Solar System Busy Book, By Busy Books Co - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Busy book/ learning binder 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    2-6 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Any kids who love tactile activities/ solving puzzles/ completing tasks 

Both of my kids have a cute fascination with completing tasks—they love the thrill of solving puzzles, sorting things, and discovering new facts. I’m excited to review the “Solar System Busy Book” from Busy Books Co, an Australian-designed and made activity book that offers a series of delightful learning experiences - perfect for fostering kids’ curiosity and sense of achievement while exploring the wonders of solar system! 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Learn About Solar System: Planets, Moon & Earth's Atmosphere 

I haven’t come across many interactive solar system resources, so this Busy Book is a refreshing addition to our home-learning collection. The kids love rearranging the planets and moon based on their distance from the Sun (we especially LOVE admiring Saturn’s iconic rings). The creative matching exercises have been a hit, helping us learn about celestial objects like satellites, comets, and spaceship. 🚀 We also delved into the moon’s eight phases and the five layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Seriously, who says astronomy is boring? 

(2) Beautifully Illustrated Pages With Solar-System Themed Activities

The book features many more beautifully illustrated pages with solar-system-themed learning activities. It includes letter matching (upper-case planets with lower-case rockets), visual pattern recognition, shape identification, star counting, numbered astronaut puzzle, space shuttle assembly, UFO color matching (with super adorable aliens), “find the other half” robot puzzles, and activities for learning more/less/equal and addition up to 5. This comprehensive binder offers a joyful learning experience. And the special bonding opportunities with the kids? Priceless! 

(3) Great Quality Reusable Busy Book 

The BEST feature about Busy Book - they are REUSABLE! The thick, glossy, double-laminated pages are securely bound with a durable round binder. All removable pieces are equipped with Velcro dots, allowing them to be detached and reattached countless times. Plus, the set thoughtfully includes two extra sheets of replaceable Velcro components. 

(4) Yellow travel Bag For Easy Travel 

I love the yellow travel bag with a zipper—it perfectly fits the lightweight Busy Book for easy travel. The sturdy storage box is a fantastic addition, offering excellent protection for long-lasting use. Simply amazing!

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.busybooks.co/products/solar-system-busy-book

Enjoy the video! 

Acorn Soup - The Tasty Counting Game, By Peaceable Kingdom - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Counting / matching game for toddlers 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    2 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Parents looking for good quality counting/ matching/ cooking game for their little ones. 

“Acorn Soup - The Tasty Counting Game” from Peaceable Kingdom is a delicious game that makes my heart sings! It’s an engaging game and pretend play-set - designed for toddlers, loved by all ages (including the grown-ups!). Thank you VR Distribution - I’m loving this beautiful toy! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Match / Count The Ingredients & Create Your Tasty Soup! 

Included within the round “soup-pot” container are 8 recipe cards, a wooden spoon, 24 wooden ingredients, instructions, and a parent guide. The rules are simple and pretty straightforward - perfect as a “first game” for 2 year-old: simply grab a recipe card, match the ingredients, pour them into the pot, and create a delightful soup for all to share! Just like the “Happy Marshmallow Game” that I previously reviewed, there are a few other suggested ways to play with the included components: sort the ingredients according to types (eg “fruits”, or “things that are green”), create a new soup recipe, sing-it out etc.

(2) Amazing Soup Selections (Including Good Luck Soup!)

I LOVE the soup selections; from refreshing “Summer Soup” with burst of blueberries flavour, “Fall Soup” with a peppery hint of red radishes, “Garden Soup” with white puffball of dandelions, and many more scrumptious choices! My personal favourite is the “Good Luck Soup” - an interesting delicacy made of three-leaf clovers, sweet purple flowers, and a stem of herb. Each recipe is different and brightly illustrated with an adorable name. 

(3) Early Childhood Skills

There are numerous early childhood skills that can be taught with these charming components: counting (from 1 to 3 ingredients), matching (identify the right ingredients), language, fine-motor skills (put “ingredient” on spoon and drop it into the “pot”), following directions, imaginative play, creativity (create a soup and give it a lovely name!). 

