ConeZilla, By Foxmind - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Educational game for kids 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  6 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids that love to learn through games (and of course, anyone who enjoys a good scoop of yummy ice-cream will find this game appealing!) 

I am a BIG fan of clever and engaging educational games. ConeZilla by Foxmind falls within this category perfectly, and we are so pleased to be given a chance to review this game by Leisure Learning . 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Learn About Number Values & Numerical Order In A Real Fun Game 

This is an awesome game for kids to learn about number values and numerical order. To play this game, each player grabs a delicious-looking starting cone with a flavoured scoop that marked with “1”. Next, spread the rest of the scoop-shaped cards (each marked with one of the numbers from 2 to 49) face-down on a table. Now the REAL fun begins! Players take turn flipping over a scoop, look at the number, and decide if they want to add it on top of their growing cone or flip the card back into place. The objective is to build the most spectacular 10-scoop ice cream with ascending value of numbers (ie the lowest number at the bottom, and highest at the top). Beware: player can only add a scoop that has a number that is superior to the current top scoop (eg. you can’t put a “9” on top of “10”). 

(2) Decision-Making & Memory Game - ALL IN ONE 

Our 7 year-old loves this game and the strategy component hidden within! The rules might sound straightforward, but there are so many decisions and thinking involved to really nail it. First, players need to memorise the position of the cards that have been “passed” and flipped back as we might need the numbers at the later stage of the game. We also need to consistently make quick decisions on whether we want to “add” a number (and risk limiting our future options for scoop), or pass a card (hoping to reveal a scoop with lower value with closer proximity next turn). We are loving the tactical element of this game! 

(3) Game With Deliciously Irresistible Ice-Cream Theme 

Any game with ice cream theme is almost always a guaranteed win for our kids. The design of the game is attractive and deliciously appealing! Our kids love naming their flavours - “Cherry Caramel”, “Maple Syrup Pecan”, “Rainbow Sprinkles”, “Cookies and Cream”, and many more. I love how classic and scrumptious they look! The thick-cardboard scoops are large and easy to be grasped by little hands. I also love the box with compartments to keep everything organised. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/conezilla-memory-game

https://www.thegamesshop.com.au/estore/style/8717344310871.aspx

Enjoy the video! 

Bingo - Connect Four, By Funyards Australia - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden classic game 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Collectors of classic, durable games. 

Chess, Connect Four, Go, Checkers. There is some delightful charm in these games of “perfect information”. All the game pieces, possible actions, next moves are completely open for your opponent’s observation. Nothing is hidden, nothing is concealed. Today, I am going to share about this “Bingo - Connect Four” from Funyards Australia . 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Classic Two-Player Game With Clever Compact Design 

Connect Four is a two-player strategy game, where each player takes turn to drop a ball into one of the columns of a vertical board. The aim is to form a line of four balls of the same colour (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally), whilst trying to “block” your opponent from making a solid 4-in-a-row. I have seen many versions of Connect Four in different sizes, materials, designs, and variations. This set from Funyards Australia is probably the most compact, sturdy, and travel-friendly version I have ever seen. Simply remove the two round wooden button screws / plugs from both sides of the base, set the game-board vertically in the middle of the base, and lock it up using the same wooden screws. Each player can sit face-to-face to each other when playing this game, and I simply love the very handy balls compartment/ tray for each player. The set comes with 49 timber balls - 25 red and 24 green balls. The vertical board is in the classic grid of six-row and seven-column. If you need a reminder of the rules, the set also thoughtfully includes a small instruction sheet for the game. 

(2) Travel-Friendly Game With Removable Vertical Board 

The BEST FEATURE that I love most: the vertical frame and the balls can all be stored and folded away neatly in a small, travel-easy size of 15.50×19.50×2.80cm. The base and the removable board are each marked with a red spot (the two red dots should be positioned right beside each other when the board is folded down). Insert the two screws, and now the game is good to go! 

(3) Solid Rubber Wood Material & Awesome Quality 

I love the solid rubber wood material - from the base, board, screws, to the timber balls. This set is built for long-lasting play and will definitely stand the test of time. I love how precise and smooth the craftsmanship is, and how everything come and fit together so beautifully! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Funyards Australia 

Enjoy the video! 

