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Kids Learn to Love STEM with Zyrobotics’ Zumo Smart Toy

September 19, 2016 by Have Sippy Will Travel 7 Comments

Technology has undoubtedly made learning more fun for kids today. One of our favorite toys-for-learning is The Zumo Smart Turtle Toy. The Zyrobotics’ Zumo Smart Toy is seriously the perfect gift for any children Pre-K through 3rd grade! It makes learning science and math easy and fun with its ability to engage and go at your child’s own pace.

Summer has finally come to a close and the “Summer Brain Drain” – yes, this is a real thing – has set in. Children, especially young children, often forget things they learned during the school year, so going back can be a challenge. So using cool learning toys like Zyrobotics’ Zumo Learning System and its mobile technology can give your kids a leg up in the STEM subjects while making them fun and interactive.

While Zumo Turtle might look like an everyday stuffed animal, as soon as kids touch his shell, reading, science, and math games come alive on the screen. These reading, math and science games are geared towards three through seven-year-olds but is great for any child needed a refresher course in one of the STEM subjects taught in school.

“We developed Zumo after years of research into understanding how to make learning accessible for young children,” said J. MacCalla, Ph.D., CEO of Zyrobotics, creator of the Zumo Learning System. “Zumo Turtle incorporates game-based learning techniques with physical movement to give children a fun, engaging and immersive way to embrace and enjoy STEM and other subjects. As STEM continues to gain importance, learning math and science early can provide a head start for children in school and help prepare them for future careers in STEM fields. “With math in particular, tactile-based learning helps children more easily grasp abstract concepts,” MacCalla said.

Now through the end of October, the STEM Zyrobotics’ Zumo Smart Toy is on sale for only $159.99 and it is regularly priced at $299.00. You are saving $139.01. Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping and save a ton at the same time.

For more information, visit www.zumolearning.com. Zyrobotics LLC, an award-winning creator of educational technologies for children, was founded in 2013 as an inclusive technology company. As a Georgia Tech spinoff company, Zyrobotics addresses the diverse needs of children by developing personalized technologies to make a difference in the lives of children between the ages of three- to 12-years old. Their mission is to enable freedom through technology by developing products that are adaptive to each child’s capabilities. Their products uniquely focus on promoting the stimulation of social, cognitive, and motor skills development in a child. For more information, visit www.zumolearning.com.

Disclosure statement Disclosure- This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. For more information, please see “I Disclose”. https://havesippywilltravel.com/i-disclose

Filed Under: education, review Tagged With: back to school, kids, review, tech, technology, toys

Support School Supply Initiatives with The Clorox Company #ad

September 15, 2016 by Have Sippy Will Travel 5 Comments

The Clorox Company Partners with DonorsChoose.org to provide $100,000 to schools in need all over the USA. DonorsChoose.org is a charity website that helps teachers get the funds they need for various classroom projects and supplies. This allows them to focus more on their students and less on where to get the much-needed supplies for their classrooms this year.

If you have school-age kids like I do, you have had the notes come home that “require” you to send in extra school supplies for the classroom that weren’t on the school supply list. Or, if you have friends who are teachers, you have more than likely heard them talk about purchasing supplies out of their own pocket to ensure that students have what they need. This doesn’t have to happen.

You can help Clorox in supporting schools one shopping trip at a time. “We can all relate to the chaos of back-to-school preparations and we understand the desire to make sure our children and their teachers have everything they need for a successful start to the school year,” said Stacy Stokes, Associate Brand Director, The Clorox Company. “That’s why we are excited to partner with DonorsChoose.org – so we can help make the back to school time easier for all of us with products that keep our home and classrooms clean and healthy.”

The back to school shopping frenzy is always a busy time – it is never easy. And unless you are a superhuman – you probably want to pull your hair out by the time you are done, especially if you have more than one kiddo in school. But this year you can feel good about helping others while you shop Clorox®, GLAD® and Hidden Valley® products. By simply doing the school shopping you are already doing anyway, you will be helping schools and teachers in need while checking off items from your back to school shopping list at the same time!

