Fun Things is already unwrapping the hottest toys for the 2018 holiday season.  We wanted to share our favorites for the 2018 holidays.

Fun Things recommends items we really like and hope you will like too. Just so you know, Fun Things does have affiliate relationships. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue.


Build and recreate a magical fantasy realm from the Harry Potter movies with this detailed 4-Level LEGO 75954 Hogwarts great Hall Harry Potter building kit, featuring a fireplace, benches, tables and reversible house banners, plus the grand staircase tower with a spiral staircase, potions room, treasure room, sorting hat, mirror of erised and lots of magical artifact accessory elements. This fantasy role-playing castle toy includes 10 mini figures and buildable basilisk and Fawkes creatures, plus Hedwig and scabbard figures.



Open up the NEW Ryan's World Gold Mystery Egg to find tons of surprises! Including vehicles, LIMITED EDITION figures, playful slime and putty and more! What will Kids find in this EPIC egg? Includes 1 Ryan's World Gold Egg





Who's ready to rock? This musical octopus sure is! With three ways to play, Think & Learn Rocktopus helps kids explore a variety of musical styles while learning about different instruments, rhythmic patterns, and more. Rocktopus comes with 15 musical instruments for preschoolers to mix (and remix) and let their creativity flow! Download the free Rocktopus app and let your mini-maestro create their own music videos with their new composing pal! Inspiring little learners to be big thinkers. Instruments & Facts: Rocktopus helps kids discover how different instruments sound, explore fun musical facts and even lets them compose their own tunes! Rhythmic Patterns: When preschoolers create music with Rocktopus, they're counting and creating patterns. Rocktopus teaches other math concepts too, like addition and subtraction. Attention & Listening Skills: Young "composers" follow directions from Rocktopus during fast-paced games that help develop attention skills.
The Nerf Laser Ops Pro DeltaBurst blaster gives players everything they need to face off in head-to-head live-action laser battles right out of the box!* The DeltaBurst blaster fires a multi-shot IR burst with each pull of the trigger and registers hits with lights and sounds. An LCD screen on the back displays health status and ammo capacity. Designed with unlimited ammo, the blaster has a quick-reload button to replenish the supply. Select to face off in a team or free-for-all. Adjust for the environment with the indoor-outdoor switch. Battlers can amp up their play via the Nerf Laser Ops app by using the included armband* to wear a smartphone device (not included) on their arm. In the app, they can access real-time battle intel that allows them to customize the blaster, track their performance, earn power-ups, and locate opponents during battle. Attach included solo attachment to the blaster for single-player battling with the app.







Om nom nom! Cookie Monster is here, and this furry blue monster is hungrier than ever! Little ones can unleash their appetite for fun by pretending to feed the plush Cookie Monster his favorite snack - a cookie! He will respond with silly sayings when kids pretend to feed him the cookie, such as “Me love cookie” and “One more cookie please!” Hungry for more fun? Squeeze Cookie Monster's belly to hear more silly phrases, his iconic belly laugh, and to hear him sing a song! Toy is for kids 18 months old and up.

Special delivery! Welcome the newest residents of Smooshyville — the Smooshy Mushy Babies! Each Smooshy Mushy Baby comes with a scented, slow-rising squishy Baby & Plushie, name tag, sticker, mini bottle, birth certificate with collector’s poster, and Smooshy bottle with magic disappearing milk!




It's Doc McStuffins to the pet rescue! the newest theme on the acclaimed Disney Junior series, Doc McStuffins, is pet rescue! with the new Doc McStuffins pet rescue mobile, kids can race to save the pets of McStuffins ville – just like Doc! designed for on-the-go care, the pet rescue mobile is equipped with lights, music, phrases, and play medical tools and accessories, including a pretend EKG reader, talking stethoscope and light & sound control panel that locates pets in need! Doc's adorable pet friend Oliver is included, and kids will love helping Oliver feel better by checking his heartbeat and diagnosing boo-boos with the light-up play x-ray display! ages 3+



