Tag: fun


Jul
2019

Backpack Pets

categories: Reviews

As kids grow older, you’ll soon ditch the diaper bag.

Seriously moms, the day is coming where you won’t have to carry around a heavy bag with you everywhere you go.

My oldest is 3 and we recently have moved him out of the diaper bag and into his very own backpack. This is great because the diaper bag is lighter and he loves carrying around the bag. It may just be because its new still, but he wants to take it everywhere we go.

 

The Fenrici backpacks are so perfect for kiddos. The animal backpacks they offer are sure to make your child smile. There are so many options to choose from and all of them are fun, bright colors.

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We love the backpacks because of the large compartment that can hold all your child’s needs. We keep a pull-up, extra pair of underwear, and a pair of pants in the backpack at all times. Even with the necessities, there is still a lot of room for my sons wants – cars, toys, books, you name it.

 

This mission driven company offers products for kids of all ages. Fenrici partners ‘with families and children who have been touched by pediatric rare diseases to share the stories of determination, hope, and selflessness. 5% of proceeds from’ their ‘product sales are used to fund the education and research of pediatric rare diseases through the national non-profit organization Global Genes.’

When you shop Fenrici you are supporting children and families who share their stories and impact the world. The founders of the company have been inspired by so many families who have been impacted by rare childhood diseases. They’ve seen the resilience, hope, and selflessness from these children and families and they want to share that with others. They want to teach and inspire other kids using the stories they have been touched by.

Each backpack is named with a character of resilience such as Bravery, Joy, Hope, Kindness; among others. There are also cards of inspirational messages included with each backpack – a card for the owner and one for them to share. Fenrici really wants to inspire others, and anyone who purchases from them can help with that!

You are invited to share your story or comments on the Fenrici Facebook page.

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Sep
2018

Calling All Gamers

categories: Reviews

In this house, we game.

My husband and I play board games all the time. We like them all. You name it, we’ve probably played it, or at least heard of it.

For awhile now we’ve been on the hunt for a new game. We just need something fresh.

 

 

We’re both so thrilled that we found a new one!

Chickapig is just what we were missing.

This new, fun game is perfect for anyone who loves to play games. It’s fun, so easy to learn, and can be strategic or not. It’s perfect for anyone, really.

Brian Calhoun is a custom guitar maker to country and rock legends in the music biz. He is the brains behind this new, great game. Brian joined forces with his buddy Dave Matthews in an effort to get his game to tables across the country.

Yes people, you read that right. Dave Matthews is one of the creators of this game.

Pretty cool.

 

The Design:

Chickapig is one of the prettiest designed games I’ve played. My favorite part of the game is the pieces.

 

 

They’re made of wood.

Literal, actual wood.

So cool.

The pieces are durable too; the thickness gives them a nice, hearty feel.

 

 

I like the design because it’s simple and farm – like. Wood pieces, simple art work, rustic color and style; it’s great. Just as their slogan states: A farm to table game.

 

Quick recommendation – read the directions throughly. My husband was in charge of reading, learning, then explaining to the rest of us. He failed. To give him the benefit of the doubt; there are a lot of small little rules where, if you have them slightly wrong, the game changes drastically. We were playing wrong here and there, but kept the directions close so we could check if we had a question.

 

The Play:

Check this video out for a quick guide on how to play.

 

 

So, you totally get it now, right?

You can take my word for it when I say this game is easy to learn.

 

 

See those green rectangles? Those are like goal posts; you’re trying to get your corresponding pigs (green, in this case) through the goal.

Similarly to chess you start across the board and move towards your goal. Just roll the die to see how many moves you have. Then get your Chickapig to the other side!

The catch though, the other players are trying to keep you out of your goal AND get their pigs through their goal.

 

 

The other catch – there’s a cow that can poop on the board.

Nobody likes poop, amirite?

The pooping cow causes a player to pick up a poop cards. Poop cards are bad; they force you to do something that will hinder your chances of winning.

Not cool.

 

Good news is you can get a flower card.

This card is super good and gives you a great advantage over the other opponents. When you roll a two you have the option to move two spaces OR take a flower card.

