• competition - Friends of Sylvanian Families

    Win a Sylvanian Families Party Set

    If you’re a fan of Sylvanian Families like we are then I’m sure you’ll know that 31 years since it first arrived in the UK, iconic toy range Sylvanian Families is expanding with the largest product launch in its history – a new town – which ‘opens’ on 1st March. Collected worldwide by fans as young as three years old through to adulthood, Sylvanian Families comprises miniature, anthropomorphic woodland animals who live in dolls houses within the fictitious, rural ‘Sylvanian Village’. The launch of the new Sylvanian Families Town (comprising of 22 product lines) allows fans to create an alternative…

  • Family Life - Friends of Sylvanian Families - toy review

    Sylvanian Families Town range launches in the UK in 2018

    I love the start of a New Year. After a lovely Christmas and New Year I’m excited about what will happen in 2018. One thing I’ve been looking forward to is the launch of the Sylvanian Families Town range, launching in the UK in 2018. If you’re a fan of Sylvanian Families then you’ve probably heard about the Sylvanian Families Town range. Yep, the Sylvanians are coming to the big city! Expect there to be shops, hotels, houses and trams! I follow a few Japanese sites which had the Sylvanian Families Town range in April last year. I’ve seen quite a few sets…

  • crafts - Friends of Sylvanian Families

    Sylvanian Families Christmas crafts

    My daughter was really lucky to receive a few new Sylvanian Families for her birthday this week. She really wanted the Sylvanian Families Kangaroo Family and the Forest Nursery – both of which she was excited to open. She’s asked for Beechwood Hall for Christmas but it just looks so large – I’m sure we haven’t room! I love that it is so easy to add seasonal items to her Sylvanian small world play. At Halloween we added the super cute Baby Trick or Treat set to her play which she really enjoyed. We’ve recently had fun with a few Sylvanian Families…

  • Advent crafts - crafts - Friends of Sylvanian Families

    Our homemade Sylvanian Families advent calendar

    Every year (since having children) Advent seems to get bigger and bigger. I buy both the children chocolate Advent calendars to count down the days until Christmas but in the run up to December 1st I can’t help buy more and more advent calendars! I will be writing a little more about them another day, but today I wanted to share the homemade Sylvanian Families advent calendar I’ve made for them to open. Our homemade Sylvanian Families advent calendar Over the past few weeks I’ve been collecting vintage Sylvanian Families items, mainly from eBay. I’ve managed to buy a pretty big collection…

  • crafts - Friends of Sylvanian Families - upcycling

    Sylvanian Families gingerbread house

    My daughter has a great collection of Sylvanian Families buildings. She can create her own little rural Sylvania with her tree house, log cabin and other buildings. I recently bought her the Baby Sleigh Ride Set, she just *loves* the babies. It’s a sweet little Christmas set but got me thinking. The only thing missing was our Sylvanian set up was a gingerbread house! So I made one. Sylvanian Families gingerbread house I bought a pretty shabby village Post Office Shop which came with a counter and accessories. The cardboard detail was ripped and bent which I thought made it…

  • Friends of Sylvanian Families - Gift guide - homestyle - toy review

    Gift guide for Sylvanian Families collectors

    I don’t make many gift guides but I couldn’t resist creating one for Sylvanian Families. My daughter loves her Sylvanian Families collection and we’ve reviewed some wonderful toys which would make perfect gifts for Sylvanian Families fans this Christmas. Gift guide for Sylvanian Families collectors Cosy Cottage Starter Home The Cosy Cottage Starter Home is the ideal starter home for young collectors. It includes a house, chocolate rabbit girl and the furniture for beginners. Ballet Theatre Playset Hop, skip and pirouette along to the Ballet Theatre and admire a special performance from Freya Chocolate Bunny. Complete with a practice barre, chair and entry…

  • competition - Friends of Sylvanian Families - parenting

    Win a copy of We Love Sylvanian Families magazine

    A few weeks ago I mentioned the brand new Sylvanian Families magazine. It’s a special one off edition and out now. It’s packed with 36 pages of Sylvanian Families content including puzzles, competitions, colouring in and stories. We Love Sylvanian Families magazine We were excited to finally track down this magazine in a huge WHSmiths. It’s a lovely magazine and includes two exclusive gifts – a five-piece stationery set and a branded keyring. My daughter made a little video to tell you all about it: It’s a lovely magazine and has certainly kept her occupied for hours. There’s a great…

  • Friends of Sylvanian Families - parenting - toy review

    Sylvanian Families Baby Sleigh Ride Set review

    My daughter (and I) love Sylvanian Families so couldn’t wait to get our hands on the limited edition Sylvanian Families Baby Sleigh Ride Set. This is new for Christmas 2017 and connects with the Halloween Baby Trick or Treat Set  I bought last month. I bought my set from the Sylvanian Families Shop in London (along with some goodies for my daughter’s birthday this month) and it arrived next day which is amazing service. Sylvanian Families Baby Sleigh Ride Set The Sylvanian Families Baby Sleigh Ride Set is very cute. Last year we reviewed the 2016 Sylvanian Families Christmas Set which included…

  • crafts - Friends of Sylvanian Families - Halloween crafts

    Sylvanian Families Halloween wreath decoration

    Today we were walking to school and my children berated me for our lack of Halloween decorations! I was pretty loathe to give up my day decorating, especially as I thought the Halloween decorations I picked up a few weeks ago in poundworld were brilliant. Clearly I needed to up my game to impress the 5 and 7 year old. A few weeks ago I bought a laser cut MDF spider web online. I thought I would use it to make my own Halloween wreath. I gave it two coats of white paint which took ages – if I try this…