Win a pair of Slugs&Snails tights

Following my review of Slugs& Snails tights I have purchased a few more of their “bright tights for bold boys” as I think they are brilliant high quality tights with funky designs aimed at boys that are comfortable to wear and keep little legs and tootsies warm. As I love their tights I was delighted when Slugs&Snails kindly offered to provide 2 of their tights for a giveaway on my blog.

Slugs&Snails have a great range of tights with 10 fab and funky designs available. There are 4 designs from their old (but still fabulous) collection; Ahoy, High Flyer, Out of this World and Spooked.

Win a pair of personalised cufflinks

I love personalised products; I think a personal touch gives products a dash of magic and a hint of uniqueness. I love receiving gifts that are personalised as it shows that a little thought has gone into the gift and makes the gift more special. As I have a fondness for products that have a personal touch I was more than happy to accept an invitation to host a prize draw on my blog for my readers to have the chance of winning a pair of personalised cufflinks.

Brighton-based bespoke jewellery designers, Ring Jewellery are offering a pair of customised picture cufflinks from their sister site Picture Cufflinks. Their custom cufflinks are designed with a photo, design, image or message. The cufflinks are available in either square or round and either gold or silver coloured. They have designed and created custom cufflinks for celebrities including George Lamb. 

"Show Your Spots, Let's Raise Lots!"

It is that time of year again; no I am not talking about Christmas I am in fact talking about BBC Children in Need. This Friday, the 16th of November 2012, BBC Children In Need will take over the BBC 1 Channel as the charity aims to raise as much money as they can to help make a difference in the lives of children and young people across the UK. The appeal night this Friday is a fun filled evening of entertainment with one-off specials of favourite programmes and celebrities doing crazy things to help raise money.

BBC Children in Need is a charity that aims to have a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK, helping achieve a positive change. The charity’s vision is that every child “has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential”. With the help and support of the public BBC Children in Need makes a difference to lives of children and young children across the UK by supporting projects that works with children facing disadvantages including poverty and deprivation, disability and abuse or neglect. The money that people raise and donate goes towards helping disadvantaged children and young people across the UK; with every penny you raise and donate going towards the cause, making a real difference. BBC Children in Need promise that every penny goes towards helping children and young people as they use investment income and Gift Aid to cover all running costs rather than use the money that is directly raised and donated for this charity.

Bedtime - See It, Snap It, Love It

A while ago I joined in on a brilliant weekly photograph linky challenege called See It, Snap It, Love It on the beautiful blog Dear Beautiful Boy. I managed to participate a few times; capturing photographs for the themes Sky, Red, Eyes, Water and Love.

I enjoy taking photographs, capturing precious moments in time and I found Dear Beautiful Boy’s photograph challenge a lot of fun and inspirational. Unfortunately I lost track, missed a few weeks and as life got in the way I stopped joining in, simply admiring the beautiful and interesting photographs from afar.

Even though I have still been capturing moments, catching them in the bubble of a photograph to treasure forever I have missed the challenge set by the weekly themes on the See It, Snap It, Love It photograph challenge. So I have decided to jump into the challenge once more and hopefully link up each week and carry on doing so.

This week’s theme of 'Bedtime' is nearly closed and next week’s theme has already been chosen, with the challenge being ‘Ten’. Even though the Bedtime challenge is nearing its end I want to link up to it to try and get back in the groove. 

As I am late in the game for this week, for the theme Bedtime I am linking up a photograph I took a little while ago instead of taking a new photograph. 

I absolutely love this photograph of little man sound asleep in the land of nod cuddling up to his little lamb. He looks so sweet and innocent with the peace of sweet sleep radiating from him.

Lest We Forget

EcoForce Household Products Review

As I am a fan of products that are eco-friendly, when I was asked by EcoForce if I would like to review some of their products I was keen to try them because as the brand name suggests they have an eco-element. According to their website EcoForce “manufactures and supplies eco products that work”, as such I was enthusiastic to see if their products really do work and are a combination of useful, high quality products that are according to EcoForce “ ‘greener’, ‘more sustainable’, ‘more environmentally friendly’ than the alternatives currently available made from virgin materials”.

