We tried out Playfoam.

Here’s my write up.

Playfoam – it looks like coloured styrofoam balls, and it squishes like playdough.

After excitedly ripping through the packaging Son #1 quickly pushed all the colours together to make one giant multi-coloured blob, and then abandoned it as it was time for school.

Now that may not sound like much of a product test. To be honest with you, I was pretty nervous about how I would write that review up, so I procrastinated for about a week, and in that time here is what I discovered:

* This stuff doesn’t dry out. It’s been about 10 days. I have no idea where the original packaging is, it hasn’t been put away in any container, but it’s still lovely and squishy.

* It is easy to pick out of carpet and off painted walls. I don’t recommend you go about grinding it into your household furnishings, but it happened ‘by accident’ in our house, and it cleaned up OK.

* This is a great stress buster for a child in an irritable mood (although please see previous point about household furnishings).

* My cat loves it. It’s lightweight so she can push it around the kitchen floor and chase it, but it doesn’t stick to her paws. Not actually recommended for pets.

* It helps Son #2 concentrate on his homework. He’s not a massive fan of handwriting practice, and has some trouble with fine motor skills, but squishing a ball of this in between writing down answers worked really well.

PlayFoam is available from Learning Resources in the UK, and Educational Insights in the US, and a pack this size costs £9 / $9 (people of Britain, the exchange rate does not favour us when it comes to toys).

What: New LeapReader from Leapfrog

Who: For children aged 4-8 years

When: From July 2013

How much: $49.99 or around £45

Official Trailer from Leapfrog:

From the press release:

“For the last 18 years, LeapFrog has helped millions of children around the world to learn to read,” said John Barbour, chief executive officer at LeapFrog. “With LeapReader, we are taking the way children learn to read to the next level and adding writing to build a foundation for future academic success. Our highly experienced team of learning experts worked alongside our talented teams of designers and producers to create the ultimate reading tool and engaging content experiences that reinforce a child’s language and literacy skills. We are extremely proud of how fun and interactive every book, workbook, map, audio book and flash card is while providing children rich and unique learning experiences.”

What do we know:
The new pen looks a lot like the TAG system, but as well as using it to read out words, this new Leapfrog pen can also write.

The LeapReader will be compatible with a library of more then 150 experience, which goes beyond books to include flash cards, maps and trivia.

Like many Leapfrog products the LeapReader will be available in pink and green colors.

Demo of LeapReader Monsters software:

The Product

What: LEGO Chima Speedorz Sets 70104 Jungle Gates, and 70100 Fire Ring.
Who: Sent to me by The Entertainer.
RRP: £10 each

I was sent these sets as freebies by The Entertainer, but as ever this review is all my own opinion – well quite a bit of it is the opinion of Son#1 and Son#2, but their opinions are far more important than mine in all matters LEGO-related.

The Review

Legends of Chima is a new line from LEGO. In the US they have a TV show, but alas it is not yet available in the UK.

Legends of Chima, new toy line from LEGO

Chima looks like paradise, but is actually the home of eight animal tribes, at war over powerful Chima energy crystals.

You can see the full range of Chima playsets and Speedorz currently available at The Entertainer.

Sons #1 and #2 are well up on their Chima knowledge as they get the freebie LEGO Magazine, which last month included a promo DVD.

We are also fresh back from a trip to Legoland in Windsor, where they are running a 4D Chima show in the theatre.

The Speedorz sets consist of a rip-cord powered vehicle and an obstacle to construct and then negotiate.

We were sent:

Speedorz Jungle Gates set with Lennox minifigure

and

Speedorz Fire Ring set with Eagle minifigure

I didn’t get a photo of the Fire Ring set, as Son#2 was a bit eager with the package ripping, so that’s lifted from The Entertainer’s website.

It took us about 20 minutes to put everything together. I did the majority of Son #2′s set (he’s 6 and not patient), but Son #1, who’s 8, is a LEGO pro and had no problems doing it himself.

Each set contained:
* Chima collectors cards
* Instructions for assembly and game play
* A minifigure
* A Speedorz vehicle and rip cord (do not lose rip cord)
* Components to build obstacles
* 6 blue ‘Chima crystals’.

