Product review - Fruut sacks

By Bec,

My 5 year old son is obsessed, and I mean obsessed with lego. Those tiny little pieces are always under my feet. So when I saw these fruut sacks I just knew I had to give them a go. I was a little hesitant with the price to start with (they are $38.50 for small, $44.55 for medium and $47.85), I thought they were expensive for what they were - but boy was I wrong!  They are so worth their weight in gold!

They come in 4 awesome colours - green, red, pink and blue - and 3 sizes.  We got a red medium and a small blue. The medium is good for most of his building - the large would be even better but they were out of stock so we went with the medium - and it works fine. The small one is good for when he just wants to build little things.

Once he has finished building, it's just a matter of pulling the strings together and voila - all packed up. My feet have been saved!

Here is Hunter playing with the lego on the mat.

Then once finished we could hang it behind Hunter's door for storage.

An additional bonus I found was we could take the lego on his sleep-over to Grandma and Grandpa's. So easy to pack into the sack and take with him!

I think the fruut sacks could be used for many things. They would be great for my daughter's barbies with all those barbie clothes, along with tea sets and really anything with lots of parts!

I would definitely recommend fruut sacks. Check them out at Little Yoyo Styles.

WillowBlu bags - product review

By Bec,

I needed a new handbag and kept eyeing off the WillowBlu bags. They cost more than I usually spend (the last handbag I got was on sale for $50 from Harbour Town!) so I was a bit aprehensive to spend that  much on a bag but boy am I glad I did!

Once I had decided I was going to purchase one of these bags for myself, I then had the agonizing decision of what bag to get.  I really wanted a black bag to replace my black one which broke so I ummed and arred for ages and then made a decision. Turned out the one I wanted wasn't available in black after all- so I got it in distressed brown!!  I love the distressed brown!  I'm so glad the black wasn't available.  It's different to what I'm used to and a change is great. I've had so many comments from friends on this bag! It's comfy, it fits a lot in and it's stylish!

The leather is so so soft.  The one I got has heaps of pockets, which is great for storing different things. Pockets on either end which I use for my mobile phone and Savannah's dummy! And a zip to do it all up so I don't lose all the stuff I manage to keep in there!

The bags are under the nappy bag section of the Little Yoyo Styles website - but I found this one is too small for a nappy bag (I was after a handbag not a nappy bag so it suits me to a tee), so make sure you check out the measurements if you want a nappy bag.  But otherwise I suggest you treat yourself! I didn't have a nice handbag as I was always taking my nappy bag, and on the odd occassion I was going out on my own I didn't have a bag to use!  Well now it's used daily!

Check out the range of WillowBlu bags stocked at Little Yoyo Styles!

Style Camouflage truck pant (with bag) - Product review

By Bec

I bought these pants for my son as he loves "Army Man" pants and these have been a winner!  I would say these are my 4 year old's favourite pants (he is wearing them as I type)!  They are really comfortable for him - he is normally a tracky pants kinda boy - doesn't like jeans as they are too stiff.  The camoflauge pants are just as comfortable as tracky pants, but nice enough to wear out!

His favourite part of the pants is his "Army mission pouch" (the bag).  It is supposed to go at the back - but Hunter can't see it there - so he clips his onto the front!  He loves collecting treasures so in the "Army Mission Pouch" they go!

I thought the sizing was on the small size.  I bought Hunter (4 years old) size 120 - which is for 5-6 year olds, thinking he would get this year and next year out if it, however he would have out-grown them in the legs by next year. 

They are currently on sale for $21.60 - at that price I'm thinking of getting another pair for Hunter in the next size up!  Check out the Camouflage pants.

Product Review: bObles Chicken

by Victoria

I was excited when I saw the product that I was going to review: the bObles Chicken, one of a range of bObles tumbling animals. As I have not heard of this product before, I did a google and youtube search on it. The following was the description of the range of bObles tumbling animals that I found on their website.

The bObles Tumbling Animals is based on simple geometrical forms - cut in the shape of animals. They are suitable as children´s furniture, but are designed for creative play. The child is able to tumble, roll, balance, seesaw, rock, jump and gain some bodily experience, which can serve as the foundation for further development.

The Tumbling animals are produced in firm foam with a soft surface, very easy to clean under the shower. They are tested especially for children and is free of any toxin or phthalates.

I was intrigued when I saw the product. It was a unique product as its use and function was not immediately apparent. This allowed Miss P to use it in many different ways as her imagination led her. When she first saw it, she studied it and was curious as it was not like any toy she had seen. When I flipped it on one side so she could sit and rock from side to side, she loved it. The following is a short video of her using it to rock from side to side.

The video is a very short one as Miss P is at that age where she doesn't sit still for too long before wanting to see the image I am looking at on my camera.

When I did a search on youtube, I found many other parents enjoying their bObles animals. One parent used it as an aid for the child's tummy time. The bObles chicken gave the baby on tummy time abit more of a height so they had more to see. Tummy time was thus more fun.

