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I love the look on my kids’ faces when they see something with wheels under the tree. Here are my picks for some great ride-on toys for every age – and 3 great giveaways in a super short contest below!

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug – Perfect for tiny riders over the age of 1, the Prince Lionheart Wheely Bugs are just as fun to ride as they are adorable to look at. Available in 6 unisex designs, choose from a ladybug, bee, cow, mouse, tiger or pig to take for a whirl. The seat is padded, easy to clean and resistant to potential “accidents” from over-excitement. The multi-directional coaster wheels and handy handle will keep your tiny rider amused ride after ride. Safe for indoor or outdoor use. (Also available with a large seat for kids 3+.) $50 at Amazon.com

Kickboard USA Mini and Maxi scooter – These 3-wheeled scooters definitely make it on my top 10 list of must-haves. My kids were riding the Mini version before they were two years old and now at 5.5 and 4, they can zoom around corners, jump off of curbs and do a handful of other head-turning tricks. And we’ve had no major wipeouts or ER visits! The scooters are durable, stable, easy to ride, come in a ton of fun colors and are fairly compact. The Mini Kick is geared for kids 2-5 years old while the Maxi Kick is best for kids 6-11 (or up to 120 lbs.) The Mini comes with a T-bar handle while the Maxi also has the option of the pilot stick which allows for the best performance and handling.  

Kickboard has also been adding to their collection of accessories for the scooters including bags, bells, lights and plush buddies. But don’t let the kids have all the fun! Kickboard USA also makes 2-wheel and 3-wheel scooters for the 11-111 crowd. I recently tried out this 2-wheeled number and had a blast zipping around the block with my kids. Now if only it had a cup holder to make my walk to Starbucks faster…. Starting at $85 at Kickboard USA and totally worth it. (Scroll down for a giveaway!)

KaZAM Balance Bike – When your tot is ready to trade up, consider skipping the training wheels and going to a balance bike first. With my first, we did training wheels and it took some time to ween him off them. With my second, I’m hoping to bypass the transition by using the KaZAM Balance bike. What sets KaZAM apart?

It took a few minutes for my son to get a hang of it, but I’m hoping this will help us bypass training wheels in a few months and go straight to a regular bike. The KaZAM seems durable and is easy to steer. I only wish the seat was a little wider. KaZAM comes in red, blue, orange, green and pink and also comes bundled with a helmet for a complete ready-to-ride package. $100 at KaZAM (Scroll down for a giveaway!)

Trek Jet 20 – When your rider is ready for a real bike, Trek makes superb, sturdy bikes that will easily last through multiple children. I’m not a particular fan of cartoon characters plastered over bikes, and I love that Trek bikes look and are made like grown-up bikes. The Jet 20 is geared for kids 6 and older depending on height and ability. It features 20″ wheels, the option of either coaster or hand breaks (one of my fav features) and cool extras like a kickstand, fenders, plates, pads. The bike has a lightweight aluminum frame that means I can hoist it up on our bike rack, and a construction that will last through everything from neighborhood rides to off-road adventures AND still be passed down to younger brothers. The Jet 20 comes in blue or green though girls may prefer the color selection of the similarly designed Mystic 20. Like all Trek bikes, the Jet 20 has a lifetime warranty. Available for $220 at Trek Bikes.

** GIVEAWAYS ** Three awesome giveaways in this short contest! Enter once for all three items (if you’re only interested in one of them – mention that in the comments so I don’t send you something you don’t want!) Enter by leaving a comment below. Here’s what’s up for grabs:

1) a Kickboard USA Mini or Maxi scooter(color options may depend on available stock)

2) a Kickboard USA white 2-wheeled Kick Scooter for teens or adults (up to 220 lbs)

3) a KaZAM Balance Bike in any color (except pink)

Earn additional entries by tweeting about the contest with the hashtag #MWSridegiveaway or posting about the contest on Facebook. Be sure to leave us an additional comment for each extra entry you do.

Contest is open to U.S. residents only. Sorry no PO boxes. Contest open until 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 14th!

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Note: MWS was not paid for this post. Some of the companies provided samples for review.

