GAMES AND TOYS Archives - Minis and More...

Minis & More25th June 2015

memory games for kids

Now our eldest minis are over three, we are enjoying playing board games with them more and more. memory games are a fantastic way to teach kids about concentration and well, maintaining memory! Here are our top picks of some of the memory games out there which we particularly like.

1. Memory game round faces by Ingela P Arrhenius – Omm Design £9.99 at The Pippa and Ike Show – we both have this game and the illustrations of the human and animal faces are striking enough to make kids read the differences between them. This makes a perfect birthday present and it is not too big so we have found it perfect for taking away wit us.

2. Memo fish by Deco £5.95 at Birdkids – this cute game is fun and the fish shapes make it slightly different from other memory games out there. Harriet has this game and loves to take it out to a restaurant to keep her entertained.

3. Animal memory game £9.86 by Hape – this game is suitable for younger kids as the pieces are made out of wood to withstand any temptation to chew/bend.

4. Memory game £10.68 by Charley Harper – truly beautiful illustrations and teaches kids about nature. His nature books are equally as stunning.

5. Stacking dolls memory game £8.84 by Bright Life Toys – these have to be shipped from America but how adorable are these? Amazing quality and unique gift.

6. Modern Art memory game £8.22 by AMMO Books – Georgie did History of Art as part of her degree so this appeals to hoping that Harry and Teddy grow to show an interest in art. Maybe for older children but the modern art is bright and fun for younger kids to see and get to know.

7. Fruit and Veggie memory game £15.95 by Plan toys – get the kids to know their pumpkin from their aubergine with this game made with wooden discs and lovely simple design.

8. Children of the World memory game £10.99 by Barefoot Books – the world is an increasingly small place to be and this game teaches kids about the different cultures and people around us.

If you haven’t got a memory game then we really do recommend them. Simple rules for the kids to understand and fun to play whilst teaching them important skills.

Minis & More9th June 2015

bug bingo and bird bingo

Where’s Harry???

We discovered a couple of rather beautifully produced games not too long ago. They are Bug Bingo and Bird Bingo by illustrator Christine Berrie. Bingo is a great game which Harry and Harriet have found easy to understand. This, combined with the wonderful illustrations used for each of these games makes for a fun yet educational playtime.

Each player has a board and takes it in turns to pull a card out of the bag and if you have the creature, you place a red dot on your board whilst placing the card on the larger board which contains all the birds. The winner is the player who fills their board with all the dots and shouts, “BINGO!”.

Off to a good start

Harry showing off his winning card!

Both the Bug Bingo and Bird Bingo come with a booklet explaining more about the creatures featured. Harry and Harriet have loved trying to get to know how to pronounce the names of some amazing animals – from the Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing, to the Megaphragma, to the Giant St Helena Earwig in Bug Bingo and from the Splendid Fairywren, to the Lilac-Breasted Roller, to the Vulture Guineafowl in Bird Bingo. In fact, these games have taught us mums a thing or two!

Everyone who’s been asked to play by Harry or Harriet have found it an enjoyable game to play. It makes a great birthday present and Georgie even plans to take it on holiday to Devon just in case there is a moment of rain.

Minis & More27th March 2015

Easter gifts

Our minis enjoy chocolate like the best of them, but when it comes to the over indulgence of Easter and all of the treats that they most likely have in store, sometimes it can be helpful to have a few alternative ideas for gifts from the Bunny. Take a look at these Easter gifts for some of our choices this holiday…

These adorable Sew Heart Felt slippers made from organic wool with soft suede anti-slip soles are big hits in our households£24.95. Rory is the grey version and Ruby the brown. Sew Heart Felt are also currently offering 20% off for Easter, simply quote ‘Flopsy’ at the checkout.
The knitted jumpers from Stella McCartney Kids are a seasoned offering and with their irresistible bunny back and pom pom tail they are far too cute not to include in our favourites £60.00 and available in either pink or blue.
A limited edition glazed porcelain Mini Penny Bunny Pendant Necklace on black cord £18.00 would be a great addition to a girls or boys wardrobe at this time of year.
The American brand Bla Bla Kids produce the most delightful and creative knitted dolls, made in Peru. We can’t see any minis being disappointed with one of their very own bunnies at Easter. Mini Fleur and Mini Pierre are both available at Molly Meg now, £44.00.
If your girls like their jewellery, then these fun handmade Pirates & Ponies necklaces could be for them. The Purple Bunny Necklace £35.00 is made with a Schleich® animal figurine, wooden beads and has a magnetic snap closure.
Encourage your minis to get creative over the holidays with these fun handmade Easter crayons. A perfect alternative to chocolate eggs hidden on an Easter egg hunt. £4.00 for a set of six.
At minis AND MORE… we don’t need much persuading to add to our Ingela P Arrhenius collections, the retro graphics appeal to both young and old. The OMM Design Rabbit plate £6.40 and bowl £5.50 would be perfect for serving up eggs and soldiers for breakfast.
Not forgetting the baby minis, we found these tiny knitted Bunny Booties from Cath Kinston £15.00.
Lastly, if your minis are anything like ours and desperate to get involved with all aspects of cooking these days, then a chopping board of their very own could be a wonderful gift. The Chop & Serve Ronald the Rabbit Board £24.00 is handmade in solid oak and sourced from sustainable forests.

Have a happy hoppy Easter!

Minis & More24th March 2015

Learning to count

Whether your minis are just starting to become familiar with numbers or are further along in their journey of learning to count, it’s not always easy. Sometimes it can be useful to discover a few fun products to help them with the task. Here are some of our favourites we have come across…

Navy Lotto game by Djeco £13.95 is a simple bingo game for the whole family. Players catch the corresponding numbered and coloured fish using a magnetic rod and match them up to their board. As with many Djeco products, the bright and colourful box forms a part of the game, making it easy to store away and transport to their friends houses to play too.
Lilliputiens Number Puzzle is a beautiful puzzle set where your child can match up the colours and pictures on each piece to help them put the puzzle together. Then once you have finished, count up to 5!
Hape Numbers Puzzle £12.99 provides your minis with endless ways to play with numbers. These wooden and colourful pieces from 1 to 20, can be added, subtracted, multiplied and so on.
This Gro Company Gro-to-Bed duvet and pillow counting set £50.00 is not only a fun way of incorporating numbers into everyday life, but it is also ideal for toddlers because they stay securely on the bed. A bonus for us, as Harriet and Harry are constantly losing their duvets in the middle of the night!
365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental is an extra large book about a family who find a penguin mysteriously delivered to their door for every day of the year. Such a wonderful opportunity to count together. We tell you a bit more about this great book here.
Kukkia Kiko+ Tanabata Star Dominos £36.00 are a delightful set of 100 birch wood stars that we love here at mini and MORE… Count them, arrange them into colours, watch them tumble down.
100 Bears by Magali Bardos (translated from the French version) may well appeal to parents more than minis – a very eye-pleasing artsy book which would be just as at home on your coffee table as in the playroom. Join a group of adventurous bears chasing them from number 1 to 100 through forests and cities, coming across cats and butterflies on the way. The colours are bright and interesting and the pages busy with retro illustrations. It isn’t a book to read the whole way through in one sitting, and though it has narrative, it isn’t really a story. It is simply a bright and colourful book which the minis will love to flick through and count along with.

Are your minis starting to become familiar with numbers and learning to count? Let us know if you have come across any really fun and useful products that have been helpful.

Please note that prices are correct at the time of publishing.

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