Tag: back to school

1st Day of School Giveaway

 

Soon our kids are heading back to school (woohoo!!) but in the meanwhile, we need to spice up their education by engaging them in fun activities at home that will kick start them back into school mode.

MamatheFox teamed up with some amazing brands who want to offer you the chance to win some of their products! Come back daily to increase your chances of winning this amazing giveaway.

 

Open to US residents only    –    Over $145 in prizes

 

Hosted by: MamatheFox

Co-Hosted by: Reviewz and Newz, Parenting Healthy, Miki’s Hope, Tabby’s Pantry  & Sunshine and Roller Coasters

 

One person will win:

  • Thames and Kosmos  – I Dig It! Dinos – T. Rex Excavation Kit – RV $12.95
    • Play the role of a paleontologist and excavate a replica of a dinosaur fossil relief all by yourself. Use the hammer and chisel to go on a hunt for Tyrannosaurus rex, the dangerous prehistoric giant. Excavate the skeleton relief from the surrounding soft plaster block. The kit includes the skeleton relief buried in a plaster block, excavation tools, and a descriptive manual.

  • My Gnome on the Roam –  RV $29.97
    • What if one little gnome and one tiny suitcase could change your family? My Gnome on the Roam ® is more than just a children’s book and adventure kit, it’s a suitcase full of memories waiting to be unpacked. It’s an invitation to explore, create and connect with your family. It’s a glitter and glue covered revolution and a toy and book with a mission…designed to help create stronger, happier kids, and more present and connected adults.

  • Catch and Learn by PlaSmart – RV $9.99
    • The Catch and Learn by PlaSmart is now available on Amazon. The educational game where you fish for answers. The learning possibilities are endless. Comes with retractable magnetic fish catcher, 10 dry-erase fish cards and marker. Teaches math, spelling, grammar, shapes, and colors. Learn by playing described games, or invent your own. Just press the button to retract the worm and reel in your answers. Helps develop fine motor skills. Promotes confidence and self-esteem. Two or more players; one can be a teacher or parent. Age 4+ years. Meets all ASTM, CPSC, and EN71 safety standards

 

 

  • Mr Bucket by Pressman Toys – RV $21.99
    • Mr. Bucket is the original moving chasing racing action game.
    • Get ready for buckets of fun with Mr. Bucket by Pressman Toy! Scoop up the balls that match your colored shovel and drop the balls into Mr. Bucket as he whirls and spins around the floor. Watch out – Mr. Bucket will try to block your ball with his hands and will even spit the balls right back out of his mouth onto the floor, creating tons of laughter and fun! Get all three of your colored balls inside Mr. Bucket first to win! Made with high quality materials, Mr. Bucket is the original moving chasing racing action game and will have kids up and moving around. Can you scoop up all your color balls and place them back into Mr. Bucket before he pops them out again? For 2 to 4 players, ages 3 and up.

  • Pop The Pig Game by Goliath Games – RV $24.99
    • Pop the Pig was the top-selling preschool game in 2016 and 2017 according to retailer sales data collected by NPD!
    • Players take turns rolling the die, feeding the pig, and pushing down on his head. Each pump makes his belly grow bigger, bigger, and bigger until… POP!

 

  • Personalized Book from Snowflake Stories (choice of either The Big Soccer Game or Dance Recital . – RV$45
    • Not your average personalized children’s book!
      * Select your entire cast of characters:
      1 special child + (up to) 5 loved ones
      * Customize the appearance of each character:
      Choose skin color, hairstyle, hair color and more
      * Add 1-2 of 5 languages:
      English, Spanish, Portuguese, French & Italian

 

 

 

Ready for Real School – Kindergarten Resources

We can hardly believe it – The oldest ‘pup’ of the MamatheFox kids is going to Kindergarten!

The kid that inspired MamatheFox to create a website for parents is growing up, and she is THRILLED to start her next adven23ture.

Some of the kids who are featured on MamatheFox will attend public school, others are going to be home schooled Montessori style. Having said that, parents should find a nursery or kindergarten that can take the proper responsibility of caring for and teaching their children. In addition, choosing schools that are dedicated to making sure that each child is given the best opportunities might also be a wise choice. No matter how you choose to educate your children, we want to provide you with the best brands and products that we have found. We love sharing our thoughts with you – and allowing you to experience new things through our children’s natural play.

Typical things a child should know prior to entering kindergarten are:

  • Basic shapes. Some of the best nursery in stafford recommends that the child should have learned basic shapes like the square, circle, rectangle and triangle in preschool. If not, parents should teach them. In kindergarten, they will probably be introduced to the hexagon, star, heart and octagon. [You can also integrate different styles of simple flags like the Poland flag coloring page for printing and coloring that integrate different shapes and colors and learn a bit about flags!]
  • The letters of the child’s name. They should at least be able to recognize the letters of their name. In kindergarten, they will learn their uppercase letters and begin lowercase letters. They will also begin to learn how to write freehand without tracing.
  • Though it’s not necessary to learn to spell before kindergarten, children who show a strong desire to learn can begin to practice spelling basic words. A good way to do this is with free printable word searches. Practicing a word search hard or easy is a great way for anyone in the family to have fun while also stimulating the mind.
  • Numbers 1 to 10. Although some children will be able to count to 100 by the time they reach kindergarten, all should be able to at least be able to count to 10. Numbers will be used starting on the first day of kindergarten so the children need to at least understand and recognize numbers.
  • Social skills – The child should be able to follow directions, be able to be separated from the caregiver and use the restroom independently. Children who scream and cry when they are separated from caregivers disrupt the rest of the class. Teachers simply do not have the time to supervise individual students who cannot independently use the restroom. Many teachers now also use social learning as a way to engage pupils, which is going to be hard for your kids if they aren’t used to socialising. Learn More here to find out some of the ways teachers use social learning in the classroom. Once you know what to expect, you can help your kids to adjust.

These facts are from Alise McGregor, founder of Little Newtons

This is a list of products and brands we feel will help get your children ready for Kindergarten

STEM & Educational Toys

Q Wunder

The Q Wunder app (available on Android and Apple devices) is all about teaching kids emotional intelligence and mindfulness through starting conversations and play time with family through great games, books, toys and the show available through their app.

Social and emotional skills are often overlooked when preparing our children. We strive to teach them to sing their ABC’s. How to count numbers….but what about dealing with being interrupted? What manners are and how to use them? How to look someone in the eye and pay attention? Have your children started to grasp and master these critical social cues? If you agree with me and think these are necessary and important skills to have, check out Q Wunder and try out their free trial.

Botley the Coding Robot

Kids are obsessed with coding robots. At a young age like 5, kids are still learning how to read and problem solve. With all the YouTube videos of robots they lust after owning one themselves. Now your kid can get an age appropriate, and MUCH more affordable robot for your family – Botley!

Botley’s 77-piece activity set comes with a remote programmer, detachable robot arms, 40 coding cards, 6 double-sided tiles, 27 obstacle building pieces and a starter guide with coding challenges.

Your child will get to learn early STEM skills while playing and having fun. Botley teaches the basics of coding through active play, completely screen free. Perfect for promoting critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Highlights: The Big Fun Kindergarten Activity Book

I am a mom who loves a dry erase book – add in the fact that it’s educational and I am sold!