Always take the flower card. Trust me.

 

 

Not only is Chickapig easy to learn, it can be played quickly.

In about 15 minutes me and three others were playing the game and understanding it well. The first game took about 25 minutes. We started out a bit slow, as we were learning, then by the end we felt we had a pretty good hang of it.

 

 

I like the game because there is some offense and defense that needs to be played. Play too much offense and you give someone the upper hand, play too much defense and you’ll never win. They’re gotta be balance, I like that in a game.

I also really like how you can work together with your opponents to accomplish a task. Whether it be blocking someone, or making the cow poop; if you just play an individual game it’s pretty hard to win.

 

 

Do me a favor and give Chickapig a try. It really is a great game that will entertain you and give you a laugh. It’s easy, fun, and quick!

 

Check out Little Joe Chickapig too. An adorable, rhyming children’s book, written by Brian, that was just released!

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Jun
2018

Summer Eats and Summer Treats

categories: Reviews

Everybody loves summer.

The sun.

The pool.

Grilling.

Going on walks.

And eating popsicles.

Known for their housewears, Zoku creates innovative, easy-to-use, well-designed products. Many of their products are full of bright, fun colors that will add a little bit of sunshine to anyones kitchen (one of my favorite aspects of their products!).

Zoku offers an array of kitchen products including: Quick Pop Makers, Ice ball molds, Slush & Shake Maker, Iced Coffee Maker, Ice Cream Makers, Pop & Ice Molds, Travel Tumblers as well as recipe books. Check out these reviews that some mama’s at MamatheFox have written about Zoku products:

Zoku Quick Pop Maker Review

Zoku Ice Cream Maker Review

Zoku Tumbler & Dino Pop Mold Review

Zoku The Art of Slush Recipe Book and Slush & Shake Maker

Check out these great products that will help make your summer easier and your kid’s summer more yummy! I best make sure that I have a well-working freezer then as if it’s broken, then all of our hard work in making slush and ice cream would have been for nothing. I’m sure that someone similar to Ryan’s Appliance Repair will be able to quickly resolve any problems that we have (fingers crossed we don’t) so that we can enjoy summer with our favorite cold food and beverages. All the products below are popsicle molds and can be filled with: juice, yogurt, pudding, smoothies, chocolate, or a recipe of your own. For recipe ideas check out the Zoku blog.

Mod Pops


These pop molds are great for children or adults. I love the color – orange is my favorite.

My favorite aspect of these molds is the shape of the base. The outer orange base is a rectangular shape which makes it easy to store and easy to keep in the freezer. It’s perfect to keep it along the side or push it against the back; there’s no awkward shape that you have to deal with.

My two year old son loves having these popsicles at any time of the day. We used the Zoku recipe for a yogurt based pop. It was super easy and my son even got in on the fun (see the photo below). Some days we even eat the popsicles for breakfast because they are healthy! With his older brother at sleep away camp, the popsicles have been keeping him happy. Although, he can’t wait for his brother to come back next week!

See the recipe here.

Classic Pop Molds

The main difference between the Mod Pop and Classic Pop, is the shape of the popsicle and the shape of the mold.

These Classic Pop are true to their name – the classic shape of a popsicle, rounded top and all.

The shape of the bright green mold is a little less conducive for an organized freezer; but can be kept out of the way if need be.

Making these pops is super easy.

Follow these simple steps for the perfect popsicle!

1. Pour chilled juice into the removable molds up to the fill line
2. Insert sticks
3. Freeze filled molds for 6+ hours
4. Pull out pop in mold & rinse under hot water for 30-60 seconds
5. Pull removable mold from frozen pop

Mini Pop Molds

The Mimi Pop Molds are different than the other Zoku pop molds because the pops are formed in silicone rather than plastic.

I love these pops for my eight month old baby. They are the perfect size for him – he just recently started eating solid food. I blended two frozen bananas with breast milk to create these pops that he absolutely loves.

These pops are the perfect portion for my eight month old. They are easy to hold and very easy to remove from the mold. Simply push up on the bottom of an individual pop then pull the stick up and out of the mold. There is no rinsing required like the Mod Pops and Classic Pops.