(4) Great Quality Components & Storage Container Doubles As Soup Pot 

The components and quality of the game is stunning! I love the storage container that doubles as a soup pot, the vibrant wooden ingredients with pictures on both sides, a realistic-looking and sturdy wooden spoon for mixing and stirring (in perfect size for little hands). The handy parent guide about kid development stage with useful play ideas is a great addition to the set. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.gameology.com.au/products/acorn-soup (Australia) 

https://www.gamesworldsa.com.au/products/acorn-soup (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Jump Jump Joey, By Peaceable Kingdom - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:             Games for toddlers          

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️     

Recommended age:    2 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids that love ACTIONS / parents looking for cute games that focus on gross-motor skills 

What a CUTE game this is! This game is specially-designed for toddlers of around 2 year-old and above. I’m super stoked to be sent a copy of “Jump Jump Joey” by Peaceable Kingdom for review (thank you VR Distribution for providing a copy!) 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Cute Kangaroo Apron + A Lots Of Hopping!  

In this set, you get a cute, wearable kangaroo apron (with a pouch), 12 kangaroo pads, a parent guide, and instructions. To set up, spread the kangaroo pads face-down around a room. Each player jumps to 3 different pads whilst saying “Jump Jump Joey”. Next, turn over the last (third) pad that a player is standing near to. If you see a “Joey” (baby kangaroo), place it in Mama Kangaroo’s pouch (there are 3 Joey cards for you to spot). If you do not land near a Joey, then imitate the action as labeled on the pad. The rest of the 9 pads are essentially “action” cards - each has an action stated with an illustration of a kangaroo performing it (“Wiggle”, “Spin”, and more). Keep hopping and jumping around the room until the players located all 3 Joeys - and then, everyone wins together, as a team! Seriously, how CUTE is this game! 

(2) March, Dance, Wiggle, Spin, & More

I have not seen (or reviewed) many games that focus entirely on gross motor skills. I absolutely LOVE the great selection of “action” cards - the kids are asked to “March”, “Shake A Leg”, “Dance”, “Touch Toes”, “Look Surprised”, “Say ‘Where’s My Joey”, and more. I love that the actions cover a whole range of defined and “free-style” movements - including physical, expression, and verbal movements! I think this will be an excellent first game for our little buddies who enjoy moving, laughing, and having fun. 

(3) More Than One Way To Play 

There is more than one way to play with this set! There are other variations suggested, and feel free to come up with creative ideas to use the amazing contents! What about inventing more kangaroo pads with challenging movements for the older kids? Or play a hide-and-seek game, or treasure hunt where the found objects can be stored in the pouch? The game can be played in a group or solo with a kid. It has great potentials for developing essential skills like listening, following directions, building vocabulary, and more! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Big W (Australia) 

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/jump-jump-joey/ (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

The Happy Marshmallow Game, By Peaceable Kingdom - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Game for toddlers 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    2 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Parents looking for creative, developmental / learning games for toddlers 

This “The Happy Marshmallow Game” from Peaceable Kingdom is designed for “2-year-old” - or so I thought, until I tested it out with my 5 year-old. We laughed so much playing with these pretend sweet treats, incorporating the components into our invented games. We’re loving it, thank you VR Distribution for providing this. 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) A Marshmallow Game To Boost Fine Motor & Social Skills

This is a wonderful toy to boost fine motor skills, learn color matching and counting, practise social skills such as following instructions and taking turns. Using the 2 marshmallow roasting sticks and 12 marshmallows (in pairs for 6 colours) - our little player draws one of the 12 marshmallow cards, finds the right marshmallow that matches the illustration, and threads it on the roasting stick. Each roasting stick can hold up to 4 (to 5) marshmallows on it. Kids can play it solo or cooperatively with a friend to get their 2 campfire sticks ready for a delicious snack! All the components are chunky and designed for little hands. We love the engaging and eye-catching marshmallow theme for a fantastic playtime! 