With Highlights, a trusted brand that we all grew up with, has a broad line of learning wipe off books.

By using puzzles, exciting images and skill-building activities these books help enrich your child’s creative play by encouraging deeper thinking and learning.

This particular book focuses on Alphabet, Sight Words, Writing, Reading, Numbers, Matching, Sorting, Patterns and more.

Click here to purchase Highlights The Big Fun Kindergarten Activity Book

Catch and Learn Game

Catch and Learn by PlaSmart is an interactive and simple to play game. It comes with a variety of fish (small, medium and large) that are made of a dry-erase friendly material with a magnet safely secured inside. The parent or teacher can use a dry erase marker to create custom learning games based on what you are working on and what your child is interested in.

We love to work on matching capital/uppercase letters to the corresponding lower case letter. For this game I will write A, B, C and D on some of the fish and place them in a pile. Then I will write a, b, c and d on some of the other fish. I will put all the lowercase letters on the floor in front of my child. I will them have them pull a fish from my hand that contains the matching capital/uppercase corresponding letters. Then they have to use their fishing pole (which also contains a magnet) to select their choice. The pole has a button to push on which will case the string to pull up like a real fishing pole would. You can also do math equations, opposite words, colors and shapes and really any topic you are looking to work on. We love this game for its ease of play and variety of play.

Click here to purchase Catch and Learn Game

New Sprouts – Grill It! by Learning Resources

Before a child can hold a pencil correctly they must master their hand eye coordination. More importantly their fine motor muscles need to develop. This is not something they your kids gain just by turning 5 or being a certain size, it’s a learning and developed skill. You can help aid your kids in their fine motor skills by engaging them in play which require the use of their fingers and thumb muscles.

We love to create restaurants and play shopping store games. With Grill It, the new toy from Learning Resources, you can help your kids play while they naturally engage their fine motor skills. No kid is going to want to do some mindless hand activity, they want to play! Help them play with colorful, naturally exciting toys like play food. It is a classic toy that is still loved and played with – so add Grill It to your play toys today.

Click here to purchase Grill It!

Gnome on the Roam

Did you know that families are spending less and less quality time together. With activities, social media, TV and other distractions, we often forget to stop, pause and talk to each other.

Gnome on the Roam was created to help families get back to being together, and enjoying a few minutes as a collective unit who wants to do fun things. Each day you take your little Gnome with you as you visit the library, attend your soccer practice, or visit your grandmothers. Then you can log your daily adventures in the notebook with the adorable wooden pen included. By helping your child recall their daily activities you help them with memory recall and short term memory development. They can them draw and write out a few sentences about what they did that day. You use this as a daily journal for your family – this way when you look back at in months or years down the road, you can recall the fun and special moments you shared as a family.

There is also an app you can download for free. It gives you a daily objective such as taking a nature walk as a family. Visit something old (an old church or building, tree or an elderly neighbor)….easy to complete tasks that only take a few minutes but allow you to create new family memories on a daily basis.

Click here to purchase Gnome on the Roam

Read Your Story – Personalized Books

Children love to see their own face and name in a book. Customized books are extremely popular right now and a huge hit with all kids. What makes Read Your Story different is that they include photos of the other family members in the book! In my child’s bedroom, you can see a family portrait (which I provided) on her wall! When she say that not only was this a custom book, but also included her family she was thrilled.

The story line is a classic tale of cleaning your room and the adventures of play through imagination. It sparks their creative thoughts and inspires a love for reading.

Winner of:

  • ‍2017 National Parenting Product Award
  • Creative Child Magazine’s 2017
    “Book of the Year” Award

Click here to purchase A Monster Mess! and other Read Your Story items

I Dig It! Dinos – T. Rex Excavation Kit

In a fast paced, give it to me now, instant gratification world our kids are loosing the ability to know what patience is. If this sounds like something you are dealing with then you have to try out an I Dig It! Kit from Thames and Kosmos. Their excavation kits are made to help kids lean not only about dinosaur bones, excavation, fossils and the tools involved, but also that some things take time. When my kids started this kit they were thrilled to see their dinosaur. When it didn’t instantly pop up they were frustrated and mad. They live in a blind-bag, instant on-demnd TV world. Having to wait and/or work for something is sadly not a daily activity.

I am so glad we are slowly working on our excavation kit. We work on it every day or two for a 30 min period. Slowly we are seeing the bones and the excitement is growing. There have been times my kids ask me to just do it for them…and I cannot lie, I have been tempted! But I know it will be that much sweeter when they finish it on their own. This kit is labeled for children ages 7+ (not for 5+), this is because some of the tools have a very sharp edged tool to aid in the digging. Be sure to explain how to use the tool and the safely needed to use it correctly. I would not let me kids to this unsupervised for this reason alone. It is also an outdoor activity too, as it gets messy when you dig that clay away.

Click here to purchase an I Dig It! Excavation Kit

Wild Republic Hugging T-Rex Bracelets

Boys and girls alike love dinosaurs. They are a classic yet exciting creature that sparks creativity and excitement. When I was a small child myself in the late 80’s we loved the snap bracelet craze. The snap type bracelets are very much back and much more safe then they were in my youth. Wild Republic picked up on this craze and made the coolest dinosaur hugging bracelets you can imagine. They are soft to the touch, even soft enough to sleep with.

My 5 year old who is going into kindergarten created some wonderful games with the dinosaurs. She took them outside and had them climb trees. By using the hugging bracelet feature she was able to have them hang from branches, scale tree trunks and forage through bushes. These Wild Republic braclets are sure to spark some creative thoughts and new games for your children too.

Click here to purchase Wild Republic Hugging Bracelets

Magformers – Dino Tego Set

Magnetic toys are so helpful with developing fine and gross motor skills. They engage a child in a way that allows them to use science and their creativity at the same time. Magformers, a trusted brand and toy developer, released a fun line of magnetic toys with dinosaur parts, so you can use you magnetic blocks and create new and exciting dinosaurs. This 20 piece set comes with square, rectangles and dinosaur parts, allowing them to create and movable dinosaur.

My children love to make it do silly things like put the legs upside down or one up and one down – but their favorite thing to do is make the dinosaur eat a smaller toy! They open up the belly and place a toy or two in the hollow center of the dinosaurs stomach area. They they make the Dino stomp around as if it ate the contents – like its a Jonah and the Whale scenario. Sometimes they call it a Dino cage and use the inside like a prison cell for bad guys.

Magformers use quality products like Neodymium Rare-Earth Magnets for guaranteed connectivity as well as BPA Free HQABS Plastic.

Click here to purchase Magformers Tego Dino Set

Hot Dots Jr. – Pete the Cat Kindergarten

Pete the Cat is a huge character in children’s lives today. If you have not heard of him yet, you will be seeing a lot of him soon. You can find dozens of books featuring Pete the Cat and his daily adventures and struggles. Children flock to this blue, hip and cool cat. He is developmentally similar to a Kindergartner – which makes him very appealing to the preschool and Kindergarten market place.

Hot Dots by Educational Insights, a leader in young kid educational products, created this amazing Pete the Cat Kindergarten Rocks Set. This set comes with 2 interactive books and 1 Pete the Cat Friend Pen. Use the Pete the Cat Pen to choose the answer to each question. Pete’s eye will light up green for correct and red for incorrect. To use be sure to have the tip in the center of your selected answer and have the pen as vertical as possible so that the pen can align with the corresponding answer correctly. If you don’t have it in the black dot correctly it may make the wrong sound even if the the right answer.

