Schleich Dino Set with Cave

Last Easter holidays Eddie and I were glued to the TV screen, watching several seasons of Primeval on DVDs. We loved the time-travelling basis of the series, and the chance to get acquainted better with the most magnificent dinosaurs.
We didn't go to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom on the big screen, and but will most likely buy the DVD as soon as it's released in November.

It's not just us who can't have enough of the prehistoric creatures. The dinosaurs are more popular now than ever. I've been recently reading an article about why the dinosaurs are so popular with kids and grown-ups alike.
Seth Dickinson, the science fiction author, thinks the imagination is the key to their popularity: "It;s the first sense we get that Earth is really, really old," he says, "that there were all these things that happened in deep history that we'll never fully understand."

For dino-loving fans around the world, Schleich offer a selection of dinosaur figurines and sets.

Dino Set with Cave (RRP £44.99) is a splendid set, which comes with lots of great features.

It includes a cave, a column, slab with a separate stone, and three dinos - Herrerasaurus, Psittacosaurus and Microraptor, plus you get a scary look dino skull.

The carnivorous Herrerasuarus is roaming around the dinosaur cave, looking for prey. The Microraptor might have a lucky escape, as it is so small and can hide easily, but the Psittacosaurus must run if it wants to live.

The front part of the cave can be transformed into a catapult, when the stone column is moved. Then the stone slab would bury everything under it.

The big stone slab has a super cool fossil print on it.

Schleich fans will be thrilled to see dinosaurs in new poses and designs. Their range is regularly expanded, and the website is of great educational value. You can find a lot of information about the prehistoric creatures.

Schleich toys are well known for their attention to detail. Just look at the dino skull, with its sharp teeth and movable jaws.

The intricate paintwork is high quality, with detailed textural effects.

This new dinosaur set with cave from Schleich will make an excellent addition to any dinosaur figurine collection. You can mix and match them with any other dinosaurs from an extensive range of prehistoric creatures.

For the full range of prehistoric animals, visit Schleich Toys.

Disclosure: We received new Schleich toys for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

New dinosaur figurines from Schleich

Last Easter fortnight Eddie and I spent glued to the TV, binge-watching 5 seasons of Primeval. If you haven't seen it, it's a sci-fi series based on the premises of anomalies appearing all around us, which open the doors to the scary prehistoric past or the bleak future. We watched it together and later discussed all the scary bits about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, the nature of evolution and what would happen if these creatures were indeed let loose in the streets of modern cities.

And then there's the Jurassic Park/World series, which we've also watched together last year, snuggled under the duvet for extra safety.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is hitting the big screens next month, and it's rated PG. I'm not sure yet if we go to see it in the cinema, I think I'll wait for reviews first.

For dino-loving devotees like us, Schleich offer a selection of new dinosaur figurines for 2018. This year, Schleich fans will be thrilled to see dinosaurs in new poses and designs. Their range is regularly expanded, and the website is of great educational value. You can find a lot of information about the prehistoric creatures.

Tyrannosaurus Rex (£15.99) is a giant among the other Schleich toys.

T-Rex, a 13-metres-long two-legged predator, must have been a truly terrifying sight, with its massive skull and 15-20-cm long teeth.
Its short front legs with claws were almost useless, as they could not even reach its mouth.

Schleich toys are well known for their attention to detail. Just look at those menacing eyes, and over fifty teeth, which T-Rex used for tearing the meat rather than chewing.
The toy has a movable jaw.

The intricate paintwork is high quality, with detailed textural effects.

The Dinogorgon (£7.99) lived over 250 million years ago where South Africa and Tansania now lie. It was a little carnivore with powerful jaws and a small but thick skull.
It got its lovely name after the Gorgons, the terrifying creatures of the Greek mythology.

The Psittacosaurus (£7.99) was a small, lightweight dinosaur that lived over 100 million years ago.

It had a distinct, unique appearance with its parrot-like beak. The beak was handy for cracking fruit and seeds. But don't mistake him for a vegetarian, it was a carnivore.

Its long tail was decorated with long thin spines like porcupine's. Its skin was covered with dots and stripes.

These new dinosaurs from Schleich will make an excellent addition to any dinosaur figurine collection.

For the full range of prehistoric animals, visit Schleich Toys.

Disclosure: We received new Schleich toys for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

New Schleich Dinosaurs

Shake, shake, shudder, near the sludgy old swamp.
The dinosaurs are coming.
Get ready to romp.
(Dinosaurumpus by Tony Mitton)

I was admiring the latest dinosaurs from Schleich and humming to myself "Shake, shake, shudder..." It used to be one of Sasha's favourite books when he was little. The book had a CD, and oh boy, we have listened to that poem hundreds of times. No wonder I still remember it, years later.

Schleich, a much loved toy brand, has added several new dinosaurs to its extensive collection of prehistoric animals. The new dinosaur figurines come in new poses and designs. These three minifigures retail at £7.99-9.99.

We are lucky to have two lovely toy shops in town. There is a mainstream Entertainer plus a local toy-cum-bike shop which is open seven days a week, so we pop in quite often on Sundays. I always admire the miniature world of Schleich toys at the entrance to the shop.

