This Christmas, my family and I took a visit to Warwick Castle to make the most of their Christmas celebrations and had a wonderful time. As the Christmas light trail at Warwick Castle is something that is likely to return year after year, I thought I’d share my (unsponsored) review for those who are considering going either this year (The Warwick Castle Light Trail is open until the 7th January 2024 and is likely to return in late November 2024)
What is the Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail?
The Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail is an after dark at experience at Warwick Castle. It can be purchased as a stand alone experience, or alongside a day trip to Warwick Castle, with the latter working out the best value for money when you consider the wealth of other entertainment and history to experience at the castle itself. We have been to Warwick Castle many times over the last year, so we opted just to do the Warwick Castle Light Trail and outdoor ice skating experiences, but if you haven’t been recently, attractions such as the Zog’s Playground, Horrible Histories Maze, Trebuchet, Falconer’s Quest birds of pray show and other seasonal acts make it certainly worth a visit. You can see our full Warwick Castle review here.
The light trail involves walking through a illuminated experience around the Castle’s iconic grounds and gardens, with a combination of music and light displays, projections, light tunnels and light shows, as well as plenty of photo opportunities to capture some memories with your family.
When does the Warwick Castle Light Trail run?
In 2023, the Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail ran from the 27th November 2023 until 7th January 2024, and I will update this post when the dates for 2024 are revealed. Sessions need to be booked online in advance, or can (subject to availability) be added onto your day ticket on the day at the ticket booths.
How much does it cost?
The Warwick Castle light trail prices start at £16.50 each, and this is a fixed price for children over 3 years. I would have liked to have seen a reduced price for children as it makes it a pretty hefty price tag for a family of four just for a short experience, however if you are combining it with a visit to the castle. a castle and light trail experience combination has prices starting at £27.50 which offers much better value for money.
How long does the experience last?
The Light trail lasts around 45 minutes depending on how fast you walk through the trail. There is however the oportunity to stop halfway through for a drink / sit down and warm up by the heaters. It’s also worth mentioning that in theory you can walk around the trail as many times as you like, although I think it unlikely you’d want to do it more than once, especially if you have young children who may tire easily. We popped back through the beginning once more as it was a little quieter in the light tunnel as we were leaving, and I couldn’t resist a second shot at some photographs! (No change there from me!)
What photo opportunities are there?
If you like having your camera with you, the light trail is a photographer’s dream (although it can be very difficult to capture the lights properly on a camera – as you can see from my fairly ameteur shots!). There are three or four photo ‘frames’ dotted around the trail, allowing you to take photos of your family with the lights in the background, and they even have selfie posts, so you can prop your camera on a timer and snap a pic with you all in – helpful if you’re visiting as a solo adult with kids or even on your own.
My other favourite photo opportunities were – peeking around the star on the hill, the light tunnel at the beginning, crossing the bridge over to the trebuchet, in front of the giant Christmas Tree on the main castle square.
Are there toilets?
We saw two lots of toilets during the trail – one at the very beginning by the ice rink and another around halfway through the trail. They are what I would describe as ‘posh’ portacabin toilets, and although they were a bit muddy on the floor on the night we visited, they were generally good and accessible.
Are there any places to eat?
If you arrive a little bit early for your light trail, there are some fun market stalls selling food which are a fun way to add to the festive experience. We bought a stick of three giant marshmallows (I think they were £5 each) and a tray of fries for £3.50 (which were delicious). There were also stands selling mulled wine, alcohol and hot chocolate which would be lovely if you fancied making more of an evening of it with friends. The girls loved toasting their marshmallows over the fire, despite the weather not being particularly generous to us on our visit!
Overall thoughts on Warwick Castle Light Trail
We really enjoyed the trail. I particularly liked the combination of lights and music, with some really festive and classical songs where the lights triggered in time with the music, making it quite an impressive display. There were also lots of projections up the trees, and lighting up the night sky, as well as an entire section dedicated to the 12 days of Christmas. The paths were a little muddy in parts, but overall the light trail is very accessible including those in wheelchairs or with pushchairs for younger children. You may want to wear wellies if visiting after heavy rain, although they had placed matting to try and prevent any really muddy or slippy sections from occurring.
We took around 40 minutes to walk through the trail but didn’t stop at the midway point. By the end Neve (7) was fairly tired so we felt that this was just the right length if visiting with kids in tow.
It doesn’t come cheap, so if were to visit again I would definitely combine with a full day at the castle to get the most out of the experience.
Pros of the Warwick Castle Light Trail
A fun new way to explore the castle grounds and see them like you never have before
Plenty of festive photo opportunities including ‘frames’
Fun music to enhance the expeirnce
Sensory friendly dates available for those who may find loud music or flashing lights over stimulating
45 minute experience with the option to go around again should you wish
Didn’t feel too busy or overcrowded
Food and drink options which we felt were fairly good value for money compared to some ‘festival’ prices and good sized portions.
Cons of the Warwick Castle Light Trail
Parking is chargeable (although reduced to £3 for evening parking) so you need to factor this into the price
Car park is a relatively long walk away from the Castle which can be tiring for younger children
Expensive for a family if visiting light trail alone.
Hints and tips for the Warwick Castle Light Trail
Here are some hints and tips to make the most of your experience:
Wrap up warm, if its a cold and icy night it can feel quite exposed when walking around the trail
The track is pushchair friendly but if its been particularly muddy, you may prefer to use a baby carrier if visiting with very young guests.
