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Archive for Kids Toys

STRIDER Bike Review

Posted by html404 on March 19, 2013
in Exercise, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Reviews

Our boys love their bikes. And the Strider Bike is a perfect product for introducing toddlers and young children to the biking world.

The Strider Bike is very easy to put together. My husband did so quickly and easily in a few minutes. Nookie had a ton of fun helping him as well.

The overall quality of the Strider Bike is impressive. It’s sturdy and perfectly safe for even the youngest toddlers. The seat is soft and has a nice little cushion for those little tushies.

My youngest two boys have been riding the Strider Bike indoors since it’s still too cold to use it outside, and they love it. It’s the perfect size for them and even my older kids thought it was cute. Although we did have to explain to them why it didn’t have any pedals.

We wondered if the lack of pedals would make Nookie go through some adjustment, but he was easily able to ride the Strider Bike! And our youngest son has also been using the Strider Bike and because of that, he’ll be so much more ready to ride a bike with pedals this summer.

We highly recommend Strider products. Not only do our boy’s love their brand new Strider Bike, but they get two thumbs up from us as well!

You can find all Strider Bike products as well all the other styles of the Strider Bike at:

www.striderbikes.com

Strider also has the Strider Life forum, which is a community to share stories and photos of your children enjoying their Strider Bikes.

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Sassy Non-sters

Posted by 278Wife on March 19, 2013
in Baby Products, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Reviews

When I hear the brand name Sassy, I immediately think of bright vibrant colors and baby friendly, and that is exactly what their new line of toys called Non-sters are. They are named after the way babies babble. Each Non-ster personality possesses a baby trait. Some of their names include Ci-Ci, La-Lee, and Buppy-Uppy. Each toy has a specific age range, a list of what they promote, and ways to help your child interact with the toy. They are of very high quality and sold exclusively at Target.

I had the opportunity to review four different Sassy Non-sters. First was Ci-Ci lullaby and lights. This is a soothing toy for children. Ci-Ci is absolutely adorable with her green pig-tails, orange ribbons, pink with green polka-dot tutu, and ballerina shoes. The colors are so bright and cheery, and she has many different textures. Gently squeeze Ci-Ci’s hand and the heart in the center of her tummy lights up and soothing lulllaby music plays while the lights change color. You can also change the lullaby music to a heartbeat. It comes with batteries, which is definitely a plus! Ci-Ci promotes interaction, self-soothing, and discovery. It is for 0+ months, and I can see babies playing with it through a year old.

La-Lee discovery spots was the next Non-ster I received. La-Lee was very silly looking with green spikey ribbon hair, different colored ears, and different colored and textured spots. What a surprise I had when I touched any of the four different spots down La-Lee’s tummy and silly sound effects emerged! This would definitely occupy babies for hours! This Non-ster also comes with batteries and promotes interaction, cause-and-effect, and imagination. La-Lee is recommended for 0+ month children, but even my three year old had a ball with it.

Besides Non-sters that light up and play music, they also have books and carrier attachments. The books are absolutely adorable and have so many features. Ci-Ci’s book has a velcro strap at the top so you can attach it easily to a carrier or stroller. Each page has very bright colors and patterns that are very appealing to babies’ eyes. Pages include crinkle textures, a mirror, and a place to insert a photo. You can even personalize the back with the child’s name. You can also buy Ci-Ci as a chime & chew carrier attachment. A very durable velcro strap makes it easy to attach to a carrier. It has a nice sounding chime inside, and a dangling pink heart that is great for chewing on when teething. Again the colors are very bright and vibrant, and the quality is very high.

Overall I was very impressed with all four Sassy Non-ster baby toys. I plan on buying them as gifts for many of my friends who are expecting. Their colors, textures, and features make them great baby toys. You can see all of the different Non-sters at http://www.sassybaby.com/nonsters.

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Clevamama

Posted by 278Wife on March 12, 2013
in Baby Products, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Reviews

Clevamama is a company that strives to create products that make the lives of parents easier. They sell baby products for bath time, bed time, feeding, and safety. I was sent four different products to review including an Infant Formula Travel Container, ClevaPortions freezer and storage pots, a Splash & Wrap Baby Bath Towel, and a Clevabath Extra Long Bath Mat. All four Clevamama products were of great quality.

The Infant Formula Travel Container looks similar to other formula containers on the market, but have a few unique characteristics that make it that much better. It has three seperate compartments to hold three premeasured amounts. The container is tall so it can hold at least two scoops of formula in each section. It features an easy pour spout that is longer than others I have tried. This is a huge plus for me, since sometimes water from the bottle would splash back into the formula container making a mess. This is almost impossible to do with this formula container. It also has a secure snap top lid and special finger grips on the side for easy pouring. Best of all is it is BPA free and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning!

