rocknrollerbaby- December 2nd, 2011
Another week and more into the Christmas spirit than ever! I used to complain about such things and think we should only get really excited about Christmas day on the week itself. I think having children changes you though so I’m now of the ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ mentality. Considering there isn’t a shop or High Street in the whole country that hasn’t been Christmassy-fied I figured I may as well! The fact that Florence is starting to really understand what’s going on is just spurring me on and even though I took the mickey out of a friend for putting up her tree last weekend, I’m seriously considering it for the next few days! The first year Jonny and I moved in with each other I bought a very small select few decorations and I have added to that collection by buying two new ones each year and I’m really looking forward to getting them all out and putting them on our (real and yet to be purchased) Christmas tree. Every single one has a memory which is exactly what I wanted when I started the collection and Florence has her own one to put on the tree too! Absolutely loving it we are!
This week our Christmas treat has been another theatre trip, this time to see a modern classic ‘The Gruffalo Live’. Playing at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue from 23rd November until 15th January makes it a perfect treat for either the run up to the big day or for afterwards when the excitement is dying down, perfect for softening the blow. Just as with ‘Stick Man Live On Stage’ the original story of ‘The Gruffalo’ is by Julia Donaldson with illustrations from Alex Sheffler and it’s transportation to the stage is just as electrifying. Being produced by a completely different company, the critically acclaimed Tall Stories Theatre Company, ensures that it’s an entirely different experience and frankly I feel very lucky that we have had both!
Superbly directed by Olivia Jacobs the three actors take on all the roles from the story just as we know it from the book. Mouse enters the deep dark wood in search of nuts determined not to be afraid of the dangers that lurk within. With his wiley charm, wit and tall stories of a ‘Gruffalo’ friend he manages to foil the attempts of Fox, Owl and Snake to take him back to their lairs and have him for their tea! His made up character of ‘The Gruffalo’ may just come back to bite him on the bottom though and if that happens how will he fend off being someone’s tea then?!
The performances which are outstanding and encourage audience participation are assisted by mostly unfussy costumes and few props preferring movement and music to achieve their goal. I’ve said it before but I’m a massive fan of ‘less is more’ when it comes to set design for the theatre and I think that Isla Shaw who provided her input for this production has it just right. From the slinky snake using only maracas and shiny scarves to support his acting, to the back drop of trees with a central focal point within which the actors hide and change, it really doesn’t need anything more. What it does have is used very cleverly. I also especially enjoyed the songs which were brilliantly catchy and the movement/dancing which was spot on with every step being beautifully synchronised. If you don’t believe how catchy the tunes are then just head over to the website www.thegruffalolive.co.uk where you can hear for yourself the main song which we, as an audience, were encouraged to sing along with at!
It is suggested that ‘The Gruffalo Live’ is for children aged 3+ and their adults to come and enjoy songs, laughs and scary fun! Well Florence is nearly two and she thought it was fab so I guess you just have to decide for yourself if ‘The Gruffalo’ would be too scary or not. It’s true there were some ‘scary’ moments and Florence did bury her head on my shoulder for those; I can see why they suggest an age of 3+ but I also think that despite those few moments Florence had a really fun time. I think she even quite liked the scary parts! So what’s right with it? Everything I’ve already said plus the fact that the theatre staff are so helpful. There is a safe place to store buggies, not many stairs to negotiate once inside and the ticket prices won’t break the bank, starting at just £13 (it’s also great to know that babies in arms go free)! What’s wrong with it? Not a lot really, I would suggest that they could offer booster seats for smaller ones as other theatres often do but that’s about my only criticism. Performances start at either 10 or 11am or 12 or 2pm. For the full schedule see the website stated above and to book tickets log onto www.nimaxtheatres.com or call the box office on 0844 412 4661.
Now if it’s a bit further into the future that you want to give your little ones a treat and I do appreciate that Christmas and all its festivities can be overwhelming; so saving something for a bit later might be a good idea, then look no further than the CBeebies Live! ‘Reach to the Stars’ Tour. Kicking off in London at Wembley Arena on 31st March and working its way round the country finishing in Nottingham on Saturday 14th April 2012 this tour is proving to be THE MUST SEE SHOW for 2012 and will include performances from all our CBeebies friends Justin Fletcher, Phil Gallagher, Katy Ashworth, Andy Day and Andrew Agnew. Let’s show Robbie Rotten who are the real stars by helping LazyTown’s Stephanie and Sportacus save the day with the help of Mr Tumble, PC Plum, Postman Pat, Squiglet, Zingzillas – and don’t forget Jess The Cat! Watch out for a few surprise guests too.