“Launched to make a difference” EcoForce’s products are more ethical, sustainable purchases compared to products on the market which are not eco-friendly. I admire EcoForce’s strong ethos and think it is fantastic that they believe it is their responsibility as manufactures to provide consumers with products that are “greener”. EcoForce say –

“We have always specialised in the design, manufacture, and distribution of household products. Everything that we manufacture is created to make life easier and we pride ourselves on our innovation, our environmental integrity and fact that what we make works and works well.”

“We are dedicated to bringing a range of affordable, useable everyday items manufactured from recycled materials to the general public. It seems ludicrous to me that so many products are manufactured from virgin materials, at great cost to our environment, when in so many instances it is entirely unnecessary.”

Daniel Neumann, EcoForce

We were sent a selection of EcoForce products, all of which are made from recycled materials and have been made as the greener and affordable alternative to other household products, providing people with an ethical option when buying household products.

Clothes Pegs.

EcoForce’s pegs are British designed and British made from 93% recycled plastic and have been created using a clever one piece design. The pegs’ unique one piece design and ingenious spring system was achieved following years of innovative and inventive design and the unique spring system used in the pegs has even won an award, winning the Design Council Millennium Products Awards. EcoForce say that when designing the pegs “an important part of the design of the eco peg was to have everything made from a single piece of plastic, making our pegs stronger, safer and more energy efficient to produce”.

My poor old washing machine is constantly on the go and I always have piles of clothes and cloth nappies galore to dry, as I try to be kind to the environment and our bank balance I only use our tumble dryer in cases of emergencies and I need something dried ASAP. Instead of using the tumble dryer I dry the washing using an indoor washing line and a clothes horse by the fire or on the very odd occasion in-between the days and days and days of rain and bad weather we seem to always have, when we do have nice weather I hang the washing outside to dry on the line, where they dry brilliantly thanks to the wind and sunshine. As I try to dry the piles of washing in an eco-friendly way I use lots of pegs to hang them on the washing lines but hate it when the pegs get grubby and the metal parts get rusty which leaves marks on the washing.

I was more than happy to try EcoForce’s pegs as I can never have enough pegs for the piles of never-ending washing I have to dry. Since getting EcoForce’s pegs I have used them every day and I absolutely love them! You might be thinking ‘they are just pegs, why would you rave about pegs??’ but as I use pegs every day and get annoyed when I buy new pegs and they break, rust quickly, leave marks and stains on my washing or are not able to withstand gripping heavier items of clothing and nappies in place on the line; so when I find pegs that are high quality and work perfectly for my needs I do get a little giddy with enthusiasm (sad I know but what can I say I am easily pleased and drying cloth nappies, seeing beautiful fluff hanging from the washing line is part of my cloth nappy love and pegs go hand in hand with this).

I think the clever design of the pegs is great and I have been very impressed with how well they grip clothes on the line; they are very strong and easily hold heavier items of clothing such as jeans and towels without breaking, also I have used them a few times outside when it has not been raining and they hold clothes in place even on very windy days. As well as boasting a “hurricane proof grip” the pegs are also frost proof. The clever spring system is very strong and robust, even when I have put a lot of pressure on the pegs they have not broken. I think that due to the design and quality craftsmanship they are very tough and resilient and I would be very surprised if they broke and I think these pegs will outlive all of my other pegs.

As well as being very practical and a great design the pegs also look good and I like the fresh yellow and green colours which are colours that I associate with eco-friendliness. As the pegs do not have metal springs they will not rust leaving stains on clothes and broken springs will not be a problem, also because they are made with plastic rather than wood I do not have to worry about unsightly wood stains.

The pegs can cost £1.25 for a bag of 24 pegs which I think is amazing value for money for practical, strong pegs that are eco-friendly. EcoForce also make a peg basket which like the pegs are also made from 93% recycled plastic. The basket looks great and I like the fact that a basket can hold up to 72 pegs and has a unique stackable packaging design. The basket with 24 pegs can be bought for an impressive bargain price of £2.6o; I am definitely going to have to find a local shop to get a basket and some more of these brilliant pegs.

