Safari Ltd Review and Giveaway for Asobi Toys

Throughout June as part of our role as Asobi Ambassadors we have been testing out some plastic figurines from Safari Ltd.

Safari Ltd – the internationally loved, American born brand that is passionate about bringing nature closer to tots. For over 30 years, Safari Ltd have been committed to teaching children the importance of the world around them and caring for nature through the joy of imaginative play. The endless collection of Safari figurines have been a popular choice amongst children for years and aim to celebrate the planet’s most fascinating creatures.

Safari has the biggest figurine offering in the world and have produced some fantastic products that are truly unique. Each figurine in the Safari collection is hand painted and is highly authentic. The brand is proud to be behind the largest dinosaur figurine collection in the world and are famous for their Carnegie collection, which has been authenticated by Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Not only does Safari Ltd promote imaginative play, the brand is passionate about teaching children the importance of conservation. A completely unique educational element to Safari Ltd is that each and every figurine has the name of the species on the side and on the tag, the name is printed in three different languages. The brand is consistently thinking of ways they can teach through imaginative play. As each figurine is incredibly realistic, the brand have ensured that children can really understand the differences of species. With other products including life cycles and bug jars, Safari have gone that extra mile to develop their range making it fun and interesting for every child. Safari Ltd also provide the perfect tools for school projects.

We were sent one Baby Sealife TOOB, Sea Turtle Life Cycle, a model T Rex, and a Good Luck Minis Fun Pack. We have had so much fun testing them out.

Safari is a brand that we are already familiar with and we use lots of their animal and science collections in our small world play. We love the quality of the figurines and the fact that they are so realistic. They enable true learning through play.

We have a woodland creatures TOOB which we used in our autumn explorations at the end of last year.

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We also have a Space Toob which we have used lots in our space adventures, moon landings and starry, Matilda Mae, messy play.

And we have lots and lots of dinosaurs!

dinosaurs in space

For this review we were sent a TOOB of baby sea creatures that included dolphins, sharks, whales, seals, walruses and more. Esther and William love sea creatures and thanks to Octonauts are able to confidently identify the different variations and describe some of their qualities. We used the sea creatures in small world play and water play.

baby sea life

We set up our sensory small world sea in a plastic lid. I used felt to create sand and sea and sparkly green paper to create seaweed and kelp. Esther and William added stones and shells to make the beach more habitable for their animals.

sensory sea

In the water table we added brown glass stones in the shallow area and green and blue glass stones for the deeper ocean.

Esther and William chose which creatures went into which part of the sea.

water world

We combined this set with the Life Cycle of a Green Sea Turtle that we were also given for the purpose of this review.

The set includes a nest of turtle eggs, a hatchling, a juvenile turtle and an adult. Esther and William adore turtles, again because of Octonauts. They know that turtles swim hundreds of miles to lay their eggs on the shore. Returning to the beach where they themselves were born. They know that turtles lay over a hundred eggs. It is wonderful listening to Esther and William use these true facts in their imaginary play.

water world

Esther was soon acting out a story about a family of green sea turtles while William was fishing for creatures that I asked him to find. He was able to pick out sword fish and dolphins, seals and walruses, hammer head sharks and Orcas.

He was also able to tell me some facts about the creatures, all knowledge gained from watching Octonauts.

Safari Ltd create and sell all kinds of creatures, real and fantasy, to be collected. They are great for creating small world habitats and for learning about different species, different places around the world. And out of this world! You can find a safari Ltd TOOB set for most habitats, fantasies and occasions including Christmas!

For the anniversary of Tilda’s death earlier in the year I bought a TOOB of In The Sky Miniatures that Esther and William used for imaginary play, imagining what it might be like to live up in the clouds and to see these things floating and flying by.

the sky

When we went on holiday to Ullswater we took a Life Cycle of a Frog set with us and a range of different books about tadpoles and frogs. Next year we are going to try growing some of our own. There will be more about this in this week’s Minibeast Monday post.

frog life cycle

The Safari Ltd Figurines are of great quality. They are accurate in their representation of nature and creatures, their fantasy figures are stunning and perfect for story making and telling.