The ClevaPortions freezer and storage pots are a great product for parents who make their own baby food. It features eight storage pots with individual lids. Each pot can be removed seperately without using any of the other pots. Basically, you can make eight different pots and freeze them, and only take one pot out at a time when it’s time to eat. This makes it a breeze for travel in that you only need to bring as many pots as you’ll need, rather than bringing an entire tray of baby food. You also have the option of using only a few pots a time, rather than the whole tray. Many of the other baby food storage systems I’ve used you must unthaw the entire tray or try to pop out one of the “food ice cubes” yet more than one would always come out for me! The whole Clevaportions tray is a little smaller than an ice cube tray. Each pot holds up to 2oz of food and are safe to use from freezer to microwave. You can either feed from the pot or push the food out into a bowl. For me, I just feed right out of the pot. Who wants to do more dishes? Not me! The pots are dishwasher safe and see through so you can see what is inside of each pot. I love this product and highly recommend it to moms!

The Splash & Wrap Baby Bath Towel is another genius product designed by Clevamama. I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten soaking wet from taking my son out of the bathtub. With this towel, it is almost impossible for this to happen! The towel features straps that snap around your neck so the towel fits like an apron. Then you simply lift your baby or toddler out of the tub, place them inside the towel and you can hold them without your body getting wet. The towel also features a hood, so their head doesn’t get cold and straps on each side that you can tie around your waist (I didn’t feel the need to use these). Wearing this towel like an apron makes it easy to dry your child off since both of your hands are free. The towel is 100% cotton, is machine washable, and is VERY absorbent. It fits a newborn all the way through a four year old. It is ultra soft, even after washing it, and has a cute neutral teddybear on the hood. This was definitely one of my favorite products!

Lastly, I was able to try out the Clevabath Extra Long Bath Mat. I love that it covered pretty much the entire bathtub, and not just the middle. It has many little suction cups all over the bottom to keep it secure to the bottom so it doesn’t move. These did not work as well as I had hoped they would. Only about half of them would stay suctioned down, but the mat still did not move. The material is made of a soft non-slip material that is ultra cushiony and dries very fast. The bath mat also came with a free kneeling cushion. This was great! My knees always hurt after bathtime, and this cushion is made with the same material as the bath mat, so it was very soft and very cushiony. Overall a good product.

Clevamama offers many unique baby items that definitely make it easier on parents. I cannot wait to see what they will come out with next! Check out their website to see where their products are sold.

http://www.clevamama.com/

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Melissa & Doug Easter Shop and Giveaway

Posted by Brande on March 8, 2013
in Blog Stuff, Contests, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Girl Stuff, Giveaways, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

Click the picture above to be entered into Melissa & Doug’s Easter Basket Giveaway!! What child or children wouldn’t love $20.00 worth of Melissa & Doug products for Easter! How cute is Brambles Bunny you can find him and lots of other fantastic Easter toys at Melissa & Doug’s Easter Shop!

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Melissa and Doug Outlet

Posted by Brande on February 12, 2013
in Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, SALES, Shopping, Uncategorized

My kiddo and I are HUGE Melissa and Doug fans. They really understand what each age group of children need and want to play with. From chunky puzzles to pretend play, MelissaAndDoug.com – Toys and Childrens Products! Click Here!They have it all.

Have you visited the Melissa and Doug Outlet online? You can save up to 50% off! Save Up To 50% On Selected Items Now At MelissaAndDoug.com! No Code Needed! Click Here!

Go and check it out! Everything is while supplies last and believe me some go really fast!

Inside Melissa and Doug’s Outlet page you can find the Wacky Scratch Art Bundle for $4.99, which is half price! Scratch art is a type of paper with a black backround when you use a wooden stylist to scratch the paper and color appears underneath. Flip flops with Starfish or Octopus’ for $4.79! The Outlet also has sand toys (summer is coming!), puzzles, drinking cups, games, stuff animals, play fruit and veggies.

The Easter Bunny is coming!!! **wink**

When you spend $50.00 or more use the code FREESHIPFIFTY for Free Shipping!

This post contains affiliate links which help support this blog.

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Pillow Racers by Little Tikes

Posted by Brande on February 7, 2013
in Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Uncategorized

Looking for an Award Winning Riding Toy for your little one? Well look no further than Little Tikes Pillow Racers. Pillow Racers are recommended for ages 1 1/2 to 3 years. The Pillow Racers have caster wheels, a molded plastic easy grip handle, and the rest is made of soft material. They can hold up to 50 pounds and the pillow is removable so, your child can use it as a pillow! I love that the Pillow Racers by Little Tikes has 2 uses, you can’t find too many toys that can do a double duty! Great fun and a great friend!