(2) One Toy - Multiple Ways To Play

The instructions include other ways to play: The 12 Marshmallow cards are perfect for a travel-friendly classic matching / memory game (flip 2 cards face-up one at a time to match a pair); we can build a marshmallow tower with the lightweight pieces, or play “magic wand” with the sticks. We also invented a few more games for my older kids including “Guess The Colours”, and “Order Your Marshmallow” game using the cards as “menu” - which we thoroughly enjoyed! 

(3) Marshmallows With Faces & Cute Expressions

The marshmallow are soft to touch but solid enough to slot into the sticks easily. I really love that each of the marshmallow has a “face” on it with a slightly different expression for each of the 6 designs. I love the sweet, mellow tone of the colours that gives a calm and soothing feel. 

(4) Pretend Campfire & Helpful Parent Guide 

The set also includes 2 pretend flame pieces that can be connected as a “campfire” to enhance the play experience! The included parent guide sets out some useful tips on how to play with a 2 year-old and helpful information about developmental skills from multiple aspects for kids of 24-36 months. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thecoffeeapple.com.au/products/the-happy-marshmallow-game (Australia) 

https://www.boardgamemaster.com.au/products/the-happy-marshmallow-game (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!

Elephant Pull Toy, By Funyards Australia - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Elephant 3D puzzle and pull-toy   

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Young kids, and adults that love vintage-looking wooden toys

There is something magical about a simple, timeless, non-trendy toy that quietly captures your heart in an unassuming way. We were given this “Elephant Pull Toy” for review recently by Funyards Australia (a family owned business located in the beautiful Blue Mountains in New South Wales, specialising in quality wooden toys and educational products). It’s a cute little thing that makes us smile, transcends all ages, and I’m loving the simplicity of it! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) 3D Puzzle & Horizontal "Stacker" Toy - This adorable elephant is a 3D puzzle and a horizontal “stacker” toy. The elephant is made up of four separate parts. The base has rolling wheels on it, and is attached to the rear of the elephant with hind legs, a little yellow roped tail, and two extended long pegs. There are 3 removable and chunky puzzle pieces that can slide into the pegs (the body, front legs, head), and come together to form a complete elephant model. I love the dots of red eyes, the curvy trunk, and the smooth rounded finishes at the corner of the puzzle pieces. The “assembling” process requires some hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, slightly challenging than the usual vertical ring stacker toys in market, but not too overly frustrating for the kids since there are only 3 pieces to be put together. 

(2) Beautiful Pull Toy - This elephant is also a “vintage” pull-toy that can move around the house on its functioning wheels and a long red string attached to a wooden ball. Little Elephant is a faithful companion and quiet friend that can take a walk with the kids, ignites the children’s imagination, provides hours of entertainment in our created small world, and perfect for any new walker learning to take their steps with confidence. 

(3) Sturdy Wooden Material - I also love the sturdy, wooden quality of this little elephant. It’s solid and durable, not too heavy, and I think the craftsmanship is refined and simply beautiful. I love the natural wooden grain and texture that fits well with the design of the elephant. This is a lovely toy for kids, and a classic decorative item at home. 

Sometimes, simplicity is JOY. Nothing beats a minimalist toy that is done right! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Funyards Australia 

Enjoy the video! 

Building Genius Gift Box, by Moluk - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Silicone toys with whimsical design  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids with BIG and UNLIMITED imaginations - there are just so many ways to play with these!  

Moluk is the creator of all things wacky, whimsical, and fun. They are addictively squashy, quirky in an adorable way, and full of character. Today, I would love to share about this “Building Genius Gift Box” - a clever package of Moluk toys, kindly gifted by Divisible by Zero (thank you!). 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Whimsical & Clever - Hix, Mox and Oibo are three playful buddies with inimitable unique personalities. They are awesome on their own, but unbeatable when come together as a team! This set includes 9-piece of Moluk silicone toys - three each of Hix, Mox and Oibo, in 3 different colours (blue, red, yellow). Mox is a ball with ginormous mouth that bites and swallows, a nimble body that rolls and can “fly” across the room like a superhero, two curious big eyes, and constantly surprises us with its many incredible acrobatic talents. Hix (oh Hix!) is a peculiar cone-shaped wizard with two silly eyes. It transforms into multi-shape and configurations with just a press or flip. It can be inverted inside out, folded down, pressed down, stacked on top or half-hidden within one another. And last come Oibo - a rollable, squeezable, squash-able, grip-able cube-like elastic friend - all geared-up for a party! 

