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Christmas Gift Idea: Thomas & Friends Walking Bridge
If you’re looking to score “Cool Mom Points” this Christmas (I mean, who isn’t? Cool Mom Points are the only points I want!) then you totes should consider adding this cool Thomas and Friends Walking Bridge to your Christmas gift ideas list.
I mean, besides for Thomas being a really cool, timeless toy engine that everybody loves, the walking bridge is rather rad, Brad!
With the Fisher-Price® Thomas & Friends™ Walking Bridge train set, little engineers can use this super-cool addition to Sodor to help Thomas cross the broken bridge. When Thomas, or any other motorized engine, rolls onto the bridge, it walks to the other side (Other engines sold separately and subject to availability). Kids can also use the levers to reveal trap doors that send Thomas racing under the bridge and around more than 6 feet of reconfigurable track.This phenom gift set comes complete with more than 6 feet of track. It’s compatible with Thomas & Friends™ TrackMaster™ track sets to create limitless Sodor adventures! (Track sets sold separately and subject to availability.)
My genius idea (all Cool Moms get these genius ideas now and then…. embrace it) is to set the track up under the tree on Christmas morning. Can you imagine Jonah’s expression when he runs to the tree to find this stunning track waiting for him? Karis enjoyed checking it out for me. Her words were:You can pick this set up at any participating retailer. Check out more about it here on the Fisher Price website.This was a paid collab with Brand Alley. -
Christmas Gift Idea: The original Magic 8 Ball
Q: What’s better than giving your kid the latest fad toy for Christmas? A: A really cool classic game that we probably played when we were growing up! I mean, I don’t know about you guys, but I kinda enjoy gifting my kids with things that I’ve mastered before. Those novelty toys of yesteryear are the bomb!
The original Magic 8 Ball™ is one such toy… right?! This novelty toy lets anyone pretend-seek advice about their future! And no, it does not work with voodoo… it’s actually for “jokes”… and it can get quit silly. All you have to do is simply “ask the ball” any yes or no question, then wait for your answer to be revealed.
Turn the toy upside-down and wait for your answer to appear through the window. Each pack contains 1 Magic 8 Ball novelty toy. It’s a really fun way to replace your dice, on a board game!Back in my day (look at me pretending to be really old when I’m only semi-old) we would use things like Magic 8 Ball and other such frivolities (paper predictors) to help us determine whether our school crush has a crush on us. (Yes, I too would like to give younger me a hug).
`Since then, I’ve become older and wiser (I’d like to think) and I don’t rely on hocus pocus and “what ifs” to determine my future. Although, come on, that first cup of coffee kinda helps us to decide exactly how great our day is going to be #amIright?You can grab your Magic 8 Ball from Takealot for only R169.This post was sponsored by Brand Alley -
Cooking up some fun with the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Magic Color Mixing Bowl
When it comes to pretend play, my kids are expert chefs. I mean, I would know, since I’ve had to pretend sample all of their – errr – delicious foods, brought to me on tiny saucers and in tiny cups. My baby boy has since learnt the art of throwing together a bunch of invisible ingredients into a bowl and turning it into an invisible masterpiece. It’s wonderful to watch, no really.
When we received the Fisher-Price® Laugh & Learn® Magic Color Mixing Bowl I knew it would be an instant hit! Your baby can mix up lots of yummy pretend food with this magical mixing bowl.
This light-up musical mixing bowl ‘magically’ knows when little bakers place the ingredients inside and rewards every put-and-take action with colorful lights, music, sounds, and learning phrases.It has six removable ‘ingredient’ play pieces, two buttons that activate more fun songs and sounds, and an adorable light-up face… Asher was beside himself!
I love that the toy introduces him to the alphabet, colors and numbers. It also helps to develop those fine motor skills through grasping and moving the play pieces in and out of the mixing bowl, helping to strengthen his dexterity and hand-eye coordination. It also encourages those thinking skills by introducing him to the fun of cause and effect as he figures out how to activate the lights and music by placing the ingredients in the bowl or pressing the two buttons.
If you’re looking for a cool Christmas gift for your baby (it’s perfect for babies aged 6-36 months!) or maybe you’re just really hungry for pretend food and would like to enslave your child to cook for you – you should totes consider investing in the Magic Color Mixing Bowl. Fisher Price is known for their quality toys.Oh AND the best part (for me, atleast) is that it comes with 6 removable play pieces, including rattle egg, milk bottle, set of 2 measuring cups, pretend cherries, BPA-free teethable chocolate bar, and spoon for stirring.
For more information check out the Fisher Price website.
