Category / Review

by jo

App Time and Giveaway – Little Red Wagon App

I love it when people in bands make music for kids and base it around more ‘traditional’ things – and even better when there are interactive elements to it – such as the Little Red Wagon app based on the song recorded by Cat Doorman.

Cat Doorman is Julianna Bright and various musicians who has recently released an album, ‘Cat Doorman Songbook’. The album features appearances from local Portland OR musicians Seth Lorinczi (Corin Tucker Band), Nick Reddel (The Golden Bears), Chris Funk (The Decemberists), Garth Klippert (Old Light), Ralf Youtz (Built to Spill/Halo Benders), Kate O’Brien-Clarke, Annalisa Tornfelt, Jenny Conlee-Drizos (The Decemberists), Cory Gray (Carcrashlander), Jennifer Harrison (Portland Brass Quintet), and Sara Lund (Corin Tucker Band).

littleredwagon2

One of the tracks on this album is the traditional folk song ‘Little Red Wagon’, which is where this Little Red Wagon app from Night & Day Studios comes in.

Little Red Wagon has hand painted illustrations from Julianna Bright – it’s simple and that’s what makes it enjoyable, plus ‘Little Red Wagon’ is a wonderfully catchy song – we’ve been singing it a lot. You start by choosing your instrument (H likes that part a lot and will play all three parts in a row) – guitar, piano or full band. There’s plenty of interactive parts to the game – touch the sun and it spins and changes its expression. Touch the cow, and it does a poo (this was one of our favourite bits, it makes H roar with laughter) – drop the food at the bakers and a bird swoops down to pick it up, drop an apple in the orchard and the mole has a magnet which picks it up, and so on.

littleredwagongarden

For older readers who are looking at learning songs and reading music, you get the song with notes along the bottom of the screen which I like!

The ending is cute, and one that pleased H a lot as well.

littleredwagonend

The drawings make this feel different too, it has a lovely homemade feel about it, I love Julianna’s voice (and I’ll be buying the album), it has a real warmth to it and the songs are easy to sing along to.

I have a giveaway! I have a code for the Little Red Wagon app – just leave a comment to this post. I also have a copy of the ‘Cat Doorman Songbook’ to give away – so please say if you have a preference (iPad App or CD).

Cat Doorman’s website is here
Cat Doorman on Facebook
Cat Doorman on Night & Day

App Time at Mum Friendlya Rafflecopter giveaway

by Karen

Attitude Eco-Kids – Shampoo and Conditioner

Attitude is an eco-responsible household products brand that produces many products from air purifiers to shower gel.

Attitude Eco Cleaner

The company’s body range prides itself on being Carcinogen (1,4-Dioxane or Ethylene Oxide) free. According to the blurb that the company sent with the product, Carcinogens are cancer causing ingredients that the UK and Europe, amongst other countries, have outlawed. However, as Attitude point out, this still doesn’t stop them being in most body care products around (I’m guessing much in the same way that products that don’t have nuts as an ingredient may still contain traces of nuts). I always find discovering new ‘nasty’ ingredients scary, especially when it comes to children’s products, this one is no different – it always makes me want to rush out and start obsessively checking all our bath products!

I was asked to test Attitudes’ hypoallergenic children’s 2 in 1 shampoo.The packaging for this product is attractive and fun and I believe that it would appeal to children. The shampoo has a lovely fruity smell to it, which we both liked very much. Jacob has very unruly hair however this shampoo did seem to go some way to taming it, which is no mean feat. This product is on sale in places such as Ocado. I think this is a wonderful product; the only sticking point for me is the price. At £7.90 for 355ml (in Ocado as of 22/01/2013) this is much more than I personally can afford on my budget, which is a shame because I’m definitely a fan. There are many more Attitude products for sale in this store. I’m very impressed by the wide range of this product and believe it’s definitely worth a look if you are very health/ ingredient conscious.

I was sent this for the purpose of review, all opinions are my own

by jo

App Time – Miffy in the Snow

It’s no secret I love Miffy – I grew up with the books in the seventies (how I wish we’d kept them) and given Miffy is still going strong I knew it’d be something I’d bring H up to love too. The books never seem to date at all – the colours are simple and the messages are always positive ones (Miffy is Naughty, the most current book being the exception).

We’ve missed a few of the iPad apps so far, but today spotted that Miffy in the Snow has recently been released and what with the weather being the way it is outside, I figured what better an app to buy?