Combine with a day ticket to get the best value for money
Encourage younger children to go for a wee before you start the trail – as the loos aren’t till around half way through
Although its nice to have a marshmallow stick each – you probably only need one as there are 3 on each stick
Don’t rush – being at the back means you often get the best pictures without lots of other people in the background
You can learn more about the Warwick Castle Light trail (when its running) here – Warwick Castle Light Trail
This is a collaborative post and contains press samples and affiliate links
We’re all looking to spend a little less this Christmas, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Rather than buying lots of plastic tat stocking fillers that your family simply do not need, why not opt for a small selection of higher quality products instead – items that they can actually use and enjoy rather than discard and forget about in days.
We’ve rounded up a small selection of Christmas stocking fillers that are sure to go down a treat this December. The best part, all of the items in this guide cost less than £15 each – some even less than £10!
1. Headbands and Hairclips
Let’s face it, you can never have too many pretty hair bands, clips and accessories. If you’re looking for something a little unique this Christmas – go and check out Stych – the one-stop-online accessories shop.
Their team of talented designers produce accessories with the coolest designs and themes including hair clips, headbands, scrunchies, bags and bracelets, all housed in beautiful gift boxes.
With prices starting at just £6, you can pick up some really unique pieces within an affordable price range. I honestly can’t explain how beautiful these products are and fantastic quality too – gifts that will be sure to raise a smile nestled under the tree this Christmas!
My girls have always been fans of the Cry Babies Magic Tears toys, but did you know they now do miniature versions too?
Aimed at children aged 3 years and above, these super cute pocket-sized babies come with five surprises to discover including a baby bottle, a dummy, a hoodie, a suit and a personalised accessory. With eight talent dolls to collect in the range, each character has a special talent, from cooking to dancing and skating. Children will love feeding her water from her bottle and then watching in amazement as she cries actual tears!
3. Orchard Toys Countdown to Christmas Activity Book
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Orchard Toys in this house, with their fab range of educational and fun mini-games making a regular appearance in our home – especially at Christmas.
What you may not know is that Orchard Toys also have a fab range of activity books including this cute Countdown to Christmas, used as either an advent treat or stocking filler, it comes with 24 fun activities to complete during December, from colouring scenes to stickers.
If you’re buying a stocking filler for an older child who always forgets where they need to be, a diary can make a practical and thoughtful stocking filler. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages, this pocket-sized A6 Wands at the Ready 2023 diary includes magical-themed icons, characters and quotes. With a week-to-view layout, there’s plenty of space to house daily notes and appointments as well as additional note pages, address pages, notable dates, and a year-to-view calendar.
Collectable toys always make a good stocking filler for kids, who love the surprise reveal and peeling back of layers to find what is hidden inside. The small plush Snackles are a big hit in 2023, soft and squeezable plushes that come paired with popular mini brands.
Each of the 11 collectable characters comes with their favourite snack, an origin story comic and stickers. Will you find the Tabasco Dragon or the Hershey’s Bear?
Another collectible that’s seen a huge increase in popularity in 2023 is Ami Amis, which are quite frankly ADORABLE.
These soft and cosy 10cm knit plush toys have 30 unique characters per wave – ideal for collecting, sharing and displaying, Each wave of Ami Amis features a mix of common, rare, and ultra-rare designs, the latter of which comes with a special sticker inside the hangtag!
Craft activities always make fun festive stocking fillers and are a popular choice amongst parents, as they are great at occupying children who normally wake at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning.
This super cute DInosArt kit comes with a 3D dinosaur character as well as a paintbrush and paints, ready for your child to decorate and bring their dino to life. Suitable for children aged three and over, they’re simple and easy to create, even for small hands!
Who doesn’t love finding a blind bag inside their Christmas stocking!? Whether you opt for original Tsum Tsums or the latest limited edition DIsney100 versions, each pack contains some of their favourite Disney characters and accessories. Great to collect and display in their bedrooms, which Disney characters will they discover hiding in theirs?
Bath time might be an essential part of life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. If you’re looking for gifts that can help banish bath time boredom, these adorable bath bombs from Mini U are sure to go down a treat with youngsters!
Available in a choice of designs including super cute rockets, clouds and mermaids, these adorable bath bombs come to life when placed into the water. Gently place the bath bomb onto the surface of a warm bath to release the colours trapped inside, making fun patterns and fizzing on the surface!
Children will ADORE the surprise rainbow reveal, whilst parents will love their affordable price tags with bath bombs starting at just £3.99!
If you’re sick of seeing crayons, pens and pencils scattered across your home, adding a fun new pencil case to your child’s stocking can be both fun and practical.
They don’t come much cuter than the range from Nebulous Stars. Not only do these soft yet robust pencil cases keep pens upright for easy access, but they also come in a range of brightly coloured and friendly designs – we love the Axolotl pictured below.
Another surprise reveal toy, children will love the wearable and collectible nature of Pinky Promise. Peel open the crown to reveal their two Gemmy Friends character and ring. Each character can attach to and detach from all of the jewellery that comes in Pinky Promise products, allowing children to express their creativity by mixing and matching the characters.
With over 80 different characters to collect and wear, including special, exclusive, and unique ones, which one will your child get in theirs?
You may not have heard of BumBumz yet, but trust me when I say you soon will have. Made by Kellytoys, the makers of Squishmallows, these adorable beanbag plush characters come in a range of themes from fruit and veg RootBumz to RetroBumz and even BreakfastBumz as pictured below. With a diverse range. of designs that are great to cuddle and display, each BumBumz comes with its own ‘most likely to’ statement that reflects its personality, and a fun collectable sticker.
Whoever you’re buying for this Christmas, we hope that the above has given you some much-needed inspiration for fun alternative and budget friendly choices this season!
