AD As Stay Active Ambassadors we will be reviewing a different product from Character Options Stay Active range each month. It is really important to me that as a family we keep active indoors and out. During lockdown and the home schooling days we definitely didn’t move around as much as we should have done and there was a particularly negative impact on my middle daughter. 

Reviewing Hip Hoppa as Stay Active Ambassadors

It is very easy to let my children spend hours on their tablets. It means they are quieter, fight less and I can get on with my work, but we are working on a better balance with less screen time. When I encourage my children off their devices they start to engage with each other better, they play more and they are more active, but the initial switch from watching videos or playing games to unstructured self led play is hard for them. To help them I like to have some toys and activities I can direct them towards to get them started which is where the Stay Active range works really well for us. 

Hip Hoppa can be used inside or out

Hip Hoppa is suitable from age 6 plus

Stay Active Ambassadors

Stay Active is a toy range from Character Options. They are designed for families to have active fun and they can be played with inside and out. They are mostly suitable for children age 6 upwards and many of them can be played with together as a family or with friends.

The toys can help improve children’s balance, coordination and reaction times. I have definitely seen this in our experience with the toys. Being active and learning new skills is also great to improve children's mental wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence.

We are excited to be Stay Active Ambassadors, alongside Olympic champion Greg Rutherford, because I believe it is really important for children to be encouraged to have fun while being active and to have fun together.

Getting the hang of it?

Maybe a bit more practice is required

Hip Hoppa Review

This week I am sharing about Hip Hoppa. The aim is to be able to balance on the small bounce platform while holding the handle and jump up and down (not the best description, but if you look at the photos it should make more sense). It’s not easy and initially we had some pretty dramatic falls, they always got straight back on for another go though. They have quickly learnt how to land on their feet when they are falling off.

My 6 year old really struggled initially and was sad thinking that she was no good at it, then when she saw that her eldest sister couldn't do it straight away either she realised it was actually something that people have to work at.  This gave her confidence to keep trying and we are starting to see progress. 

It’s essential that children wear footwear like trainers when using it and the manufacturers recommend protective equipment (helmet, knee and elbow pads) are worn. We practiced on the grass and in the lounge where we had a soft landing. 

To get started you place one foot on one side of the base while holding the handle and keeping the strap taut. You then need to get the other foot to the platform and start hopping (or jumping) before you lose your balance. If you reach the point where you intentionally want to get off you are meant to quickly take both feet off at the same time aiming to land either side of the platform. 

The Hip Hoppa is for children 6 and upwards. You can really quickly adjust the handle to make it suitable for different heights (the handle bar should come to thigh height) so it works well for children to take turns with. The maximum weight is 50kg, which sadly means I can't go on it. My 10 year old is doing better than my 6 year old as she has better balance and coordination, but they have both come along way from when they first tried.

When you open the box the ball part of the Hip Hoppa is deflated and you will need a ball pump (affiliate link) to inflate it. It's quick to do and you can be ready to play in less than a minute. 

Buy Hip Hoppa from Very, Amazon and in Supermarkets.

Bounce into summer with the Hip Hoppa from Character Options

Hip Hoppa out of the box and ready to inflate