What’s more is that the newest addition to the cast has just been confirmed and I can now proudly let you all know that the one and only Mr Maker will be part of the stellar line up! Advance tickets have been selling furiously, so much so, that a new date has had to be added to the Glasgow run in order to keep up with demand! This is the first Cbeebies Live! Arena tour since 2008 and with more that 550,000 people having attended in the past the ‘Reach to the Stars’ Tour promises to be a bigger spectacular than ever before with an all new show, massive video screen and more audience interaction than ever before! Tickets are on sale now and it would be a massive shame to miss out by not booking in time! Children’s tickets are from £12.50 and a family ticket (for 4 people) starts at £50. To book and for more information about the show see www.CBeebiesLive.com. What about wrapping up a letter telling the children they are going to see the show and popping it in their stocking? Something to open on Christmas day but with excitement to last well into 2012 as you count down to show time!
Now before I get into the second half of my Christmas gift guide (we’ve been busily toy testing again this week) let me tell you about a couple of other things which might interest your children and could be some unusual and truly modern Christmas presents!
Firstly, did you know ‘Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew’ are releasing a special Christmas single? Well, let me tell you that they most certainly are! ‘Best Friends’ is their first Christmas single ever and it’s a wonderfully warming winter one at that! ‘Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew’ have enjoyed a phenomenally successful year, headlining at the ‘Lollibop Festival’ for children as well as playing at ‘Glastonbury’ and enjoying much air play on mainstream radio with the two songs released earlier in the year from their debut album ‘Makin’ a Bad Ting Good’.
As with the music and songs from the album, ‘Best Friends’ is a brand new recording which features live vocals by Sara Dowling as well as live instruments – all written by Andy Kingslow, who has worked with Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal and Corrine Bailey Rae among others.
With the daily episodes scoring high ratings on the BBC and performing phenomenally on the iPlayer, as well as DVDs and toys hitting the shops now, ‘Best Friends’ is perfectly timed to celebrate the end of an eventful year for this particular crime-fighting mouse and his crew of friends.
The single is featured heavily in the extra special Christmas episode ‘Rastamouse and Tinie Tinsel’: this is to be shown on CBeebies 4 times in the week before Christmas, as well as on BBC2 on Boxing Day. The accompanying video is sure to be ‘the jewel in the crown’ of the pre-school BBC offering, available on the BBCi red button throughout the festive period: from December 19th until January 2nd.
The official Digital Download Single is due for release on 11th December 2012 so you’re little ones could have it as either a pre or Christmas treat! Keep up to date with all things Rastamouse by keeping an eye on him at The official Rastamouse website: www.rastamouse.com,The official Rastamouse Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rastamouse.irie, The official Rastamouse YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/rastamousecompany and Follow Rastamouse on Twitter: @rastamouse_irie
Secondly, if your child is into playing with apps on your iPhone then why not download them something they will find loads of fun and, you will be happy, that it aids their learning too! My friends at Mindshapes, a London based company producing apps for children for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch have just developed a great new app called ‘The Opposites’ which is designed to help your little ones develop key literacy skills. At just £1.99 on iTunes (Tier 3) it’s a fantastically priced, bang up to date and on trend present idea for the children of 2011 and beyond! Interested? Then read on!
Develop your kids’ key literacy skills with The Opposites – the new arcade-style app from leading digital publisher Mindshapes. The app follows a pair of twins who take different sides on just about everything- even which words to use! Players must observe the twins’ word battle, matching up over 500 pairs of opposing words in increasingly difficult levels as they develop their vocabulary and reading skills.
Developed for the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® Touch, The Opposites also features a bespoke child-friendly dictionary that has been written especially for the game. The Opposites app is available to download now in the Education category on iTunes and will cost £1.99. For more details log on to www.mindshapes.com.
Created for kids aged seven and up, The Opposites starts with easy pairs such as “up/down” and “in/out” and gets more challenging as each child progresses – until they are dealing with descriptive words and even technical terms. Each level introduces increasingly complex words for children to match up, so young minds will be stimulated each time they play and their literacy skills will constantly develop. What’s more, The Opposites features voiceovers to aid children with their pronunciation and to boost their confidence in using new vocabulary. Players can either learn words from the unique dictionary before playing or jump right in and see what level they can get to!
