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Holiday Picks from the Gift Guide Girls: Babies

November 16, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

Holiday Gift Guide: Best Baby Gifts

I’ve partnered up with bloggers: Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog, Colleen Padilla from Classy Mommy and Whitney Wingerd from Mommies with Style to bring you a fabulous and extensive Holiday Gift Guide. We’ve come up with 12 Holiday Gift Guides, all ranging in different topics, to bring to you our favorite Holiday Gift ideas this Holiday season!

Today’s Guide is all about… Baby Gifts.

It’s always fun to shop for babies during the Holidays! None of us have babies anymore, so it’s extra special this time of year for us to pick out some of the best baby gifts! Enjoy this time, it goes by so quickly… here are some gifts that will bring some joy to the lucky baby in your life!

Here are 10 of our favorite Holiday Baby Gift ideas:

Wonderous Wedge $33.00


SESAME STREET PLAYSKOOL LET’S ROCK! Elmo $69.99

Maxi Cosi’s Piazzo Play Yard $189.99

Patemm Pad

Pottery Barn’s Oatmeal™ Bear Benefiting St. Jude


Red Envelope’s Handcrafted Language Blocks $39.95

Carlton Cow $130.00

PLAYSKOOL POPPIN PARK ELEFUN BUSY BALL POPPER $29.99


Laugh & Learn Learning Letters Mailbox by Fisher-Price $28.00

Spin & Explore Sea Gym by Lamaze $34.95

Dandelion Soft Stacker $34.99

Filed Under: Babies, Holiday 2011, Play Time Tagged With: , ,

Nintendo DS Review & Giveaway: Pillow Pets Game (Plus a Plush Pillow Pet)

November 9, 2011 By Whitney 172 Comments

Remember how hot Pillow Pets were last holiday season? I don’t know about all of your kids, but my kids still sleep with each of theirs every night. For kids who are Pillow Pets fans, there is now Pillow Pets for the Nintendo DS [$16.00 on Amazon].

This game is rated E for everyone and looks adorable.  Players have to visit Dreamland and try and rescue Pillow Pets who have become stuck there.  Once rescued, then can bring them home and adorn their virtual “bedroom” with their pillow pets. Sounds like an all play, right?

Giveaway: One lucky Mommies with Style reader will win a copy of Pillow Pets for the Nintendo DS as well as a plush Pillow Pet!  Retail value on both of these is $39.98.

To enter, leave a comment on this post.

For additional entries:
Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter & follow me on Twitter @WhitneyMWS:

Enter to win a Pillow Pets Nintendo DS game & a plush Pillow Pet via @WhitneyMWS http://bit.ly/aatNRf

3) “Like” Mommies with Style on Facebook (if you already do, comment to let me know!)

4) Subscribe to my feed or email newsletter and stay on top of all of my daily posts! If you already subscribe, please leave a separate comment letting me know that you are currently a subscriber (thank you!).

Filed Under: Coupons & Freebies, Electronics, Games, Giveaways, Play Time Tagged With: ,

For Girl’s Next Birthday Party: American Girl Party Supplies

November 7, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

Even I, a Mom of two boys, know how special American Girl is to little girl’s around the world.  Their dolls, the stories they tell and everything that goes along with the American Girl experience are the kinds of things that childhood memories are made of.

What I didn’t know was that American Girl also has a line for birthday parties – American Girl Party Supplies.  Planning your daughter’s next birthday party?  These American Girl branded party supplies are affordable and fun for little girls!

They have invites, plate ware and adorable little add-ons like these cupcake holders pictured on the right.  These products are widely available at stores like Michael’s Crafts and online at Amazon.

Filed Under: Kids, Misc, Paper Products & More, Play Time Tagged With: , ,

Kids Crafts Just Got Easy with KiwiCrate.com

November 5, 2011 By Whitney 3 Comments

Despite the fact that I’m not the craftiest of Moms, my kids love to do crafts.  I’m always looking for cute, easy and cheap crafts options when I’m at Michael’s or AC Moore.  And while I try and keep it affordable, I always seem to spend $30+ every time I walk into Michael’s or any other local craft store.  Who’s with me?

Love this new craft option for kids with KiwiCrate.com.  For $19.95 plus free shipping, you can get a shipment of two crafts for your kids.  Each box comes complete with everything you need for your children for the craft – paper products, instructions, scissors and whatever else you may need.  Each box is geared at kids ages 3-6 (although as you can see from the photos, my almost-8 year old was doing these with his 5-year-old brother and having a grand old time).