(2) So Many Ways To Play! - Together, the team of three creates next-level wonders and endless possibilities! Mox loves hiding within Oibo and balancing itself on the tip of Hix; Hix loves pretending to be a “party hat”, whilst Mox enjoys transforming itself into a funny big nose. They make crazy towers, they find creative ways to hide, they do crazy poses, they tumble down hilariously, and they have the most amazing combined expressions (peeping eyes 👀 , cheeky grin). 

(3) Grow With The Kids - These are awesome tactile, sensory and bath toys that can grow with the kids! They are light weight, easy to be stored away, and travel around with the family. Younger kids can grasp and bounce them around; older kids can sort them by colours and shapes, or stack them up like building blocks. 

(4) Good Material - These cute little guys are made from good grade silicone and are BPA-free, phthalate-free, latex-free. They are durable, dishwasher safe, loved by all ages! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thetherapystore.com.au/building-genius

Enjoy the video! 

KAPLA Book and Colours Set: Green + Yellow, By KAPLA - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden construction planks 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids and adults with BIG imagination and LOVE for building 

If you have been following my reviews for a while, you probably have seen my posts about KAPLA - a construction set consisting of wooden planks, all precisely crafted in the ratio of 15:3:1. We love the natural timber and minimalistic design. But I also love the occasional pop of colours that accentuates the aesthetic expression of the structures. Today, I’m going to share about “KAPLA Book and Colours Set: Green + Yellow”, kindly gifted by Kapla (Australia) . 

Why I love ❤️ this set: 

(1) 40 Coloured Planks (Green + Yellow) - KAPLA is engaging and holds the curiosity of kids as young as two. It also mesmerises the community of KAPLA builders worldwide with its unlimited potential and incredulous wonder! We love to test out the “impossible”, experiment and search for that right “balance”, and watch the unexpected magic when science of engineering meets the charm of visual arts. This set comes with 40 coloured planks in two colours: 20 in olive green and 20 in mustard yellow. I love the “softness” of the colours, the mellow feel that matches and enhances the light timber shade of the original KAPLA planks beautifully. 

(2) Hard-Cover Art Book - We love the hard-cover art book and the inspiring building ideas! My personal favourite is the sea turtle with touch of lovely green and yellow, and the very majestic-looking shell structure that spirals harmoniously upwards in descending size. I also love the “man of messy hair” - gigantic figure with an adorably confusing expression, sitting on a wooden stool. We enjoyed building the unique house on stilts (talk about gravity defying challenge!), a building with slender and pointy roof spire, an enormous butterfly, and other original and unseen-before models in green / yellow colour theme! 

(3) Cardboard Display Box - I LOVE the cleverly-designed cardboard display box with flexible sleeve for the art book and planks. I love how compact, light weight, organised the packaging and storage is. 

(4) Quality & Sustainable Material - KAPLA planks are made from natural and 100% untreated pinewood, ethically sourced from sustainable and renewable forests in Landes, the south west of France. The coloured planks are dyed using food-safe colouring, top notch in quality and craftsmanship. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://kaplaaustralia.com/products/kapla-book-colours-set-yellow-green

Check out my other reviews on KAPLA: 

• KAPLA & Colours Set - Blue + Art Book 
• KAPLA Book and Colours Set - Red + Orange 
• KAPLA 200 Box: 200 Natural Planks

Enjoy the video! 

Australian Vehicles, By Make Me Iconic - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden vehicles 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids that love playing with cars & vehicles (especially unique, rare to find Aussie vehicles!) 

