Toy Review: BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel

A wooden train track is something most children play with at some point and BRIO is one of the biggest makers of wooden train tracks and accessories (we have almost all of their range already). This week we’ve been putting the BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel to the test, but what did the boy think of this new addition to his train set?

This month my son turns 8 and all he really wants for his birthday is BRIO. He has always loved his wooden train set and gets it out every so often to play with it. Over the summer something really clicked with him and a combination of BRIO YouTube videos and having some extra time on his hands made him fall properly back in love with his BRIO.

BRIO is very safe to play with, it’s well designed, sturdy and great for little fingers to slot together. My son is definitely at the older end of the target age range, but he really adores his wooden train track and plays with it every day. This BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel is suitable for ages 3+.

Toy Review: BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel

The BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel set includes a mountain with crane; a cargo engine, a BRIO mini figure, a wagon, a load and 2 pieces of wooden track.

The BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel is easy to connect up to any exiting wooden track you’ve got. It comes with two pieces of track which slot together through the mountain to make the tunnel bridge. To play with this set fully you will need more track and trains. We’ve got lots of track, so that wasn’t a problem.

You will need 2 LR44 batteries which aren’t included. The batteries power the sound, so when your train passes through the tunnel it makes one of four train noises. Though you can do without the sound if you like and just make your own choo-choo noises if you prefer.

Toy Review: BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel

The boy was absolutely delighted with the BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel set. He had some similar pieces already which he added to the track he laid down and he really enjoyed playing with all of the elements. The tunnel bridge which goes through the mountain is an especially good feature; though it is a little tricky to set up. You need to connect the two pieces of track which come with the set through the tunnel.

The crane piece sits on top of the mountain and swings around. There is a magnet on the crane so you can lift the cargo in and out of the wagons. There’s also a mini figure who operates the crane. It’s well thought out and a really good size if you’re looking to add a bit of height and interest to your existing train set.

Toy Review: BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel

We can’t fault it, it’s exactly the kind of thing the boy has been asking for since summer. The BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel costs £49.99 and would make a good present for a wooden train enthusiast like my son!

We were sent the BRIO Crane and Mountain Tunnel for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

Review: Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer

My son, lover of maps and everything geography has been asking for his own globe for a few months now. We’ve been looking at a few different kinds of globes in the run up to his birthday. We wanted something more than just a simple globe; we wanted something which would furnish him with facts, test his knowledge and teach him about the world. Did the Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR tick all of those boxes?

Review: Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR

The Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR is a globe which opens up so you can also explore the solar system and the Earth’s core. It comes with a wireless talking smart pen which you touch the globe with and it helps you explore the world and the solar system. You can also install an App on your phone or tablet which allows you to explore in more detail using augmented reality.

Review: Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR

The globe sits on a stand which has an interactive activity panel which contains more than 42 educational games and activities. To operate the activity panel you need to use the smart pen which you can charge and update using the USB cable included. The pen takes about two hours to fully charge and the charge seems to last quite a long time. The smart pen is shaped a bit like a space shuttle and makes all the right noises.

To use it, you select your age group and activity, then follow the instructions. There are simple games like finding certain places on the globe and touch them with the pen. There are three age range settings; 5 to 8, 9 to 14 and 15+, and a pull-out local map so you can explore the UK and Ireland in more detail. The Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR is suitable for ages 5+.

Review: Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR

There’s such a lot of educational value in this Smart Globe Explorer with over 220 countries to explore. The globe itself is vibrant and interesting, when used with the activity panel and smart pen there’s just so much information and interesting things to do. My son who is just shy of 8 years old picked up how to use it really quickly. I was delighted to discover at 6.30am this morning that there is a volume control on it.

Using the globe, you can learn all about countries, continents and capital cities. You can also find out about populations, currency and information about the world leaders. There’s also a current affairs section, which is one of the things which needs to be updated on a regular basis.

Review: Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer AR

The globe opens up to reveal the Earth’s core and the solar system, which can be explored using both the smart pen and with the augmented reality app. The interactive augmented reality really brings things to life and features, landscapes, animals, landmarks, dinosaurs and even the solar system.

