Sparkup Reader–Outstanding Toy for Kids

Disclosure: The SparkUp Reader 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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I absolutely love reading to my children. Occasionally I am gone at bedtime or have to be out of town. I always want to still be able to read with my children as they are going to bed. I know that it isn’t always possible, but it would be great if it was. SparkUp Reader has made it possible to read a variety of books to your child at anytime.

About SparkUp Reader:

Sparkup is a privately-held company based in Israel. It is managed by young parents who understand first-hand the challenges facing children’s reading and playtime experiences in a digital era. The investors and management team are passionate abou enhancing the lives of children and their families.

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The SparkUp Magical Book Reader is a revolutionary devices that clips directly on to any picture book and reads it aloud in your voice. You can record the book yourself, in any language, and add your own personal touches, or download professionally recorded stories, complete with sound effects, directly from the Sparkup website. While recording, Sparkup’s tiny camera takes a picture of the book’s front cover and each page. later on, when a child connects Sparkup to the book, Sparkup immediately recognizes its front cover. Sparkup follows the child’s place and reads aloud as he or she turns the pages – even out of order.

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Win a Frankie the Fox Twilight Buddies Sleep Cuddle Toy

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So, what does the fox say?  This one doesn’t say a thing, thankfully- but it will help your little one drift off to sleep.  One of the latest from Cloud B, trusted maker of bedtime buddies, this super soft and snuggly friend is part stuffed animal, part soothing sound machine, but all calming, routine keeping, rest inducing cuddles.

10 13 14 091Frankie the Fox is a plush that offers tranquil sounds to help calm and comfort children to sleep, a perfect companion for a calm and restful night for both kids and parents.  Every child needs a special lovey when they go off toy bed, why not choose one that will help them drift off to sleep as well?  With all the travel that comes with the holidays, this little guy is perfect, and your child won’t want to be without him.
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Fun Finds at Mom Mixer

Last weekend, we went to Philly to visit The Franklin Institute science museum, both for the fun Mom Mixer event as well as to check out the museum itself.  We had a great time checking out some fun, new items (and getting some ideas for holiday shopping), sampling some snacks from CVS, and meeting Elmo (who doesn’t love a big, furry monster hug?)

11 12 14 Halloween and product 012Some of our favorites were from Hasbro- my son loved, loved the Grimlock and Optimus Prime toys- almost all of them transform, even the huge Grimlock (this is sure to be a hot toy this year).  The Hasbro station was popular with kids of all ages, with the adorable Lets Imagine Elmo, new Play Doh fun, and more.

new optimus prime toyEpic Optimus Prime was one of my son’s favorites of the day, and it’s a huge toy. The figure stands 22 inches tall, and his chest opens to reveal a command center that fits mini-figures (sold separately) to further playtime.  Grimlock, his other favorite toy, is just as cool- and really, if your kid is a fan, grab this toy now- it’s sure to sell out.

grimlock action figureTransformers Age of Extinction Stomp and Chomp Grimlock Figure is another larger then usual toy, but it is also huge fun. Grimlock is a giant, 20-inch robot that offers a lot of movement and motion. In one step, he really transforms into a dinosaur that can stomp and chomp. His eyes also light up.
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Neato Phone Skins – Personalize Your Phone

This post was brought to you by AdvertiseWithBloggers.com and Neato.

canon 11 09 14 011With the plethora of phone options out there everyone’s phone is different these days aren’t they?  In various shades of black, white, and gray, most phone call into the category of cassette tape sized and drab.  Why not make yours stand out by personalizing it a bit more then a colored case?

canon 11 09 14 012Neato is here to help.  Now your cell phone case can be as unique as you are.  Neato provides all the tools necessary to bring your phone to life with their Neato Skins Start Kit which includes: 5 blank skins, paper test sheet, complete instructions, online design software access code, and a clear device case to keep your new creation safe and sound (and your phone too, of course).  What is super nice is the ease of use of the software, as well as the ability to swap out skins on a whim.  Feel like princess and dragons instead of your kids football team logo?  Just take off the clear case and swap in a new skin.  In 5 minutes a new skin is in place, and you are ready to rock and roll at the Renaissance Festival, just don’ t let them see the text messages.  Since there are 5 skins to play with, it is easy to have a few skins for various reasons, IE include special pictures or illustrations, personal photos, or your child’s artwork.
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Veggie Tales – Live Shows Coming to a Theater Near You

pic7Who has a child that loves Veggie Tales?  If your child loves the show as much as mine does, then you will be excited to know that Veggie Tales is touring with a live show!  The Silly Sing Along is coming to a stage near you, so don’t wait, and get your tickets now.

We went to see the show this past weekend, and had a great time.  Larry, Bob and all the gang were there with all the silly, wholesome fun you and your kids love from the TV series. The Veggies preform the songs that your family knows and loves already in a fun sing a long, while they and their human friends dance and sing on stage (and the audience does in the aisle as well).

pic5The Veggies are super excited about their new TV show!  But, which song is the silliest?  Chaos is bound to ensue when no one can agree on a favorite silly song.  A new invention is unveiled to reveal the silliest of all silly songs.  But when the machine malfunctions and Jimmy disappears, the Veggies must find a way to get along and get Jimmy back!

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Playmobile Toys- Fun Sets for Everyone

There are tons of toys out there that have international appeal but none with quite the same depth and broad range of toys as Playmobile. With each toy set that is released, the universe gets bigger and bigger and some of the most recent sets includes motors or stow away in an easy way. Today we are looking at the new RC Pirate Ship with Underwater motor and the My Secret Dragon’s Lair Play Box. Both of which are great fun for kids of all ages.

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First up we will take a look at the huge RC pirate ship. This pirate ship has tons of details and tons of accessories to make play time as a pirate a blast. There is even a cannon! The pirate ship itself is about 4 feet long and about as high once put together. The process ot put it together doesn’t take too long the most difficult part being tying off the ropes in the proper way to make the sails look real and complete the pirate ship feel of the toy. But even that is easy to follow so don’t panic.
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Wubble Bubble Ball

You may be asking yourself what is a Wubble bubble ball? Well the easiest way to explain it is: it’s a big, non popping, bubble made of a rubber- type plastic of some kind. The wubble reacts as a bubble would to everything except popping when you touch it. This makes for hours of fun and lots of experimentation. The best way to understand it is by watching the video below:

The Wubble starts out quite small and unshapely, but after a few minutes of pumping (electric pump provided with the wubble) The Wubble comes to full size and is a blast to bop around the room. It is partially squishy and almost floats a bit when thrown around, so please be careful when inside- It is a ball and is capable of knocking things over. As always, I do not recommend playing ball in the house.
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Edible Arrangements for Birthdays, Holidays, Any Days!

Birthdays can be great fun for everyone involved especially the birthday boy or girl, but what to do if a birthday falls during a vacation? November is a big birthday month, and often times vacations are also scheduled in November with all the holidays. There are a few tips and tricks for special birthday fun while on vacation, to make your next vacation memorable but also your holiday or birthday as well.

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  • Make the celebration fit the destination. Theme the birthday party to the locale. This can be done with a special meal or dinner or just a fun packed special day chosen by your little one. Going camping? Have a camping party. With cupcakes and neighboring tents joining in for singing. Visiting the desert? Why not have a Western Cowboy themed party along with horseback riding? In regard to planning a day, your best bet is to give your little one a few options for the day like, paintballing or a day at the beach. Sleeping in or watching the sun come up over the mountains? With a little creativity and planning a wonderful birthday is a few steps away.
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