Melissa and Doug Sticker Wow REVIEW

Melissa and Doug Sticker Wow REVIEW

*Sticker Wow activity pads gifted for review*

Are you heading on holiday with the kids this summer? These bright and colourful Sticker Wow Activity Pads make a fun and mess-free activity to help entertain children during travel. Here’s our tried and tested verdict!

Sticker Wow activity pads

What are Sticker Wow Activity Pads?

Melissa and Doug Sticker Wow! is a fun and mess free way for children to play with stickers – whether that’s inside the home, during travel or simply to keep them entertained during meals out with friends and family.

Each activity book comes with a refillable sticker stamper in a choice of four characters and 24 pages of brightly illustrated pages with themes such as counting, matching, patterns and search and find activities.

Each character comes pre loaded with 300 easy to remove stickers, all of which feature engaging designs based on the theme of the book. Once all the stickers are used up, you can buy refill packs to reload the stamper and start all over again!


What designs are available?

At the time of writing, there are four diffferent characters available in the Sticker Wow activity pads and these are Tiger, Dinosaur, Dog and Unicorn. Each sticker stampler has a cute character on the top and the sticker dispenser on the bottom and are perfectly sized for small hands to hold.

Sticker Wow Melissa and Doug Stamper

How does Sticker Wow work?

Sticker Wow couldn’t be easier to use and Neve couldn’t wait to get started. The stickers are preloaded into the stamper, so you simply need to remove it from the packagaing and its ready to use straight away. To release a sticker, you simply need to gently press down on the paper and out it pops – making a super satsifying noise as it sticks to the paper below.

Sticker Wow

You can see Sticker Wow in action in our reel below:

Can you reuse Sticker Wow?

Whilst the stickers themselves aren’t reusable, unlike normal stickers they are very easy to remove, simply lifting them away from the paper with your fingernail without any residue or ‘sticky’ stuff left behind.

Once you have used all 300 stickers however, you can buy a refill pack to reload the stamper and use again.

What are the activity pads like?

The activity pads themselves are great – with a variety of designs all around the same theme as the character. The pages are brightly coloured with engaging illustrations. Neve loved the variety of activities on each page, from completing a circle, stamping numbers in order, following set patterns and even ‘freestyle’ pages like the one below, where she was able to simply stamp to her hearts content.

Sticker wow tiger stamper

What we love about Sticker Wow

  • Ideal for entertainment during travel (without any mess)
  • Stickers are easy to remove and don’t leave a residue like traditional stickers
  • Brightly coloured and educational activity pads
  • Super cute stamper characters
  • Reusable stamper can be refilled when stickers run out
  • Good value for money

What would we change about Sticker Wow?

  • At £4.99 each, we wish the refill packs were a little bit cheaper, but Amazon do sell some combination packs (with a pad and refill pack) at a discounted price, which offers better overall value for money.

Where can I buy Sticker Wow?

The Melissa and Doug Sticker Wow Activity pads are available now at Amazon.

The Best Book and Yoto Card Collection Combinations

The Best Book and Yoto Card Collection Combinations

This is a collaborative post

Looking to gift some Yoto card collections this Christmas? Why not combine with the matching book collection to create the perfect gift for curious minds?

One of the biggest concerns I hear from parents considering buying a Yoto player is “Will take away the joy of actual reading?” A book before bed is often a huge part of children’s bedtime routine – a chance to sit down tighter, snuggle up and have some relaxing bonding time before they drift off to the land of nod. We also know that reading for pleasure is a huge part of the national curriculum and that reading a wide range of titles from different authors is key to building a good understanding of vocabulary as they grow up.

Using an audio player such as the Yoto doesn’t need to replace this, but can actually enhance your existing experience with books.

Yoto cards don’t have to be enjoyed alone. Whether it’s opting for Yoto Cards with ‘read along’ tracks at the end such as the Julia Donaldson Collection or choosing full card collections offering unabridged versions of the books, you can easily combine the physical books with the audio cards to offer the combined benefits of reading and audio.

As well as being huge fans of Yoto, we love buying our physical books at affordable prices from Books2Door, an online book retailer that offers substantial discounts from RRP. They’re currently got an extra 10% off their top picks for Black Friday too!

We’ve researched the best book collections that you can buy in both physical and audio form this Christmas to introduce some new titles to your child’s collection.

