Tuesday 14 July 2015

Wicked Uncle Birthday Treats

Last month L turned 2.

She had a Gruffalo cake, a family birthday tea, a trip to In the Night Garden Live and a fair few presents.

We were asked if we would like to review a new gift website called Wicked Uncle and its timing with the aforementioned birthday made it a perfect opportunity. 

Wicked Uncle is a gift buying website, aimed at uncles, aunts or hapless friends buying presents for children when they might not have much experience or knowledge of appropriate childrens gifts.


The website is easy to navigate if, as mentioned above, if you don't have much experience in present buying for small children. The home page gives clear directions to boys or girls toys for ages 1 - 10. I browsed a few different age groups and saw a mix mix of toys with some over laps of things which cross the age divide. 

My only real issue with this format when I browsed it for L was that the train set I was looking for was listed only under boys toys. I am not a strict gender neutral toy purchaser, L has her fair share of babies, all pink, and accessories. But I do like to buy a range of toys for her. The message that trains are only liked by boys is an incorrect one to be sending out. The skills and imaginative play opportunities presented by trains are equally beneficial to boys as to girls. 

So I ordered a wonderful My First Train Set and Magnetic Building blocks, both from Brio, for L. I chose the gift wrap service, I did not sign up for the birthday reminder service, but this would be very handy if you have a host of small children, god children etc to buy for every year. 

The turn around on the gift arriving was so swift it arrived when I was out and not expecting it! This resulted in a trip to the collection office, and the quick un doing of the parcel in the collection office so the present would fit under the push chair. I've no pictures but the present was well protected with ample bubble wrap. The wrapping was also very well done. 


The presents joined L's other gifts and awaited the birthday girl waking up. 


The wrapping was done well, but not too well that L couldn't get in by herself. The paper range for wrapping was good with both gender and non gender specific options. The presents were also labeled for L saying Happy Birthday which is a nice touch. 

Over all we were very pleased to work with Wicked Uncle. The toy range is good and varied with a range of toy brands represented. I like the emphasis on wooden and slow toys. Initial reservations about gender searches have, I've been reasured, addressed in recent improvements made to the site. The presents arrived well wrapped and well protected. I think that many Aunts and Uncles will enjoy using the site and find it really helpful. 

L has certainly enjoyed her gifts from Wicked Unlce. 









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