Category: Reviews

1. iFly Basingstoke - Indoor Skydiving Review

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 14th May 2018

   Regular readers will know that I am hurtling towards a big birthday this year and have compiled a list of 40 things to do in my 40th year and one of those things was indoor skydiving. 

   

   I have always wanted to do a real skydive but my fear of heights does make that a bit of a challenge although the adrenalin junkie inside me is still convinced that I could overcome it ..... if I could just get someone to push me out of a plane!

   I was talking to Emma from Emmaand3.com (not about pushing me out of a plane) but about my 40 list and she said she would love to come and try indoor skydiving with me. So we got in touch with iFly in Basingstoke and booked 2 x 2 minute sessions. 

   There are a number of iFly locations in the UK and while 2 x 2 minute sessions doesn't seem a lot, with the travelling and safety briefing, we really made a day of the adventure. You can see a bit more of this on Emma's vlog here >

   As you would expect there is a considerable amount of time going through the safety waivers, instructions and getting kitted out .... I have to warn you that you are never going to look overly glamorous in a blue jumpsuit and a helmet! Our instructor on the day was brilliant, he was enthusiastic, extremely thorough and really helpful even when we were a bit mischeivous. 

   

   You are taken through in small groups and I was first to go in our group (no pressure) and you literally jump into the wind tunnel and away you go. Trying to relax was actually my biggest problem as the more tense you are the less bouyant!! Who knew?

   I didn't wear my glasses (I thought it might be less scary if I couldn't see what was happening with clear vision) but iFly do have larger goggles to fit over glasses if you prefer.

   You might feel that 2 minutes would go really quickly but when you are in the tunnel it is surprising how long it actually feels, especially when you are conscious that you are being filmed. Trying to keep a smile on your face for the camera is definitely fun while you are concentrating on your body position, breathing normally and balance.

   

   I know my girls would love the indoor skydiving experience and as iFly welcome flyers from 3 to 103, I suspect we will be back. The only provisio is ensuring you have reasonable health and fitness, although while we were at the Basingstoke location we saw a gentleman who was unable to walk enjoying a flight, proving that disabilities are no barrier to any adrenalin seeker.

   The prices of the experience vary depending on what flight you choose but as I said at the top, we really made a day of it so whilst it may seem a little expensive for 4 minutes flying, it is certainly considerably cheaper than a skydive from a plane (and you don't need to worry about your parachute not opening!).

   I have loved the opportunity to tick something else off my list, to spend time with Emma but most importantly remind myself that I might be heading towards 40 but I still love an adventure! I highly recommend iFly to any adrenalin seekers! 

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2. BABY Born Interactive Sister : Baby Born Rain Fun Shower Giveaway

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 30th Apr 2018

   There is no doubt that we are huge baby doll fans, in fact you are not allowed to call them dolls in our house, they are babies! Most of the babies that we have are not interactive, so you can imagine the delight when we were given the opportunity to review the Baby Born Interactive Sister doll. 

   

   BABY born Sister doll has six functions and ten accessories for fun interactive play, including lovely long hair that you can brush and style. She may be a little older than BABY born, but is the same height meaning they can mix and match their outfits. Our very own baby doll fanatic loves changing their outfits so often, she has found that tiny baby clothes can also fit her too. 

   

   The Baby Born Interactive Sister looks more grown up and she is able to stand on her own and bend her knees, can drink water, cry real tears and is fully bathable. If you check out our Instagram feed here, you can see how she cries! Her crying ability reminds me of a baby doll I had when I was younger, so it is a timeless classic in the making that never gets old. 

   My youngest daughter is naturally the cute little sister so she loved being in charge of the Baby Born Interactive Sister. She is particularly fond of the way her legs move, this is a great feature as many dolls have solid legs. Having movable legs mean that she sits naturally in a chair, so very often joins us for dinner! 

   Whilst being able to change the clothes of the Baby Born dolls, my daughter also appears to have more naked dolls than anything else (I can't be the only one whose daughter insists on getting all her dolls naked), so the addition of a shower to the range is perfect!

   

   The BABY born Rain Fun Shower (RRP £42.99) mean that BABY born and BABY born Sister can now enjoy a real working shower with opening doors, an adjustable shower head, water flow regulator, harness to keep them safe, and towel.

   As many baby dolls are not suitable to take in the bath tub, it is great that play time doesn't have to stop when it is bath time for the children (although as it has batteries, we are not recommending that you take the shower in with you too!)

   The shower is suitable for children aged 3+ but there is definitely some parental supervision needed for assembly. Putting all the pieces of the shower together initially is not difficult but a little tricky and as there is water involved, I always feel the need to supervise or at least ensure it is not on a carpet anywhere!!

   

   The shower requires 4 x AA batteries and you need to follow the instructions to make sure everything fits together and the water is filled to the correct levels but once it is, then the shower works like a dream. (although recommend a towel close by .... just in case) 

   So if you have a little one who would love to try the Baby Born Rain Fun Shower, the kind folk at Zapf Creations are giving one lucky Lilypad reader the chance to do just that. All you need to do is enter below. 