Through Clorox’s new receipt validation program you can help schools by shopping for back to school necessities; and earn rewards when you buy Clorox®, Hidden Valley® and Glad® products. Then choose to donate your rewards to DonorsChoose.org or redeem for money back via Paypal. With the donation, Clorox provides a “Double Your Impact” offer on DonorsChoose.org, which allows the company to match donors’ contributions dollar-for-dollar! Can you imagine the impact you will be making? It may seem small, but the teachers and students receiving these supplies don’t think so. By donating to a project with The Clorox Company match offer, donors will be doubling the impact of their donation and helping get resources to even more schools and teachers in need.

For every $5 spent on participating products, you will receive $1 that you can either redeem to donate to DonorsChoose.org or have it go towards future purchases. Your reward, your choice! Just snap a picture of your receipt and follow the simple instructions on CloroxForSchools.com to redeem your rewards. SO easy right? So go do it!

In addition to the DonorsChoose.org partnership, Clorox hosted pop-up shops in the communities of Chicago and Philadelphia; Clorox partnered with World Vision and Douglas Taylor Elementary to host the pop-up shop in Chicago and with the Andrew Hamilton School in Philadelphia to host the pop-up shop. At each event, essential school supplies and products from Clorox, Glad and Hidden Valley Ranch were distributed free of charge so that families and teachers could focus on having a happy and healthy school year, rather than worrying about the cost of school supplies.

For more information, visit www.Cloroxforschools.com. To donate to Clorox’s match offer projects, go to www.DonorsChoose.org and search for Match Offers.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Between 7/12/16 and 9/30/16, purchase any qualifying Clorox, Glad or Hidden Valley product(s). Then, choose to participate in the Offer or the Donation program. If you choose to participate in the Offer, your Offer will be fulfilled 10/31/16. If you choose to participate in the Donation, Clorox will donate $1 for every $5 spent to DonorsChoose.org (up to $100,000 in donations). For all details, including a list of qualifying products, see the Program Terms. For details about DonorsChoose.org, visit DonorsChoose.org.

This is a sponsored post with Back-To-School and it’s partnership between Clorox and DonorsChoose.org. All opinions are my own. For more information, please see “I Disclose“.

Filed Under: education, review Tagged With: back to school

Snacks for Back To School

September 1, 2016 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Packaged in travel-friendly canisters and single serving bags and offering options like no sugar added, gluten-free and Non-GMO, these nutritious and filling snacks that won’t melt or spoil are the perfect accompaniment to travel adventures or after school cravings.

Mamee Stacked Crisps – a line of unbelievably delicious, gluten-free and GMO-free potato crisps stacked in canisters to create a perfect crunch every time, all while fitting snuggly in bags for boarding or hiking or nestled in vehicle cup-holders and seatback pockets. Flavors include:

o Original, BBQ and Sour Cream & Onion

Good Health Snacks – offers a variety of kid-friendly travel snacks in single-serving bags that are Certified Organic, Certified Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher Certified as well as those made with Extra Goodness!™. Snack selections include:

o Gluten Free Pretzels and Veggie Pretzels (launching mid-July)

o Avocado Oil and Olive Oil Kettle Style Potato Chips

o Sweet Potato Kettle Style Chips

o Veggie Straws, Veggie Chips and Veggie Stix^©

New Zealand Jerky – a line of premium Non-GMO Project Verified, free-range, grass-fed beef jerky made with only natural ingredients. Packaged in small, individual bags, NZJ’s protein-packed jerky is perfect for satisfying hunger on-the-go. Flavors include:

o Original, Teriyaki, and Peppered

Bare Snacks – a line of snacks that are made from freshly picked whole fruit that’s simply baked, never fried, with nothing artificial and no preservatives. These snacks are made with real fruit and no added sugar, which will help keep the energy levels at an appropriate level on long car trips or flights. Selections include:

o bare Apple Chips, bare Coconut Chips and bare Banana Chips

Barbara’s Cheese Puffs – irresistible cheese puffs bursting with the flavors of real cheeses, such as aged cheddar, blue cheese and white cheddar, and combined with Non-GMO stone-ground corn. Barbara’s Cheese Puffs are cholesterol free, vegetarian, made with wheat-free ingredients, and now gluten free. Varieties include:

o Original, Jalapeno, Baked Original and Baked White Cheddar

Filed Under: food Tagged With: back to school

Head Back To School in Style

September 1, 2016 by Samantha 1 Comment

With back to school season upon us, we are seeking out the best and most fun back to school items. Here are a few of our current favorites.

