When we were at the Lollibop Festival this year both children absolutely loved playing at the WOW toys tent! They had so much fun with the toy people and vehicles and even got to take a little figure home with them which they thought was ace! Aside from our little gifts from Lollibop and despite them being just up our street we’ve not actually had any of the toys at home before. I say before because now… we do!
We’ve been playing with the camper van and fire engine to review them for the blog and boy have we been having fun! Florence just said ‘WOW!’ when she looked at the box of the camper van which is quite apt really, considering their name!
Casey Camper Van couldn’t have been a better choice for Florence as she is mega into camper vans at the moment. I suspect partly to do with a certain episode of Peppa Pig and partly because her Auntie Phoebe is mad on them too and Florence wants to be just like Phoebe!
Casey Camper Van is brilliant and has lots of little treasures which are fab for Florence. She likes lots of bits and pieces that she can play act with and the fact they all fit snugly inside the van for storage is even better! Open up the roof which has to dips in it for differently sized luggage cases to fit into for when ‘on the road’ and out pops a garden with hop scotch revealing the inside of the van. A little bed, sink and dressing area.
The accessories are a picnic table, the luggage and a dog bed. Of course a dog comes with the two camper vanning people to keep them company on their trips!
We like the realistic sounds that the motorised camper van makes when you friction power it along the floor. A few sweeps and the van is off with such a fab motor noise and absolutely no batteries are required!
Fab features are the cab which is clear and lifts up as well as all the spaces for the characters to sit in. Florence loves to make up games and toys like this only encourage ‘small world play’ which is brilliant for their learning. It;s playing social skills and understanding life which is superb. Some people think toys are prescriptive but I think not, I think they encourage and because she has a camper van now then she will use that as a prop for lots of adventures which she will make up herself. She may very well have played at camper vans without a camper van but with it as an aid she definitely will and will enjoy doing so.
I gave Jimmy the fire engine to play with. I know that sounds a bit sexist of me, the camper van to the girl and fire engine to the boy but honestly I just knew Florence would think the camper van was ace and Jimmy loves all wheels so he’d be pleased with either and as it goes they have both played with both as they are very good at sharing.
Ernie Fire Engine has lots of things that Jimmy likes! Number one I have to point out that at 17 months he is just under the recommended age range but I think he’s able to cope so with my supervision he’s fine. Ernie is fab because actually he doesn’t come with lots of bits which is great for a younger one. He has the fireman and a safety barrier which is about enough to keep Jimmy happy but not so many that he loses them or so little that he tries to eat them! He loved it as soon as he saw it and couldn’t wait to play with it with Daddy and Florence who were both as excited as Jimmy!
We love how the fireman fits in lots of different places on the truck as well as in the lift up cabin to drive it and the really fun part is that you can open the secret compartment boot with the fireman’s fist! The safety barrier can then fit in the boot. Again this is friction motorised and Jimmy loved running after it when Daddy made him go. Again it doesn’t need any batteries which is GREAT! The ladder moves up and down and rotates and the fireman can fit in one of the stands and if you spin him it will make the ladder go round! Lots of interesting sounds and elements for a baby as well as encouraging first attempts and ‘small world play’ which Jimmy absolutely is trying to do now! Lovely!
Wow toys are all about being super durable while at the same time being fun to play with and good to look at. I’d say they’re all of those things and my only advice would be DO NOT do an exercise DVD unless you KNOW all the bits are cleared away. Stand on one of them and you’ll be hopping round the room for longer than the DVD lasts – which, thinking about it would still be exercising but it’s a bit painful! (No toys were harmed or broken in the discovery of this fact!) We have our eyes on Arctic Archie next as in his description it says he likes to hang with Jimmy and we have one of those so it seems perfect. Not only that but it looks like a very cool snow vehicle who comes with an Eskimo and penguin friend! Truth be told there’s quite a lot we’d like to get our mitts on – we need a bigger house with a big play room I think!
I have not been paid to write this post but I was sent the toys for the purpose of review.
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