Scanimalz Review & Giveaway

May 30, 2013 by 16 Comments

I received the Scanimalz Purple Bear plush character, in order to facilitate her review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.
scanimalz

I am always on the lookout for a new, creative iPad activities for myself, my students, and my daughters. I was very excited to give Scanimalz a try. Not only was it a creative app for kids & adults, but it also comes with an adorable plush character.

About Scanimalz:

Scanimalz are the cute, cuddly plush characters with QR codes on their adorable soft bellies. Scanimalz, from Wicked Cool Toys, capture what kids love – cuddly toys, technology, and playing games on smart phones and tablets! There are more than 30 plush Scanimalz characters to choose from. Kids will love to collect [Read more…]

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How to Help Kids Adjust to a New Neighborhood When You Move

May 30, 2013 by 1 Comment

Whether your kids are young or old (or they span a wide age range) you’re bound to face some issues when it comes to uprooting them. Forcing them to move away from the family, friends, and home they’ve always known, taking them out of the schools and other locales they’re familiar with, and plopping them down in a foreign place where they don’t know their way around and they have no friends is bound to raise their ire. And you’ll have to help them deal with a slew of negative emotions, possibly including anger, frustration, depression, helplessness, sadness, and fear. They may experience some or all of these, but mostly they’ll probably be confused about how to feel. As a parent you face the unfortunate prospect of watching your kids suffer for your decisions. But you’re not without means of helping them through this difficult process. There are several steps you can take to make the move easier on your kids so they can more quickly adjust to their new surroundings.

kids moving

The first thing you’ll probably want to do is prepare your kids for what’s to come, and this entails having a family meeting before you move to talk through the process. When children know what to expect they can temper their fears and anxieties. This will also give them a chance to discuss their [Read more…]

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Swimways Swim Steps Product Guide #SwimSteps

May 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

As you probably remember, I was lucky enough to be able to be a part of the Swimways Swim Step Program for the summer. I wanted to share a few things with you as the official start of summer was just upon us.

As we just finished up with Memorial Day weekend and have really gotten our summer plans into full swing, we wanted to make sure that water safety is remaining in the minds of families as they head to the lake, pool, and barbecues. Mario Vittone recommends that families read the National Drowning Prevention Alliance’s Pool Safety Tips before they head out for the summer.

I would also like to share with you the products that help support each step of the Swim Steps program.

Step 1: Water Introduction – “It’s my first time in the pool!”

Spring FloatSwim Step 1 helps support young children as they are introduced to the water, helping them to stay comfortable and happy.

I received the Baby Spring Float. For ages 9-24 months. The cost is $25.95. The comfort and convenience of the Original Baby Spring Float is now available with three new styles for the summer. It is designed with a mesh play space perfect for playing with toys and splashing. There are 2 inflation chambers and [Read more…]

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5 Tips for Traveling Internationally With Children

May 28, 2013 by 8 Comments

Traveling anywhere with kids can be a trial, even if you’re only making your weekly trip to the grocery store. But when you have to keep children calm and collected throughout the duration of an international flight, you’ll no doubt find that your difficulties increase exponentially. At least when you’ve got them strapped in the car for a road trip, you’re the only one who has to live with their discomfort and the tantrums it can produce. When you’re stuck on an airplane, everyone has to deal with the repercussions associated with fussy kids. And the situation can get pretty ugly if you’re unable to rein in your tots. Luckily, there are steps to ensure that your trip goes a little more smoothly, despite the fact that your kids are unused to sitting still for several hours at a stretch. Here are some tips to keep your kids calm and to carry on when you take an international trip.

international travel with kids

  1. Identification. For the safety of your kids and for your own peace of mind, it’s important that you tag all family members with appropriate identification. This could mean strapping an I.D. bracelet on each child’s wrist or equipping them with a lanyard that features a plastic pocket to store a printout of pertinent data (including their name, any allergies, and of course, a means of contacting you if your child is found). You might also want to carry a current (and clear) photo of each child on you (school pictures are a good option) just in case one of them wanders off or gets snatched in the busy and crowded airport or while you are abroad. Hey, kids are prone to wandering [Read more…]
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New Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi Toys

