Florence isn’t really old enough to play with Harumika but when I was sent a set for review and she saw it in the box she became so entranced by it and wanted to play with it so much that I decided I would let her have a go…

Harumika gives you everything you need (manikins, material, tools and information) to design your own mini clothes! A fashionista and designer in the making’s dream! It’s a world away from the sort of toy for this purpose that we had when I was little! I had a ‘fashion wheel’ which enabled me to draw a combination of about 100 different outfits using paper, a black crayon and transfer rubbing. Harumika is SO much better! It’s actually MAKING the clothes! Pretty amazing huh!

No wonder Florence wanted to get her mitts on it as she is, despite me never actively encouraging, into girlie toys and a total girlie girl! Of course making fashionable, pretty and sparkly clothes appeals! This is recommended for children aged 6 or over so it really is out of Florence’s age range however and I was going to give it to my 12-year-old sister to review for me but I’ve only seen her once recently and I forgot to take it with me, so… Florence’s luck was in!

I thought Florence would need help when we were lucky enough to try the Pop Diva set, but actually she was well away and was entirely capable of doing it on her own once I showed her how! You get with this set, the manikin, a long dress corset and a short one, loads of material and ribbons, the tool to poke the material into the holes provided which secure in place where you want it to sit and stickers and jewels to customise after the outfit is complete. I guess you could add your own material if you had some off cuts from a haberdashery and obviously any stickered jewels you may have too! Look how much fun we had making outfits! And where it came into its own for me was the fact that you don’t need any scissors, or glue for that matter, so it’s also mess free too!

She loved playing with this and because no glue is used, you can simply pull the dresses off when done and start all over again so it lasts and lasts!

Customise with jewels and stickers which obviously will lose their sticky after use but you can buy similar items to use another time too!

I helped Florence a tiny bit at the start by showing her what to do and holding it for her as she used the tool to secure the material but she went on to do this one all on her own! I love her belt sticker!

It’s actually quite addictive and even I had a go on my own! One of my creations! Not as good as Florence’s I think!

We both had lots of fun and what I really like about the set is that it comes with material ready to make corsets, dresses etc but you can completely bespoke it as well and go off on your own little tangent! It’s easy to use, Florence is only 3 but loved it and the pieces can be put in a box and used again and again! Great fun!

Bandai produce Harumika and as with all other Bandai products I have come into contact with, most recently when I reviewed ‘Badge It’ for them, (love Badge it, I’m even going to buy a re-fill pack to make badges for Jimmy’s birthday party!) I have been impressed with the quality of the products and how well they work. Just as with the ‘Badge It’, which I thought could easily have been a bit of a flop, this works in exactly the way it says it will and the results are completely satisfying. I remember being a child and something would be promised like with my icy drink maker, and then it never really came off when you tried it… Not so with the Bandai products I have used. They absolutely do what they say they will!

I was not paid to write this post but I was sent a ‘Pop Diva’ Harumika set for the purpose of review.

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