Best Yoto book collections for younger children

Julia Donaldson The Zog and Friends Collection

Julia Donaldson’s books are a childhood rite of passage, with adorable characters, fun rhyming stories and imaginative adventures. The Zog and Friends Collection includes six of my daughter’s absolute favourites, with the option to listen to the story alone or use the read-along track, encouraging children to read the words on the physical book and turn the page when they hear the music. This is a great way to help younger readers recognise words by sight – the more words they see, the faster they can become fluent readers.

Claude Rather Smashing Collection by Alex. T. Smith

Fun chapter books for early readers (or for slightly longer stories to enjoy with parents before bed), you simply can’t beat good old’ Claude – a series of laugh-out-loud adventures by Alex. T. Smith. Claude is no ordinary dog. He and his faithful friend Mr Bobblysock have a tendency to find themselves in the right place at the right time, becoming an unexpected hero and saving the day, wherever his travels may take him.

We love the idea of snuggling down with the book and listening along with the Yoto stories. There are five books in the Yoto card collection, while there are nine books in the book collection.

Best Yoto book collections for 5- 7 year olds

Magic Faraway Tree Collection by Enid Blyton

Of all the cards in our Yoto card library, the Magic Faraway Collection – specifically The Enchanted Wood and The Folk of the Faraway Tree, are Neve’s absolute favourites. If you were lucky enough to read this book as a child yourself, you’ll also love sharing the adventures of Joe, Beth and Frannie as they discover a magical tree in the woods round the corner from their new home.

Full of excitement, adventure and some amazing characters such as Moonface and silky that your children will never forget, this Yoto Collection is an absolute must. Combine with the physical books, and you’ve got some spellbinding tales that your children will want to enjoy over and over again. (Not only is the book collection 50% off RRP at Books2Door, there’s also an extra title too – Up the Faraway Tree!)

Best Yoto card collections

Rainbow Magic The Magical Party Collection

Another series my girls have both grown up loving is The Rainbow Fairies – there are so many books to choose from in this book collection – all with a sprinkle of magic, adventure and friendship – they’ll love trying to spot a fairy with their own name or the name of their friends. Yoto has a collection of 7 Rainbow Fairies cards from the Magical Party Collection. If your children enjoy the stories, the physical book collection includes another 14 exciting tales to explore, with some more specific vocabulary to improve their phonics and blending abilities.

Best Yoto card collections

Toto the Ninja Cat Collection by Dermot O’Leary

Another fun series by presenter turned author Dermot O’Leary, Toto is no ordinary cat. Heading on exciting nocturnal adventures, Toto and his brother Silver become unexpected heroes – with some subtle messages around friendship, inclusivity and not giving up even when life gets hard.

A great collection for early readers who are progressing to chapter books, there are four cards and four books to enjoy in this combination, with 39% off the RRP at Book2Door.

Best Yoto book collections for 7-10 year olds

The Worst Witch Collection by Jill Murphy

Not only is this one of Yoto’s best-selling Yoto card collections, but you can also get a HUGE saving off the book collection RRPat Books2Door, with 75% off the recommended retail price. Written by iconic children’s author Jill Murphy (who also wrote our favourite picture book Peace at Last) these delightful stories tell the laugh out adventures of accident prone Mildred Hubble as she starts her journey through Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches.

Don’t let younger children be put off by the idea of a witch, these stories are absolutely delightful, with spellbinding adventures to enjoy.

Best Yoto card collections

The Christmasaurus Collection by Tom Fletcher

We are HUGE fans of Tom Fletcher in this house, with his magical Christmas tales making the perfect books to listen to or read during advent or the run up to Christmas. While it doesn’t include the very latest title Christmasaurus Carol (as this was only released last month), this Yoto card and book collection features the first stories about young boy William Trundle and his unexpected adventures with his festive dinosaur friend, the Christmasaurus.

Best Yoto book collections for 9-11 year olds

The Narnia Collection by C.S. Lewis

While there may be some ongoing debate about which book is the first in the series (spoiler alert – it’s surprisingly not The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), no childhood is complete without this much loved series by C. S Lewis. MeePeter, Susan, Edmund and my namesake Lucy as they meet the white witch and Aslan the lion.

