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! 

Micronimo, By Laboludic - REVIEW

Nature / Type:            Board game/ card game  

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  

Recommended age:    6 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Kids/ adults that love strategy card games with unique theme 

Micronimo from Laboludic is a unique insects-inspired, richly illustrated, and eye-catching card game that would guarantee captured the hearts of many big fans of miniature creatures/ insects. Thank you Divisible by Zero - this is another awesome game that we truly enjoy! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Strategise & Plan - Catch & Pair The Insects To Win

This game includes 90 cards and 1 rule booklet. The aim is to earn the most points by “catching” and collecting insects in pairs of identical cards whilst observing certain conditions to maximise scores. First, select an objective card out of 8 (each card has certain “conditions” that, if met, can either earn a player extra points or get their points deducted). Deal 2 insect cards to each player. On each turn, place face-up in the centre of table (“trap area”) as many pairs of cards as the number of players, plus one additional pair (eg in a 2-player game, we will place 3 pairs of cards). Each player takes turn to select a visible pair of cards to add to their hands. Next, strategise and decide how you want to arrange your cards into “pairs” of identical insect, and place them in columns according to insect-types. The game ends when the draw pile of insect cards is empty. Points are then calculated to determine the winner. 

(2) 8 Objective Cards for A Variety Of Conditions & Challenges 

I love that the 8 objective cards feature a variety of conditions, making each game a fresh challenge in itself. For example, there is a card that will award a player additional 2 points when at least one pair of each accessories are collected (as shown on the insect cards). There is another card which will take away 2 points from a player with the most beetles in collection. I love the replayability and strategy element. We can also increase the complexity by using 2 objective cards. 

(3) Unique Insects Theme & Appealing Artwork 

I love the unique insects theme (featuring 5 insect types: Bee, Ant, Butterfly, Beetle, and Dragonfly). The set also includes 9 Joker Cards (that can represent any of the 5 insects). Some of the insect cards also features an accessory (handheld magnifying glass, butterfly net, or tweezers). I love the colourful and appealing artwork. This is a delightful strategy game for kids and adults. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.childplay.com.au/products/laboludic-micronimo-card-game (Australia) 

Mind Games - Geelong (Australia) 

Check out more reviews of card games from Laboludic 

• Spy Kid, By Laboludic 
• Kezao, By Laboludic 
• Coco Candy, By Laboludic 

Enjoy the video! 

Coco Candy, By Laboludic - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:             Board game/ card game         

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    5 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids that love speed games (plus candies!) 

We love bringing Coco Candy from Laboludic around with us - it’s a travel-friendly, compact game that’s sweetly irresistible and tastily fun!  Thank you Divisible by Zero for providing a copy! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Deliciously Enticing Observation + Speed Game 

The enticing game box contains 54 double-sided, richly illustrated cards. One side of the cards features 8 sweet treats on white background, and the reverse side presents a “challenge” with conditions to fulfil. Using a “traffic light” red and green system, you will see images of 1 to 2 treats in a green frame (the “must have”) and 1 treat in a red frame (the “must not have”). To set up, spread all the cards with the 8 sweet treat images face-up on the table. Now, turn over a random card to its challenge side and observe the conditions. For example, it might show a banana and pink candy in green zone, and a strawberry in red zone - players then race to locate a card that satisfies both conditions (i.e a card that has both banana and pink candy BUT without a strawberry). The first player who spotted the right card wins the Challenge Card. The next round starts immediately by a player flipping over another random card. The BEST thing about this game: its rules are almost self-explanatory and super easy to explain (within seconds, literally), and everyone “gets it” quickly and can join the play at any stage, regardless of age. 

(2) Adorable Candy Theme With Sweet Selections 

We LOVE the adorable candy theme! Apart from the healthy fruit selections, there is also a red candy dispenser, lollipop, two-tier cake with candles, ginger bread man, chocolate donut with rainbow sprinkles, ice cream and cone with a cherry on top, and many more heart-melting treats!

