Posh Paws BBC Earth Soft Toys Review And Giveaway (Age 12m+) Sent by Posh Paws

The BBC Earth range of soft toys from Posh Paws International is a collaboration with the BBC, and all of the soft toys depict land and sea animals featured in the BBC television documentaries including Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II. We've been sent some of these gorgeous creatures to review and I also have 2 to give away to my readers.

All of our land and sea creatures are suitable for anyone 12 months and over. They are approximately 25cm/10" tall or long (with a smaller 7" size range also available). Super soft and cuddly, they come with their own cardboard display plinth. In fact the display plinth is the only real packaging and there aren't any plastic bags involved.

Bandai STEM Kits - Glowing Crystals and Sea Monkeys (Sent for review by Bandai)

This month Bandai have sent us two more of their STEM educational kits for review. The National Geographic Green Crystal Growing Lab (age 8+) and the Sea Monkeys Ocean Zoo (age 6+).

National Geographic Green Crystal Growing Lab (age 8+) allows you to grow a glow-in-the-dark pale green crystal. You are supplied with everything you need except water and a suitable container, and it's a really easy kit to get started.

In the pack are growing powder, a seed rock, stirring stick, real Fluorite crystal, magnifying glass and a learning guide with the instructions. Packaged entirely in cardboard and the pull out cardboard tray is super handy for containing any mess while you work.

Ascarium Aquarium Half Term Halloween Fun at Sea Life Manchester (Sponsored Review)

This half term in the lead up to Halloween, Sea Life at the Trafford Centre in Manchester (like several other Sea Life venues) has been transformed into the 'Ascarium'. From 20th October to 4th November you can take part in special activities to celebrate Halloween....

As well as all of the permanent exhibits, there are lots of special displays and activities for visitors to discover, highlighting some of the spooky creatures that lurk beneath the waves. There's also a special challenge to find the missing magic ingredients around the centre to help the Sea witch cast her spell and claim your reward!

SEA LIFE - Blackpool Has It All 2017 Review

Last weekend we spent a full day as guests in Blackpool as part of the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlins Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We rode on the trams and reviewed 3 of the seafront attractions - Sandcastle Water Park, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE.

We're very familiar with SEA LIFE Manchester, we've visited many times, but SEA LIFE Blackpool is different. Whereas Manchester have Turtles and Octopus and more Tropical creatures, Blackpool have more Sharks, Jellyfish and Rainforest creatures. (Click on any image to make it bigger).

Finding Dory at Sealife Manchester this Summer

This Summer Sealife Manchester at intu Trafford Centre is offering visitors a chance to spot a few very famous marine celebrities as the characters from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Dory pay a visit....

Hank the Octopus from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Dory is hiding in some of the tanks along with a secret letter and visitors who spot him, take note of the letters and solve the anagram puzzle can take home a small reward.

Hunting The Octopus at Sealife, Manchester

Last weekend we were treated to an exclusive early morning visit to Sealife at the Trafford Centre in Manchester to have a look at their new visitors, the Octopi! Annoyingly they like to lie in and are more active later in the day, so weren't really in the mood for photos. Sealife are well aware of how temperamental they can be, and the Octopus area is somewhat wittily called Octopus Hideout.

We've been to Sealife several times as we've been Ambassadors for the last year and had an annual pass. It's always really handy to promise the young lads a trip to Sealife 'just after we've done this shopping...' Incentive always helps little legs from getting too tired. It's also calming after a visit to the more hectic LEGOLAND Discovery Centre next door.

Halloween Half Term at Sealife and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Trafford Centre, Manchester

We had an awesome time on Saturday visiting both Sealife and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at intu Trafford Centre in Manchester. This year the staff really have made a huge effort to ensure your experience this Halloween is special.

It is the staff who make these attractions so great for us. Every single time we've been, the staff have been absolutely lovely. Helpful and kind, attentive to the children and generally appreciating the fact you've probably spent your budget on entry fees and driven a while to get there.