Kanoodle Gravity, by Educational Insights - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Travel-friendly logic puzzle   

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids + adults who love logic puzzles, especially one with colourful components + travel-friendly compact design. 

I have tested out quite a few packing puzzles in the past, but I have not seen many that were done “vertically” like this “Kanoodle Gravity” from Educational Insights . Thank you Clover Street for providing this amazing logic thinking game for review! 

Why I love ❤️ this set: 

(1) Unique Vertical Game That Challenge Your Sequential Thinking 

I love the uniqueness of this puzzle that challenges us to think “sequentially”. Unlike most of the 2D packing problems where the objective is to fit the pieces onto a tray on a flat surface, this “Kanoodle Gravity” is in 3D form with standing board. The set comes with 10 puzzle pieces of 7 different shapes (the smallest being a single cube, and the largest pieces are formed by 5 cubes arranged in different configurations). The vertical board reminds me of the classic “Connect Four” game where players take turn to drop a coloured token into a vertically suspended grid. To start a “Kanoodle Gravity” game, players select a challenge, set up the board as shown, and use the remaining pieces to complete the puzzle. The aim is to fit all and the entire puzzle pieces into the vertical board, without any part or corner sticking out from the tray. In other words, apart from figuring out where all the pieces should go, we also need to get the sequence right (ie which piece to drop first and which one goes next). The “order” of things plays a determinative role in the solution! 

(2) 40 Puzzles In Progressive Difficulties - A Game For All Ages 

The set includes 40 puzzles in progressive difficulties. The “starter level” has more pieces in place during set-up, and the advanced challenges show fewer clues. I love that the puzzles cover a whole range of skills and ages - my four-year-old can solve the first few beginner puzzles, but the last few puzzles are challenging even for adults! I also love that this game can be play solitarily, or competitively with another player. 

(3) Colourful Components With Compact & Travel-Friendly Design 

I love the bold and colourful puzzle pieces - visually appealing, chunky enough to be handled by little hands, and I love the waffle-like design with grooves. I also love how compact and travel-friendly this game is. The vertical board can be removed from the stand, and flat-packed with the base to turn into a carrying case. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thetherapystore.com.au/kanoodle-gravity

Enjoy the video! 

Scribbly Gum, By Joey Games - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Family board game  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  6 year-old ++   

Who would love this: This is an all ages game with fun strategy element, for one player OR a big group of players. 

I have been reading so much great things about Joey Games. I was super excited to test out “Scribbly Gum”, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it! Thank you Joey Games for providing a copy for review! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Strategy Game With Awesome "Flip & Write" Mechanism 

We find the “flip and write” mechanism to be really refreshing! The game reminds me of Pac-Man (racing around a maze and eating up dots) and my childhood’s paper-and-pencil games. Scribbly Gum incorporates the beauty of the classic, and elevates it with amazing components. To play this game, each player gets a sheet off the tree diagram pad. Shuffle the 8 movement tiles, set out 7 face-down in a row. On each turn, a tile is flipped over, and player draws a line starting from a filled-in circle leading to another circle to “capture” an icon, by following the direction given on the tile (Up, Down, Left, Right, Dotted Line etc). The aim is to “capture” as many full sets of meal as you can (each meal is made up of 3 icons (nut, leaf, blossom). There are also “water droplets” which are “wild”, icon on meal tracker that gives an extra move, double or triple icons to be captured in one go, Achievement Tiles with extra points to be earned when certain conditions are achieved (eg when all circles at bottom row is filled-in etc). The game is played over 3 rounds, and the player with the highest cumulative score wins. I love the strategy element in this game! 

(2) A Uniquely-Designed Game With Aussie-Theme  

The design is based on the iconic squiggly trails created by moth larvae burrowing below the outer bark of eucalyptus trees. I love the way Joey Games uses tabletop games to celebrate the people, plants and wildlife of Australia. 

(3) 1-Player Game / OR Play In A Big Group 

This game can be played by 1 person, or an entire classroom of players! The game comes with a thick pad of sheets (over 100 pages), and the website also provides a printable digital version for us to entertain a large crowd of players! 

(4) Made Of Sustainably Managed Materials 

Joey Games are manufactured using 100% renewable energy, sustainably managed materials, with no plastic shrink wrap. Additionally, 1% of the profit will be donated to a nonprofit organisation that supports local indigenous communities. I’m loving it! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://joeygames.com.au/scribblygum

Enjoy the video! 