With over 200 lessons included, your child will have a blast while developing preschool skills in reading, math, science, social studies, and more!

Click here to purchase Pete the Cat Kindergarten Rocks Set

Snowflake Stories

Have you started a reading challenge yet? Maybe one through your local library – we have a few summer reading programs we are working on – including reading 1000 books before Kindergarten! Reading to your child increases their natural curiosity of the world around them. Reading to your children helps them learn that reading is fun and you can not only learn but enjoy the books you read.

Children love to see their own name inside of books – what can make the customizing of a book better? Adding your own relatives! With Snowflake stories you can add in grandparents, aunts, uncles and other special adults in their lives.

What truly makes Snowflake stories special is the ability to make the story in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese! Each story is written slightly different in each language, allowing all the books to have rhyme to it. These are perfect books for bi-lingual families.

You can add a picture of your child to the front page along with a personal dedication for them. You choose how your character looks from eye color, skin tone, hair color and hair style. You can also pick the names of the cast – we did a grandma, an uncle and an aunt. The bodies are pre-set for each person, that is not customize option – which caused slight confusion for my son as the people in the book looked very different from the person they know in real life.

I love how the book really helped show a child how time and dedication is what it takes, along with a positive attitude to succeed in a sport.

Click here to purchase a Snowflake Story

Pop the Pig by Goliath

Playing games as a family is a great way to engage conversation and make new memories. Goliath focuses on games what help children learn through play. The top hit game, Pop the Pig, is a favorite in the Fox house. We play all the time! Roll the dice and find out which color burger you choose from the pile in front of the players. Look under the burger, on its underside, and see what number is written (1 though 4). Place the burger in the Chef Pigs mouth and press down on his head the amount of times the burger told you to. As you go around and around taking turns the pigs belly gets bigger and bigger – eventually he is full and his belt pops opened! Whoever pops the pig wins! This game is very fun and great for basic math skills of counting, recognizing numbers and colors and the importance of taking turns.

I love how you can travel with this game as you can store all pieces, even the dice, in the pigs belly!

Click here to purchase Pop the Pig Game

Mr Bucket by Pressman Toys

Mr Bucket is a fun and exciting game for small children. It helps engage them physically as they need to move around to play this game. By working on their hand/eye coordination and reaction skills , they chase after their colored balls. They scoop up the ball with their matching colored scooper and run up to the Mr Bucket – who is on the move! The Mr Bucket has a button on the bottom of it which tells the toy its on a flat surface and he begins to scoot around the room. When a kid drops in their colored ball, they must then run around the room and get all their matching balls in the bucket before he spits them back out!

I would suggest playing this game in an area that is open and have lots of space – we have had some balls roll under the entertainment center and the couch when first playing this game – Now we play in a very thin carpeted area to help keep the ball from rolling too far away. My kids think this game is hilarious and I love that it helps teach them basic skills like color recognition, balance, hand/eye coordination and gives them a game to play that moves their body.

Click here to purchase Mr Bucket

Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes

Stomp Rockets are 100% kid powered and 100% fun!

This is the perfect toy to get your kids moving and to teach them basic STEM skills at the same time. The Stomp Rocket is a super easy to use product that needs little to no grown-up assistance. Simply choose your rocket (Looper, Wildcat and Glider are the 3 options in this kit), slide the rocket on the black tube and adjust the angle. Each plane has a different look and does a different trick. The Looper makes loops, Wildcat does flips, turns and soars. Glider does tricks and glides over 100 feet!

My kids love running to jump on the launch pad, but running is not required, they only love the energy involved in the action of it. Adjust the angle of the base to have the rocket shoot up, at the 45 degree angle or a 90 degree angle. Test the rockets at different angles and see what they do differently. Kids love learning about trajectory by changing the angle themselves. Try a soft stomp and a hard stomp – note the differences. Explore aerodynamics and the create a love for science with the Stomp Rocket.

Click here to purchase Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes

Fish ‘N Spell

Bath time is always a blast! We love to play in the water while we get cleaned up. By playing with Fish ‘N Spell my kids get a grasp for letters, colors and work on their hand-eye coordination. This set is amazing for several reasons – first off, it comes with tons of letters, so you can actually spell things! So many times kits come with only 1 of each letter – not letting you spell actual words. Luckily Fish ‘N Spell is made by Edushape, a brand that really knows kids. They knew that kids want to spell basic words like their names, the words “mom, dad, ball” and others that require at least 2 of the same letter. By giving us extras they allow us to really use this toy and learn with it.

The fishing poles need to be assembled by the parent, but it’s very simple and comes with instructions. With 4 poles, 2 of each size, there are plenty for siblings to share and in case one gets misplaced. This fishing pole concept game works with water. When the foam pieces get wet from the water they are then able to stick together, allowing the pole to effectively pick up the letter. It has to be wet to work.

If you are looking for a fun toy to use in your water table outside this fall, then the Fish ‘N Spell is going to be your best bet.

Click here to purchase Fish ‘N Spell

Highlights – Let’s Write Words (Write-On Wipe-Off Book)

Keeping up with penmanship is key for small children. My daughter loves to write and practice her letters. If you are wanting to support your children’s ability to write, and help them gain more confidence and practice in handwriting, then this is going to be the perfect tool for your home. The Highlights team, which knows children so very well, has developed this beautiful, colorful and engaging dry erase style book. It even comes with a dry erase marking to use with the book!

There are basic words which your children will want to write, like body parts, shapes and colors as well as fun things hidden picture games and sentence building. One each page there is a section that is a traceable word, then a blank space next to it allowing the child to try to write the word fully on their own. Having them practice the tracing first allows them to practice the movement and gain confidence in their motor skills. Once they are proficient at tracing we then try to write it in the blank space on our own. And of course, since this book is a write-on, wipe-off style book, it can be used over and over again.

Perfect for at home use, for long car trips and at restaurants.

Click here to purchase Highlights – Let’s Write Words

Kullerbu Construction Site Set by HABA

Children love toys that are exciting, engaging and allow them to use their imagination. Parents love battery free toys and are high quality to last over time. HABA has been our go to brand for classic, high quality wooden toys. Our new obsession is the Kullerbu Construction Site Set. It has a super fun loader that can push a ball along the track, thanks to a momentum motor, and down the construction site into the waiting dump truck. This set comes with two construction vehicles, 2 balls, and a sign. There are a bunch of other Kullerbu sets that this can mix with, which makes it even more of a versatile gift. This award winning toy (has won the ASTRA – American Specialty Toy Retail Association) award for being one of their top toy picks. This simple push and go toy will provide your children with hours of battery free entertainment. Helping them use their fine motor skills, creative thinking, problem solving and imaginative play. You will fall in love with toy quickly, just as we did.

Click here to purchase the ASTRA Award Winning Toy – Kullerbu Construction Site Set by HABA

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Spin & Seek ABC Game

This fun and family friendly game is great for children who are grasping the concept of letter recognition, and for solidifying their knowledge of the alphabet. Bu using the Very Hungry Caterpillar, a favorite in many homes, the kids will be more engaged in the game because of their previews knowledge of the Caterpillar character. Players spin the spinner and seek matching letters with images inspired by The World of Eric Carle. This game reinforces upper and lower case letters making it great for toddlers, preschoolers and Kindergartners alike – perfect for siblings to play together, which is a great selling key to this mama!