One of the product categories that they’ve become a superstore for is anything tech-related.  I was in my local store today and truly the entire first half of the store is dedicated to products like laptops, e-readers, cameras, printers and more.  It’s pretty impressive and the prices are competitive to any other store you’ll find out there.

As I don’t want to ruin the surprise because the giftee(s) may be reading this post, I’ll list a bunch of products here that you can get at Staples right now, awesome, right?

Vivitar ViviCam 7.1 MP Digital Camera – $39.99

Sony 4GB MP3 Walkman – $69.99

Kindle Fire – $199.99

Logitech Speaker Stand for iPad – $69.99

Nook Tablet – $249.99

Tony Hawk USB Drive – 10.99 (Great stocking stuffer!)

Lastly, can I tell you guys how helpful the staff was at Staples?  I went in and was chatting with one customer rep who worked there and mentioning everyone I had yet to buy for.  She was asking me insightful questions and really helped me find the perfect gift.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a gift card to check out Staples holiday technology product options.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

And it keeps getting better. Current Wii consoles are shipping with the brand new Wii Plus remote with built-in MotionPlus technology (it used to be a separate, add-on accessory). This new hyper-sensitive remote controls your Wii games with the natural, fluid movement of your hand, without having to think about pressing a button. You get better control with less work. A win-win.

There are also a bunch of recently-released Wii games that will make a perfect pair with a Wii console.

Barbie: Jet, Set & Style: Budding style mavens will jump at the chance to perfect their hair, makeup, nail and fashion skills. Travel around the world with Barbie picking up style tips from Paris and London to Tokoyo and Moscow. Hone your glamor skills to win the ultimate prize – styling Barbie herself for an international fashion show! Rated E (THQ)

Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident: New to Wii for the first time is the exciting hidden object puzzle play of the Mystery Case File series. Scour the island, locate hidden objects and use clues to solve inventive puzzles throughout the game. My kids love the I Spy-style of this game, and while it was too hard for them to play alone, it was a great family game using our collective detective skills and eyesight. Rated E (Nintendo)

Family Game Night 4: Your kids may think that board games are soooo old school, but now you can introduce your kids to your favorites – with a twist! With Family Game Night 4, you’ll be off the couch and laughing as you choose between CONNECT 4 Basketball, YATZHEE! Bowling, SCRABBLE Flash, BOP-IT Boptagon, and SORRY! Sliders. My kids were hooked on YATZHEE! Bowling having just learned how to do both parts separately in the last few months. This was a great game to enjoy as a the whole family! Rated E (EA)

Monster High Ghoul Spirit: If your daughter loves the Monster High dolls, they’ll be of fan of Ghoul Spirit where they can work to become the coolest ghoul in school by making friends, building a reputation, doing all sorts of “creeptastic” activities and more. Select your hair, skin, and outfit to create your own creepy character and do you best to win the ultimate prize – winning the title of Scream Queen. Rated E (THQ)

Wii Play Motion: If you already have a Wii, this is a great introduction to the Wii Plus remote which comes bundled with the game that highlights all of the new remote’s hyper-sensitive capabilities. With 12 mini games to choose from like Jump Park, Skip Skimmer and Treasure Twirl, the games are easy enough for younger kids to play while still offering enough challenge for adults. Rated E 10+ (Nintendo)

Rayman Origins: From the creator of Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil and the Raving Rabbids, comes Rayman Origins. Choose from over 100 characters while you adventure through 12 beautifully drawn worlds and over 60 levels attempting to save their home, the Glade of Dreams, from trouble. Pick up important skills like swimming, diving, slapping and of course the “HairlyCopter” in an attempt save the Glade and defeat the enemy. A fun game for older kids and adults alike. Rated E 10+ (Ubisoft)

Skylanders – Spyro’s Adventure Starter Pack: This unique game comes with three creature action-figures called Skylanders and a “Portal of Power” that syncs with the console and “teleports” the creature into the game. Each Skylander has a different ability or power and remembers its place in the game – even if you use it on a different console. Use your Skylander’s special power to battle Kaos, an evil tyrant, and protect your homeland.  A multiple player function allows you to join forces with a friend or battle head-to-head. Plus you can expand the game by purchasing separate Adventure Packs. And the Skylanders are perfect entertainment on their own. Rated E10+. (Activision)

Add on the new uDraw Tablet from THQ and you can try out these new games.