Nacho Stack! , By Professor Puzzle - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Family board game  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  8 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Nacho lovers / strategy game lovers/ board game lovers - ANYONE! 

This game is a LOVE at first sight - I just can’t resist a game with crunchy tortilla chips and burst of flavoursome toppings. Nacho Stack! by Professor Puzzle is a delicious stacking game that instantly appeals to our family - thank you Jedko Games, this is scrumptiously awesome! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Game With Deliciously-Clever Nacho Theme 

I LOVE the clever Nacho theme! In the set, you will find 59 nacho cards, 9 jalapeño tokens, a game die, and instruction. To sum up the game in one line: you balance the nacho chips on the rim of the box (the “bowl”) and you remove them one-by-one with the steadiest of hands. Most of the nachos are saucy nachos - you will see a “colour code”, matching symbol and a score (ranges from 3 to 5) at one of the corners of the triangular chips. There are nachos dipped in green guacamole (yum!), brownish refried beans, bright red salsa, orange melted cheese, white sour cream. There are also nachos with a big spicy jalapeño symbol in the middle, and 9 jalapeño tokens to go with them. At the reverse side of each chips, you will see the “smashed-up” design and a score of either 0 or -1. 

(2) A Bit Of Jenga, Skills & Luck - Nacho Stack! Has Them All 

The game is divided into two parts. First stage involves players taking turn to balance a chip on the rim of the “bowl” with the saucy side facing outwards. One condition: no chip with the same sauce is allowed to overlap or touch each other. Second stage involves players rolling a dice, and do a “Jenga” by removing the right saucy chip without crashing the entire stack. Each chip collected would earn the player the stated point, but if any nachos fall off the bowl, they are smashed and points might be deducted (depending on whether it’s a “0” or “-1” card). I love the good mixture of luck and skills in this game; you need good hand-eye coordination, a good judgment to pick the best located chips with most valuable points, and a good sense to use the weight of jalapeño token to steady the stack. 

(3) Awesome Quality Components + Travel-Friendly Game 

We are impressed with the Nacho chips; not only because they look delicious, these chips have the perfect thickness and sturdiness to use in a balance game. We also love how compact and light weight the game is. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.gamesmen.com.au/nacho-stack-cheesy-stacking-card-game (Australia)

https://www.metrohobbies.com.au/products/nacho-stack-game (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Kraken Attack, by LOKI - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Family board game  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids who love board games - especially one with COOL pirate theme & strategy elements

Oh the JOY whenever we discovered a fabulous board game that makes us want to do a celebratory dance! Kraken Attack by LOKI checks ✅ all the boxes of what our family loves! Thank you VR Distribution - another amazing recommendation!

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Board Game With A BIG Mission - Defend Your Ship Against Kraken Attack! 

I love a game with “important” mission that makes us feel like we’re part of a BIG adventure. Our crew of little buccaneers work together to defend their ship against the tentacles and Kraken monster! First, position the pirates at 4 quadrants of the ship, each guarded by two ship’s rails. Throughout the game, players roll the dice and watch the 8 tentacle figures moved closer to the ship, ready to tear away the wall and slam a hole to the ship. But fear NOT, our pirates are all gear-up for a battle; On each turn, players choose one of two face-up cards that allows them to launch a mixture of attacks (saber, pistol, cannon, wild) or repair a hole. “Funny face” on a card angers the Kraken and causes the aggressive creature to move closer towards the ship, until it eventually unleashes its full wrath and makes its way to the ship board. This will bring the dice total to six! The game ends when the ship suffers damage of 4 holes, or when players manage to place 3 attack tokens on the Kraken figurine. 

(2) Cooperative Game With A Mix Of Skills & Chance 

I love that this is a cooperative game that excites both kids and adults. There is a good mixture of luck (eg if you roll a dice with “eye” icon, every tentacles of matching colour move forward) AND strategy (players to decide which mode of attack to use and in what sequence). We love the “special abilities” of each pirate - for example, Samuel can ignore the unlucky “Eye” icon on the dice, Billy can fire a Cannon and push back all tentacles in Cannon zone on the same side of board etc. We also love elevating the challenge with “Whirlpool” tokens that can send the Tentacles and Kraken quicker to the ship. 