As a parent, I love the bObles chicken for its shape, colours, and material. The foam used to make the bObles chicken was indeed firm but lightweight. It was light enough for my 21 month old to carry it around. I like that it came in a nice carry case so if I wanted to take it with me on a playdate, I could easily and conveniently bring it along with me.

Most of all, due to the cold weather and the rain we’ve experienced, I found the bObles chicken a wonderful tool to use indoors. I was able to still keep Miss P entertained and replicate some of the fun we have outdoors, in the house. There are just so many possibilities and uses for it. I can imagine using it as a launch pad for her matchbox cars or as a balancing 'beam' for Miss P. After playing with the bObles chicken and loving it, I went to the Little Yoyo Styles website and bought a bObles 6-layer fish for Miss P. I'll blog about our play with the bObles fish in one of my future posts.

For more details or to buy a bObles animal, please have a look at the range here.

Anpanman hooded beach towel - product review

By Bec

He is not un-happy - we just have problems getting him to smile on camera (my camera isn't fast enough to catch it)!

Not being Japanese, my kids don't know who Anpanman is.  I read on the product tag that he is huge in Japan.  So I spoke to my Japanese friend, who, when I paid closer attention I saw, had Anpanman products everywhere, and yep it's true!  Anpanman is HUGE in Japan.

Despite not being Japanese, my kids loved this towel. My son loved how he could be his own super-hero.  Hunter is 4.5 years old, so you can see the towel would be a good fit from toddlers right up to about 5.  It fit my 2 year old, with more towel around the legs, and she loved how she was kept warm front and back.  All the other hooded towels we have you still have to hold around you to keep your front warm.  Not this one, it has towel at the front and back - quicker drying.  Coming into winter that's important!

Stand out from the crowds with this towel.  It would be a great towel for the beach or swimming lessons.

Check out the  Anpanman hooded beach towel now, currently on sale for $20.05.

Now mind the quality of the video (and the mess of the house)...just showing how my son had fun playing with the towel!

Plunger Sucker Stand Review

by Becky from beckyandjames.com

When I first received these Plunger Sucker Stands to review I was a tad skeptical that they would work, though cute I couldn't imagine them being very practical. With sickness, moving, teething a busy house and a hospital stay I didn't get to properly test them for some time.

When my mum ordered her iPhone4, I let her have a play with mine so that once hers arrived she would know exactly what to do and suddenly I remembered the little Sucker Stands and got one out for her.

My mum, an avid lover of all things gamey was soon blasting her way through Angry Birds, which was a little bit annoying as I am SO bad at that game! As an accessory for playing all the wonderfully addictive iPhone games out there, the Plunger Sucker Stand is all kinds of wonderful.

Assuming you have a surface to sit it on then you're good to go for easy game play.

It's also great for use as a general stand at night and I have just started using it when I blog from the iPhone. So long as you get the sucker attached properly then there's no slipping or tumbling over which makes using the keyboard easy and not having to use my thumbs to type is a big plus.

You can buy the Plunger Sucker Stand here; it is normally $10 but is currently half price.

Chew Chew Train - product review

By Bec

For any train lover, this is a must have table addition.  I was truly amazed when I first saw the Chew Chew Train. What a cool idea. The Chew Chew train, starts as a train, and pulls apart to become a spoon, fork, cup, large plate, small plate and bowl.  The engine becomes the cup, the conductor's house becomes a bowl, the train's platform becomes 2 plates and the coupling rods become the fork and spoon.

It is recommended for kids aged 18 months +, and my 4.5 year old loved it, so would definitely last a few years. Hunter enjoyed making the train and pulling it apart, so it was a puzzle and dinner set in one! Cleaning was easy as it's dishwasher safe.


We find dinner time very stressful in our household.  Hunter often looks at food, saying he doesn't like it, without even trying it.  More often than not if we get him to try something he ends up liking it...so the challenge is getting him to try it.  The Chew Chew Train made his dinner look exciting.  He tried something from each section, we made sure to spread it out and include something in each compartment, despite the fact most of it could have fit on the large plate.  This meant he ended up eating most of his meal, whilst having fun with the train components.  It certainly made dinner time a litte more fun for Hunter, which in turn made it easier for us.  Less stress all around!

Check out the Chew Chew Train.  At $36.30, the ease of dinner time makes it pay for itself in no time!

Kaboodle nappy wallet - product review

By Bec

Despite my daughter being 2 and (hopefully) toilet training soon I bought a Kaboodle nappy wallet a few months ago. I kept being drawn to it; in particular the design pictured above, so after numerous occasions of putting it into my shopping cart then closing the webpage, I finally took the plunge and bought it! At $24.95 it was a purchase I have not regretted!

I wanted a nappy wallet to keep all nappy changing items in one place. I had a nappy bag, but found I was searching for a nappy, then I needed to find wipes, sanitiser, nappy rash cream and as I use cloth nappies I needed to find my wet bag. They were all in my nappy bag somewhere, but somewhere being the operative word! Nothing was every together. I also figured as my daughter starts toilet training I will still need a change of undies, wipes, sanitiser, wet bag etc, and having it all together would make life so much easier.