The Narnia Collection is a recent addition to the Yoto library, or you can save a ginormous 77% on the RRP of the complimenting book set at Books2Door.

Roald Dahl Collections

Last but by no means least, Matilda the Musical has seen a huge revival of interest in the classic tales by beloved author Roald Dahl. From the miniature bookworm Matilda to the revolting Twits and James’ Adventures with a giant peach, there are a number of Yoto Card bundles and Book Collections for independent readers to enjoy. Whether they opt for the physical book, listen as they read, or switch between a combination of the two, combining these sets makes a great gift for adventure readers. In the words of Roald Dahl himself, books can transport you into whole new worlds…..

Best Yoto card collections

Haven’t found the book collection for you?

Check out the full range at the Yoto Store now, and explore the huge range of book collections with humongous discounts off RRP at Books2Door. Don’t forget, if there aren’t the physical Yoto cards to match yet, you could read the story aloud and record on a Make Your Own card too, offering a unique way to enjoy the books together as part of your child’s bedtime routine.

Casdon Joseph Joseph Toys Range REVIEW

Casdon Joseph Joseph Toys Range REVIEW

This is a collaborative post

Looking for high-quality, true-to-life role play toys for kids that are just like the real thing? The Casdon Joseph Joseph toys range makes imaginative play authentic and fun.

My girls have always loved role-play toys, particularly when they look just like the real versions we have at home. When it comes to creating authentic pretend play toys, Casdon certainly knows a thing or two. In addition to their existing toy collaborations with popular household brands Dyson, Morphy Richards, Henry and Hetty and DeLonghi, Casdon recently launched a range with Joseph Joseph – the award-winning homeware brand, bringing a range of fun, innovative and practical play sets with the space-saving benefits of the original full-size pieces.

We’ve been putting the Casdon Joseph Joseph toys through their paces with the girls to see everything the range has to offer.

Here’s our full review:

Joseph Joseph Extend

First up was Joseph Joseph Extend – an extendable dishwashing set with a striking, true-to-life design. We loved how the drying rack pulls out from under the base, providing lots of additional space to stash the plates, cups and cutlery as they dry.

After filling the base with water, the pump-style tap on Joseph Joseph Extend play set really works, allowing children to squirt water directly into the bowl below. We love the colour change functionality on this set, allowing younger children to learn about cause and effect as the pink plates start to turn white when they make contact with warm water.

A really fun way to incorporate some water play into your child’s play kitchen.

Joseph Joseph Go Eat

Casdon Joseph Joseph toys

Do the kids fancy making up a lunchbox just like the ones you make every morning?

The Casdon Joseph Joseph Go Eat set not only features all the ‘ingredients’ for a classic lunchtime sandwich, but it also comes with a lifelike Joseph Joseph lunchbox, for packing it away in – making it ideal for teddy bears picnics or tea parties with their favourite dolls.

The Joseph Joseph Go Eat set is unlike some play food sets we’ve had in the past which used velcro or magnets to piece them together. Instead, this set uses ‘ChopPop’ Technology, with pieces that simply pop apart when ‘sliced’ with the toy knife included. This took a bit of practice but from popping off the stem of the tomato to building up their very own ham cheese and tomato sandwich, these toys are also a great way to teach children about the correct way to hold utensils when cutting food.

Joseph Joseph Wash and Scrub

Sometimes, cleaning up after dinner requires a bit of elbow grease and this set is a great way to encourage some enthusiasm for washing up! With a selection of dirty cups, plates and cutlery, children will love filling the blue bowl with water and using the handy palm brush to magically ‘lift away’ the ketchup stains. The bottle can also be topped up with washing liquid for a more authentic feel.

Casdon Joseph Joseph toys

Joseph Joseph Bake

The Joseph Joseph Bake set is a must for a miniature bakers – whether that’s pretend baking role play, playing with ingredients, or actually working some teal life magic in the kitchen.

The small bowl is perfectly sized for small hands to hold, whilst the accurate measuring spoons are a great way to introduce children to the concept of weighing and measuring ingredients when following a recipe.

When used as a toy, we love the rolling pin which can be used to roll out play dough or a basic biscuit dough to create play biscuits or cookies. The spatula and whisk are also loads of fun to stir up a mixture, making potions or simply using their imagination.