Ad – This guide includes PR Samples and affiliate links
When it comes to Christmas Gift ideas for women, like a lot of men, Mike always moans that he hasn’t got a clue. In fact, he’d go so far as to admit that he is pretty hopeless at knowing where to start when it comes to gift ideas. Whether you’re shopping for your partner, your sister, your Mum, or your Mother in law this Christmas, we have lots of lovely gift ideas for you to consider, some of which you may not have heard of or seen before. I hope you find this little bit of inspiration helpful when deciding what to buy! If you see something you wouldn’t mind receiving yourself, why not tag your loved ones on my social posts as a not-so-subtle hint!! 🙂
Please note – this post may include affiliate links – which means should you go on to purchase any of the items included in this guide, I will receive a small amount of commission direct from the retailer at no extra cost to yourself.
For the school-run dash
Are you buying for a busy Mum who is always running around after their kids? Just because they’re busy, doesn’t mean they can’t look stylish and be comfortable too. We love these Hotter Switch Wide Fit Trainers which has a lighweight freesole to add more power to her walk and prevent fatigue! Not only do they look great with a simple design and subtle rainbow stripes to the side, they include an OrthoLite insole and padded tongue for the ultimate comfort.
Available in UK sizes 3-9. these trainers are perfect for quickly pairing up with her favourite jeans or a midi dress for school runs, shopping days or coffee dates with friends.
If your buying for some one who can’t start their day without a healthy dose of coffee, this Contigo autoseal travel mug is a gift that is sure to be well received. Available in a wide choice of colours from bold and bright to subtle shades, they’re 100% sealed and leakproof, keeping her morning coffee hot for up to five hours (or her cold drinks cool for up to twelve!) The button lock means these drinks flasks can even be thrown in her handbag without having to worry about accidental spills.
This year we’re all about the practical gifts, opting for purchases that will actually be used and enjoyed rather than novelty or unnecessary gifts. If the woman in your life likes to keep her locks looking luscious without constantly washing and blow drying their hair (energy crisis anyone?), Batiste dry shampoo makes a really useful gift.
Helping keep her hair looking and feeling refreshed across the party season, Batiste Dry Shampoos come with a range of lovely fragrances across their range including Original, Tropical and Blush. Batiste also recently launched their 100% plant powered collection, Batiste Naturally, consisting of three fragrances; Coconut Milk & Hemp, Bamboo Fibre & Gardenia, and Green Tea & Chamomile.
Creating a fun bundle of hair products, perhaps teamed up with a new hair brush or comb, makes an alternative gift that is sure to be appreciated.
If you’re buying for someone who loves to bring some ‘festive vibes’ into their home during December, the following suggestions could be just the ticket.
First up, Baylis & Harding have a fantastic range of bath and toiletries for Christmas including some stunning festive designs in their Fuzzy Duck Collection. We absolutely love this Gingerbread Latte Luxury Bath Bubble decanter which not only smells stunning, but also lights up at the base, creating a warm glow on the side of the tub. At less than £7, this is a great gift at a budget friendly price – making it an ideal choice for your secret santa too.
With a similiar gingerbread scent, this adorable little cermaic gingerbread house is home to a refillable hand wash, making a cute addition to your bathroom or toilet during the festive season.
Candles make great gifts for Christmas and the iconic Yankee Jar Candles are the obvious choice – the perfect addition to your mantelpiece or sideboard to fill your home with a festive scent. We love this Sparkling Winterberry fragrence, with notes of pomegrannete, juniper berries and white musk. Each medium jar with multiple wicks has a burn time of around 35-50 hours, with an elegant jar that can be repurposed after use.
As a Mum to two children, I am well aware of just how challenging it can be trying to remember everything. Keeping up with the entire family’s whereabouts can feel almost impossible, particularly if you have children at multiple schools. From PE Kit to after-school clubs, swimming lessons, trips, holiday dates and inset days, being a parent can feel like a constant influx of emails and things to remember.
This 2023 Papersalad Family Organiser from Danilo not only includes stunning imagery but has five columns, meaning she can easily record the entire family’s itinerary and whereabouts on one easy-to-view page.
Not only that, the official organiser includes up to 200 themed stickers with key events such as holidays, dentists and half term, helping produce a visual and engaging record of family life. There is even a handy pocket at the back to store all your notes, vouchers and receipts. The RHS Family Organiser costs just £11.99 and is available at Danilo.
Danilo also have a great range of 2024 diaries in all sizes, and as a through and through Potterhead, this Honeydukes pocket diary makes an appealing choice. Perfectly sized for popping into a handbag – this A6 diary has a week-to-view layout to record daily notes and appointments for 2024 plus handy extras such as note pages, address pages, notable dates, and a year-to-view calendar. We LOVE the sweet magical themed icons, characters and quotes.
If the special lady in your life loves stationery, why not treat her to a special pen that is a little more luxurious than an everyday biro? We absolutely love the personalisation options at boutiquegifts.co.uk. This stylish engraved Paker pen comes presented in a stylish gift box and includes a QuinkFlow ballpoint ink refill. The hard part? Making sure the kids don’t get their mitts on it!
As lovely as traditional gifts can be – sometimes it’s nice to just spend time together, to go somewhere and enjoy an experience and actually create some memories with your loved ones. Ideal for couples or Mums and Daughter’s to enjoy together, the Dinner and Theatre Show gift experiences from Buyagift are the perfect day out. Head down to the West End and take your pick from a range of theatrical favourites like Wicked or the terrifying Woman in Black, enjoying the fantastic views from your Upper Circle seats.
Before you sit down to enjoy the show, you can tuck into a 3 course meal with a glass of wine at one of five central venues. An absolute treat that will be remembered long after the decorations are back in the loft. Even better, Buyagift vouchers are all have the ability to be exchanged, so if she decides she’d rather try out indoor skydiving or a supercar experience instead, she can easily swap it (during the valid date period) for an alternative choice instead.