Click here to purchase The Very Hungry Caterpiller Spin & Seek ABC Game

Pete the Cat Missing Cupcakes Game

Pete the Cat is a story book favorite of many kindergarten ages children. He is a cool, blue cat with style that attacks both girls and boys alike to his fun books. This super easy and fun game is great for kids ages 3 to 6. There is NO READING required, which makes it a great game for my kids to play together with, without a parent needing to be on stand by to read to them as they play the game. Pete the Cat and his friends work together to get the missing cupcakes back from Grumpy Toad. Players collect colorful cupcakes as they sing songs, act out physical activities, and identify favorite animals, foods and words in this fun board game. We love the acting out (think kid charades) and thinking of our own answers for each turn. My kids get excited knowing they cannot really get a ‘wrong’ answer – and the best part is its a team game, so there are no losers, we all win together every time.

Click here to purchase Pete the Cart Missing Cupcakes Game

Kids On Stage Board Game

Playing charades its a timely game that can bring family and friends together. Now, with Briarpatch and their game Kids on Stage, you can bring you kids into the excitement of the every silent game of charades. It’s the perfect first game to encourage social skills, creative thinking, and fun! Each player takes a turn acting out animals, objects, or actions while the other players guess. Each card simply has an image on it, no words, allowing all the non reading kids to be able to play along and participate. Seeing that goes through their little minds as they grin when they see their card, look into the distance to gather their idea and then get into motion will surly bring laughter and memories into your home. This is a person game for parties and holidays too.

Click here to purchase Kids On Stage Board Game

 

PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3. AQUA

Ready for some splashing good times? With the Water Wheel with Baby Shark, bathtime fun reaches a whole new level. Simply attach the water wheel to the wall or side of the tub using the suction cup. Then, place the figure inside and close the fish door. Now the real action begins! Fill the cup with water and pour it over the wheel to make it spin. The colorful playsets from PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 AQUA each playfully promote important developmental skills. This Stage 3 – Little Expert set will help your toddler develop cognitive and fine motor skills, all while having a great water play experience! Playset includes one figure, floating shark, water wheel, and a cup for pouring.

Click here to purchase 1.2.3. Aqua

 

Cake-n-Bake Challenge Game

This is a perfect game for Kindergarteners. To play you need to win a Candle Card by being the first player to stack a cake that matches the game card and hit the bell. First person to earn 6 Candle Cards wins the game and gets to wear the Chef’s Hat! This game is very versatile with 3 ways to play. Beginner Baker (2-6 players), Mixin’ Madness (2-6 players), Bakery Bake-Off (Sensory Play for 2-3 teams). It is perfect for neurotypical students, with the use of bright colors and stacking patterns. Cake-N-Bake Challenge is a game that can turn anyone into a crafty baker! Cake-N-Bake Challenge is a fun, colorful sensory stimulating game that is great for the entire family!

Click here to purchase Cake-n-Bake Challenge Game

 

Back to School Essentials

Pediped Shoes

Getting your kids feet in supported and trusted shoes is key. With the proper footware on their feet they can run better and more confidently. They can climb the gym jungle with their classmates without any worries. Pediped shoes are highly tested and are among the safest footwear available.

They have a huge variety of shoes, in sizes ranging from newborn up to size 6 youth!

With new options constantly being released, they always have the hottest styles and color options for your family. Whether you are needing basic sneakers, dress shoes, sandals or casual footware, you will be pleased with your shoes from Pediped.

Click here to purchase Pediped shoes

b.box baby Snack Pack

b.box baby is a brand that focuses on infant and toddler feeding systems. But now our toddler is going to school! We need to pack those snacks to keep their energy levels up so they can stay focused on what their teachers are working on. With b.box baby snack packs, you can provide you child with fun and healthy options.

The 2 sided design is perfect for a hummus and carrots, chips and dip, fruits and veggies, a tiny sandwich and strawberries.

It includes a spoon, which conveniently attached to the lid – in hope that my kid wont forget it at school, right?!

The snack packs are BPA, Phthalates and PVC free.

With blue, pink and green as the color options, the b.box baby Snack Packs will surely be the perfect snack container for your family.

Click here to purchase b.box baby Snack Packs

GoSili Reusable Snack Bags

I hate using plastic storage bags for snacks and foods in packed lunches. Did you know that you cannot toss them in the regular recycling bin? Only certain recycling plants have the ability to work with zip style storage bags – then just toss them in the trash! You can recycle them at certain plastic bag collection bins. In the meanwhile, you can help slow down the filling of landfills by switching to GoSili Reusable Snack Bags.

I love these bags because they are simple to use and easy to clean.

They store flat, making it slide up again my cupboard wall very easily. They are

Dishwasher safe – for those busy nights when hand washing is not going to happen.

The coolest part is they are microwave safe! Love to have a warm tuna sandwich – now you can heat it in your bag! No more waste created in your meal prep.

Click here to purchase GoSili Reusable Snack Bags

Zip and Zoe Backpack and Zipped Lunchies with Ice Packs (for Barnes & Noble)

Backpacks take a beating. Lunch sacks get messy and worn out. Each year we seem to require a new backpack and new lunch sack due to the wear and tear they endure. This year we are playing it safe with the new set of backpacks and zipped lunchies from Babymel’s newest line, Zip & Zoe!

The designs for Zip and Zoe are monochrome (black and white) with them featured on brightly colored backgrounds. These stylish and functional kids sizes backpacks are going to set your child’s imagination on some magical adventures with prints that feature dinosaurs and unicorns.

Each lunch bag comes with a matching, perfectly sized ice pack. I always put an ice pack in my kids lunches, and having a box that comes with a matching, perfectly fitting ice pack makes packing lunches a dream for parents. I love the extra internal pocket to stash their extra clothes out of the way, so that their daily artwork doesn’t rub against it. Its insides are easy to wipes out and keep clean.

These backpacks are now available at your local Barnes and Noble retailer.

Boardwalk T-Shirts

Funny tee’s are always a hit. With witty puns, silly images and play on words, they are always a crowd pleaser.

Boardwalk makes high quality, unisex tee’s for boys and girls alike. You can shop by boy, girl or uni-sex options. I love how they have it set up so scroll through all the pages of options. We love the ones that feature Ohio, of course, but there are tons of shirts with other states on them with funny thoughts and themes about that state. Like HOT over the state of Atlanta (Hot-lanta) is one of my favorites. We also think the picture of a chicken with an arrow pointing to the chickens butt that say “Guess What” is hilarious! The shirts are uni-sex cut, which means for little girls they will be a bit boxy in shape, so keep that in mind when ordering your size.

Once you order from Boardwalk and the laughs and compliments come rolling in, you will be back on their site, grabbing a few more to add into the mix.

Click here to purchase from Boardwalk

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Mabel’s Labels

When kids get together, things get misplaced. To help keep your children’s item from ending up in the lost and found bin, or in another kids backpack you can turn to Mabel’s Labels. These labels are not only easy to use but they are simple to order too. Choose a style or theme, type in the name you desire and boom! Mabel’s Labels has labels for typical items like lunch bags and water bottles for everyday items. However, their options don’t just end there – with labels for clothing, shoes, sunglasses, pens and more. The options are practically endless when you click around their site and see all the options.

