The Imaginext Fire Station Review

We absolutely adore Fisher-Price in our house, they are a brand that we personally chose for Leo when he was too young to make those choices. The play mat, the swing and some of his very first toys, were Fisher-Price. As Leo has grown we have added many more to his collection, and very recently when we were asked if Leo would like to try out the Imaginext Fire Station, we leapt at the chance.

Leo is almost 3 and is loving everything emergency service related, when we are out in the car he loves coming across a fire engine, police car or ambulance with their sirens blaring. There have been a few instances where he has almost demanded that I follow them, and gets very irate should another vehicle block the emergency service vehicle from his sight. I had already foreseen just how excited Leo would be at the prospect of having a play fire station to play with, and the arrival of the Imaginext set only confirmed my expectations.

The Imaginext Fire Station comes pretty much assembled and is just a case of..

1 – Restraining the toddler long enough for you to get all the bits and pieces out of the pack.

2 – Popping in the accessories, like the water pump, flag and hook onto the fire station.

3 – Letting your imagination run wild!

Assembly is always an aspect that I consider when purchasing a new toy, it usually falls into one of two categories. Is it something I can assemble myself… Or will I need Luke to do it? Thankfully the Fire Station is so easy, I wouldn’t really say it needed assembling. As soon as it was all out of the box, Leo was free to speed the fire engine around and put out as many fires as he pleased. He marched the little firemen up the fire escapes into the fire station, he swung them from the hook (for reasons only he will know).  He put the water into the water pump and pressed the button launching it across the room. In fact he was so engrossed in his game that he didn’t even say goodbye to me as I went back to work from my lunch break.

Granny advised that he played all afternoon with his fire station, and the truck that had its sirens on more than off (it even came with batteries so it was ready to rock and roll).

When the time came for me to take Leo home, I found him clutching the fire station in his arms. He was worried that I would forget to bring it home with us. Since the arrival of the Imaginext Fire Station Leo has not stopped playing with it. He absolutely loves it. Leo has always loved imaginative games, so this is the perfect toy to really get his creative juices flowing.

It has been so lovely watching Leo dream up games, and acting them out with the firemen, the fire engine and of course the station itself. When putting out a fire you hear Leo making the nose for the water as he spurts it out of the hose, and onto the burning building. He has balanced the fire-fighter’s in the lift on the back of the truck…And when they have fallen out quickly called an ambulance to come and pick them up! It is a toy that he can use his imagination with completely, he can make absolutely anything happen and I think this is precisely why it is such a big hit.

In an age where everything is going digital, and where kids toys have so much technology, it does really make me appreciate the simple toys just like this one, that just allow kids to be kids.

From a parent’s perspective I think this is a great addition to the toy collection, nothing beats sitting down on the sofa and watching Leo play out his games right in front of me. Hearing him play so happily and just making the rules up as he goes along. The quality of the toy it’s self is great, it’s sturdy and made for little hands. I adore all of the detail that has gone into it, and on the right hand side you have a fireman’s pole that the firemen can actually use! My favourite bit of this set has to be that it comes with everything you need to play straight away. There are 3 firemen included, the fire engine with working lights and sounds, the station and the accessories. I have found in the past with some sets that you have to purchase everything individually, so it is a real bonus that everything comes in the one set. There are so many different aspects that keep Leo interested, and of course playing for hours.

The Imaginext Fire Station retails at £50.00, and when I first saw the price tag I have to admit that I thought it was a little steep. Having actually seen the play value that is to be had with this set, the quality and of course having everything included, I now think that you would end up paying more, either buying a cheaper version and it breaking… or buying one that doesn’t include all of the accessories that are included in this set.

Amazon currently have the Imaginext Fire Station for sale at £47.99, at the point of writing this review.

Leo adores it and I love watching his imagination come to life. This is a toy that is going to continue to be very well played with, and as Leo continues to grow I am guessing that games will too.

Disclaimer: We were sent the Imaginext Fire Station for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions are completely honest and my own.

Learning through play

Leo loves to play, and if you were to see our house at this present time you would see that he has more than enough to play with. But Leo is actually role playing, he is using his imagination to play make believe games.

I thought he was a little too young to be doing these things but the more I think about it the more I realise that it is a learnt behaviour. He watches me talk on the phone, so he talks on the phone. He has seen me vacuum the floor, so he does it too. Everything he does he has seen done at one point or another.

For Christmas we got Leo a wooden play kitchen, it is something that we had been wanting to get for him for quite a while. The main reason I knew he would love the kitchen is because of the doors. Yes…My son has an obsession with opening doors putting objects in and out and then closing the doors again before repeating.

So I knew that what ever we did get him would have to be strong and sturdy, as Leo was going to play… hard with it.