Last but by no means least, some of the best christmas gifts for women are the ones that they would love to treat themselves to but simply cant’ justify spending the cost on themselves. Perfume Direct have a fab range of perfume and eau de toilette gift sets that would be a delight to find nesled under the tree. We love the Gucci Flora Beauty gift box, which not only comes with a stylish 50ml bottle of this delightful floral scent, but also a smaller 5ml bottle, ideal for popping into a handbag for travel or a quick boost of scent on the go.
So there you have it….. from me time to a little luxury, days out to indulgence, that’s my little round up of Christmas inspiration. Which one of those would you like to find under your tree this year?
*Disclaimer – This guide includes press samples received in exchange for feature. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own*
December is nearly here, and we are super excited for the start of Advent! 🙂 Long gone are the days (rightly or wrongly) where we would have a cardboard advent calendar with a Christmas themed picture behind the door – advent calendars are getting more and more elaborate, making which one to purchase a bit of a minefield! We tend to have one purchased one and one traditional. Here I share my thoughts on some of the best advent calendars for kids!
Best Chocolate Advent Calendar
Playin Choc Advent Calendar
This is a chocolate advent calendar with a VERY big difference – eco-friendly, vegan, dairy, nut, gluten, soy free advent calendar doesn’t have a single piece of plastic in sight.
Behind each of the 24 windows not only will children find a cute block of chocolate but dreamy, creamy chocolates and a fun facts card but also a cute character to build, creating a super-cute decoration. You can even open up the outer sleeve to create a fun play mat for the characters!
The outer sleeve of the advent can also be opened up into a landscape to play with all 24 toys.
Suitable from 18 months, this gorgeous Happyland Advent Calendar is new for 2016 – we actually suggested that ELC made one last year as they didn’t have one, and it seemed like a great idea!! Its fab to see that they listened to the demand! With an adorable character or accessory behind each door (including Father Christmas himself and his loveable reindeer!) this set is perfect for creative play, and the toys are something that can be played with for years. Our daughter has loved Happyland since she was one, and still plays with it now at 3 and a half!
Available for both younger kids (Play mobil 123 suitable for children aged 1.5 and above) and older children (4-10 years) – these sets have a playmobil character or accessory behind every door. Perfect for role play and encouraging imagination, these toys can be played with long after advent has passed. Our daughter had the 123 set last year, which was perfect for her as she was 2 at the time. Now 3, we have bought a princess themed Playmobil set, although will be conscious that there are some small parts.
As well as the official The Senory Box Advent Calendar, Toymania have a huge range of sensory and fidget toys that are perfectly sized for popping into a handmade advent calendar. From soft and tactile Mini Squishies, to Waterbeads, Suckerpops and Splat and Stretch Friends. If the Sensory Box Advent Calender is sold out at your local store, the Fidget Mega Fun Box makes a great alternative too – with 24 sensory surprises nestled inside.
The girls absolutely love fidget toys, so unlike some toy advents where the contents get quickly lost and discarded. these ones are likely to stand the test of time!
Something a little different, this Playdoh advent is hours of fun for creative kids. Includes 5 tubs of playdoh and lots of fun tools and shapes (one every day) to entertain them on the run up to Christmas.
If you’re looking for an advent treat for yourself, this Nivea 24 Days of Skincare advent is a great option, packed full of skincare treats including body lotions, and moisturising creams. hand creams, face masks, lip balms as well as some cute accessories and surprises! What’s not to love!?
For those who are more traditional, you can’t beat an Advent Candle! I have really fond memories of my school assemblies during advent where my teacher would burn down the candle each day.
What advent calendar are you having this year?
Do you agree with the concept of toy based advent calendars or should the gifts be saved for the big day?
AD – This post contains press samples and affiliate links
It never ceases to amaze me when I see the requests on the girl’s Christmas lists to Santa each year. Some of their requests I anticipate – others I most definitely don’t! As a parenting blogger, however, I do regularly get insight into some of the latest toy and game trends for boys and girls alike, so with that in mind, here’s my round-up of Christmas gift ideas for boys and girls for 2023. For simplicity, I have categorised them by theme so you can find some that suit every kind of child, whatever their age or personality!
*Please note -this post contains press samples and affiliate links – this means if you go on to purchase a product via one of my links I receive a small commission directly from the retailer at no extra cost to you. This allows me to continue to write content that I hope you find useful – so thank you*
For baby’s first Christmas
Just because babies are tiny and don’t fully understand what’s going on at Christmas, doesn’t mean they have to miss out on all the festivities and fun. A great gift for newborns, these GOTS-certified Dream Blankets from Aden and Anais are made from four layers of organic cotton muslin and measure a significant 120cm square. Cosy, comfortable and fully machine washable, they can be used for everything from sleepy cuddles to play time and tummy time, making a stylish and practical addition to a baby’s nursery. While there are six different colours and designs to choose from, we absolutely ADORE this striking and unique Oceanic design.
After a day full of cuddles, ripping wrapping paper and potentially their first taste of an epic Christmas dinner, your little one will be ready for a cosy and comfortable night’s sleep. It’s traditional for toddlers to get new PJs for Christmas, so why not treat your baby to a new sleeping bag too?
Designed to keep your baby cosy in the colder winter months, these 2.5 TOG sleeping bags are made from soft and insulating cotton and bamboo fabric, with a front opening concealed zip for stress-free nocturnal nappy changes. With a choice of pink blush or ribbed blue, they are available in two sizes – 6-24 months for babies or a larger 2-4 years – helping you create a familiar sleeping environment for toddlers too.
If you’re looking for an affordable yet fun toy for babies aged 10 months or above, this super cute Turbo Turtle from Hape could be just the ticket.
A teether and activity toy combined, your little one will love grabbing the soft textured handle and taking this friendly turtle for a spin round the living room. The pattern on the wheels is captivating as they spin, while the textured handle an work wonders on those achey gums.
