21 months old

Learning Resources - Pretend & Play Airport Set - Review and Competition

20:31

We are just starting to prepare to go on holiday in a couple of weeks, so the lovely people at Learning Resources have sent us the Pretend & Play Airport Set to review.  It's a great way for Ethan to learn how an airport works to get him ready for our trip as part of his Knowledge and Understanding of the World.  He has been on a few trips before, but now that he's older I feel like he will understand a lot better.  He also loves pointing out aeroplanes in the sky now, so I think he'll be very excited to be flying in one himself.  I also wanted to go through the process of what it will be like for us on the day, as it can be quite hectic, this is good for his Personal, Social and Emotional Development as it will help him to be prepared for what's happening.


The set sells for £47.94 on the Learning Resources website.  It is a little bit pricey I'll admit, but I've had a quick look around and I wasn't able to find anything similar that isn't in the same price bracket.  The airport set includes many vital areas (parking ramp, customs, souvenir shop, air traffic control centre, etc) as well as lovely little touches like the tunnel that leads from the plane to the airport, a helicopter landing pad (no helicopter included, but we have one that fits) and the landing gear that can be taken down and pushed back in on the plane itself.

The first thing that I did was to let Ethan explore the airport on his own.  He absolutely loved driving the cars up and down the ramp.  He also loves the little people that came with the set (he said people for the first time, as if it's two words pee-pole!)  Putting the people in and out of the cars and the aeroplane, and of course flying the plane around.



Then we started our journey, (I've used some toys that we already had and added some extra bits for our play, please have a look on the Learning Resources website to see exactly what comes with the set if you plan on ordering one).  We used little people to represent Mommy, Daddy and Ethan, added some luggage and put them in a taxi to the airport. 



Mommy, Daddy and Ethan then went through the check in and security process (there is no security section in the set, so we used a little box to put our suitcase through the 'x-ray' machine).  Then they boarded the plane through the tunnel and set off on their journey.  I used our picnic mat as the airport base (the back of it is shiny black) and made a runway using masking tape for the plane to take off.



The aeroplane then flew through the air (the landing gear got pushed in whilst flying, then came back down before landing) and we arrived at our destination.  Then time to go through customs and pick up our luggage before getting into a taxi and heading to our hotel.



We had such fun playing with the airport today, and Ethan continued to play on his own after our  'story' ended.  We think this airport set is a great starting point for imaginative small world play, we did add a few of our own bits to suit our story, but it could certainly be used on it's own as well.

Think this airport set is as great as we do?  Why not enter to win one yourself.  (If you live in the UK only please)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Discount offer!

If you order online from Learning Resources and use the code BLOGGER13 during checkout you will get free delivery on all orders.  Offer valid until December 31st 2013.  (Let me know what you order!)

* This has been a review post, Learning Resources sent me the Pretend & Play Airport set so that we could play with it and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *

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91 comments

  1. This looks great. Ideal for little ones about to jet off!! When we travel anywhere with Little Man we make sure he has plenty snacks and a bag of small toys and crayons.

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  2. For long haul flights try to take a night flight, babies and toddlers are more likely to sleep and they can actually find the aircraft engine hum soothing! Mine do anyway!

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  3. When we travel (with four children under 11) we make sure we have lots to keep them busy. pens and paper are always a winner as its good for alsorts of games and just drawing too

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  4. When we travel we make sure that we let our eldest pick toys to put in his rucksack that way we know he has toys he wants to play with.

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  5. Break up car journeys with frequent stops with nice little play areas

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  6. Always have activity packs made for long journeys and a range of easy games to play.

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  7. Looks brilliant my little boy Tom would love it.

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  8. I'M GOING TO TRY CAR BINGO THIS HOLIDAY :)

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  9. take lots of things to amuse a little one and play games

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  10. A portable potty is essential in case of emergencies and plenty of drinks and snacks.

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  11. take lots of things to do like colouring and snacks

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  12. Prepare for every eventuality.....

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  13. Take lots of quiet toys if you are going on a plane, so as not to annoy other passengers with electronic toys. Colouring books are a big hit with our boys, and the I-Spy books.x

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  14. know that you can never plan too early, plan every possible scenario and especially for the most popular boredom with games and activities

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  15. Let the children pack their own "Things to do" bag.

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  16. If we are travelling by car, we leave extra early so it is cool in the car, no traffic and the kids just sleep so no bickering.

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  17. Keep little ones occupied. Take books, colouring pens, play games.

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  18. Pens & playdough is a must for travelling. Along with a tray

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  19. Take small toys to swop round and keep interest and small pads and pencils for older ones.

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  20. pack loads of toys and bring out a new toy every hour of the journey

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  21. have a game on the go -like Yellow car - everyone looks out for yellow cars - on seeing one you shout Yellow car, and if you're first, you get the point

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  22. Alfredo Vazquez18 July 2013 at 14:53

    Make sure you've got lots of toys, books or an ipad to keep them entertained!

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  23. Vicky Limerick18 July 2013 at 15:46

    make sure theyre tired before the travel so when the car starts moving they sleep through

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  24. Have lots of things to keep them entertained, and enough food and water to last the journey and of course factor in toilet breaks :)

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  25. frequent stops so they can have a break and stretch their legs. We plan them out so they're not in the car for too long at one go.

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  26. Give them their own little back pack full of things to entertain them. Plus a few snacks and treats.

