I love requests to road test Hape toys, but this time Hape have surpassed themselves with the remote control engine. Merging traditional toys with modern technology, they have created a young boy’s dream (and quite a lot of fun for parents and grandparents too).

The neat looking train is light-weight and easy to handle for a toddler. It has easy-use controls on top, which my grandson loves, to make the engine go forward and backwards and make various fun noises and – importantly, it has a neat USB charger so that adults are not wasting time changing batteries every five minutes.

But it doesn’t end there – now comes the cool bit. A simple smartphone app allows you to move the train backwards and forwards, accelerate it, turn the headlights on and off and sound alarms and a whistle, all remotely via bluetooth.

Now here’s the dilemma – do you let your toddler use your smartphone and have the thrill of controlling the train by himself – after all, the app is designed to be easy for a child to use? Or you could just keep quiet – and make the train run off in all different directions as your little one tries to pick it up – trust me it can be a lot of fun. Yes, my grandson has a lot to deal with when he visits me.

The train has a magnetic coupling, so carriages and trucks from other sets can be linked up and it runs on standard wooden train tracks, thus can be integrated with your child’s existing toys. It also runs quite happily along a wooden floor.

I simply love it. My grandson loves it too, when he gets a chance to wrestle it from me. At a little over £27 from Amazon this high-quality toy will be treasured for years.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Frost Magazine has never ever been disappointed with Hape’s products: well made  toys that reach out to children, ‘Play with me, I’m bright, friendly and you’ll learn without knowing it’. And maybe thinking of my youngest granddaughter, even share, but that’s a bit of a stretch. I’ve been looking at Hape’s  selection of puzzles, covering everything from the animal kingdom to learning the alphabet.

Puzzle Mania!

Ocean Lens Puzzle, £11.99 from Amazon.

This creative puzzle features four sea creatures, each with their own special lens to help you see what’s hiding under the deep blue sea. Use each animal as a looking glass to identify the shapes hiding underneath their resting place. As someone who snorkels when given a warm blue sea I found it an intriguing concept. As did the 20 month old I was sharing it with. It led to all sort of conversations, and books were brought to me to show me fish.

24M+ allegedly, but I found myself fiddling about with them, looking through them when i was stuck in Chapter 12 of my latest novel. Then even talking about them, saying what a fabulous idea. My own children played with similar but those weren’t so versatile, or chunky, or appealing.

Wild Animal Puzzle & Play, £12.99 from Amazon.

I was explaining to one of the grands that some wild animals like the water while others want to munch on trees. She was fascinated, and spent time creating scenarios, and noises before placing  the pieces. She lives in a family with two dogs, and so this puzzle is an extension of her life. She is hugely interested, and there was lots to talk about. It’s just the old bugbear of lost puzzle pieces, but I did note that they were all put to bed, in their places, and then into the drawer. Again, they’re so chunky, and nice to handle, and none of those fiddly little pegs my own children had to try and grip. This one has a 2 in 1 design so there’s another play scene hiding on the flipside for even more fun.

24M+

There are more Hape puzzles to consider – which sound just the ticket.

Chunky Clock Puzzle, £13.99 from Amazon.. A fun introduction into how to tell the time.

3Y+

Chunky Alphabet Puzzle, £15.99 from Amazon. Sure to brighten up the toy box with a pop of pink, green, blue and yellow provides an introduction into capital letters and the first steps towards reading and writing.  3Y+

Numbers Peg Puzzle, £11.99 from Amazon. Using garden critters, fruit and vegetable designs to identify the different animals, try fitting the number pegs into their rightful space or add up the shapes hidden under each number for an alternative way to understand basic maths.  3Y+

Chunky Numbers Puzzle, £15.82 from Amazon,  provides the perfect opportunity to find where each number fits in the board and understand basic mathematical sums of addition and subtraction. Using thick, chunky puzzle pieces makes it perfect for small hands to hold.

3Y+

Chunky Lowercase Puzzle, £15.99 from Amazon. This brightly coloured Chunky Lowercase Puzzle from Hape provides little ones with the perfect introduction into the lowercase alphabet, to help children take their first steps towards reading. Because of its chunky design the puzzle pieces stand up independently so you can put together your own words and phrases.

3Y+

Frost Magazine cannot recommend these puzzles too highly. Excellent.

A six-foot rabbit is on stage, acting out the motions of the Flippety Floppety Rabbit as I read them aloud. “Imagine you are holding two carrots” I say. “Squeeze them tight… and now let them flop, like a flippety floppety rabbit”. The rabbit mimes squeezing his paws tightly shut and 50 children watching do the same. This is not a normal day for me.

We are at Hull Library, where Victim Support are launching a project to support child victims of burglary. They have seen the effect a break-in can have, ranging from nightmares to poor performance at school, and want to do something about it. They already support victims of crime, but their new strategy includes pro-actively asking adult victims of burglary whether the children in the house might need extra support.