If your baby shows the first signs of those pearly whites making an apperance, drooling and teething pain can leave them feeling a little fractious over the festive season. Treating them to a natural teacher such as this super cute Albert Bear Natural Rubber Teether is a great way to soothe their gums. at the same time, becoming a cute companion to comfort and reassure.
Suitable from birth, this 100% natural rubber teether is sustainably made, textured and has perfectly sized handles for your baby to grip and ensure control. There’s also no holes for bacteria to hide, thanks to the one piece design – great for peace of mind!
Treating them to their first ever Christmas dinner but don’t want to ruin their cute festive outfit? If your baby has a tendency to get more food on them or around them than actually in their mouths, these waterproof cape sleeved bibs are a great solution. Easy to get on and off (even on the wriggliest of babies) with a crumb tray to catch any discarded food during dinner, they give parents one less thing to worry about (and clean up) after a festive family dinner.
The perfect PJs for lounging around in between Christmas and New Year, these super soft Snoozy Pyjamas are made from breathable organic cotton and bamboo blend, for a cosy but breathable night’s sleep. We love the stretchy elasticated waistband to ensure a comfortable fit, while little ones will love the friendly character on the chest.
If you’re looking for an outdoor toy for an active child or a scooter for a child who is keen to start mastering some stunts, the Rampage R1 2023 Stunt Scooter makes an excellent choice. It comes in a choice of two colourways, with gusseted Y bars, a high tensile fork, IHC compression, and large 110mm super high rebounding wheels, making it ideal for riding to the park or heading to the local skatepark with friends. A comfortable (and cool!) ride for riders of all ages between 7 and 12 years.
You can check out the full range of Neochrome Stunt Scooters available for all ages at SkateHut now.
If your kids love heading out into the great outdoors but still like to look stylish in winter, the range of beautiful Chelsea boots at Start-Rite will be right up their street. With a French Navy Patent design, they are great for teaming up with dresses, tunics and leggings for a modern twist on the traditional winter boot. We love the brightly coloured check elasticated side panels and the simple zip to the one side, which make these boots quick and easy for your child to slip on without assistance.
With a sturdy rubber sole and leather linings to absorb moisture, their feet will be kept dry and comfortable, wherever their adventures may take them.
If your child is starting to outgrow toys or you’re trying to avoid gifts that are all focused around screen time, experiences can be a great alternative, allowing you to spend quality time with your tween or teen whilst experiencing new things together.
Buyagift has a huge range of gift experiences, the majority of which come with 24-month expiry dates and the option to exchange, so whatever you choose, you can be sure they’ll be able to find an experience that they can take at a time and place that works for them.
We love the idea of this Harry Potter bus tour – a great way to explore the city and tick off some of the iconic Potter locations. From a hawk flying experience to meeting exotic animals, zoo experiences, llama walks, grooming ponies or even meeting meerkats, there are loads of unique animal experiences to choose from all across the UK.
With experiences available for either one or two people and for both adults and children, this voucher makes the perfect gift for any animal lover…including yourself!
Puzzles are a great way to spend time together with your children over the festive period and are great for mindfulness and calming the mind too!
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of The Story Orchestra, having collected all of the beautifully illustrated books over the last few years. This Christmas, you can also get the stunning Nutcracker Story in a musical puzzle format. This 48-piece puzzle features striking illustrations from the story – including the special gift Clara receives from her uncle on Christmas Eve, the wooden nutcracker soldier, to the toy’s transformation into a prince who takes Clara on a tour of his kingdom, the Land of Sweets.
With four special sound effect pieces, once the jigsaw is complete, children can press to enjoy ten-second sound bites from Tchaikovsky’s original score. A beautiful gift to cherish and enjoy this Christmas.
If you are looking for a Christmas Advent calendar or like to count down with anticipation to Christmas Day with your children, this lift-the-flap puzzle Cat Family Christmas is a beautiful gift that the whole family can enjoy together. With 76 pieces, the Cat Family’s adorable Christmas scene comes to life including twelve little flaps to lift and reveal surprises each day until Christmas Eve.
We LOVE playing board games in this house – especially at Christmas. Anything that encourages the kids to get off their screens and get the whole family involved and spending time together is a real positive, so we are always looking for fun games to add to our collection. Here are some new games you might not have played before.
We’re MASSIVE fans of Orchard Toys games, with their Christmas Eve box being bought out year after year (even now the girls are older than the recommended age). This year Orchard Toys have added a new Christmas mini-game to their collection – Elf Lotto. Suitable for two to four players aged 3-6 years (but suitable for the whole family to play together), this fun lotto game involves memory and matching skills as player attempt to fill their game board with a variety of cheeky elves. Coming in a small yet perfectly formed little box, it makes a great stocking filler too.
Never did I ever think I would write the words Hurry Up Chicken Butt in a blog post, but thanks to this game from Exploding Kittens – here we are. This fast-paced, high-energy game for two to four players can be played with anyone 4 years and above (or possibly younger if you can explain the instructions). The best part about this hot potato game – it gets everyone up and off the sofa, acting out animals, jumping, and making LOTS of animal noises as they pass the chicken around the players. Speed is of the essence here, so expect lots of fun and hysterical laughter as the timer starts to run down!
Most tweens will be familiar with Roblox and LEGO – so a block world will be fairly familiar to them, but have they ever tried to make models using blocks, or guess what other people’s block creations may be?
This creative building part game BLOCK PARTY does just that – quite challenging, and as such aimed at children aged eight and above, this guessing game involves pictionary style creation of the item on their card, using tiny little blocks that are stacked, displayed and layers to build a 3D block design. Can you guess your opponent’s creation before the timer runs out (or will your building skills leave everyone scratching their heads in confusion!)