You can purchase Fisher-Price® Laugh & Learn® Magic Color Mixing Bowl from Toys R Us
Disclaimer: This post was paid for by Fisher Price
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Teaching togetherness with Paw Patrol {Win!}
If you’re a parent I’m sure you’re well aware that ‘no job’s too big, no pup’s too small’ when it comes to the type of stuff that the puppy’s over at Paw Patrol are able get up to. As it has famously been said: “Round Adventure Bay, Ryder and his team of pups will come and save the day.” And we stan, right? I mean, I love a helpful, world saving dog. In fact, we need a bit of Paw Patrol magic ’round about now, as we face an uncertain future, due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
So I was pretty chuffed with myself when I decided to use the Paw Patrol message of working together to remind the kids that we are stronger united. I mean, it’s no secret, my (and probably your) kids are kinda Paw Patrol crazy. Using their favorite toys and characters is a great way to teach them about our current crisis AND how they can do their tiny bit to help. Also, playing with toys is a clever way to encourage the stretching of imagination AND it creates a nice break away from those screens. Win-win, for sure.
My kid’s were simply thrilled to play with the new Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Super Paws range that has just landed in SA . These sets are so legit, complete with a character (Ryder and his team of pups: Marshall, Rubble, Chase, Rocky, Zuma, Skye) and cool accessories that light up!
Mighty Pups Supersonic JetThis rad 2-in-1 transforming jet switches from deluxe jet into a mobile command headquarters with room for all the pups and a Deluxe Mighty Vehicle. (These are sold separately) The jet comes with an exclusive Ryder figurine and a mini jet that can be removed. My kids enjoyed pressing all the buttons to activate the lights and sounds and they spent a good while loading the launcher to release the 5 discs. Hands down a legit gift! You can pick it up at Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru or Toy Zone for R1999,99.
Mighty Pups Power Changing VehiclesWe had a ball of a time with the super sleek transforming fire truck. Marshall’s truck transforms at the push of the spoiler, revealing translucent flame details and projectile launchers! Pull up on the spoiler to switch back into deluxe vehicle. These sets come with a collectible figurine. This one, in particular, includes a cool looking suited up Mighty Marshall figure. Find these at Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R699,99.
Mighty Pups Themed VehiclesThe Mighty Pups Themed Vehicles are such cool collector’s items. My kids love their Chase police cruiser, complete with real lights and sounds that are activated at the push of a button. This one includes a chase figurine, looking rather dapper in his blue and silver Super PAWs uniform. You can buy them at PnP, Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R429,99.
Mighty Pups Hero Pups
These Mighty Pups figurines are such a nifty way to encourage free play, and to encourage the use of imagination, as your kids create brand new adventures for their favorite Paw Patrol characters. I’ve already promised mine that they will have every single Paw Patrol character because, as I was reminded, they are a TEAM. You can find these at Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R199,99.
Check out the video below for more.
Win a Paw Patrol hamper valued at R630!
To spread a bit of Paw Patrol magic, Just Fun Toys and My Spreadsheet Brain would like to give one reader a stunning Paw Patrol hamper valued at R630! There are two opportunities to enter. You are allowed to enter both times but duplicate entries, on one platform, will not be counted.
Terms and conditions
Giveaway ends on 9 April. Competition is open to SA residents only. Competition is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram. T&C’s apply. Decision is final and we reserve the right to disqualify winners should entry mechanisms not be followed. Products are not redeemable for cash. Winners of any @JustFunToys or @PrimaToys competitions in the last 6 months will not be eligible to win. NOTE: PRIZES WILL ONLY BE DISPATCHED TO WINNER AFTER THE NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN HAS BEEN LIFTED.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Just Fun Toys
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Prima Toys: 44 Cats brings the cool! {Giveaway!}
If your kids loves tv shows, as much as mine does, then you might be familiar with the hit kids show, on Nick Jr, called 44 Cats. It’s rad because these Italian cats spend their time singing in a garage band (I mean, sold already, right?!) and running interference against the neighborhood bullies (of both the human and feline varieties).
We were excited to learn that Prima Toys has launched a toy range for the hit show, in South Africa a couple of days ago. My kids totally freaked out when they opened their gift from Prima Toys, and saw the cool collection of figurines, play sets and plushies!
These cool plushies come in 4 assorted characters: Meatball, Milady, Lampo and Pilou. My Jojo was so amused to press the plush’s centre, to hear the original music from the series play. This is definitely perfect if you’re looking for a gift for a younger. It measures at about 20.3cm and retails for at R369.90 each.