(3) A No-Dull-Time Game For All Ages & Skills 

I love that the challenges suit all ages and skills, with no dull time. Some of the challenge cards present one sweet treat on each green and red zone, and some are slightly tougher with two treats in one zone. We can also add on the intensity by imposing penalty (return a won card) when a player made a mistake (eg pointing to a wrong card)! This is a great game to improve reflexes, observation, and concentration - all in the midst of laughter and non-stop giggles! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://kinderplay.com.au/products/coco-candy-game (Australia) 

https://www.dragonflytoys.com.au/products/coco-candy-game-by-laboludic (Australia) 

Check out more reviews of card games from Laboludic 

• Spy Kid, By Laboludic 
• Kezao, By Laboludic 

Enjoy the video! 

iL Concerto, By Londji - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Board game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  This is a creative board game / memory game perfect for any music lovers! 

Londji iL Concerto is a rare find - It’s a unique memory game that heroes the world of music. If you have a little aspiring musician in your home, this game is a must-have! Thank you Antipoda Co for providing a copy. 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Challenging Memory Game - Play With 36 OR 24 Cards 

The set includes 36 playing cards (25 instruments, 7 jokers, 4 action cards), 20 ensemble cards with music bands and its allocated points, 4 “silence” tokens, and 24 coordinating tokens. First, we place all 36 playing cards face-down in grid form. Each player selects an ensemble card. Player takes turn to flip over a playing card; if it’s an instrument card that matches the ensemble card, they continue to flip over another card until a mistake is made, OR until a player has found all the relevant instrument cards (and when that happens, the player can keep the card for final scoring!). The game ends when all players have collectively completed 10 ensemble cards. The player with the most points is the winner. This game is no easy feat and really pushes your memory skill to the max (imagine having to memorise the position of all 7 instrument cards in Septet band with no mistake!).There is also an easier play variant with just 24 cards if you want to start “easy”. 

(2) Interesting Music Theme With Wide Variety Of Instruments / Bands 

I LOVE the variety of instruments and music genres featured: from classic String Quartet (cello, viola, 2 x violins), playful Brass Quintet (tuba, 2X trumpet, trombone, horn), and iconic Raggae band (e-guitar, e-bass, trumpet, congo, drums). I love the “hint cards” that help us identify a music instrument and its “joker” group - eg piano in the “keyboard” group, oboe within the “woodwind” group. 

(3) Joker Cards + Action Cards 

Apart from the joker cards that can represent an instrument within the same “family”, there are also action cards for special advantage: “Spy” to take a peek of any face-down card, “Coordinates” to mark a card of interest, “Silence” to freeze a card, and “One More” for a second chance! 

(4) Eco-Friendly + Made In Barcelona  

This game is made of recycled cardboard and paper, packaged in a sturdy cardboard box. It is manufactured and designed in Barcelona, and conforms to international safety standards including EN71. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Antipoda Co 

Check out my reviews on other Londji games: 

• Goodnight, By Londji
• Cluck, Cluck! The Fox! - Pocket Game, By Londji  
• Climb The Mountain, By Londji 
• Win Win Winter, By Londji 
• Postman Observation, By Londji 
• "Where Is The Cheese?" Pocket Version, By Londji 
• Save The Cat, By Londji 

Enjoy the video! 

Paper Family, By Londji- REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Paper dolls 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    3 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Kids who enjoy dressing-up/ fashion/ paper activities  

“Paper Family” from Londji brought back sweet nostalgic memories: the time before Barbie came into my life, the unforgettable years where I spent hours cutting out dresses from magazines and playing fashion shows with paper dolls. Thank you Antipoda Co - this touches my heart. 

Why I love ❤️ this set: 

(1) 4 Cardboard Dolls + 20 Paper Costumes

“Paper Family” pays tribute to the classic paper dolls art - sprinkling it with a hint of vintage, quirky touch. The set includes 4 rigid cardboard dolls, cleverly done with removable stands to prop the characters upright. Each of them have different height and appearance to represent a member of the Paper Family: Papa John is 24cm in height, Mama Marie is 22 cm, and both Brother Jan and Sister Ia are 18 cm. Once the dolls are built and set-up, we can dress them up with paper clothes and accessories. The set includes 20 sets of costumes - divided into 5 categories of 4. Just like the classic, the paper clothings have folding tabs to hold onto the figures’ shoulders and legs; and some of the head-wears have slots to attach them to the dolls. 

(2) Creative & Super-Cool Costumes For Different Occasions 

We love the beautifully illustrated and creative costumes! There are winter clothings for the cold season - plaid scarf for Papa, cashmere for Mama, turtleneck sweater for Brother, yellow boots for Sister. My favourite is the “Weekend Hobbies” category - denim overalls for Papa’s carpentry work, gardening apron for Mama, chef attire for Brother, and doctor dress-up completes with stethoscope for Sister. The kids love the  COOL superhero costumes. We also really enjoy playing with the “A Night at the Opera” formal attire, and casual “Beach Day” wears for the family! 

