Christmas Present Giveaway: Reveal Family Board Game (age 8+)

Reveal is a game for 2 to 4 players or teams aged 8+, and we were first sent a copy to review by the developer when it was still being tested a couple of years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and I'm delighted to have a copy to give away to one of my readers.

This is the game with no questions, just answers! There's no set up time, play instantly. Inside the box are 3 packs of cards in 3 topics - TV, Movies and Music. Players have to guess the answer by revealing as few letters as possible.

Christmas Present Giveaway! Jibbergiggle Family Game (age 8+) from Gamely Games

Jibbergiggle is a 3-8 player family card game for anyone aged 8+, and trust me, it's far more fun than you might at first realise. Players take a Jibbergiggle Sound Card and a Scenario Card, and try to get the other players to guess your scenario - when the only sounds you can make are the nonsense words written on your Sound Card....

Gamely Games sent us a copy earlier this year, so we did our review of Jibbergiggle back in August, and I really liked the simplicity. You can play instantly and there are no tricky rules to learn.

I was pleasantly surprised in that it isn't as 'daft' as it first sounds, it really is a skill game and you improve with play. It encourages imagination, concentration and focus - you really need to pay attention to the acting player if you want to be the one to guess correctly!

Christmas Giveaway: Hannah The Spanner Children's Book (sent for review)

We were sent Hannah The Spanner And The Trip To The Moon for review and the publishers are offering one of my readers a copy for themselves in my Christmas Present Giveaways. A big, bold children's book set in a world where just about anything seems possible, it's a great tale for independent readers or for reading together...

....and it's definitely not the sort of thing that normally happens on a Thursday.

Hannah is an ordinary schoolgirl living in a town like yours, but she can't help having adventures. What starts out as a normal morning at school becomes very interesting when her class go on a trip to visit local inventor, Professor Groves.

Christmas Giveaway: One Dear World Multicultural Doll And Clothing (12m+)

I'm a strong believer that every child should be able to find toys that represent them and their friends, and so are One Dear World. They have created 4 different dolls which represent children from different ethnic backgrounds, and they are currently crowdfunding to make a range of dolls with disabilities.

One Dear World have offered one of my readers a doll plus an extra outfit as a Christmas present...

This is Hope and she was born in Ghana. She has 3 good friends - Parth, Lea and Jun. I did a full review of Hearty Hope last month and I think she's excellent. She is beautiful quality and the perfect size and weight for young arms to hold.

Christmas Giveaway: The Board Game Family by Ellie Dix (3 Winners)

Anyone who reads my blog knows just how important board games are to our family. We play a lot, everyone joins in and it's relaxing family time - talking, building and reinforcing relationships.

The Board Game Family: Reclaim Your Children From The Screen is a fantastic 'how-to' for parents from The Dark Imp's Ellie Dix. Ideal for anyone who wants to get their kids back into the living room, away from screens and back into family life together.

I did a full review of The Board Game Family back in September and I really felt that the author, Ellie Dix. is on my wavelength. She enthuses about the same games we love here, and has a great strategy for parents to get back in tune with their kids - even if you have never played a board game before.

3Doodler Start 3D Essentials Pen Set Review (age 6+) Sent by Trends Toys UK

Bizarrely we haven't really had a go with 3D pens before, so we were complete amateurs when we received the 3Doodler Start 3D Printing Pen for review. This is a beginners set suitable for children aged 6+, with everything you need to learn how to write in 3D, and complete some small projects...

Inside the box are the 3Doodler Start Printing Pen, USB charging cable, instruction booklet, 'How-to' Activity Guide and 2 packs of biodegradable eco-plastic refill filaments (48 strands in 8 colours). There's a big plastic insert which I'd like to see replaced by card in the future.

The 3Doodler Pen is wireless, which is so much easier for children especially. It charges pretty quickly and lasts a fair while, at a guess it's 90 minutes / 20 minutes. I've been caught out with how quickly it's charged each time so far. It has a clear green LED to show whether it's active / inactive, and charging / fully charged.

There is an on / off switch and just 1 control button - it couldn't be simpler to use.

Christmas Giveaway: Frozen Unicorns Game (Age 6+) With Gamely Games

Frozen Unicorns is a family and party game for anyone aged 6+, and it's suitable for 3 or more players - it suggests up to 30! We have a copy to give away courtesy of Brighton-based game developer Gamely Games, who sent us our copy to review.

