ManicMammy's Blog

Reviews, news, family, wine and me

Phonic Fun

My younger kids love this range of Usborne books. The characters and stories are straightforward and fun. Each books deals predominately with one character whether Big Pig or Fat Cat and more. Though often characters from the other books in the series make a guest appearance. The text is extremely simple and the kids love [...]

Riveting read

We’re just back from a few highly enjoyable days spent up north with my mother. Whilst there, it was almost impossible to tear Oscar away from this book. Its the first time in ages that he has been so engrossed in a novel. Fourteen years ago, scientist William Fox implanted four babies with the Medusa [...]

Porcelain Painting Present

Sibéal received this 8 piece painting set from Auntie Orla for Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed completing it. It is a simple kit that contains 3 bowls, 2 candle sticks and 3 vases, all unpainted. 12 mini pots of paint and 2 paint brushes are also included and are then used to apply whatever designs you [...]

Sidewalk Artists?

I spotted this box of chalk a few weeks before Christmas whilst toy shopping in Smyths. My children love it. They’ve gotten hours of fun out of drawing on the driveway and footpaths outside the house. From huge monstrous pictures to pictures of each other and treasure maps. Top value at €4.99 for the box [...]

Jigsaws just got a whole lot more complicated

This is what infuriated, challenged and entertained Oscar on Christmas day, a 240 piece 3D jigsaw. He loved completing it, though it took him longer than he anticipated and it now is displayed proudly in his bedroom. Great fun. He’s looking forward to trying more complex and intricate puzzleballs. Would definitely recommend as an alternative [...]

Media Monster Mayhem

My kids are loving this at the moment. You build your media monster by selecting four different recording media. You are then given a choice of monster composed of different arrangements of these parts. You name your monster and you can then enter it in the championship and can challenge other monsters to duels. Its [...]

Cupcake calamity

A couple of weeks before Christmas, Sibéal spotted an ad on tv for Girl Gourmet Cupcake maker and was instantly hooked. It was top of her list and no amount of persuasion was going to shift it. Santy duly obliged, it arrived and she was delighted.  With all the festivities and travel, it was a [...]

But how?

photo credit: Mads Boedker Following on from the BT Young Scientist post, I was delighted to see, via Silicon Republic, that the Irish Patent’s Office are currently running a Junior Inventor Contest. This is excellent news as its aimed at primary school students who are too young to enter the Young Scientist exhibition. Any idea [...]

But Why?

I have no special talents.  I am only passionately curious.  ~Albert Einstein Yes, its that time of the year again. The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is starting next week in the RDS in Dublin and it looks like it’s going to be a wonderful few days. The range of projects shown, from all [...]

Fantastic Fish

Sibéal received this fabulous Sticky Mosaics kit from Auntie Emer this Christmas and she thoroughly enjoyed completing it. Previously I had purchased smaller one picture versions but this kit contains 5 different, more complex designs to complete. As before you start with the design laid out on cardboard with each rectangle numbers and then sheets [...]

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