Aquarelle *Review*

Minxy is the artistic one of the family and loves being creative and crafty so she was pleased to receive Aquarelle from Ravensburger which makes watercolours easy.

 

Aimed at children aged 8-13, Aquarelle includes everything your child needs to make some beautiful artwork;

 

• 3 watercolour paper canvasses with paint resistant image outlines
• 5 liquid watercolour paint bottles
• 1 double sided paintbrush (2 sizes)
• 1 water pipette
• A mixing palette
• Instructions

The instruction booklet has a very useful guide on how to mix up different colours and explains different techniques artists use when painting. Minxy found it easy to follow and enjoyed sitting and painting the horses. The paint resistant outlines helped to keep the canvas tidy and made it near impossible to go over the lines meaning the paint stayed where is should be.

 

The paint being in small bottles with dropper style lids minimises spillages and makes it easy to mix the exact colour you require. I could leave Minxy without worrying I'd return to a messy floor and sides and I didn't feel the need to have layers of newspaper down either!

 

The palette has lots of areas to organise your colours and the pipette makes adding water to the paint simple. The brush is small which allows finer detail to be added and creates lovely results - it's great for those with a delicate touch or a heavy hand.

 

We were all very impressed with the final product... she has even tried sell her masterpieces to grandparents!

 

 

Aquarelle has other styles available in the range which include cities, dolphins and fairies so there is something for both sexes to appreciate.

 

You can purchase a set on Amazon

 

 

 

*We received Aquarelle for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own.*

Science X: CSI Crime Scene Investigation Review

The Mini Mes love a bit of role play and anything that involves wearing glasses or detective work so the Science X CSI set from Ravensburger was great; they got to be investigators!

The Science X set is fun yet educational as it helps your child to learn about science by solving simple mysteries. The Mini Mes became forensic experts by using scientific methods and investigating clues which they really enjoyed.

There are 12 activities to try which are explained within the booklet provided, in lots of details and with pictures, which include taking finger prints and shoe prints, making copies of objects, analysing drops and measuring.

The kit which is suitable for children over 8, although Jamster aged 6 got involved too, contains:

1 ID Badge,
1 Funnel
5 small crime scene bags
1 picture with clues
1 pair of tweezers
1 measuring tape
1 bag of plaster
1 plastic bottle
2 panels with 10 crime scene cards
5 sets of fingerprint cards
safety glasses
1 magnifying glass
1 roll of dough
1 pipette
1 insect card
1 small tube
1 small tube holder panel
1 filter paper

 

 

Each different activity is fairly simple to complete although quite a few other household materials are required for some of them and adult supervision. There is a nice variety of things to do and the ID badge was good to have included although we would've appreciated another one and extra goggles to prevent quarrels!

 

 

 

The first activity we completed was taking fingerprints. We have been to a few police open days before where the Mini Mes have done this so they were keen to give it a go at home. Each person uses a pencil to colour in a small patch on a piece of paper. After applying a small amount of hand cream and wiping hands dry on a towel they place their fingers onto the pencil so the colour transfers onto the skin and then place them onto the fingerprint cards, labelling them on the reverse. You can have someone play detective and try to work out which belongs to who!

Next we used my keys and various coins to copy using the dough. You can make plaster copies by pouring some into the prints if you wish. The booklet is packed with tips from professionals which explains that locksmiths used to make and file a key using this method but not many do these days. The Mini Mes found this interesting and liked looking for different textured objects to copy.

Next Minxy used the magnifying glass to look closely at images of a room before and after a crime occurred. She had to use her skills to pick out the changes in the room to help work out who had committed the crime.

To the back of the book there are the answers to the tasks a notes page and a handy section on the terms used to help explain what different words mean throughout the booklet.

 

 

Launched at Toy Fair 2013 the CSI kit has a RRP of £16.99 which I think is about right for all of the items included and the fact that the kit will keep little ones busy for some time. It's not something you will probably do all of in one day so it would be great for National Science and engineering week (15th-24th March) or for the fast approaching Easter break.

 

There are several other products in the range which include magnetic magic, crystals and gemstones and electronics and circuitry.

*We received a Science X kit for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own.*

 

The Amazing Spider-man puzzles

If you didn't already know, Jamster is quite a big Spider-man fan. 

If he isn't dressed up as the character himself or watching the movies he is playing with the action figures and vehicles in his room and the hallway, kitchen, diner and bath. When he received some Amazing Spider-man jigsaws from Ravensburger he was so happy and he has since spent many cold days indoors putting the pieces together to create his favourite superhero.

The set contains 3 puzzles which are 49 pieces each and feature a different image of Spider-man in action. The pieces are made from special recycled board which makes them more difficult to break and the grained paper helps to prevent glare. They are great quality and would make a lovely stocking filling this Christmas for other little fans.

When several jigsaw puzzles come together in a box it can often be hard to find which piece belongs with which picture, but these each have a unique pattern on the reverse making it quick and easy to sort them out - a superb idea!

The puzzles are suitable for children over the age of 5. Although I feel this is about right they are quite tricky to begin with as the majority of the colour is only blue and red. They are great for developing visual perceptual skills in particular and keep Jamster occupied, and quiet, for some time. He really likes them!

You can pick up your own set for £5 at Amazon which I feel is good value.

*We received the Ravensburger puzzles for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*