May 28, 2013 by 5 Comments

umi zoomiWith warmer weather, comes more time playing outside. More time outside means dirtier kids, and what does that mean? Yep- bathtime. Some kids are not thrilled with that part of their daily routine, but some fun new bath buddies can change that tune quickly.

umi zoomi toysCheck out the new Team Umizoomi bath squirters. These squirters are perfect for little hands, aged 2-5. They are easy to fill up and just squeeze them for a small jet of water. Each pack comes in a set of three character squirter. One set includes three of your child’s best buds from Umi Zoomi.

bubble gupp guitar

Next up are some Bubble Guppies toys. First of which is the Fin-tastic Guitar. With over 20 songs, phrases and sound effects [Read more…]

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Around the World – Fun filled Trivia for the Globally Minded

May 24, 2013 by 2 Comments

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Geography, Culture & Customs, Language, People & Places around the world! Test your knowledge and have fun doing it! The Trivia kids game Around the World is jam packed with fun!

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Here’s my take on the game from the moment we got it. It’s a lot in a box, it seems overwhelming for kids at first ( this game is for ages 8+) Each stack of cards is for a different category and are all color coded. While it looks like a lot, it’s easily kept neat and the kids picked up on how to play it after a few rounds. This is a game pretty much for children who already know names of Countries and places, People, some Culture as well as Geography plus more. It’s very difficult for the kids who don’t know much about these things and it’s not as fun for the younger ones so I really suggest keeping this for the older kids. You can learn a long as you play, so far my kids and their friends
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2013 Strider ST-4 Balance Bike Review

May 18, 2013 by 5 Comments

Balance BikeMost of my favorite childhood memories involve my bicycle. I know that I cycled through a few different ones when I was young, but I always had a favorite bike. I am really hoping to pass on the love that I have of bicycles to my daughters. When I was given the opportunity to try out Strider ST-4, I was thoroughly excited.

About Strider:

Mission Statement: “At Strider, we love riding bikes, and we love inspiring kids to ride. Our mission is to build lightweight, efficient, all-terrain bikes that develop two-wheeled balance, coordination, and confidence in children.”

Strider Sports International designs efficient, no-pedal balance bikes that encourage Toddlers to ride, learn, and explore the world on two wheels.

Strider was founded in Rapid City, South Dakota in January 2007. Their goal is to simplify a bike to its essence.

strider Balance Bike

 

About Strider ST-4 No Pedal Balance Bike:

“The Strider ST-4 is the culmination of many years of design improvements. We take the rider experience seriously at Strider Sports and think the latest iteration of our flagship product is the best performing and safest balance bike to ride on the market.”–Ryan McFarland, CEO of Strider Sports International.

The wonderful think about STRIDER bikes is the fact that if your toddler can walk, they can cruise over dirt, grass, and pavement easily. They are thoroughly [Read more…]

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Little Green Trike Shoe Company ‘Jody White Mary Jane’ Review & Giveaway

May 16, 2013 by 27 Comments

littlegreentrikeI personally am a shoe lover, and so I definitely love finding adorable shoes for my girls. Look at the Jody White Mary Janes pictured above, I am sure that you think that they are just as adorable as I do. These shoes are from the Little Green Trike Shoe Company, which has a lot of great shoes for girls and boys alike.

About Little Green Trike Shoe Company:

The Little Green Trike Shoe Company is the creation of Andi Jensen and Julie Larsen with a passion for fine children’s wear. They carry as well as create the original, high-quality Squeaky-Feet shoes, Sophisticates, Stompers, School Squeaks, and a new line of bigger kiddo shoes, Sprouting Up.

The shoes are made of the finest qualities of materials. Each of the shoes has a soft “Squeak” that helps kids learn to walk with proper heal-to-toe movement. Not to mention the fact that kids love the sounds that they make, and parents can easily keep track of where their child is.

The shoes are available in toddler sizes 3-10. This Spring they just came out with the new ‘Sproutin’ Up’ line for bigger kids with sizes 11-1 and no squeak.

The shoes have been recognized in some medical circles as promotin proper heel-to-toe toddlin’. [Read more…]

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