Our Day At Toytopia

When we were asked to visit Toytopia I knew we would all love it. We love toys and having lots of different brands and toys under one roof is a our idea of heaven. With Christmas just a few months away it was a perfect chance for little J to try out some possible choices for his Christmas list. I have to say we have just got back from a fulfilled day - here is our day at Toytopia.

We had VIP tickets which allowed us in to the event 1 hour before general admission. We arrived at 9:30am and as part of the VIP package we received a lovely goody bag filled with lots of treats. I haven't been to anything like this before so I was completely overwhelmed as we walked in the main event area. It was huge and jam packed full of stalls and areas for the children to try and test all the latest toys.

We visited each and every stall and everyone was absolutely lovely. They answered any questions we had and also got involved with little J as he played.

There is really is something for everyone no matter how big or small but here are our highlights.

BRIO - Little J would have stayed here all day. He absolutely loves building train tracks and pushing trains along. He sat on the floor and started to build a track, we where here for about 20 minutes and it was only when he saw a bouncy castle near by that he decided to move.

JUNGLE RUN - Who doesn't love bounce castles? Little J couldn't wait to take his shoes off and get on. Its like a obstacle course inside and he done so well to get himself through it and up the stairs to the slide.

There were two inflatables next to each other. The second was aimed at older children which would have been perfect for big J but unfortunately he wasn't feeling to well, so he missed the event.

Test driving a car. His legs were too short to reach the pedals but that didn't seem to bother him. He still tried and managed to press it down a few times and loved it when it went on his. 

SPRINGFREE - I have blogged before about how much both my boys love the trampoline in our garden. This trampoline was huge and little J loved it. He bounced, and bounced, and bounced, and bounced until we had to almost drag him off. He would have been on that trampoline till closing time if we let him.

BLADEZ TOYS - This stall attracted us all because we are big fans of R/C toys and there were huge inflatable Minions and Star Wars Characters on show to play with.

Little J had a go at controlling R2D2 and did a really good job. 

ZINC FLYTE SCOOTERS - I have seen these advertised and I want one. Its such a great idea. It's a suitcase attached to a scooter. They are cabin bag size and come in lots of designs. Little J was actually quite good at controlling the scooter and I can imagine him whizzing through the airport on one of these. 

Halfway through we stopped for a snack and a drink. There are places to purchase food inside and tables dotted around for you to eat at. I did notice people eating their own food so I assume this is allowed. We got little J a children's snack box which included a sandwich (cheese or ham), crisps and a choice of water or fruit shoot. It was £4.50 which is reasonable for this type of event. The sandwich was a full sandwich and not just half which you sometimes get in kid boxes.

I'm not quite sure what this area was as there were a few different toys here such as In the night garden and Le Toy Van. It was just by the ice cream van and popcorn stall. There were tables here to for you to sit at and maybe the toys had just been placed there for little ones to enjoy while Mums and Dads had a rest. Little J loves wooden toys so was happy to play with the Le Toy Van kitchen and garage.

PLAYMOBIL - This section was huge and was set up with lots of displays to look at.

This display was huge and had a working train that went along the track. The whole display was stunning. 

FALK - Another chance for little J to try the latest ride on's. He loved this tractor and I think this could be a possible choice for his Christmas list.

Last but not least was VTECH. Little J absolutely loves Vtech toys and even though he had most of the toys on show at home he still spent the most time here than anywhere else. He loves the Toot Toot range so it was nice for him to see the new range including a newer updated version of the garage he already owns, Toot Toot people including the house and the Toot Toot Farm.

Little J loves connecting the track and building a road. He does have some track at home but there was tons on display so he was in Toot Toot heaven. 

I know Toot Toot will definitely be on his Christmas list this year.

Like I said these were our highlights but I have to say everything was fabulous.

*****

What We Loved

The whole experience was amazing. We loved every minute. We spent over 3 hours inside and if little J was a little older we could have spent more. 

So many hands on experiences under one roof. The children just loved testing all the latest gadgets, gizmos and toys. 

The staff were so helpful and friendly. Everyone was approachable and answered all sorts of questions I asked.

Lots of discounts on the day if you buy. There were some bargains.

The VIP ticket was great for those wanted to benefit from an extra hour before general admission.

Lots of toilet facilities and baby change dotted around the centre.

What Could Improve

I would have liked to receive an itinerary of 'what was happening' throughout the day. There was talk of competitions and prizes although we must have missed these as we didn't hear anyone mention them at all. 

*****

Hints and Tips

Adults - Make sure you wear sensible shoes. There is a lot of walking and standing around while the little ones play.

Children - There are trampolines and inflatables so 'easy to get on and off shoes' are recommended.

Take some drinks as its quite warm inside.

Definitely consider a VIP ticket. The extra hour is worth it and the goody bag was great.

Make use of the ticket discount codes online to save some pennies. 

Don't be afraid to talk to the staff. They are very approachable and friendly. They are happy to answer any questions and are great with the kids.

Take money - you can buy from the stalls and most were offering discounts to.

Take a pen and paper. Sounds silly but your little ones may see something they like. It's handy to make a note as you may forget what they want to ask Father Christmas for. 

Give yourself plenty of time. There are so many great stalls and you will spend longer at some than you think.

Make use of the map in the guide you receive on arrival. You don't want to miss anything.

*****

We loved Toytopia and I really do hope it returns to Liverpool next year as it was a great family day out. 

*we received our admission tickets for free for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are our own*