Our box contained spinning tops and paper to draw additional spinning tops which was neat.  The kids had a blast making fun creations that looked totally different once they spun the tops:

Drawing the top for the spinner

End result - his design

What it looks like when it spins

Fun design from my almost-8 year old

After the tops, we worked on our framed stained glass creations. My boys LOVED this, it was really easy and clean up was a breeze!

All the materials spread out

Laying out the stained glass

Laying out the stained glass

Finished product - neat, huh?

Sign up for monthly shipments or for one box only as a gift at KiwiCrate.com. (Love this for a gift to send the grandkids from some grandparents!) Each month is different so you’ll never get a dup!

Filed Under: Kids, Play Time Tagged With: , , ,

Hot Holiday Pick: V-Tech InnoTab ($79)

November 3, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

While the iPad’s great, it’s expensive and can be a lot to handle for little hands.  There’s where something like the V-Tech InnoTab comes in.  This touchscreen handheld system is both educational and entertaining for preschoolers.

This multimedia tablet includes age-appropriate e-books that kids are sure to love.  You can update and customize through your USB cable and the computer and you can buy cartridges for different games.

Age recommendation is 4-9 years old; the screen is 5-inches.

The V-Tech InnoTab is $79 with free shipping on Amazon.

Filed Under: Family Travel, On The Go, Play Time, Toys

Hot Holiday Toys: LeapPad by Leapfrog & Giveaway (Winner Announced)

October 26, 2011 By kate

AND THE WINNER IS….Congratulations to our lucky winner of the LeapFrog LeapPad giveaway – Marcia Campbell.  Thanks to all who entered and check back soon on Mommies With Style for additional holiday products from LeapFrog! More giveaways of new LeapFrog products coming soon!

* CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED *

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I am thrilled to be working again with LeapFrog this holiday season to bring you some sneak peaks and great giveaways of LeapFrog’s latest releases. Today we’re starting with their hottest new item for the holidays: the LeapPad.

Just like you want an iPad, your kids are going to want to get their hands on a LeapPad. Even better, I have one to giveaway to one lucky MWS reader! Read on…

The LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is the newest all-in-one device from LeapFrog. You can play games, draw pictures, read books, hear stories, watch videos and even take your own pictures or movies! My boys have been fans of the Tag Readers and the Leapster Explorer, but the new LeapPad offers the best variety of activities. Here are just a few of the reasons you’ll love the LeapPad.

Variety. Numbers, letters, shapes, words, adding, subtracting, comparing, problem-solving, time, coloring, drawing, measuring, logic, reasoning, patterns, charts, phonics, geography, foreign languages. What can’t you learn on the LeapPad? With a library of over 100 games, ebooks, apps, videos and flashcards, the LeapPad provides an endless supply of learning opportunities.

Durable. LeapFrog makes stuff for kids, and they know how kids treat things. Keep teaching your kids to be careful, but know that the LeapPad comes with a sturdy, yet sleek, outer shell, a scratch resistant screen and 2 stylus pens (though you can use your finger too).

Compatible. One of the big complaints about LeapFrog products in the past is that they kept coming out with great products! Well, that wasn’t the problem as much (Apple seems to have survived this flaw), but that the games you’d buy for one game couldn’t transfer to the new device LeapFrog was coming out with. They heard the complaints and adjusted, and the new LeapPad is compatible with all the Leapster Explorer games – and vice versa. Already own Leapster Explorer games? They’ll work on the new LeapPad. And if you buy games of the LeapPad, you can load them on your Explorer too.

Adaptable. My oldest boys are close enough in age that we have few toys that are clearly for one child or the other, but they are not at the same level academically. With the LeapPad (and many of the the LeapFrog products), you can create different log-ins for each child and set the games for each child’s level. So both my boys can help WALL-E sort trash or explore the ocean floor with Dory on the Pixar Pals game, but can answer questions and do activities set to their specific level.

Snap & Record. While previous LeapFrog products had cameras as an add-on device, the LeapPad comes with a camera and a video recorder built-in. These are fun just by themselves, but add in a few apps like Story Studio which allows you to create your own story and record it or Photo Studio where a simple photo can be stamped or drawn on to create unique final products and the fun is endless. Parents can even share their kid’s creations via Facebook or email.

Follow. I think a lot of parents may not utilize LeapFrog’s Learning Path software, but I highly recommend it. You download it onto your computer and then whenever you plug in your child’s LeapPad to update it, download new games, etc, it will track your child’s progress. Learning Path can show you which activities your child spends the most time on and which they never play, which kinds of questions they get right and which they struggle with, which skills they are learning and which they need work on. I love that while my son is enjoying playing games, reading books and doing activities on the LeapPad, I can get an individual look at different academic skills he’s developing or struggling with.

