Hop Into Spring with New Games from Wonder Forge

March 31, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure: The games from Wonder Forge mentioned below were provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

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We are a game loving family. There’s not a whole lot better than a game night with some great snacks while spending time with the family. I love that Wonder Forge has created some wonderful games that help instill in our children the love of games.

About Wonder Forge:

In 2007, Jacobe Chrisman (Founder & CEO) and a small group of creative types with a passion for children’s entertainment came together to develop extraordinarily fun, original play experiences for kids and families.

Since it was originally launched, Wonder Forge has always offered top-quality experiences, raising the bar for preschool and family games everywhere. The preschool games help to celebrate the “can do”  attitude in all kids – engaging them physically, socially, and creatively. The family games bridge generation gaps and create wholesome family moments and lasting memories.

Wonder Forge additionally always works to create strong, long-lasting partnerships with licensors. This is wonderful when your children love certain characters.

Today, Wonder Forge makes over 85 games that have won more than 160 top awards for product excellence. They are sold nationwide and in over 11 countries.

About The Games:

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Doc McStuffins Mix Up! Fix Up! Game: 

Can you cure the mystery boo-boo like Doc McStuffins? Use deduction to figure out what will help Lambie, Stuffy, Chilly, and friends feel all better! Collect the most bandages to win. Put your problem solving skills to the test with this clever guessing game. 
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Awesome Kidz Bop 28 CD

March 21, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure: The Kidz Bop 28 CD mentioned below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.
Kids Bop 28

I’m sure that you all remember by now how much my girls love to listen to their Kids Bop cds. They were so excited to be able to try out the brand new cd. There are some great new songs on this cd that the girls really enjoy jamming out to.

About Kidz Bop:

Kidz Bop records kid-friendly versions of today’s biggest pop music hits. They release two major numbered albums each year. They also release a themed album in the spring.

Who sings on the Kidz Bop albums?

The Kidz Bop kids sing on the kidz bop albums. For four consecutive years (2010-2013), Billboard magazine has named the Kidz Bop Kids the “#1 Kids Artists” in the U.S. !

Who are the Kidz Bop Kids and how does Kidz Bop cast the group?

Meet the new Kidz Bop kids – Ashlynn, Bredia, Grant, Jayna, and Matt! Kidz Bop recently held a nationwide casting call to find a new group of talented young performers to sing on the Kidz Bop albums, star in TV commercials & music videos and travel North America as part of the Kidz Bop Kids live tour. Thousands of kids across the country try out and only 5 are picked.
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Fantasy Playthings for Children

March 18, 2015 by 3 Comments

Kids need to spend time in their own imaginations, creating worlds and scenarios of their own design.   Children who engage in imaginative play are shown to have better vocabularies, better cognitive flexibility, more creativity, and increased creative performance both on and off the job into their adult years.  They are also more flexible, able to consider other’s opinions, and adapt better in many situations.  Fantasy play is also just a lot of fun- here are a few of our current favorites.

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Safari LTD makes  a wide variety of figurines that are perfect for imaginative play.  No matter whether your child likes to pretend they are on a farm, in a faraway land, under the sea, or with mythical creatures (or maybe a mash up of the above), they can find fun new friends they will enjoy playing with for years.  Sturdy, with realistic painting and anatomies (of course, even the dragons!) these toys can take a tumble and look no worse for the wear.  They are fun to collect, but don’t need to stay on a shelf to be enjoyed.  You can find creatures in all shapes and sizes at https://www.safariltd.com/

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HABA puppets are great for children of any age (HABA recommends age 1 and up, but as they are soft with no loose parts or buttons, younger would be OK in my opinion as well).  They are soft-bodied with sewn-on faces and easy to manipulate parts.  These simple and cute puppets are basic use- one finger holds up the head, one moves one arm/hand, another moves the other.  They have many smiling, friendly faced choices that will give your kids many happy hours of theater-show creations.  There are also themes you can get in a set (one by one) such as Red Riding Hood, royal family, and more.  Finger puppets are also available. I have machine washed and hung-to-dry mine, which as any parent knows, is a bonus with messy kids who love to play.  Most puppets are about $15, see http://www.habausa.com for choices.
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Transformers Robots in Disguise New TV Show

March 10, 2015 by 8 Comments

There is a new kids TV show coming out called Transformers Robots in Disguise, a new take on a classic show.  The premiere is Saturday, March 14 at 6pm. Following the premiere, new episodes will be seen every Saturday starting on March 21st at 6:30am on Cartoon Network.