Pictionary – Ultimate Edition: You know the game, but not like this! Pictionary Ultimate takes drawing to a whole new level. Play regular Pictionary with over 3,000 drawing clues (junior and adult levels) or try out Pictionary Mania with crazy drawing modes like tool confusion, eraser only and rotation frustration where the screen rotates while you’re trying to draw! Plus when you’re done playing, the free draw mode is perfect to hone your skills. Rated E (THQ)

Spongebob Squigglepants: Join Spongebob, his friends and the president of the Spongebob fan club, Patchy the Pirate, in this dizzying adventure of more than 100 fast-paced mini-games and challenges. The games are easy enough for younger kids, but the time limits add an element of challenge for older kids too. You can also draw, paint and color tons of never-before-seen images of Spongebob from the Nickelodeon vaults. A must-have for Spongebob aficionados. Rated E. (THQ)

Disney Princess – Enchanting Storybooks: Budding artists can bring color and life to scenes from their favorite Disney princess movies staring Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Tiana. With over 100 coloring pages, activities, sticker pages and stories, your little princess will have fun recreating her favorite scenes from her favorites stories. Sadly this one was lost on my boys, but I admit I had fun reliving some of my own Disney memories. Rated E. (THQ)

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Note: MWS was not paid for this review. Samples were provided for the review.

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Giveaway #3 is here! This time it’s LeapFrog’s new My Own Story Time Pad – an easy-to-use tablet for little LeapFroggers. Perfect for kids 2+ years (though fun for younger kids too), the Story Time Pad is a lightweight tablet that includes stories, songs and activities that can be personalized for your child! Scout, Violet and the other LeapFrog friends educate and entertain as your child learns about letters, phonics, storytelling, music and more.

One of the coolest features of the My Own Story Tim Pad is the ability to personalize a number of the activities. Using LeapFrog’s Connect Application, you can have Scout or Violet say your child’s name, customize parts of stories and songs, and create pretend emails and messages from friends or family members. Toddlers will get a kick out of hearing Scout call them by name, mention their friends and talk about their favorite places.

My Own Story Time Pad comes pre-loaded with 1 story, 1 email, and 3 songs, but by connecting to the LeapFrog Connect Application you can download additional stories and songs (up to 5 stories, 10 songs and 3 emails at a time).

Some of my favorite feature:

- No tablet envy. I love that the tablet looks and feels similar to LeapFrog’s LeapPad tablet and other adult tablets but is geared for younger learners. No more arguing over who gets to use the tablet! With the My Own Story Time Pad, my 3 year old can have a tablet geared just for him.

- No wrong buttons. Whenever I give my kids my phone to play a game, I inevitably find stuff rearrange, reprogrammed or downright missing. One of the great things about the Story Time Pad is that there are no wrong buttons! Kids can press buttons is any order, at any time and the tablet will not delete content, harm the activities or self-destruct. Plus any button they push will likely make a sound, start a new activity or provide some kind of giggle-inducing feedback.

- Durable. LeapFrog makes stuff for kids. Kids that drop stuff. So they’ve made the My Story Time Pad out of durable plastic that can handle the bangs and bumps of life.

- Lightweight. The tablet weighs in at just over 1 lb. and is easy for a child to hold in the car or fit on his lap.

- Multiple volume settings. The Story Time Pad features two volume settings which is nice, but unfortunately no headphone jack which I wish it had.

Visit Leapfrog.com to learn more and purchase a My Own Story Time Pad – available in white or purple for $29.99 (Be sure to sign up for LeapFrog’s emails to hear about great holiday deals and sales too.)

** GIVEAWAY ** Win a My Story Time Pad of your very own! To enter, leave a comment below telling us what tech gadget is on your holiday wishlist. (And be sure to check out Whitney and the other Gift Guide Girls‘ post on innovative, adorable and drool-worthy tech gifts here!) You can earn additional entries by doing any of the following – be sure leave us separate comments to tell us you did! 1) Like LeapFrog or Mommies With Style on Facebook, 2) Follow LeapFrog or MWS on Twitter, 3) Follow me on Twitter, or 4) Tweet about the giveaway with the hashtag #MWSgiveaway. Entries must be received by Monday, December 5th 11:59pm, PST. One winner will be picked via random.org and notified via email. Sorry, no P.O. boxes. US residents only.