What’s in the box?

LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet (with 2GB Storage)

Built-in Camera & Video Recorder

Pet Writing App

Story Studio App*

Art Studio App*

Free App Download*

USB Cable

LeapFrog Connect CD & Quickstart Guide

Extra stylus with tether

2 App Center Download Cards (value of $40 total)

1-year limited warranty

*To download these apps you must install the LeapFrog Connect Application and complete registration.

LeapFrog also sent along two of their new games – Disney Pixar Pals and Pet Pals 2. Pixar Pals has games with the characters of WALL-E, Toy Story and Finding Nemo. My 5-year-old has been loving learning about recycling and the environment with WALL-E while my 3.5-year-old is more enamored with washing, feeding and caring for his pet dog on Pet Pals 2. He thinks he’s playing with a cute computerized puppy; I know he’s learning how to count, add and subtract.

The Less Than Great. I’ve always been impressed with LeapFrog’s products, but the LeapPad truly is my favorite to-date. The two things I’m less than thrilled about are  the battery life and the price of the game cartridges. The LeapPad requires 4 AA batteries and it eats through them pretty fast. You can purchase a separate AC adapter if you know you’ll be using it at home a lot, but since we always bring these in the car on long trips, the battery life can become an issue. As for buying additional content, most of the apps you can download about $5-$10, but the game cartridges are $24.99. My kids aren’t into true video games yet, so maybe this is cheap in comparison, but this was higher than I was hoping for.

The LeapPad retails for $99 and you can buy it individually at places like Amazon, but I recommend buying one of the bundles through LeapFrog.com. You’re going to want additional games and activities and the LeapFrog’s Store offers a number of different money-saving bundles to suit your needs – Reading & Writing, Reading & Math, Ultimate Boys Bundle, and bundles with $40 in app downloads. Definitely worth it.

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WIN! Here’s your chance to win a brand new LeapFrog LeapPad of your very own along with Disney Pixar Pals, Pet Pals 2 and $20 in download credits. To enter, tell us in a comment below what feature you’re looking forward to the most on the LeapPad. You can earn one additional entry for each of the following – leave a comment below to let us know you did: (1) follow LeapFrog on Facebook or (2)  Twitter, (3) tweet about the contest using the hashtag #LeapPad, (4) follow MWS on Facebook or (5) follow me on Twitter. Entries must be received by Saturday, November 5th, 11:59pm PST. One winner will be picked via random.org and notified via email. Sorry, no P.O. boxes. US residents only.

Filed Under: Electronics, Games, Giveaways, Movies & Music, Play Time, Toys Tagged With: , , , , ,

New to Wii: Kirby’s Return to Dream Land

October 24, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

My kids are huge Kirby fans.  You can see here in a little video capture I did of my kids playing Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii) back in June of 2011 that they clearly have a good time when playing it.

So under the tree this holiday season will be the latest Kirby installment for the Wii – Kirby’s Return to Dream Land.  It releases on October 24th and you can get it on Amazon for $49.99. It looks like a ton of fun – up to 4 players and it’s rated E for everyone so it’s sure to be a great family game.    

Also for other Kirby fans – here’s a neat little news tidbit related to Nintendo and Halloween:

Nintendo is partnering with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to sponsor Starlight Fun Centers in select hospitals around the country to demonstrate the power of helping others with some inspiration from Kirby and his new Super Abilities.

Kids are encouraged to find their inner Super Ability and explain how they would use it to help others or make the world a better place by downloading and filling out the Kirby coloring sheet and submitting it to Nintendo. Nintendo and Scholastic will post select submissions to a virtual gallery on the Nintendo site, and some submissions will be featured at a special Oct. 27 unveiling at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif., to celebrate Nintendo’s sponsorship of the Starlight Fun Center. For added inspiration, kids can visit The Stacks and take a “What’s Your Super Ability?” quiz. Participants can answer questions to determine which of the Super Abilities featured in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land would suit them best.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Nintendo for providing me with a review copy of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land to facilitate this review.

Filed Under: Games, Play Time Tagged With: , ,

Hot Holiday Pick: Cabbage Patch Kids Are Back! I Love It!

