At the beginning, this looked like an exciting game. The packaging is smart and very colourful and comes with clear instructions on how to set it up correctly. However, actually getting the ball to inflate using the pump provided took forever, about 30 mins, which is not so great when you have kids waiting. The game is quite straightforward, just kick the ball and it will come back to you! The boys played with it for a short while but soon lost interest and haven't actually played with it again. The game is perfect for a small garden or even a back yard as the ball is attached and can't get lost. I think my boys might be a bit too old for this at nearly nine; it certainly didn't keep them entertained. I wouldn't recommend this to other Mums with children my age to buy but I do think it is priced reasonably - so perhaps might be more appropriate for those with younger children.

The game did look appealing before the boys opened it and they were really excited about playing it as they love football! The game came assembled and all we had to do was pump up the ball with the pump provided. The instructions were very easy to follow. They boys enjoyed playing it between themselves and their friends. It was suitable for their ages and taught them good ball control - they have played it for hours. They have played it every day and have taken it down to the park to play with their friends too. You do need a fair bit of space to play the game - is not one to be played inside! I'd definately recommend it to other Mums, the boys never seemed to get bored playing with it, no matter how many times they played. It's great value for money, especially when I think of the amount of footballs that I have bought them previously - at least with this one it will not be kicked away!

When I unwrapped Reflex Soccer I couldn't quite work out what it was meant for. The box, while seeming self-explanatory, didn't really cover any of the rules involved in playing the game and I couldn't make up my mind whether it was a game to practise your footie skills alone, or if it was something for the kids to play together. The first thing you have to do is inflate the ball which is included in the box, using the pump provided. Easy. Then fill the blue base with water to give stability to the game. Again, easy. BUT. And there's always a but. But the game didn't work half as well as I was hoping. I have a fairly dainty eight year old and a tall and lanky eleven year old and the problem I found with Reflex Soccer is the fact that the base simply isn't heavy enough to keep the game steady while the kids were playing. I mean, a small circular base filled with water just isn't enough when the kids are kicking the ball as though their lives depend on it. It's a shame really as this has the basic elements to be a fantastic game, but even a kick by my younger daughter had the game skidding across the garden. When the kids played gently it was fine and I'd imagine Reflex Soccer would be good to practise more subtle footballing moves, but I can't see how any child above the age of six could possibly kick the ball hard enough for a goal without sending the entire toy into next doors garden. Saying that, I probably would recommend Reflex Soccer to parents of children around the 6-7 year mark as it's a pretty good game for eye co-ordination but any older children would probably be better off with a good old fashioned ball.

This is an excellent game. The packaging is inviting and the children wanted to open this one first. The instructions are very straight forward and the game was up and running in about 5-10 mins from opening it. The game is very easy to understand and the children really enjoyed playing with it. We took it to a family barbeque and all the children there loved it too! The game is easily transported by putting all the various bits into the container. The game is suitable for the age of my boys, my only concern is where little ones are around and they could get hit by the swinging ball but otherwise it's great, they have played with it loads of times. It doesn't need a lot of space; you can shorten the length of string that the ball is attached to, I think in a small garden it would be fine. One downside is when the ball it hit very hard, it seems to knock the pole out of its position within the container. Maybe that's because we had put water in, whereas sand, which would have made it heaver, might have worked better. I would definitely recommend this to other Mums; it is a good investment as it will still be enjoyed as the children grow older as it has great appeal.

The game did look appealing and this was the one the boys wanted to open first, they liked the box it came in. Andy constructed this all on his own including putting the water in the base, he said the instructions were really easy to understand. The game was very easy to understand how to play and Chris and Andy played many games between themselves and their friends. They loved playing, it really brought their competitive nature out of each other and it didn't matter if it was windy they could still play. We all thought the game was brilliant and loved the fact that it could be packed up and taken anywhere. You do need to have a lot of space to play this game due to the range of the tennis ball spinning round, but an average sized garden will more than easy accommodate it. I'd recommend Swingball for other Mums to buy - it is so portable and can be easily set up anywhere which is a huge benefit. The boys want to take it the next time we go on a picnic! It's worth every penny!

We were thrilled to bits when the package containing Swingball arrived, and even more so when I realised there's no longer any need to hammer the Swingball itself into the ground. This is thanks to the fact that Swingball has had a bit of a revamp since I was a kid and now has its own base which, once filled with sand, is extremely stable when the Swingball pole is slotted into position. So, sand safely enclosed in the base we set out to have a game. My eight year old daughter was best at the game; she loved the exercise of hitting the ball and trying to stop her older sister getting the ball all the way up to the top and being declared the winner. Swingball is one of those games which makes you sweat much more than you think you're going to and is actually a pretty good work out for children and adults alike! The fun of playing Swingball is particularly great for kids, although everyone who played our set really enjoyed their games. Setting up Swingball in the first instance was simple as all you have to do is pop the Swingball pole into the hole in the base and attach the ball to the top of the pole, I thought I was going to have to ask my fella for his help but I actually managed it all by myself! The base doubles up nicely as a storage section to keep the bats, ball and even the pole safely enclosed ready for the next time you use it; this is a brilliant idea, although not terribly practical in my opinion as it means the sand needs to be emptied from the base every single time you want to pack Swingball away - to be honest I found it easier to create a bit of space in the shed for the Swingball bits and pieces to save the messing about of taking the sand out and using the base. All in all I'd completely recommend Swingball to anyone who has children with some energy to burn off. It's fun to play, easy to learn and the Swingball unit is portable both when folded away and also when put together - although the weight of the sand means it can be heavy to lug around when filled.