James Peak, Educational Consultant at Mindshapes, states: “With The Opposites, we’ve created an entertaining and beautifully designed way to develop literacy skills. This app encourages young players to think deeply about new words and their meanings.”
And now to my ‘Christmas Gift Guide’. Still busily toy testing away this past week I definitely have some more brilliant present ideas to talk about! If you’re struggling, these have been some of our favourites and we would highly recommend every single one of them. This week I decided to keep it especially for the older ones but next week I’ll be including a selection of toys just for newborns. I know it’s especially hard to think of something other than clothes for a new baby but it’s nice for them to have presents too so I hope you will like my choices… all from ‘Tiny Love’ one of my favourite companies for tiny babies toys. Now, back to the older ones…
Stocking Fillers:
Thomas and Friends Day of the Diesels [DVD] (2011)
Feeling that Florence has probably far too many favoured television programmes already for her not quite yet 2 years I decided I would ask one of her lovely little pals William to test out this DVD for me as I know he is already a huge Thomas fan and would be able to give it a more professional eye. This is what he and his Daddy Joe thought:
I watched Day of the Diesels with my almost two year-old son, who is a big Thomas fan and certainly seemed to enjoy it. The plot is fairly simple; Percy feels left out when Thomas meets a new friend and is persuaded by the mischievous Diesels to join them whilst they take over the steam shed on Sodor – will he realise in time and help save the day when a fire breaks out?…By centering on just a few main characters that everyone knows (Percy, Thomas, Fat Controller) and a few Diesels, the story is easy to follow, and paced at the same speed as the Thomas and Friends tv programmes (not too loud!), which was perfect for William and his tired father. The Diesels may seem a bit scary for some children, but at this age I don’t think William was too bothered, and it made an exciting change for him to see some new characters as well. The running time of an hour was just right as well; it held his attention, but he was ready to do something else by the end (we watched it in two parts). My only reservation was that a number of regular characters suddenly appeared at the end for no apparent reason – maybe to sell a few more toys? All in all a good watch for Thomas fans, and for lovers of good music there’s a finale that I’m sure you will appreciate!!
Rated Universal, suitable for all. £6.99 (on Amazon with free delivery)
Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers
I think all children love stacking cups but what sets these apart from other makes is the fact that they not only stack, but clip together in a train like formation, creating, (with the largest one having a face and the smallest a tail) a lovely new caterpillar friend. Another engaging feature making them just that bit different from others I have seen is that each cup has differently designed holes on the bottom, meaning that the water strains through them in interesting ways. The cups Florence has played with in the past all have the same amount and sized holes in the bottom which is fine but I found this way was a bit more exciting for her. The smallest cup also has a spinning disc inside it which is fun and makes it quite quirky. The perfect small present for any little water baby!
9m+ £5 RRP www.munchkin.com
Animal Quiz Cards
Another ‘Usborne’ mummy sanity saver for the car. A few weeks ago I talked about a similar product ‘100 Things for Little Children to do on a Journey’ also by ‘Usborne’ and spoke about how good the cards were for keeping your tiny ones entertained whilst travelling. These ‘Animal Quiz Cards’ are similar in nature but instead contain fantastic graphics and questions relating to all things animal. This is a game that can be played anywhere with anyone or even alone. It consists of 50 cards with designs on both the front and back and oodles of questions such as ‘What am I’? followed by a description and general knowledge questions. There are answer cards at the back of the pack if you get really stuck and they can be used time and time again. They are also wipe clean for any spillages that may occur on a bumpy road! A wonderful and time consuming stocking filler for older ones (although I have to say Florence loved just looking at the pictures and guessing the animals).
£5.99 RRP www.usborne.com
Presents For Little Ones:
Wooden Post Box
We absolutely loved this one and it’s actually something I’ve seen before and thought how fantastic it is! Children love to post things. Fact. So why not give them something they can actually post without it affecting your DVD player in demonic ways?! It comes with 5 assorted coloured letters to post; this lovely little wooden post box not only looks gorgeous and enchanting but it is absolutely loads of fun for babies and children too. As a one year old just learning how to do things like post something through a gap, right up to a child who can use it as part of his or her imaginative games, I can see this present lasting and lasting!