October 17, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

If you’re a Mom and you don’t remember the Cabbage Patch Kids from when we were kids, you’re either insanely young or lived under a rock while your parents blocked you from all bits of 80s culture.  I still remember the mad rush it was that holiday season to try and buy one.  (Remember when you couldn’t order on the Internet and our Moms had to stand in long lines to get something off the shelf of a store before the store sold out?  Those were the days!)

Now Cabbage Patch Kids are back and they are the a hot pick for little girls for the holiday season!

And you can get them on the Internet!  (My kind of shopping)  You can get Cabbage Patch Kids on Amazon for a range of prices depending on the doll you choose. ($14.77 and up)

Filed Under: Kids, Play Time, Toys Tagged With: ,

5 Year Old Boy Birthday Wish List: Legos, Sqwishland & More

October 11, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

Yesterday, Cole and I headed over to our local Learning Express toy store.  They were having a huge Columbus day store-wide sale, and it’s also getting close to Cole’s 5th birthday.  Each year we go to Learning Express and make a “birthday bucket” which is basically like a kid’s wish list of toys they want to get.

We do it for family & friends who might ask what Cole wants but have no idea what to get him.  Plus, I get a discount on the items in the bucket after his birthday is over so it’s a win-win since Christmas follows shortly after his birthday.  And I like that it gives me a little bit of insight into some toys I wouldn’t have normally thought to pick out for him.

So.  Looking for ideas for a 5 year old boy?   Here are some ideas straight from the source:

Sqwishland SqwishLanders (not to be confused with Squinkies.  Oh, I know.)  These are at least cheaper than their counterparts.  These little rubber animals come in small balls.  The SqwishLander itself has a small hole on its stomach so you can decorate with the SqwishLander – Cole added a “bracelet” to his bucket where you can change and swap out SqwishLanders and wear them.  A tube of 6 Sqwishland animals is $4.99.  (Great stocking stuffer!)

He continues to love Lego Ninjago products.  The Lego sets themselves are for 7+ so I had to steer him clear of putting any of those in his bucket (will save those for his big brother!) but the little figures are great for when the kids pretend to have battles.  It’s about $8-10 for a Lego Ninjago figure – you can get a variety of them on Amazon.

And I was glad when he added this Honeybee Tree from International Playthings ($14.47 on Amazon) because it seemed very age appropriate. (Having an older brother he only wants to play with older toys so much of the time!)  A friend of ours has this and it’s a cute game.  Kids pull out the leaves and try not to release the bees into the bottom of the tree.

He was very excited about this Lightsaber Room Light ($29.99).  It attaches to the wall and with a remote, it changes colors.

Lastly, no stranger to Legos since his brother is obsessed, Cole selected some items from the Lego City line.  I had to steer him towards the age appropriate ones.  The key with the Legos is to see what the Lego piece count is.  Lego City is a great line for kids starting out with the smaller legos as they have several sets that are 5+.  We picked a few sets for him that were between the 200-300 piece range.

Filed Under: Kids, Play Time, Toys Tagged With: , , , ,

Shoulder Buddies: The Tiny Toy my Kids Love

September 22, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

It’s never too early to find a great stocking stuffer and I’m picking this one for a top stocking stuffer choice for the 2011 Holiday season!

I first hear about Shoulder Buddies at BlogHer, where I got a sample Shoulder Buddies to bring home to my kids along with some other toys.  This little toy didn’t seem like much to me.  It reminded me of those Trolls people used to collect when I was a kid.  But I didn’t realize what it did until Cole (4) showed me.

Shoulder Buddies come with a half-dollar coin-sized magnetized disc that the Shoulder Buddy sits on.  The kid puts the disc under their shirt on their shoulder and then the Shoulder Pal sticks and stays on the child’s shoulder as he walks around.  Cole gets a huge kick out of walking around with his Pal and it makes anyone smile who sees it!

You can pick up a Shoulder Buddy at your local Hallmark or other store.  Use the Shoulder Buddy Store Locator to find them at a store near you.  I recently saw them at the Philadelphia Airport!  You can also buy them at the Shoulder Buddy Online Store for $5.99 each.

Filed Under: Play Time, Toys Tagged With: , , ,

Loving Our Colourful Sticky Labels from Mabels Labels

September 14, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

This time of year is always a whirlwind of labeling things for my kids for back to school.  After this year’s Style School, I’m using Mabel’s Labels.  Years ago, I had used Mabels Labels and I don’t know why I ever stopped!