Weirdly, it somehow triggers our Alexa. If you have Alexa, it’s worth using your globe in a different room or it creates a slightly bonkers robotic cacophony.

Inside the stand is the pull-out map of the UK. Take this out and open it up and it creates a stand for the globe to rest on when it’s opened up. Using the smart pen you can tap on various points of interest on the inside of the globe and more information spills out.

It’s a great piece of kit. The Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer is all we wanted in a globe and more. The smart pen and the activity panel really makes this for me. Together they’re a brilliant teaching tool and you can really learn a lot from them. It’s the kind of gift which will grow with a child. The different age settings mean that there is more age appropriate learning available with each birthday.

The Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer is available from a wide range of retailers and online and currently costs £129.99 (though at the time of writing it’s £99.99 on Amazon). It’s a lot of money for a globe; but if you’re serious about STEM and learning at home, or if you have a child like mine who lives for maps and geography, then it’s worth investing it. Especially as it’s the kind of thing which will absolutely grow with the child.

We were sent the Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Explorer for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

Recipe: Grasmere Style Gingerbread biscuits

Back in September we visited Keswick in the Lake District for the weekend. We had a very lovely time and as we headed home, we ambled through the Lake District, stopping off at a few places. One of those places was the popular village of Grasmere, famous for its delicious Grasmere gingerbread.

Grasmere gingerbread is very special. It is firmer than any other kind of gingerbread I’ve ever had and it’s full of ginger and spice. It’s got mixed peel running through it and a crumbly topping like nothing I’ve ever eaten. It is one of my favourite things in the world.

Recipe: Grasmere Gingerbread biscuits

The original recipe is very closely guarded secret, but I’ve been baking my own version at home for a few years now. It’s not quite as firm or as crumbly as the proper Grasmere gingerbread, but it’s a good almost Grasmere gingerbread and it fills the gaps between visits to Grasmere to stock up on this treat.

Grasmere style Gingerbread

Ingredients:

225g self-raising flour
75g golden caster sugar
3 teaspoons of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of golden syrup
2 eggs
50g mixed peel, chopped
Granulated sugar, to sprinkle over the top

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 170°. Mix the flour, caster sugar, ginger and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a small pan, once melted, take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Take your eggs and separate the yolks, beat the yolks and slowly add them to the cooled syrup and butter. Whisk well. Tip this into the dry mix and combine. Set aside the whites of the eggs for later.

Take your mixed peel and chop it up into tiny pieces. Stir this through the mixture.

Grease a Swiss roll tin, spread the mixture in the pan making sure it’s even all over. Brush the top of the gingerbread with some of the egg whites and sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top, use as much or as little as you like. I used about 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown all over. As it is cooling, with a sharp knife cut it into rectangles in the tin and leave to cool. Once fully cool you should be able to cut the biscuits easily across these lines with a knife.

Recipe: Grasmere Gingerbread biscuits

Proper Grasmere gingerbread is then portioned up and wrapped in greaseproof paper. This would be a lovely way to wrap up your gingerbread, especially if you’re going to give it as a gift, perhaps at Christmas.

These are lovely gingerbread biscuits, but they’re not quite as lovely as the originals. If you’re ever visiting Grasmere in the Lake District, I urge you to visit the tiny gingerbread shop by the church. Just follow your nose and you’ll soon find it!

Recipe: Grasmere Style Gingerbread biscuits

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like to try these Crumbly Cranachan Shortbread with Whisky rounds.

Grasmere Style Gingerbread biscuits

Bonfire Night Craft: Easy Firework Paintings

In the run up to Bonfire Night, we like to do some themed crafts. I had some black card left over from another craft and I thought we’d do some firework paintings. They’re really simple to do and great for pre-schoolers, right up to adults. I joined in the fun too and although my painting wasn’t a patch on his, I still enjoyed it.

I sometimes feel a bit sorry for Bonfire Night. When I was growing up it was a much bigger celebration, these days Halloween gets all the attention. Not so in our house, I do enjoy putting together a Bonfire Night feast, wrapping up to go and watch a local firework display and having sparklers in the garden. It’s cold at this time of year, so having some crafts up your sleeve is never a bad thing.