This post is written by Emma Stewart, and I'm sharing it to put some food on my table, but checking your tyres at this time of year is really an essential part of car maintenance and she has some good advice.

Foggy and wet conditions need good grip, and the ice and Wintry weather will be back with us before we know it...

Tips on how to care for your tyres

Whether you are a car driver or not, it always comes in handy to know about the basics of how to care for your tyres because all of us either drive or get driven to one place or another. Keeping your tyres in good condition is extremely important not just for a smooth and comfortable drive but also for the safety of the passengers. Below are mentioned some top tips to keep in mind for maintaining your tyres in spick and span condition:

Playing with water is great fun, but always make sure you are safe. Never lean your body over water more than 5cm deep without a safety harness or a responsible grown up, in case you fall in. You actually only need a sink half full of water to test your boat, but safety first...


EQUIPMENT:
A4 Paper - it will not survive it's bath, so scrap paper is perfect.
Wax Crayons

Hopefully you've made a paper boat before, and if not then it's definitely time. Paper isn't generally a very floaty material, but our boat can float for 5 minutes or more...

BubbleBum have been around for a good few years now. Their inflatable children's booster seats are perfect for taxis, if you need to fit 3 car seats or booster seats in one row, great extra car seats when you have an extra child with you, and ideal for any child who regularly changes vehicles or is going abroad on holiday. I'd never seen one in person before, so I was really intrigued to find out exactly how they work...


The BubbleBum is designed for children aged 4 to 11, who weigh between 15-36kg (height restrictions apply, see the ROSPA site for more information). Much more than simply a comfy cushion to sit on, the design holds your child in the correct, safe position for travel. In the event of a crash it is important your child isn't slumped forward, and belts are guided into the correct position over the lap and shoulder, so that injury to internal organs and the chances of your child 'slipping out' of their harness are minimised.

BubbleBum is crash test approved and meets and exceeds the EU ECE R44.04 and the US FMVSS 213 safety regulations for both Groups 2 and 3 and is a totally safe option for your family. These tests cover both crash testing and materials testing. The components used to make BubbleBum are similar to those in life rafts and air bags.

The full title for this toy is Star Wars Force Link 2.0 Kessel Run Millennium Falcon with Han Solo Figure and it's worth that mouthful. This is a fantastic vehicle which acts exactly as you'd hope, and we've been sent it to review by Hasbro...


We are long-standing Star Wars fans here and so Star Wars toys are always welcome. Over the last 24 years I've watched all of my children 'shhhhhooooosh' around the room with various Millennium Falcons and other Star Wars vehicles, and this is by far the most impressive and special. No longer do you even have to make your own sound effects...

Our latest review for Spinmaster is a fantastic Meccano model set - the Motorised Rally Racer Car. This set is from the 10-in-1 range and there are instructions for 10 model vehicles that you can create from just the elements included here, as well as an infinite number of your own creations.


Inside the box is everything you'd expect. The Meccano elements, metal nuts and bolts, instructions and the all-important tiny tools. In 120 years Meccano hasn't really changed in principal, and using small version of genuine tools and fixings is very appealing and long-lived. Batteries are not included, you'll need 3 x AA.

Havex Machines are an instantly transforming toy which is activated by a micro car. The miniature vehicles drive into the larger model and initiate magnetic release mechanisms. The model then leaps instantly into it's alternative vehicle model.


Havex Machines were a massive hit in our house this Christmas and have been played with far more than anything else. I was sent them a little late to review, so Santa brought them instead. Packaging was Christmas morning-friendly, no batteries and my 7 and 9 year old boys loved them. I'm pretty keen on them myself. They're really sturdy models and work incredibly well.

If you've been to your local Halfords or looked at their website recently, you may have noticed they have a dedicated Kids Zone. The Halfords Kids Zone is where you'll find everything for the younger members of your family, from car seats and safety equipment to bikes and scooters. They currently have a sale, with selected ride ons and scooters discounted up to half price off, and we have been sent the Xootz Retro Racer Go Kart to review - in classic British Racing Green.


For my 7 year old this really couldn't have come at a better time, as he's recently discovered Go Karts and I think his face really says it all. There's love in those eyes...

I'm not a person you'd usually associate with jigsaws, but when I saw the Ravensburger VW T1 Campervan Puzzle at BlogOn I was smitten. The model is a plastic 3D camper built using jigsaw pieces and they were kind enough to let me review it. I was also fascinated to see if it was the most fragile thing on the planet.


This is a 162 piece puzzle from Ravensburger's 3D range, recommended for age 10+ and measuring around 30cm (1ft) long when completed. And it's a Volkswagen Campervan. I've written about Volkswagens before - I've been travelling in them for the last 15 years.