44 Cats – Articulated Figure with AccessoryThese figurines are such sweet collector’s items, right? You get them in 8 various characters and they each come with an accessory for more realistic gameplay. I’ve so enjoyed watching my kids role play with their figurines… it’s such an easy way to get them to engage in conversation, while playing, helping to develop communication skills and boost their imaginations. These retail at R199.90 each.
44 Cats – Deluxe Playset with FeaturesThese playset’s have become Miss Kari’s favorite! They feature character’s from the TV series, with a variety of accessories. Each playset includes a 7cm figurine, with a unique setting, that makes for creative play. These retail at R369.90.
These cool playsets includes a 44 Cats figurine as well as a vehicle. Jonah’s favorite is Cosmo’s Spaceship, that comes complete with a garbage bin spaceship and a rad wagon to pull it on! You can pick these up at R489.90.
You can pick up any of these sweeeet 44 Cats toys at Toyzone or Toy Kingdom!
Win a 44 Cats hamper valued at R1429!Score cool parent points by entering our 44 Cats giveaway and win yourself a hamper to the value of R1429! Hows that for puuuurfect! To enter simply find these specially marked posts on Instagram and Facebook and follow the prompts!
Competition is open to SA residents only. Competition is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram. T&C’s apply. Decision is final and we reserve the right to disqualify winners should entry mechanisms not be followed. Products are not redeemable for cash. Winners of any @JustFunToys or @PrimaToys competitions in the last 6 months will not be eligible to win.
Disclaimer: This was sponsored by Prima Toys
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Tech Deck makes finger boarding gnarly, dude! {Giveaway!}
I’m a “books – give them books!” kinda mom… which doesn’t always make me the most exciting gift-giver. I get it. Even though my intentions are good (I promise), kids want to play. Which is why I’m always on the look out for funky gifts, especially for my older boys, who are a tad bit more difficult to shop for. I mean, shopping for a pre-teen or a teenager is a lot more complicated than you think (no, Luchae, you can’t just buy them airtime). So I was really excited when I learnt about Tech Deck the other day.
I mean, I don’t know if you know but finger boarding is a thing (says our 13 year old). Yep – skateboarding with your fingers is a thing (it’s okay, friend, I too am feeling extremely old and outdated right about now). Tech Deck brings you the raddest, most hippest finger board designs with graphics from the biggest skate companies in the world such as Blind, Baker, Primitive, Finesse, Santa Cruz, Plan B, Sk8mafia and Toy Machine.So the cool thing about Tech Deck is that the range is pretty awsome… there are a ton of accesories to collect! From Build-A-Parks, 96mm finger board multipacks and 96mm single boards, it’s pretty easy to pick out your kids birthday and Christmas gifts. The Build-A-Park set includes all the goodies you’ll need to build a custom park, including a trash bin, kicker ramp and grind bench. It even has a concrete looking finish, you guys. What an amazing way to encourage creativity and the use of imagination (guess they don’t always need books after all).
My boys enjoyed playing around with the Tech Deck finger boards, testing out their skills on their custom park. You can check out the online tutorial videos on the Tech Deck website to learn how to recreate your favorite tricks and expand your finger boarding skill.Check out more about the range over on the Just Fun website.
Win a Tech Deck hamper valued at R1000!Want to score a funky Tech Deck hamper for your kid? Sure you do! Stand a chance to win a Tech Deck Starter Kit, Build a Park Ramp, Tech Deck 4 Pack Multipack and Tech Deck single finger board compliments of Just Fun Toys and My Spreadsheet Brain. Enter via Instagram following the prompts on the specially marked post.
Please note, giveaway ends on 31 October and the winner will be announced on 1 November. Prize will be couriered to you by Just Fun Toys. Giveaway only open to SA residents.
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‘The Little Generosity Shop’ is trading in your toys for chocolates!
Your kid’s have way to many toys. There, I said it. Whaaaat, mine do too. In fact, if you consider the vast number of children, in underprivileged areas, who probably don’t even own a decent pair of shoes on most days, I would say that our kids have a lot more going for them than a banging toy box.
The other day I
madeencouraged my kids to purge their toy box, in a bid to get them to, well, mainly have less crap in my house.But also, I want them to get into the habit of letting go of things that they don’t need, with the intention of teaching them about kindness and generosity. You don’t need to have a lot of moola to sow/invest into another person’s life. Heck, sometimes all you have is love and kindness.
But my point is that the lesson I wanted to teach didn’t involve having lots of stuff. Rather, it involves taking what is in their hands and passing it on to someone that could benefit from it. Often, it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact.
This is one of the reasons why I love the Cadbury Dairy Milk’s The LIttle Generosity Shop initiative. Man, what a great idea! The Little Generosity Shop aims to bring a little joy to millions of orphaned children across South Africa) by passing on preloved toys, from your children, to them.