Inside the handy box are 100 cards of varying difficulty, and each has an animal, person or mythical creature on it. E.g. Unicorn, DJ or Fairy.

All players have to do is mime whatever is on the card, while the active player guesses what they are depicting. The catch is, you're frozen, so your mime is more of a statue - and a lot harder to guess!

Ad | Christmas Giveaway: ARTdiscount Student's Art Bundle

Blackpool-based ARTdiscount stock a huge range of art supplies, including their own brand range of products, at great prices. We're delighted to be working with them on another giveaway, for a Student's Art Bundle.

Students can get through art supplies more quickly than just about anyone else, and they can have the tightest budgets. ARTdiscount have put together a great bundle of products which would be handy for anyone, and ideal for students...

At retailers recommended prices the bundle would cost almost £60 (you'd save around £20 buying at ARTdiscount), and includes:

Derwent Academy Watercolours 12 set
Staedtler x18 watercolour brush pens
ARTdiscount own brand Watercolour/ Gouache brushes
Daler-Rowney x24 Artists' Sketching & Graphic Pencils

Christmas Giveaway: The Grinch Duvet Set And Cushion - Sent by Dreamtex

Dr Seuss' most famous Christmas grump is available on Duvet Covers and Cushions this Winter thanks to Dreamtex and ASDA, and they've sent us a set to review - plus they are giving a set away to one of my readers. Available in Single and Double sized Duvet Sets perfect for your child's bedroom. The Grinch is the perfect Christmas decoration for your room.

I'm a big fan of Dreamtex bedding because their duvet covers have wide openings for easy changing, reliable popper fastenings and the material is soft and easy to care for. The poly/cotton can be washed hot if necessary and tumble dried.

AD | Christmas Giveaway: ARTdiscount Art Beginner's Bundle Giveaway

This Winter we are working with Blackpool based art supplier ARTdiscount. They sell quality brands, including their own range of products, at great prices. They have put together an awesome bundle of goodies for anyone who does a little art at home, or fancies trying.

Being creative is fantastic for your mental health, it's relaxing and rewarding, can lower your blood pressure, ease tension and you can end up with a piece of work you are really proud of! As Bob Ross said, “I really believe that if you practice enough you could paint the 'Mona Lisa' with a two-inch brush.”

Included in the ARTdiscount Art Beginner's bundle are:

Docrafts Artiste x12 fineliner pen set
Derwent Academy 19 piece sketching set
ARTdiscount own brand Watercolour brush set
Staedtler Noris x12 Colour pencil set
Watercolour tin with brush, 12 colours

Christmas Giveaway: Toy Story 4 Movie Review and DVD Giveaway(sent for review)

Toy Story is a long-standing favourite here. My oldest son was a huge fan when the first movie was new, and it made it's return perfectly in time for my younger boys to be able to appreciate the antics of Woody, Buzz, Bo and all of the other animated toys.

Toy Story 4 is now available on Digital Download & Keep, DVD, Blu-ray and other formats for you to watch at home, and I have a DVD copy to give away to one of my readers. We were sent a copy for review and it's a great return to form...

The story features a cast of long-standing Toy Story characters, as well as a few new additions, and starts with a 10 minute segment looking back over what has happened to our animated friends over the past 23 years. It brought a definite lump to my throat...

The toys are now in the care of Bonnie, who has just started kindergarten. She makes herself a toy using junk modelling, and Forky (who is really a spork) comes to life. Forky is excited to be here, but obviously very immature, and Woody takes him under his wing.

Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak Review (age 6+) Sent by Wow! Stuff

I couldn't turn down a review of Harry Potter's fabulous Invisibility Cloak. Made by Wow! Stuff and recommended for age 6+, this is a cloak with a trick. It can make anyone, or anything, invisible using a smartphone or tablet and the supporting app.

I was a bit worried we might not be able to find it, but inside the box is a fully visible Invisibility Cloak, plus phone stand and instructions.

Original ALIAS And UK ALIAS Family Board Game Reviews Age 10+ Sent by Tactic

ALIAS is an instant play, easy to learn word guessing game made by Tactic, and they've just released a brand new UK ALIAS version. We've been sent both Original ALIAS and UK ALIAS to review.
Suitable for 4 or more players aged around 10+, in teams of 2 or more, ALIAS will be brilliant for play over Christmas when our grown up family are home for the holidays...

Both games have a similar format. The packaging is a sturdy cardboard box with a plastic insert, which is retained for storage of the game between plays.