(3) Eco-Friendly + Made In Barcelona

Londji reinvents the traditional, gives them a modern interpretation, but retains a nostalgic feel that brings us that warm, fuzzy feel. I love how they incorporate sustainability concept in the design and production. The Paper Family is an eco-friendly product made from responsible forestry and recycled cardboard. It is manufactured and designed in Barcelona, and conforms to the requirements of ATSM Standard Consumer Safety Specifications on USA Toy Safety F963. 

This is a beautiful toy! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Antipoda Co 

Enjoy the video! 

Enjoy the video! 

Wooden 3D Puzzle - Racing Car, By Funyards Australia - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Wooden 3D puzzle 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️     

Recommended age:    7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Anyone who enjoys woodwork/ craft activities/ 3D puzzles 

We love the build-it-yourself plywood puzzles from Funyards Australia - they are not difficult to execute, and always give us such satisfying sense of achievement. Today, let’s talk about “Wooden 3D Puzzle - Racing Car”. 

Why I love ❤️ this set: 

(1) Laser-Cut Plywood 3D Puzzle With 29 Pieces 

The set comes with a single wooden sheet with removable laser-cut plywood pieces, and a one-page assembly instructions guide. First, gently push out the laser cut wooden pieces (there are a total of 29 individuals pieces) - all can be easily popped out and removed without the need of tool. The illustrated guide has clear step-by-step guide with each of the puzzle pieces labelled for easy reference. To build the race car, simply insert and join the pieces together by following the sequence and guide of the assembly instructions. Starting from the main body of the car and its cockpit, fix the front part and side doors, attach the wheels and rear wing, and finally, gives it a last touch by connecting the steering wheel and front wing. It’s a delightful  process that requires a reasonable measure of dexterity and concentration - it took our 8 year-old 15-minute to complete the build. It was a pleasant, stress-free activity, with no fancy gadgets or tools required. 

(2) Cool Racing Car Design 

I love the design of the puzzle structure. The racing car has sufficient details to make it interesting. Symmetrical on both sides with all pieces securely connected - it doesn’t take up much space, and makes such a gorgeous vehicle to be incorporated into imaginative play. 

(3) Precisely Crafted With Good Connection 

Like all of Funyards Australia timber sets - the puzzle pieces are laser-cut, precisely done with gaps and links for easy insertion/ connection between the pieces. No glue is needed for this project. The set includes a small piece of sand paper to smooth out the edges and wooden surfaces. 

(4) Flat-Pack Packaging + Clearly Illustrated Instruction Guide 

I love that the puzzle is flat-pack with minimal packaging. The instruction is clearly illustrated, all pieces are labeled on the guide and are easily identifiable. Our 8 year-old was able to build it independently and he thoroughly enjoyed the process. According to the information included, this product passed CE and ASTM test. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Funyards Australia (Etsy Site) 

Check out my reviews on other similar wooden building kits from Funyards Australia: 

• 3D Wooden Marble Run Puzzle Craft, By Funyards Australia 
• Build It Yourself Model Monster Truck, By Funyards Australia 
• Bulldozer, By Funyards 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!

Letter Links, By FlexiQ Games - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:            Board game 

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️     

Recommended age:   6 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Parents looking for a fun and educational (phonics learning) game 

“Letter Links” by FlexiQ Games is a nice little addition to our kids board game collection: it has succinct and quick-to-learn game rules; almost zero setting up time, short and sweet game play (perfect for little people with short attention span), compact and travel-easy, and can be played almost anywhere and anytime. Thank you VR Distribution for providing a copy! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Fantastic Game To Learn Sound Patterns 

This is a fantastic game for school-age kids who are exploring the wonderful world of phonology, and getting themselves familiar with frequently-occurring sound patterns. The set includes 60 double-sided card: one side of the cards features 3 letters (2 red and 1 blue) each, and the reverse side of the cards features images of 7 unrelated and random objects/ animals. The game rules is pretty straightforward: be the first player to find the magic “link” - match a letter (from one card) with an image (from another card placed beside it) that starts with the corresponding letter. For example, “D” matches with “duck”, “S” matches with “socks”, and “H” matches with “helicopter”. The winner is the little champion who won (collected) most of the cards by the end of the game. The mechanism is intuitive. The gameplay is fast, stimulating, and strangely addictive. Our two kids love it! 