Summer Pops

These Summer Pops are great for making homemade Go-Gurt-like snacks.

Made from silicone, they freeze easily and do not stick to the edges/sides. While your child eats they push up from the bottom, causing the food to slowly (or quickly!) rise to the top. Because of the need to push up on these pops I would recommend these for older children. My two year old son had a hard time coordinating the push motion with eating. I think a three year old could probably handle these pops, but for sure a four year could.

These pops come with a convenient tray that is perfect to use while filling them up and then freezing them. Also included is the lids that very easily snap onto the top of the pops. The lids create an air tight seal and make traveling and on-the-go eating easy.

I love having these pops on hand because we really try to limit sugar in our house. Most store bought popsicles are full of sugar [and other additives] that I don’t want my kids eating. These pop molds really allow you to be creative. Giving your child the nutrients they need with food that tastes good is super easy with these Zoku pops.

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The Zoku frozen dessert products are super fun to have in any kitchen. Whether you have kids or not, these bright colored ice pop molds are sure to bring out the fun in everyone. No matter the age, everybody could use a popsicle now and again; let Zoku help with their wide variety of ice pop molds.


May
2018

Our New Friend Leo

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

We have a new friend and we hope you are as excited to meet him as we are!

If you haven’t heard of ikiki shoes then PLEASE pop on over to read our ikiki review we did in the fall!

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Thanks to our ikiki shoes leaving the house has been fun, simple, and extra comfortable. We finally have shoes that are easy to put on, made for developing walking feet, and inspire my independent free spirited children. So when we saw they were releasing new friends we knew we needed to add them to our ikiki zoo!

This spring ikiki released a new friend Leo Longfire.

The moment my son saw Leo’s lime green skin with cool spikes he was ready to take him on an adventure.

 

Leo’s ikiki Adventure

On a bright sunny day Leo heard a cry for help from his home of iron and rock. 

As he listened closer he recognized it was Princess Patty Potamus!

She needed help!

Leo quickly jumped into action to save his precious friend.

With high tops, breathable skin, and durable soles he knew nothing could stop him on his voyage! 

Leo quickly suited up and tightened his velcro.

Then with an ikiki battle cry, he began his quest to save Princess Patty.

With strong ankle support he charged up the green mountain towards the magic castle. 

With every squeak he knew he was one step closer to seeing Princess Patty’s glittering soles! 

When he arrived to the castle he spotted Princess Patty!

She was squeaking for help from the top of the castle’s tallest tower.

But the castle was full of challenges and obstacles to trip Leo up!

First Leo turned off his squeakers in order to not attract any bad guys.

He quietly descended the steep shoot without leaving a trace of evidence by using his white nonskid bottoms. 

Then with his breathable skin, Leo kept cool while crossing the firey lake of lava.  

With durable rubber soles Leo conquered each step up Slipper Slope Mountain.

At last he met his final obstacle!

With flexibility Leo grasped each stone rung to climb the giant beanstalk.

Princess Patty was saved!

Princess Patty and Leo were finally reunited to make the perfect ikiki pair! 

The End

We hope we’ve inspired you to find your little one their ikiki solemate and take them on a wild adventure!

 

 


May
2018

The Chair that Grows

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

Hey Mamas!

We wish you the happiest of Mother’s Day and hope it is spent doing what you love best!

I love this day of celebration mostly because I get a chuckle out of watching my husband take on the impossible task of independently feeding and clothing two kids for church and brunch. I can’t help intervening to inform my husband our daughter isn’t wearing shoes or my son yet again took off his dress pants and switched back to pajamas.

That’s why Mother’s Day always involves brunch right? Dad’s can’t keep the kids alive and clean all the way to dinner so we have to get the celebration out first thing in the morning!

Then nap time rolls around and exhausted dads everywhere finally find the time to sit and praise their wives with the common phrase

“I don’t know how you do this all day, everyday!”

Moms are a special beings because we do it all day every day…and love it.

