Blog On MSI is a blogging conference held at the Museum Of Science And Industry in Manchester. A local event which means for once in the year we don't all have to take the train down South. In fact this year some people even came up North to join us. We laid on some drizzle especially.


Knowing I was going to Geronimo Children's Festival on the Monday, I chose to avoid the Saturday night get together and I was bright-eyed when I arrived early with Sim, and Karen who was on the sign-in desk. She's having a baby...it's so exciting.

It's May 4th, so a Star Wars post is almost mandatory. We've been sent some great Star Wars goodies to review from the new The Force Awakens range from Character World. A reversible duvet cover and pillowcase, and a First Order Stormtrooper/BB-8 double sided canvas cushion...


In our house Star Wars isn't only reserved for 1 day a year, it's been a part of our daily lives since my oldest son was old enough to watch A New Hope. The Force Awakens has brought Star Wars up to date for my youngest children and Kylo Ren may be very much a villain, but he has also become something of an anti-hero for youngsters.

The Geronimo Festival is a festival especially for families with children aged 2-12. Last year it ran for 2 days at Tatton Park, and was so successful that this year they added 2 more dates at Harewood House in Leeds. We were invited along to review on the second day.


We're festival veterans, and I have been taking children with me for about 14 years. The weather is horrific for May, biting cold and wet, so we packed wellies, raincoats and extra socks. We also know food can be an issue, so we took sausage rolls, crisps and drinks. Aside from that, we took our 6 and 7 year old boys.

Next Friday 6th May sees the 2D and 3D cinema release of Robinson Crusoe in a brand new animated family movie from Studiocanal. To celebrate they are offering one of my readers a fabulous movie bundle with family DVD's and Robinson Crusoe goodies.


Tuesday the parrot and his quirky friends live on an uninhabited island. Everyone may think this is paradise except Tuesday, who dreams of travelling the world. During a fierce storm the explorer Robinson Crusoe winds up shipwrecked on the island, and an excited Tuesday initially sees him as a ticket to escape.

From today, April 29th, Ratchet And Clank are bringing their particular brand of animated family adventure to the big screen in their first ever movie release.

Ratchet And Clank is loosely based on the first video game from 2002, telling how the eponymous heroes Ratchet and Clank came together as a force for good, and introducing a few of the friends and enemies they have made along the way.


The duo find a mysterious weapon that is so powerful it can annihilate entire planets and it's up to them, assisted by the Galactic Rangers, to keep it out of enemy hands, avert disaster and save the Solarna Galaxy.

We love Loony Quest, it's a really funny board game that is great for anyone aged 8+ in the family to play, and everyone has a chance of winning. Our household has really enjoyed playing it and so I'm delighted that Esdevium Games have offered a copy to give away to one of my readers.


Loony Quest plays in a similar way to a platform video game - players progress through levels, beating bosses, collecting bonuses and avoiding obstacles as they travel. The aim of the game is to stay alive and be the first to the finish.

The description for Loony Quest was the most intriguing game description I've heard. Suitable for 2-5 players aged 8+, a physical game with cards and other equipment, but which behaves as a video game, requiring you to gain points and progress through a series of levels in order to reach an end target. It's a very different and quite bold concept, and does it work?


Well actually it does, and it works very well. In fact we've played this game several times now, and we haven't used even 1/3 of the cards, nor have we had any chance of learning them - but we have got better at playing, and we've laughed a lot.

Yesterday I posted our review of the Wiplii Pirate Ship, and so today I am truly thrilled to be able to offer one of my readers the chance to win a Wiplii cardboard model of your own.

Some of you might be a bit glad to hear that the Wiplii Cardboard Tepee is a little smaller than the Pirate Ship, but still plenty big enough for a couple of native Americans or wilderness campers...
The Wiplii Cardboard Tepee stands at 1 metre tall and the footprint is 1460mm x 1230mm. Just like our Wiplii Giant Cardboard Pirate Ship, it is suitable for age 3+ and is assembled completely from recycled card with white facing. There are no glue or staples, and we found assembly of the Pirate Ship was amazingly simple - a stunning 12 minutes!

If you'd told me 2 months ago I would have a 7 foot tall cardboard model pirate ship in my house I'd have laughed, however I do and it's brilliant! A playhouse, a den, the best place to eat your sandwiches and the starting point for a million stories and games - and my boys can even colour it in or paint it however they like...


I asked my boys which Wiplii cardboard model they preferred and although secretly I really hoped they'd choose the Castle, they chose the Pirate Ship. I knew that our Manchester weather doesn't really allow for playing outside with cardboard very much, so the ship would be indoors for now at least, but I still didn't appreciate how big it was going to be - it's super impressive!

Today we had a special job to do as my 6 and 7 year old boys had been asked to review Vietnamese Street Food at Pho in Manchester Corn Exchange.  They were going to be on film talking about the food, and I was a little worried about what reaction they were going to have...and possibly also just how sensible they'd be for the camera lady... I was also a bit concerned about how well vegetarians were catered for, as 2 of us don't eat meat or fish.


Thankfully I needn't have been concerned, my small boys ate absolutely loads, as did we all. Vegetarians are very well catered for, but be sure to mention it to your hosts, as they will omit fish sauce from your meal.