12m+, £15.00 www.elc.co.uk
Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway
The Stand ‘n Play Rampway is a fabulously big gift! At over 2ft tall you do need some space to make storage, when not in use, easy but if you have it then it’s a great toy and a delight to play with! When I was little I had a toy garage which I adored; this is like my old garage x 20! Not only does it have a petrol pump and a repair shop with a clickety clackety lift but it also has two spiral ramps for the cars to shoot down and this can be played with from either side making it a perfect toy to share! This is an all signing, all dancing version of my 80’s toy garage and comes complete with flashing lights and realistic mechanical sound effects! It comes complete with two ‘Wheelies’ vehicles (cars with Little People characters built in to the driving seats) and these can be spun down the ramp way, through the spinning sign and then taken to the garage for a full MOT!
1½ – 5 years, £43, requires 3 AA (LR6 Alkaline) 1,5V batteries (not included,
www.fisher-price.com
Little Charlie Bear Fun Sounds Soft Toy
What’s not to love about this little Charley Bear? The programme, where Charley’s narration is voiced by none other than James Corden of Gavin and Stacey fame is beautiful, gentle and sweet. The toy, which also has James’s voice at the squeeze of Charley Bear’s tummy is all those things plus being a delightful and soft cuddly teddy bear too. I recently went to see Charley Bear Live when he came to the Stratford Westfield shopping centre and judging by his army of fans that day I can only presume that this toy will be a mega hit! Children just seem to flock to Charley Bear and when he comes on the television in our house, all goes silent, all goes calm and we have ten minutes of pure interest… Why not have a bit more down time with this lovely bear to take to bed and play with too!
2 years +, £17.99 RRP, includes 3 x LR44 batteries
Little People Happy Sounds Home
This is a brilliant little house which all the accessories fit neatly inside it so that you can close it up and store it easily. With a spinning disc on the top to determine if it’s night or day, a flushing toilet and a realistic doorbell amongst many of it’s other charming features I can’t imagine many children not enjoying playing with this! There’s lots of little features to this house such as the bath and washing machine which can be pushed down to make realistic noises and because it comes with three rather chunky characters you don’t need to buy any extra bits and pieces to go with it. The best bit about it is that unlike so many dolls houses, it’s not pink! The colours are totally unbiased towards either sex which makes it a winner for any child!
1 – 4 years, £35, requires 3 (LR6 Alkaline) 1,5V batteries (not included),
www.fisher-price.com
HappyLand Country Train Set
Building this train set and fixing together the track is easy enough for even little hands making it perfect for those two year olds who want to do everything on their own! As with all HappyLand products I have seen this is well made, fun to play with and creates many learning opportunities as well as promoting play. It comes with everything you need for playing trains including a driver who needs to be in his seat in order for the train to start! There is also a level crossing, 2 more people, a sports car and a station which the train stops at momentarily on its battery powered journey round the track! Makes a nice ‘Choo Choo’ noise too, just delightful! Best bit about this set is the fact the train with it’s two easy to connect carriages will move on or off the track meaning more scope for play! Lots to do with this one and lots of skills needed such as hand eye co-ordination but nothing so hard it’s unachievable! The wording on the packaging is really rather modest as it’s a good deal more impressive when actually in use!
18m+, £38, requires 2AA batteries, www.elc.co.uk
Laugh and Learn Sweet Sounds Picnic
Aside from the sheer pinkness of this toy picnic set (I’m not a fan of things being overly girlie or masculine for children of such a young age) this is a delightful toy. Essentially a shape sorter, the main body of the picnic box is dedicated to this purpose with 4 differently coloured shapes to post, it is also a lot more than just that. With sounds and songs to help aid your child’s learning on many topics such as manners, opposites and greetings as well as the shapes and colours it will provide entertainment for a wide age group. It also comes with a picnic blanket marked with places for teddies to enjoy their lunch and to assist the older toddler with make believe games. With the typical songs I’ve come to know and (honestly) love (I find myself singing them all the time) sung in an English accent as opposed to American and a volume control (good idea) this is a fun and educational toy at a great price too!