The craftsmanship is exceptional, with great attention to detail. Their animal and fantasy figures appeal to both children and adults. They are excellent for imaginative play, and they don't fade with time.
What new dinosaurs could you find in Schleich dino range?

Oviraptor lived over about 75 million years ago, at the time of the Velociraptor. The first skeleton of oviraptor was discovered as lying on a nest of eggs. It was presumed that it wanted to steal the eggs, hence the name which means an egg thief.
But actually the poor dino was not stealing eggs, it was sitting in its own nest.

The Oviraptor resembled a flightless bird. It hunted for shellfish, mussels and snails.

Tawa was a carnivore. Its had a distinct slender snout and a long neck.
Apparently, it is thanks to its skeleton that the scientists established the origins of dinosaurs. They came from that part of the Earth which is known now as South America, and from there they have spread around the world. Fascinating.

The Tawa were much faster than the other dinosaurs, thanks to hollow bones, which made them lightweight.

As with all Schleich minifigures the attention to detail is extraordinary. Just look at the snout, with the rotten teeth.


Velociraptor was one of the smallest dinosaurs. These two-legged creatures were smart and cunning, and hunted in packs. Though about 60-70cm in height, you wouldn't be able to dismiss these carnivores because of their height. They would stalk and hunt their prey, even considerably bigger in size than them, and attack as a pack.

They were super speedy too, and could reach 65km per hour.
To help them chew their prey, they had eighty sharp crooked teeth, some of them as long as 2.5cm.

The minifigure of velociraptor has movable arms and lower jaw. The paintwork is beautifully done. This is an additional model to Schleich top-seller figure of velociraptor.

This is an excellent collection, great for imaginative play and with an educational aspect. Children will want to discover more about these prehistoric animals.

Disclosure: we received a selection of Schleich toys for the purpose of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Roar into action with The Half Shell Heroes

The Half Shell Heroes Blast to the Past are a range of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys by Playmates Toys. They are collectable items for a younger generation of TMNT fans, like my 5-year-old son Eddie who wants to be a Ninja Turtle when he grows up. The latest addition to the range are half-shell heroes with prehistoric pets. Hurrah, that's two of our favourite things together!

You might have seen them in the Nickelodeon TV special aired on the 31st of January on Nick Tooms. 

The fearsless TMNT heroes are going back in time for the ultimate rumble in the jungle. Apparently they must stop a sinister alien dino race from changing the Earth's future forever.

The range is pretty impressive. We received T-Rex with Donnie and Stagosaurus with Mikey, but you can also find such fun combos as Pterodactyl with Raph, Robo Raptor with Triceraton as well as beaddies Shredder, Beebop and Rocksteady..

The toys are very colourful and bright. Dinosaurs look rather cute than scary.

T-Rex with Donnie: Donnie is riding his not so fierce looking T-Rex into battle, chomping down on bad guys. This set includes an exclusive Donnie figure. T-Rex's jaws open and close.
My son was very enthusiastically playing with both sets we received, and told me he wants to expand his collection. 

Stegosaurus with Mikey: Mikey rides a stegosaurus. When you press the button, the tail slashes.
These toys are cute and encourage imaginative play.

TNMT fans are eagerly anticipating a second movie release on 30 May 2016. Get in the spirit with the latest new movie based figures - ranging from the four brothers to Splinter, Shredder and Casey Jones. They are sculpted in a new style true to the characters of the film. 

Start collecting 11 figures now -  my son calls them goodies and baddies. I can just envisage trips with my son to the toy shops ahead, now that the Easter holidays are starting very soon.

Disclosure: we received two toy sets from the range for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are Eddie's and mine.

Schleich Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs. Do I need to say more? They fascinate both kids and adults alike. My younger son cannot have enough of the dinosaurs. He has books, toys, DVDs, he loves watching that silly guy Andy who travels in his time-machine and hobnobs with the dinosaurs. He knows more about them than I do. As soon as the latest dinosaurs from Schleich Toys' prehistoric animals range arrived, he told me who they are.
Well, I did know that the bigger guy was a triceratops.

Triceratops might look menacing, but it was a herbivore who loved eating plants. The front part of its jaw reminds of a parrot's beak. Its three horns were made of keratin, and the top horns were nearly a metre long.
It weighed as much as a small car.
Triceratops from Schleich -as all the toys from the range - is made with great attention to detail. Just look at its textured skin or the frilly ruff.

Eddie's class is studying dinosaurs this term, and he cannot wait to take his new dino toys to school to show to his class mates and teachers.

They are beautifully made, and also durable. We have had a selection of mini dinosaurs for over half a year (see my review New Mini Dino-world from Schleich), and they still look as good as new.

The Anhanguera means "old devil" in the language of the Indians, and I can see why. It looks pretty menacing. The Anhanguera was a pterosaur with a wingspan of up to 4 metres, with a small body of around 20cm long.
It had an elongated skull and very sharp teeth.

The toy is very colourful. I wonder how did the paleontologists find out what colour they might have been?

These fabulous dino toys would make a super gift for any dinosaur fan. If you're looking for ideas for Christmas, this might be a splendid Christmas stocking gift.

For the full range of prehistoric animals, visit Schleich Toys.

Disclosure: We received two toys from the range for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are mine.