Chima Fire Ring Pack Open

When you get the Speedorz out of the packet, it looks ready to go, but it isn’t. You need to remove the top, then insert some black rods, attach the minifigure, and put the top back on. The instructions are in the book.

Speedorz looks broken, but just needs extra pieces to hold it together

When you are adding the minifigure to the Speedorz it is much easier to lie the figure flat, clip the top of the vehicle on, and then sit him back up again.

Lie the figure down, clip the top of the Speedorz on, then sit him back out – you’ll never do fix it together otherwise.

The eagle figure came with wings. They were incredibly annoying and kept falling off. I believe I may have ‘accidentally’ thrown them away with the packaging. There were no fiddly bits on Lennox the lion, and both figures were very pretty with plenty of printed detail. The boys really enjoyed swapping body parts and accessories between the two figures.

My first effort of constructing the ring was not quite right.

First effort was a bit wonky

But after a little wiggling about of the hinged joints, I made a perfect circle.

I got there in the end.

As always when I help make the LEGO there were some bits left over.

Those blue bits are Chima crystals so not too many spare parts.

Son #1 was busy building the Jungle Gates set while I was working on the Fire Ring, so I didn’t get any work in progress shots of that one.

Here’s the gates out on our patio:

The Speedorz needs to pass through both gates.

And the professional image of the set looks like:

This is why companies pay for professional photographers.

The Verdict

Genuinely both boys loved these sets.

It was really tricky to begin with. The boys are used to playing with Beyblades, where you pull the rip cord and let the Beyblade drop and spin. You can’t do that with these, you need to place the Speedorz on the floor. So you need to hold it in one hand, thread the rip cord, then pull with the other, then quickly lower it to the ground. But afte a couple of practice goes even I mastered it.

There are instructions for a game included, where you challenge each other to beat the obstacle, and there are some energy points and crystal trades involved. For us, just the mastering the obstacles was entertaining enough and we didn’t attempt the game. There’s a video at the end of this post where some American LEGO lovers try to explain how the game works.

There are some really unusual LEGO pieces in these sets which once the boys are bored of Chima, I’m sure will be put to good use in their freestyle creations. I was especially impressed with the hinged orange bricks that clipped together to make the fire ring.

How To Play Chima Speedorz Game

Do you find him sitting too close to the television, or leaning forward to read the newspaper.

You need to get your Furby some glasses right now.

If you have already idenitified the need for Furby glasses, but are having trouble tracking them down, first let me commend you on your responsible Furby-ownership, and then I will help you out by telling you that you need to be searching for ‘Furby Frames’.

You may be shocked to find out that you can’t buy these essential eye-pieces in an opticians, but must instead resort to a toy shop!

Here’s an example of the inconspicuous accessories.

Furby Glasses

I love this how this set comes with a pair of geek chic glasses for use in the day, then the yellow rave glasses for party-time Furby.

If your Furby needs a dance partner take a look at the new Party Rocker mini-Furbies.

A pack of two pairs costs £6, and a good selection can be found at The Entertainer.

The pink one is Pinkie Pie, and the blue pony is Rainbow Dash.

The toys are around £40 / $56 each, and just like the regular Build A Bears you can add a sound, outfits, accessories and even shoes.

Roller Skates for your pony???

Check out the video and you can see the jumbo size of these ponies in proportion to the little girl testing them out.

Available in Build A Bear shops, and from their website now.

Well you’ve come to the right place.

According to NPD.com these are the top ten hottest new toy brands in 2013 (in terms of value of sales from January to end March).

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – £2.4 million spend for Q1 2013

Rooftop Run is the TMNT’s first app

2. LEGO Legends of Chima – £2.2 million spend for Q1 2013

Legends of Chima, new TV show and toy line from LEGO

3. Furby – £1.9 million spend for Q1 2013

2012′s revamped Furby is still popular in 2013

4. Skylanders – £860,000 for Q1 2013

The Giants addition to the Skylanders brand insured its continued growth into 2013

An Unexpected Gathering, from the LEGO Hobbit range

Talking Bucky from Jake and the Neverland Pirates

7. Mike the Knight - £650,000 for Q1 2013

Viking Longboat toy from Mike the Knight

8. LEGO Monster Fighters – £460,000 for Q1 2013

LEGO Monster Fighters Ghost Train

9. Bin Weevils – £450,000 for Q1 2013

Bin Weevils Figures, available to buy separately

10. Monsuno - £390,000 for Q1 2013

Monsuno Battle Case

Since our weather seems to have been permanently stuck on 3 degrees and continuous snow / sleet / hail, I’ve been raiding the craft cupboard for some indoor entertainment.

