Category Archives: KIDS STUFF

KIDS STUFF, Reviews

NET WORLD SPORTS Rebounder and children’s Cricket Set Review

My children love being outdoors, and they’re very keen on sport. I have to admit I probably don’t encourage them enough.

The older boys have both played cricket at school, and my 8 year old really enjoys it. It’s quite amusing as my only experience with cricket is watching it on television when my Grandpa stayed with us – that’s a long time ago! But my 8 year old in particular seems very keen on cricket, so I guess I’ll be learning about it!

Cricket Set

We were sent the cricket set and a rebounder for review by NetWorldSports.com. I have to admit the cricket set was an instant hit. The boys were straight outside playing together – an hour of play with no fighting I hasten to add!

I like the set as it is brightly coloured so easy not to mislay bits. It’s light enough for them to carry around, but it feels like a proper cricket set. It is definitely a children’s cricket set and not a toy cricket set. The bag to store the set in means we can take the set out to the park or to visit friends – and of course it stores the set neatly!

Rebounder

I had never thought of getting the children a rebounder. But, if you want them to stop bouncing balls off the side of your wall, invest in one now!

The rebounder is great for cricket, tennis, football or rugby practice. The ball hits the elastic net and rebounds towards you, more unpredictable than just hitting a ball against a wall. It almost feels as though the ball is being returned by another player. It’s great as a training aid and doesn’t require another player to play with!

It has been really interesting to watch how much they have used the rebounder. The boys have used it to practice football alot too. My eldest is a keen footballer and he has spent hours kicking the ball from goal to the rebounder and then “saving” it – or trying to! It is double sided, so can be used by two people at once.

The rebounder folds flat so it can be easily stowed or transported, perfect if you have limited space! We love the rebounder and have packed it into the car when we have visited friends. Whether your children are sports mad or just enjoy kicking a ball outside I would thoroughly recommend investing in a rebounder!

KIDS STUFF, Reviews, Uncategorized

DreamWorks Dragons Dawn of New Riders – XBOX One Game Review

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The boys are both avid gamers, and have been fans of How to Train Your Dragon for longer than I can remember. Dragons Dawn on New Riders game has released to tie in with the new film. We were sent a copy of the new game to review, and so I decided to let my 10 year old let you know his thoughts on the game.

Review by B aged 10;

The game is played initially as Scribbler, a new character who hatches and develops a dragon a Chimeragon, called Patch. Later in the game you actually play as Patch – which was amazing as you could stand back in battles but still have force (and who doesn’t want to be a dragon anyway!).

As you go through the game you gain powers. To gain powers you need to complete a temple.The temples are places with puzzles to complete, which unlock doors which eventually lead you to a battle. If you win, your Dragon may evolve which will give it a new power. You can have up to three powers at one time, however you can only use one at a time. You need to select which one is best to use for each challenge.

I like the mix of characters between new and old familiar faces. Especially the new character Scribbler as he’s strong and determined. It’s great that the new dragon Patch evolves. At the end of the game we thought he was going to die, but he has another surprise in store! I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars, it was great fun to play.

Parent View

Graphically I was quite impressed with the game, and I think the boys were too. The puzzles were easy to understand and solving them was fun and straightforward. My 8 year old especially enjoyed the game, as he didn’t find himself getting frustrated! I really liked the fact the game encouraged them to read – as they needed to in order to move on through the game. (My 8 year old is a reluctant reader – so anything to help him is a bonus!) The only thing I would have preferred would have been to add in the option for 2 player so they could play together.

KIDS STUFF

Top 5 Kids Christmas Films

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I’m the first to admit that I’m getting a little excited about our first Christmas as a family of 6! One of our favourite ways to get in the festive mood is watching a Christmas film, and we usually watch a couple after School each week on the countdown to Christmas.

Now, my list is controversial, it doesn’t include many of the great festive favourites we have come to love each Christmas (Elf doesn’t feature…) but it is 5 films which we love as a family – and they may give you some inspiration for the season! So, why not get ready with a cosy blanket, mug of hot chocolate and some popcorn and one of these festive favourites! Continue reading Top 5 Kids Christmas Films →