Tag Archives: Toys

Argos Testers Review of the LEGO Classic Creative Fantasy Universe 11033

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Hello! I’m Sabrina! I am an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of an online review. I thoroughly test the products and take photographs of them before submitting my findings and honest thoughts over to Argos. This latest campaign was to test a brand new Classic LEGO Set, and because LEGO is for all ages who doesn’t love to play? I know I do.

#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity


I have written this article about a product that I have been supplied for free, in order to test and then review it. This is my experience with said product and it is my honest review about the product listed below. I have already submitted my review to the Argos Website, and it has been accepted on to live public view when this blog post has been published. Please see my review on this screengrab below from the Argos website. All words and photography within this article are my own.

My Argos Tester written piece above as seen on the website on the product. We are only able to share six images when we submit a review to the website, and I took plenty more while building this LEGO and testing the contents, so you will see way more of my photography of this product as your scroll down through my blog post. How cute is the LEGO Horse?

Product Name: LEGO Classic Creative Fantasy Universe Building Toys 11033
Product Price: £80.00
Product Link: Argos Website
Product Information: This LEGO Classic Box contains 1800 pieces with brand new bricks and colours ideal for a Fantasy realm including Silver, Gold and Pearl. The books contain several step-by-step ideas and then there are bags more of all sorts of colours of bricks for people to use their imagination and create whatever they want to. Designed for ages 5 and up (due to smaller LEGO pieces) and Adults will also find this set very enjoyable with the view of creating mythological creatures and fantasy worlds. If you like Mermaids, Pirates, Wizards, Knights, Horses, Dragons, Unicorns and even Castles, this is the set for you. And even after you’ve made all of that there will be hundreds of bricks left over to build whatever you can dream up in your mind.

My Honest Opinion

Overall I would like to rate the LEGO Classic Creative Fantasy Universe 5 stars.

Overall Quality 5✩
Features 5✩
Design 5✩
Originality 5✩

The variety of pieces in this box is excellent and the quality of the LEGO bricks is at it’s usual high standard of manufacturing. I love how LEGO start you off with a few ideas in two small step by step books, but then your imagination just takes over and you can think up all sorts of things to make. With so many additional bricks too there is plenty for a whole family to get involved with it and do some creative making. We played for four hours and barely scratched the surface with how many hundreds of bricks still remained.

What I loved most, other than the fact you get hundreds of different kinds and colours of bricks in this set, is that you’re able to use your imagination in a brand new way. By creating LEGO Bricks and pieces that depict things you would find in a Fantasy world, people can create their own creatures and scenarios which I don’t think has been seen that much before in terms of it being a Classic Set. Specific LEGO like Disney, Pirates, Harry Potter, TV Show set ups etc, have that genre specific vibe with pieces you would always expect to see inside. But this LEGO set is totally new, and with bits you may find within those other types of sets, however it’s allowing you to use them how you wish to. Wands, Wings, Utensils, Swords, and hundreds of building bricks alongside these smaller unique pieces, they allow you to let your imagination come up with your own LEGO world.

I would recommend this set to any family that love LEGO or to an adult that loves fantasy and would like to start building basic creatures that they can then elaborate upon. I built my son a second Dragon just by following the instructions and seeing what other bricks were similar enough to do a second model. The same goes for the Horse, we were able to make multiple ones in different colours to mix it up a bit. I want to build a larger castle for my son, so that he can use some mini figures that he got from another set I bought him for Christmas, and combine the two.

Overall I recommend this LEGO set for its diversity and its attention to details. I will now share some more photography that we took during making and creating.

Thank you for reading this product review today, I hope you have enjoyed seeing what my family and I have made so far from reviewing this set. With hundreds of bricks still to use there is no doubt that we will have many hours of fun creating LEGO with the remaining bricks.

If you have any questions about this set then please leave me a comment below or on my social media posts and I will do my best to answer with the knowledge I have gained from reviewing this product.

Thank you.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Talking About All the Different Ways that We Use a Tuff Tray at Home

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Hello Severn Wishes Blog Fans! Today I am bringing you a Lifestyle / Parenting / Hacks / Product Review article I have written all about something I have now owned for well over a year!
And that item is… The TUFF TRAY!

These fantastic trays are usually found in a school setting, especially with younger children like those in a preschool or nursery setting, but due to their versatility they have been becoming more and more popular with mums who are able to do a lot with their children at home.

As soon as I heard about them I knew it would be a great investment for the future. I ordered mine in black but they do come in a variety of colours. I preferred the black due to it not getting stained or if we made any scuff marks with toys they wouldn’t be showing up as easily. Overall I’m really happy with the quality of the tray for what I paid for it. So far it has withstood a toddler doing all sorts on it and in it!
I chose to purchase without the stand so it was then just suitable for laying down on the floor.