Joseph Joseph Elevate

To demonstrate just how true to life the Casdon Joseph Joseph range is, it’s pictured here alongside the full sized adult equivalent. A rotating utensil holder, the set comes with a spoon, spaghetti server, ladle, slotted turner, flexible turner and slotted spoon, with coloured handles that match the pins on the stand for an educational element too.

The girls loved the spinning design of the Elevate stand, allowing them to quickly spin it around to find the utensils they needed.

Joseph Joseph Nest

Casdon Joseph Joseph toys

Of all the items in the Casdon Joseph Joseph range, this one was the biggest hit with my daughters – in particular Neve.

Just like the original, this set includes five measuring cups, a medium mixing bowl, a large mixing bowl, a mesh sieve and colander, which all stack into each other for convenient storage. Neve loved the rainbow colours and gently stacking them back together after use. More importantly, she loved playing with different ingredients, using different-sized spoons to measure out different amounts, before serving her mixture into the bowl below.

Casdon Joseph Joseph toys

Joseph Joseph Salad

Last but by no means least was the Joseph Joseph Salad set. Using the knife, children can chop the ingredients before adding them to the large bowl and toss the salad using the clip-on salad tools. After prepping the tomato, onion, pepper and lettuce, children will love using the salad dressing, which makes an adorable noise as it’s shaken.

Casdon Joseph Joseph toys

Our overall thoughts

The Casdon Joseph Joseph play sets are adorable. Unlike some other plastic play food designs, these play sets are really high quality, durable and authentic, helping children feel really grown up and just like their parents when playing with the kitchen. We love the bright colours, unique ‘chopping’ style and the attention to detail, as well as the inclusion of ‘colour- change’ features and sounds.

If you’re treating your child to a play kitchen and want to introduce some unique food sets to help bring it to life. the Casdon Joseph Joseph sets could be just the ticket.

Tonies Nightlight Sleepy Sheep REVIEW

Tonies Nightlight Sleepy Sheep REVIEW

Tonies nightlight purchased by myself in April 2023

Tonies fans! We have big news! The Tonies Nightlight has landed! This cute and comforting oversized Creative Tonie, part of the Tonies Sleepy Friends range, has a built-in nightlight and as well as being absolutely adorable, makes the perfect addition to your child’s bedtime routine. Here’s everything you need to know.

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the audio screen-free fun offered by both Tonies and Yoto, in particular when it comes to helping children get calm and relaxed before bed. Until now, the nightlight was one of the main features missing from the Toniebox when compared to the Yoto Player, so this new release certainly takes some steps to overcome this. This May, there is a brand new addition coming to the super cute Tonies Sleepy Friends range – the Tonies Sleepy Sheep Nightlight. Officially launched on the 20th May 2023, we’ve got our hands on the Tonies Nightlight during the exclusive period at Natural Baby Shower so we can put it through its paces before it goes on general release.

If you’re tempted by the Tonies Nightlight, here’s our full verdict, as tested with my six-year-old daughter Neve.

Tonies Nightlight

What is the Sleepy Sheep Tonies Nightlight?

The Tonies Sleepy Sheep Tonies Nightlight is a 2-in-1 product. When placed on top of the Toniebox (sold separately), this super cute silicone sheep emits a warm glow (with a choice of brightness settings). It also plays 90 minutes of relaxing melodies such as water and nature sounds that have been preloaded to help your little one drift off to sleep.

As a Creative Tonie, it also allows you to record your own personalised sleep messages, bedtime stories or music, such as grandparents reading aloud your child’s favourite book and sync with the nightlight using the Tonies app.

The Tonies Night Light can also be used as a stand alone nightlight. With up to 100 hours of battery life from one USB charge (up to 240 hours on the lowest brightness setting), this portable nightlight makes a reassuring friend if your child wakes during the night and can be carried along during overnight toilet trips.

What’s in the box

The Tonies Night Light Tonie comes in a large box as shown below.

Inside you’ll find:

  • Tonies Sleepy Sheep Nightlight
  • USB charger cable (no plug)

Please note, due to the packaging, the USB charger cable is quite tucked away and potentially easy to miss. Before throwing the box in the recycling, be sure to pop open the lid above the nightlight to release the cable from the cardboard.

