Halloween and Christmas are the best times of the year! Anyway that they can be celebrated should be marked, which is why I couldn’t wait to share these super cute items from Orchard Toys with the children at the nursery my mum works at to put them to the test. And boy did they love them! Find out what festive fun happened here!

Good Morning Lovelies, 

If you are like me then you will have got those festive feels already! I’m so in love with this time of year that I love to celebrate it anyway that I can! Including sharing my admiration for it with the little ones in my life. In fact, I love to share it with anyone! 

As we edge into the middle of September, the Halloween vibes are spreading. The costumes are in the shops. The fake blood is ready to be donned. The sweets are getting ready to be handed out. And everyone is getting excited to celebrate! A feeling that is then spread onto Christmas. 

There so, when a special parcel landed on my desk, I was in awe of the sweetness that was inside. Fresh from Orchard Toys, the team have created two Halloween focused games and a super cute Christmas advent calendar type activist book that I loved. 

Taking out the games first, I found that the team had sent me a copy of their Halloween Bingo and Haunted House Lotto. Everybody in our house loves bingo, so I was very tempted to give the game a go. However, I held back, as I had a fun idea that involved my mum and where she works. 

Having just started a new role in a nursery, my mum has been helping the children to learn colours, numbers and patterns. So, I decided that these games would be perfect for the children to build their skills with. Taking them in last week, she gave them to the two toddler groups to play with. 

The first class was handed the Halloween Bingo, which upon waking up from their afternoon naps, the leaders set out the game, with some children having to pair up. Using the different characters, the leaders called out the characters for the kids to find on their boards. At first, they were a little confused, but after a few goes they couldn’t get enough of it. 

Mum told me that they even picked up the names of characters they would have probably struggled with saying before, such as Frankenstein. She explained how the kids found it really funny to shout bingo and kept asking for the game to be played again and again. Something that was also happening in the other classroom with the Haunted House Lotto. 

Laid out on the tables, the game was a bit like the bingo, however, it had a twist. With no need for sweets, the aim of the game was to fill your board with the characters on the cards, matching them up. Aiming to target their matching and memory skills, the game was a bit more challenging but equally as fun. 

My mum stated that upon seeing the kids play the game, she instantly saw their minds working to figure out the solutions. Much like the bingo, they picked up skills, which encouraged them to play the game for a long time. The two classes did swap the games and share them out after a while and the same patterns followed in each one. 

When it came to the Countdown To Christmas Activity Book, me and my mum actually had fun with this one. On each page, there is a chance to add fun stickers, which are included, whilst completing activities that include colouring, counting, adding and answering quiz questions. Every single page has something on it that makes you:think and learn. It’s also a very easy to store advent calendar that can be saved for years to come. 

The three items are truly perfect pieces that will last years to come. The games are continuously being played in the lead up to Halloween now, with the kids building their skills every time they play them. Orchard Toys are fantastic at making pieces that represent this and I know the nursery will continue to build their collection of them. 

As for the book, we had a lot of fun, even as adults with it, although we didn’t complete any of the puzzles, as my mum is going to take it into the nursery and pick a child each day to complete it. Although at £4, it is a great book to buy and have at home too during the festive season. 

Orchard Toys are a brand that you can truly feel safe with and I can guarantee that you will find something to help your child or ones you know on their website! Even at 29, I learnt something new! And as they say, every day is a school day, which makes these even more special for all the family! 

Joey X