Our latest review for Meccano is the Chevrolet Corvette Car Model. A 279 piece model for age 10 and over, this gorgeous bright yellow vehicle is the most grown-up oldest-rated Meccano model we've reviewed so far.


Inside the box you have the all-important instruction booklet plus 3 bags of parts. One of the bags contains 6 smaller bags, including one housing the Meccano tools.

The Anki Overdrive has had a heck of a lot of use since it arrived. Five minutes to get out or put away, and tons of fun when it's running, this robotic car racing system is a real household favourite. October saw the release of Supertrucks to add to your existing sets and really increase gameplay...


We've been sent the Freewheel Supertruck to review. Three times the size of the Anki Overdrive cars, the Supertrucks use their heftiness, plus a new control system and weapons, to race and battle against the other cars.

The packaging is awesome, and designed to protect your Supertruck long term. Incredibly carefully thought out and quick to open and close, Anki know you want to keep your vehicles safe, and they make it very easy. No excuses.


The Freewheel Supertruck is gorgeous. A sleek and finely detailed printed plastic model articulated truck which also happens to be a very sophisticated robot...

Our latest review for Spin Master toys is the Air Hogs official movie replica Batman v Superman Radio Control Batmobile. A 1:24 scale model with a brushed metal effect body on a sturdy chassis, the vehicle has a nippy and responsive driving and linkage steering system.


The Batmobile and charger take a hefty 6 x AA batteries, but we've found power lasts for ages, it's happy with rechargeable batteries, and we haven't had to change them yet despite quite considerable play over the last fortnight.


I love the packaging on this, it was really minimal and mainly taped cardboard and plastic 1/4 turn locking bolts. It takes seconds to remove your Batmobile from the box.

The Hot Wheels Track Builder System allows children of around 5+ to create all kinds of amazing layouts for their toy cars, full of whatever stunts your imagination can think up. You can even give your cars a helping hand to really speed up, and to do just that, we've been sent the Power Booster Kit to review.


Your set is packaged in the most amazing box. It's brilliant and I was delighted when I opened it. It opens properly and is designed to be saved and reused as storage, but also adds no end to play value...


This is a fabulous multiple use of something that already exists, and encourages children to (paradoxically) think 'outside the box', and hopefully begin to create their own cardboard track accessories and challenges.

The AirHogs Switchblade is very different to most of the remote control vehicles we've had here in the past. An indoor ground and air race helicopter, it's incredibly small for starters, a mere 16cm x 11cm without the spoilers and weighing under 30grams. It doesn't half have a lot of power though.


Inside the box you have the vehicle and the controller - it takes 2 minutes to open and packaging is really minimal. Perfect for Christmas morning...don't forget the batteries though - the controller takes 4 x AA batteries.

Excuse the colour differences between photos - natural light and household bulbs really affect the red that my camera captures...

A couple of days ago we reviewed the Stickibox Cardboard Car Kit, and our children love it. There really aren't many things that are better at bringing out the laughter and imagination in children than a cardboard box vehicle. Today I have the chance for one of my readers to win one of their own.


Easy to put together and your child can personalise their box however they want. Stickibox take it all to the next level with turning wheels and reg plates, lights and a steering wheel. You can see our full review of the Stickibox Car Kit here...

We love a good cardboard box car here, but somehow they are always missing something. Stickibox hope to fill that gap by supplying Cardboard Car Kits for the young explorer in your house. Luckily we have just the chap living here, and we've been sent a Cardboard Car Kit for review.


The box arrived and along the edge is a sticker with a message from the creators, Pip and Kerry:

"Each Stickibox Kit enables a child to express their creativity and helps support key developmental skills. Once built, this simple box can transport your child on a journey of adventure.
Build, Design and Jump Inside."

I like that. It's a nice ethos. Open your box, and you find, unsurprisingly, a box! Flat-packed and really simple to construct.

Revell are well-known for their long history of producing model kits, and their Junior Kits are especially designed to introduce young builders to modelling - while working as a fully functioning toy once built. We've been sent the Fire Engine (or Fire Truck if you prefer) Level 1 Junior Kit to review, suitable for children from around age 4.


My newly 6 year old is no stranger to building and modelling, but is not a natural instruction-follower and usually has a 20 minute attention span. He maintained interest throughout this build with a couple of short breaks. He did need a little help with 2 errors and 1 part he simply couldn't understand, but otherwise it is all his own work - and you can tell how pleased he was with it...

The Junkie from Bubblebum is a whole new level in back seat storage and tidying for your children. Designed to go especially well in between two car seats, it'll hold your drink, your snacks and your tablet, as well as providing desk trays for 2 children to work on, plus places to store anything else you might need to keep the kids occupied on your journey.


We were sent a Junkie to review, and while I think the name is a bit awkward, it really does convey the idea very well. This is the most techno back seat organisation system ever.