Yes we love the drama, kissing ouchies, sweeping a forever dirty floor, and even dare I say it, changing diapers. We love the chaos because it’s OUR chaos brought to us by OUR kiddos. We love our kids unconditionally and want nothing but the best for their lives.

Which leads to my husband getting a chuckle from my Mother’s Day want list. You see the word “want” has lost a lot of value since being a mother. Why waste money on things I want when there are two little humans with a ton of needs. But the funnest part is I actually geek out over baby and house wear items! One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was an avocado tool.

So my husband struggled yet again between finding a balance between getting me something beautiful and getting me something I wanted for our house.

But if you geek out over baby gear like I do, you will agree the Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair is not only practical its a beautiful piece of accent furniture for your home.

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Tripp Trapp Chair 

  • Brings baby closer to the family

My family is a huge supporter of family dinners. I think it is important to have everyone in one place at one time with no distractions. Family dinners is also one of the reasons we chose to introduce solids with baby led weaning. We want our children eating what we are eating and engaging in the same healthy habits we choose for ourselves. The Tripp Trapp Chair was specifically designed to fit comfortably against a table. An infant, toddler, and adult can all find a perfect fit up against any table with the adjustable seat and diagonal design.

We love having our children at the table and using our Stokke chair for meals, crafts, games, and baking.

 

  • Adjustable seat

Any little one can find maximum comfort by having the perfect height and depth combination with the adjustable seat and footplate. The goal is to promote correct body alignment for a seated child by getting their feet to rest squarely on the footplate. A 6 month old and 60 year old can both find the same comfort and support in the Tripp Trapp Chair.

I love that my 3 year old can easily climb onto this chair and be at the perfect height to reach his food.

My 6 month old nephew can be supported and secure in the Tripp Trapp and still have the benefit of eating at the table with the family.

And I actually love using this chair when I am sewing! I adjust the seat so that my foot rests perfectly on the sewing pedal. The leveled seat and angled backing supports my postures and prevents me from hunching over. It is encouraging to know that once my kids eventually stop using this chair it can still find use in our home.

  • Safe and Secure

I truly appreciate the ingenious design of the Tripp Trapp Chair! We use to have a lot of chair battles with our kiddos. My 3 year old son liked to push against the table with his hands and consistently got disciplined for sitting on his knees. My 18 month old daughter liked to push against the table with her feet and watch me have a panic attack.

The concave design of the chair back helps me scoot my kids’ lower half under the table; preventing their legs from escaping.

The Tripp Trapp chair extender gliders provide increased backward stability. Meaning pushing, rocking, and backward arching isn’t going to tip this chair. Our first dinner using the Tripp Tripp my daughter was being ornery and pushed the table with her hands to try and rock backward. Her chair scooted away from the table and didn’t rock in the slightest bit. I was amazed and my daughter was defeated and frustrated her little “trick” only made her food unreachable.

 

Also included with the Tripp Trapp chair is a 5-point harness. The straps are durable and very easy to clean.The back of the straps includes a fastener that can be adjusted to keep the straps from slipping off baby’s shoulders. My 6 month old nephew felt very secure strapped in and my 18 month old could not escape.

 

 

  • Easy to clean

Yes! My favorite part of this high chair! I had a fancy chair with a cushion for 2 months. 2 MONTHS and then I gave it away! Personally I thought it was the dumbest baby product in our home. Even with a toothpick and toothbrush I couldn’t completely clean the cracks and crannies of our highchair, which resulted in mold!

The Tripp Trapp Chair is pretty straight forward when cleaning. The solid beach wood is easy to quickly wipe down with a wet cloth and there is no place for food to hide. I am confident our chair is clean and there isn’t dingy food bits wedged in crevices waiting to mold.

  • Variety of colors

Check our the variety of woods and colors the Tripp Trapp Chair comes in. You can easily find a chair that accents your kitchen, matches your dinning set, or is a bold vibrant pop of color in your house.

 

Tripp Trapp Baby Set 

One accessory you can buy for your Tripp Trapp Chair is the baby set. The environmentally friendly plastic accessory easy attaches to any Tripp Trapp chair. The set was made to support children from 6 months to 3 years.