If for any reason you haven’t spotted it, don’t worry. The Tonies nightlight is compatible with standard USB DC 5V chargers)

Tonies Night Light Tonie

Does the Tonies Nightlight require any set up?

Tonies recommend that the Tonie nightlight is charged fully before the first use, so for that reason, you may want to unpack it and charge it before gifting it to your child (as if they’re anything like Neve they’re going to want it on straight away!)

Whilst it does work straight out of the box, we decided to be sensible (never one to be a rule breaker!) and follow the instructionsl When you plug it into a USB plug to charge, a small light on the bottom of the nightlight flashes green. Once this turns to a solid green glow, the nightlight is ready to use. Ours took a good few hours for the initial charge.

How big is the Tonies Nightlight?

The Nightlight Tonie is much bigger to the other Tonies characters you may be used to – quite considerably so. This is to maximise the impact of the nightlight element, creating a warm glow in your child’s bedroom or nursery. The Tonies Sleepy Sheep Nightlight measures approx 6.5 inches / 16.5cm tall.

What is the Nightlight Tonie made from?

The Tonies Sleepy Sheep Nightlight is made from super soft silicone which is almost squishy. It’s lightweight and tactile to hold, with a slightly heavier bottom and an almost airy feel at the top.

What content is on the Nightlight Tonie?

Neve loves the Sleepy Sheep Nightlight as a stand-alone nightlight, but the true value in this Tonie character is when it’s placed on top of the Toniebox. The preloaded content has been made specifically for sleep, with water and nature sounds that offer a slow rhythmic ‘white noise’ melody without any lyrics or fast beats. We found the music to be very calming, with Neve also enjoying playing it in the background while reading her book.

We haven’t added any of our own content as of yet, but this is very straightforward to do using the Tonies app, in the same way you would using any other Creative Tonie.

Tonies Sheep Nightlight

Is the brightness adjustable?

Yes! The brightness level can be varied to one of four dimmable brightness levels and used on or off your Toniebox. The brightness is controlled using the button on the bottom of the sheep, pressing once to turn it on and then pressing again to click through the levels of brightness until you find your preference. The brightest setting is very bright (ideal for reading) whereas the others create more of a subtle, comforting glow.

The image below shows the levels from off (far left) to the brightest setting (far right).

Tonies nightlight range of brighness levels

Does it have a timer?

Yes. The Nightlight Tonie Sleepy Sheep has an optional sleep-timer of 30 minutes for the Night Light. This is triggered using the button on the right and turns off automatically once the 30 minutes has passed.

How does the Nightlight Tonie work?

Turn the Tonies Nightlight on and off using the on button on the left hand side at the base of the sheep. To change between the brightness settings, simply keep pressing the on button and it will increase in brightness before turning off again.

Nightlight Tonie buttons

How do you charge the Tonies Nightlight?

The Tonies nighlight offers an impressive 100 hours of battery life from full charge. When the battery is running low, or if the light stops working, plug the USB cable in to the slot on the back of the nightlight (a USB charger is included). The green light on the base will flash when the nightlight is charging, and turn solid green when the battery is fully charged and ready to use.

Tonies nightlight USB charging

What we love about the Tonies Nightlight

  • Cute – With his oversized body and sleepy smile, the Tonies Sleepy Sheep is pretty adorable and instantly engaging for your child.
  • Portable – unlike some nightlights that plug into the mains, the Tonies Nightlight is fully portable, meaning your child can pick it up and take it with them if they need to leave their room during the night.
  • Range of brightness levels – Some nightlights can be too bright and keep your children awake – we love the range of settings so you can find the right brightness level for the mood or time of day.
  • Calming melodies – The preloaded music is calm and relaxing, being conducive to sleep and ideal as part of a bedtime routine.
  • Ability to record your own – We love that the Sleepy Sheep can be completely personalised by adding your own bedtime stories or music.
  • Great battery life – The battery life is impressive, without the need to stock up on AAAs or be restricted by the location of your nearest plug socket. The USB charger is quick and simple to use.

What we would change about the Tonies Nightlight

  • It’s quite big, which is great from a stand-alone nightlight point of view, but could be a bit restrictive when using it as a Creative Tonie on top of your player, particularly if you usually store your Toniebox on a shelf with limited height above.
  • Being white in colour, there is a slight risk that the Tonies Nighlight could get a bit grubby. Whilst you can’t immerse the whole sheep in water due to the battery, you can wipe down the silicone with a damp cloth.
  • Neve would have loved to have seen the Sleepy Bear and Sleepy Rabbit as nightlights too, but rumour has it they’re coming soon!