As well as our TOOB and Life Cycle Set we were also sent an amazing TRex to play with a surprise pack of miniature figures including a teeny tiny ladybird that Esther fell in love with.

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The Safari Ltd Good Luck Minis are tiny figures that would make a great gift for a birthday party or would be great to give to children to play with on a long journey. They come in a little paper envelope which would be also be perfect for a Christmas stocking or in place of a party bag at a children’s party. Perhaps at a Minibeast Ball?

We have loved playing with our Safari Ltd Figures, the ways to play with these toys are endless, limited only by the imagination of the child.

Want to see for yourself?

One lucky Edspire reader can win a Baby Sea Life TOOB, a Green Sea Turtle Life Cycle, a TRex Model and a Minis Fun Pack.

All you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter form below.

Good Luck!

And check my Minibeast Monday post tomorrow for a great discount code to use when buying Safari Ltd products through Kind Toys Online

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Siblings: June

It’s double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you’re blessed with twins.
Author Unknown

Family Photographer Essex and London

May I introduce you to Esther Grace and William Nairn

As June ends we start three very exciting count downs

First – counting sleeps until Esther and William turn four

Second – counting the days til Rainbow Baby is expected to make an appearance

Third – counting the sleeps until big school

Big school!

How is that even possible?

The last four years have flown by

In a blur of comedy and tragedy

In a flurry of love stories

Punctuated by pain, loss and fear

Highlighted with happiness, sunshine and rainbows

And through it all

These two have stuck to one another like glue

Through thick and thin

They love one another

Comfort one another

Amuse each other

Entertain

Encourage

Challenge

They are siblings

Best friends

Twins

twosome

I love the way they talk to each other

Decide together what they are going to do

Where they are going to go

What they are going to play

I love the way they negotiate with each other

They kiss each other better when they are hurt

They cuddle each other when they are feeling poor

They giggle, how they giggle, when they are up to no good

The bond is strengthening day by day

As they become more aware of how special it is to have a twin

Family Photographer Essex and London

I worry about Esther and William all the time

Esther is a real thinker

She is the quieter of the two

And she thinks about things a lot

She is also physically frailer than William

Our fragile little fairy

And what a scare she has given us

With her febrile convulsion this week

Family Photographer Essex and London

Esther loves to draw

She can write her name

She loves small world play

And making up stories with her toys

She has started showing a real interest in dolls

Perhaps because Rainbow Baby is on her way

Family Photographer Essex and London

Esther says I love you all the time

She talks about how she loves Baby Tilda

She is a quiet, fragile, loving little girl

She is also cheeky and naughty

In an impish kind of way

Family Photographer Essex and London

William is a worrier

He talks about Tilda more than Esther

He asks questions all the time

Last weekend we saw a friend of the family

Who had quite a new baby

William looked at the mummy holding the baby

And said, quite matter of factly

Will her baby stay?

And I said yes, I hope so

William said

Our baby did not stay

Will our new baby stay?

We were in the car

And on our journey home

We answered William’s questions

Why do babies die?

Why did Baby Tilda die?

Will our new baby die?

Why do people die?

This was all before he watched his twin sister collapse

And broke his heart while we rushed around him in a panic

Not knowing if another of his sister’s was going to live or die

What must have been going through his head?