At first glance, this did not appeal to my boys. They thought the packaging looked very dull and boring; they weren't at all keen in helping me set the game up! The instructions included are reasonably clear, and I only had to correct myself once. Actually getting the net up and tied to the poles and getting the poles pegged to the ground with the guy ropes was not complicated, but difficult on your own. I got my boys to hold a pole each while I pegged them out. Once it was up though, we had a great time. The children loved playing it and it was great having 4 rackets so we could all play together. One point I would like to make is that the net is dark which actually makes it very difficult to see, perhaps a white net would be better. It's not a very transportable game; I can see the net getting very tangled if we took it down several times, so the game is still set up in our garden. I think you need lots of space to play this game, we live by a small stream and the shuttlecock was fished out of there quite a few times! I think it is reasonably priced, with everything being included so you can play straight away. I would recommend this to Mums to buy, however I would point out that if they have a small garden they are likely to lose shuttlecocks in their neighbours gardens!

The boys were not as excited about opening this one compared to the others and this was the last game that they tested. It came with clear instructions on how to play and the net was very easy to construct. The boys already play Badminton, so already knew the rules of playing, I think to someone who is just starting it may be a little confusing unless you just want a knock about. Chris and Andy did enjoy playing it but not as much as the Football and Swingball Game, found that when it was windy was impossible to play too. They only wanted to play this game a couple of times, they were more interested in playing the other two. This is a game definately for all the family, but my sons did not enjoy it as much as the Swingball.

I always loved badminton when I was young so was really looking forward to teaching my daughters the game with this badminton set. The packaging was simple to remove and dispose of, and included in the box are four sturdy badminton racquets, a large net, poles for fixing the net into place and three shuttlecocks. Everything is well laid out in the box making it easy to put everything together and this also makes sure you don't lose anything important! The net took literally two minutes to erect; the poles have to be pushed into the ground slightly and there are also guide ropes which keep the net taut when you're playing the game. Everything works well and absolutely as it should - the next thing was teaching an eight and eleven year old the rules of badminton! We had some real fun with this game and it was one that mum, dad and kids could all play together. The net was bigger than I was expecting so there was quite a lot of running around involved in our game - particularly as the aforementioned eight year old could NOT manage to hit the shuttlecock in a straight line! Badminton is brilliant exercise, but it's one of those games where it doesn't feel like you're 'getting fit' more like just having some fun and burning some calories off at the same time. The kids were running around the garden in a state of excitement and their faces when they beat me or their dad were brilliant! They both really enjoyed badminton (and the 11 year old actually showed an aptitude for the game) and equally enjoyed getting all hot and sweaty. For this reason I would 100% recommend the badminton set for any family who has a garden large enough to accommodate the net. Getting children to get some much needed activity into their lives is so important and this set ticks all the boxes.

I think this was Jayden's favourite of the three strollers - he's not usually that happy in his stroller and takes a while to settle down, but with this one he was smiling straight away! He seemed very comfortable in it - I think the snug cushion pad helped with its soft fleece. It was good to push - felt sturdy and stable and I liked the adjustable handle height. The recline was easy to use with the zips and Jayden looked happy when lying back and napping. The storage underneath was big enough and I liked the easy access zips - a good idea. As an overall package I think that the Red Castle is good value for money as it comes with all the extras you would need - well designed raincover, full size sun shade and the cushion pad.

When this stroller arrived we liked the shape and design straight away, although it was quite big! The raincover is really funky and much cleverer than normal raincovers - it has zips down the side so we could lift Ciara out without having to lift the whole thing off. She seemed very comfortable in it, we liked the adjustable back positions although it took us a little while to get used to the zips as they are a different idea to any stroller we've seen before. There were loads of clever touches with this stroller - a full size sun shade, bike pump and wheel covers so when you are putting it in the car you don't get dirty wheels! Practically we liked things like the net so on a hot day you can lift up the back part of the hood and let air circulate around. Also the pocket for keeping keys and wallet in was handy. The only downside to the Red Castle were the instructions - they were so complicated!! It took me ages to work out from them how to fold it, also unlocking the swivel wheel took longer than I would have liked! I don't know if it is the most 'intuitive' stroller I've ever used but with practise I got used to it. Both myself and my wife found it easy and comfortable to push. It is good value for money as it comes with all the accessories and extras you would need to buy.