MWS was not paid for this review. LeapFrog provided a sample of the product for review.

Kate Bayless is a writer, editor and is hoping Santa brings her a tablet. She has been very good this year. Her work has appeared in Parents, American Baby, Fit Pregnancy, iVillage and other publications. Visit her at www.katebayless.com or @katebayless.

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Back again with another hot new holiday toy (and a giveaway!) from LeapFrog. I’ve already written about my love of LeapFrog’s Tag Reading System here and here, and one of the great things about the system is that they keep expanding and adding new products like this – the Tag Solar System Adventure Pack.

Available as a bundle with a Tag pen ($53.98, but on sale for $49.99) or on its own ($13.99), the Solar System Adventure Pack extends your child’s learning to the stars! Literally! Much like the Tag World Map and United States Map, the dual-sided, interactive Solar System Map offers over 40 different out-of-the-world learning activities on the planets, sun, orbits, moon phases, seasons, asteroids and more! It contains the “basics” but also goes beyond to talk about things like the deposed Pluto and other dwarf planets plus a section called “How Do We Know” that tackles questions like life on other planets, and how we know how far away stars are.

In addition to the map itself, the Solar System Adventure Pack also comes with a “Passport to the Stars” sticker book that helps reinforce the learning and is just plain fun for sticker-loving kids. Plus, the stickers interact with the Tag pen!

Some of my favorite features:

- Size: While we own the World and USA Maps as well, the Solar System map folds down to the same size as a traditional Tag book which means it’s easier to bring along and to store with our other Tag books.

- Multiple levels: LeapFrog does such a good job at creating toys that offer multiple levels of play. The Solar System Map offer two levels of content so both my older boys can use it and be challenged.

- Information variety: The entire Tag series does a great job of packing in the information. From facts and data to games and activities, the Solar System map teaches and reinforces the learning through a variety of methods.

GIVEAWAY! LeapFrog is giving away a Solar System Adventure Pack that comes with their latest Tag Reader! To enter, leave a comment below telling us why this would be a hit with your kids. You can earn additional entries by doing any of the following – be sure leave us separate comments to tell us you did! 1) Like LeapFrog or Mommies With Style on Facebook, 2) Follow LeapFrog or MWS on Twitter, 3) Follow me on Twitter! Entries must be received by Saturday, November 26th 11:59pm, PST. One winner will be picked via random.org and notified via email. Sorry, no P.O. boxes. US residents only.

****** CONTEST NOW CLOSED *************

CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER JANICE!

Gifts, parties, and the holiday season are just around the corner which has me thinking a lot about….wine. Wine really is the perfect gift. It’s easy to give, received with a smile, and it’s good for your health! But picking out just the right bottles can be tedious which is why I love the idea of giving (and receiving!) wine club memberships. I recently had the chance to sample one of the California Wine Club‘s  3-month Premier Club wine memberships.

Let me first say that it’s pretty awesome to get wine delivered straight to your doorstep. And good wine at that. Errands (otherwise known as “adventures”) are hard enough with kids without trying to navigate the glass bottle displays of the wine aisle. This month’s California Wine Club delivery included two bottles from Perry Creek Winery, a mid-sized winery in the Sierra Foothills, located just east of Sacramento, CA. Though the original shipment also included a bottle of the 2009 El Dorado Chardonnay, since I opted for the red-only packaged, I received two bottles of Perry Creek’s ZinMan Zinfandel.

For the record, I like zins. Wine with kick. Wine with umph. But this was smoother than many others, only showing a subtle spiciness that hit you on the tail-end of the sip. It wasn’t super bold or spicy, but that made ZinMan very easy on the palate, yet still holding a complexity and depth that I enjoy in the varietal. In a word, it was good. I’ve had both bottles since they’ve arrived, one with a marinara pasta dinner and the other with pork chops though I could imagine ZinMan complimenting salmon, burgers or a number of cheeses as well.

