This week I was invited to an event at John Crane. I managed to sneak an early peek as I was travelling down to visit my Dad in Oxford and it was on my way. I was there to see their Christmas range. I know, I hadn't begun to think about Christmas yet either.
There are a few different nativity scenes, but this was the one which caught my eye. It is a Sevi large nativity. The pieces are not too small and the colours are really nice. We have a Playmobil nativity in our house but the pieces are too small so the children are not yet allowed to play with it. This nativity would be perfect to be out on display but something which they could play with too. There was also a Sevi Father Christmas music box which rotates and plays 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas'. It is a really nice Christmas item.
I also perused the rest of the of the range and it is very impressive! Here are my favourites!
Symphony in B is amazing and a great (albeit slightly pricey) toy for any budding musician. It has a choice of thirteen different instruments from an orchestra. You can choose up to six of the instruments and place them in the middle (orchestra pit) to hear them play together. This teaches children the different sounds of instruments and also helps with learning colours. You can also record and play back the music your child has created.
This pirate ship also caught my eye. It is another toy from Sevi and is beautiful. It has everything a pirate ship should have. You can even make the characters walk the plank! Great for imaginative play.
Another great toy for imagination play is the fire station. My son plays with this in our local children's centre and he loves it!
Then there were these fabulous bags from Lilliputiens. I have been looking for a different bag and lunchbox for when the boy starts pre-school in September and these definitely fit the bill! They are bright and vibrant. Great to stand out and easy for your child to find on the lunchbox trolley!
This clown is a great tooth-brushing timer. I thought this was a lovely item to have in your bathroom to help your children know how long to brush their teeth for.
I also really liked these puzzles by Sevi. The first one is a memory game. The child has to find two of the same images or characters underneath the pebbles. The images can be changed as there are different mats which go underneath the pebbles.
The balance game is brilliant. It is set in a wooden Noah's Ark which rocks from side to side. You have to balance the animals on the top of the ark. It is a lot harder than it looks and requires a great deal of patience!
The balance game is brilliant. It is set in a wooden Noah's Ark which rocks from side to side. You have to balance the animals on the top of the ark. It is a lot harder than it looks and requires a great deal of patience!
If you want to have a look at the rest of the range, or find a stockist near you, then check out John Crane's website.
Disclaimer: I was invited to attend the press day and received a goody bag. I was not asked to write a blog post and the views are my own.