As expected the kitchen has been a big hit and by far his favourite Christmas present, he stands with his kitchen utensils and cooks porridge on the hob, and stirs it so effectively. Leo will then bring me over the yummy bowl of steaming porridge (or orridge as he calls it) and of course the spoon so that I can eat it all up. Of course I make the appropriate eating noises to let him know that he has cooked up one mean bowl of porridge, and usually after I have eaten my fair share, Leo will chow down on the rest making the same eating sounds and dipping the spoon in and out of the bowl.

I have told Leo that the pots and pans can get very hot so he has to be careful while he is cooking on the stove, and understanding exactly what I have said he touches the pans and then puts his hand to his mouth. Strange as this sounds this is what Leo does when he touches something he expects to be warm or hot such as the radiator.

To go alongside the kitchen Santa brought Leo lot’s of pretend food so that he would have lot’s to cook up for Mummy and Daddy. Sure enough little man is roasting chicken and cooking up delicious vegetables in his oven, and the more he plays and we say the names of what he is cooking, the more he is learning to say. He tells me ‘pizza’ and points into the oven, and sure enough…His plastic pizza is cooking in there. Of course when the pizza is all cooked up we must eat it up very quickly with our enthusiastic ‘yum, yum’ noises.

Leo will whip out his very own Dyson hoover to clean up the mess that has made on the floor, whizzing it backwards and forwards with his very own ball technology! He especially loves to help Mummy clean up the house, and the best thing is that now he has his very own…He doesn’t cling onto my Dyson…and he doesn’t try to sit on it to go for a ride!

Leo also has his very own baby boy doll, we have named him Josh in honour of his baby cousin. I think that Leo believes all baby’s are named Josh or as he would say ‘osh’. But we have to sit and feed Leo’s baby doll with his very own doll bottle. Leo will then pick him up and give him a reassuring pat on the back before putting him into his pram and pushing him around the entirety of the house.

Who’s to say that imagination cannot come into play now? Leo has demonstrated that he is playing and making the very most out of his already, even if he is just mimicking learnt behaviour he is still playing make believe and becoming a very clever, well rounded little man.

WOW Toys - Dudley Dumper Truck Review & Giveaway

WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT
Congratulations to Janine for winning Tow Truck Tim! You have been sent an email to notify you of your win!

I recently discovered WOW Toys while visiting the Milton Keynes Baby Expo last month, WOW are a company I have heard great things about but until our first encounter, Leo and I had never ever had a play with them.

The chance meeting could not have come at a better time as Leo was starting to get fed up of Mummy looking around and he just wanted time to kick back and have a play, queue WOW Toys making an appearance!

Leo made himself right at home and began to play with a Dudley Dump Truck, he was fascinated by it and began pushing it backwards and forwards. He was putting little Marky the builder who operates the truck in and out of the driver’s seat, and even letting him ride along in the dumper compartment. I gave Leo the time out that he obviously needed but when I tried to bring Leo away form the excitement of the WOW Toys play tent…That is when he almost ran off with Dudley the Dumper Truck….

WOW Toys have very kindly sent Leo his very own Dudley Dump Truck for him to play with at home, and as soon as Dudley arrived Leo could not wait for me to remove him from the wrappers; he had to jump right in and play before he was even removed from the box.

Dudley is recommended for children from the age of 18 months old, but after seeing Leo play so happily with Dudley I knew that he would be a big hit, so at 16 months old Leo is enjoying his very own Dudley Dump Truck. There are no small parts to Dudley and nothing but high grade materials are used in the making of any WOW Toy.

Dudley is a very durable and sturdy toy that has withstood lots of enthusiastic playing from Leo, playing that usually involves crashing into furniture or sometimes even a short flying lesson… Not that I am suggesting that Dudley can or… should fly, more that Dudley has been designed and tested to withstand toddler play.

Dudley Dump Truck is really well made and this is why he is absolutely perfect for a toddler to get creative with, as there is no fear of any small parts coming off. He is as chunky and sturdy as they come. Trust me I know… Leo has sat on him.

WOW Toys don’t require any batteries what so ever, which means no screaming child when the batteries have given up the go for the umpteenth time! Even though the toys don’t run on batteries, each and every WOW Toy still has a great array of exciting features to have a play around with. Take Dudley for instance, he isn’t a dumper truck for no reason at all, he is a dumper truck because you can load him up and then turn the power switch so that Dudley dumps the contents he has been carrying.

The dumper mechanism is easy to operate and reset, to reset all you have to do is push the dumper compartment back into place. Leo hasn’t done this himself yet but I don’t think it will be long before he does, he has been watching me vigorously as and when I have shown him how to do this.

When you push Dudley along you realise that he makes a great realistic ‘vrooom’ noise with his friction wheels, which also happen to be motorised so when you give him a small push it makes Dudley go even further and faster than he usually would. This is a great feature for a toddler as they can really get Dudley on the move, with minimal effort.

Leo absolutely loves playing with Dudley, and pushing him around the lounge has brought endless play opportunities, what Leo absolutely loves to do is take Marky the builder in and out of the drivers seat. Leo is getting to the age now where he is really beginning to play and it is lovely to watch.