MamatheFox got the Little Kids School Label Combo – which includes

  • 40 Mini Custom Name Stickers: 1-1/2″ x 5/16″
  • 50 Tag Mates™ Stick On Clothing Labels: 13/16″ x 3/8″
  • 12 Preschool Shoe Labels (6 pairs): Varied
  • 2 Personalized Mini Tags: 1-1/4″ x 3/4″

I love having the tags for my daughters lunch box and backpack. The tiny labels are great for her water cups, reusable snack bags, Tupperware, her winter boots and rain boots (so many of us have the same style and shoes get easily mixed up – believe me on this one) and her coats.

If your child has allergies these labels can be so helpful for keeping your child’s items separated from the groups.

Click here to purchase the Little Kids School Label Combo

Sun Blocz Baby & Kids

Choosing a quality sun screen for your kids it an important decision. With so many brands, and lack of information you can get frustrated and feel overwhelmed. When getting my kids ready for school in the fall and spring, I always put sunscreen on them before dropping them off at school. They play outside for recess and also sometimes go outside for class on beautiful weather days.

If you are looking for a natural, safe and highly effective line of sunscreen, then you can choose SunBlocz. This mineral based sunscreen is safe, gentle and effective. It it recommended by dermatologist and pediatricians as being safe for baby and children’s sensitive skin. I love that it’s cruelty-free (no animal testing) and is water resistant for up to 8- minutes. With an SPF of 50 this product is a win/win!

click here to purchase Sun Blocz

Lunchtime & Snack Time

Oogies Gourmet Popcorn

Kids love popcorn! Make it exciting and healthy by choosing Oogies. This new line of popcorn is NON-GMO, Gluten free, All Natural and super delicious. What makes them stand out is their amazing variety of flavors – which are always on trend. Currently they offer: Wisconsin Cheddar 1848, Movie Time Butter, Original Kettlecorn, Spicy Nacho Cheddar, Caramel Chipotle and Hickory Smoked Gouda.

If there is a foodie in your house, they are going to fully appreciate the stellar flavors Oogies provide. I have never tasted such good popcorn – and I have tried A LOT of brands throughout time. The popcorn is light, fresh and the perfect pop of corn – when they add their custom flavor blends to the organic popcorn you have a special treat work telling your friends about.

  • Cholesterol Free
  • Trans Fat Free
  • Gluten Free
  • 100% Whole Gain
  • Good Source of Fiber
  • Non Genetically Modified

Click here to purchase Oogies Popcorn

From the Ground Up Snacks

My kids love to eat snack foods, so of course cheese crackers are always a top choice. If you have been looking for a fun, vegan friendly cracker, then Cauliflower Crackers from From the Ground Up Snacks are going to rock your world. Each box is jammed packed with flavor and freshness. They offer flavors like Cheddar, Sea Salt and Nacho – giving you some fun variety. Fully plant based, and made with real cauliflower and other veggies, this snack is not only tasty but its healthy for your family.

When we have to pack our snacks in the lunch box each morning, my kids beg for these cheesy crackers. I love how light and crispy they are. Since they are made with fresh, real vegetables, they are a good source of Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1 and B6.

Better yet – they also make a line of Cauliflower Pretzels! In both stick and classic pretzel shape you can munch on these healthy and fun snacks at home, the office or at school.

Click here to purchase From the Ground Up Snacks

Don’t Go Nuts Snacks and Spreads

With allergies being such an important topic in schools it’s imperative to pay attention and ask if there are any nut allergies in your child’s classroom. Don’t assume that the kids in class will be safe if you pack a peanut or nut based food for your child – sometimes kids are airborne allergic, so being in the same room as a nut may cause a horrible, if not life threatening, reaction. My son will ONLY eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches – nothing else. If my son ends up in a class with a kid with a server allergy I was wondering how I would handle this situation – and now I know what to do – we can use Don’t Go Nuts products instead.

Don’t Go Nuts are so safe that you can rest assured that your products will be completely nut free. They even vacuum off the packages they receive before bringing them into the nut-free kitchen where their products are made. That is real diligence! They offer a large product line of spreads and snacks – like chocolate chip granola bars, blueberry granola bars, and 5 spreads which include: Chocolate, Slightly Sweet, Sea Salt, Pure Unsalted and Simply Cinnamon spreads. All the spreads are made with Soybeans, which makes them fully nut-free and school safe.

USDA Organic, Certified Gluten-Free, and Vegan – you are going to be amazed with the flavors and texture of Don’t Go Nut products.

Click here to purchase Don’t Go Nuts

New Kicks for a New Grade – Momobaby Shoes

Summer is here!

With new seasons comes the need for new shoes

 

 

 

Man  –  our kids seem to wear their shoes into the ground.  The MamatheFox kids wear their shoes so hard, play constantly, run fast and jump high.

Each season, as they approach, we think of the new gear we need to buy, and shoes is always on that list. Kids grow at their own pace. Sometimes their feet and grow 2 sizes in a month, other times they are int eh same size for a full year. It’s so random, isn’t it?

For the past several years MamatheFox has used and tried many brands of shoes, but there is one that always stands out to us, Momobaby.

As the years pass and trends shift, they always stay on top of the newest styles and colors. But its not just style we look for, but comfort and durability. If a shoe fits, great, but what if its poorly made? It will fall apart, literally at the seams I have experienced and rub your kids foot so they get odd marks and blisters. Momobaby is a trusted brand that has been on the market for 12 years now. They always choose the highest quality materials and use the best construction methods.

 

 

 Momo Baby shoes have been reviewed by a group of APMA podiatrists to ensure it promotes foot health, and have been awarded the Seal of Acceptance.

 

Momobaby’s shoe sizes range from infant (the cutest little things!) up to little kid size 12! They offer soft soled shoes for infants and toddlers, rubber sole sneakers, leather sandals, leather flats and boots.

Visit Momobaby’s website today

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One and Done with People Footwear

Recently the need for shoes has been hitting hard in my house.

My son has been wearing hand me downs for three years. I can literally count on my two hands how many times I’ve spent money on his wardrobe. It isn’t just because I am frugal. Kids, especially boys, are so destructive and always choose the naked option! Why waste money on clothes he constantly refuses to wear or soaks in spaghetti and mud simultaneously?

Speaking of destructive boys, the older they get the harder they are on their clothes. When my son recently hit size 8 shoes there was no shoes left in his hand me down box.

Sad day for this mama. Guess i’ll need to get some more wide fit shoes for women and let go of some of my current favorite comfy shoes for him?

As for my daughter, she has been struggling with the confidence to walk. Every time she falls its like she just gives up and resorts back to the “safety” of crawling.

So as spring approached I was on the hunt for shoes. As a frugal mama I was shocked at children shoe prices! It’s not the fact that quality shoes are expensive, I’ll pay to have shoes that are developing my children’s feet correctly. It’s the need for multiple pairs! You can never have enough shoes but if you do want to purchase some multiple use footwear then you should check out some Vessi footwear, they are 100% waterproof and extremely comfortable, you can wear them on any adventure which can be hot or cold – don’t have to worry about getting your shoes or your feet wet! You can get them in adult and children sizes. Children do need lots of shoes:

-Tennis shoes for parks with wood chips and mud, not to mention sports and bike riding.

