention the rain - does it ever end ?!), we're looking for more inside activities to keep us in the warm and dry. Settling down to watch something on Netflix is fine, but you can't beat rounding up the family to play a board game together. After our recent reviews for BrainBox : The World and Dice Academy, we're back with another game to show you : Picture Show.

Taking the lid off the box, it looks quite complicated to set up but it's actually very simple. The game is based on the time-honoured classic, Chinese Shadows. If you're inwardly groaning, remembering that you never managed to reproduce anything apart from a flying bird and a dog's head with your hands and an old torch, rest assured ! In this game, you can use the cut-out shapes in the box to help you.

Set up is simple. Just slot the screen into the stands, set up the spotlight behind you and you're good to go. Use the two sticks and the magnetic shapes to represent the word or phrase on the cards. There are 45 shapes that you can use for 40 cards with 120 proposals, so I would recommend allowing sound effects from the player. As well as making it slightly easier, it can be hysterically funny too ! You can also overlay the shapes if you want to be extra clever.

What we love about this game is the spotlight, which also acts as a timer and starts flashing ten seconds before the end of your time as 'Master of Shadows'. Much (light-hearted) stress guaranteed ! You can also play on Training Mode which means that the spotlight stays on with no time constraints.

It's a slightly fiddly game so the magnetic shapes fall off if you're not careful and the game play calls for some lateral thinking, so the suggested age range is 7+. Just don't forget the batteries - 3 x AAA batteries are required and not included.

RRP : £21.99

2-8 players. Age 7+.

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest opinion.

Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club review : BrainBox The World

What do you think the odds are on making it all the way to Christmas without heading back into another lockdown? Well, if you'd asked me a few weeks ago, I'd have said it was unlikely, but as things progress, I have to say I'm not so sure. It may not be another full lockdown, but if you start showing Covid signs or if you come into contact with someone who has it, you may have to spend some more time in confinement. Maybe with the kids ! You definitely need to invest in some more games to keep them occupied, just in case !

This month's pick from the Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club is perfect, because it combines a fun game with an element of learning. Kids (and even adults) will have fun examining the cards to find the answers, learning about the different countries of the world and also improving their concentration and fact-finding skills.

The instructions in the box have two versions, one for playing on your own and one for playing with two or more players. If playing by yourself, look at the picture side of the card for ten seconds, then flip it over and try to answer all of the questions, writing your answers down on a piece of paper. If you get them all right, you keep the card. If you get one or more answers wrong, it goes back in the pack. See how many cards you can win in five or ten minutes.

If playing with multiple players, the youngest player picks a card, then studies the card for ten seconds using the timer. You can flip it over again for an extra ten seconds of observation to help out the younger players. Pass the card on to the next player and roll the dice to see which question they will ask you. If you get it right, you keep the card. If your answer is wrong, it goes back in the pack. Who will end up with the most cards and be declared the winner?

Even older players can learn a lot about some of the newer countries, as they (umm ... OK, we !) never learnt anything about places such as Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina at school because they didn't even exist back then ! Younger players will also love the fact that no prior skill or knowledge is necessary. They can win just by having good observation skills and remembering what they've seen on the cards. It's great motivation and they won't even realise they're learning !

It's great option while travelling too, as no complicated equipment is needed and there is no board to set up. You could even play without the dice, allowing the next player to select the question, if space is limited in the back of a car or on a train or plane. 

There are 68 countries covered by the cards, with facts to learn about capitals, flags, food, buildings, internet, sports and animals. When you eventually get to know all the answers too well, fear not. There are oodles of other BrainBox games available that will appeal to everyone, for everything from British history and science to football, maths and Peppa Pig !

RRP : £12

1+ players, age 8+

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest opinion.

Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club review : Dice Academy

We've had a lovely summer, making the most of the sunshine, splashing about in a big pool on the patio and walking for miles with the dog, but sadly, those days are behind us. The kids have gone back to school and the sun seems to have been replaced with grey skies and even drizzle. Boo ! As the colder months catch up with us (and who knows ? - maybe even a second confinement ! Eeeek !), it's always nice to have some fun new games to enjoy as a family. The Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club has kicked off again, sending us some new games to have a look at. The first is Dice Academy.