I really recommend WOW Toys and particularly Dudley the Dump Truck, I think the play value that can be had out of him is vast, and he is a toy that will grow with Leo and his imagination. It won’t be long before Leo will be creating stories as he plays with Dudley and Marky, and I am looking forward to hearing all of the mischievous adventures that they go on.

Dudley is hard wearing, chunky and fun, making him a great addition to any toddler’s toy box.

Dudley Dumper Truck is an 8 piece set that includes:

- 1 Dudley Dumper Truck

- 1 Marky the builder

- 3 traffic cones

- 2 construction barrels

The set can be bought from multiple online shops such as Amazon, Argos and Tesco. Amazon is currently selling Dudley for £23.78.

Giveaway Time!

In true WOW Toys style, I have a great giveaway launching for 2 weeks to win a Tow Truck Tim worth £27.99!

'Tow Truck Tim here! I’ve just been called out to pick up Rolling Ray; he always get in trouble around WOW Town and it’s me who has to go and pick him up! He’s as sturdy as the rest of us, but doesn’t know his own limits and always finds himself in trouble.

My magnetic winch connects to all WOW cars & automatically pulls them up the ramp – WOW! When Ray’s ready to go again, drop down my clicking tailgate and press my red button to launch him back on his way'.

Contents:

- 1x Motorised truck called Tim

- 1x Detachable trailer with car winch

- 1x Car called Ray

- 1x Girl mechanic figure called Meena

- 1x Boy driver figure called Ben

To enter this giveaway all you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions below!

The giveaway will end on Friday 16th November 2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Please only enter if you are a resident of the United Kingdom, After the winner has been picked you then have 48 hours to contact us providing your details to claim your prize. If we do not hear anything after this time period, another winner will be drawn at random.

Disclaimer: I was sent Dudley Dump Truck for the purpose of this review, however all views and opinions are completely honest and my own.

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions Loquax Competitions

I Spy, With My Little Eye

I am taking in the world around me, and interacting with what I see. You see the same sights as I do, but in a completely different way. You're grown up mind doesn't hold that little sparkle like mine does anymore, you see what is in front of you. I see whatever my imagination can dream up, and that is the magic of seeing the world through a child's eyes. I love to play 'I Spy'...When I play, I see a wealth of adventure just waiting for me.


I invite you on a journey of re-discovering your child's sight by looking at the world through my eyes. Come along and take in some of my favourite sights, while playing my game of 'I Spy'.


What...You have forgotten how to play? This is just dreadful behaviour. I insist that you rack your minds and find your inner child.


Now follow me! **Crawls away at full speed**


I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with 'S' - They are mounds bulging up out of the earth's crust. They go higher and higher until I can't see to the top any more. It's like a beanstalk that I am sure you can climb. I in vision another world at the top, full of un-discovered land. Wild animals and treasures that one day, I will find. I spy the Stairs.

I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with ''R' - It seems we have a new pet, this pet doesn't move like the Cat does when I pet it. If I push it...It rocks back and forth. I don't understand why she is so still...Even when I pull it's tail. Nothing. It just makes me more determined to get a reaction. Mummy sits me on this strange creature and we go backwards and forwards. What a great creation. Maybe we can climb the stairs together and discover the top! I spy the Rocker.

I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with 'W' - I can see a jungle by looking through it. This strange prevention that keeps me from breaking out, and crawling through the long blades of grass. If I could just wish away this shield, I could be out in the wild and running free. I often sit and just stare longingly out of it, hoping that it will disappear. I spy the Window.



I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with 'B' - This object holds all sorts of interesting items, they seem to just fall off when I get too close. They stand so neatly and all of them have some sort of picture on it. Sometimes Mummy shows me some...But it all holds gobildy goop that is just beyond me. I spy the Bookshelf.


I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with 'S' - I can stand up these days. I can pull myself high up onto my little feet using this helpful object, there is so much more in my reach on this level. Lots of buttons that seem to make magic happen. You press a button up there...and it makes things suddenly turn on. Or off....I know I am making this happen, maybe it is me that holds this power? Maybe I am magically gifted....I Spy the Stand for the Television.

I Spy with my little eye...Something beginning with 'L' - It's creepy and it's crawly. It's sitting in my hand. It's Red and dotty. I Spy a Ladybird.


Have you ever wondered what your child takes in? What they see in the world around them? We as adults look but don't appreciate the imagination that runs wild in our little ones minds. It is all a mystery to them, the entire world is new, Magic. They look but take in a different experience to us. We see an object as what it was made to do. A child on the other hand can make that object anything they want it to be.

The innocence of a child's mind is just beautiful. I will keep Leo imagining and making magic for as long as possible. He will always believe in himself and see the magic in the everyday world around him.

We will always look at the world, through Leo's eyes. His child's eyes.

Laura & Leo xx