Okay, so right off the bat, I’m going to say in defense of myself and protection of mothers everywhere: don’t just buy mum something from Poundland, unless you’re in such financial difficulties that you’ve had to pick the pennies up off the street to scrape together the one pound, okay? If that’s the case, I’m sure the thought would be appreciated. If it’s not the case, maybe add one of these to your ‘real’ gift. Kind of like a stocking filler gift. You know?

But really, there are some pretty nice little trinket-y goodies and add-ons on offer at Poundland for… you guessed it…. a Pound.

• Head over to Poundland for Mother’s day bargains

If your mum keeps cards on display then files them away for years to come, don’t buy one of the Mother’s Day cards from Poundland. If she keeps it for the afternoon before recycling it – go for it.

For the mum who likes being in the kitchen, there’s a cute  ‘Fab Mum’ Apron and Oven Glove set or you can find an assortment of ladies scarves or even a handy ‘Best Mum’ foldaway reusable shopping bag that would be perfect filled with favourite chocolates. Speaking of which, you can’t really go wrong with Thornton’s Classic or Ferrero Rocher, can you? Or how about Toblerone… mum will never know you only paid a quid for it.

While you don’t really want to skimp on your mother – who, after all, endured x hours of labour with you ( ;) ) – you don’t have to break the bank either… spoiling doesn’t have to be expensive!

Thanks to lucerysmum at HUKD

This is a great little buy for party bags and similar. Or who knows - put some away for next year's Christmas stocking! These Sticky Toy Story 3 With Target cost just £1 each at Poundland.

• Click here for your Sticky Toy Story 3 toys at Poundland

This toy is a game. You stick the target on a window, place the image on the target, and then throw the sticky at the target. The fun comes from being able to challenge all your friends. The winner is the person who catches the most pictures.

There's very little information on the website. From the look of the pack, it seems you get just one sticky toy in each package. It doesn't say what toys from the movie are available - it could be that all of them are. Strangely the pictured pack on the website has an Octopus thing in it, rather than a more familiar Woody or Buzz toy. I'm actually a bit stuck trying to remember an Octopus character in the movie. So I figure that the Octopus is the sticky bit for the window, and the Toy Story Character is what you get on the image you can collect.

Click on the button on the website to find your nearest story to pick some up. At least then you'll be able to have a look at which ones you're getting.

Thanks to TEMP11 at HUKD!

Poundland is selling this ace Christmas Cracker Making Set for a mere £1, which is pretty darn good when you consider how much Christmas crackers cost now days. This kit lets you make up to six mini Christmas crackers for only £1, this means you are only paying 16p a Christmas cracker.

• Click here to get making with Poundland

The kid’s Christmas cracker making kit from Poundland includes six crackers that are white so you can colour them in like a colouring book and really personalise them. The crayons to do this are included in the set.

The Christmas cracker making kit also has six snaps to make the bang, six hats, six jokes and several curling ribbons to really add some shine and sparkle to your designs. You also get a pack of assorted sequins and gems, some stickers and some pencils.

I wouldn’t advise this Christmas cracker making kit for anyone under 36 months as they’ll probably eat everything, but overall this is a pretty good deal for anyone who fancies doing something a little different this year.

Thanks to FoX5 at HUKD!

The price of these cover-all bibs at Poundland should not come as a huge surprise to you. Yes, they are only £1 and you can nab yourself several of these at your nearest store. For this price they are a brilliant buy because they can be used for weaning, painting, colouring, dribbling and so much more.

• Click here to get dribbling with Poundland

I love the price on these because they can be used for pretty much anything you want and your heart won’t get broken when they stain, rip, tear or fall apart. And for £5 you can have quite a few of these to last you throughout the week.

This is also a money save because it will keep your child’s good clothes clean thus giving them more life and less chance of being turned into tattery cloths thanks to stubborn stains. These bibs were a staple in our house and I had some for painting, some for feeding and some for playing outside in. They can be washed in the machine and last for ages.

Thanks to sb123 at HUKD!

It’s holidays again, and I know most of us are desperately looking for ways to entertain the kids. Mine isn’t even at school yet, but most of our play centres and toddler groups have shut for the summer holidays, so we’re in the same boat!

For those of you lucky enough to be spending summer somewhere that you’re sure to have sunshine, we’ve reviewed some of the ‘summer essentials’ from Poundland. PlayPennies mum Tabitha was happy to let us use her little girl as a tester for the range, so read on to see how they got on with it.

No Summer is complete without a pair of flip flops, so first up were a pair of spotty purple flip flops for mum, and a cute and sparkly pair for Hayley.

Tabitha says “They are good old fashioned flops that have thick soles and are perfect for summer fun and getting out and about.” She did have to stick a plaster between her toes – and Hayley’s – but, she says, “…if you didn’t have flipflop-toe- blisters it would take away the true flavour of summer.”

Despite their price, the flip flops lasted the whole time they were testing them, and Tabitha felt rather confident that they would last the whole summer, and maybe even on to be used again next year. Hers, anyway – Hayley will probably have outgrown them by then!