(3) Awesome Components, COOL Artwork, & Amazing Storage Box 

The components and the storage box are awesome! The tentacles are whimsical, the Kraken is pure glorious, the ship’s rails are sturdy and fun, the wooden pirate tokens are adorable. I love the quality and the engaging artworks! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.kidstuff.com.au/products/loki-kraken-attack

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/kraken-attack/

Check out more reviews on LOKI games here: 

• Detective Charlie, By LOKI 
• Carla Caramel, By LOKI 

Enjoy the video! 

LaQ Mystical Beast Wyvern, By LaQ - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          LaQ building kit 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  5 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Any LaQ fans/ or any kids who enjoy building toys 

If I have to vote for an all-time favourite, highly-recommended, must-try building toy, it’s gonna be LaQ . LaQ is innovative, made-in-Japan, and elegantly-designed - it’s a building toy with just 7 basic parts that can make gorgeous structures of all-types! Today, I’m going to share about LaQ Mystical Beast Wyvern set, kindly gifted by LaQ (Australia) for review. 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) LaQ Kit With Instructions To Build 5 Mystical Creatures  

I have tested out quite a few LaQ sets, and my favourite has always been their “live creature” kits; from exciting dinosaurs, venomously dangerous animals, to legendary mystical beasts that captured the imagination of generations - LaQ is fantastic component to create amazing models! I love how spectacular the models look using LaQ unique cursive joints, modular flat pieces, clever connection techniques, and special Hamacron parts (wheels and shafts). The Mystical Beast Wyvern set includes 260 pieces, 4 special Hamacron parts, and an instruction booklet to build 5 impressive-looking and interchangeable magical creatures - Wyvern, Chinese Dragon, Hippogriff, little Wyvern and a Salamander Dragon. 

As usual, LaQ captures the distinguished features and essence of these beautiful creatures: two-legged Wyvern with its majestic wings and sharp black claws, Hippogriff with its half-eagle and half-horse appearance, and my personal favourite the powerful Chinese Dragon with its long wavy body in lucky red. They are impressive-looking, formidable in their own distinctive way! 

(2) LaQ Kit- Intermediate Difficulty Level, Suitable for 5 Year-Old ++ 

My 7 year-old (a LaQ lover who has avidly constructed many models in the past) loves that this set is not too difficult to build and the models are relatively fast to complete. In term of difficulty level, the models are probably in the range of easy to intermediate, with not too many challenging techniques. This set is just right for the recommended age of 5 year-old ++. 

(3) Compatible with Other LaQ Kits - Potential To Expand! 

As usual, all LaQ kits are compatible with each other. We can supplement the set using LaQ pieces from other LaQ kits (like what we’re doing here!). We love the expandable potential, and how we can always “spice up” the models using other attractive LaQ colours if we like!

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

LaQ (Australia) 

Check out my reviews on other LaQ medium-size sets: 

• Dinosaur World Tyrannosaurus, By LaQ
• Buildout Robot Alex, By LaQ
• Buildout Robot Lapis, By LaQ
• Mystical Beast Griffin, By LaQ
• Dinosaur World Triceratops & Pteranodon, By LaQ
• Animal World Venom, By LaQ 

Enjoy the video! 

Architecto, By Foxmind - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Puzzle with 3D building blocks 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Anyone who enjoys a puzzle challenge, especially an advanced-level kind 

I didn’t think much of Architecto by Foxmind at first - after all, it’s just a usual “matching puzzle”, using geometric blocks to build 3D structures that replicate a range of 2D images. How HARD could that be, right?  As it turned out - this game is SUPER, unexpectedly challenging! Thank you Leisure Learning for providing a copy of review! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) An Advanced-Level, Challenging Puzzle With 18 Geometric Blocks 

In this set, you will find 18 geometric blocks, and a puzzle booklet with 50 challenges. The rule is pretty straightforward - construct the structures based on the illustrated images, using the type and number of Geoblocks indicated in a window at the bottom of each puzzle page. I have done a few similar puzzles in the past where younger age-group was the target audience; Architecto is the most deceptive puzzle I have ever done - it “feels” simple, but each challenge pushes us to revisualise the final model, and look at those seemingly ordinary blocks from different angles and perspectives. There is no timer, rival, or judge for this game. The process is captivating, rewarding, and you can do it solitarily or share the joy with a team. 