Be it Sensory, Messy Play or just toys on a flat surface, the Tuff Tray is ideal for lots of reasons when you have little ones growing up. Here are just some of the many ways that we have used our tray this past year or so! Both in visual form and I made a little list too!

  • 1. Ideal for Craft to keep the craft pieces and mess contained in the tray borders.
  • 2. Great for when you want to do some Messy Play and use paint so it doesn’t get on the floor.
  • 3. Doing some experimenting with foods in toddlerhood? Keep those rice crispies, rice grains and other food stuffs within easy clean up-able reach. You can wipe clean anything off it.
  • 4. Using Glitter today? This tray is ideal to wipe clean after your picture making as the bits will all be contained within the tray walls. Sit your children outside of it and let the mess be inside (mostly).
  • 5. Potty Training? Stick the Potty in the centre of the tray on the floor, and it will be easy to clean spillages off the plastic rather than off your floor!
  • 6. Building Lego or Duplo or Blocks? It can be annoying for little ones if pieces are rolling away or falling over all the while! But on the tuff tray they won’t get far at all! It also means it is a flat surface for the building to become easier on little hands.
  • 7. Doing a Jigsaw? Be it an adult one or a children’s one? Do it on your Tuff Tray and you’ll be able to move it at a moments notice off the floor and then continue it later.
  • 8. Want to do some baking with the kids but you want to do it at their level? It is much safer to do it on the floor where nobody is balancing and this tray doubles as a big flat surface, just clean it with sterilising spray and let it air dry before you start any food preparation.
  • 9. Sensory Play can involve all sorts of things like craft or food stuffs, having it all contained within the Tuff Tray makes life easier for you and if you planned to do it for a few sessions over a week you could even leave it on the tray and just move the whole tray instead of packing everything up.
  • 10. Play-Doh can get messy and easily sticks to hard surfaces like tables or floors, but by using a Tuff Tray base for all of the items they are contained within its sides. If you choose to get a stand with your tray you can even have the tray at a suitable height for your little ones. Or you can do what I do and maintain it on a flat floor, whichever is easier for you.
  • 11. A Tuff Tray can be used outside for a water table or a sand table due to its sides being all the way around with no holes within its surface.
  • 12. Design a World – Use your Tuff Tray and things like chalks or washable paint to create a world, a map or a world for your children to put their toys in to and play. I have drawn a road on mine for my sons toy cars before now and also used elements like sand made of ground cereal to make a beach.


So overall the Tuff Tray doubles up as another useful hard surface within your home and is ideal for playing, learning and food preparing. Young children can safely sit within its boundary or outside of it leaning in in order to play. There are no sharp edges on the Tray and the hard plastic is coated so its easy to wipe clean after every use.
I purchased the standard (medium) size but it is also available in small or extra large depending on the supplier you’re purchasing it from. They are also available in many colours.
Prices range from £11 to £70 and all Tray prices do depend upon the colour, and the size and whether you wish to buy a stand with your Tuff Tray purchase.
They can be used inside or outside but I would recommend you keep them out of direct sunlight and harsh weather conditions and keep them inside a garage or shed when not in use in order to maintain the sturdiness of the plastic.

What do we use our Tuff Tray for the most?

Craft and Messy Play and Sensory Play mainly.

Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope I have inspired you and if I have then I would love to hear what you and your family use your Tuff Tray for!

Enjoy the rest of your February!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Reviewing the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy

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As part of being an Argos Tester I often get sent items for reviewing purposes. This recent campaign has been surrounding Fisher-Price toys and learning. It has been a great opportunity for me to introduce my son to various new things and build that level of curiosity within play time and learning.

The Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy can be a cuddly soft friend for your child that can help them to learn and allow them to have fun doing it too.

The puppy has multiple buttons that when pushed cause a response of talking, singing, noises or well-known phrases. The cute Puppy is a friendly character that will grow with your child, simply hold down his foot to change up to the next stage. The clever aspect of this toy is the repetition and the use of sounds to keep baby’s attention. Any child should find the soft to touch puppy fun to play with. Your child can copy and interact with certain parts too with both the actions and sounds.

I really like how colourful the puppy is with its ABC T-shirt and the light up heart is a fun addition too. Our son has quickly learnt how to press the buttons in order to make the puppy interactive. He enjoys figuring out the sensory aspects and likes to play along. I’m sure this toy will be used for many months to come because he is currently still young enough for Level 1 and 2.