Miffy in the Snow

It’s great too! There’s enough on there that’s good fun – you have the story read to you, complete with interactive sections – as well as this three people can record the story so you can have it read to you in different voices (I love this option for these kinds of apps), and finally there’s a games section – matching pairs and knock the hat off the snowman, plus a chance to make a card (though no obvious save option – I took a screengrab instead). As the games progress they get a little bit more difficult – I liked that with the snowman game you need a good hand-eye co-ordination for it to knock the hat off, which made H concentrate a little harder. The matching pairs was also interesting – she’d work on each colour to clear them rather than individual items. Mid-way through the story she skipped a couple of pages, and you’re able to go back a page by viewing the menu at the top (press the flower).

Miffy in the Snow - interactive part

The app is available in English or Dutch and costs £2.99 from the App Store which isn’t cheap, but I think there’s enough on there for H to do as she starts to learn to read more words, and don’t object to paying it. If you’re a Miffy fan too, you’ll probably find there’s enough in there to keep a young one entertained!

H's Miffy in the Snow Card

H’s Miffy in the Snow Card

Buy miffy in the snow at the App Store.

App Time at Mum Friendly

by jo

App Time – Everything’s Rosie

H playing the Everything's Rosie appWe were sent two Everything’s Rosie apps to review, and almost immediately we hit a problem – a minor one but one which slowed us down – our iPad is a first generation, and while the app worked, it would quite often crash so we could never work our way through it. However, as good luck would have it, we now own an iPad Mini, we loaded the games onto it and so far, brilliant!

Are you familiar with Everything’s Rosie? Surely you must with the catchy song (hear it once and you’ll probably not get it out of your head, even if you can’t remember the words) – Rosie is a lovable ragdoll character who has friends she has really sweet adventures with. These apps are two of them.

Everything's Rosie Bedtime Activity Fun
Everything's Rosie Bedtime

Firstly, we have Everything’s Rosie Bedtime – where you get a bedtime story and Colouring Fun & Spot the Difference in the Activity Fun section. The story is read out and H enjoyed it, and even recognised some words (gulp!) – plus I found there were good fonts, nice and clear too. (and no comic sans – hurrah!) The colouring, well yet again she amazed me – she’s started to use different colours on pictures and got on with it, she seems to love colouring in things on iPad games and picks up all the different settings and colours very quickly.You have a colour wheel and a choice of brushes on this one.

Everything's Rosie Playtime Everything's Rosie Playtime Activity Fun

We also have Everything’s Rosie Playtime – a daytime story which again had H hooked, reading it (and recognising a few words!!) – I like how each word is highlighted as it’s read so there’s a good educational element there too. The activities with this game are Magic Mazes and Funny Faces – there’s four different mazes based on each character which are a little bit difficult, so take a little bit longer (but not prohibitively so!), and Funny Faces which is just that – and is easily H’s favourite part to play.

Everything's Rosie Funny Faces

If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love this. It’s currently H’s favourite app (she declared this fact to us tonight!)

You can buy both Everything’s Rosie apps for £2.99 each  at the App Store

Everything’s Rosie Bedtime App
Everything’s Rosie Playtime App

We were sent a code for the purpose of this review, all opinions are our own.

App Time at Mum Friendly

by Karen

Teething Bling – Smart Mum

As a result of his teething my son has suddenly started biting me… it currently feels as if I’m being followed around by a little vampire! Due to this, when the chance to try Teething Bling, an item of jewellery designed for teething babies, came about I jumped at it!

Teething Bling comes from a company called Smart Mum, who knew that a lot of mums don’t wear jewellery as it would no doubt get pulled, hurt baby or possibly get damaged. They wanted to find a solution that would keep all parties happy and this is how the necklace came about. I had heard of the product not long after Jacob was born, but having been bombarded with thousands of different baby products I was a little sceptical so decided not to buy. All I can say is that I wish I had as this has turned out to be a very useful little product!

Teething Bling by Smart Mum

The necklace itself is very pretty, it looks like normal adult jewellery, and could go with many different outfits. The teething part of the necklace is very unusual, it looks as if it should be made of a hard material like stone but on touching one finds that it is rubber and bendable. I have already had compliments from friends, who were very keen to find out more about Teething Bling.

Jacob was very curious about the necklace, fiddling with it and enjoying chewing it. I have to admit that it hasn’t stopped him biting me completely though the necklace has proven to be  a really handy distraction. I think that Teething Bling would be wonderful for younger children and only wish that I had gotten into this sooner. The material of the necklace is very secure and I reckon it could go through a lot of punishment from little one! What I especially like is the safety release at the back, which goes to show that the design of this item has been very carefully thought out.