(2) Think Beyond The Surface!  

I love that this puzzle encourages us to “think outside the box” and beyond the “surface”. Two triangular prisms can be combined to form a “cube”. An arch and semicircle are more than just their curvy appearance; put them together to transform the blocks into rectangular form! We also learned how to “hide things” behind visible blocks, and position two trapezoids at right angle to form a “L” shape. And if things get too frustrating for your liking, start your free-form creative play, and build whatever your imagination leads you! 

(3) Challenges Grouped In 6 Different Levels of Difficulty  

I love that the challenges are colour-coded and arranged in 6 different levels of difficulty. I love that this game covers a wide age, skill and experience range. Solutions are provided at the last few pages of the booklet. 

(4) Sturdy & Light Weight Building Blocks 

The plastic blocks are light weight, and I’m loving the bright, bold orange colour! I love the good-size booklet with pages combined with spiral binder, and the very sturdy storage box that keeps everything organised and neat! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/architecto

Enjoy the video! 

Creagami - Dragon Origami Kit, By CreativaMente - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Origami kit   

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: origami lovers / anyone who loves to challenge their paper-folding & crafting skills 

I’m in love with paper engineering: I love the wisdom behind the folding mechanism and the dynamic structures. Creagami by CeativaMente has always been one of my favourite craft sets. Today, I would love to share about “Creagami - Dragon Origami Kit”, kindly gifted by Divisible by Zero. 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Revealing The Mystery Behind Modular Origami 

This set includes craft paper sheets (black and red) with perforated lines which can be separated into numerous tiny pieces. To build this incredible dragon, you need to first fold-up 463 modular paper units. Sounds daunting? Fear not! Each unit required only a few quick (3 seconds or less) folds to assemble. The papers have pre-scored lines that make the actual folding a breeze. The included illustrated guide shows us the simple steps of this basic unit folding, and there is also a YouTube video with step-by-step guide on this. 

(2) Step-By-Step Video To Build & Construct A Dragon  

Once the individual units are done, the REAL FUN begins! First, scan the QR Code which will lead you to the step-by-step video for the dragon-construction process. I had great fun learning the different slotting / inserting techniques from the video and the instruction guide (normal, inverted, insert, empty pocket, double tip etc). It was a humbled and therapeutic process to watch the dragon comes to life, bit by bit - starting from the body, the powerful tail, the interesting scales, the legs, a majestic pair of wings, the neck, and finally, the head. Whilst my crafting-skill sure has plenty of room to improve, I think the dragon is a stunning beauty. It took me 2 half-days to complete the construction, and believe me, the efforts really paid off! The set also comes with two googly eyes that give the dragon a little “comical” and loving expression. I think modular origami is a mastery of art sprinkled with fairy magic. It’s a repetitive, sophisticated, incredible 3D masterpiece. 

(3) Cool Interlocking Techniques & Premium Material 

The interlocking technique gives tension and sturdiness to the model. The product is made in Italy, nicely packaged in a cardboard box. The craft paper has a velvety touch of premium “silkiness” in it, and I love the classy paper appearance of the finished model. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thetherapystore.com.au/product/creagami-medium/

Check out my other reviews on Creagami: 

• Creagami - Ladybug Origami Kit 
• Creagami - Penguin Origami Kit 
• Creagami - Butterfly Origami Kit 

Enjoy the video! 

Little Lights Monkey Lamp, By Little Lights - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden home decor with LED lights  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  3 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Anyone- this is a functional, lovely, durable home item that will last for generations! 

Something playful, heart-warming, and exciting has just arrived in Australia. Today, I’m going to tell you about Little Lights , the latest joyful addition to our home that genuinely captured my heart (thank you Oskar's Wooden Ark for providing this Little Lights Monkey Lamp for review!) 

