So what do you think when I say Swingball to
you? Personally it took me right back to being in my back garden in the early 80's when I was about 10 years old. It was definitely something that was part of my upbringing, banging that ball round as fast as I could to see if I could bash my little brother with it! I now see that was probably not the idea of it though...
A couple of years back JJ was given a Junior Swingball (the same but smaller) and I admit that I thought it was a rubbish present, it stayed in the garden and when my Mum got a dog he took a liking to it and bit the ball up so it never really got used properly but what I know now was that we did not give it a chance, I made a judgement call before we even gave it a fair shot.
So a few months ago when I was helping at our Church's youth group and they got out a full size Swingball, it was really interesting to watch all these 12 - 16 year olds playing with such zeal, they had so much fun and then I had a game too and I had fun and you know what it was so energetic. Exercise in the form of fun - perfect! So when I got an email asking if I would like to review a full size Swingball set I jumped at the chance and I was right to do so, the kids all loved it.
As my kids are still fairly young I constructed the swingball minus one of the lengths so it is a short version, I love the fact that it is versatile to be able to do this. It meant that both my 4 year olds could
play and even though the bats were big for them they were able to hold them and gently bash the ball around.
JJ and I played a more ferocious game and really had some fun. Next time we meet friends for a picnic day at the park I will definitely take this along so we can all have some fun together, you could even have tournaments like you might in snooker. The winner stays on and plays the next person.... well until they are too tired! JJ was in his element batting a ball at high speed towards his Mum!
Take a look at the all surface swingball we were sent HERE, you can watch a video to see how it works in practice if you are not sure. The Swingball game is produced by Mookie Toys, who are a classic brand with a heritage stretching back more than 30 years and Swingball is officially one of the top ten best-selling toys of the last 10 years. What they say about Swingball: The fully portable game is perfect for outdoor events, holiday fun and picnics. With its unique lid and base construction, all the game components can be stored inside and the integral handle makes it easy to pick up and play... anywhere! It’s fun, interactive and great for all age-groups and genders.
It is true, it really is very portable, setting the swingball up was easy and quick and I was able to pack it all away again too, something that companies often boast about but is practically impossible to do. Not so with Swingball the promises they make seem honest. We used some old rubble to fill our base to make it sturdy but they advocate water or sand. It just shows that all sorts work.
If you are interested to buy a Swingball for your family they are available from all good toy retailers or you can purchase from Amazon for the great price of £22.99 currently. The RRP is £29.99 which I think is good value for a game that will last years. However if you don't have any spare pennies at the moment you can enter my giveaway to win an All Surface Swingball just like the one we have.
How to Enter
- Mandatory: Follow my review blog by any means that suits you - Google friends connect, subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe by email. All the gadgets are in the right side-bar. Leave me a comment to say you have done so and a way of contacting you if you are the lucky winner.
- Extra entry - Tweet 'I am in to #win a Swingball set from @MookieToys in @MichelleTwinMum's #giveaway http://bit.ly/qgr4uW'
- The winner will be chosen at random
- Open to UK residents only
- Giveaway closes at 12 noon on Friday 9th September 2011
- The winner will be contacted within 3 working days of the competition closing
- The winner needs to contact me within a week of my announcing the winner or I will draw again
- The prize is not transferable and there is no cash alternative
- The Swingball set will be sent direct from Mookie Toys
This is a review and giveaway post, I was provided with a Swingball set to review. I was not instructed what to write, my opinions are my own and I remain honest.