Clothes line.

We were also sent a clothes line which has been made from 89% recycled plastic. The washing line is 20 meters in length which I think is ample for most households. Its break strength is an impressive 30kg which again I think is strong enough for most households’ clothes washing needs.

The line is strong and has easily withstood a lot of washing. I love the bright green colour of the clothes line; it looks fresh and like the pegs the colours reminds me of the environment. I love the fact that the line is recycled and would not be able to tell from looking at it that it is made from such a large percentage of recycled plastic compared to lines that are made from unused, new plastic. The clothes line costs £1.55.

Bag grips.

Made from 93% recycled plastic EcoForce’s bag grips are a one piece design. The pegs are dishwasher proof and can be used safely in the freezer as they are frost proof.

I am very impressed with these plastic bag grips; they have a very strong grip and are easy to use. They are so useful and I have found them very handy for bagging up left over food and for securing a variety of bags and items. As well as being eco-friendly due to the fact that they are made with recycled plastic the bag grips also help you reduce food waste as food can be bagged up for future use rather than chucked into the bin.

As the bag grips are freezer safe they are great for closing vegetable bags in the freezer saving vegetables from escaping the bags. They are perfect for securing items together, keeping things enclosed and for keeping food fresh and sealed. The bag grips are large enough that a secure grip can be achieved but they are not too big to get in the way or stick out so that they are knocked. 

The bag grips are £1.25 for 12 which I think is fantastic value for money for a well-made, practical item that is eco-friendly.

Sponges and scourers.

EcoForce have a range of sponges and scourers that are made using recycled material. As EcoForce aim to produce everyday items that are made from recycled materials they thought it would be a good idea to create a product that is used in daily life, the ordinary kitchen sponge, using recycled materials. They set out to make an ethically produced practical product that would absorb spills and remove difficult stains, using unused clean foam that would have gone to landfill from companies who manufacture foam products. EcoForce break up the foam that would have been discarded by other companies, they then compress the bits of foam together to create the EcoForce sponge.

We were sent a pack of heavy duty sponge scourers. The sponges are super absorbent, are very useful and are easy to handle because they are shaped. The heavy duty scourer is great for removing baked on food and the sponge is great for cleaning surfaces and dishes. I think the sponges look rather funky where you can see the multiple bits of foam that have been compressed together to create a recycled sponge.

In addition to the heavy duty sponge scourer you can also purchase a non-scratch sponge scourer and a non-scratch bathroom sponge scourer. The sponge scourers cost £1.25 for a pack of 2.

The scourers are made from at least 90% recycled fibre and are available in heavy duty or non-scratch. The heavy duty scourers are great for cleaning oven shelves and bake on food. The non-scratch scourers are as effective as the heavy duty ones but are gentler and are ideal for cleaning pots, pans and baking tins; getting them clean without causing any scratches. I like that both of the scourers are contoured for easy grip. Even though they are made using recycled materials the scourers are just as effective as scourers made with virgin materials. Both the heavy duty and the non-scratch scourers cost £1.25 for a pack of 3 which I think is great value for money and similar to non-eco-friendly scourers on the market.

Multipurpose cloths.

EcoForce’s multipurpose cloths are made using recycled material which is good for the environment as it helps reduce landfill, allows crop land to be used for food production and saves energy. The cloths are quilted and Z stitched for strength. As the cloths are multipurpose they are suitable for use on any surface, can be used wet or dry and are machine washable.

I really like these cloths; they are great for cleaning so many things such , they are a great size and its useful that they can be used wet or dry. I have used them in so many different ways including mopping up spilt drinks, wiping up little man’s mess from eating, dusting surfaces and cleaning worktops to name just a few ways these cloths have come in handy. The cloths are super absorbent and I love that the super soft quilted material traps dirt and mess rather than spread it around, leaving surfaces and items sparklingly clean. As I am a fan of reusable wipes I love the fact that as EcoForce’s multipurpose cloths are machine washable they can be washed and reused again and again which saves money in the long run as instead of having to throw away cloths and buy more you can reuse these more than once.

