Tested by mum Shilo Moody for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
I absolutely love this owl rattle. It’s cute owl design and bright colours make it really appealing to the little ones. The side wings with beads are great for small hands to hold and the base, with its numerous small holds, allows easy manipulation by the baby to move it around holding it in a different section. The big owl eyes on the brown face are a great contrast for babies to look at too. Plus at only £11 it really is good value for money… another great product from the Skip Hop range.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
Both my twins loved playing with this toy. I was able to put my son in his rocker, give him the owl and watch fascinated as he explored the toy, turning it around and looking at it all over. He loved grabbing it by the soft plastic base and seemed to enjoy moving it to hear it rattle.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
My only suggestion would be to remove the rattle and put those chime balls that tinkle nicely in it instead so it’s a nicer sound but other than that, I think it's perfect!
Tested by mum Nicky Hanglin for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
I like the Skip Hop range in general and often buy it as gifts for friends’ children. This Owl rattle toy is sweet to look at, the colours are bright and contrast well. There are lots of bits for baby to try and hold and beads for them to slide about when they have better hand control. I would probably have given it a gold star if it had been able to stand up right on its own but it won’t.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
This rattle toy did keep my baby entertained for a while although I found he really needed me to help him as it kept toppling over. He did like looking at it though and tried to hold it for a little bit. I think if he had been a little older say 6months+ he would have got a lot more out of it but I would still happily buy it as a gift.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
I think putting a small weight in the base so that it will stand up would make it more appealing to younger babies but also older ones as they would enjoy knocking it over and watching it wobble about.
Tested by mum Kelly for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
I would recommend this product to other mums as the holes in the flexible body and the teether-arms have made this toy easy for my young daughter to grasp. The flexible body is soft which we like as our child often brings the toy to her mouth/face with some force and little control. The big eyes of the owl design captures my baby’s interest. The toy is lightweight and not too bulky so easily transportable.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
This toy enables my daughter to grasp almost any part of the toy securely which means she can play with it more independently than some of her other toys. With other toys and teddies my daughter will quickly drop them as she cannot get a secure grip and I will watch over her play and constantly give the toy or teddy back. With this product my daughter is able to play with this toy until she has lost interest rather than just because she can't keep hold of it.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
Once we started using this product my initial criticisms / concerns disappeared. The colours fit well with the owl design and so far my concerns about my daughter hitting herself in the face with the hard plastic of the owl's head are unfounded. Additionally, the plastic used for the owls head, although hard, is smooth and curved, I've found this product works well for its intended purpose, specifically this toy is great at helping little hands build dexterity.
Tested by mum Natalie Leaney for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
I wouldn't recommend this product as I found it to be quite hard for my little one to play with and the design is bad. The beads could come off and be a choking hazard. This aside, my little one does seem to like it and plays with it, although he has hit himself on the head a couple of times.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
It doesn't make my life easier or better, my little one plays with it for a little while but does quite easily get bored with it.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
The whole design I think could do with being looked at, as the owl is cute, but the materials could be a little softer perhaps; possibly take the beads off.
Tested by mum Laura Holmes for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
The Explore and More Roll Around Rattle is great. It’s like 3 toys in 1. It’s a rattle, a teether and a toy to get little ones on the move. It’s brilliant for little hands as they can hold the base and the wings as both are thin enough for them to grab hold of. It’s so easy to clean and lots of colours to stimulate little minds.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
It’s a great size to pop in the nappy bag or in the pram when out and about. My son loves to bite on the green body of the owl and the orange and blue wings. It keeps him occupied because of the contrast in colours.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
Perhaps this product could play music or have another feature to improve length of play for little ones.
Tested by mum Anneli Kitson for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
It's a cute rattle with a very easy to hold soft area on the bottom. Baby seems to really enjoy chewing on the teething rings with the beads on and definitely seems to like the noise it makes when rattled. It is bright, fun and she seems attracted to the face on the front of it.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
The rattle does seem to entertain baby for a reasonable amount of time. With everything she gets her hands on at the moment, going in her mouth, it's really nice that the rattle is made from a material that does not attract fluff and hair once it's soaked in saliva!
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
Make the top half of the rattle lighter and softer as she has dropped it onto her face several times when lying down, and it is quite a heavy clonk when she does so.
Tested by mum Jenny Paige for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
I would recommend this product to a fellow Mum because it is a friendly and robust baby toy. It is brightly coloured and rattles when shaken or rolled around. The body of the owl is a soft, flexible plastic that has holes in to allow the baby to hold the toy. There are also handles on the toy to be held. The toy looks fashionable and interesting. It is a good size to be taken in the pushchair or put into a changing bag. All surfaces are wipeable so it can be cleaned easily.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
This makes my life easier as a Mum because it is a small toy that keeps my baby entertained. He is able to hold it himself as there are plenty of holes for fingers to wrap around.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
I would reduce the weight in the head so the toy could stand upright when not being held.
Tested by mum Becky Carr for the M&B Awards 2016:
Why would you recommend this product to a friend/fellow mum?
This is a great toy for my 6 month old. It is very easy for him to grasp and he is stimulated by the bright colours and the rattle sound. I really like the owl design. The bee and hedgehog design are also very sweet. It is a unique toy and stands out among my son's other baby toys.
How does this product make your life easier as a mum?
This is easy for my baby to hold and he needs minimal help from me when playing with it.
If you could change one thing about this product what would it be?
I really struggled to find fault with this, but if there was one thing, I would use a softer material for the handles on the side to make it a nicer toy for teething.