Have Fun Outside this Spring with Chuggington Outdoor Toys {Review & Giveaway}

While this spring has shown us weather of every different variety, it appears that the majority of our upcoming days are going to be filled with sunshine and blue skies.

As well as boosting our moods and lifting our spirits, the beautiful weather has really kicked up the Let's play outside! feelings quite a few notches for my kids. Happy to oblige, we throw open the door, run out on the deck and...

Now what?

Although the girls tend to find happiness outdoors with toys or without, it never hurts to have a few of the classics on hand to give their imaginations and creativity a push. Most recently, we've been able to celebrate our time outside with four new and entertaining products from our favorite trains, Chuggington.

The addition of two Chuggington bubble toys from Little Kids, Inc. and two vinyl playballs from Hedstrom to our collection have given new life to our outdoor play. Are there kids that don't love bubbles and balls? If so, I haven't met them yet!

With no explanation needed, the girls were immediately playing with the Chuggington Vinyl Playballs and laughing over the bright colors and endless possibilities.

The classic Chuggington Vinyl Playball includes images of trainees Wilson, Brewster and Koko on the front as well as the back...

...while the "Let's Ride the Rails" Chuggington Vinyl Playball is slightly smaller in size and features a variety of bright Chuggington-themed images.

The perfect addition to any playtime, both of these vinyl playballs are fun to roll, throw, kick and bounce for just about any outdoor game. Big Sister E and Little Sister B love that they are small enough to fit well in their hands and I appreciate the durable quality that ensures that both balls have held up to calm games as well as very active ones.

When it comes to bubble toys, I think that we have owned just about every type, size and style available. However, over the years we've come to realize that not all of them are created equal and those toys that don't work well, are difficult to use or just don't end up producing bubbles never get pulled out again.

In the case of the Chuggington Bubble Train Whistle and the Chuggington Light Up Bubble Chugger, it was the exact opposite. These toys were nearly ready to use right out of the packaging and were sending bubbles soaring through the air within seconds!

The Chuggington Bubble Train Whistle is available in Wilson, Brewster and Koko shaped whistles and is just about the easiest bubble toy we've owned. As it comes with a small dip tray, you simply pour a little of the included bubble solution (it comes with a 2 oz bottle) into the tray and allow your child to dip the front of the whistle right in.

When they blow through the whistle, not only does it result in a real train whistle sound (which kids love), but a large amount of bubbles come streaming out!

This Bubble Train Whistle really couldn't be any more simple to use and both of the girls have been thrilled with their ability to have it send out so many bubbles while sounding the horn.

At the same time, they like that they don't have to deal with putting a traditional bubble wand back into a sticky jar of solution, as swirling the end of the whistle in the tray is no problem!

For even easier bubbles, the Chuggington Light Up Bubble Chuggers (also available in Wilson, Brewster and Koko varieties) are made to fit well into little hands and operate with only the touch of a button. Once I had installed three AAA batteries (not included), the girls only had to swirl the end in bubble solution in its own dip tray and press on the button conveniently located on the front of the handle.

The result is yet another long stream of bubbles that would make any child happy and provide a quick sense of accomplishment!

We've really enjoyed how lightweight this Light Up Bubble Chugger has been, making it easy for both girls to carry it near or far around the yard. As an added bonus, the included flashlight at the front gives this toy an ability to not only provide fun and entertainment in the afternoon, but as a special before-bedtime treat!

With the long summer months ahead of us, I have no doubt that we will be reaching for all four of these Chuggington toys time and again, whether at home, to bring to the park and more. Even better, as they are all quite affordable (the Chuggington Vinyl Playball retails for $2.00, the "Let's Ride the Rails" Playball for $2.50, the Bubble Train Whistle for $4.99 and the Light Up Bubble Chugger for $8.99), it won't take much to purchase enough for all of the kids in your life to participate in the fun.

The Chuggington Vinyl Playballs will be available in June 2012 at Kmart, Babies 'R Us, Target and Walgreens, while the Chuggington bubble toys are available now at LittleKidsInc.com and specialty retailers. If you have a trainee in your life that would enjoy being active outdoors with Chuggington, these items would make great gifts!

But, wait! Chuggington not only wants kids to have fun outdoors, they care about their safety as well. As the Chuggington 'Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!' campaign aims to provide safety and transportation guidance to children and families across the nation, for the month of May they are celebrating National Bike Safety Month.

This month Chuggington wants to be sure that all young trainees to know the importance of safety so that they can ride the rails (or wheels) just like their favorite Chuggers! Therefore, they are promoting and practicing bicycle safety techniques to help prevent injuries while riding a bike with tips such as:

• Always wear your helmet and make sure to buckle your chin strap.
• Ride only with an adult.
• Don't ride in the street.

And more! For more bicycle safety tips, be sure to head over to the 'Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!' campaign with your child this spring.

Thanks to the generosity of Chuggington, one person will be prepared for a safe, bouncing, bubble-filled good time in the upcoming months as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Bubble Train Whistle, Light Up Bubble Chugger and two Chuggington Vinyl Playballs!

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below. If you have any questions or problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Chuggington for providing these four outdoor toys for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.