   

For my newly sitting 6 month old nephew, the hi-back and seating rail supported him from loosing his balance.

He was able to sit at the table without the risk my face planting into our oak table top. He was certainly happy to be sitting at the table with his older cousins.

Although my 3 year old does not need the baby set to sit securely in the Tripp Trapp chair I appreciated he can fit in it. We have the baby set on our chair to keep my 18 month old safe and secure. My son eats multiple snacks a day while I work, clean, or tend to his sister. He thinks it is awesome to sit in her cool chair while I appreciate the assurance of his safety while I am multitasking. With the baby set my son can’t get down without my help, he can’t sit on his knees, he can’t fall off a chair, and he can’t tip the chair back. So if you have multiple little ones under 4 you can use the Tripp Trapp with the baby set without having to remove baby set to fit the older ones.

Tripp Trapp Cushion 

For an extra splash of style and comfort Stokke makes cushions for the Tripp Trapp chair. These lush comfort cushions prevent babies from slipping down during meal time and provide extra support on little backs from 6 month to 3 years. The 100% polyester material comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

We loved our cushion was able to to fit on the baby set as well as directly onto Tripp Trapp chair.  The versatility and durability make it a practical addition to our chair.

My sister was completely impressed when she started to wipe down the cushion after her son “ate” an avocado. Everything cleaned up perfectly without staining or scrubbing.

I personally loved how waterproof it felt as my daughter dumped her cup on herself. Baby can be ready to sit back on the cushion without having to let it dry, which also means the inside stuffing is safe from molding.

More from Stokke

If you love the ingenious deign of the Tripp Trapp Chair then chances are you will love Stokke’s other baby products as well!

 

We hope you have a beautiful Mother’s Day and you get spoiled on this special day!

Heres to many more years of wishing for clean floors and geeking out on baby products!

 

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Apr
2018

Meet Fun and Function

categories: Uncategorized

As a mother and past educator, now homeschooler, I am always trying to find a happy medium between teacher and parent.

I want the best for my child.

The mother part of me wants them to be happy and health. As a teacher, I want to create life long learners that love to learn. The balance is meeting my children where they are and equipping them with the right tools for optimal learning and development. Best practice is building on a child’s schema and teaching in an engaging and exciting setting.

Best practice also means identifying where my children are gifted and deficient.

Knowing where my children struggle allows me to address any specific emotional, cognitive, or social needs that could potentially be hindering their ability to learn.

Fun an Function was started by a family looking for kid-friendly sensory tools and toys that would make an authentic difference in the lives of children.

Who is Fun and Function

The founder of Fun and Function used her expertise in occupational therapy, as well as being a mom, to develop products that support children with special needs. Everything designed is kid-friendly, affordable, and most importantly, makes a real developmental and therapeutic difference in the lives of children. Fun and Function listens to their customers in order to refine and develop tools that meet the needs of real children.

Fun and Function products cover a vast variety of needs and resources. As their name states, their tools are not just for special needs but also to make learning engaging and developmentally appropriate.

Their website is a great resource for searching for the perfect tool that is in your budget, meets special needs diagnosis, or helps with deficiencies. In addition they provide resources for parenting, finding therapists, and running productive intervention sessions.

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Fun and Function 

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Cocoon Climbing Swing

Both of my young children are introverts but often project themselves as extroverts. As a result, my children often get over stimulate after interacting with large crowds or having an eventful day. At first I blamed their bad behavior and melt downs on fatigue. As a grew as a mother I started to recognize signs of over stimulation and my children looking for a outlet to recuperate.

So when outfitting our homeschooling room, I wanted to cater to the specific needs of my children and create a “detox” safe place.

The Fun and Function Cocoon Climbing Swing was the perfect solution!

My 3 year old son is able to climb in and out of his swing independently. This means his safe place is always accessible whenever he feels he needs it. I love that he doesn’t have to ask, but rather can jump right in on his time.

A durable cushion is easily installed in a zip pouch in the bottom of the swing. The cushion is inflated with air which keeps the swing light weight; which means less stress on the suspensions.

It also gives the base structure so children can easily adjust and move without feeling like they are trapped in a bag.