The hit BBC show Traitors was one of our favourite programmes last year and as such, the Traitors Card Game based on the series is sure to be a popular pick for tweens and teens this Christmas. Players are randomly assigned the title of Traitor or Faithful at the beginning of the game, and the Faithfuls must work together to discover the Traitors’ identity and vote them out. The Traitor on the other hand must try to deceive the other players of their innocence to win the game.
With digital events (on your phone or tablet) to mix things up and keep players on their toes, this Ginger Fox game is a great after-dinner activity that can be played with the whole family (up to eight players) at a time.
Fidget toys have grown hugely in popularity over recent years and the craze is showing no sign of going anywhere yet. This Christmas has seen the release of Quick Pops – a high-energy handheld game and tactile fidget in one. With four fun game modes, including memory and even multi-player options, Quick Pops will keep kids entertained for hours – ideal if you’re travelling to visit family during the festive season.
We love the scoring mode, with 30 different levels to try and master – and it’s challenging so your kids will need to show resilience and determination! With interactive lights and sounds, they must push and pop the buttons in order and quickly, testing their memory and reflexes as they try and outwit the game.
Imagination toys always go down well with my girls at Christmas. The festive period can be a bit overwhelming, so toys and gifts that allow them to sit down, get artistic and use their creative flair are always well received.
Washimals have always been a big hit with Neve – who loves getting creative before washing the characters and starting all over again. This adorable Ocean Pets sea creatures set includes four cute characters that can be decorated using the six special Washimals pens included. Not only can children create fun designs and patterns, but the designs actually glow in the dark too – great for displaying with pride in their bedroom. When they want to mix things up, simply wash off the design using the working shower included to remove the pen and leave to dry.
We only recently discovered the world of Wixels, but this creative twist on pixel art is incredibly clever and lots of fun to do.
Simply moisten the board with a damp cloth and choose from one of eight fun animal designs. Place it on top of the board to use as a template and use the markers to spot colour each pixel for use as a visual guide. Then remove the template and simply saturate each pixel with the correct coloured marker, watching as the image comes to life before their eyes.
Educational AND fun, this creative set encourages patience, persistence and concentration, with finished designs that can be displayed or washed to reuse.
All kids love slime right but if the thought of making your own breaks you out into a cold sweat, this So Slime DIY kit will be right up your street,
it may look like a miniature KitchenAid, but this fab mixer allows children to add colours, combine colours and add decorations such as sprinkles and sparkles to create their very own unique and marbled slime. Simply twist and mix to bring their slime to life, with eight different recipe cards for inspiration. There are ten bags of slime to create, making this budget friendly set great fun for siblings to share.
If ever there was a toy that was educational while still being INCREDIBLY good fun, Geomag would be it. These powerful magnetic rods make construction and creativity pretty much limitless, with the ability to create a whole host of fun designs such as towers, houses and pyramids by simply connecting the pieces together. This glitter collection adds a bit of extra sparkle to their creations, before packing the pieces away into the three indluded storage boxes.
Does your little one always like to write about their adventures or keep their secrets away from prying little sisters? As a Mum of two girls, I can certainly relate to the latter.
The VTech Secret Safe Diary is a great way to encourage self-expression, creativity, journalling, photography and more. This fun lockable journal can be personalised to their preferences – from writing diary entries to recording voice notes and even saving pictures with fun filters and effects, this unique diary will only pop open with face recognition, with a number password for extra security.
If you’re planning to travel over the festive period, one of our absolute favourite gifts and one we will never stop actively recommending is the Yoto Player or Yoto Mini – fun, interactive and portable audio players for kids. With a huge range of Yoto cards to choose from, children can listen to classic stories, new release fiction or even meditations and relaxing bedtime sounds. You can even record your own voice onto a card for a unique bedtime story or check out the Yoto free daily podcast and child-friendly radio station.
Easy to operate (even for small hands) – you can be safe in the knowledge that your child is listening to age-appropriate content (whilst potentially learning a thing or two as well!) with no ads, camera or microphone.
If you’re more team Tonie than Yoto (or have younger children or preschoolers), Tonies have a huge range of characters that are ideal for the festive period. From their new Little Reindeer’s Christmas Wish advent Tonie, with a new story to listen to every day during December, to their Elf on the Shelf Tonie full of stories, songs, games, jokes or the reimagined Christmas songs and carols penguin. The festive designs are currently sold out but we’re expecting them back in stock very soon!
If you’re buying for a gamer or child who is obsessed with their Nintendo Switch or is hoping to get a new games console from Father Christmas, some great new games have been released in recent months that they will love to add to their collection.
All the games featured are available on a variety of consoles including Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox.
DC Justice League: Cosmic Chaos
Recommended for children aged 7 and above, children will love taking on the role of Happy Harbor’s hero and embarking on missions, exploring secret locations and battling villains with iconic super hero moves including Superman’s Heat Vision, Wonder Woman’s Truth’s Pull and Batman’s exploding Batarangs.
Rainbow High Runway Rise
Rinbow High fans will love this role play game, taking on the role of Ruby, Poppy, Sunny, Jade, Skyler, and Violet, From exploring the school and Rainbow Union, you need ti find clues to sovle puzzles, collect rainbow diamonds and unlock the very coolest outfits for your characters!
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures
A great adventure to play over the Christmas period – Take on the role of the Grinch and his faithful pup Max, solviing puzzles, throwing snowballs and using a candy cane lasoo – can you make the Grinches heart grow by three sizes and save Christmas once and for all?
My girls both love beautiful hair accessories and if you’re looking for something a little unique this Christmas – go and check out Stych – the one-stop-online accessories shop.
Their team of talented designers produce accessories with the coolest designs and themes including hair clips, headbands, scrunchies, bags and bracelets, all housed in beautiful gift boxes.
