Great fun for all the family! Light Strike Interactive Battle Game Review

Last month I was contacted last month by a PR for WowWee toys asking for bloggers to review their new Light Strike Interactive Battle Game - a laser quest type game you can play at home.

I jumped at the chance - the Curly one loves gaming, as do her Dad and her brother, and with the move to our new house imminent, it seemed like the perfect toy to get everyone off their computers and outside to enjoy the space in our new garden.

We tested the following kit:

• 2 x Light Strike Assault Striker with targets
• Set of 4 accessories for Light Strike Assault Strikers - scope, enemy scanner, refractor launch and rapid fire systems
• ITS - Intelligent targeting system for team battles

First impressions:

The boxes arrived looking really exciting. Although the packaging is clearly aimed at teen/tween boys, none of us were put off by it, and it clearly appealed to all the kids, who couldn't get the boxes opened fast enough. As our brood ranges from age 2 to age 18, that's pretty impressive in itself.

On opening, we were a little underwhelmed, as the stickers on the guns and attachments didn't live up to our expectations, making the toys look a bit cheap, despite good build quality.

Happiness was restored when we discovered that every "button" on the stickers actually worked - with ID scanners, rapid fire, shields, team and weapons selects to investigate, who cared about the stickers?

Playing the game:

What can I say? It's brilliant! It's very versatile, allowing you to play individual challenges, fight battles one on one or play as teams for a full laser quest experience.

We all had a go with the guns, playing against each other. Small one (2) loved the flashing lights and funny noises, and Curly (11), Lumpy (18) and the rest of the assembled family friends loved just about everything - the strategy, the targetting, the action, the general silliness, especially playing in the dark, where the game really comes into its own.

The older boys even borrowed it for a quick late night game in the local park. They came back grinning inanely, and assure me that the range is "awesome" (at least 150m).

What did we like?

• This is a toy that works for all ages and a game that the whole family can get involved in even if, like me and the small one, you don't entirely get all the functions and strategy.
• It's perfect for persuading diehard gamers into leaving the house and getting some fresh air and exercise!
• It is equally playable indoors and out, as long as you have plenty of places to shelter and regroup.
• While it does involve weapons, the emphasis is on strategy, stealth and targetting, so it doesn't feel inappropriate for younger children.
• There are no projectiles or small parts to fall off so it's soething that older kids can play without risk to younger members of the family.
• The guns are great in the dark and low light, with lights and sounds taking over from stickers to make them look really cool.
• Although there's a lot to learn if you want to play seriously, you don't need to learn it all at once (or at all) to enjoy playing.

What didn't we like?

• There did feel like there were a lot of batteries involved when we were getting set up. Having said that, the battery life seems to be good and we haven't had to replace any yet, so not as bad as we feared.
• The stickers - it's a minor point, and the game is clearly meant to be played in low light, but they really could be better. It's the only thing that lets a fab toy down.

The final verdict:

This would make a great individual gift for kids aged 8+, teens or adults who haven't grown up yet (us), but I would really recommend it as a family gift. I can't tell you how much fun we have got out of these, and unlike console games, which get completed and discarded, Light Strike is going to be a favourite with our kids for years.

If you do have tweens or teens, I have to caution you that you may temporarily end up with more in the house than you thought you owned. On the bright side, other peoples teenagers appear to happily wash up, clean and move boxes on request - result!

Basically, if you've got an excuse to buy one, do - there is nothing nicer than hearing kids (and adults) giggling helplessly in the garden as they zap each other with pretty coloured lights and bicker over who gets to use the rapid fire system...

Disclosure: I did not get paid for this post but I did receive a product sample to test and keep. I follow the Britmums Blogging with Integrity Guidelines – I always write honest and truthful reviews and disclose any perks I receive!

Tights Please!

(c) MilkChic
All rights reserved

This is a copy of a review I recently did for MilkChic - fashionable clothes for breastfeeding mums: I got all excited a few weeks back when I saw that Tightsplease were looking for reviewers for their kids tights.

I'm a big fan of tights - I discovered very early on that they are far more practical than socks, which either fall off or get pulled off within minutes of getting them on, wasting valuable playing time. I'm such a big fan that, should I have another baby in the future, they will be wearing tights regardless of their sex!

Two pairs of tights dropped onto our doorstep on Monday and small one was very excited (she knows just what to do with parcels now). It was when she pulled them out of the packaging and ran around the house with them before insisting that I put them on that I realised... it's August!!

I must admit I panicked. This is the first time I have reviewed a product that I haven't paid for myself. While I certainly wouldn't ever promise to write a positive review, it is common courtesy when a PR sends you a sample to write a review honestly and quickly.

Luckily, the weather is never boring here, and a day later I gratefully woke up to grey skies and a chill in the air - perfect tights weather!

So what can I tell you?

Wola Childrens Tights

The tights I received were Wola Children's Cotton Tights in Khaki (2-3yrs) and Wola Baby Cotton Tights in Peach (18-24m).

First impressions: It was lovely to see a choice of colours and not just pink. I have to be honest - the peach didn't really float my boat, although there is a benefit to neutral shades as it means that you always have one pair of tights to match any outfit. The khaki was unusual but lovely. It's a colour that looks good with brights and jewel coloured clothes (especially purple), and I can see it working with a lot of outfits this autumn.

Quality: The tights were lovely and soft with a smooth knit. I really appreciated the heel and foot shaping, which you don't tend to get on cheaper tights and which makes a big difference once they start to walk as it makes the tights fit better into their shoes. It's also nice to see cotton tights rather than man made fibres.

(c) MilkChic. All rights reserved.

Fit: Sizing is generous. Small one has only just turned 2, but is both tall and chunky for her age so I didn't really expect the 18-24m pair to fit at all. They were actually still a wearable size for her, although the feet were a little short on her size 6.5 feet. The age 2-3 pair were a good length with room for growth but thanks to the added elastane, not so baggy as to look ridiculous.

Durability: Small ones tights get a lot of hard wear and these obviously haven't experienced that yet, but they came through the first wash with flying colours - no runs despite the dark colour, they didn't shrink and they still had a nice texture.

Price: These tights are priced at £3.50 a pair. They are not the cheapest option (Primark sell 3 pairs for £3.50), but are a similar price to M&S or Mothercare and I do think the quality is excellent. These ones might actually live long enough to get handed down unlike most of ours, which are often crispy and shrunken after a couple of months.

If like me, you didn't even know Tightsplease sold kids tights, do take a look at their full range. They ship worldwide, and are available in a range of colours and sizes from newborn through to teens.

Disclosure: I did not get paid for this post but I did receive 2 pairs of tights for free. I follow the Britmums Blogging with Integrity Guidelines and always write as truthfully as possible about a product or company and disclose any perks I receive!