I love that my son is able to sit cross legged and read or lay down and relax.

The high backing assures my children are safe and won’t tumble out during swinging.

The Cocoon Swing is made with highly durable fabrics and can hold up to 100 lbs. Since my children are still young they are even able to share the swing together. It is a safe quiet place for siblings to bond and share a good book.

When the suspension is moved to a single point, children can have more active play. This swing can be a great outlet for all those little monkeys who love to climb and swing. I am sure as my son gets older and develops more balance strength he will love the play of spinning and twisting on his swing.

Most importantly, this swing is fun! It engages little minds and bodies while developing and challenging them to grow towards success.

Something for Everyone

I do really want to stress that while Fun and Function has a passion and talent for designing for special needs children, their products are universal.

All children benefit from active, engaging, developmentally appropriate learning!

Sensory play has proven to support the brain’s growth while also improving cognitive, social, and emotional skills.

As all moms know, children have a LOT of energy. Physical activities keep kids healthy while positively impacting cognitive skills and academic behavior. Not to mention exercise has been said to help increase oxygen for to the brain and improve its function.

 

 

 

I lastly want to note that all kids have strengths and weaknesses. As parents looking for the best for our children, I find it so important to meet our child at their weakness. Even if that “weakness” is just a skill waiting to be developed. Rather than avoiding or discipling our children’s fixation, fidgeting, hyperactivity, or anxiety we have the power to celebrate their uniqueness. As parents we can empower our children with tools to find success and build confident life long learners.

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Mar
2018

One and Done with People Footwear

categories: Reviews, Uncategorized

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!


Jan
2018

What a Doll with Educational Insight

categories: Reviews

As Christmas approached I wanted to get my now 1 year old daughter a baby doll. PL was too adorable cuddling her stuffed animals and patting their backs like a little mama. I knew a baby doll would be the perfect gift for her nurturing heart.

Dolls are wonderful toys because they are simple yet multifaceted. A child’s doll will be played with for years and never go out of style. Every childhood has memories of playing with baby dolls. Some organized parents even get the chance to pass down their beloved doll to the next generation.

So when looking for a new doll for PL I wanted something high quality and unique. I knew she’d play with it for years and most likely this doll would “see the world” by tagging along on family outings. I was hoping to find a doll that represented our family and helped give my daughter a global perspective. After living overseas, and now internationally adopting, we fill our home with toys that promote open mindedness and acceptance. So you can imagine my excitement when we found Educational Insight.

Education Insight is composed of play enthusiasts who strive to inspire imagination and curiosity. For the past 50 years, their experts have been designing toys that capture the attention of little ones. Educational Insight believes in making learning an active playful experience by encouraging children to explore, discover, and create. Their line of toys equip parents with the tools to encourage growth and development in their smallest little scholars. Many who use their dolls often enjoy including some Butterfly Life Cycle Worksheets in with doll play. This keeps their play varied, maintaining the interest of the child. It will also build their foundational skills.

I loved Educational Insight’s website as a resource for finding educational products. Toys can be shopped for by age range as well as brand name. There is also a variety of games and school supplies organized by age range and school subject. I loved the ability to shop for games for my son based on his educational development and age.

And if you are like me, you will be happy to know Educational Insight can also be found on Amazon. Their Amazon homepage is extremely helpful in shopping for the right toy and researching the best fit for your little one.

This winter Educational Insight released two new lines of baby dolls. Made and designed with the same Educational Insight high standards, these dolls encourage nurturing-based imaginative play.

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Baby Bijoux

Baby Bijoux was especially made for the mini mommy or daddy.

With realistic and anatomically correct features, this baby doll encourages nurturing-based imaginative play. The deluxe European craftsmanship delivers realistic baby details.

While engaging in a world of make-believe children will learn social skills, practice empathy and care taking, and develop language and and new vocabulary.

The 15.75? tall Baby Bijoux doll is the perfect size for 3-6 year olds and the vinyl body is easy to clean; making it the perfect companion for outings. Baby Bijoux is especially unique by providing multi-cultural and gender choices. They currently make African American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic boy and girl dolls. We loved that our house could have a variety of dolls! With just-like-me skin tones our kids could connect with the dolls that looked like them and be encouraged to have global mindset with a doll of different ethnicity.