Why I love ❤️ this set: 

(1) Adorable Little Monkey With Warm LED Light 

Little Monkey is curious, inquisitive, ready for mischief. He has that cheekiest expression and an adorable look that makes my heart sings. I love the streak of hair that stands at the top of Little Monkey’s head, the long “S” shaped curvy tail, and two big ears extending to both sides. The most exciting part? Little Monkey is more than just an ordinary cute-looking decor, it’s a functional lamp with warm LED light of low energy-consumption. It’s a fun companion to our kids’ bedroom, a cleverly-designed home decor that can be placed in any nursery room, bedside tables, or hung on the wall. 

(2) Handy Remote With "Dimmer" To Adjust Brightness & Easy "Timer" Setting

I LOVE the handy remote that comes with the Little Lights set. The remote serves as a “dimmer” and “timer”; There are buttons to adjust the brightness, and pre-set modes of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% for quick, easy, and immediate light adjustment. I love that the feature allows us to create the perfect atmosphere for different purposes - brightest setting for bedtime reading, gentle light for story time, or a soft ambience for sleep time. We also really love the timer feature; With just one click of button, we can set a timer for 30, 60 or 90 minutes for the lamp to turn off automatically by itself. 

(3) Handmade From 100% Natural Pinewood 

This beautiful light is handmade from 100% natural pinewood at a workshop in Krakow, Poland. It’s solidly-made, meticulously-carved and polished, and hand-painted in a range of delightful colours with precision. This is a durable piece of home item that would last through childhood, and remains for many generations to come. 

(4) Diverse Range Of Little Lights Designs For Selection 

Little Lights has a diverse selections of inspiring and playful light designs, from magical unicorn, rainbow, hot air balloon, race car, wild orange fox, baby penguin, and more. They are one-of-a-kind, beautifully-unique. There’s sure a Little Lights belongs to each of us. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.oskarswoodenark.com.au/collections/little-lights/products/little-lights-monkey-lamp-jungle-brown

Enjoy the video! 

Wooden Desk Calendar, By Funyards Australia - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden desk calendar with adjustable dates 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Highly recommended to anyone who loves physical calendar & anything vintage in design 

I’m a “vintage wall calendar” person - it’s a piece of essential item at home that I always find it to be irreplaceable, even with the invention of iPhone or any technology device. Funyards Australia recently sent us this “Wooden Desk Calendar” for review, and, can I just say this: if you are looking for something sustainable, physical, and elegant to keep-track of date, this is a MUST-HAVE. 

Why I love ❤️ this item: 

(1) Artistically-Designed & Created Wooden Desk Calendar  

This “Wooden Desk Calendar” is heart-meltingly beautiful, artistically-designed and created, with a hint of sophistication. But it’s more than just a piece of decorative item. I love that it’s functional and fits its purpose as a perpetual and reusable calendar, faithfully showing us the most current date, and is expected to last for many years to come. The set includes a display base, two large cubes, and three rectangular blocks. The two large cubes show the “date” (numbered day) - each of the surface of its side displays a single number painted in black. The rectangular blocks show the “month” - with each lateral face displaying the name of one of the 12 months in a year. The design is cleverly-executed: once the wooden cubes and rectangular blocks are arranged properly on the base, only the relevant and the most current day and month are viewable from the front. The set has no pre-printed year, so we can reuse the calendar year-after-year, making this an eco-friendly choice. 

(2) Perpetual, Functional & Educational Wooden Calendar 

Personally, I think this is a best tool to familiarise the kids of day and month, and to demonstrate how calendar works. My 7 year-old enjoys flipping the blocks, adjusting and changing the date every morning. He loves “announcing” the date out loud to mark the start of the day. This Wooden Desk Calendar is educational, useful, keeping the home “up-to-date” (literally), and is easy-to-manage. 

(3) Wooden Decor Made Of Quality Material & Craftmanship 

I love the solid wooden material of this calendar set - durable, precise craftsmanship, with smooth finishes. I also love the two natural and different timber shades for the cubes and the rectangular monthly blocks. This calendar set is a stylish decorative item, with a lovely feel, and rustic touch in appearance.

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Funyards Australia 

Enjoy the video! 

Super Blocks, By GiiKER - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Technology-driven, screen-free puzzle game 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  6 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids and adults - this game will keep you busy for hours! 

Seriously, I can’t choose which I love more: GiiKER Super Slide or Super Blocks? Both of them have an irresistible retro feel, and offer so much more beyond the limited features of traditional, physical games. Today, I am going to share about our latest ultimate favourite - Giiker Super Blocks! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Device With Over 1000 Puzzles Included! 