-Breathable sandals for hot days outside that still protect toes.

-Pool/splash pad shoes that don’t cause blisters when wet.

-Dress shoes to complete that perfect outfit.

I turned to my penny pinching sister for advice. Her solution…People Footwear!

My sister said it was my 3 year old niece’s only pair of shoes. They were actually second hand bought, then lasted a whole year of use, and now will be handed down to her little sister! In addition, she already planned to buy the next size up for her daughter this spring.

Tell me more!

Who is People Footwear?

“People Footwear is ultra–light, supremely comfortable and perfect for doing whatever it is you do.”

Using innovative designs and materials People Footwear have crafted the perfect all occasion shoes. People Footwear has a vast variety of shoes to meet almost any style or age. Most importantly, all their shoes are engineered with their SkyLite EVA.

“EVA stands for ethylene vinyl acetate — a fancy word for rubberized foam. All of our shoes are made with our custom–engineered SkyLite™ EVA, a super light and shock–absorbent material. Our unique SuperCush™ sock liner (which molds to your foot) is also made of EVA because a lighter, cushier shoe makes for a happier you.”

It took everything in me to not add a pair of women’s shoes to my cart. They seriously looked so comfortable and stylish.

Like not just coolest mom on the playground stylish, but fashionista at the local cafe or bar.

However, I stayed focus and just nabbed two different designs for my little ones.

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The Slater Kids

The Slater Kids have the classic skateboarder slip-on look with People Footwear science.

The style is sleek yet practical. Despite the fun vibrant patterns to choose from, my son chose black. Probably having to do with his love for Batman. I did not attest, because remember these are his ONLY shoes for spring and summer. Black goes with everything and still maintains a clean look in-between washings.

The loafer look makes them stylish when I can occasionally get him to dress up while still having a youthful fear to fit everyday attire.

In addition, The Slater Kid’s footbed is lightweight yet extremely durable. These shoes protect and move like a tennis shoe. We found them great for the park and even riding his bike.

The Slater Kids are made with People Footwear’s fully-molded EVA Skylite upper with holes for maximum air-flow.

This means the perfect shoe for almost any environment. We tested his People Footwear at the local children’s museum. I watched him climb, run, jump, and get soaked in puddles and never once heard him complain or adjust his shoes. I love not having to worry about blisters, exposed toes getting stubbed, or shoes slipping off wet feet.

Laces free means my 3 year old son can QUICKLY put them on independently. Once they are on I know they are on. No adjusting velcro or tying laces!

Our People Footwear shoes fit with and without socks so wearing them into fall isn’t a problem.

The Ace Kids

I was in cuteness overload with People Footwear Ace Kids. These stylish faux lace slip ons were just what we needed.

The unisex style and colors almost convinced me to pick a neutral for future kids, but in the end I went full girl with a vibrant leopard print!

With an off white background and print of 4 bright colors and black, I knew my daughter could wear these with any outfit.

For a new walker I was adamant about flexible non clunky shoes. The Ace Kid’s footbed is made with the same durable lightweight design as the Slater Kids.

I love how The Ace Kids move with her feet and barely add any weight. She also is comfortable wearing her shoes with and without socks.

The tops are also made with People Footwear’s fully-molded Skylite EVA and air-flow holes. Again making these shoes great for heat, sweat, water, mud, and grass.

I knew my daughter’s shoes would help her keep up with her brother wherever he took his People Footwear.

There’s More!

People Footwear is not just a kid brand. They have a stylish collection for men and women as well. You can find sandals for warm sunny days, knit uppers for hard workouts, low tops for special occasions, and even boots to face the cold wet winter. There is a variety of shoes offered both in adult and kid sizes. Perfect for those adorably family matching days!

Cleaning

Anticipating one pair of shoes through two seasons means preparing to have weekly cleanings. People Footwear suggest cleaning shoes with a soft cloth or tooth bush. I used a Magic sponge and loved the result! We’ve already established wet People Footwear are still safe and comfortable, meaning freshly cleaned shoes can go directly back on feet. Or if you have a wild son like me, you can choose to hose down shoes and kids all at once.

So as you approach this spring with excitement for warmer weather and days of play outside, you can forget the shoe chase. People Footwear has you covered with shoes that are perfect for all occasions, all outfits, and almost any environment. These quality shoes save your budget and time by being your kids’ one and done pair of shoes. Now that is something to be excited about!

Discover Fun with Discovery Toys

As an educator and mom I am always looking on sites like umkytoys for the right toys.

The mama in me looks for safe toys that are attractive and versatile. Toys need to do more than one thing and spark imaginative play. I want my kids to want to play with their toys, and I want them to play for a while.

Mama needs her coffee time!

As an educator, I look for toys that strengthen my child’s skills and development. I want them to contribute to my kids growth and challenge them to do, think, or feel.

My husband wants high quality products and our money’s worth. He does not want toys breaking…aka hearts breaking, not to mention they need to last through the years of being hand me downed to the next kid.

If it was up to him, our kids would be playing in cardboard boxes, because lets be honest, most kids love the packaging the most.

With the holiday and birthday season approaching I started researching gifts for our kids that would meet our high standards.

That is when I came across Discovery Toys and began reading about their perfect blend of fun, educational, and quality.

Who is Discovery Toys?

Discovery Toys has been in business for over 35 years and has gained a trusted reputation of providing premium quality toys. They are dedicated to designing toys that promote kid-power learning through play. Discovery Toys cover ages birth to 8 years and each toy is designed to teach, play, and inspire. Their mission is to provide engaging toys that assist parents and teachers with educating through play. The goal is to inspire a love for learning in children and adults.

Levels of Learning

These toys are unique as they combine multiple levels of learning in every toy.

  1. Products support multiple skills and learning pathways
  2. Products grow with your child
  3. Products support a varies of learning styles (audio, visual, and kinesthetic)

Special Needs

Since discovery toys are so versatile they are great for supporting children with special needs. Their toy catalogue is actually labeled with an Autism symbol that corresponds with the specific learning each toy supports. They also provide a very useful guide to help consumers select the correct product for their child’s needs.

I found this chart to be extremely helpful for any parent. As we watch our kids grow we notice their strengths and weakness in development. My son is a big kinesthetic learner and strong communicatively and cognitively. However, as a strong willed stubborned toddler he could improve his social skills and some fine motor tasks. My 12 month old is very visual and just starting to reach some cognitive milestones. I used this guide to help me choose the right toys to help grow and strengthen the needs of my littles.

Shopping Made Easy

I think my favorite thing about Discovery Toys, besides the toys themselves, is the catalogue setup. It’s perfectly color coded, organized, and supportive of parents’ choices. It’s almost as if a teacher is shopping with you explaining the benefits of each toy.

At the front of the catalogue they provide a table of context of each type of play. Their toys are grouped accordingly and each page is clearly marked.

They provide a key for their autism and special needs toys. Each letter corresponds with the specific learning the toy supports.

Also included are indicators of exclusive Discovery Toys, best sellers, and award winners.

If you are searching for a specific age rage, they provide a index by age. However, most of their toys will grow with your child beyond the listed age.