Where can I buy the Tonies nightlight?

At the time of writing, the Tonies Nightlight is available exclusively at Natural Baby Shower with an RRP of £34.99.

Thomas & Friends Yoto Cards *NEW*

Thomas & Friends Yoto Cards *NEW*

Thomas & Friends Yoto Cards gifted for review

If you’re avid Yoto fans like us, chances are you’ve heard the rumours for a few weeks now and have been waiting with trepidation for the announcement about the NEW Thomas & Friends Yoto card collection. Well, the good news is, the long wait is over, with TWO new releases featuring Thomas the Tank Engine train and his friends that we all, (ahem, I mean our kids) know and love so much!

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Thomas Yoto Cards.

What are the new Thomas & Friends Yoto Cards?

Available to buy from 16th March 2023, there are not one, not two, but SEVEN new Thomas and Friends Yoto Cards to choose from – one single story, and another available to buy as a collection of six stories. These licensed original stories from Thomas and Friends each feature fantastic tales, heroic rescue missions and exciting Thomas adventures in the familiar town of Sodor.

For the first time, the story cards will also feature an interactive quiz element, allowing children to test their knowledge by answering fun questions about the stories and characters they’ve just met on their audio adventure. 

We’ve been lucky enough to try out these new yoto cards before their general release – read on to hear our full Real Mum’s verdict!

Thomas & Friends™ Fairy Tales

Price £7.99

Total running time: 1 hour 40 minutes | Features: 10 stories | Individual duration: 9 – 12 minutes each

What Yoto Say:

A collection of ten classic fairy tales reimagined with everyone’s favourite little blue steam engine. From beanstalks to giants to trolls and pumpkins, join Thomas, Gordon, Percy, Nia and more on ten magical adventures on the Island of Sodor. Stories include; Thomas and the Fairy God Engine, Thomas and the Enormous Pumpkin, Thomas and the Gingerbread Train, Thomas the Wooden Engine and the Seven Tiny Engines, Thomas and the Nutcracker, Thomas and the Elves.

Real Mum’s Verdict:

This card offers ten fun, action-packed stories for preschoolers and younger children. Narrated by the original Thomas voice-over Mark Moraghan (who else could do it justice?!) these stories of a fun Thomas twist on traditional fairy stories including Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Each magical story takes place on the Island of Sodor and includes familiar characters such as Thomas, Percy, James and Sir Topham Hat in action-packed adventures that are bought to life with fun music and sound effects – helping kids use their imagination and really picture the scenes in their mind.

My girls haven’t always responded well to deeper voiced narrators on some Yoto stories, but Mark’s voice overs are high energy and with unique character voices, he really kept my daughter’s interest even at the age of 6.

With each story being around 9-12 minutes long, they’re the perfect duration for a bedtime story, whilst also being a fun travel companion too.

NEW Thomas Yoto Cards

Thomas & Friends™ The Steam Team Collection

Price: £29.99 for six cards

Total running time: 3 hours 22 minutes | Each card duration: Approx 30 minutes

What Yoto Say:

Meet a new engine in each audiobook (Meet Thomas, Meet Percy, Meet Nia, Meet Gordon, Meet Emily and Meet James). Each Thomas and Friends™ Yoto card contains four fun stories and an awesome engine quiz.

Real Mum’s Verdict

This Thomas and Friends Collection is a guaranteed hit for Thomas fans. Each of the six cards comes with a fun introduction that allows children to get to know each character – from their personalities and appearance to their responsibilities, character traits, even their hopes and dreams.

The rest of the card features two stories (three on the Thomas card) where this character plays a staring role.

Thomas & Friends Interactive Quizzes

A fab new feature on these cards is the interactive quiz – offering a child led activity that Yoto fans have been asking for for a while! Children press the button on their Yoto to start the quiz, press the button to check their answer, and then press again to move on to the next question.