I liked the Red Castle a lot, its roomy and comfy looking - it was the only one with a cushion pad and this made it seem a lot more snug. It was easy and nice to push and get around. It came with loads of extra bits and bobs which made it feel like you were really getting value for money. All of the covers, including the bumper bar cover looked like they would wash easily which is handy. Tarin was happy in this one, and she'd have loads of growing room in it - the footplate was big, so I'm sure this would be comfy even for an older toddler. I liked the window in the hood so I could look down and check on her when she was asleep in it - although the velcro was quite noisy so I had to be careful it wouldn't wake her up! This is a well thought out package which really does offer value for money. It folded up smaller than I thought it was going to and fitted easily in the boot of my car.

I really liked this stroller - it was my definite favourite in terms of how easy to push and how manouverable it was. The handle was quite wide and came round the whole of the back of the stroller which meant it felt very sturdy and was comfortable to hold. I liked the overall size of the Quinny and the storage it offered was good. Jayden seemed pretty happy in it (although not as beaming as when in the Red Castle!). The straps were easy to do up and adjust, I liked the fact that they clipped downwards rather than side to side - I've trapped my fingers in the side clipping ones before and it really hurts! The adjustable footrest was easy to use and the recline was a simple toggle system. The wheels came off easily and I could fit the Quinny into the boot of my car - although we have a pretty large boot and I don't know what it would be like in a small car. It was a bit disappointing that for the money it didn't come with a raincover, but overall I did like the Quinny a lot.

The Quinny looked good, well-made and a quality stroller. It was very easy to push with a good wide bar and big wheels. It felt very secure and stable. Ciara was happy in it and it had a good recline with an easy to use slip toggle system. The storage was adequate although not maybe as good in the other two strollers. It was adjustable which I guess could be handy if you were just taking a couple of things with you and didn't want them to fall out. We normally go out quite laden down, so that wasn't an issue for us! It folded easily and fitted into the car well. Compared to the Red Castle I am not sure it offers such good value for money as you don't get any of the extras. However it was my favourite to push and manoeuver around.

In terms of style this was my favourite of the three we tested! Its smart and looks comfortable and modern. The straps are easy to get on and adjust and fastened easily. I found it comfortable to push and easy to manouver, it didn't feel quite as long as the Red Castle - although that might have just been how it felt! It was a little bit wider though and some doorways were a slight squeeze. The storage was fine and the recline was easy to use. This would have been my winner if it had come with a bit more for the money. £249 is quite a lot to pay if you then have to buy all the essentials such as a raincover on top.

This was my least favourite of the strollers. I found it quite hard to push - Jayden isn't that heavy, but seemed it when I pushed hime in this! It seemed to veer off to one side too which didn't help. Having said that I did think it had good storage and was really narrow which would make it is easy to get in and out of shops etc, although could mean it has a limited span of use, I'm not sure how comfortable Jayden would be in this at a year and a half. I'm also not sure I'd feel that comfortable 'off-roading' with this pushchair though as it simply didn't feel sturdy enough for that kind of action! It is at the lower end of the budget compared to the other two strollers tested and this is reflected in the price but also in the quality I think.

I liked the styling of the Hauck, although my wife wasn't as keen. It was sporty and smart with red, white and black stripes. It was easy to manoeuvre around with a good swivel wheel, although once unlocked I couldn't get it to lock again. Ciara seemed pretty comfortable in it, but was much happier without the bumper bar off than on, I think this was perhaps because it was quite a narrow seat. The bumper bar looked like it might be useful for a toddler as it had space to put a cup and snacks on. The basket underneath was big and I could cram quite a few bits we needed for a day out in it. It was easy to adjust the handle height and footrest etc with a simple button press, the recline was a toggle which again was easy to get down and up. The Hauck folded up quite small, a downside being though that the wheels don't pop off easily so you have to make sure you can fit the stroller with its wheels on in the back of your car. I do think the Hauck is value for money, but it could have been even better value if the price had also included a raincover.

I hadn't heard of Hauck until I saw this stroller, so didn't really know what to expect. Compared to the other two strollers I thought this one was a bit plasticky looking. I wasn't keen on the colours and it felt quite 'branded' with a big 'fun for kids' logo on the seat. It also looked quite small and narrow. However Tarin seemed quite happy in it - the recline was good and she fell asleep when we went out for a walk. It was ok to push and easy to move around as it is quite small. I liked the big storage underneath. The handle height was fine, but something about the stroller felt a bit unstable - I'm not sure why, maybe because it was so narrow. It was easy to fold and unfold. Although its the cheapest of the three I am still not sure I'd be that happy to pay £99 for it as it didn't come with a raincover and I think there are better strollers on the market for the price.