6 – 36m, £17, includes 3x aa batteries, www.fisher-price.com
Something Fun For An Older One:
The Usborne Big Spotter’s Sticker Book
If your child is into spotting things when you’re out and about in the countryside or at the beach, and let’s face it, what child doesn’t like to say ‘Look Mummy, a ladybird’ or ‘Wow a butterfly’ or ‘What flower is that?’ then this book is just for them! Obviously it does take a bit of thought and this is why I have suggested it for an older child, I’d say perhaps by about 7 or 8 years and it’d be the perfect age for starters although children older than that will also love this unique guide to nature. ‘Usborne’ have a whole range in this series, some dedicated specifically to certain animals for instance but this book has a wide variety of things in nature to spot which makes it great for a new ‘spotter’. There are different chapters; trees, water birds, crustaceans and jelly fish, different types of flowers, insects… The list goes on. There are stickers of the finds for you to place in each of their selected spaces and also there are places to write when and where it was spotted. This is a lovely book which can be taken out and used so many times that it makes the price really well worth it. I can’t imagine even the most techie of children not enjoying this book and if it is something you’re after to drag their minds away from the computer then what better way to do it than with this book!
£9.99 (not suitable for children under 36 months
www.usborne.com
MY PREGNANCY DIARY WEEK 18
A few aches and pains over the past few days have suggested to me that the baby is having a growth spurt and my body is stretching to accommodate him or her. I’ve still not really put on any weight which is great but I have been a bit slack about my exercises and must get back into them next week. I’ve noticed that when I eat stodgy food I start to feel really lethargic so this pregnancy, so unlike my last, is dictating that I eat quite healthily to keep me feeling bright! I’ve noticed also that I could face a glass of wine now whereas in the first part of my pregnancy I literally couldn’t have faced the sight of it! I haven’t had one yet but I think I might treat myself to a glass with my lunch over Christmas. I realise the advice these days is to steer completely clear but when I had Florence it was totally different and widely advised that a glass of wine every now and then wouldn’t harm. I certainly had the odd glass when I was pregnant with her and I think I’m just going to use my own common sense this time thank you very much! If I feel like a drink at Christmas then I shall jolly well have one, I’m obviously not going to go over board and get drunk but a nice glass of bubbly would be rather nice and I feel totally comfortable with that choice.
What I don’t feel so comfortable in these days are my pyjamas! I’m not sure if it’s because I move around a lot in my sleep but unlike my normal stretchy clothes, my normal stretchy pyjamas just aren’t working for me any more. I have in light of this been wearing my new maternity set which are much more acceptable and roomy for my slumber time (what little I have of it – Florence’s routine is going backwards I’m afraid)! Made by ‘Melba London’ these navy maternity pyjamas are the absolute bee’s knees for me and I am marking them my ‘Pregnancy Product of the Week’ thanks to their sheer comfort! The trousers sit just below the bump with an attractive ribbon to tie at the side. If you, like me, are not a usual fan of the ‘under the bump’ style then fear not because the ample top, which is ruched all the way down each side, pulls down way over the top of the trousers. The top is magnificently designed for easy breast feeding access (as Florence has found out and clearly is a fan herself) and the three quarter length sleeves solve any worries about upper arm flab! They’re really lovely, would make a great present, be easy to wear in front of family at Christmas and are equally as good to wear when in hospital after the baby is born! These are really quite glamorous pyjamas but without being too fancy and they’re also really soft to the touch which is fantastic for sensitive pregnancy skin! 100% cotton, they wash really well and come up looking just as good as they did when they first came out of the packet. My only bug bear would be that the waist band elastic twists round a bit in the washing machine so you have to un twist it as you iron but it’s really a minor problem that is easily sorted! I have size ‘small’ which is for a UK size 10 – 12 (which I am) and I would say that even if I was a size bigger they would still be perfectly fine,
£35, sizes 8 – 18, www.melbamaternity.co.uk. (Melba London have a special offer at the moment, if you add the matching robe to your order when purchasing the pyjamas then the robe comes for just £15 meaning a saving of £10)!
So, until next week when I will be bringing loads more reviews including the gift guide for newborns! I’ll also be reviewing the pantomime in Stratford London which is at the theatre right next door to our new and fabulous ‘Westfield’ shopping centre and I’m really looking forward to seeing it so fingers crossed its good! Also there will be a new and exciting competition launching so definitely pop back and enter because it’s a super duper prize that your little ‘Uki’s’ will just adore! (Bit of a clue there)!
(All opinions and words, apart from those in green, are my own. I have not been paid for this article although I did receive some products to keep after I had reviewed them.)
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