I mean, guys, these kids are not exposed to the frivolties that our kids are growing up with. Stuff like books, games and toys are a luxury to them! Healthy play is an important developmental tool for growing kids and I so appreciate that Cadbury Dairy Milk has seen the plight and have now taken it on themselves to collect as many toys as possible.And, I mean, if that is not reason enough to get involved, get this: when you donate your clean, unbroken, preloved toy to the shop, you receive Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate! How’s that for a score?!
“Through ‘The Little Generosity Shop’, South Africans will have a platform to share the spirit of generosity,” says Lara Sidersky, Mondelez SA Category Lead for Chocolate. “And so, we are urging all South Africans to get together and get behind this wonderful initiative. Together we can all be more generous. Not just by giving a toy to a child in need, but every day, with each other.”
Nelson Mandela Bay, you can visit ‘The Little Generosity Shop’ this coming weekend (15 & 16 June) at Baywest Mall. The shop will be open during mall trading hours.
If you’re in other parts of the country, check out ‘The Little Generosity Shop’ at a shopping center near you:
- Johannesburg: Sandton City, Checkers Court (29 May – 17 June)
- Durban: Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Centre Court (25 June – 8 July)
- Cape Town: Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Centre Court (19 July – 5 August)
The mobile ‘Little Generosity Shop’ will also be visiting:
- Bloemfontein: Loch Logan (7, 8 & 9 June)
- Pretoria: Irene Village Mall (28, 29 & 30 June)
- Nelspruit: Riverside Mall (12, 13 & 14 July)
To find out how to share your generosity, visit www.cadburyglassandahalf.co.za and follow along on @CadburyDairyMilkSA on Facebook or @Cadbury_SA on Twitter and Instagram.
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Funko: Gifts for the whole family! (Giveaway!)
When it comes to Christmas gift giving, I’m one of those “making a list and checking it twice” kinda gals. I love giving gifts that have meaning! And hey, the thing is this: everyone is a fan of something, right? If your kids or hubby are into movies, gaming, music, sport or even anime, then I’ve got the perfect gift idea for you! And friends, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your couch to make your purchase. Exactly. You can thank me with chocolates.
Funko
I was recently introduced to the whimsical quirkiness that is Funko collectables. These totally rad figurines, brought to SA by Gammatek, feature your favourite movie and anime characters, sports stars and celebrities. And you guys, these rare characters and exclusive units have totally sparked a treasure-hunting frenzy! (Check out the hashtag #funkos on social media).
Funko is not just a toy; it’s basically a hobby, a treasure hunt of sorts, and a really exciting way to collect tangible representation of some of your favourite characters and people. I love that the collectables are focused on diversity. There are also really rare “chase units” which are basically special edition units, that most serious collectors are dying to get their fingers on!Some of my favourite Funko’s include the Harry Potter range and the really cool looking Marvel characters! There are a ton of collectables to choose from, such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, and even anime characters such as Naruto and Dragon Ball Z. If you’re a TV series fan, you could even collect your fave characters from Riverdale or Game of Thrones. I mean, who wouldn’t want to own a mini Khaleesi?! Soccer fans will be pleased to know that they are now able to collect their favorite players and hey, all you royal love bugs, there is even a Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Funko collectable available!
More and more people are latching on to the Funko collector craze and with 75 new product releases every week, it’s safe to say that the Funko phenomena will only grow from here. I appreciate that this is the type of hobby that my whole family can get involved with!
You can purchase your Funko products from Incredible Connection, Hamleys, Musica, Toys R Us and selected Vodacom stores. It’s also available online at Takealot.com, Shopandship.co.za, Loot.co.za and Technomobi.co.za
WIN a set of Funko pops characters!Guess what! As part of my Christmas Crazy campaign, Gammatek is giving away four Funko pops characters to a lovely My Spreadsheet Brain reader! If you’re a mom, you’ll probably know these four characters really well. They are Mr Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet and Dash from the popular animated movie, The Incredibles. Aaaack! I know, I want to cry too. To enter the giveaway, score a point by doing any or both of the following:
Check out the specially marked post on Instagram and follow instruction given there.
Check out the specially marked post on Facebook and follow instruction given there.
Don’t worry guys, I won’t make you jump through hoops (or ask you to follow everyone and my mom) in order to enter. Buuut, please know that we will verify each entry, so sticking to the rules is kinda important. Oh and about dem rules, here are some more to take note of:Terms and conditions
The Funko Christmas Crazy giveaway closes on November 29 at midnight.
I’ll be announcing all my Christmas Crazy winners on November 30.