An ultimate rescue needs an ultimate vehicle! Save the day with Marshall’s Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck! This vehicle is equipped with an extendable 2 ft. tall ladder, flashing lights, and sounds – it’s ready for anything! To activate, simply lift and pull! The adventure begins with Marshall (figure included) in the lookout cab. Lift open the top to help Marshall leap into action! Using the water cannon launcher at the bottom of the cab, you can send up to three water cannons (included) flying into the fire! When Marshall needs a helping paw, there’s room for all six pups (not included) aboard this fire truck! With Skye behind the wheel and Zuma operating the water cannon at the back of the truck, Marshall can hop into the Mini Fire Cart! Stored inside the fire truck, the Mini Fire Cart rolls right into action! The Ultimate Fire Truck also features a mini fire hose for small missions. When you and Marshall spot a baby animal in trouble, use the extendable working claw arm to pick them up and lift them to safety. Take the pups on exciting new adventures with the Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck!

Below is a list of parades, events, and fireworks in the Chester County area. Don't forget the Wawa Welcome America celebration in Philadelphia that includes a parade on July 4th, concerts, and outdoor movies. Click here for the calendar of events in Philadelphia.

Please let me know if I forgot any and I will add them to the list. Happy 4th of July!

Earlier this spring Legoland Discovery Center opened at the Plymouth Meeting Mall.  Recently my family and I were invited to check out this new addition to the area.

Before you go
To save some money and to skip the lines you should order your tickets before you leave home at Legoland Discovery Center. If you purchase tickets at home you will guarantee  Legoland is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you want to purchase your tickets when you arrive at Legoland you can do that too.  Legoland is located in the Plymouth Meeting Mall and it's very easy to get to via 476 or 76. Allow yourself 2 to 3 hours to experience everything at Legoland.




What to check out

• LEGO® NINJAGO Training Camp: Train through interactive build challenge activities to improve your flexibility, agility, ingenuity and LEGO brick building skills to help protect NINJAGO from its marauding enemies. Complete your training in the NINJAGO Laser Maze.
• Pirate Adventure Island: Go on a swashbuckling quest in the soft play area aboard an LEGO-themed pirate ship. Adventure through whimsical scenarios as you climb the rigging, walk the plank, capture the flag or escape down the slide to make it ashore to the island’s castle.
• LEGO® Friends: Tell a story with Andrea, Mia, Olivia, Stephanie and Emma as you add your own creations to the colorful LEGO® Heartlake City.
• Earthquake Tables: Visitors can build their own LEGO skyscrapers and see if their creations can survive the shaking earthquake-stimulating tables.
• DUPLO® Park: Little builders can let their imaginations loose in our DUPLO® Park. Build a colorful DUPLO flower for the farmer's garden, climb up a small hill and slide down the other side or play on our special big soft bricks. 
• MINILAND®: See iconic Philadelphia landmarks recreated from nearly 1.5 million LEGO bricks.
• Imagination Express: An interactive LEGO ride that takes visitors on an adventure that starts at Brick Station and goes from a soapy bath all the way to outer space.
• LEGO 4D Cinema: Guests will be on the edge of their seats as an incredible action adventure unfolds in 3-D before their very eyes. The film comes to life in the fourth dimension as flurries of wind, rain, lightning and even snow burst into the auditorium!
• LEGO Racers - Build & Test: Let your imagination take over as you build your vehicle and take it to the ramps. Test your car and see how you can make it go faster! Once you have built the ultimate race car, time its speed on our test track. With times recorded to the hundredth of a second, it might be a close competition between you and your friends.

Extras
Birthday Party Rooms
Cafe
Legoland Store
Daily Creative Workshops offered




What We Love
We fell in love with the miniland of Philadelphia.  We could have spent hours finding all of the iconic Philadelphia buildings.  My husband got a kick out of finding the building he works in made out of Legos.
As a mom of daughters, I loved the section of the discovery center that had Lego Friends since they are a favorite in our house.
I also liked how they had something for everyone to keep families happy and busy while visiting and exploring Legoland Discovery Center.




For more information: https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com

Location: Plymouth Meeting Mall, West Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 This event is appropriate for: 3 and older

Cost: $24


Disclosure Thank you to Legoland Discovery Center Philadelphia for arranging for our complimentary visit to facilitate this review. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.