Product Information

Level 1 – Time To Explore – Your Baby can press on the Puppy’s hands, feet, heart, nose or ear in order to hear the words, colours, alphabet and so much more!
Level 2 – Let’s Encourage – Fun phrases reward your little one as they’re encouraged by the Puppy to count, find colors, and find and name body parts! The Puppy will say things like, “Where is my Red Hand?” and will reward baby with phrases like “You did it” when they get it correct.
Level 3 – Let’s Pretend – With sing-along songs like Pat-A-Cake and phrases that engage in a toddlers exciting and imaginative time of play, this setting is the most interactive of the three.

The puppy introduces infants to one hundred words that include shapes and the alphabet as well as numbers and parts of the body.

This toy develops a child’s fine motor and sensory skills.

Size H30.5, W28, D20.3cm.
Requires 3 x AA Batteries (Included).
Age Range 6-36 months.

Here is the link to the Puppy on the Argos website if you wish to see more about it or purchase one, here

Would I recommend this product?

Yes I would. I give it 5 ✩‘s

Manufacturing Quality 5/5
Overall Design 5/5
Toy Features 5/5
Entertainment Value 5/5
Development Value 5/5

Not only is the Puppy made well with a large expanse of settings it also has many features, the choice is astounding. So many levels with Songs and Fun for many months of play and learning. I think it has great entertainment value for infants as well as good development aids too.

Thank you for reading this review today, for more of my opinions on some of the latest children’s toys then please click the appropriate categories on my main page.

See you on Severn Wishes again soon I hope!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Reviewing the Fisher-Price Game & Learn Controller

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A wonderful sensory related toy that will be fun for your little one for years to come.

As part of being an Argos Tester I often get sent items for reviewing purposes. This recent campaign has been surrounding Fisher-Price toys and learning. It has been a great opportunity for me to introduce my son to various new things and build that level of curiosity within play time and learning.

Learning about Shapes, Numbers, Letters, Words, Songs, Music all by encouraging the ability to push and press buttons to gain a response.

The Fisher-Price Game and Learn Controller is one of the items that can easily grab a child’s attention. With a variety of buttons to press, a toy that is ergonomically designed and easy for small hands to hold too. Paired with its bright colours, lights and sounds, it was already a winner and we had only pressed three things when it came out of its box.

You can see the various buttons in shape, size and colour, all attracting the child to the toy.

This game pad has a range of sensory aspects such as letters, shapes, lights, sounds, music, numbers, words and songs, plus various things to push and pull on its surface.

The centre of the pad lights up and has different coloured lights that shine out from where the happy and smiling face is. All of the buttons are brightly coloured & inviting.


At the top there is a clicker disc and a switch to toggle for more fine-motor playing.

It has two settings, one that focuses more on numbers and the other on sounds and music. It has so many novelty noises too that you would find within actual games such as “dun dun dun” and “splash”. Other noises include an Engine from a Racing Car, a few Sci-Fi sounds and fun game jingles.

The controller also has positive reinforcements such as “Well Done” and “Brilliant” as well as Game sentences like “Power Up” and “You Win”.

This toy is one that will grow with my child because it has two different levels for them to go through. It is designed for children ages 6 months to 36 months.

The buttons are perfect for small hands and the bright colours, shapes and letters encourage learning.

It certainly has reference to real life items too, such as gaming controllers for consoles and remote controls. Our son has recently become very intrigued by our phones, remotes and other devices that require you to press buttons on their surface.

We are very happy with how entertaining the game controller is & our son presses it with ease all on his own. The sounds and music are all very catchy, and the toy has been used daily since I received it to review. Our son picks it up out of a bunch of toys available, so it’s been a real hit in our house.

Toy Details
Ages 6 months +
Requires 3 x AAA Batteries (Included)
Toy Size Height 20.3cm Width 16.5cm Depth 6.9cm

Would I recommend this product?

Yes I would. I give it 5 ✩‘s

Manufacturing Quality 5/5
Overall Design 5/5
Toy Features 5/5
Entertainment Value 5/5
Development Value 5/5

Overall the Fisher-Price Controller has great entertainment value while getting your child to learn at the same time. Our son really enjoys every aspect of it, be it the pressing or clicking of buttons, listening to the sounds or jingles, and even just holding the toy by himself. It allows independent play by encouraging the child to do things for themselves, both in imagination and physical

This is a great new price currently at just £7.98 at Argos.
(Price correct as of publish date for this post).

If you want to learn more about this toy you can visit the link to it for the Argos website here

Thank you for reading this review today, for more of my opinions on some of the latest children’s toys then click the appropriate categories on my main page. Please come back again soon.

✩ Sabrina ✩