This game is suitable for the whole family, apart from small children, with recommended ages being 8 - 99. If you're a parent (and if you're nice !), you'll end up taking your time to answer and help out the younger players, but if all players are adults or teenagers, it will end up being very competitive and fast paced.

Setting up the game is dead easy. There are ten coloured dice in the box - five with themes and five with letters. Just throw them all and you're ready to play. You need to match them up, using the guide in the instructions. In the game above, we have "TV programme or series" on the red dice (EastEnders ... Neighbours ... Sesame Street  ...Vampire Diaries ... I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! ... easy peasy !), "Something Big" on the green dice (iceberg ... vat ... super-tanker ... erm ... extremely big dog ?! ... n.... erm give up !), yellow is "fictional character" (Ernie the fastest milkman in the west (blimey, that's showing my age !) ... Superman ... Victor Meldrew ... Nemo? Does that count ?!  ... I ... Icarus? Does Greek mythology count as fiction?), blue is "fish or underwater animal" (Eel ... Newt ... Shark ... V ...ummm, very difficult ! ... I ... impossible !) and pink is "item of clothing" (I ... erm, an "I love London" T-shirt ?! ... Vest ... Shirt ... Nightshirt ... E ... erm ... oooh earmuffs !).

My attempt here shows you how you can have fun playing by yourself, but normally you should pit your wits against one or more competitiors. In this case, you decide how many points you want to try for (10 for a quick game, 30 for a regular game) then roll the dice. Make sure everyone knows what the symbols represent, then start matching up the dice, making sure you don't match the two dice of the same colour. It's a great game because, as well as being a serious challenge, trying to find sensible answers quickly, it can also turn into a joke if you start making up silly answers. Will they be allowed though ?!

It's a fun activity that can be played in minutes and isn't complicated to set up. If you have literally five minutes while you're waiting for the dinner to finish cooking, you've got time for a quick game, either by yourself or with some other players. It's a good way of keeping your brain active and, while I hope we don't end up in confinement again, it's an enjoyable way of whiling away some time, whoever you're stuck inside with. It's lovely to find a game that different generations of people can play together and this would even be a good game to play together online, in a video chat games session.

RRP : £10.99

2-6 players, age 8+

 

 Disclosure : We received the product for free in order to shar our honest opinion.

So Slime DIY Slimelicious Sweet Shop review

One of the upsides of the long confinement has been that the kids have had lots of time to rediscover the numerous toys, books and craft kits that they have lying around in their rooms. They've been looking back at things that they used to love and that they had stopped playing with and rediscovering things that used to be big crazes that have gone out of fashion. One such past obsession was slime - you may remember they even had a go at trying different recipes for making edible slime - so Pierre was very happy to receive a So Slime DIY Slimelicious Sweet Shop to review.

We love the packaging. As well as looking cool and successfully resembling a sweet shop, the little windows allow you to see what's inside the box. Here it is unpacked - you get a box of six scented slime powders, two mini shakers (that look like a pot of Nutella and an ice cream), 3 bags of slime decorations and two mystery charms.

Here you can see the two charms that we got - a doughnut and an ice cream sundae - and the different colours (and scents) of slime powder.

Making the slime couldn't be simpler. You just add water to the slime powder, mix it up and decorate it with whichever of the slime decorations you want.

Give it a good shake and within minutes, you'll have a thick, gooey, fragrant slime to get your mitts into !

The kids had great fun creating and playing with their slime. The back of the box shows you the different charms and shakers that can be collected. The slime can be displayed in the shop packaging and younger children may enjoy acting out being a shopkeeper, creating personalised slimes as ordered by their friends.

The Slimelicious Sweet Shop has an RRP of £7.99 and you can also buy a Slimelicious Soda Shop (£7.99) and Slimelicious Ice Cream Shop (£9.99). If your kids want a cheaper toy to buy with their pocket money, you may prefer the Blindpacks, which retail for £2.79 and contain one mini scented slime with one decoration, one charm and a bespoke shaker. Watch out for the 6 ultra-rare and valuable pots !

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest review.