Tabitha rates these a good 9/10 for value for money, and an 8/10 for quality. As she said, it’s not Prada, but then it is only £1.

The next summer accessory on the list is the summer sunglasses for kids.

Tabitha felt these were amazing value for money. “They are too cute and definitely for kids. Huge pink pairs with diamonds, pink with sparkles, red with sparkles, plain white, plain yellow and more. There is a lot to choose from and they come in different sizes to suit different face shapes.”

These are definitely for girls, then!

Tabitha said that Hayley loved these, especially the big style ones, ala Nicole Richie, which she thought looked hilarious.

While they do apparently provide some UV protection, I must admit I’m not personally a fan of cheap sunglasses as I do worry about the effect they have on developing eyes, but on the up side, Tabitha thinks they’re great value for money “especially since you won't care if they get dropped, stood on or scratched by the sand.” And at least they’ll keep sand out of those developing eyes!

Of course, you need something to keep those flip flops and sunglasses in, and for that, Poundland have on offer a fantastic range of summery handbags.

“These are absolutely fantastic value for money and they are completely brilliant for beach holidays,” Tabitha told us.  Apparently you can fit quite a bit in these bags – a bit being relative. For example, you couldn’t fit a novel and a Kindle and your make up bag.  But you could carry your lotion, flip flops and sunglasses – or a book. It depends whose bag it ends up being.

Hayley claimed it as hers from the get-go, and Tabitha had to make her own arrangements for the beach.

“The designs are lovely and the wood circle grips too cute for words. The kids love them and my daughter has appropriated it as her very own handbag that she takes everywhere with her. It is adorable.”

Tabitha gives the handbags with wooden handles, or grips, 9/10 for value for money – losing a single point for the weave of grips, which scratches a little as it catches on to things. But for cuteness, amazing price and a great summer buy, she gives it a full on 10 out of 10.

Of course, no summer holiday is going to go by without a few rainy days indoors, so Poundland also have some fun stickers and stationary sets to keep little girls busy in doors.

The Bubble Stickers we sent Hayley were a hit. They are a cute kitty design and in the A4 page set there are bubble flowers and birds in lovely designs that Tabitha says are “really quite captivating and arty”.

They come on a pink or blue background and there are two pages per pack.

“I love these and think that they are superb value for money”.

There’s also a green superhero range and Tabitha thought these would make a great gift or a fab pass the parcel gift.

For value these got 10/10 from our PlayPennies mum, but for quality they only got seven as they didn't stick for long and wouldn’t re-stick after one application nor would they adhere to certain surfaces.

You can find your nearest Poundland by visiting the store finder on the website.

It is summertime. Honest. I know it doesn't really feel like it, especially compared to the heatwave we had back in April. But the long range forecast says we'll get some more sunshine and warm weather in August, minus the rain we've had in July.

So, taking a big risk of jinxing it all, we agreed to take a look at the summer range available at Poundland. I thought it would all be a lot of tat, to be honest. So wasn't too disappointed to hand over reviewing duties to PlayPennies mum of one Theresa.

The joke was on me it would seem, she got some really lovely stuff! So here's how she found them, and whether it's worth forking out for these items or not. Unless otherwise stated you can safely assume they're £1.

You may think I am crazy suggesting this deal but I can assure you that once you have played with one of these critters you’re going to buy more. They are enormous fun for kids and adults alike and only £1 at Poundland makes them a great deal.

• Click here to scuttle on over to Poundland

The I-Insects usually sell for around £4 and the last time I saw one a mate had been given one for his birthday and it was running rampant on the table at the pub. He got lost and somebody found him scuttling around inside a chip packet.

The I-Insects come in a variety of different designs from ladybirds to cockroaches to grasshoppers. Whichever design you like, you choose. You’ll have to go instore to nab your ace little guy but the journey is worth it. Especially if you are thinking of getting party bag fillers for older kids. These will be a huge hit. Huge.

Thanks to technomouse at HUKD!

Poundland is selling packs of 12 Super Gliders for £1. In case you've never come across these before, they're planes that you put together, and which can glide quite long distances. And kids absolutely love them! I can say this because we got a couple of packs of these for my son's birthday party. We never did get to play any other party games as the boys went nuts running around with the planes.

• Click HERE for 12 Super Gliders at Poundland

In the pack you get the three parts that make up the body of the plane, and three clear plastic parts that make up the nose, and propeller. I assume they're easy to put together because my partner did all that! Speaking from experience though,

I would say that you need to have a few ready made, to hand out to the boys while you make the rest, if you're using them as a group activity. It is, my partner found, rather stressful to try and put them together with ten six year old boys trying to climb all over you with excitement. And ten pairs of hands trying to be ever so 'helpful'.

Once they've got the planes they can launch them in the air to see how far they glide. These are not the most robust of toys. The body is made out of a sort of thin foam, so they can get bent quite easily. However, it was surprising how careful the boys where with them.