With prices starting at just £6, you can pick up some really unique pieces within an affordable price range. I honestly can’t explain how beautiful these products are in the flesh and fantastic quality too – gifts that will be sure to raise a smile nestled under the tree or in their stocking this Christmas!
Us grown-ups may think they have far too many soft toys already, but children just can’t get enough of the soft and cuddly squishy toys – so you can always expect one to make an appearance on their Christmas wish list.
Here are some unique picks for 2023.
From the makers of Squishmallows, Jazwares, Bum Bumz are the latest craze that will soon be at the top of your tween or even teen’s wish list. With the cute themes, and soft and squishy textures we’re used to from Squishmallows, these small weighted characters look absolutely adorable on a bookshelf or as a cute room accessory. Best of all, each Bum Bumz character has their own name and ‘most likely to’ label with sticker. They’ll love collecting them all, and learning more about each character’s unique personality.
This year collectible’s QUEEN LOL Surprise! have some amazing new collections that are sure to be a big hit with fans of the brand.
Firstr up is the LOL Surprise! Mega Ball Magic – a huge pack with 60+ surprises to reveal by smashing, squishing, crushing or even poping the balls into water like a bath bomb. Really tactile and engagnig, children will love this exciting unboxing adventure with lots of fun outfits and accessories to reveal.
The LOL Surprise! Magic Flyers have been a huge hit with my daughters – with some really impressive flying that left me actually a bit gobsmacked. Simply turn it on and tpa the ball to see it light up. Tap again and it starts to quiver and shake, tao a third time and the final shakes open up the ball to reveal your character inside. Step back and watch as she literally sours into the air, spinning and circling for quite some time before catching her in your hands. Quite robust and able to withstand a fair few eventful flights – this gift brings back major nostaligc vibes too!
No, you haven’t reverted back to the 1990s, Tamagotchi’s are back, and the virtual pets are now cuter and more interactive than ever! Kids will love raising their Tamagotchi from egg to child to Adult, including feeding it, playing with it, giving it medicine, helpng it use the bathroom and keeping him fit and healthy. An important lesson in empathy and caring for others! We love the huge range of colour schemes and designs, with a little keychain so you can take him with you everywhere you go!
Obsessed with Kitties? Then they’ll love the Smitten Kittens! Crack open the case to reveal their kitty, along with five surprises including stickers, a squishy kitten litter compound and a milk bottle for feeding. Each super soft plush kitty makes 10 realistic sounds including an incredibly lifelike purr and with eight adorable plush kittens to reveal, will they be lucky enough to find the super rare Rainbow Kitty?
If your planning to gift your child a Yoto Player or Tonie box this Christmas, you may alsoi be considering teaming it up with some high quality headphones. While most ear buds aren’t suitable for children, the myFirst CareBuds are specifically designed for children from 4-13 years old with a maximum volume of 85db. They also come with a selection of diffferenet sized eartips, ensuring a comfortable fit for kids of all ages.
As if that’s not all, these intelligent CareBuds also hav a unique function that switches them to ‘transparency’ mode when they are moving. This helps keep kids safe by ensuring they can still hear their surroundings (such as traffic and other pedestrians) when listening to their music on the go.
So there we have it! From board games to books, plushies to hair clips, we really have all bases covered. I hope you’ve got some inspiration for the children on your list this Christmas!
*Disclaimer – this guide contains products which I have either reviewed or been sent press samples, however as always all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links*
Having grown up as a child. of the 90s, I remember my first-ever Tamagotchi with fondness. These adorable virtual pets were like nothing I’d ever seen before, growing and evolving through my care, love and (very) regular attention to become a super cute character that I would have done literally anything to protect.
Well Tama fans – Tamagotchi is BACK – and they are bigger, better and more interactive than ever!
If you’re looking for a fun, interactive pet to buy for your child (a great way to encourage responsibility and empathy), read on to learn everything you need to know about these adorable virtual pets.
What’s in the box?
Tamagotchi Uni
USB Charging cable
Watch strap
Manual
What is a Tamagotchi Uni?
Tamagotchi Uni stands for Tamagotchi University. The Tamagotchi Uni is an upgrade to the Original Tamagotchi and Tamagotchi Pix, and the first ever full colour screen. It comes with a wrist strap for motion sensor activities and games, and the ability to link up with other Tamagotchi users via the online Tamaverse.
Setting up our Tamagotchi Uni is really very simple to do.
First you choose the correct language, set the current date and time and then simply follow the prompts on the screen, including personalising your Tamagothic by giving your Tama a name.
You also get to pick where your Tamagotchi character lives, with a choice of Tama Japan, Tama North America or Tama Latin America.
How do you link the Tamagochi Uni to Wifi?
As part of the set up process, you need to link the Tamagotchi Uni to your wifi. This is so that you can receive the game updates (including themed events and gifts) and so that you can meet other real charcters in the Tamaverse. Setting this up is really easy to do via your phone, simply following the instructions on screen with a QR code and your wifi access code and you’re in!
Hatching your Tamagotchi ‘Tama’ character
WHen you use the Tamagotchi Uni for the first time, you choose a coloured egg from a choice of three.
Around 5 mins later your egg will start to shake vibrate and hatch – and your cute baby tama will be born. Over the next few days, your Tama will grow through several life stages including a teenager and adolescence.
Tama’s Status
You can check on your Tamagochi’s status at any time – using the menu and heading to the Status tab. This will show a visual scale of your Tama’s happiness and hunger, as well as how much money you have (more on that later). If your Tama’s mood or hunger rating gets too low, your Tama will become unwell, so it’s important to keep an eye on it regularly. You can also visually see when your Tama is unhappy as it looks sad, doesn’t move much, or sits in the corner of the room setting.