Do you have a child entering Pre-K or Kindergarten this year? Check out Bixbee. These cute bags have animal faces, butterfly wings, rockets, and other great patterns and styles. The size of the backpacks are also smaller for little kids. For bigger kids, tamer color palettes and more typical styles of backpack are available. Bixbee is that they comes in three sizes, so you can pick what best suits your child’s stature. This will keep your child pain free in the back and shoulder area, since the size and fit will be right. It’s recommended that the backpack rest in the lower back, and no more then four inches below the waist to avoid causing chronic pain, which is important to Bixbee. These backpacks are also sturdy, PVC, BPA, phthalate, and lead free, and have many pockets for your child’s ever growing menagerie of belongings. Bixbee cares about kids- when you buy a backpack, they donate one to a child in need somewhere in the world. You can get yours at http://www.bixbee.com

For tween girls, Toys R Us (exclusively) offers two different styles of Power Puff backpacks this year- Power Puff Girls Rock and Power Puff Girls All Over print. With a new animated series on Cartoon Network, all the kids are loving the doe-eyed sisters more then ever. Adjustable straps, and silky, sturdy materials make this backpack one that is both kid friendly, fun, and eye catching, as well as one mom will approve of. Matching lunchboxes are also available. Backpacks retail for about $16.99 each.

Don’t forget the lunchbox!

We recently discovered Bentology, a lunchbox that comes with it’s own compartmentalized tupperware-type container inside. These insulated lunch bags come in a variety of colors and have thier own fork and spoon as well. If your child prefers lunches that don’t always consist of a sandwich, this is for you. These bento box sets let you use the portioned containers to pack your child’s favorite foods for lunch without a million little containers to wash later. Check out the website for cute lunch ideas and creative tips, as well.

Bentology lunch bags come in seven different prints and styles and are equipped with multiple compartments and a water bottle holder on the outside of the bag. You can get thermos, cool packs, rice molds, and more to go with your kits and add to the cute and fun lunch experiance. All Bentology products are available for purchase at Bentology.net, scsdirectinc.com, amazon.com and specialty retailers nationwide.

We also love Dabbawalla bags. These adorable, easy to clean, and attractive lunchboxes and backpacks are specially designed for preschoolers and the young elementary students in mind. The designs were meant to be free of commercial influence (cartoons or action figures, movie characters, etc) yet still colorful and fun for children. They display bright and wholesome designs and images, such as puppies, apples, rocket ships, etc. The Lunch Totes are really large, and have enough space to fit everything you need for a whole day at Pre-School, with no leftovers. You can also fit everything for a really big eater into it- it has a lot of room, which this mom loves. It is really hard to find a bag that will do that. They are also easy to clean and machine washable, line dry- and they actually come clean. This is a rarity.

If you have a big eater, a long day, or a messy kid, you will love Dabbawalla. Visit http://dabbawallabags.com/ and find your bag.

Now, for the most important (to any kid) part- the backpack clips. The more, the merrier- these are a big deal right now. My son’s current favorites are the new Emojiez and Whiffer Sniffers.

Whiffer Sniffers remind me of those markers we had in grade school, the ones where each color had a smell? We loved those. These scented plush characters are adorable, and really smell like they are supposed to. My son’s cookie and doughnut Whiffer Sniffers have his room smelling sweet- and that’s not a joke. His room really smells like confections, and it’s been several weeks that he’s had them. Not overwhelming- but better then an average boy room, I’ll tell you that. There are several sizes and styles available for each character- snuggley super size, a backpack clip, and scratch ‘n’ sniff stickers. You can also find exclusive characters only found inside specially marked mystery packs- but watch out, there are a LOT of blueberry in those packs as well. Ah, the fun is in the hunt, right? Grab yours at a toy store near you or at http://whiffersniffers.com/ .