 

 

 

Baby Doux

These adorable soft cloth dolls are a perfect first baby doll for the family. The 12? crafted doll is constructed with a perfect combination of a soft cotton cloth body and durable vinyl head, arms, and legs; making it perfect for 2-5 year olds. Baby’s eyes open and close and arms and legs can be moved and manipulated to fit in strollers and baby toys. We love the softness and lightweight of Baby Doux. Our 1 year old daughter is able to carry her baby around without compromising her ability to walk or crawl. Since baby is so soft she is perfect for cuddling with in bed or taking along in the car.

The Baby Doux doll is machine washable and fabricated with deluxe European design. Durability makes me at ease when our doll is going on walks outside or visiting the local playground.

With four ethnical choices, children are sure to find a doll they can relate to or learn from. Having toys similar to a child builds confidence and leadership skills. We chose to have a doll with darker skin to prepare our children for our adoption. We wanted to keep their minds open to that fact that people don’t need to look like us to be loved or in our family. Having ethnically diverse toys, we hope to help our children develop a global mindset and nurture their compassion and understanding for others.

Baby Doux dolls also help develop language, social and emotional skills in little ones through play. We loved hearing our daughter say baby and learn new words for body parts and clothes. Baby dolls also give our very shy daughter the opportunity to choose when and how to give affection. We like that her doll gives her the control of the situation and take ownership.

 

Baby Bijoux and Baby Doux are a wonderful addition to the Educational Insight collection. I encourage you to check out bringing a baby into your house and encourage your child to relate to the world around them and develop new life skills.

 

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Oct
2017

Discover Fun with Discovery Toys

categories: Uncategorized

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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Sep
2017

Fun Ways to Use Your Stamping Skills at School

categories: Reviews

 

Fun Ways to Use Your Stamping Skills at School

Stamping is a great way to get into paper crafting. It allows you to be creative, but it also provides you with a starting image or phrase that can spark that creativity. And one of the best places to be creative is at school!

Whether you’re a teacher looking for a fun way to get creative in the classroom, or you want to wow the kids and parent’s in your child’s class, these fun ways to use your crafting stamps at school are sure to get attention for all the right reasons.

Customize a Stamp for Your Kid’s Class

There are plenty of fun ways to use stamps. We’ll get to a few in just a second, but one of the best ways to use stamps is to share the joy of using them with others. There’s no better way to do that than with custom stamps!

Create a special design just for your class. Then, either use the stamp throughout the year for special projects, or create enough to pass them out to each of the students at the beginning of the year. They’ll love getting to use their new stamp on projects in school and at home!

Create Holiday Cards

Cards are one of the best ways to show others that you’re thinking of them. Unfortunately, cards from the store can be expensive, and they’re so impersonal. Instead, buy cheap cardstock and create custom cards for each of the kids in class! Create fun cards for:

  • Birthdays
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Christmas
  • Graduations
  • Thank yous
  • And more

Because stamps are so easy to use, you can even get the kids in on the action! Have your children help you make special cards for their friends. If you’re a teacher, bring stamps to school and create a fun activity that allows the kids to make cards for each other.

You can even create stamped holiday cards for other teachers and staff in the building.

Use Stamps to Create Goody Bags

Goody bags are a staple in any classroom. If your child has an upcoming birthday, or if you’re planning a Valentine’s party for your class, you just have to fill some bags with goodies.

It’s true that the kids will want to tear into their bags to see what’s inside, but shouldn’t what’s outside by just as wonderful? With stamps, they’ll think twice about tearing that bag to pieces.

Use stamps on plain paper bags to customize them for each student in the class. You can even use stamps on cardboard and wooden goody boxes. You may find that the kids take them home and reuse them.

The sky is the limit when it comes to fun ways to use stamps. From art projects to special holiday celebrations, you’ll have fun making things for the kids, and the kids in the class will love using stamps to bring out their creative side. Especially if you have special custom stamps made for everyone!

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