Each quiz has ten questions which are all age appropriate and based on the character they’ve just learned about. This could be anything from the colour and number of the train, to other tasks involving counting, vocabulary, letters and colours. We LOVE the interactive element of these quizzes and are confident children will be beaming with pride to hear they’ve got their answers correct. It’s a clever way to check your child’s listening and comprehension skills too.

Thomas & Friends Yoto Cards – Overall Verdict

It’s always great to see such a popular children’s book series make its way to Yoto and thanks to their high energy, exciting and funny stories, I can see these Thomas and Friends Yoto Cards being a huge hit with adults and children alike. We LOVE the addition of the interactive quiz element, which not only offers something a little different to the Yoto experience but also is a great way to bring in more educational benefits too without your child even realising it!

We are loving the variety of new releases coming to Yoto in the last few months, and with lots more hints as to what’s on the horizon, we really cannot wait!

Best Easter Soft Toys

Best Easter Soft Toys

This Best Easter Soft Toys post contains affiliate links

Easter will be here before we know it, and if your kids are anything like mine, they get more than their fair share of chocolate to open on Easter Sunday! If you’re looking for some alternative easter gift ideas that last a little longer, Easter toys make excellent Easter gifts for kids. Easter cuddly toys are not only super cute but these chicks, bunnies and lambs can be enjoyed and loved for years to come.

From Easter Squishmallows to Ty Beanie Boos, Squish a Boos, Dream Beams and more, here’s the Real Mum Review’s verdict on the best Easter soft toys you can buy for non chocolate gifts this Easter.

Easter Squishmallows

It’s no surprise that Squishmallows are at the top of our list when it comes to the best Easter soft toys. Squishmallow Easter range. With over 1000 Squishmallows to collect, these super soft, squishy, cuddly friends come in a range of themes and characters, including a selection of Easter Squishmallows that are guaranteed to be popular squishmallows this April. Here are our favourite Easter Squishmallows you can get hold of today.

1. Squishmallows 7.5″ Soft Toy – Charlize the Cockatiel

Best easter soft toys - Easter Squishmallow

We love the variety of textures on this 7.5″ Easter Squishmallow called Charliize. She’s actually meant to be a cockatiel, but appearance-wise, she falls very nicely into the chick category! We love her fluffy wings and rosy cheeks too. She’s only available for click-and-collect at the moment but more stock is expected before Easter.

RRP £9

Dimensions – 7.5″

2. Squishmallows™ 8″ Claire’s Exclusive Chicken Costume Soft Toy

Best easter soft toys - Easter Squishmallow

One of a selection of exclusive Easter Squishmallows at Claire’s (meaning you won’t get them anywhere else) this little fella is named Noodles. An adorable lemon yellow easter chick wearing a removable hood, who can resist those rosy cheeks and the little tuft of hair?

RRP – £16

Dimensions: 8″ length

3. Hello Kitty® And Friends Squishmallows™ My Melody 12” Soft Toy

Is it a bunny? We’ll be honest, we’re not entirely sure – but one thing we’re certain of – this Hello Kitty & Friends Easter squish mallow is CUUUUTE! With an ice cream cone vibe and what looks like adorable bunny ears, this is a great option for fans of the Hello Kitty franchise.

RRP – £30

Dimensions – 12″

4. Squishmallows™ 5″ Claire’s Exclusive Ombre Bunny Soft Toy – White

Best easter soft toys - Easter Squishmallow

The last of our recommended Easter squishmallows is another Claire’s exclusive – this Easter Bunny toy has long floppy ombre ears and a cute little bob tail – we love the varying shades of pink and lilac!

RRP – £8

Dimensions – 5″ length

Easter Ty Squish a Boos

If you’re looking for an alternative to Squishmallows, Ty Squishaboos are a great choice, with a wide range of super cute, squishy and soft characters to choose from. The good thing about Squish a Boos, is that they’re generally cheaper than Squishmallows, however they’re not quite as soft and haven’t quite yet matched the popularity. When it comes to Easter designs, there are a few Ty Squish a Boos that really stand out!

1. Ty Toys Squish a Boo Easter Chick Hatch

Best easter soft toys - Easter Ty Squish a Boo

How adorable is this little Easter chick Ty Squish a Boo, hatching from his very own egg. At 20cm long, he’s great to cuddle and also makes a cosy pillow for cuddling up to whilst stuffing your face with an easter egg (or maybe that’s just me). We love his huge green eyes and that he’s really affordable too.