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With every fun show comes a great toy line- and since Transformers is already so established (my husband and brothers played with them- and my husband still does- back in the 80’s, and my son loves them now) with great toys that transform as well as blockbuster movies and television shows spanning decades, you know this will be a hit.  We watched the first two episodes of “Transformers Robots in Disguise”, and my son loved them and is excited for the new show.  I won’t divulge too much information, but the show had a Japanese animation feel (think Pokemon-ish) to the art, and BumbleBee takes the lead from what we saw. This was just fine by my son, who likes the Bee the best. You will see some of your favorites as well as be introduced to many new characters, both human and “bot”.  The first two episodes also leave some large questions unanswered, so we ourselves will be tuning in to see what’s going on.
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Sarah Tilton’s Car Seat Installation Tips and WIN a Britax Advocate ClickTight car seat

March 2, 2015 by 182 Comments

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Car Seat Installation Tips:

  • It is important to follow the user manuals from both the child car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer in order to achieve a proper installation.
  • Use a car seat that makes installation as simple as buckling a seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of every four car seats are installed incorrectly. To address this concerning fact, the new ClickTight installation technology in Britax convertible car seats gives any caretaker the confidence to correctly and securely install these seats in just a few easy steps.
  • The safest place for your child in any vehicle is in the back seat. The center of the rear seat is preferable to outboard (window) positions — as long as you can achieve a tight installation — because it is the farthest from a side impact. Research has shown that children under the age of 3 have a 43 percent lower risk of injury when restrained in the center of the rear seat compared with the rear outboard positions. However, keep in mind that if you’re not able to install your car seat in the center position, a properly installed car seat in an outboard position will still provide excellent protection for your child during a crash.
  • Tips to avoid loose car seat installation:
  • After installation, grasp the seat near the belt path to check for excessive movement, which is movement of more than one inch side-to-side or front-to-back at the belt path.
  • If you have trouble installing your car seat securely, try the following:
    • Install the car seat in another seating position in your vehicle. For example, if you can’t install it securely in the rear center seat, try an outboard position.
    • Install the car seat using another installation method. For example, if you’re not able to get a secure installation using the LATCH system, try to install with the vehicle seat belt and tether.
  • The process of seating and removing your child along with the motion from your vehicle moving can shake your child seat loose over time. This makes it critical to check the fit often and reinstall your child seat periodically.
  • Using a technology like ClickTight, which uses seat belts for installation, also eliminates any parental worry about the 65-pound LATCH capacity and when to switch a growing child away from it.

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Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Video Game

March 2, 2015 by 5 Comments

Disclosure- we received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.

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My son and his friend, trying the game out in the Nintendo store.

Nintendo has a quite a few classic characters but few are as fun as their pink fluffy one, Kirby. Kirby is the pink, round guy with a vacuum mouth, for those who don’t know. There is a new Kirby game by Nintendo, which is available now. The game is called Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and brings Kirby into a new style of game play, clay. The clay style is really neat, and must be seen in action. The animation smooth and seamless. It is like playing a cartoon of years ago like Gumby in game version. However, this cartoon stars our favorite little pink guy- Kirby.
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Hungry Caterpillar Booster Seat from Creative Baby

February 28, 2015 by 3 Comments

Disclosure: The Hungry Caterpillar Booster Seat from Creative Baby mentioned below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

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When you are always on the go with young kids there are some things that you really need that make life easier. Having a booster seat that you can easily pack up in the car with you is a must have if you are traveling with a young child, especially if you are going somewhere that doesn’t have children. The Hungry Caterpillar Booster Seat from Creative Baby.

About Creative Baby: 

Creative Baby is the creator of the interactive foam mats known as the iMat line, which are made of interlocking soft sections that magically become interactive when used with the company’s patented Voice Pen.

Creative Baby believes in stimulating children’s minds through fun and engaging activities. It’s the first step in unlocking their creative potential. Creative Baby develops products to excite and entertain, to challenge and delight. The unique line of product cultivates a true love of play in children, and empowers parents to encourage and participate in their child’s creative development.

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The Tale of the Proud Chicken – book for kids

February 11, 2015 by 7 Comments

The latest book in the Tales of Little Overhill series is now available.  The new book, Tale of the Proud Chicken is a fun read for kids that also gives a moral.  It has a good plot that kids can benefit from, learn from, and enjoy as well.  The images are beautiful, and having animals as the main characters is fun for children.

pic4I first read this to my son, then sent it in with him to his school.  His class really enjoyed the book, and they thought that the chicken was funny and silly.  They liked the chicken’s adventures, and were relived when he went back home.  Being a bunch of 7 year olds, they all pointed out that he wasn’t really a proud chicken, but a proud rooster- which is true, little rats, lol.  After we read the story, we tried to guess what Bible story The Proud Chicken was most like.
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