These highly rated racers come in 9 styles.

Your child’s imagination will help them save the day on the Firetruck, or flutter around the yard like a Ladybug. How about a ride back in time on a Dino. Maybe a slow ride on a Turtle is more your child’s thing.

Don’t forget Easter is coming! Imagine your child’s face when they wake up to a new ride on Bunny, Plane, Pink Unicorn, Purple Unicorn, or a Panda!

The Pillow Racers are available at LittleTikes.com.

According to the Little Tikes site if you use the code FNKB8774 you can save 5%!

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The Official LEGO® Channel #LEGOChannel

Posted by html404 on January 21, 2013
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys

Do your kids like watching videos? Do you use videos to keep your child entertained so you can get housework or other work done? Yeah, I admit I do too. Not matter how much I try to limit my use of it, I still find myself turning to it in times when I desperately need peace and quiet or just to occupy them for a couple of uninterrupted hours of work. For the most part our children are really good at keeping themselves busy, it’s the quiet that is elusive. Maybe you can relate.
LEGO® is a popular kids toy and can keep children busy building and creating for hours. We have a couple of smaller kits and our boys have asked for more. Playing with a LEGO® set is a fun activity for the whole family. Just as watching TV or videos is something our family enjoys.

The Official LEGO® Channel is another way to entertain and keep you and your child busy. There are over 500 videos and more are being added each day. You can watch LEGO® Star Wars™, LEGO® Hero Factory, LEGO® The Hobbit™, LEGO® DC Universe™ Super Hereos and so many more favorite LEGO® characters. There are also videos that take you behind the scenes.

These LEGO® videos can be added to a LEGO® playlist and be accessed anywhere when you are at home, on the go, in the car etc. to keep your child(ren) entertained and inspired for the next time they play with their LEGO® toys.

If you do not know how to create a playlist, it’s easy to do. After you sign into your YouTube account and find The Official LEGO® Channel. Browse the videos and when you find one you or your child really likes simply click the “Add to” button beneath the video. There will be a blank space to create a new playlist and you can name it “LEGO® Videos” or whatever you like. The videos will be saved there and accessible again the next time you log onto your account.

Gotta love fun at your fingertips, especially on a cold winter day like today! Brrrr……it’s only 10 degrees here in Chicagoland!

There is a lot of content on web; creating a playlist on the Official LEGO® Channel is a great way to ensure your kids are entertained and watching videos you can feel good about.

Visit the Official LEGO® Channel to build your own playlist to watch with your kids and then reply below for a chance to win one (1) $1,000 gift card to buy your family’s favorite LEGO® products!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of LEGO. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

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5 Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

Posted by html404 on December 22, 2012
in Eco Friendly Products, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids Toys, Organic, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics

If you are heading out shopping this weekend and still need a few stocking stuffers, we have some ideas for you! Below are some products we have recently tried and reviewed or have used in the past. From techie stuff to kids toys, there are last minute stocking stuffers for nearly everyone in the family!

1. Shredz. We got our first snow the other day and our boys have been outside playing with their new Shredz action figures and accessories. The boys really like them! The photos speak for themselves.

2. Eco.Ditty. Eco.Ditty is a company that offers eco-friendly, organic cotton, reusable sandwich and snack bags.

3. Fruit. My mom use to always put a huge apple and orange in our stockings. We never saw that size of fruit any other time of the year.

4. Love’s Christmas Journey DVD. We won this movie in a drawing or something and received it this week. Planning on watching it this weekend or sometime over Christmas.

5. PlayMG. PlayMG is a portable mobile gaming device. It is very cool. So cool that my husband and I have enjoyed playing NBA Jam. If you knew us, you’d know that we both love basketball both watching and playing, but don’t do much of either anymore. Though PlayMG is a pricier item for a stocking stuffer, it is the size of a perfect last minute stocking stuffer, especially if you are stuck in what to get a special someone. No need to buy extra equipment, as it uses a standard cell phone charger to charge. Accessories can be purchased separately, like a case, charger etc.

We have really been enjoying learning to us our PlayMG, but I wouldn’t say it hasn’t been as user friendly as I would like. It took me an email and a couple calls to support and I still cannot get the internet to work even though my WiFi says it is connected. I have to call them again after Christmas. The game has frozen on us a couple of times causing us to reset it by pressing the brightness and volume down buttons, which I need to ask about. Support has been great though.

There were a couple of cards like this and that was the extent of instructions. It came beautifully packaged though in a nice box that slide out like a drawer. Too bad my children sort of wrecked ours already or I could show you how nice it was.