The UK ALIAS edition is suitably themed! Both games have bold, bright, modern illustration.

Inside the box are the game board, 6 gorgeous little counters in the shape of people, timer and Question Cards. Original ALIAS has 4 huge piles of cards which contain 3200 different words to guess - try learning all of those..

Ad | #HARIBOShareTheScare Double-Sided Halloween Trick Or Treat Lucky Dip Box

This year HARIBO and MAOAM have not only released their own special edition Halloween sweets, but they've teamed up to bring us a giant Duo Pack. They asked me if I had some ideas for how we can all 'Share The Scare' this Halloween without spending a fortune on what is essentially one night.

Ever popular here are Revolting Rotten Halloween Cupcakes and a good old-fashioned home-made Witches Broom, and we've really gone to town to create our double-sided Trick Or Treat Lucky Dip Box - I think you'll like it...

We were sent a box of goodies to nibble while we work, and you couldn't get better inspiration - or bribery for my partner. He adores sweets and I don't let him have them every week. There's a video with sound on my Instagram Highlights. Yes - I actually jumped when it said 'Boo'.

The Asylum Tour and other Horror Fiction by Deborah A Stansil. (Sent for review).

Halloween is coming, so what better time to review some horror fiction... Deborah A Stansil is a UK blogger and independently published horror writer. I'm a long time fan of the genre and she has sent me 3 of her books to take a look at.

Deborah's books are fairly easy to read Adult Fiction which is also suitable for Young Adult and teenage readers who like a bit of darkness and a drop of gore.  The novels I've been sent for review are The Asylum Tour, The Joker and The Mirror...

The Asylum Tour focuses on two women. Jeannie, a young reporter covering the launch of an Asylum Tour, and Sarah, one of the invited guests. While Sarah and the other invited guests don't seem to have any connection, Jeannie is linked to the asylum via her Grandmother, a member of staff who died there during an horrific breakout by some of the most severe criminal patients.

The Asylum Tour promises to be a terrifying theme park style attraction, set in a real ex-asylum building. It's terrifying all right, something just isn't right about it. The owner has done everything he can to keep himself anonymous, and the 10 specially invited guests for the first tour are a random bunch of horror fans, who all resemble people who died during the breakout and ensuing massacre back in 1953.

The tour seems brilliant, with the real life spooky setting and an augmented reality host. It doesn't take long though before it begins to really unsettle the guests. Not invited on the tour and unable to enter the building, all reporter Jeannie can do is stand outside and wait, and hope that everyone makes it out alive...

The Great Tour Family Board Game Review Age 8+ Sent by Tactic

The Great Tour: European Cities really caught my eye instantly. Packaged in a beautiful box with 1950's style illustration, this is a gorgeous game with wooden playing pieces and a real feel of something special. Suitable for 3-6 players aged 8+, we've been sent a copy for review by Tactic.

Inside the box contents are just as impressive, with a large game board, rules, several sets of cards and press out tokens, as well as small wooden coaches and buses.

Disney Edition Colour Brain Game Review (age 8+) Sent by Big Potato

Our latest game review for Big Potato Games is Colour Brain - Disney Edition. Suitable for 2-12 players aged 8+, this is a question and answer game where every answer is a colour.

Just like most Big Potato Games, there are no tricky rules to learn and virtually no set up or tidy away time needed, so it's really user-friendly and ideal for parties or family gatherings.

Inside the box is everything you need: The Rules, Pencil, Scorepad, 8 Card Steal Cards, 44 Colour Cards and 5 packs of 50 double-sided Question & Answer Cards. There's very little plastic waste and you can play instantly.

Frozen Unicorns Family and Party Game Review (age 6+) Sent by Gamely Games

Gamely Games create family card games which can be played by anyone and are certain to bring a smile to everyone's face. They've sent us their brand new game Frozen Unicorns for review and it really is a lot of fun, and very user-friendly. Suitable for a whopping 3-30 players aged 6+, you can easily adapt how long you play and how difficult the game is for all players, or just some.

As with other Gamely Games, everything is contained in a neat, sturdy little box just twice the size of a pack of playing cards, and there's barely any plastic waste. It can be shipped through the regular post in a little cardboard box that fits through the letterbox, and is easily taken with you when you go on holiday or visiting.