New Ambassadorships

We're really lucky in that we get to work with some amazing companies, and try out lots of exciting new things, sometimes before they're even in the shops. Sometimes I work with a company once, and other times I have an ongoing relationship. Today I can tell you about two new Ambassadorships for the coming 12 months.

Today I'm delighted to announce that we will be spending the next year as Ambassadors for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Manchester and it's neighbour at Barton Square in the Trafford Centre, SeaLife, Manchester.

The New SEA LIFE Centre, Trafford Park, Manchester

We've been looking forward to the new SEA LIFE Centre in Manchester's Trafford Centre opening for a long while. We've followed their progress via their Facebook page with anticipation, and on our last two visits to Legoland Discovery Centre we've stopped and looked at the advertising boards excitedly.

It was brilliant to find out that Blogs Up North had managed to secure a visit BEFORE it even opened to the general public, and during half term week too!

Six Children And Me - On Our Way

The impressive full wall of artwork that greets you in the Barton Square Car Park

When we arrived we were a little early, and it was lovely to get together four Izziwizzi Kids Toy Testers in one photo, including two who I have never met - Tami from Mummy Of Two and Zoe from My Mummy's World, plus Pippa from Red Rose Mummy

We were even joined by Alex Winters, the CBeebies presenter and his family, and if you ever get the chance to meet him then please do because he is an incredibly patient and lovely man, and he told me off for suggesting that boy no.3's curls need cutting!

In the foyer, where you may have to wait for entry, are a map and a big tank to whet your appetite...

A really impressive tank, and this is only the foyer!

After entering you immediately go through to a long room where a really accessible and fun talk is given about Turtles, their eggs and hatchlings. It's all done with fantastic lighting effects and was very impressive. The children are encouraged to join in and, when we asked him to tell Daddy about it tonight, even my 3 year old could explain how the city lights make the baby turtles go the wrong way looking for the sea!

After the show you enter an amazing round room with a tank running all the way around it. There is a huge shoal of fish which constantly swim through the water. It was stunning.

There are an array of different tanks, windows and tunnels

And even a talking turtle who will answer your questions

Unfortunately the soft play area wasn't quite ready for us but, if the Legoland Discovery Centre next door is anything to go by, it's certain to be a hit!

The walls are full of information and great artwork

There is a huge square tank full of Rays....

 

And a fabulous Touch Pool where we looked at Hermit Crabs and Shore Crabs

Something to excite my youngest...

....Conger Eels!

 The SEA LIFE Centre in Manchester have a special focus on rescued turtles and they have a collaboration with the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece (Archelon)

 The SEA LIFE Centre was still in the final stages of preparation when we visited, but one of our children spotted something very exciting....

A Green Screen for special effects filming

The Sealife Centre, Manchester entry cost is £16.20 or £12 online per adult or child and combi tickets with the Legoland Discovery Centre are also available. It is open from 10am until 7pm daily, with last entry at 5pm.

Manchester SEA LIFE Centre will also be the first SEA LIFE Centre in Europe where you can experience SEATREK - with the use of a special dive suit with a waterproof helmet actually getting into the tank with all of the sea life!

"The SEA TREK experience will cost £60 per person (including admission to the attraction) and is available
to guests aged 8 and over.  The experience will last for approximately one hour with 10 minutes under the
water.  A maximum of five people can be in the tank at one time and they will be accompanied by support divers at all times.
All wet suit equipment is provided, guests just need their own swimming costume and towel.

I'm not certain it's for me, but I know a few people who'd jump at the chance - how about you?

Before we went back to the van we had to return to Cadwalladers 3 doors away for another ice cream. Today they were selling a child's cone in any flavour for only 50p! You can't ask for more really. The perfect end to a perfect afternoon.

We were given free preview entry to the Sealife Centre, Manchester in order to review.