The Humberside team have asked me to attend the event, as they will be using my book Who’s Been in our Tree? in their support packs for children. The children from two local schools seem intrigued by the unusual subject matter, captivated by the large cardboard cut-outs of characters from the book. It’s also exciting for me to see Fox, Badger, Squirrel and Hedgehog looking decidedly larger than life, as I remember them when they were but a pencil scribble on a scrap of paper.

I read the book to the children. They listen attentively and are bursting with questions when I get to the end: What kind of animals are the burglars? Why did I choose birds to be the police? Why did I choose animals at all? Did I have any help from a psychologist to create the plans the animals use to make themselves feel better after the burglary? Believe it or not, these are all questions from 8- and 9-year olds. Luckily the answer is ‘yes I did have help from a child psychologist’! One boy timidly puts up his hand and asks how the burglars got in the tree. It is clear from the worried look on his face that he is thinking about how burglars might get into his own house. The tables have turned and I am now the rabbit in the headlights, stuck for an answer. I want to tell the truth about crime, but I don’t want to add to his worry. In the end I tell him that we don’t know how the burglars in the story got in the tree, but we can all make our houses safe by keeping doors and windows locked. I also reassure him that burglaries don’t happen very often, and he seems relieved.

His tricky question reminds me of why we often don’t talk to children about things in life that are difficult or scary. It’s hard to get the balance right between preparing and scaring them. Often it feels easier just not to talk about it. I’m convinced though, that the children we spoke to today will be better equipped to deal with their own emotions when they or people around them experience a burglary, another type of crime, or even the stresses and strains of everyday life. They know how to do the Flippety Floppety Rabbit for one thing, an evidence-based relaxation exercise that they can use in any situation. I admire the schools, the library and Victim Support Humberside for being brave enough to have these difficult conversations. Hopefully, it’s a little step towards those children knowing how to look after their mental health, to support their friends, and where to turn when they need help.

Website: www.whosbeeninourtree.com

Twitter: @WBIOT

A 5 minute video of the day, filmed by That’s TV Humber.

Who’s Been in Our Tree? is available to buy online at Amazon and other online book retailers.

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

The Talk Back Unicorn is a winner. A grandchild tested it, loved it, and has kept it – there’s no way Grandma’s  having this little beauty back any time soon. And I’m not surprised. The Talk Back Unicorn from Thumbs Up is a ‘stayer.’

Unicorns are special, magical – of course they are. This one especially because it repeats anything that’s said to her. So no whispering, thinking you’re safe. This gift is great for small children exploring speech and friendships, and ideas. it has really brought on our little one.

I noticed that the words uttered by the ‘grand’ became more distinct, especially if I joined in.

It’s really cleverly thought out, because it doesn’t just repeat, it mirrors non-unicorns – because this little rascal’s head bobs up and down just as ours do.

Basically, it’s cute, magical and helpful. What more could one want? White, with neon pink tufts of fur, mane and fetlocks (yes, really) and the most splendid mane on the block.

Such magic needs 3xAAA batteries.. Suitable for 3YRS+The  unicorn is 22cm tall. And a great gift.

Talk Back Unicorn available on line for £14.99 from Thumbs Up

As someone who spends far too many hours shivering on the local railway bridge, feeding my grandson’s train addiction, these Hape toys are a joy. Hape always provides fabulous quality and these trains are typical examples – they are made with traditional wood, but have magnetic couplings for compatibility with other train sets, and they run on standard rail tracks, so your child can use them with his other toys. They are beautifully painted in bright colours and a perfect size for your youngster to enjoy.

The Steam-Era passenger train comes with two detachable bright red carriages and the Diesel Freight train comes with two orange trucks, which are filled with coal. The coal lumps have magnetic attachments which can be used with the magnetic hoist on the Hape Large Boom Crane. Both the steam engine and the diesel are in matching green.

After a cold and windy day at the station, my grandson loves to take both trains out and play with them, reliving the steam trains and diesels he has just seen. OK he hasn’t really seen steam trains, but he thinks he has, and whilst Grandma is warming herself up with a cup of tea, she’s happy to let the misconception run.

The Diesel Freight train costs just £9.99 on Amazon (including the two trucks) and the Steam-Era train is also £9.99, including the two carriages. A good price for such beautifully-made toys. I can really recommend them as a birthday present, or simply as a surprise gift for your little one.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Great news for lovers of film as Unrestricted View announce the return of its North London Film Festival which this year will run from Tuesday 23^rd April to Sunday 28^th April 2019.

Better yet submissions are still being accepted and the final extended deadline for submission is the 15^th March 2019.

Launched in 2016, and following three very successful years, the 2019 festival is set to be will be bigger and better than ever before with the addition of some exciting new venues.

The UVFF festival is run by filmmakers for filmmakers and holds at its core, a passionate desire to celebrate the very best in, and encourage all aspects of, independent film making.

The Festival’s main hub will as ever, be situated at The Hen & Chickens Theatre, an independent theatre and cinema in Islington, North London.

Films will be screened there all day and each evening for the duration of the festival, alongside workshops and other events.

Building on last year’s success the opening night film for UVFF 2019 will again be shown at The Screen on the Green as well as the new addition of screenings held in Islington’s Vue Cinema.