Our New Favorite Toys

As you can imagine, it was hard to choose just a few toys for our kids! There is a great desire to buy everything I think would interest my children, or be a possible teaching tool! If I followed my desire I would have every toy in the book. So I settled for 3.

All three toys are BPA free and included a tiny informational booklet. It provides a number of ways to play and educate using the given toy.

Heartbeat M.D

This best seller Discovery Toy was my no brainer. My son is getting more and more creative with his imaginative play and I am loving every minute of it. I recently started searching for a doctor kit when my son started using his tool kit for doctor play.

I give him points for creativity!

Normally I would just let it go and be satisfied with him using his tools for multiple purposes. But after a scarring visit to a hospital, while living overseas, I wanted him to get familiar with doctor tools. My goal was to play doctor enough times that he would begin to know the intention of each tool and be comfortable with medical exams.

My problem was trying to find doctor kits that weren’t outrageous colors or extremely flimsy. The Heartbeat M.D met my expectations.

The tools are a nice weight and great quality. My son’s imagination was immediately sparked as we practiced using each tool.

My educational expectations were even exceeded as I realized doctor play helped him learn to take turns, improve his focus, and communicate his feelings. Not to mention, we worked on being gentle when his little sister joined in as a patient.

 

With the help of baby dolls, doctor play can also be an independent quite play activity. We currently only have one extremely old doll but she made due.

If you have an animal lover, doctor kits are also awesome for veterinary play. We don’t have any live pets to practice on but we do have plenty of stuffed animals.

This toy is suggested for ages starting at 3 years and has won two awards!

Measure Up! Cups

A staple childhood toy has got to be stacking cups. They are versatile, durable, and grow with your child. Cups are great for stacking, playing in sensory bins, pouring in the bath tub, stamping, nesting, and so much more.

I loved that both my toddler and baby were engaged with Measure Up! Cups and developmentally benefited from their play. While my daughter was learning cause and effect of knocking down a tower, my son was experimenting with volume and getting a grasp on relational sizing.

When I received Measure Up! Cups I was curious how Discovery toys had worked to improve such a timeless toy.

The first thing I noticed was the ridged edges. This is to help prevent accidental suffocation, a risk I didn’t even know came with stacking cups. The ridges also help to stabilize the cups when being stacked and make for great castle turrets.

Each cup is numbered on the inside and outside and looks great when numerically arranged or sequentially placed in a circle to make a clock face. The numbers are also written in English, Spanish, and French and include corresponding dots. The bottom of the cups has stamped animals that correlate with the cups size. Cup 12 has an elephant while cup 1 has a butterfly. Measure Up! Cups are designed to be volumetrically proportional and are a great teaching tool for math concepts.

Discovery Toys suggests Measure Up! Cups for children from 12 Months to primary school. This toy has won three awards including the Family Choice Award.

Rainfall Rattle

I was instantly drawn to this rattle for my daughter and knew it would meet her interests. My daughter loves music and always chooses the egg shakers in the instrument box.

The rainfall rattle is a multi sensory experience as little ones watch and hear a stream of colorful beads falling. My daughter was drawn to the moving rainbow of colors and watching the effects of her shaking.

The rattle fits in little hands and is great for shaking, tipping, and rolling. Surprisingly it made for a fun toy for not only my daughter but my toddler too.

My son enjoyed experimenting with the pace of beads by how quickly he turned the rattle. He was so focused on getting every bead through the eight layers to the end.

As an educator, I also found this toy to be a soothing quiet break. My very energetic son often struggles with getting over stimulated and needing an outlet to gain control. Watching the cascading beads glistening in the sun has been a wonderful resource.

The rainfall rattle is suggested for 9 months to toddler age and has won one award.

 

But don’t just take my word for it, Discovery Toys has a wide variety of toys that meet the needs of any child.

Discovery Toys® products are available through our independent Educational Consultants in the United States and Canada. Our Educational Consultants are trained to help you select the appropriate products for the children in your lives, to take orders, to share the Discovery Toys income opportunity, to help you plan a party, and to answer any questions you may have.”

If you want to learn more about these Discovery Toys products contact Angela (The Expert!) through her website or by emailing angelakraemer_discoverytoys@yahoo.com. She is not an average pushy sales rep, rather a mom who loves discovery toys so much that she starting to sell them and spread the word.

Reach out if you want to host a party so you can get some awesome hosting rewards too! Can’t hurt, right?

 

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FALLing in Love with Simplay3

Its a new season and kids are starting a new year of school, so why not check out a new company?

MamatheFox was excited to find Simplay3 as a company destined for the success in making those staple toys for our children’s childhood.

Who is Simplay3

Simplay3 is a newer company in the toy and home plastic industry. However, the brains behind this company are far from newbies. Tom Murdough, the founder of Little Tikes and Step2, created Simplay3 after deciding to come out of retirement. He assembled a leadership and design team of experienced and talented employees that continue to stretch and redesign innovative and high quality products. Simplay3 is excited to meet the needs and wants of consumers and offer products directly from the manufacturer.

They are certainly a company to keep an eye on, as they are continuing to design and sell new and iconic products.

We are also happy to say all of their products are produced in the USA.

What I love about Simplay3

Everyone has their parent pet peeves and have developed parental “tastes” on baby products and clothing.

Well mine is battery operated toys. I don’t like repeated sounds bouncing through my house that eventually my toddler is going to be repeating. As an educator, I didn’t like that batteries took away from the imagination and controlled how kids played.

So when I found Simplay3 children line I wanted to give the creators a big no batteries thank you hug!

They believe in unstructured play and kids telling toys how to play and not vise versa. Their children products are meant to inspire imaginative play as well as provide play patterns to help fine tune motor skills and develop growing muscles.

In addition, they create activity tables and stations that welcome social play while also providing space for kids to play peacefully together. Less elbow bumping and more giggling!

But the designing doesn’t stop there, Simplay3 home produces a variety of garden and home products. From hauling equipment, Step Stool and steps, to Mailboxs they support your home improvement project and solve big to little problems.

Simplay3 simple solutions for work and play are built to uphold value. Parents can appreciate toys that last for years, homeowners can trust durable multipurpose tools.

Super Coupe Pedal Trike

One of Simplay3’s hottest toys right now is the Simplay3 Super Coupe Pedal Trike. It amps up the fun of a simple coupe car by adding big wheel pedals. Tricycles are one of those foundational toys we all had as kids growing up and still see today.

Why?

Tricycles are great energy outlets and exercise for those crazy littles that never stop moving. Coordination and agility are improved while kids build confidence from accomplishing a task independently. Tricycles are staple toys that get your kids outside and active.

The Super Couple Pedal Trike has all the same great features of a tricycle with added sophisticated design. The roof gives a realistic car feel while the low seat and big wheel gives provides easy control.

Another beneficial feature is this trike can grow with your child. It offers 3 adjustable seat positions, making it perfect for ages as young 3 all the way to age 7.

My son is 2 and a half and has little experience with bikes and pedals. He runs on the shorter side but was still able to reach the pedals with the balls of his feet. It took him about 3 rides before dominating pedaling and turning into a wild man on the sidewalks. I am anxious to see what he will be capable of when his whole foot reaches.