The necklace costs £12.95 from the website, which I don’t think is bad at all, especially considering it could be worn out without little one and not just necessarily as a teething ring. The company also have other items for sale such as bangles available at £8.95. The website is clearly laid out, very user-friendly and is definitely worth a nose.

I was sent a necklace for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own!

by jo

Review – Nordic Berries

Gleaner Trolls have the best vision in the village—only they have the unique ability to see which cloudberries are ripe and ready to pick, and which need a few more days of sunshine. Every day at twilight, Gleaner Trolls gather ripe cloudberries along the banks of the Norwegian fjords to make Nordic Berries. Nordic Berries multivitamin captures the delicious sweet-and-sour citrus taste of cloudberries, and makes an ideal companion to any of our fish oils.

Nordic Berries Multivitamin Gummies

We’ve been fairly rubbish at making sure H takes the vitamins she needs to – although she does eat a LOT of fruit and quite a lot of vegetables so is getting plenty of goodness from that. Nonetheless, vitamins are a good thing to take and need to be considered – and when we were offered Nordic Berries Multivitamin Treats to try, we jumped at the chance.

These berries resemble jelly tots – but bigger. They’ve got a sour taste to them, and have plenty of goodness in them too (see below). The thing that swung it for me is that H doesn’t see them as some boring vitamin she has to take – she sees them as a sweet that tastes nice that she enjoys – so much so she asks me for them!

Now, the packaging doesn’t say they’re vegetarian or vegan – BUT – they don’t contain gelatin. I’ve been vegetarian for almost thirty years now, and I don’t know any alternative names that would indicate they contain animal products (so I’m going to get clarification). They’re also allergen free.

They also provide 100% of the daily value of the most essential nutrients—including zinc and vitamins A, B, C, D3, and E – you take four a day with food.

The berries are suitable for age 2 and up – suitable for adults and children.

Each tub contains 120 berries which is 30 days supply and costs around £12. For more information please head here.

Nordic Berries Multivitamin Gummies

We were sent a tub for the purpose of review, all opinions are our own

by jo

App Time – Disney Fairies Lost & Found

We mentioned this app before Christmas – and have had a good play on it. There’s a few things which spring to mind – the main one, this is suitable for older kids – or at least ones who can read. If I could change one thing slightly I’d have made an option to have the objects names spoken, though all it meant was I played it with H and we didn’t try for any time challenges – as I quickly realised this game is about a good time and finding as many objects as possible as closely together.

Disney Fairies - Lost and Found

So, what’s it about? There’s the new Tinker Bell movie which has just come out (which we saw two days ago, and H loved), and this is based around scenes from the movie. There’s six sections, each with a different fairy and within those there’s three stars to get. You also have a time challenge. To gain stars you need to find a number of objects which are listed at the bottom of your screen. It starts quite easy but is quite difficult at the end.

Disney Fairies Lost & Found

This is the bit where I also add that Shaun and I were both playing this last night, determined to get three stars in each section – as in we were both on the one screen. It’s pretty difficult to get the three, the objects to find are random, though none of them ever move from their location. H doesn’t have the ability to finish it, though it means we can play the game and find things and each chapter of the book is now unlocked – though we’ve one final challenge to do, find all objects, which will unlock one final thing (I’ve no idea what!).

As far as the game goes, the graphics are gorgeous, the objects are easy enough to find if you know what you’re looking for – you may find you need to play each section a few times to remember locations. You’ll recognise objects and scenes from the films, and of course the fairies too. The book you unlock is the story from the film, so now we’ve seen it I think things will make a lot more sense to H – and game-wise she’s happy to find things as long as we’re around to tell her what she needs to find.

Disney Fairies: Lost & Found is available at the App Store and is still only 69p (and it says there’s an update due soon too, ooh goody!)

 

 

by jo

App Time – The Snowman and the Snowdog

I have my Christmas Radio Times, so I am more than aware about The Snowman and the Snowdog (Channel 4, 8pm Christmas Eve 2012 as well as a few repeats) – and somehow I stumbled across The Snowman and The Snowdog in iTunes – it’s free, so I figured it’s worth a download.