(2) 2 Ways To Play, 2 Difficulty Levels 

I love that the game rules provide 2 different difficulty levels. In the starter level, players only look at the 2 red letters, and need only to spot 1 image that matches 1 of the 2 red letters to win. In the advanced level, players look at all the 3 letters and must call out 2 correct “links” to win a card. 

(3) Colourful & Appealing Images 

The images are colourful and appealing. I love the hexagonal cards design and image arrangement (that suits a multi-player game very well). With a wide variation combinations of 3 letters and 7 images in 60 cards, this game has an impressively high playability! 

(4) Stay Focus & Think Fast!

I love a kids game with educational value - not only does it allow the kids to learn about phonics sounds, it also trains the kids to stay focus, connect pieces of information, think fast and flexibly - and really, no one minds a little bit of competitive fun 😉. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.bigw.com.au/product/letter-links-card-game/p/9900034244 (Australia) 

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/letter-links/ (Australia) 

https://www.thecoffeeapple.com.au/products/letter-links (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Meow! Wooden Balance Game, By Londji - REVIEW

Nature: Type:             Balancing toys 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    3 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Anyone who loves adorable things/ kittens/ balance games / wooden collectibles 

Londji balancing toys are a series of masterpiece that showcases unsurpassed beauty and elevated craftsmanship. Check out “Meow! Wooden Balance Game” (thank you Antipoda Co for providing this!). 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Adorable Balancing Game To Challenge Fine Motor & Problem-Solving Skills 

Included in this set is a super adorable stripy kitten with rounded back - “rolling” on the ground like a playful roly-poly that wobbles but never falls. You also get 15 wooden balls (shaped like skeins of wool) - 5 in large size and 10 in smaller size. I love the clever design with various “balancing points” distributed at different parts of Miss Meow - you can fit at least 3 balls on its tummy, a large one between its mischievous face and its front paw, a few more around its back legs and tail. This is an addictive, gravity-defying game for all ages! We stacked them up, cheered at our little victories, and laughed like a baby in a game of Peekaboo whenever our kitty cat dropped its yarn balls and sent them tumbling down and scattering all over the room. If you (or your kids) are keen for some fine motor skill challenges, problem-solving and perseverance tests - this is an incredible toy that would guarantee some big giggles and mind-stimulating fun. 

(2) More Than One Way To Play & Balance 

We soon discovered there are more than just one way to arrange our kitty cat and wooden balls. We added a ball underneath the kitten’s back to create a sloping challenge; We flipped Miss Meow around with head pointed downwards (in “downward dog” yoga pose), and tried to get the balls securely lined up on its tilted, arched back. I love the playfulness, and the hint of vintage and romantic feel of this toy. 

(3) Made-In-Spain Quality Wooden Toy 

Londji toys are “Made in Spain”, manufactured using solid beech wood and vegetable dyes. This is an heirloom quality toy made with great attention to detail. Each Londji comes with a EC certification, guaranteeing compliance with European Standard EN71 Safety Requirements for Toys. I also really love the creative book-like packaging made of recycling material - it’s artistically done with cutouts for each components (love how organised it is), completes with an elastic closure for easy storing. 

Love it! ❤️

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Antipoda Co (Australia) 

Check out more of my reviews on Londji wooden toys: 

• The Fox And The Mouse, By Londji 
• My Wooden World Farm, By Londji 
• The Acrobat Brothers, By Londji 

Enjoy the video! 

World Safari-Premium, By Creative Educational Aids - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:            Board game / card game  

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  ⭐️ 

Recommended age:   9 year-old ++ (or all ages!) 

Who would love this: Kids and grown-ups that love travelling and learning about the world & countries 

 “World Safari-Premium” by Creative Educational Aids magically transports us around the world; from Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, back to Sydney Opera House - all in one game! We are loving it! Thank you Divisible by Zero for providing this! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Spin The Spinner & Identify A Country On World Map

The set includes a foldable play board and 6 play pieces - it has the classic Monopoly feel, save that now we are using an in-built spinner as dice, and there’s not much “chance” in this game (you gotta know your geographic knowledge to gain an advantage!). To play this game, spin the spinner (with 50 country names), read the country name, and shout out the country number on the world map to advance the given number of spaces on the play path. You will need to identify the exact location of Jamaica, Algeria, Argentina, Greece, and Egypt to move your pieces! Too tough? Fear not! The spinner gives a “colour clue” to narrow down the selections. For example, Japan is coded as “purple”, which matches its colour on the world map. The map also has labels showing the continents, oceans, seas for extra hints. 