    Baby Born Rain Fun Shower Giveaway

   The Prize: Baby Born Rain Fun Shower
   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
   By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 26/05/2018 at 12am

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3. The Mum Challenge : Finding the bottom of the laundry basket

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 4th Apr 2018

   It is half term here. There are no school runs for a couple of weeks, it is time to wind down, kick the nine-‘til-five in the shins, crack open a bottle of wine and spend the time … tackling the never-ending pit of dirty clothes, in an attempt to reach the allusive abyss that is the bottom of the laundry basket.

   

   Over the years I have actually wondered whether the bottom of the laundry basket even exist? Is it actually a thing? If anyone’s ever witnessed its existence, you know where the comments section is. Let us know!

   I am joking obviously. 

   What we need to do to get us through the monotony of the family's washing, is to dream of more enjoyable tasks. Mix it up a bit. It’s a mind-over-matter coping strategy that makes doing the laundry a dream.

   No, honestly, stay with me.

   From one mother to another, we know that the washing isn’t on the top of your ideal weekend to-do list. You work all week, battle over hump day, and reach the weekend falling asleep on your feet, only to be greeted with a laundry basket to rival Mary Poppins’ handbag.

   So, how do we get through it? Focus on the good stuff. Half the problem with weekend chores is feeling as though the take over your weekend. Don’t let that be the case. None of us want to be tied to the washing machine when we can be spending time with our children, so what we need is a laundry service and dry cleaning with free pick-up and delivery that can turn our laundry round within 24 hours. That is exactly what they do at Laundryheap, they come to your address, pickup your clothes and take them to their facility. Less than 24 hours later they bring clean clothes ready for action back to you. It's simple, affordable and convenient. Some call it magic, I am just seeing it as common sense.

   

   If you fancy a day of doing the whole ladies who lunch thing with your friends, while the kids enjoy the soft play, Laundryheap means that you don't need to be tied to the house, you can send it off to the washing fairies, which means you can also let the kids play longer (and have a longer lunch).
   

   There are so many challenges that we face as a Mum but freeing up a little more time to spend with the children over half term (or indeed every weekend) gets a big thumbs up from us. We will definitely be trying the Laundryheap service and if you want to be in with a chance to win a voucher to put towards their services, all you need to do is enter below:

    Laundryheap

   •  The Prize : £20 Voucher to redeem at Laundryheap.com
   • It is a discount offer of £20 for a single winner of the competition. If you provide me with the winner's e-mail address, once the competition finishes, he/she will be contacted with the details of the offer and how to redeem it. Once the winner places an order, £20 will be deducted from the winner's account for authorisation purposes but this will be refunded to him/her. £20 will be deducted from the final billing amount. The winner may exceed the billing amount of £20 or choose additional services, in which case any amount in excess of £20 will be charged to the winner's account. The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator and notified within 7 working days by email

   • There is no monetary equivalent.
   • Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   • If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   • UK Entrants only
   • End Date 02/05/2018 at 12am
   • This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook.

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4. Miximals Series 1| Review & Giveaway

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 15th Mar 2018

   As you may have seen, we have gone a little bit collectable crazy recently (although some may say we have always been more than a little crazy) but we were really excited to hear about the new and exciting collectable, Miximals.

    

   Anything goes in the mixed-up, dreamed-up world of Miximals..……with possibilities as far as your imagination will stretch! In the world of Miximals, you can dream of any mixed-up animal – as wild as your imagination will take you! Maybe a bunny with an elephant trunk… a Bunnephant! Or perhaps a Cheetah that flies and sings like a Parakeet? Hello Cheetakeet!! How about a cute Panda with Octopus tentacles — meet Pandapus!

   It might sound a little bonkers but the characters are a great idea and half of the fun is trying to work out what they are a mix of. Take a look at our unboxing video to see more ..... 

   We got the chance to open up one of the Triple Surprise packs which contains the Miximal you can see in the centre and TWO surprise ones! I don't know a child who doesn't love a blind bag, so this adds to the excitment.

   It is worth noting that getting the Miximals out of the plastic packaging isn't the easiest thing for a 6 year old, so despite her being intent on being a YouTuber it is always best to supervise the unboxing! 

   

   The Miximals themselves are solid little characters but they do come with cute little accessories that wouldn't be suitable for very young children and babies, so it makes sense that the products are targeted at the 4+ age range.

   The Triple Packs retail around £12.99 and at that price point, make an ideal gift for school friends for the multiple parties they get invited to in Key Stage 1. 

   We were also thrilled to try out one of the vehicle sets that accompany the Miximals characters. They are actually really well made (not sure why I was surprised by that) but they are sturdy and would definitey stand the test of time. 

   

   So after all the excitement of yet another collectable on the market, we can definitely say that the Miximals are becoming firm favourites and we have already been to Smyths Toy Shop to buy another surprise set! You can also buy Miximals in single surprise packs and they retail at just £3.99 and I suspect we may be trying to get all 40 from the Series 1 collection.

   What is even more exciting is that we are able to give you a chance to win your very own surprise set and Whalekeys Banana Submarine!

   All you need to do is enter below. Good luck! 

   Miximals  

    

   Terms & Conditions

   The Prize : Miximals Surprise Pack & Whalekeys Banana Submarine

   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator and notified within 7 working days by email

   There is no monetary equivalent.

   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes

   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.

   UK Entrants only

   End Date 28/04/2018 at 12am

   This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook.

    

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