When the ambulance was called

And Esther had come round

I wrapped my arms around him

And we sobbed together

As I reassured him, as best I could

That Esther was going to be all right

together

I worry about William

Though he does always seem to bounce back

He is very emotional

He cries at stories and programs on TV

He always asks for cuddles

He hates being left anywhere

You have to wait for him to go downstairs

Or to a different part of the garden

He hates being left alone

He loves trains

And Octonauts

He loves running

And racing on his bike

He loves numbers and counting

And investigating how things work

He is adorable

And he and Esther together

Are just a terrific little twosome

Our miracle twosome

Born at 27 weeks

Surviving and seeing all that they have

In their almost four years

Itching and eager and ready for school

So excited about turning four

Impatient to know when the baby is ‘coming out’

Ready to walk together

On the path of their journey together

Onwards and upwards together

Holding hands

Always holding hands

Family Photographer Essex and London

Not double trouble, but twice blessed.
Author Unknown

All photographs are used with permission from Marie Donn Photography

dear beautiful

Child Safety Week: In, On and By The Water

Esther and William adore water They were always going to It is in their genes They come from a family who love Swimming, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, rowing Being in, on and by the water Esther and William have a bath … Continue reading

KBBF 2014: Best Bits for Breastfeeding

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Having breastfed Esther and William for fifteen months

And Tilda for nine

Her whole life!

I am hoping that I will be able to feed Rainbow Baby too

One of the great things about breastfeeding

Is that you do not NEED any resources or equipment

But there are some things that it is nice to have

Here are some of the things that I have used when feeding my children so far

Some of the things that I feel made a difference to our breastfeeding journey

Tommee Tippee Breast Pads
There are so many different types of breast pads available and you will need to look at them and try a few out. For me I keep returning to Tommee Tippee. These disposable breast pads come twin wrapped so they can be kept in your change bag and stay clean. They are also adhesive so they stay where you need them to stay. The pads are thin and breathable and I have always found them to be comfortable to wear. I have mine at the ready for when Rainbow Baby comes.

Medela Breast Pump
With Esther and William I had a Medela Pump in Style Advance, a double electric pump. I used it a lot while Esther and William were in hospital and it was wonderful. Easy to use, easy to clean and efficient. Once the twins were home from hospital and feeding on demand I did not have time or need to pump anymore. We had a freezer full of milk from our hospital stay. Because of this lack of time with Esther and William, we gave the pump away and we did not buy another one when Tilda came along. Now though I really wish that I had. For two reasons. The first being that I suffered mastitis twice in my early feeding journey with Tilda and it would have been great to have a pump to relieve some of the pressure and make it easier for Tilda to feed. The second reason being as feeding established Tilda favoured my left breast and I ended up incredibly lopsided. Looking back I should have expressed the milk from my right side to address the balance and to use the milk when we started weaning. So now that we are expecting our Rainbow Baby along I am going to be prepared and we are going to buy a Medela Swing. I love Medela as a brand as I love their ethos and they way that they work so hard to provide a knowledge bank and a community for breastfeeding mummies. They also support parents of preemies which is a personal passion of mine.

Theraline Nursing Cushions
This weekend I have been away at Brit Mums Live. I missed my husband and my children so much. I also missed my Theraline Maternity and Nursing Pillow. I had one of these cushions throughout my pregnancy with Tilda and have one again for Rainbow. I sleep with it every night and now I am getting bigger and heavier I will use it more to support me during the day, and once Rainbow is here, I will use it to support us both through the early long days and nights of feeding. I also have a Theraline Wynnie Feeding Cushion ready to use, to support baby as she feeds and to lay her on, on my lap, to admire her. Just as we used to do with Tilda.

Theraline Wynnie

Chilling Out With Wynnie

Muslin cloths
Muslins have so many uses. Bibs, swaddles, cleaning cloths, playing games of Peekaboo, nursing cover, play mat, mopping up milk … The list goes on and on. There are so many different muslins around. I would recommend having a stash of plain, cheaper ones from somewhere like Asda and then some prettier ones from somewhere like Faye and Lou, or Aden and Anais. They are a practical, multi functional product that you will not want to be without.

Bravado and Carriwell Nursing Bras
I love both of these brands. I have worn them both throughout all my pregnancies and through feeding three children, soon (I hope) to be four.