(2) Fun Facts In Different Topics - Continents & Countries/ Geographic Features & More 

Of course, there is more! Each space on the path presents a challenge in 5 different topics. There are a total of 864 questions (answers provided) and 35 visual challenges. The questions cover continents and countries (eg continent with world’s largest desert ‘the Sahara’), geographic features (eg describe a hot spring), people and places (eg name the world’s largest port), general knowledge (which ocean contains the most islands), and visual challenge (where players are asked to guess a landmark site or animal from an image with brief description). I love that the questions cover a wide levels of difficulty - so all ages can play! 

(3) 50 Information Cards & 50 Country Cards - More Ways To Play!

The set also includes 50 information cards (contains facts such as capital, cities, languages, currency, flag, trivia facts of a country), and 50 country cards (with illustrated map showing surrounding nations, area in sq km, and population). There are a few suggested ways to play with these cards, including matching game, memory game, clue game, quiz game and more! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://littlewishestoys.com.au/products/worldsafari (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Mathcubes – Place Value, By Junior Learning - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:            Mathematics Resource 

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  ⭐️ 

Recommended age:   5 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Parents/ teachers looking for creative and innovative mathematics teaching aids 

I’m a big fan of Junior Learning and its creatively designed learning resources that make mathematics fun and visually exciting. Today, I would love to share about “Junior Learning Mathcubes – Place Value” - a new multipurpose set to help kids to dive into the world of number digits and values! 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Connectable Beads & Line Cubes To Learn Number Values 

This set has everything we need to help kids to visualise number connections through a series of hand-on activities. My favourite components are the 12 yellow line cubes and the 30 connectable green beads. Each of the yellow cubes is printed with the value it represents- “O, T, H, Th, Tth, Hth, M” (“One” to “Million”). And it doesn’t stop there; the cubes also can be used to show the decimal numeral system. One cube is labeled with decimal separator (represented by a “dot”), and more cubes with non-integer value (i.e. value of non whole number) - “t, h, th, tth”. This is an innovative “flexible abacus” - the beads are connectable and stand upright / vertically, the yellow base cubes are labelled with place value for easy reference (including the value of non-integer digits), and the components are vibrant and appealing. 

(2) "Ten Hundreds" Board + "Ten-Tens" Sticks + "Ten-Ones" Cubes

The set also includes 3 “ten hundreds” board (blue board divided into 100 squares in the grid of 10x10), 10 “ten-tens” sticks (green rectangular piece in a line of 10 squares), and 20 “ten-ones” cubes (mini yellow cubes - each representing the value “1”). These are some versatile, essential classroom items to show the relationship between smaller and larger numbers, and the concept of “10s”. 

(3) 30 Activities To Use With Components 

I LOVE the 15 double-sided activity cards that show 30 progressively challenging activities and step-by-step instructions. For example, there are activities teaching the kids how to do “addition” and “subtraction” using the “ten-tens” sticks and “ten-ones” cubes; cards helping kids to visualise the concept of “percentage” using the blue “ten hundreds” board as the base representing the whole 100%; cards about “rounding-up” (or “rounding-down”) using the green beads, and more! The activities are stimulating, fun, and cover a wide array of concepts (from simple to complex!). 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://juniorlearning.com.au/collections/new-products/products/mathcubes-place-values

Check out more reviews on Junior Learning mathematics resources: 

• Mathcubes - Angles, By Junior Learning 
• Food Fractions, By Junior Learning 
• Time Table Bubble Board, By Junior Learning 
• Multiplication Dominoes, By Junior Learning 
• 100s Bubble Board, By Junior Learning 

Enjoy the video! 