It’s a really charming app! It features all of Raymond Briggs’ artwork from the Snowman book – the Snowman flies over various places (including some London landmarks – at The London Eye I pointed out Shaun’s work, and H exclaimed “Why  is Daddy’s work on the iPad?!”) – you collect snowflakes to earn more time (I’m not sure how much per snowflake but there’s lots – I’ve managed to do two and a half circuits of the game on them) and you have to pick up objects on your journey to get bonuses and badges.

The Snowman and the Snowdog app

The app is run in conjunction with Channel 4, and there’s plenty of ‘Don’t forget to watch!’ type things on there which weren’t too obtrusive (but enough to remember!).

You can slow down the flying by swiping downwards and speed things up by swiping upwards (which didn’t seem to work for me) – worth knowing as we had no idea until it told us a few minutes in. You work your way through the map, so there’s Hastings, North London, the North Pole, back to South London, the countryside and right back to Hastings – although if you run out of time you’ll have to try again. When you complete all tasks in an area you’ll get three stars.

The Snowman and the Snowdog at the London Eye app

If you want a game you can sit and play with your (younger) child, this is the kind of thing – older children will enjoy it too and probably need less help. Personally, I love it – I can see us going back to this app several times due to the amount of things you need to do!

App Time at Mum Friendly

by jo

Dressing Up Is Fun!

We were sent a costume from Jokers’ Masquerade to try – well, I was sent it for H to try. In the last year or so she’s really grown to love dressing up – she’s done it a lot in the past, but since last Christmas we’ve had costumes for her to try and play in (the Doctor one goes down very well), and of course it goes without saying that being a parent I’ve always looked out for the best-yet-slightly-ridiculous ones (she was a Christmas Pudding when she was four months) – so it needs to have a good sense of humour. Enter our Christmas Tree costume! (and indeed, last week she was a fabulous Christmas tree at the Nursery Christmas show)

This costume has all that – tinsel? Check. Tree shape? Indeed! Hat with star on the top? Of course. But the biggest test is what H thinks of it.

Actually, fortunately, once she got her costume on, she really didn’t want to take it off. We’ve had a few occasions where she’ll happily sit at the table wearing the hat (with crazy sunglasses), or indeed just lounge around as a tree. That, to me says it’s a good costume – she doesn’t want to take it off, it isn’t itchy anywhere, and most of all it’s fun! That and you can stand next to the Christmas tree and compare notes… The tree costume is 100% polyester, wipe clean only.

Christmas Tree Costume from Jokers' Masquerade

It is a very serious business being a tree.

Jokers’ Masquerade have LOADS of Christmas costumes – don’t leave it too late though, as the big event is approaching!

We were sent a Christmas Tree costume for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own.

 

by jo

Painshill Park Santa 2012

Painshill Park Santa 2012

Tickets went on sale in mid-October and sold out in a couple of days – Santa in The Grotto at Painshill Park is quite the hit – and there’s been a lot of parents who’ve been with their children and found it magical.

We had our turn yesterday; a drive to Cobham and some lunch at Strada and some heavy rain (so make sure to have wellies with you and take umbrellas and waterproofs), and we got to Painshill Park for just after 5pm. It takes twenty minutes to walk from the entrance to The Grotto where there’s a large white tent serving refreshments, where your number is called. We gave ourselves a lot of time, mainly to allow for H being a bit slower than us, but also as we wanted to look in the shop.

This year we went a bit later than before – and felt as if there were less lights – not that it spoilt anything – just remember to take a torch!

On arriving at the holding tent we got ourselves some Mulled wine (priced at around £2.80ish, it’s cash-only there too) and waited our turn – which came around quickly. We had an activity book, mulled wine, scarves, hats, gloves and cameras to try to pack up – as well as getting H to Santa. (so take a small backpack – something you can put everything in that’ll keep it dry!).

The Grotto at night at Painshill Park

You can’t beat the Painshill Santa – he looks like a proper one too, and H was at ease immediately, telling him what she’d like for Christmas and how she’d been mostly good. This year, despite H being 3 I went for the 4-6 age range for presents, as we felt last year’s was a bit too young for her – which was a smart move as she got a fabulous pair of fairy wings which she’s so pleased with.

It started to rain again, much lighter so we made our way back – be aware, there’s no shelter (apart from the tent) so you’re going to get wet if rain is due. Luckily it didn’t take too long and once back at the entrance we could wait for a very short while.

With all the rain the car park was really muddy – so another one to look out for – but otherwise this was an amazing Santa trip yet again, wonderfully done, and a really fun afternoon too!

Painshill Park is in Cobham, their website is here, and throughout January you can go there on a Wednesday for free.


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