RRP £9.13

Dimensions – 20cm

2. Ty Furry Rabbit Easter Squish-A-Boo 14″ 

If you’re after an Easter soft toy that’s a traditional Easter bunny teddy design, this Furry Rabbit Ty Squish a Boo makes a popular choice. With a pastel rainbow ‘splodge’ style design, his cute little bunny ears are great for smaller hands to grab onto!

RRP: £13.60

DImensions – 14″ length

Easter Ty Beanie Boos

Ty Beanie Boos are incredibly popular at the moment, especially with tweens girls – my daughter has amassed quite a collection and loves them for their huge beady eyes and cute expressions. Ty Beanie Boos are also incredibly collectible and have a fairly iconic statue on You Tube Kids, with many accounts dedicated entirely to Beanie Boos and their exploits! If you’re looking for the best Easter beanie boos to gift this Easter, here are a small selection of our favourites.

1. Ty Mary The Easter Lamb Beanie Boo

Best easter soft toys - Easter Ty Beanie Boos

Be honest, have you ever seen anything so cute? Mary the Easter Lamb Beanie Boo looks right into your soul with those adorable puppy dog eyes! With a cute bunny ears headband, we love the green shimmering eyes that compliment her green paws and inner ear. Just adorable

RRP – £8.99

Carletto Ty 36171 Ty 36171 Lavender with Glitter Eyes, Beanie Boo’s

Best easter soft toys - Easter Ty Beanie Boos

Whilst purple lambs aren’t particularly common place, it definitely works when it comes to Easter beanie boos! We love this lavender Carletto Beanie Boo with glittery purple paws.

RRP £18.99

Ty Beanie Boos Feathers Chick Easter 6″

Last but by no means least is the Feathers Chick Easter Beanie Boo, with an ombre style yellow and red fluffy ball of fur. Thanks to his small size, this little fella is ideal for popping into an easter basket on Easter Sunday, and is a portable option for visiting friends and family too.

RRP £16.99

Easter Dream Beams

Another great alternative to Squishmallows are Dream Beams. Not only are they cute and squishy but they also gently glow in the dark when the lights go out, becoming a comforting bedtime companion for your kids !

This is Shelley the Sheep who measures 18cm tall and comes in a bright, colourful design.

RRP – £9

Other Easter Soft Toys

If you’ve checked out our Easter Squishmallows, Ty Squish a Boos, Ty Beanie Boos and Dream Beams recommendations and not found something for you, fear not, here are some other great Easter soft toys waiting to be discovered.

Jellycat Soft Toys

Best jellycat toys

Whilst Jellycat soft toys don’t come cheap, you certainly get what you pay for. Easter or otherwise, the Jellycat bashful bunny makes the perfect Easter soft toy to gift to a child. With super soft fur and a gently weighted body, he makes the perfect companion for cuddling up to and comes in a range of sizes too. You can check our our favourite Jellycat toys here.

RRP – From £16

Maileg Mouse Toys

Best Maileg Mice Toys

Whilst they’re lesss cuddly than some, Maileg Mice are incredibly popular and a toy that can easily be passed down to future generations as they’re so well made,

Maileg is a Danish brand and these cute little mice are designed to encourage creative screen-free play and entertainment. Maileg (actually pronounced My-lye) Mice make the perfect bedroom companion or shelf buddy for a child’s bedroom and a wonderful non-chocolate easter gift. They encourage gentle, imaginative play.

Curlimals

Last but not least, if you’re after an Easter soft toy that’s interactive too, Curlimals will be right up their street!

Curlimals

Available in three unique designs – with Bibi Bunny a great easter soft toy option, each character can move, talk and respond to your child’s touch.

Curlimals will unroll and respond to your child’s touch as they pat their heads, tickle their tummies, brush their hair or touch their nose. With over 50 fun sounds including giggling, sneezing and funny songs, they can even say I love you!

What are the best Easter soft toys?

We are HUGE squishmallow fans and if you’re after a alternative easter gift for kids that lasts far longer than chocolate you really cant go wrong. That said, those eyes on the lamb Beanie Boo have melted our heart! Who wouldnt want to receive that at Easter?!


We hope you enjoyed this post, you can read about our other favourite soft toys below.