Tickets for all shows will in due course be available from www.unrestrictedview.co.uk or on the door. Details of category finalists and full details of the programme for the festival will be announced on 26^th March – the day after the nominees are notified.

Full information about the launch event and details of the judging panels which will be made up of leading industry professionals, passionate about independent film will be announced on the same day.

The festival will culminate in an awards ceremony held at The Hen & Chickens on 28^th April, where winners from each category (listed below) will be announced.

Offline is a fascinating and important book co-written by a doctor and a marketer.

It explains how internet companies track us continuously; the sinister addiction-inducing marketing techniques used; and how our web activity is tracked and sold to third parties.

Do you, like me panic if you’ve left your phone at home?  Why? Well, it’s not by chance. Companies invest a great deal to control your need – read on.

Offline explains human psychology, and how various websites utilise our brains’ release of dopamine – the pleasure/addiction hormone, to keep us returning repeatedly.  On Facebook, we get messages and Likes – but we can never predict when – this craving-action-reward cycle releases dopamine and keeps us needing more. Stickiness is the buzz word.

Social media apps exploit our primeval socialisation need, and Offline explains how replacing actual with ‘fake’ digital socialisation can lead to depression and low self-esteem, and how these apps impair impulse control.

Facebook advertisers are able to select target groups – based on location, gender, age, interests, behaviour and many other attributes. Facebook continuously monitors our user activity to update this information.  Hence why if you search for a product you then get numerous adverts for the same item.

Kosinski studied 87 million Facebook profiles, and found that analysing just 68 ‘likes’ could predict skin colour, sexual orientation and political affiliation. With a few more, intelligence level, religion, alcohol/drug use, home circumstances, personality, affinity, and behaviour could also be deduced. To do this study, he asked 270,000 consenting volunteer Facebook users to allow him access to their entire network – ie not just their own profiles, but those of their friends AND friends of friends. Thus he accessed 87 million Facebook accounts, mainly without the users’ knowledge or consent.  Offline explains how Cambridge Analytica infamously also accessed Facebook profiles without permission – by piggybacking into Kosinski’s data. How many more companies did this before Facebook closed the loophole?

Offline demystifies cookies too. These collect data when someone visits a website – some track what websites you browse subsequently – and some share this with third parties, even providing your name and address on occasions.

Offline discusses other practices, such as ‘Zuckering’ –after the Facebook CEO – where you’re tricked into sharing more information publically than you intended.

It reveals that Google searches are not random, but are biased, based on previous web activity – this can distort reality, creating  ‘confirmation bias’ (interpreting new information to confirm existing beliefs) and thus promote social intolerance and polarisation. Maybe we would rather decide ourselves what we see in searches? It leads to cognitive dissonance too – you’ll need to read the book to find out more.

Offline discusses the deleterious effects of social media on mental health – giving a balanced view, highlighting when studies are flawed or inconclusive.

Finally it advises how to protect ourselves. It stresses that the web has many benefits and with awareness and behaviour changes, we can minimise bad effects – I agree, but knowledge is key and this book is an excellent summary.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Not content with getting us Brits hooked on Tapas, those talented Spaniards have done it once again, this time by introducing us to Nordés Atlantic Galician gin, Spain’s fastest growing premium gin.

However, Nordés believe that their gin’s herbal and highly aromatic flavour profile makes it the perfect accompaniment to a wide range of savoury and sweet dishes, suggesting that perhaps it’s time to challenge the habits of British drinkers like me, and not restrict ourselves to drinking gin as an aperitif.

Always one to accept a challenge and being an avid drinker of gin for the better part of 35 years I can assure them that I am not to be so easily persuaded.

Of course, back then the choice of gins was limited and presented with 2 ice cubes, a slice of lemon and a bottle of tonic.

Thirty five years later and this once callow youth has developed a somewhat more discerning palate.

A large Copa balloon gin glass filled with ice, three white grapes for garnish and a large measure of Nordés Atlantic Gin, and I was raring to go.

It is important to taste the gin before adding tonic in order to really appreciate the aromatics. This is particularly true in this case, as the gin is light and flavoursome.

If my love affair with gin has taught me anything it is to add the tonic sparingly. You can always add more tonic, but you can’t take it out.

This gin has gastronomic notes of eucalyptus, laurel and mint and delicate flavours of white fruit, presumably due to the White albariñograpes, from which this gin is derived.

If you don’t have traditional tapas to hand, Nordés suggests pairing a well – made gin and tonic (try serving it with fresh sage leaves) alongside a smoked salmon starter or spicy sausage. As a main, match the gin with Thai cuisine to bring out the lemon verbena notes. And for desert, it could be paired with a summer fruit sorbet and a sprig of mint to bring out the sweeter aromatics.

My verdict is that this is a highly aromatic gin with a superb fresh taste and cliché or no, it certainly had me smacking my lips, or maybe that was the Nordés Atlantic gin-soaked grapes?

But the big question has to be, would I buy this gin and I have to say that I most definitely would.

Nordés gin (70 cl) ABV 40% with a RRP of £35 and is available nationwide at Amazon and Master of Malts.