Each winner will be contacted via email and would need to respond within 24 hours, in order to claim the prize. (Since most company’s shut down in December, this kinda is a strict rule, so please do keep your eyes glued to your inbox/my social media, to check if you’re a winner.)
Please note: my Christmas Crazy giveaways are only open to SA residents. -
What my kids are playing with: Mega Bloks Treehouse Adventures
When it comes to raising actual human beings, there’s so much that one has to consider. I sometimes feel as if I would make a pretty good policeman, yo! I mean, I basically police what they eat, who they play with and what they watch on TV. I investigate every bump and scratch on their bodies. I even check and double check to make sure the toys they are playing with are kid friendly and safe. I take their “toy-playing” very seriously, you guys! Toys, like the Mega Bloks Treehouse Adventures, that provide an educational benefit is a must!
A clever parent (me.. I’m talking about me…) will sneakily use playtime as opportunity for their child to learn. The best type of toys are the ones that engage senses, encourage interaction and spark imagination. The Mega Bloks Treehouse Adventures from Fisher Price helps with this!
This 120-piece play set includes colorful building blocks and special parts such as a moving swing and a window that really opens. The easy-to-build tree house and cottage, with woodland decoration, makes for a complex construction site for little minds. I love watching the wheels in Kari’s head turn as she puts it together.
Her favorite part is when she gets to sit the 2 Block Buddy’s on top of her creation. I’ve probably seen 50 variations of her tree house design and yes, that means 50 over emphasized “wows” as I pretend to be utterly amazed at her sheer brilliance.
The Mega Bloks Treehouse Adventures is ideal for kiddies aged 1 to 5, but clearly our little boetie also wanted in on the action. I totally appreciate that the pieces are not hazardous or a choking risk. Do your kids enjoy playing with blocks as much as mine do?
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What my kids are playing with: Transformers, Fantastic Gymnastics and Yo-kai
It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year and if you’re anything like me, you have your Christmas gifts list covered. Spreadsheet brain, remember? Christmas shopping for my kids is usually a mild affair anyways since they are all so very predictable. Kyle wants electronics. Seth loves to learn new things, and Karis… well, she’s a princess. If your kids are not as predictable as mine are, then this post is for you. My friends over at Hasbro is keeping us in the know, with all things toy-related, and sent me some information for moms and dads who leave toy stores with a “huh” expression on their faces. Some of my favorite picks, from Hasbro, for this year’s Christmas stockings, are: Transformers, Fantastic Gymnastics and Yo-kai.
Transformers
If you didn’t know (who evens are you), Transformers are human-like robots with the unique ability to turn into vehicles or beasts. I’m sure you knew that though. Right? With the newly released Transformers: The Last Knight movie, Hasbro has released a bunch of updated Transformer toys and regalia that is sure to make your little one squeal with delight on Christmas morning. Karis had a ball of a time transforming Optimus Prime (head honcho over at Transformers headquarters) from standing mode into truck. Considering the fact that the movie did really well in South Africa – ranking number 1 at the Box-office in South Africa during opening week – these toys are still pretty popular. Kids are also encouraged to #pledgeYourAllegiance and join #teamautobot to help Optimus Prime save the world by defeating the Decepticons or join #teamdecepticon and help Megatron take over the world. Choose your faction on www.morethanmeetstheeye.co.za
Fantastic Gymnastics
If you have a big family and are looking for fun group games, Fantastic Gymnastics is the perfect game for you! So basically the game requires players to flip the gymnast figure around the high bar, hitting release at the right moment to let him fly and try to stick the perfect landing. It’s super fun! You can play solo, head-to-head or challenge friends to a tournament. Get into the swing of things with this compelling and fun game, ideal for ages eight and up.
Yo-kai
If you’re down with having your kids stretch their imagination, then you should totally allow them to experience the world of Yo-kai with the Yo-kai Watch and Medals. Yep, I know that you know what a Yo-kai is because kids are going nuts over this children’s anime series based on the video game of the same name. So anyways, with the Yo-kai watch toy, children can imagine summoning Yo-kai characters, and when used with the medals, the Yo-kai watch plays sounds, music, and phrases. Insert one of the collectible medals displaying a Yo-kai into the watch to hear the character’s name, tribe song and more sounds.The latest board games and toys from Hasbro are available from Toys R Us, ToyZone, Toy Kingdom, Hamleys, Lilliputs and other major retailers. You can also shop online at Takealot.com
Disclaimer: All product mentioned above was sent to me by Hasbro, but the opinion in the post is entirely my own, I promise.
44 Cats – Plush With Music
44 Cats – Figure and Vehicle