When your Tama is first born, like most newborn babies, he will be very grumpy and absolutely STARVING – so its time to give him a snack.
Feeding your Tama
Using the buttons, click through to the Food menu – here you will be given a choice of food and snacks (with delivery options coming later in. your Tama’s lifecycle). Initially, there will be only one choice – milk – and your Tama will want a LOT! However once your Tama reaches adolesense, there are lots more food options to buy – everything from Sushi to soup!
Items
Items are used to entertain, play and occupy your Tama. and initially these can be basic items such as a rattle and cleaning robot. As your Tama grows, more options will be available and you can use these items to gauge how much your Tama enjoys them. Each tama has a favourite item so it’s worth checking out them all. If you use the item that they love, their happiness rating will jump up far more quickly.
Hygiene
It’s important you keep your Tama happy and that includes cleaning up poop and bathing him. We’ve noticed that just like a potty-training toddler, our Tamagotchi Uni never seems to need the loo when you ask. but regularly poops on the floor. It’s quick and easy to clean, however, touching the bath icon to wash away any mess he’s left behind. The bath icon gives your tama a full scrub in the tub, leaving him fresh and clean ready for the day ahead.
Tama walk options kick in once your tama has entered child mode. Using the included wrist strap or simply holding in your hand. the Tamagotchi Uni will measure steps and movement, encouraging your children to walk for twenty minutes (whether that’s outside, or in Neve’s case, pacing around the living room like a caged lion).
As they walk, they can collect prizes and items from the Tama’s location during their travels. These items can be used later to make or craft new accessories and outfits.
What is the Tamaverse?
WIth Tamagotchi Uni, your Tama characters get the chance to meet other real Tamagotchis in the Tamaverse by heading to a Tama party. If they’re an adult, they can even choose to date another Tama and marry them! You can also complete in the Tama games with other users across the globe (once a day). It’s important to note (as we had a bit of upset when we did this for the first time) – that once you decide to marry your Tama, they drive off into the sunset together and your Tama effectively leaves, being replaced with a new egg. Tama’s do tend to like to leave after around 25 days, but Neve is stubborn and likes to keep hers for as long as possible.
What can you do with your Tamagotchi Uni?
Mini games
There are a selection of Mini games on the Tamagotchi including Matching, Speed Customers and Dancing (using the wrist strap) all of which can help you earn money to spend on food and drink (via the uber eats style delivery) or head to the Tama Mall for some more substantial shopping.
What is the Tama Mall
Using the money you’ve earned in the mini-games you can head to the mall and buy new items, accessories or even furniture for your Tamagotchi Uni’s home. You don’t have to spend any REAL money at all, so there is no need to worry about your child accessing anything they shouldn’t. Neve has bought a range of items for her Tama’s from hats, sleep masks and carnival outfits to new beds, new sofas and even Halloween decorations.
What are care icons?
If you are a good VIrtual Pet owner and take care of your Tama, you ca earn care icons which are displayed in the profile tab of your tama. You can check what care icons have been achieved at any time by going to the care icons tab on the main dashboard (under status).
Our overall thoughts on the Tamagotchi Uni
What we love
Tamagotchi Uni comes with a USB-C rechargeable battery and the battery life is pretty good – around 3-5 days. The Tama does give you a bit of warning when it’s time to plug it in (although that didn’t stop Neve from panicking that her Tama was going to die.
The Tamgotchi Uni device updates regularly to include seasonal items in the Tama Mall – something that Neve really appreciated! She also loved that it told her happy birthday and decorated her home for Halloween.
The Tama Walk and Dancing games promote movement and exercise, getting children more willing to get up and gp outside. A bit like Pokemon Go, there is an incentive to collect items on the Tama Walk which makes a great reward when they get home.
Your child can really get involved with personalising their Tama’s world, including their style, clothing and home.
The graphics have improved A LOT since the basic ones we had back in the 90s, with a colour screen, sounds (which can be turned off) and a high level of attention to detail.
Things you need to know about Tamagotchi Uni
Here are some things that you may want to bear in mind before you get a Tamagotchi Uni.
First up – Nothing averts panic quite like the words ‘Where is my Tamagotchi?’. Neve has put her Tamagotchi down around the house MANY times and then almost had a nervous breakdown because she could not find it. Of course this is usually at nighttime, or just before bed.
You can give your Tama a babysitter once a day, meaning your tama will be looked after if your child is at school – otherwise you may find that you get roped into doing it! The babysittng is a really valuable feature, but it’s important you don’t leave them with one for any longer than necessary or your Tama’s mood will be effected.
Unlike some of the earlier Tamagotchis, there is no tama app with this one – presumably to remove the need for the child to have a smart phone or tablet device.
When you wish to marry your Tama, you only get a choice of four to marry – which feels a bit stingy. Marrying also makes your tama leave – something my child actually cried about!
It’s also worth noting that there is no gene mixing – so the new egg (your couple’s baby) won’t necessarily look like its parents – they appear to be chosen at random
Can your Tamagotchi Uni die?
There have been a few occasions where we have left our tama behind when we’ve gone out and were worried he would be dead by the time we returned. The good news is, although happiness and hunger were very depleted and he was sat in the bottom right corner looking VERY sorry for himself, we were able to revive him by tapping the keys lots and giving him a healthy dose of food and attention.
One day I accidentally left him at home all day and he did die – I felt awful! This was after a good 8+ hours without attention, so kind of understandable. If tis happens, you need to reset the Tamagotchi Uni and a new egg appears on the screen. You can always see details of previous Tama’s in the profile tab, so even when they;re gone, they’re never truly forgotten.
Hi, I’m Lucy, a thirty something mum of two from Birmingham. A memory maker, tradition keeper, stationery addict and Mr Men fanatic. HR Advisor by day and sleep deprived Mama by night!
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