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  27. Take little bag packed with activities such as colouring little toys etc to keep them buisy and some food and snacks and drinks to keep them hydrated. oh and make sure they go to the toilet before you set off lol ;) we have been lucky SO FAR and they have both fell asleep after 30 mins or so ...

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  28. Be prepared! Have lots of snacks and things to keep them occupied!

    @ashlallan

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  29. take a lot of magazines and sweets

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  30. travelling with kids always be prepared, take a mixture of stuff to keep them entertained so they dont get bored

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  31. Keep them occupied - books, travel games, crayons etc plus sweets!

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  32. we play eye spy and also the children have those eye spy books where they have to look for certain things and then tick them off

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  33. puzzle books, colouring book, crayons, snacks, plenty of juice/water, plan ahead!

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  34. Depending on the age and concentration levels :-) electronic game pads ie leap frog or NDS' or "spot the yellow car" that used to take ages but now there are loads of yellow cars. I spy and who can keep quiet the longest gets a whopping big ice cream, of course in the end we all get one!

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  35. Plenty of drinks to keep them hydrated and a few stops so that they can get out of the car for a while. Singing songs is good while they are small but travel games are always a winner with the older ones.

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  36. On a long train ride we have a list.. we choose a number (usually 5) car makes, colours and Registrations.
    My Grandson has to tick them off as we see them on the road. It keeps him looking and ticking as we usually Ford, Vw, Vauxhall et..the commonest ones. He does it for a long time ! We even have a laugh when there's more than he can tick off quickly !

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  37. Meticulous planning and building the trip up as a big adventure!

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  38. Lots and lots of fun activities - colouring in, travel games etc

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  39. Make sure they have their favourite toy with them!

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  40. have loads of car games written down such as i spy etc to keep them occupied

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  41. I make my daughter word searches and mazes and always make sure ive got a big drink of juice and a couple of snacks in my bag

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  42. Take pens and colour books

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  43. colouring books

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  44. Take enough snacks and activities to do

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  45. Have things on stand by for them to play with, and have plenty of snacks and juice

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  46. Take a few new things to keep them occupied.

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  47. I take a new toy/book etc for each hour and introduce it to my little one, it keeps him happy and entertained

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  48. Take lots of little toys and snacks to keep them busy and entertained :)

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  49. Some new toys and books and favourite snacks

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  50. New book/magazine, some toys, plenty of snacks/drinks and spare clothes :-)

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  51. lots of toys sweets drinks etc anything 2 keep them amused! x

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  52. Have plenty of snacks and activities and also keep reiterating to them beforehand what is going to happen. i.e the taxi will collect us, drop the bags at the airport, sit in the lounge watching planes etc etc. My son likes to know the plan exactly!

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  53. always have plenty of pre planned activities and stops planned for them emergency wee breaks! And there's so many car games to play :-)

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  54. Kirsten Barthy23 July 2013 at 22:26

    Take some favourite toys and something new to keep them entertained

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  55. When we have a long trip we wrap a few little toys in layers of tissue paper - the kids love opening them and it makes the little things seem much more exciting. It keeps them amused for ages.

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  56. Ruth Longville23 July 2013 at 23:34

    Explain where you are going and take age appropriate, trip appropriate games - such as I-spy books and colouring for car journies, small games such asd Happy Families or Old Maid for long plane journies and keep them happy, hydrated and occupied!

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  57. Take plenty of snacks an drinks and have some games like ispy ready

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  58. Some healthy refreshing snacks and activity book ;}

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  59. Have a small bottle of chamomile essential oil to put on tissues to aid sleep

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  60. Snacks, drinks, portable DVD player, a little parental effort!

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  61. Try and travel at night so they sleep.

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  62. Have their own backpack with little activities and a snack/drink.

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  63. Travel when they are sleeping

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  64. pack plenty of treats/ drinks and activities to keep them entertained

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  65. take plenty of wet-wipes!
    Pete

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  66. my best tip is to make it intresting , my youngest loves colour car bingo !

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  67. Lots of snacks and activities.

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  68. Jane Middleton24 July 2013 at 20:50

    Don't forget to take sun cream with you in this weather

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  69. take plenty of activity's like coloring or a few new small toys i usually make my boys a small goody bag up and when they start getting bored i give them something new x

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  70. take ipad/portabledvd /tablet to keep them entertained and snacks

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  71. Plenty of new fun things to do. Colouring, stickers and if they need a real treat - favourite TV programs on an iPad!

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  72. make sure any electrical items like ipods, ipads dvd players etc.. are fully charged

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  73. Always carry baabywipes, drinks, snacks and dvd player is great x

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  74. Drinks,snacks, colouring books and crayons and a favourite toy

    Pauline Mason

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  75. We take a few books, Lots of snacks and play silly games

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  76. lots of books, colouring books, black paper, pens and kids music cd's

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  77. Plenty of snacks, drink and wet wipes. Leave time for stops just to break up the boredom. Singing and I spy games to keep the car happy and fun.

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  78. Make sure you have everything to hand, snack, drinks, wipes etc and be prepared for plenty of breaks if you're in the car! A dvd player is also good for car journeys

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  79. Plenty of snacks, there's nothing worse than a bored child on any trip, that is unless they're hungry too!

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  80. we always take our portable dvd player

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  81. When we are going on a long journey I put together a travel pack for my boys, which include - a new toy/game, their favourite toy, books, snacks and drinks.

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  82. Valerie Kaseram24 July 2013 at 23:33

    Bring a Nintendo DS :-)

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  83. Don't let them eat in the car - always leads to car-sickness - yuck!

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