The multipurpose cloths cost £1.25 for a pack of 2 cloths which I think is good value for money especially when you consider they are eco-friendly due to being made from recycled material and that they can be washed and reuse.

Dusters.

EcoForce’s dusters are made from recycled materials and can be used for polishing and dusting a variety of items and surfaces, being safe for use on glass, mirrors, wood, furniture, car interiors and shoes. The dusters can be used both wet and dry.

The dusters are super soft and are brilliant for polishing and dusting. I like that the dusters pick up and remove dust rather than simply smearing dust. I have used the dusters for cleaning numerous surfaces and they have left furniture, the TV, glass and ornaments dust free and sparkling. I am not sure if these dusters can be machine washed, I think it would be beneficial if they could be so that they can be reused. The dusters are a great size, they are thinner than dusters I normally use however this does not affect their effectiveness.

The EcoForce dusters can be purchased for £1.25 for a pack of 10.

I like the fact that EcoForce is a family business and that the majority of their products are made in the UK in their factory in Wellingborough. I admire EcoForce’s strong ethos and aim to provide people with eco-friendly household products and I think it is a breath of fresh air to see ethically made everyday household products available on the market. I also like that on their website EcoForce have a number of interesting ‘Green Facts’ which highlights the need to be a little greener.

I am impressed with the range of EcoForce products, they are practical and effective and I love that as they are made from recycled materials they are a “greener” alternative to the products I had been using previously. I like the fact that thanks to EcoForce I can now use eco-friendly household products, all without a big price tag. The extensive range of EcoForce products are all high quality and each product if functional and practical, which helps make household chores less of a chore. Due to the fact that the products are great and are all eco-friendly I will definitely be purchasing more of the products, with the recycled peg basket being top on my list.

EcoForce products can be purchased at leading supermarkets, independent retailers and online; there is a list of stockists on the EcoForce website. The range of EcoForce products is available in the UK and overseas.

More information about EcoForce.

* EcoForce kindly sent us these products to review for free, despite this I have written an honest review that contains my own words and opinions unless stated *

CBeebies The Album Prize Draw

Following our review of CBeebies The Album I have 1 copy of this album to giveaway.

Perfect for entertaining little ones this album is great for any CBeebies fans as it is packed full of theme tunes, songs and presenter songs from the popular CBeebies TV channel. With a whopping 50 songs this 2 disc compilation is brimming with songs that little ones will know and love.

The prize.
1 x CBeebies The Album (2 disc collection album)

To enter this prize draw for the chance to win a copy of CBeebies The Album please use the Rafflecopter below –

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Important bits

* I will email the lucky winner to request their name and address to pass onto the PR company who will arrange delivery of the prize

* All entries that do not complete the requirements stated in the entry will be disqualified and removed from the prize draw before the winner is drawn 

* The prize draw is only open to residents of the UK 

* Only one entry per household

* This prize draw ends on the 24/11/12 at 12.01am EST (about 5am GMT) 

* Winner is chosen at random using Rafflecopter from all valid entrants and will be announced after the prize draw has closed 

* This prize draw is hosted on behalf of the PR company representing CBeebies who are responsible for sending out the prize to the lucky winner 

* First timers of Rafflecopter - Please watch this how rafflecopter works video if you need to know how to use rafflecopter

* Sign in to use the Rafflecopter using your Facebook account or using your name and email address

* If no form is showing hit refresh (f5) and it should appear

* If you have any difficulties entering please do not hesitate to contact me on bumps2babies@btinternet.com

CBeebies The Album Review

Every time little man hears music being played he looks like he is auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing, as he gets all excited and starts strutting his stuff as he dances to the music. As little man loves music I was pleased when we were given the chance to review a brand new album filled with songs from the popular TV channel CBeebies.

Even though little man does not watch a huge amount of TV he has a few favourite shows that he loves to watch and he always has a little dance to the theme tunes and songs within the shows. As he already enjoys dancing and singing along to songs on CBeebies I was looking forward to getting the new CBeebies album to see if he would enjoy listening to an album filled with songs from the popular children’s TV channel.

Released on the 5th of November 2012, CBeebies The Album is a brand new 2 CD collection with a whopping 50 tracks that includes popular CBeebies theme tunes, songs from hit CBeebies shows and songs from the CBeebies presenters.