I ordered my kids some Colourful Sticky Labels ($21). Love these!  They stick to just about anything – I have them on my kids’ backpacks, lunch boxes and inside their clothes. (They can go through the wash)

Each order comes with 45 Sticky Labels.  Aren’t they cute?  And so practical.  Avoid those mix-ups at school and label everything with Mabel’s Labels.

Disclaimer:  Mabel’s Labels was a sponsor of Style School.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Family Travel, Feeding & Mealtime, Housewares, Kids, On The Go, Play Time, School gear Tagged With: ,

Website Spotlight – Ohanarama: Social Networking for Young Kids

September 10, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

It’s no big surprise that this Tech Mom has two techie kids.  I’m plugged in so many ways, it was bound to rub off sooner or or later.

My boys share a family computer that it’s in the kitchen.  They plan all sorts of social games like Club Penguin and Animal Jam.  As they get older, they interact more with other kids and other players with short messages and a “friending system.”  But it’s quite basic and it’s no Facebook.

I’m no where near ready for my kids to join Facebook or any other social networking platform I’m involved in since they aren’t age appropriate.  Enter Ohanarama.

From the Ohanarama website, “Welcome to Ohanarama, an educational, social game environment for children ages 5–12 and their families, where they can connect, learn, and play.”

This is a neat little way that you can interact with your kids online — and a fun way for the kids to interact with their grandparents (often hundreds of miles away!)

Here’s a screen shot of a game of chess I played (each of us on our own computers) with my 7-year-old:

Kids create a profile and can play games – many of the games are educational, and playing the games earns you points (that kids can later cash in for things like gift cards to stores like Target!)

It’s free to join.  I’ve already invited extended family members to join – Nate can’t wait to challenge them to one of the many games on Ohanarama!

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time in writing this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Games, Kids, Misc, Mommy Time, Play Time Tagged With:

Aqua Sand: The Informercial is Right! It Comes Out Dry!

August 3, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

On a recent trip to Target, I scored on some purchases in the clearance aisle.  It can be so hit or miss there but I happened to get there on a day that they were marking down a bunch of toys including Aqua Sand.  Now we’ve been seeing the commercials for this product for over a year.  My kids have asked for it and it’s been one of those things I’ve silently said no way to.  It looked messy and annoying.

But when Target had several Aqua Sand toys at clearance prices, I thought we’d give it a shot.

My kids love this toy.  And seriously people, I don’t know how they do it, but the sand really does stay dry.  Put it in the water, sift it out and it comes out totally dry.  I want to say that they spent a good five hours plus playing with this toy on and off outside yesterday.  All it takes is a little water.

And truthfully, sure, it’s a tiny bit messy.  My kids got a little wet, some sand ended up on my deck.  But it’s mess factor wasn’t much worse than an afternoon of Play Doh.

Check out your local Target to see if they have Aqua Sand on clearance.  Or get Aqua Sand on Amazon for discounted prices.

Filed Under: Kids, Play Time Tagged With:

A Favorite Wii Game of the Summer: Wii Play Motion ($47.99 with New Wii Remote on Amazon)

July 13, 2011 By Whitney 3 Comments

Before we left for the beach (where we went Wii-free), my kids had a new favorite Wii game: Wii Play Motion. A collection of mini games like the original Wii Play, this game comes with a new Wii remote with motion plus which is a good deal since remotes aren’t cheap.

Personally it felt a little more of the same old to me but my kids were enamored with several of the mini games – especially the stone skipping game which admittedly is slightly addicting.

Get it for $47.99 on Amazon with free shipping.

Lastly, here’s a break-down of all the mini-games from Amazon:

The Games

Wii Play: Motion includes one Wii Remote Plus controller, along with the 12 games – each with challenging gameplay and various modes, that adds up to a powerful package in motion-controlled gaming. Games include:

  • Wind Runner – Tilt the Wii Remote Plus controller all around you to control the direction of an umbrella – riding the wind through a race course filled with gems.
  • Grappling Ghosts – Catch ghosts that fly out of from your television and surround your body. First, you’ll search for a ghost with the Wii Remote Plus controller, which beeps faster as you bring it near the “invisible” ghost. Then you’ll hook it with the controller, wrestle it back into your TV, then stuff it into a cage.
  • Teeter Targets – Flip a ball upward to break targets, holding the Wii Remote Plus controller like you’re gripping the ends of a teeter-totter.
  • Veggie Guardin’ – Smack garden pests on the head or bat them far away – twisting, turning, and swinging your Wii Remote Plus controller as you defend your vegetables.
  • Trigger Twist – Shoot your way through UFOs, ninjas, and dinosaurs. While holding the Wii Remote Plus controller, you’ll move your arm to aim and turn your body to pivot – giving you the new experience of being surrounded by enemies and whirling to face them.
  • Skip Skimmer – Skip stones, by making that motion with the Wii Remote Plus controller in your hand, to get the highest number of skips you can on a lake or to earn the highest score on a floating obstacle course. Shuttle parts safely to a space station by tilting the Wii Remote Plus controller, as if the ship is in your hand, then firing thrusters with controller buttons.
  • Star Shuttle – Shuttle parts safely to a space station by tilting the Wii Remote Plus controller — as if the ship is in your hand — then firing thrusters with controller buttons.
  • Flutter Fly – Guide balloons through an aerial obstacle course by fanning them along with the Wii Remote Plus controller – fast, slow, and on all sides. You’ll also scare off crows by pointing at them then pressing a button before the birds pop your balloons.
  • Cone Zone – Hold the Wii Remote Plus controller like an ice cream cone, then try to keep it in balance as more and more ice cream is piled on.
  • Treasure Twirl – Lower a diver to the bottom of the sea by twirling the Wii Remote Plus controller to unspool his cable, and dodge sharks and jellyfish by moving the controller left and right. After you grab the sunken treasure, you’ll have to pull him all the way back up again.
  • Jump Park – Jump around a huge trampoline park by tilting the Wii Remote Plus controller at the exact angle you want to bounce next. You’ll gather all the gems you can to earn a high score.
  • Pose Mii Plus – As your Mii character flies through space, you’ll rotate the Wii Remote Plus controller in all directions to squeeze your character through silhouette-shaped holes in barriers before you crash through them. Your Mii will change its pose often, so you’ll have to act fast.
Filed Under: Electronics, Games, Play Time Tagged With: , , ,

Shark Products for the Shark-Obsessed Boy

July 12, 2011 By Whitney 4 Comments

It will be no surprise if my 7-year-old turns out to be a marine biologist someday.  I know that phases pass but my own dear husband has always been obsessed with marine life and Nate is following in his footsteps these days.

He can’t get enough of watching NatGeoWild and Animal Planet and especially loves anything having to do with the ocean and sharks.  We’ve gathered quite the collection of shark products over the past year and for those of you out there with boys who live and breath for learning about sharks, I thought I’d put together a little  shark-related product list.  If you know of another great program, book or product, don’t be shy – leave me a comment!

For Preschoolers: I’m a Shark book by Bob Shea. We first heard this one this summer at a storytime at the beach.  A completely adorable story about a great white shark who is scared of spiders.  Wonderful illustrations and fun for preschool storytime.  $11.55 with free shipping on Amazon.

For Early Readers: National Geographic’s Sharks!  Level Two Reading.  Educational and factual about different kinds of sharks.  $3.99 with free shipping on Amazon.

For preschool & elementary school aged kids: Animal Planet Shark Attack Playset.  Santa brought this one for my 4-year-old, seeing as he loves anything his big brother loves.  I thought this playset was a great price for what it comes with and it’s seen many hours of play in our house.  $11.99 at Toys R Us or $11.55 with free shipping on Amazon.

For the older child: Discovery Channel’s DVD “Shark Week: the Great Bites Collection”.  We let Nate (7) watch Shark Week.  It can be graphic so use digression when showing this to your child.  But each year the Discovery Channel hosts Shark Week where they have various shows that are shark-themed.

We look forward to it each year and watch reruns all throughout the year.  It’s educational but graphic for sure.  Get the DVD collection on the Discovery Store website for $19.99.

For all kids: trendy & awesome shark clothes at 77kids.  On a recent trip to my local 77kids, I was impressed with the style and fun designs they offered for boys clothes.

I ended up going home with several shark-themed tees, much to the happiness of both of my boys.  Check out your local 77kids or view their collection of shark clothes online.

Filed Under: Books, Books for the Family, Kids, Play Time, Toys

Fourth of July Easy Recipe Fun: Red, White & Blue Strawberries {Video}

July 4, 2011 By Whitney 2 Comments

My sister in law read about making this in a family magazine and brought out the makings today for the Fourth.  The kids had such a blast doing these, they were delish and so easy to do!

You need:

  • White chocolate chips, melted in a bowl (via microwave or stovetop)
  • fresh strawberries with stems
  • Blue sprinkles

Double dip, put in the fridge to harden and you’re done!  A fun activity with the kids. Here’s a video of us all making them:

Filed Under: Feeding & Mealtime, Kids, Misc, Play Time Tagged With: , ,
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