Story Chest Family Board Game Review (Age 7+) Sent by Tactic

Story Chest is the first of my game reviews for Tactic and it is one of the most beautiful games I've ever been sent for review. A game for 2-7 players aged around 7, where you spot details on cards and create a short verbal story about them - and guess which details your opponents will have chosen. Each of the 100 story cards is full of amazing artwork that couldn't fail to inspire anyone.

Easy to learn, you can play almost instantly and no age group or ability gets an advantage... it's a truly level playing field, so it's perfect for families to play together.

Chill Factorᵉ Snowboarding Taster Session Review (Guest Visit).

On Saturday evening we were guests of Chill Factorᵉ indoor ski slope just off the M60 by the intu Trafford Centre to review their Snowboarding Taster Sessions. This is a 50 minute session which is ideal for anyone aged 8+ who hasn't been on a snowboard before (children under 10 need a responsible adult with them).

We really love visiting Chill Factorᵉ and have worked with them many times now. Although we have tried most of their activities before, Snowboarding is completely new to all of us. I'm still not able to go on the snow after my operation, but my partner and our 9 and 11 year old boys were really excited about learning something new - especially when it's as cool as Snowboarding!

We arrived in good time. There is always plenty of free parking, but it's always wise to leave a good half hour to collect tickets, get kitted out and changed. There are ticket collection machines for those who have pre-booked, then over to collect clothing.

#TBCSmiles... 62 Months

This month saw World Mental Health Day, and this year the theme was Suicide Prevention. Obviously this is something I feel very strongly about, and support, but it made it quite a heavy day to get through.

I wrote a post called Life Goes On for World Suicide Prevention Day in September and I wasn't up for writing another so soon. If you've ever written from the depths of your soul, you'll find it's cathartic, but utterly exhausting. It makes everything clearer when you get all the words out of your head. It puts everything into the right order and stops it swirling so much, but you need a break afterwards to recover. Just like counselling really.

One of the points I saw repeatedly on World Mental Health Day (and know from experience) is that people in the UK simply don't have the early access to care that can make all the difference. If you have a mental health problem, even with a referral to your doctor, you can wait many months to be seen by a professional. Even in crisis you can expect to wait weeks. Individuals carry on suffering or deteriorating until their appointment, and their recovery time will become longer with every week they wait to start treatment. It is inevitably too late for some.

NHS spending on mental health is approximately 1/10th of it's entire £129b budget. Your mental health affects everything else, including how physically well you are, how quickly you recover from illness and how often you are off work or school. It would be good to see this percentage rise, although the NHS as it stands isn't in a position to lose any money anywhere else...

Young Minds have a petition to ask the Government to act more quickly on young people's mental health - please sign it. More children are needing the services and waiting times are going up. For children the wait is even worse because it represents a much larger period of their life. To realise you might have to wait 1/10th of your entire life for help is unfathomable, and clearly dangerous.

Suicide is the biggest killer of our children, it takes more victims than Cancer. We need to make huge changes to society for a permanent improvement, but right now we need to get people the help as soon as they need it.

We can still smile, and we can all pass on our smiles and brighten someone's day. I defy you not to grin when you look at this month's selection of #TBCSmiles. We've had lots of big, bold beams this month - every single one gorgeous. Thank you to everyone who shares their smiles over on Instagram - they make my month and I know they bring joy to others.

Anyone is welcome to join in, you don't need a fancy camera or a million followers, just tag any photo with a smile! We pick out 9 of the biggest for the collage. This month's selection were shared by the following Instagrammers:

Jessa67 / TheMumDiaries / NotMyYearOff

SusanAdair / MemeAndHarri / SusanKMann

HappyMummyBlogs / SuperBusyMum / Over40AndAMumToOne

We had our own smiles too here, mainly courtesy of reviews for Hatching Dragons, Bunch O Balloons and Chill Factore Snowboard Taster Sessions - and an 11th birthday!

Hatching Dragons Toothless - How to Train Your Dragon Toy Review (age 5+) Sent by Spinmaster

Spinmaster's Hatching Dragon arrives as a gorgeous interactive egg and pretty soon hatches into Toothless, from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. We've been sent him to review and he's been a definite hit. Cute, but no too cute...

The packaging does include some single use plastic, but is mainly card and more minimal than I found with toys even this time last year.

Tough Phone Case and Personalised Bluetooth Speaker Review. Sent by My Personalised Case

My Personalised Case make phone cases for a huge range of phones, including the new iPhones, and they can be customised to include your own images and text. They also sell other cases and personalised Bluetooth Speakers and Powerbanks, at very reasonable prices. They have sent me a Tough Phone Case and Personalised Bluetooth Speaker for review.