Below is the album’s very substantial 50 song track-list:

CD1

1. Justin’s House – Theme Tune

2. Baby Jake – The Yacki Song

3. Iconicles – Theme Tune

4. Rastamouse – Give It Up For Da Easy Crew

5. Abadas – My Name Is…

6. Mike The Knight – Theme Tune

7. Mr Bloom’s Nursery – Meet The Veggies

8. Gigglebiz – Theme Tune

9. In the Night Garden – Theme Tune

10. Big And Small – Theme Tune

11. Timmy Time – Theme Tune

12. Everything’s Rosie – Theme Tune

13. Woolly & Tig – Theme Tune (I Love Woolly)

14. Andy’s Wild Adventures – Theme Tune

15. Grandpa In My Pocket – Boom A Boom Whoop Zing Zoo

16. Tweenies – Theme Tune (Hey Hey Are You Ready To Play?)

17. Alphablocks – Theme Tune

18. Cloud Babies – Theme Tune

19. Tree Fu Tom – Theme Tune

20. Something Special – Theme Tune (Hello Song)

21. CBeebies Presenters – Summer Song

22. CBeebies Presenters – Goodbye Sun, Hello Moon

23. CBeebies Presenters – Winter Song

24. CBeebies Presenters – The Big Fun Time Song

25. CBeebies Presenters – Christmas Song

CD2

1. Rastamouse – Hot Hot Hot

2. Abadas – Medley (Abadas Song/Let’s Play/I Found The World/Goodbye Song)

3. The Lingo Show – Theme Tune

4. Show Me Show Me – Momo’s Song

5. Mike The Knight – Huzzah For Glendragon

6. Raa Raa The Noisy Lion – Theme Tune

7. 64 Zoo Lane – Theme Tune

8. Charlie & Lola – Bestest In The Barn

9. Postman Pat – Special Delivery Service Theme

10. Num Tums – Theme Tune

11. Zingzillas – Do You Didgeridoo

12. Guess with Jess – Theme Tune

13. Tinga Tinga Tales – Theme Tune

14. Balamory – Theme Tune

15. Mr Bloom’s Nursery – The Finale Song

16. Big Barn Farm – Theme Tune

17. Mister Maker – I’m A Shape

18. Waybuloo – Time For Yogo

19. 3rd And Bird – Theme Tune

20. Nina and the Neurons – Go Engineering Song

21. CBeebies Presenters – It’s The Weekend

22. CBeebies Presenters – The Discovery Song

23. CBeebies Presenters – Lunchtime Song

24. CBeebies Presenters – The Birthday Song

25. CBeebies Presenters – The Time Has Come to Say Goodnight (2012 Version)

I am impressed with the huge number of songs included on this album and I like the fact that because there is an impressive 50 songs there is plenty of variety of songs, themes and musical styles. I think it is great that the album is a complication of CBeebies TV show theme tunes, songs from shows as well as CBeebies presenter songs. I like that it features big names, popular shows and commonly heard songs from CBeebies which means CBeebies fans will recognise many of the shows and songs featured on the album. I also like that the album is a blend of old, familiar shows and new hit shows; with older favourites such as Postman Pat, Tweenies and Balamory featuring on the album alongside songs and theme tunes from newer shows such as Baby Jake and Rastamouse.

When I first put this album on little man did not take much notice of the first song from the first CD but when the second song started he instantaneously got very excited when he recognised The Yacki Song from Baby Jake. Even though he started dancing around the room to the song he did seem a tad confused why he could not see Baby Jake on the TV when the sound of The Yacki Song from the show was filling the room. He soon overcame his confusion why the shows were not on the TV and happily pranced and danced around the room the songs on the album.

Little man instantly recognised familiar songs from his favourite shows such as Baby Jake, Mr Bloom’s Nursery, In the Night Garden, Raa Raa the Noisy Lion and Waybuloo. Seeing little man’s reaction of delight and glee to hearing songs from his favourite shows brings a huge smile to my face and the fact that his excitement is infectious and the songs are catchy means I have not been able to resist having a little boogie myself, having had lots of fun joining little man for a mad dance to this album.