The propeller and nose are prone to falling off. But these are fairly easy to put back on again. And it is good for the boys to see the difference it makes and how necessary it is to have the right sort of weight etc on the plane to make them fly.

It only seems like yesterday we were reviewing Poundland Halloween and Christmas Goodies! 

I know Easter's not until the end of April (it's as late as it can be, bar one day, this year apparently) but even so, time is most definitely whistling by at a frantic pace.

We sent a HUGE box of Poundland Easter Goodies to PlayPennies mum, Tanya, to review on our behalf.

"Opening the box of things from the Poundland Easter Range was like Christmas all over again," Tanya commented, "there were so many things in there to discover that me and my young daughter decided to take them out via 'lucky dip'; it was so much fun."

The first thing Tanya pulled out of the box were these ridiculously CUTE Easter Farmyard Animals (£1 each)

"These were stolen by my child and have names like Piggly, Mr Duck and Squeaks; she adores them. They are incredibly soft and cuddly, really VERY cute and excellent value for money," Tanya told us.

She also said that each Farmyard Animal is about the size of an adult hand; perfect for your child to be able to take out and about without YOU feeling like you're hauling around everything including the proverbial kitchen sink.

Next up in the 'lucky-dip' were these Easter Chicks with Crowns (£1 for a pack of six) Tanya didn't 'get' these.

"I don't get these but then I am not a 'decorate the house like Christmas for Easter' kind of person," she confessed.

My ex-mother-in-law was and used to make all sorts of Easter cakes and chocolate Easter Nests with broken Shredded Wheats coated in chocolate, moulded into nest shapes, filled with chocolate mini-eggs AND these little fluffy chicks!

"Regardless," Tanya continued, "they are really cute and their legs quite sturdy. I've taken to putting them on toast and eggs in the mornings to surprise my husband.

So far he has not been overwhelmingly amused by them." What an Easter scrooge...

Next up, a Decorated Easter Bonnet (guess how much it costs....go on! That's right, £1).

Tanya wasn't impressed with the Poundland Decorated Easter Bonnet, she felt it was a bit too plasticky and wouldn't buy one.  However, her daughter LOVES it.

"The hat is a nice size and fits most heads," Tanya explained, "and my daughter loves it; she puts it on as soon as she gets home from school.

Seeing as she is the target market for this, not me, I have to say this is a winner."

Tanya made us laugh with her appraisal of the eight little Decorated Easter Eggs; they ARE very pretty and come in a little pink or yellow net bag.

"Personally I would punch anyone who gave me these plastic decorated eggs rather than a monstrous chocolate one, but I can undertand why people would love these," she said.

If you are planning an Easter party, or family gathering, then these would make lovely table decorations taken out of their bags and scattered around place settings perhaps.

Everything was going well with Tanya's Poundland Easter Goodies lucky-dip, until she and her daughter came across the Make Your Own Easter Bonnet; tears ensued.

"This is flimsy and fragile," Tanya told us, "once we had finished building it my daughter wanted to wear it all the time, she was so proud.

But after about half an hour of pre-schooler wear and tear it fell to pieces and was relegated to the bin; tears flowed. Bah Easter humbug!"

The Easter Colouring Mat was a big win in Tanya's household.

"The Easter colouring mat is brilliant," Tanya enthused.  "Not only can kids actually paint this mat for themselves but it can be washed and reused, coloured, washed and reused and coloured over and over again.

It is an excllent product and doesn't have to just be used at Easter."

The Poundland blurb for the Easter Colouring Mat also suggests that it could be used as a floor protector or Easter-themed kids table cloth.

There were lots of other arty-crafty things in the Poundland Easter Goodies box we sent to Tanya, including these Make Your Own Easter Bookmarks.

"These are fun and easy to make sure you have your own glue handy as this doesn't come with any. We enjoyed ourselves immensely making these and will definitely get this kind of thing again.

The Make Your Own Easter Bookmarks are a BARGAIN for about 30 minutes of happy sticking and creating."

Carrying on with the 'Make Your Own' theme, Tanya and her daughter had a go at making some Easter puppets.

"We made the stick puppets and not the felt ones as we were kind of swamped with stuff to make," she told us, "The stick ones also don't come with glue included so we used the standard kiddy craft glue from ELC but they kept falling apart.

They really aren't worth the tears and tantrums. A definite NO."

Tanya and her daughter, even by this time, had barely scratched the surface of all the Poundland Easter Goodies they were sent and we just don't have the time, or the word space, to go through them all.

Other Poundland Easter items included:

• Make Your Own Cross Stitch Bookmarks
• Egg painting kit
• A plain Easter Bonnet
• Character Face Masks
• Easter Bunny Ears

And finally...

On the whole Tanya was very impressed with the huge collection of Poundland Easter things she was sent.

There were a few misses among all the hits but with everything costing just £1 you really can't go too far wrong and won't be breaking the bank this Easter.

www.poundland.co.uk

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Tags: Easter, Easter Gifts, Poundland

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