He is also loving Emijiez- especially, of course, the poop. What is with the poop? I guess we can only be thankful that these are NOT the scented toys. He and all his friends are going crazy for Emojiez, and the poop is definitely the most coveted. These come in stuffed toy, blind packs, pencil toppers, erasers, backpack pals, and more. The Emojiez “Plushiez”, “Buddiez”, “Squishiez”, “SlapBandz”, “Eraserz” and “All Starz” (get the theme here?) characters are based on existing emoji’s that you use for text and PMs. Because if there’s not an app for that, certainly there is an Emoji.

These are hot items, kids are going crazy for them. You can get them in stores like Toys R Us, Amazon, and at http://www.emojiez.com/ .

Filed Under: kids, review, toys Tagged With: back to school, parents at play, review

POWERLunchbox for Back to School

August 31, 2016 by Samantha 2 Comments

Let’s face it, packing a lunch box sure isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of a daily sandwich and carrot sticks. Today kids have much more diverse and sophisticated tastes, food allergies require special consideration, everyone is looking for better-tasting ways to get protein into snack bags and parents are, well, still trying to find creative ways to sneak in the fruits and veggies! That’s right, kids are eating sushi out of bento boxes and even the classic peanut butter & jelly sandwich has gone nut-free. So what’s a parent to do? Below are a few great options for packing a lunchbox that kids of all ages will love, and that will make parents happy too!

no nut butter

Sneaky Chef® No-Nut Butter is an award-winning delicious nut-butter alternative made from naturally sweet and “nutty” tasting golden peas, but without a trace of peanuts, tree nuts, seeds, or soy. That’s right, GOLDEN PEAS! That means it’s made from pea protein – the high quality, plant-based protein source that is getting tons of nutrition buzz these days. Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butters are produced in a nut-free facility and are all natural, gluten-free and contain no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils and no artificial colors or flavors. Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butter is available in two varieties, Smooth and Chocolate – both available in 18 ounce jars and Smooth in these convenient grab-and-go cups. Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butter is an indulgent peanut butter alternative that is so good, everyone will love it, allergies or not!

Sneaky Chef if also thrilled to share that we’ve partnered with Annie’s Homegrown to develop Pea B&J Pockets made with golden pea butter! Like our Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butter jars, Annie’s Pea B&J Pockets are available at Target Stores. You’ll find them in the freezer aisle.

flavored popcorn

Inspired by flavors from around the world, Spiced & Infused marries the whole grain goodness of popcorn with real herbs and spices and other pure ingredients to create delicious flavors that take you on a culinary adventure. The unique and delicious herbs and spices used in Spiced & Infused popcorn are known not only for their flavor, but also for their known health benefits, and provide delicious taste with less calories and fat than many other flavored popcorn options. Available in four delicious flavors – Bombay Seasoning, Chipotle Taco, Asian Barbecue, and French Herb, Spiced & Infused popcorn is a great snacking option for the whole family and is perfect for snacks, in lunchboxes, at parties or to take movie night to a whole new level.

no milk

Created from one of nature’s most universally-loved fruits, the banana, BANANA WAVE bananamilk is a delicious, creamy and nutrient-filled new option. Derived from an ancient African recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation and first introduced to Fresh Start Beverage founder, Neter Alkebulan, by his own Grandmother, BANANA WAVE bananamilk begins with a universally loved fruit that is a staple in most households – bananas. In fact, because BANANA WAVE bananamilk begins with pure banana puree, one serving contains as much potassium as a small banana, 330 mg, and also contains 29 vitamins and minerals and 1200 mg of Omega-3s per serving. BANANA WAVE bananamilk is vegan, all natural, dairy, gluten and GMO free. BANANA WAVE bananamilk contains three of nature’s “superfoods” – fruit, grains and seeds – making it a nutritious option for anyone with an on-the-go lifestyle, active kids, athletes, and of course, banana lovers. It is also an ideal option for vegans, vegetarians, those managing a dairy or nut allergy or for anyone looking for a nutritious alternative milk beverage. Delicious and refreshing on its own as a snack or meal replacement, BANANA WAVE bananamilk is also perfect for smoothies, on cereal or for use in cooking and baking.

Filed Under: food Tagged With: back to school, food

Earning Money for My Child’s School With Box Tops #BTFE #ad

September 4, 2015 by Samantha 4 Comments

Disclosure- This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and honest.