There are a few songs that little man does not dance to but these are the songs which he does not recognise as they are from shows that he has not watched. I think in time as little man enjoys this album more and more the will enjoy listening, singing and dancing to most of the songs even ones that he is not currently familiar with. Also as he discovers and enjoys new shows on CBeebies he will be familiar with more and more songs from this album.

This CD has been played numerous times since we got it and as soon as little man hears the music fill the room his body moves to the rhythm and the beat of the music. Little man loves strutting his stuff and showing off his dance moves to the songs. As little man has so much fun dancing to the songs I think that the album is fantastic. There are a couple of songs that I find annoying but I think that as long as little man loves it and is having fun I can live with an annoying song or two and seeing the joy on his face as he enjoys the album means that I am more than happy to put up with a couple of annoying songs getting trapped in my mind, playing on a loop.

It is lovely to see him have so much fun dancing and I think it is great that because it is an album I do not have to have the TV on for little man to dance to songs from his favourite shows and it is great that his favourite songs can be played again and again.

Not only is the album great for little man to sing and dance to at home and burn off some excess energy but it is also great for using in the car especially for long journeys. We have listened to in the car a few times now and because it is music that little man is familiar with it has been a great distraction and kept him entertained as he sings, jigs, bops, claps his hands and swings his arms to the songs from the comfort of his car seat in the back.

As well as being great for little man to dance to I think the fact that the album is a compilation of different styles of music it introduces him to different music. I have noticed that he seems to be aware of the different styles of music as he dances differently to the songs and he repeats the same style of dancing for particular songs; for example for The Yacki Song he dances like Baby Jake does on the show whilst when listening to songs from Rastamouse he always bops along to the music and does a laid back dance rather than a mad, wild dance.

Another benefit from the album in my opinion is the fact that as the songs can be repeated and listened to again and again he will hear the lyrics often which will help him learn to sing along to the songs which in turn is beneficial to his speech development and learning of new words.

This album is a treat for any CBeebies fans and I think it would make a brilliant gift to pop in a Christmas stocking for your little ones this Christmas. The album is great for little ones to enjoy and filled with so many songs that little ones will know and love. CBeebies The Album is available nationwide from a variety of stockists in-store and online. 

* We were provided with a copy of CBeebies The Album to review for free, despite this I have written an honest review with my own words and opinions *

Dinosaur Train Spooky Adventures DVD Review

When we reviewed a Dinosaur Train DVD we absolutely loved the show. Little man loves the colourful characters and he actually stays still for more than a nano-second and watches the show which is very rare. I loved the animation and was impressed that they had made the show both entertaining and educational for little ones.

Unfortunately we do not have access to Nick Jr. to watch the show but when we visit Dadcu (grandfather in Welsh) if the show is on we always make the most of his sky and satisfy our love of the show by watching new episodes. As little man loves watching the DVD again and again I always keep my eye out for any new Dinosaur Train DVD’s that are released to give little man some variety; so when I heard that a new DVD called ‘Dinosaur Train – Spooky Adventures’ was being released I could not wait to get it and see what exciting adventures the loveable characters from Dinosaur Train go on.

Dinosaur Train Spooky Adventures is a complication of seven episodes which are perfect for celebrating Halloween –

* Night Train

* Fossil Fred

* A Frill a Minute

* T.Rex Teeth

* Laura the Giganotosaurus

* A Spiky Tail Tale

* One Big Dinosaur

Not only does this DVD include seven spooky adventures it also has never seen on TV educational clips from resident Palaeontologist Dr Scott, providing children with added educational facts and information. With the DVD you also get a fun colouring sheet for little ones to add their own creative flair to a Dinosaur Train picture.

* Night Train

In this special spooky episode Dad, Buddy and Tiny ride the Dinosaur Train at night. With help from the friendly Conductor they learn about nocturnal animals that are active after dark. The episode is filled with startles and scares as the Conductor tries to surprise Buddy and his family. Night Train climaxes at the Big Pond where under the full moon a spooky scavenger hunt happens.