This is a packing puzzle that isn’t constrained by the fixed shape of a physical game board. Included within are 16 blocks of different shapes, 4 each in 4 colours (red, green, yellow, blue). To start the game, switch on the device by pressing the red power button; the indicator at the upper left area would display the coloured blocks that a player would need to complete a challenge. Next, position the blocks to cover the illuminated areas on the board. The BEST part? There are a total of 1000 (!) challenges, starting from the easy “single colour” challenge, to the more  daunting level involving multi-coloured blocks. I love that it is technology-driven, but screen-free; it’s a smart electronic gadget, but retains an old-school Nintendo look. This game will provide hours of fun, to all ages, for many years to come! 

(2) Technology-Driven Puzzle Game With Smart & Innovative Features  

Super Blocks has many innovative and smart features, such as “Learn Mode” (a helpful step-by-step guide of a puzzle when you are stuck); a “challenge timer” (race against the time to complete a puzzle). We can also skip a challenge, mute the sound, and enjoy the celebratory flash of lights when we successfully completed a challenge. The feature that I love the most: when you place a block correctly, the lights underneath will flash once to confirm; but if you place it wrongly, the lights underneath will flash continuously. How cool is that? 

(3) Solid Puzzle Blocks With Pegs For Easy Handling 

I love the design of the solid blocks, each with at least one longer pegs to make the blocks easy to be removed from the board. They snap onto the board securely, and I love the holes design that allows LED light to shine through. 

(4) Portable Game Board Of Handheld Size 

I love the portable handheld size of the game board. I especially love the drawstring carrying bag that makes travelling with this game (together with all its components) a breeze! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://giiker.com/en-au/products/super-blocks (Use Discount Code: 60SREVIEW for 15% off) 

Check out also my review on GiiKER Super Slide here: https://www.60secondstoyreview.com/2023/07/super-slide-by-giiker-review.html

Enjoy the video! 

Kanoodle Jr, By Educational Insights - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Logical thinking game for 4 to 7 year-old      

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  4 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Young kids who are ready for a next-level logic challenge! 

We LOVE logic puzzles - from matching challenges, logic and deduction, path-connecting, to solving packing problems of all forms. There are not many logic puzzles with young kids as target audience, so I’m really glad to have discovered Kanoodle Jr by Educational Insights (thank you Clover Street for providing a copy!). 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Logical Thinking Puzzle Designed For 4 - 7 Year-Old 

This is a logical thinking puzzle designed for the age range from 4 to 7 year-old, which is just perfect for my two kids! In it, you will find 6 coloured blocks in different shapes - made up of either 3, 4 or 5 squares. There is also a challenge booklet with 60 challenges. To start the game, select a puzzle and slide the booklet into the case. The puzzle images would show through the square openings of board (which makes it visually easy for kids to match and solve). Next, place the blocks by laying them flat on the puzzle tray. Solutions are provided. I love the kid-friendly design. The challenges are grouped in 5 levels of difficulty (from one to five stars). My four-year-old was able to solve most of the puzzles of 1 to 3 stars, but she struggled with the the harder ones. 

(2) 3 Types Of Puzzles Included 

I love the variety of the puzzles. They are 3 types of puzzles included; The first 40 challenges are “Colour-Matching Puzzle” - where player is required to arrange all 6 blocks to match the coloured icons. Challenges 41 to 50 are “Path Puzzle” - where player needs to select the correct blocks to cover the coloured icons, but leave the space above the “path” (grey icons) and the two circled objects empty. The third puzzle (challenges 51 to 60) are “Wall Puzzle” where we use selected blocks to create a “wall” between two objects/ animals (eg dogs and cats). 

(3) Chunky & Colourful Game Components For Young Kids 

I love the chunky pieces and the grooves on the blocks (they remind me of waffles). The pieces are easy to be handled by little hands, and the bright cheerful colours are naturally appealing to younger kids. 

(4) Compact & Travel-Friendly Game 

I also love how compactly packed this game is. All the pieces and the booklet can be stored securely within the puzzle board with a lid (which can be transformed into a cute carrying case). This is an ideal travel game! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thetherapystore.com.au/kanoodle-jr (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!