The website is very simple to use and within a couple of minutes I'd uploaded my chosen image. Be careful which image you choose - annoyingly mine didn't work as a full cover photo because the camera obscures my children's faces! Thankfully there are several layouts to choose from.

You can also add text and other effects including stickers and filters. It's easy to undo your last move and very quick.

Inside The New Søstrene Grene Manchester Store

Last night I was invited along to be among the very first people to check out the brand new Søstrene Grene store in Manchester city centre. I was also allowed to bring home a bag of goodies to show you the kind of products they offer...

Søstrene Grene sell all kinds of homewares, including gifts, cookware and specialist ingredients, craft materials, children's toys, Christmas decorations, prints and frames, cushions and a whole load more to make your home comfortable and attractive.

The layout is very European, spacious and enticing. Immediately you are met with teas, coffees and preserves, and other foods. They even have loose tea by the bag - my OH was ecstatic with his Ginger and Rhubarb. There are lots of quirky, artisan or unusual foods which are very tempting to try.

Ad | Student Nannies - connecting flexible childcare and families (New launch in Manchester).

Student Nannies has recently launched in the Manchester area, with the aim to pair up families needing babysitters with students who have childcare experience and other additional skills to offer.

Imagine a babysitter who can help your child with their science project or maths homework. Someone who can play football, piano or chat to them in Spanish.

Student Nannies are all students looking to earn a little extra to supplement their loans, and all have plenty of proven experience with children, as well as being ID checked and background checked (real-time checks on global Watch Lists, Politically Exposed Persons and Adverse Media).

Every Student Nanny applicant is interviewed by a mum or teacher before they are added to the site and they're quite strict. Among other things the applicant has to have "fluent spoken English, babysitting experience, the ability to think on their feet and a kind, calm manner".

Every time a Student Nanny is employed to look after children, the parents can give feedback, so you can be assured that the person who turns up at your door has been peer-tested and not found wanting. Parents can also ask Student Nannies for references from other parents, and any additional checks Student Nannies have will be shown on their profiles (DBS checks, 1st Aid Certificate, Life Guard qualification etc.).

The Secret Life Of Pets 2 Movie Review and Blu-ray Giveaway

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital Download from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. They've sent us a copy to review and I have a Blu-ray to give away to one of my readers too!

What are your pets doing when you aren't at home?

This heartwarming animated sequel from Illumination, the studio that brought us Despicable Me, Minions and Sing, is also led by a star-studded comedic cast. All of our favorite Pets and their growing families are back in a new chapter which really examines the deep bonds between them and their humans.

The voice cast includes Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio), Kevin Hart (Ride Along Series), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), Jenny Slate (Despicable Me 3), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Lake Bell (Children’s Hospital), Nick Kroll (Sing), Dana Carvey (Wayne’s World), Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Hannibal Buress (Neighbors) and Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live).

Excitingly for me, Harrison Ford takes his first ever role in an animated film as new addition Rooster, the very mature farm dog who they meet later on in the movie.

One Dear World Hearty Hope - Multicultural Doll Review (12m+) Sent for review.

One Dear World are a company I approached because I love their ethos. They create dolls that genuinely represent a diverse range of children - boys and girls from different backgrounds, with different skin tones and hair colours, and One Dear World are also crowd-funding to extend the range to include dolls with disabilities.

We've been sent a doll for review and one of the Fair Trade handmade outfits, which I'll be passing on to a little girl who I know will really appreciate it...

Our doll is Hearty Hope, and her backstory is that she was born in Accra, Ghana and moved to London with her parents. The packaging is mostly unbleached card and she comes with her own little passport. She's 32cm tall and not heavy to hold.

She has beautiful curly hair and dark skin, and when she arrived was wearing a really pretty embroidered white sundress - with bloomers underneath to protect her modesty! The clothes are removable and it was really easy to change Hope.

Bank Attack! Electronic Family Game Giveaway with John Adams Toys

One of the best games we've reviewed this year is Bank Attack! and I'm delighted to have a copy to give away to one of my readers.

Bank Attack! is a cooperative game where 2- 4 players aged around 7+ take the roles of a safe-breaking gang. Work together against the clock in order to steal the cash and if you beat the safe, you bag the gold bullion....

You can play almost instantly and there are no tricky rules to learn. Players work as a team with everyone taking a role. Then you all have to correctly and quickly follow the instructions given to you by The Boss.