Most schools struggle with funding, and host fundraisers fairly constantly to help fill in any gaps- or even huge deficits- that they can. Many schools use Box Tops as one way to get cash for their schools, and it is a really easy way that doesn’t annoy parents with fliers or forcing them to buy overpriced garbage they neither want nor need. I mean, awesome stuff they are privileged to sell and harass people to purchase. Something like that…..

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The way Box Tops for Education works is that you buy food. You eat the food. Then you clip off these little areas that say “Box Tops for Education” on the items you bought and consumed, and send them into your child’s school. The school sends them in- and they get money. You don’t have to buy anything you weren’t already getting, and the school gets cash. Win win! This is a fundraiser we are always happy to participate in.

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We picked up some General Mills® items from our local Walmart on our last shopping trip. Some of the items even had bonus box tops, meaning that the school will get even more cash back because they will get extra box tops with our regular purchase. When you are done with your food (and more! You can get box tops on items like tissues and paper towels, too), just make sure you check your boxes, cans, and everything else to see if there are any on the item. If there are- clip them, save them, and send them in to your child’s school. Easy! And you already spent the money, someone might as well get something extra from it, right? Learn more about Box Tops for Education at Walmart Here!

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Some Box Tops for Education™ Facts:

Box Tops are worth $0.10 for your child’s school
Box Tops is one of America’s largest school earnings loyalty programs.
Over 80,000 k-8 schools participate
Schools can use Box Tops cash to buy whatever they need.
Box Tops for Education has contributed over $525 million to participating schools since the launch of the program in 1996.

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Filed Under: food, review Tagged With: back to school

Getting ready for College with Schick #SchickSummerSelfie #ad

September 3, 2015 by Samantha 7 Comments

College can be a harrowing adventure. With added responsibilities, finally leaving the nest and going out on your own- it can be a lot to handle. For the most part it’s a fun adventure, but it’s something that is best when you are prepared for it properly. Some of the necessities for school include not only items like the notebooks, tablets, and backpacks, but also form supplies like easy to cook food, bedding, and toiletries like the Schick® Quattro For Women® or Schick® Hydro Silk® Razor. You don’t want to make the wrong impression on your first day of class, after all.

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With the right razors even the un-freshest of places can be tamed. Other things your new student will need include a soap box (bathrooms are gross), toothpaste, toothbrush holder, lots of deodorant, and of course a towel. I remember when I was first going to college to live on campus I brought so much extra stuff that I didn’t need it was ridiculous. I had so much fun making new friends, and moving in day was a trip. Since everyone always forgets something, and I had everything, soon enough I was known as “that person”- just go ask them! Just shy of a way to pass the trigonometry exams, then I’m useless, ha. These friendships and connections are some of the most important parts of college- the new people you meet and learning to get along. Be sure to get out there and be social and be confident- and always fresh. A nice clean shave and brushed teeth as your first offenses against shyness and bashfulness, because no one wants to be near the gross person who reeks.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: back to school

Getting Creative with Box Tops #BTFE #ad

September 2, 2015 by Samantha 4 Comments

In one of our recent trips to Walmart, we picked up some Box Tops for Education products. My son picked out his favorite cereals as well as several kinds of yogurt. When shopping, it is very easy to grab Box Tops for Education items and still get everything on your list. At my son’s school they have worksheets that can be decorated and filled in with box tops, which help the school earn money.

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If I were trying to drum up box top donations for a school, I would take a more tongue in check approach. I am not sure how parking or pick up drop offs go at your school, but at most every school I’ve ever been to it is a mad house led by some administrator. No one likes car line, it’s no fun at all. We all also know about the “back to school” fairs at the beginning of the year- it would be fun to combing a box top drive with putting the car line to good use. Every paper turned in that is full of box tops, the parent gets an extra ticket for a tricky tray item, a fair ride, whatever your school is tormenting you with. I mean, whatever fun activity you get to go to for your child’s school.

A great way to fill up that sheet is with Walmart’s bonus Box Tops offers on select General Mills products, where you can get up to 5 box tops per purchase instead of only one. You can increase the funds your child’s school receives, and some of the cereals are in “buy two” boxes that also save you money.

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You have to get these things anyway, just clip the Box Tops when you are done and send them in with your child. Every little bit helps, and your child will be happy to contribute as well (in more then one way).

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