Hands up 🤚 if your kids own at least one of the following: a mini double-decker London bus, a NYPD-styled match-box police car, or a black hackney carriage / taxi cab (I think we have all three in this house 🤣). What I LOVE most about Make Me Iconic is how it always brings “real Aussie stuffs” into the world of toys. Thank you for providing this “Australian Vehicles” set to me for a review. I can’t describe how excited we are to finally own some truly Aussie-styled moveable vehicles with wheels! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Uniquely Aussie Vehicles - This set includes 5 vehicles and each of them is Aussie in every ways! The words “Australian Fire & Rescue” are painted on both sides of the red fire truck, instantly setting it apart from the British or American one. There is an Aussie-invented two-door Ute in stunning orange, with cargo tray integrated with the front passenger body, all in one-piece. The police car is the standard blue and white, completes with blue and red siren lights at the top. There is the green Holden Sandman Panel Van with an Aussie-flag surf-board painted at the top, and the bright red post van specially-designed to deliver “Aussie Mail”. The vehicles are iconic, authentically Aussie, just like what we see on the street! 

(2) Small Lovely Details - I love how Make Me Iconic sprinkles a little sense of humour on the registration plates of each vehicles- it’s “HELP” for the fire truck, “SURFS UP” for the Holden Sandman, “U.BUTE” for the Ute, “POSTIE” for the post van; and my personal favourite, “Call 000” for the police car (how refreshing to finally see an Aussie emergency call number rather than the usual 999 or 911!) 

(3) Wooden Materials - I love the great quality wooden materials, the wheels, the non-toxic paints, and its compliance with Australian toy standards. These are sturdy toys that will last for generations! I also love the organised storage box with cardboard inserts for each vehicle. 

We are loving it, Make Me Iconic ! 

[The review was first written and published in Instagram on 14 December 2021] 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://makemeiconic.com/collections/all-products/products/iconic-toy-aussie-vehicles

Enjoy the video! 

Micki Play World - Monsters, By Micki - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden imaginative play-set 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Any kids that enjoy story-telling and imaginative play with themes! 

We love our toy library! From time to time, we discovered unseen-before gems and fantastic brands. Recently, it was this “Micki Play World - Monsters” from Micki that has captured our fascination, and I can’t wait to tell you more! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Adorable Monster Theme - I have not seen many monster theme play-sets that target young kids before, so this is definitely a delightfully rare find for me! Included within are walls, a felt-material play mat with separable part, magnetic front wall, Halloween-inspired magnetic pieces, a cute single-person car with rollable wheels, a stone, a tree, and 2 figurines to create our tale of “scariness”! I love the symbolic feel of the elements - child-like, non-scary, adorable in all ways! The kids love sticking and re-arranging the magnetic pumpkin, flying-bat, cluster of three eyes, spider, and crescent moon. I love the abstract and simplicity of the shapes - the “ghost” is a white crafted stone with two cute-as-button dotted eyes; the adventurer is made of olive green sculpted rocks, the “tree” is a cone-shaped structure that reminds me of a modern Christmas tree, and I really love the soft grey mat with removable spot of green for some “haunted” touch. It’s easy to get into story-telling mood with these whimsical components and versatile pieces, and we love how the play-set encourages creativity in a simple form! 

(2) Buidable Walls For Different Settings -  I absolutely love the 4 separable and buildable walls that can be mix and match in so many different (and crazy) ways! The grey wall with a non-symmetrical cut-out door is magnetic, the lavender wall is a pop of loveliness, the other smaller grey wall has a fancy window with weird angles, and the fourth wall is a basic wooden piece. All the walls can be easily taken apart and interlocked in a few different arrangements to create a variety of settings, which is such an awesome feature! 

(3) Material & Quality - The play-set is designed in Sweden, and made of durable FSC-labelled wood and felt. 

(4) Expandable Collection - I also love that this set is part of a collection of Micki play-world of different themes, meaning, we can expand the set with more accessories and imaginative settings! 

Where to buy this: 

https://mickiofsweden.com/en/toys/figurines-play-worlds/play-worlds/micki-play-world-monsters/

Enjoy the video! 

KAPLA Book & Colours Set - Blue + Art Book, by KAPLA - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          KAPLA with a touch of BLUE 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: KAPLA fans who want to enhance their collection! 