The Super Couple Pedal Trike is pretty light weight, 16 pounds, for being a riding toy. I was able to throw it in the back of my compact SUV and bring it to a local park. It was light enough for my son and niece to take turns pushing each other around. I liked there was a place for the kids to rest their feet if pushing becomes the game…which it always will. I didn’t have to worry about shoes dragging or feet getting rolled over.

To assure quick assembly the front fork, pedals, and big wheel are already assembled for your convenience. My husband and son had it from box to trike in less than 30 minutes…and that is with a 2 year old “helping.”

An added bonus, shipping is already included in the price for most of America!

 

So there you have it Mama’s! If you are looking for innovative durable toys that encourage imagination and physical health, I encourage you to check out Simplay3. The Super Coupe Pedal Trike is a staple childhood toy that will grow with your child and build lasting memories.

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Scent Back to School with Crayola

Do you smell it?

It’s the smell of summer ending. Pools closing. Buses arriving. Kids heading Back-to-School!

My nephew is headed to 1st grade this year! Hard to believe he is old enough to be in the grade I use to teach. Definitely makes this Aunt Haha want to cry and reminisce over old baby pictures.

How about you?

Are you one of those parents bursting with excitement to push those energetic, mess maker, eating machines, out the door to school? Is it just me or does it seem like kids are hungry every second of summer break?

 

Maybe you’re a mama whose heart is breaking watching your first, or last, baby climbing those big bus stairs on their way to their first day of kindergarten. I always love seeing the huge backpacks on their little bodies and wondering what 5 year old has that much homework?

 

Or perhaps you are sitting in a classroom counting desks, rechecking lesson plans, and giving yourself a world changer teacher pep talk? Whether it’s your first or last year teaching, you will always get the first day of school jitters.

 

For me I am super excited to start our first year of homeschool preschool! As a past teacher, I have been itching to build lesson plans with activities, music, crafts, and play.

Yeah. I am definitely one of ‘those moms’ who can’t stop themselves from still being a teacher. I will forever rock holiday theme earrings and make everything and anything into a song.

 

Just like I can’t stop being a teacher, Crayola will never stop being our go to for school supplies!

From their first box of affordable wax crayons in 1903 to becoming the leading producer of hands-on products for creative fun, Crayola has been working hard to inspire creativity in all children…and adults.

 

That’s why parents and teachers trust Crayola to fill those larger than life backpacks with all the needed school supplies.

 

This year Crayola’s new featured product is Silly Scents. These new coloring tools come with the same great colorful quality you’d expect, but with an extra gift for your nose. My son was first drawn to the Silly Scent characters decorating the packaging. He kept telling me he wanted to color with the cool angry guy, aka the roasting marshmallow. The bold silly smells bring laughter and delight to any child’s coloring experience, while making it a multi-sensory activity.

 

From the perspective of a toddler mama, I really enjoy the mini twistables! They are perfect for little hands and are an excellent size for on the go. The durable plastic barrels keep the crayon core safe from constant use or your toddler seeing how many crayons he can break in a minute.

 

As a past teacher, I am in LOVE with the twistable colored pencils! If I could have, I would have made all my students use these. The amount of time students spent sharpening colored pencils was unreal. I used to beg kids to use a different color or borrow a friend’s. Classroom productivity can take a mega boost when outfitted with ready to use and quality products.

As a crafter, I was surprisingly impressed with the chiseled tip and Slim Fine Line markers. When my son and I started opening a pack of makers and I realized they were chiseled edge, I immediately convinced him they were mommy markers and we should try a different kind.

Mama of the year award!

I love typography and card making and I’m always looking for a good marker. I was pleasantly surprised by both the chisel tip and slim fine line markers. They produced great colors and gave me versatility.

 

 

An added bonus is Crayola offers free coloring sheets, including their Silly Scent characters. Its a nice break from my 2 year old’s drawing demands.

So whether you are filling up your “baby’s” first back pack or starting another year of shaping little minds, I wish you the happiest of back to school days!

 

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Sophias Style Back to School

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With Back to School season here parents are scrambling for all the essentials. This includes backpacks, stationery supplies, shoes, and of course, uniforms. However, buying all of this soon adds up! Before starting to shop, I like to browse the School Uniform Shop Online as well as stationery stores to work out how much everything will cost be and we can have a back-to-school budget. Plus, by browsing, we get to see what’s on offer and what kind of styles will suit my daughter best. I remember going to school with tops too big for me and I hated it so I’m glad we can find more suitable options nowadays. I am so glad that I know the key to many parent’s success: SophiasStyle.com! At Sophia’s Style you can easily order items like backpacks & clothing. They feature a beautiful selection of school uniform polo’s, tops, cardigans, sweaters, shorts, pants, dresses, skirts, socks, jumpers, accessories and more, all at discount prices. They are sure to carry just what your school requires. They also have a huge, I mean huge, selection of everyday dresses and other play clothing.

Sophia’s Style even offers the special service of custom embroidery! Their uniform shop is opened 24/7, always giving us access to update our child’s wardrobe and the freedom to shop when we want to. Their super low prices make them a leader in children’s uniforms.

Sophias Style Pics

Their website is very easy to navigate, and their search bar is super helpful. You can find all types of fun children’s clothing and accessories with Sophia’s Style. From basic school uniforms to Holiday dresses and pageant dresses, you will have so much fun clicking around and drooling over all their amazing pieces. You can shop by brand, style or clothing size. They feature clothing for preemies all the way up to size 16 in teen (even women’s clothing too!), helping families find the perfect outfit.

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If your daughter is looking for a 1st day of school outfit, then I highly suggest Sophia’s Style’s ABC Dress! Being 4 years old, she is all about the ‘princess dress’ look. We have been talking and talking about the excitement of a new school year and when she saw this ABC Dress from Sophia’s Style she instantly fell in love with it. It fits perfectly with some room to grow, and all parents understand the importance in that. It’s comfortable and easy to wear & wash. The skirt portion of this dress is a print of hundreds of crayons, giving it a youthful and whimsical look that really makes it pop.

1st day of school dress

My daughter is very much into mermaids and was ecstatic that this year she will be sporting this Wildkin’s Backpack from Sophia’s Style. It’s the perfect size for toddlers and young elementary students. Often backpacks are too large on smaller kids, causing them discomfort when trying to wear them. These Wildkin Backpacks are not only the perfect size, but have 2 huge pockets, allowing you to fit in a full size folder and all the other books/essentials your child needs to put in their backpack. I had never used this brand before, but I am all about them now.

I’m not going to lie though, as much as I have grown to love this brand, I really wanted my daughter to have a personalized photo backpack as it would help her to identify which bag was hers, as you find that most children have a similar sort of style these days. I was just thinking about her being able to find her backpack without being overcome with worry. But I wanted her to stay true to who she was and what she liked. So the mermaid backpack it was. And I’m glad it was from this brand.

Mermaid Backpack

I See Me! Lunch Box Giveaway

I see me giveaway 300

The bloggers in the School Days Giveaway Hop want to make it easier to head back to school this fall. Be sure to enter the grand prize giveaway at Savings in Seconds. Will you be the one to win the $50 Amazon gift card? After you enter my giveaway, head to the other participating blogs for chances to win the wonderful items they’ve featured. This giveaway runs from 8/16-8/30. Good luck! Be sure to try for the grand prize too – click here.

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MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible fore sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.