I use cloth nappies and comfortably fit 1 nappy (can fit 2 but I find it makes the wallet a bit bulky then), change mat, wipes container, sanitiser, wet bag and nappy rash cream in the wallet. You could comfortably fit 2-3 disposable nappies. I keep spare nappies in my larger nappy bag, and replace into the wallet when I use one from there. The wallet makes nappy changes a breeze when out and about. I just grab the wallet and head to the change room without having to lug my whole bag, and I have everything I need. Often if I'm just heading out for a short trip, e.g. trip to the local park or grocery shopping I will just take the nappy wallet instead of the whole bag. The wallet has an elastic wrist strap so you can carry it around your wrist to have your hands free.

Check out the Kaboodle Nappy wallet for yourself.

Safe Sippy2

By Bec

The Safe Sippy2 is a stainless steel, BPA free, convertible sippy to straw cup, with a travel plug. The handles are removable, but not only that they are movable so the spout is always in the right spot (there is nothing worse than screwing a lid on a cup and the spout being over the handles making it hard to drink).

I got a little confused with the instructions, but once I worked it out it was actually quite easy. Dark orange valve is the no-spill travel part, the clear valve is for sippy cup and the light orange valve and straw is for straw cup.

But laugh at my expense, I was pushing and pushing to try and get the the straw through the spout, to drink out the straw. My 4 year old said to me “that’s not going to work Mum" and showed me how to use it! The straw goes in the cup and the child drinks through the spout – I thought the straw was for drinking out of.

My children got a bit confused in straw mode. As you can’t see the straw, they didn’t realise it was in straw bottle mode and both my (almost) 2 year old and 4 year old kept tipping it up to drink and were getting frustrated when they couldn’t get much water. We gave up on straw mode and just used normal cup mode.

Originally I though the additional non-spill plug valve was going to be a pain to use. I figured it was something extra I have to take anytime I want to put the cup in my bag (which would be all the time). But in actual fact when I did it, it was easy. I just put the travel plug in the cup and chucked it in my bag, and put the other bits in a snap lock bag in my bag. It was simple to swap over when needed. And that travel valve is FANTASTIC!! No spills whatsoever! This is truly the first no spill cup I’ve used!

I love the colours this cup comes in, and at $24.95 it’s great value.
Check out the Safe Sippy2.

Dressing Up **Review**

by Becky from beckyandjames.com

Like so many other children, my girls adore dressing up. For the most part, it's fairies and princesses with lots of frills, glitter, twirls and magic so when we received this Super smart two pieces gentleman set in Kahlei's size to review I wasn't sure how she would take to it.

Thankfully, she decided it was the perfect Dress-Up piece and created a funny, shuffling little character to go along with her new look.

This 100% cotton long-sleeve romper has the most adorable bow-tie and (attached) braces, it has snap studs on the inside of the legs for easy access nappy changes and comes with a matching suit jacket. Once it's a little cooler she will be able to wear that on top.

She loves it and I think she looks oh-so-cute (no bias here, hehe).

I am a big fan of dressing up. The role play elements of dressing up encourages social skill building, gives children the ability to play out real life situations and gives them the chance to work on problem solving. And, of course, there's the obvious benefits of allowing their imaginations to develop and soar.

Add the Super smart two pieces gentleman set to your dress up box or buy for your little boy to wear to special occasions for $39.60.

AromaPlay - Sniff Snuff

By Bec

What a fantastic idea. My children love play dough and I have been thinking of trying AromaPlay for a while. I love that it’s suitable for coeliac children who can’t play with the popular commercial play dough and I love the idea of creating scents whilst playing. AromaPlay has a rainbow of colours and scents available, so there is one for every mood. The instructions state the play dough is 100% Gluten free and is not only fun and colourful but is also natural, non toxic and biodegradable. AromaPlay will liven or soothe your child with the release of aromatherapy oils into the air as they create. 

We tried Sniff Snuff, which is great for kids with colds and runny noses. It smells of eucalyptus and was just devine. This dough was so soft and squishy...the kids loved it and I loved it. I’ve found other commercial brands quite tough, but this just felt so nice to mould and squish. The packaging states not suitable for under 3’s, but my almost 2 year old had a ball playing with it!

I’m not sure how the different scents would go together – and to be honest don’t think I would try as my kids seem to mix all the colours so we would just get a big blob of colours and scents, but I will definitely get a few more colours to play (individually) for different moods.

At $9.90 per tub it is a little more expensive than other brands, but I think the benefits of including aromatherapy, being natural, biodegradable and very soft make it worth the price.

There are many advantages to playing with dough. The ones most relevant to me are:

• encourages imaginative play – my son made a bean bag and lots of aliens!
• dividing it up helps teach about sharing, counting and fractions
• it helps to strengthen muscles by squeezing, punching, poking, rolling and cutting
• it’s great for self esteem as there is no wrong creation
• And don’t forget – it’s FUN!

 Check out the range of AromaPlay.