We’ve been dedicated fans of PlayDoh for years – if it was good enough for me, then it’s good enough or my kids, and they didn’t need any of this fancy lunar substitute.

And besides, Moon Sand is a substance sent to Earth directly from Hell for the sole purpose of upsetting parents.

So no, I’d never been tempted by Moon Dough.

Then just before Son#2′s birthday, my Mum went on a spending spree and bought the Moon Dough Zoo on sale.

Here it is in a promo shot:

And here’s what it looks like on my kitchen table.

There’s molds for 3 animals, and wind up feet to stick the models on.

That archway contraption lowers the mold onto the feet, then releases the animal when you crank the handle at the top.

Son#2 has played with it on and off for a couple of hours today.

We’ve squished it, cut it, rolled it and molded it.

My investigations today have led me to notice:

1) It works! It can be a bit crumbly, but when squished into molds, it really works.

And 2) It is easy to clean up. Really easy in fact. Son#2 took advantage got a bit carried away when I was distracted on the phone and stuffed some toys with Moon Dough to see what shapes would be made. But it shook out really easy. The molds just need a quick wipe, or tap on the table, to get the Dough off, the big bits all squished back together and went in a food bag, and the tiny bits on the carpet got sucked up my handheld vacuum cleaner. Result.

Well that’s a very good question.

The Zelfs is a range from the Australian company, Moose Toys, brains behind Trash Pack collectibles.

The brand has been picked up by Character Options, who will be releasing them in the UK in July 2013.

Rumour has it the toy line will be backed with animated webisodes (like a TV show hosted online), a magazine and a bucket load of TV and press advertising. So expect your little princess to be bugging you for one soon.

I don’t have any photos of the products (yet), but I know that there will be three sizs of dolls, and a range of playsets that connect together.

The elf characters are fun and funky with colourful spiky hair.

Stay in touch through my Facebook or Twitter pages for updates.

CBeebies show Woolly and Tig is a huge hit with preschoolers all over the UK, and last Christmas I was contacted numerous times from parents keen to get their hands on their very own Woolly.

So a big whoop-whoop to Golden Bear for bringing the character to life with this range of toys, new for 2013.

The launch was originally planned for July, but vocal parents and a growing eBay market of homemade Woolly toys, have brought the release date forward to May, for two of the hottest products.

What’s in the range?

In an interview with industry magazine Toy News, Golden Bear’s marketing and product development director Christine Nicholls gave this list of toys:
* Woolly Soft Toy – An exact replica of the spider from the show. May launch date.
*Poseable Talking Woolly – Features phrases from the show and bendy legs. Won an award at this year’s Toy Fair. May launch date.
*Mix & Match Pairs Game – July launch date.
*Scampering Woolly Pull Back – July launch date.
*Jumbo Bedtime Snuggle Woolly – July launch date.

Prices start at £3.99 up to £19.99.

This is the Poseable Woolly, available in May.

I’ve found 2 pictures for a remote control Woolly. This wasn’t mentioned in the list from Golden Bear but were spotted at Toy Fair. My guess is that it will be released as part of a second wave of toys, or possibly it’s been dropped due to lack of interest.

Nickelodeon have launched a TMNT app to accompany their popular TV series.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run is available from the iTunes store and is priced at £1.49.

It’s like an old-fashioned platform game where the aim of the game is to run in a straight line collecting good stuff and beating up bad guys.

Here’s the promo video:

And here’s a review from someone actually playing it:

The customer reviews left on iTunes aren’t great, but a lot of the problems relate to technical issues – you need to check compatibility as this app is very restricted.

Also beware the risk of spiralling cost as it is possible to make in-app purchases of coins. You can find out more about protecting yourself from child-bought app purchases here.