Imaginary Fauna - Desert, By Lekkid - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:            Creative building toy 

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  ⭐️ 

Recommended age:   3 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids that love to build and create 

You might have seen my recent review on “Imaginary Fauna - Jungle” from Lekkid. It’s playful and fascinating in so many ways! Today, let’s talk about “Imaginary Fauna - Desert” - a compatible Lekkid building set that would guarantee to captivate both kids and grown-ups! 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) 22 Magnetic Pieces To Create Imaginary Creatures & Objects 

This set includes 22 magnetic pieces in a yellow cylindrical storage box. It has parts that can make a range of interesting creations - elephant, birds, camels, and other imaginary (and silly) creatures or objects. There is a wooden curvy-shaped piece that resembles an elephant trunk (or a “Mermaid tail” 🧜‍♀️ according to my girl), a flat-piece “hump” for the camel, a unique piece that looks like a pair of “phoenix wings” (or gorgeous antlers for a moose), a clear yellow part like a pair of antennae for honeybee, a blue “propeller” part that can be used for jet plane, pieces for legs, and our kids’s favourite red “fire”. The storage box says we can create “500,000 desert creatures” with the set - I can’t verify that, and I doubt the statement is referring to 500,000 real form of living species. Having said that, the kids are having GREAT fun building numerous wild, impossible, never-seen-before, and outlandish objects! It’s a toy with BIG possibilities to unleash our unstoppable creativity! 

(2) Beautiful Natural Beech Wood + Playful Acrylic Pieces 

it’s incredible to watch the beautiful interaction between two materials - the solidness of natural beech wood AND the playfulness of light shining through the translucent acrylic pieces. 

(3) Magnetic Polarity - Enhances Problem Solving Skills 

Similar to the Jungle set, the pieces can be interconnected by magnets, and dealing with polarity is an integral part of the fun. The kids need to constantly adjust and test out the pieces from both ends to fit the parts together to form their invented models. I was initially worried that the kids might get frustrated with the challenge, but as it turned out - the kids didn’t mind a bit. They’re loving the experience and problem-solving opportunity! 

(4) Conforms To Toy Safety Standard 

Lekkid is designed in Barcelona. The toy conforms to international standard of toy safety including ASTM F963 and EN71. This is an exciting toy that we really love. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.lekkid.com/imaginary-fauna-desert/ (Website) 

Check out my reviews on more Lekkid toys: 

• Imaginary Fauna - Jungle, By Lekkid 
• Magical Lights, By Lekkid 

Enjoy the video: 

Boom Goes The Dynamite, By ok2win - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:            Card game 

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

  

Recommended age:   7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids that enjoy memory games + numbers / maths 

What happens when you take a basic matching game, and throw in some number elements and “explosive” twists? You get a crazily FUN  game that ignites competitive strategy and luck! Thank you Divisible by Zero for sending “Boom Goes The Dynamite” from ok2win over. We were blown away, utterly! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Memory Game With A "Number" Twist 

This set includes 84 cards, divided into 2 major decks - Match Cards and Ignite Cards. First, shuffle the two decks; place 9 Match Cards face down in 3x3 arrangement, and each player gets 3 Ignite Cards. On each turn, player flips 2 Match Cards over - if the cards are the same number, you’ve found a match! But, if the cards are not of the same number, you can use ignite cards in your hands (with maths formulas such as -1,  x2, +3 etc) to create a match. For example, if you turn over 7 and 5, you can use a “-2” card to “ignite a match! Once a match is found or “ignited”, set aside the matched cards by adding them into a player’s pile. Next, replenish that Match Cards. A player’s turn continues until a player is unable to find/ ignite a match. When a player’s turn is completed, draw sufficient Ignite Cards to 3 again. The winner is the one with the most cards in the player’s pile at the end of the game! 

(2) Surprise Explosion - It's The Dynamite Card! 

So, where is the “BOOM”, you asked? That’s where the power of dynamite comes in! There are 2 “Dynamite” cards hidden within the 60 Match Cards. When you turn over a Dynamite card, you keep the Dynamite and every cards that it’s touching (in other words - it’s an explosive “windfall”!). For example, if you flip and reveal a Dynamic card positioned in the middle of the 9 Matching Cards, you get to collect all 9 Match Cards and add them into your pile! 

(3) Timer Cards & Wild Cards - The Fun Never Ends! 

The Ignite deck also includes 3 Timer cards - which gives a player 10 seconds to turn over all 9 Matching Cards to find or ignite as many matches as possible. There are also 3 Wild Cards included - like classic UNO, it can be used to represent any formula to ignite a match / or add 5 seconds to a Timer card. 

This is a brilliant game - compact, travel-easy, quick to learn, and entertaining! Love it! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.thetherapystore.com.au/boom-goes-the-dynamite (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!