Roaring Raa Raa Toyologist Review

The next toy out of our toyologist box is the roaring Raa Raa. Great for little fans of Raa Raa the noisy lion, you simply push his head down and then watch him roar, not only that he'll give a little shake too! If you hold his head down for longer, he builds up to it and gives an even bigger roar. Watch our video and you'll get the idea!

Raa Raa seems pretty hard wearing, I struggled to get him working at first but I am putting that down to me being slightly ditzy in pregnancy as my husband sorted it instantly! His body is quite solid due to the mechanism inside and so perhaps not the choice if you are looking for a toy to cuddle.

I'm not sure it's the kind of toy that will stand the test of time in our house as I think the novelty will wear off fairly quickly! My daughter has really enjoyed playing with him though and if you have a Raa Raa fan in your house they will probably find him even more amusing!

Snazaroo Face Painting Sticks Toyologist Review

Well I didn't expect a little packet like this to bring us such a lot of fun. I have to admit I can be a bit of a grumpy mummy when it comes to face painting, when out I try and take a different route so my daughter won't spot it and when she does get it done I always ask for something small on one cheek. It would never have crossed my mind as a stocking filler but I'm converted! These would make a fab one!!

My little girl took one look at the packet and decided she wanted the butterfly in the picture so I did my best! As they are like crayons they are actually quite easy to use, and she was very chuffed with the results! She then had great fun turning me into a tiger, she concentrated really hard and loved being able to use them herself!

Next she decided I had to be a mummy butterfly instead so off we went again after a few baby wipes (I got off lightly she decided Daddy was to be a river!).

Once I was a butterfly too I think we spent a good hour fluttering round the lounge and hiding behind the curtains, which were here butterfly house.

I really loved how much something so little encouraged her imagination to go wild and got her lost in her make believe world. A great gift idea!

Silver Cross Ranger Pram Review

Toys r Us kindly sent us this lovely Silver Cross Ranger Pram to review as part of the Toyologist programme. They must have known I would love it, it's the exact same pram I chose for my daughter as her present from Santa last Christmas! It means I can give you more of a long-term review of this product and can vouch for it's quality - ours still looks new itself a year later!

I spent a long time choosing this pram at the time, as there were certain features I really wanted and it hasn't let us down. Here's what we were after:

1. A lie flat pram my daughter could put her toys to sleep in as that is always a favourite game.

2. One that she could push now (she had just turned 2) but that would also be big enough to last a few years.

3. It had to fold flat! We have no storage space in our house.

4. To look lovely and have a nice design. I just really wanted my daughter's first pram to feel a bit special!

The silver cross delivers all of these and I felt was great value. The style of it is nice and classic and comes in a great range of patterns. Toys R Us sent us the 'my little star' pattern which you can see is really pretty and very girly! This pram is perfect for getting toys off to sleep - it has a pram cover and hood for when they need a little nap!!

It folds down flat very easily and we can fit it neatly under squiggle's bed when she isn't using it. The handle bars swizzle up and down so that it can adjust to different heights and grow with your child. My little one has just turned three but is more the height of some four year olds and it's still a great size for her.

The only slight downside we found was that when she was small she could only push it in a straight line, the wheels don't swizzle so after hitting a dead end she would wait for me to turn it for her.

The pram has some great roll play features, it comes with a base shelf and it's own matching nappy bag. My daughter has loved packing the little bag with things she might need, and playing at going shopping and filling the shelf with toy food. I think we still have a lot more fun to come from it too, even my 6/7 year old nieces still love playing babies!

If you are looking for a toy pram this Christmas, this one definitely gets a big thumbs up from us!

Win 'A Matter of Life and Death' novel for Christmas

A Matter of Life and Death... no I'm not referring to the Christmas shopping but the title of the must-have debut novel by Paul Carroll. It is a fantastic stocking filler idea for Christmas and if you are stuck for inspiration this could be the perfect alternative to socks and bubble bath for the grown ups in your life!

I'm looking forward to reading a copy but for now I'll leave you with an extract from the press release...

 "...a satirical reflection on bereavement in contemporary Britain. A witty, black comedy with a thought-provoking core. 

A Matter of Life and Death claims “Everybody should be famous for fifteen minutes. After they die” but questions whether we go too far when it comes to mourning. 

Both entertaining and shocking, this book is a perfect present for those looking to add a bit of depth to this year’s Christmas stocking."


If you would like to find out more about the story and author please visit www.amolad.co.uk

I am very lucky to be able to offer 3 of my readers the chance to win a signed copy of 'A Matter of Life and Death'. Entry is via the rafflecopter widget below, you just need to read this post and answer the simple question.

The competition closes 17 December and please remember to leave me a way of contacting you in the comments section for your entry to be valid.
UK only, one entry per person.

Good luck and happy reading!



a Rafflecopter giveaway