Cuisine & Culture the Chinese Family Way
Real Construction sets from Jakks Pacific are the perfect set for the beginner craftsman which comes with wood-like material allowing kids to saw, nail, screw and build new designs. Would your child like to build their very own miniature treasure chest box or a boat? If so, then this Real Construction set will make a great gift for them to start with!
Hot Wheels Track Builder System Power Booster Kit is another great set to build many possibilities of open system play! The Power Booster Kit includes 35+ pieces including 2 speed loops and 2 boosters so you can boost your crash, your loops and head-to-head races! Not only that, you can convert the packaging and other household items into another epic track! How cool is that! This is suitable for aged 5 and above. It requires 4 size D batteries to run the boosters which are not included.
The Electric Stunt Buggy from Interplay is an easy to build model car for children aged eight and above. This buggy is from the Technokit range which helps your child to practise and learn about electrical and mechanical principles.
Quadropolis is a strategy board game that sees players compete with one another for the shops, parks, public services and other structures to be placed in them. It is made by Days of Wonder. This game is suitable for ages eight and above and can be played by 2 to 4 players. It is available to buy from Esdevium store finder or on Amazon.
Build your own personalised robot with the help from this Meccano MicroNoid set. Socket is a small and adorable robot that fits in your hand for you to bring out and about. He is able to dance, walk and interact! This is a great set to keep the children busy this summer holiday. There are three Meccano Maker Systems to collect: Socket, Switch and Basher.
Want to learn simple Chinese numbers using LEGO? Then read on and see how we incorporate LEGO into our daily life! Many of my readers will know that I love to use crafts to teach my children or our Lichfield Mandarin Club’s children in Chinese language. For example, we used ang pow (red packets) to make a Chinese character sheep, used old ang pow to write Chinese character Monkey, practised writing Chinese New Year words on balloons, 3D paper cutting Spring character and many more.
Recently, we came across these unique Bizzy Bitz toys. They have a range of building sets for children aged 3 onwards. It was invented by Mr Alta and Mrs Rachel Fogel who have both been working with children for over 25 years. Having observed children of various ages and abilities playing with the various construction toys and based on this research, they invented a universal, totally innovative ball and socket style system, which they named Bizzy Bitz.
Want to build your own American-style racing truck with electric motor without using glue or making a mess? Interplay have this brilliant Technokits Racing Truck that has it all! This kit is suitable for ages 8 years old and above. My 7 year old son is slightly young but with adult help, he did it in no time!
Recently through Toyella, a multi-award winning toy retailer, I found these fascinating magnetic wooden blocks called Tegu. Both my children are fascinated with constructing things and making different type of models so this is really ideal for them. Tegu is taking constructing traditional buildings to a new level of fun and excitement! With its embedded invisible magnets inside the hardwood blocks, building can be so engaging and delightful.
Mr C and I always love to watch Grand Designs presented by Kevin McCloud on Channel 4. We like to dream about how we are going to transform and equip our house with lots of gadgets!
Grand Designs has been exhibiting for years now and we never had a chance to go. We were so pleased that British Gas kindly gave us and one of my blog readers tickets to go to see the exhibition. As we had never been before, we didn’t quite know what to expect for the exhibition.
We arrived there quite late and it was really busy with massive amounts of people inside the exhibition halls. There were split into different categories like garden, innovation, kitchen, building etc. The first thing that caught my eyes were kitchen! We had a look at all the different brands of kitchen appliances and worktops. I always dream of having a well equipped kitchen with the latest gadgets. Well, for now, I can only dream as it is outside our budget to redo a kitchen!
Philips know lighting plays a vital role in creating spaces that feed their creativity hence they are all about encouraging kids’ imaginations through Imaginative Lighting.
The Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting range is a simple, magical way to bring their environment and imagination alive. The range includes products that inspire them in their bedrooms whether playing, sleeping, or reading. Recently, Mr K received the Spider-Man’s reading light to go along with his Avengers Mural bedroom which helps create a magical atmosphere in his bedroom! He was so exhilarated by it!
Now Philips are inviting parents and their children to create #MyDen using the simplest tools like blankets, cardboard boxes, pillows, chairs, torches etc. You could video it, take a photo or even draw a den and post it via Twitter or Philips Facebook using the hashtag #MyDen to enter the competition. Read the terms and conditions here: http://philips.to/1olsVqR. There are a lot of fantastic prizes up for grabs!
In 2006, Mr K and I went to New York for his 30th birthday and of course we had to visit the iconic Empire State Building. The Empire State Building is a 103-story skyscraper and has a roof height of 1,250 feet (380 m), and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 feet (443 m) high. It is the tallest building in New York once again since the September 11 attacks in 2001. They have been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
This half term, we have been busy entertaining and playing with both of our monsters! Why monsters? Because they have boundless energy tearing up the house and we need endless ideas to keep them happy and entertained. I do believe that nothing beats activities that use their own imagination. Not only does it keep them entertained for longer, but often it requires minimal costs. So get their thinking caps on and maybe use items for recycling and engage their imagination to build their own hideaway at home. This involves a lot of mess though but it is a brilliant way to get them out of the way. Or maybe not!
Meccano was invented in 1901 in England by Frank Hornby and was originally marketed under the brand name “Mechanics Made Easy”. The name Meccano was later patented in 1907 and became a popular toy for many households for over 100 years. Personally I have never owned a Meccano set before and so I was happy that Meccano UK chose me to review their Meccano Construction set. It is perfect for my son Mr K who is 5 years old as the set is suitable for age 5 and upwards.