* Fossil Fred

In this enjoyable episode Buddy, Tiny and Don search around the Big Pond for fossils as they have fun playing ‘detective’. They succeed in finding fossils, ending up finding an entire skeleton of a Jurassic dinosaur.

* A Frill a Minute

In this episode we see the Buddy and his family help Tank Triceratops with his awkwardness about having a huge head, they help their friend but showing him how amazing his features are especially his frill.

* T.Rex Teeth

In this episode Buddy loses a tooth and so that he can learn about T.Rex teeth his mum takes him to Rexville where his Tyrannosaurus friends help him learn that he will grow new teeth to replace the old ones.

* Laura the Giganotosaurus

In this episode Buddy and his family spends time with Laura the Giganotosaurus who is a large dinosaur who always rides the Dinosaur Train and keeps an eye out for any dangers ahead on the track. They learn that, like Buddy, Laura is a three-toed theropod and they also learn that she is an avid bird-watcher.

* A Spiky Tail Tale

Whilst on a day out Buddy and Tiny help settle an argument between two very big dinosaurs, Morris Stegosaurus and Alvin Allosaurus; one has a very spiky tale and the other has a mouthful of sharp teeth.

* One Big Dinosaur

In this episode Tiny and Buddy meet some of the biggest land creatures ever when they visit a dinosaur family of Argentinosaurus. Whilst visiting the Argentinosaurus family they learn about the benefits of being really big as well as learning that it is also great to be their own size.

It is great to see the very cute Buddy have fun exploring with his family and meet new friends on the exciting adventures in the great episodes included on this DVD. Night Train is a great episode and it is interesting that an exciting adventure happens during the night. Little man is fascinated with this episode and it always catches his attention when I put it on; I believe this is partly because Dad, Buddy and Tiny stand out in the darkness due to their bright colour, making them very eye catching. I think Night Train is the spookiest episode on the DVD and little man giggles as Buddy and Tiny are spooked throughout the episode and he finds the Conductors fun antics entertaining.

I personally think it is a shame that there are not any more episodes on the DVD where Buddy has an adventure during the night as I think the night adds a spooky element to his escapade. Even though I would have liked to have seen more episodes with an emphasis on a spooky adventure I still think the DVD is great as it is full of fun episodes that little man loves to watch.

Little man enjoys watching all of the episodes and loves the bright colours and interesting dinosaurs that feature in the different episodes. Often when watching the DVD little man has had a little dance to the fun, entertaining songs that have performed within the episodes. I like the inclusion of songs in the show as it makes it more fun for little ones and they learn language skills, creativity and music skills through listening to the songs as well as develop their co-ordination and motor skills if they have a little dance to the songs.

This DVD is great for pre-schoolers and even though it is titled Spooky Adventures which suggests it is perfect for Halloween, I am sure all of the episodes would be enjoyed by little ones any time of year; I know little man will love watching this DVD throughout the year. In spite of the title being Spooky Adventures the episodes are not too spooky or scary for little man and instead of being scared he was intrigued. I think the show has achieved a great level of spookiness for pre-schoolers to enjoy, combining a hint of spooky with fun making entertaining episodes for children to love watching.

As with all other episodes of Dinosaur Train we have watched the characters are great and Buddy is his adorable, loveable self. The antics of the family in each of the episodes make for great entertainment for young children. I love the combination of entertainment and education that is included in all of the episodes and I think the show achieves the perfect blend of fun, amusing and interesting stories with loveable characters and scientific facts and information.

This Dinosaur Train Spooky Adventures DVD along with other episodes of the hit show satisfies little man’s fascination with dinosaurs and trains and I love that whilst he is watching a colourful, brilliantly animated show that he loves and is fascinated by he is also learning about dinosaurs, natural science and history and Palaeontology. Also I love the fact that as well as teach children about science and dinosaurs in an entertaining way the show also teaches children about other facts and skills including team work, problem solving, investigating and language skills.

Tim Henson's Dinosaur Train Spooky Adventures was released by StudioCanal in the UK on the 1st of October 2012 and is available to buy from all good retailers including Amazon, Tesco, Play.com and HMV.

More information about Dinosaur Train.