I will say that so far the PlayMG has been a motivator for my boys (9 and nearly 11) to do their chores, so it is working in the sense that I want it too. I like that it is portable and needs no other service other than WiFi and it will work with our NetZero device. I also like that we can use the Bill My Parents card. I added $20 to it and Bill My Parents added another $10, so I can use that as an extra incentive for chores. OR if certain individuals are not complying then I can say I get to spend the money instead. Hoping I don’t have to resort to that but if I have to play hard ball I will!

The Bill My Parents card works like a debit card but teens cannot overspend if there is no money on the card. Parents can be notified via email of purchases etc., but they will not be able to get a report of websites visited or what their kids watched. That’s a downfall, if you ask me. I like that it’s a debit card. Now that my girls are getting older, it will be a useful tool to use to educate them about responsible credit card use.

Overall, we like PlayMG, I just wish more instructions came with the device on how to get everything set up -email, internet etc. This is a great device that gets my children OFF my iPhone and onto THEIR games without expensive cell phone charges or contracts.

Have fun with any last minute shopping, visiting or preparing you have to do this weekend!

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Reverse Charades Holiday Edition Review

Posted by Brande on December 22, 2012
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Humor, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping

Reverse Charades Holiday Edition Review

So, I think I still have pains in my side from laughing so much! My husband, myself, and 2 other friends played this one evening when the kids went to bed. I’ve never had so much fun with a game and it got very competitive! I’m laughing as I write this remembering my husband trying to act out “Cindy Lou Who”. Start laughing now… imaging trying to act out “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “Nutcracker”, or “Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen”. Bring some tissues because your going to laugh until you cry! Reverse Charades Holiday Edition is a must have for a Christmas Party! Great stocking stuffer also it a small box (it’s about the size of an iPhone).

Reverse Charades also come in Girls Night In Edition and Sports Edition. To purchase Reverse Charades online click here, Amazon.com, or 2000 other store locations.

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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5 Christmas Toy Dangers for Older Children

Posted by html404 on December 20, 2012
in Guest Post, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Parenting, Safety, Uncategorized

5 Christmas Toy Dangers for Older Children

When the topic of toy hazards is brought up, most minds jump to infants and toddlers: small toy parts, plastic bags, too-long cords and drawstrings are just a few items on the “list of things to be aware of.” But, risks to children don’t suddenly stop at age three or six, and toys can pose a threat to older children too; they just do so in different ways. To help you keep your kids safe and teach them good habits, here’s our list of the top five Christmas toy hazards to be aware of for older children:

1. Loud noise – Nowadays, it seems like every kid has a pair of earphones permanently attached to their head, but these toys can end up causing some serious harm in the form of hearing loss. When a child, or anyone for that matter, is continually exposed to high levels of sound, the pressure from the sound waves can damage tiny hairs in the ear. These hairs are responsible for transmitting the sound to the brain, and if they cannot do so effectively, then the person will experience hearing loss. In fact, a study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) showed that 14.9% of kids in the U.S. have low- or high-frequency hearing loss of “at least 16-dB hearing level in one or both ears.” Teach your children to set the volume on their music players and phones only up to a certain level. You can also set a maximum volume limit on many music players like the iPod and iPhone to make sure they don’t exceed a set point.

2. Laceration dangers – Big kids usually get bigger toys, but metal ones like pogo sticks and scooters have parts which can become dangerous during rowdy play. If a part breaks off, or a child falls onto the toy, it can cause a laceration, so always make sure they wear safety equipment, and avoid toys with sharp edges or points whenever possible.

3. Age or size inappropriate toys – Always look for and heed the manufacturer’s recommended age limits, and consider your child’s size as well when purchasing toys. A toy that is too big or too small can be dangerous because it is more difficult for the child to operate. In any case, make sure they are always wearing the appropriate safety equipment.

4. Defective toys – Toy recalls are not uncommon, and unfortunately, many defective toys make it to the market every year. However, SaferProducts.gov offers a searchable online database of harm reports for products that are still available on the market, as well as those that have been recalled. Check this before making any Christmas toy purchases to ensure there aren’t prior instances of injury with the product.

5. Riding toys – Bicycles and scooters may be fun to ride, but they also mean your child may be playing on or near the street, and the vehicles traveling on it. Teach your child to ride only on the sidewalk or in the driveway, and if you live on a busy street, you may simply want to restrict play to a park or other space designated for children. Furthermore, always make sure they are wearing a helmet and protective pads.

As you can see, these Christmas toy hazards are serious concerns, but it only takes a little effort to protect yourself and your children against them. By keeping up to date with recalls, ensuring proper equipment is worn while playing, and encouraging healthy habits in your children, you can make this Christmas fun and worry-free for all.

Kara Alcamo is a concerned mother, freelance writer and contributor to the Ross Feller Casey blog. Visit the website to learn more about these Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers.

This is a paid guest post.