BLUE - a symbol of freedom, tranquility, calmness, Santorini, and (to my three-year-old girl), the colour of Elsa from Frozen. We love KAPLA and all its fantastic sets, but I’m particular fond of this “KAPLA Book & Colours Set - Blue + Art Book”. 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) KAPLA In Dark & Light Blue - KAPLA is a construction set consists of precisely-crafted planks, all in identical size, in the ratio of 15:3:1. With KAPLA, we can dream BIG, visualise the impossible, from the simplest to the most complex structures imaginable! KAPLA is an art, but also a science. It requires patience, perseverance, and an eye for aesthetic detail; it is also an experiment of weight distribution, gravity, and balance. This set comes with 40 coloured planks in dark blue (20) and light blue (20), completes with an art book. I’m in love with the beautiful shades of blue: the softness of the Arctic blue, and the darker cobalt blue. I love to mix them with the natural planks to give the structures a touch of serenity. These coloured planks are perfect to enhance a variety of models, from snowflakes, night owl, Eiffel Tower, to other soothing blue creations. 

(2) Love The Art Book! - The hard-cover art book and the ideas within are fantastic! I enjoy working with the kids to complete the models - each presents a challenge of its own, and all so satisfying to build and accomplish! We love the blue squirrel with enormous gravity-defying “bush” of tail, the peacock-like creature with spectacular blue “feathers”, a wacky-looking guy with “messy” blue hair, gorgeous geometric structures, and an adorable twin-houses that immediately captured my heart! Each models are artistically inspiring, original and captivating with a seamless blend of blue. 

(3) Cardboard Display Box - I LOVE the cleverly-designed cardboard display box with flexible sleeve for the art book and planks. It’s compact, light weight, organised, and provides easy storage. 

(4) Sustainably & Ethically Made - KAPLA planks are made from natural and 100% untreated pinewood, ethically sourced from sustainable and renewable forests in Landes, the south west of France. The coloured planks are dyed using food-safe colouring, top notch in quality and craftsmanship. 

See my other related reviews: 

• KAPLA Book and Colours Set - Red + Orange
• KAPLA 200 Box: 200 Natural Planks 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

KAPLA Australia 

KAPLA 

Enjoy the video! 

Smart Snack Shape Sorting Cupcakes, By Learning Resources - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Shape-sorting cupcakes 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids that enjoy kitchen / tea party pretend play + sorting fun

Mouth-watering, swirly frosting, sweet sugary cupcakes with vibrancy of colours! What’s not to love? This “Smart Snack Shape Sorting Cupcakes” from Learning Resources is simply irresistible, and it’s more than just a pretend toy for a tempting tea party! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Shape-Sorting Cupcakes - This is a shape-sorting toy in the guise of enticing cupcakes that can be snugly fitted and nestled in a muffin pan with 8 moulds. Each cupcake is made up of a frosting top and a chocolate base, and the two removable pieces can be attached together or pulled apart. Now here comes the exciting part; each of the dark brownish bases has a unique carved-out shapes that can be matched with a specific frosting top; We have circle, square, triangle, rectangle, diamond, hexagon, star, and heart. This is a delicious way to learn about shape-sorting, and train-up fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The matching game is reasonably challenging for young kids, but absolutely doable and satisfying to get right! 

(2) Muffin Pan Design - I also love the classic-looking grey muffin pan with 8 moulds, each of it has a particular protruded shape at the bottom that can be matched with the completed cupcakes. I love that it has another shape-sorting game that can be played in a different way, all within a same toy! I also love that we can neatly arranged and stored the 8 separate cupcakes on a same tray. 

(3) Colourful Cupcakes For Pretend Play - The cupcakes are colourful, bright, with delicious icing swirls that look realistic. They are perfect for a tea party or kitchen imaginative play. We love to design our pretend menu when playing “customer” at our home cafe. We learn about colours and associate them with common flavours that we love (yellow for passionfruit, blue for blueberry, green for mint, and red for strawberry etc). 

(4) Quality - Learning Resources always makes me smile; the toys are generally of good quality, made of plastic but doesn’t look cheap, creative, fun and educational. 