At the moment I have the Bravado Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra in black, nude, pink and red. I wear them all the time as they are just so comfortable. This is what I said about them when I was pregnant with Matilda Mae.

bravado mamlicious

This bra is the most comfortable item of clothing I currently own. The material is so soft and stretchy and seems to be growing perfectly with my ever changing chest size! The bra is gentle enough to be worn all day without leaving marks or causing any discomfort. It seems to caress tender breasts and keep them safe and supported right through the night. It is really very comfortable for sleeping in which is important when pregnant and breastfeeding when you often need that extra support.

I love the fact that the bra has a low back so that when I am nursing Matilda through the summer months I can wear it with some lovely vest tops and summer dresses, and not have to sacrifice style for the practicalities of breastfeeding.

I find this bra to be very supportive of my ever enlarging shape and it also makes a great shape under my clothes.

It comes with extra padding if you feel you need a bit of oomph or nipple discretion! The pouch where the pad fits could also be used for securing a breastfeeding pad.

If you buy one of these bras I am certain that it will see you through maternity, nursing and beyond. It can be converted into a non nursing bra by removing the clips but to be honest I have not even noticed that any clips are there. This is a very well designed and made bra with great practical features for every mummy and mummy to be.

The Carriwell Maternity and Nursing range is also excellent. Pretty and practical through pregnancy and beyond. The bras are stretchy and so can grow with your changing shape but they also give great support. They are soft enough to wear day and night and come in a range of pretty styles and colours. I love the Seamless Nursing Bras and they were the bras I chose for my hospital bag with Matilda Mae. The styling of these bras is pretty enough that it does not matter if they show beneath a dress of vest top. They are lovely maternity wear and perfect for easy feeding.

Mama Jewels Breastfeeding Bracelet
Life with a new baby is busy, add other children into the mix and your days become a haze of activity. One of the things you will want to keep track of is baby’s feeds.
When Tilda was born and I had three children under two I found a breastfeeding bracelet an invaluable tool. It was pretty too. The bracelet reminded me what side Tilda needed to feed from next. When she took to only feeding from one side Tilda took the bracelet for her own and now it is in her memory box as she loved it so much. Mama Jewels has some beautiful feeding bracelets and you can also use your Count The Kicks wristband for the same purpose.

Feeding Vests
On their own or under shirts, tops and dresses a feeding vest is an essential I would say for breastfeeding. They allow you to feed discreetly without showing your belly. There are some wonderful vests around from a range of sellers including The Essential One and Babes with Babies. One of my favourites with Tilda was the Emma Jane Deluxe Feeding Vest
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Bibee Dress
The Bibee dress is a great dress for days out and evening dos. It is a gorgeous dress with interchanging bibs so that you can change your look or swap your top if there is an accident or spillage. The dress makes a flowing flattering maternity silhouette and gives new mummies great confidence when feeding out and about. I adore my Bibee Dress and wore it all the time with Matilda Mae. I also wore it often earlier in this pregnancy. For a full review of the Bibee Dress you can go to my post here.

Bibee Tilda

Activities for Toddlers
Over the next few weeks I am going to be collating ideas for preschooler busy bags. Little activities for Esther and William to tackle independently whilst I am giving Rainbow her feeds. Esther and William were so young when Tilda was born it was hard to do but this time they enjoy activities that are a challenge for them to attempt together or alone without an adult. If you search Pinterest for toddler busy bags you will find many, many wonderful ideas. Or stop back here in a few weeks time when I will be starting to share mine!

Coca Cola and Mars Bars
Ideally you will be eating a very healthy diet and drinking plenty of water but once in a while it is nice to sit down for a feed with something a little bit naughty that you really fancy. For me it was always Coca Cola and chocolate, often a Mars Bar or chocolate raisins. A little bit of what you fancy does you good and if you are happy and relaxed chances are your baby will be too. My coke and chocolate routine started when Esther and William were in NICU and is something of a tradition now. I hope one that I will get to repeat soon enough with Rainbow.

So, these are some of the bits I think will help you get the best from breastfeeding.

What would your top tips be?

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For more breastfeeding tips and stories you can have a look here

Mummies Waiting
Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Mummy is a Gadget Geek
The Mummy Adventure
A Mixed Bag

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