Where to buy this: 

Learning Resources 

Enjoy the video! 

Magnetic Mix or Match - Dinosaurs 2, By Popular Playthings - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Magnetic dinosaurs toy 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Dinosaurs lover + those that can't wait to create some crazy monsters! 

“Mummy, can you take a picture of me with these Crazy dinosaurs? 1, 2, 3, ROAR!”. Well, what can I say? Kids know what they love most the best. Popular Playthings is non-ordinary, sets itself apart with whimsical ideas, and always amazes me when I’m least expecting it. Yes, most of its toys might seem a bit too “plastic” at first glance, but once we start exploring them a bit deeper, they make me SMILE. Today, I’m going to talk about these Magnetic Mix or Match - Dinosaurs 2 that my three-year-old is in love with! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) 15 Magnetic Pieces - The set comes with 15 separable chunky magnetic pieces; when properly match and assemble with logic and common sense, you get four adorable-looking dinosaurs; Ankylosaurus, Brontosaurus, Pterodactyl and Spinosaurus. At my house, we get “silly-saurus”, “crazy-saurus”, “funny-saurus”, and “nonsense-saurus”. The kids are constantly competing to build the most illogical and hilarious-looking creatures. Playing with this toy means non-stop laughters and shouts of “Look at this! Look at this!”. Sometimes, we have multicoloured monster with two heads, sometimes it’s an upside-down jaw, sometimes it’s a strange pair of wings combined with long-neck of Mr Brontosaurus, sometimes the four feet are facing each other in anatomically-impossible way. The combinations are so silly, it’s actually pretty amusing. 

(2) Chunky & Easy To Build - We have been fans of Mix or Match Vehicles sets from Popular Playthings (which use similar concept to allow kids to create the craziest of vehicles), but I find this dinosaurs range even better and much easier to manage by younger kids. They are chunky, REALLY easy to be pulled apart and inter-changed, and the hidden magnetic locking system works well. The pieces look durable and I love how much fun they bring to the kids! 

(3) Matching Puzzle - Of course, the kids can also attach the pieces in “proper order” in accordance with the sharp, bright colours. This is a 3D puzzle, matching game, and good toy for colours identification. Once completed, these dinosaurs can be incorporated into our imaginative Jurassic world creation. You gotta love the versatility! 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/mix-or-match-dinosaurs-2

Enjoy the video! 

Tea Set, By PlanToys - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Wooden teapot set with minimalist design   

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  2 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Young kids that love pretend play + tea party set 

Our two-year-old Missy has a particular fascination with teapots, cups, saucers and anything that can brew and create “simmering hot” beverages. This Tea Set from PlanToys looks “plain” yet different, simple but definitely trendy; and most importantly, Little Missy loves it! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) 13 Pieces Wooden Tea Set - The set comes with 13 pieces for a tea party for two: A contemporary-styled tall teapot with a round lid, a sugar bowl completes with lid, milk jug with handle and a short spout, two tea cups, two saucers, two stirring “teaspoons” (that don’t quite look like any spoon), and two tea bags made of felt material and white thick cotton strings. All of the items were purposely designed in chunky form, with thick rims, and huge knobs on the lids. They are perfect for small little hands and easy for young kids to manipulate. 

(2) Minimalist Design - I think what instantly sets this Tea Set apart from its counterparts in market is its minimalist, “unvarnished” natural feel, and neutral appearance. The tea set has a wooden but smooth softness in it. I love that the tea set has an inviting designer-feel that fits to be displayed as a centrepiece decor. I love the unique, non-painted and a little rustic feel of the tea set pieces. 

(3) Sustainable Material - Typical to PlanToys style, the set is made from environmentally friendly and sustainable rubberwood. The craftmanship is beautifully-done with smooth finishes. PlanToys is well-known for paying close attention to safety standards of their production process, and uses only non-toxic materials in its manufacturing. 

I think this is one durable and lovely tea set that can stand the time to be passed down from one family to the next. 

[This review was first written and published in Instagram on 29 December 2021] 

Where to buy this:

https://www.plantoys.com/products/tea-set

Enjoy the video!