Another benefit of joining the California Wine Club is that once you’re a member of one of their wine clubs, you can also stock up on your favorite past deliveries. They offer great discounts on buying additional bottles of that month’s wine as well as previous months.

So as you’re thinking about the upcoming holiday parties you’re throwing or attending, the holiday gifts you need to give or one’s you’d like to receive, or heck, if you’re thinking about how nice it would be to find WINE in your mailbox, check out the California Wine Club. For MWS readers, they are offering 10% off any gift order you place (use code: mommieswithstyle-11), PLUS, drumroll please……..You can WIN a 1-month subscription to the California Wine Club right here! That’s right. Wine in your mailbox. For being a loyal MWS reader. Want to win? Leave a comment below with why you’d love to find wine in your mailbox. You can earn additional entries for each of the following – leave a comment telling us you did each one.

Follow @cawineclub or @boringwineguy

Like The California Wine Club or The Boring Wine Guy on Facebook  (FYI – The owners’ last name is Boring. The wine is not.)

Follow @katebayless.

Like Mommies With Style on Facebook

Contest open to U.S. residents 21 years and older. Entries must be received by Wednesday, October 26th 2011 at 11:59pm PST. Sorry, no P.O. boxes.

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Mommies With Style was not paid for this review. A sample of the wine club shipment was  provided for the review.

Kate Bayless is a writer, editor and lover of big, bold reds being delivered to her door. Her work has appeared in Parents, American Baby, Fit Pregnancy, iVillage and other publications. Visit her at www.katebayless.com or @katebayless.

But I’m sometimes reminded that my almost-4-year old is still just that, a young kid and aging a lot faster than I sometimes would like him to.  Being the younger brother and being the youngest in a tech-savvy house makes him advance technologically beyond the recommended age on many products.

I was recently reminded of that on a road trip when each boy brought a DS/DSi.  I was reminded that Cole’s hands just aren’t there coordination wise – not compared to his 6-year-old brother.  Not to mention that the DS is not always so educational.

Recently one of his little girlfriends received a Leapster Explorer - LeapFrog’s latest product release. (Fall 2010)  I was intrigued to check it out because I thought this might be a better handheld option for him given his age.  My wonderful contact at LeapFrog sent me over a sample product to test out and I’m impressed.  I’m saving this one for his birthday next month but here are the details about this product which is sure to be a hot pick this upcoming holiday season:

*Recommended age for this product:  Ages 4-9
* It’s educational but fun.   It comes with built in games (over 40) and you can download apps from the LeapFrog website – LeapWorld.
* Touch screen
*Additional cartridge games available for purchase with favorite characters like Dora, Ben10, SpongeBob, the Disney Princesses and more
*Parents can track what their children are doing on the Explorer with the LeapFrog Learning Path software
*It has a built in camera for the kids to take pictures – it can store up to 1000 photos

It retails for $69.99.  Get it on Amazon right now for $64.99 with free shipping.

For those of you not familiar, Bendaroos are pliable wax sticks.  Kids 3+ seem to love them.  (Even the adults can have fun with Bendaroos – we’ve been known to use these as wine charms!)  They are great for imaginative play as kids can use these sticks over and over again to form all sorts or creative shapes and objects.

So the latest are Glow in the Dark Bendaroos.  They are currently listed at $33.99 on Amazon with free shipping but keep an eye for them as the holiday season gets closer because I feel like the price may come down.  (Or maybe not as glow in the dark is a pretty awesome addition.)

Looking for a great intro set?  Try the 500-Mega Bendaroo set.  It’s normally $24.99 but on sale right now on Amazon for $15.12.  And check out this coupon for $5 off on Bendaroos.com for teachers to get an additional $5 off the 500-Mega Kit.

Thankfully, with online competition and Cyber Monday, there’s really no need for me to brave the crowds anymore.  Folks like LeapFrog are doing deals for both days.  You never have to leave your home when prices like this online!

Starting Black Friday, LeapFrog will be offering 25% off site-wide on all their products through November 30th.  Stock up!  This is a sale you can’t miss.  Get select Leapster games for as little as $5, Tag books for $5.49 and much more!

Can’t wait?  Shop today through Friday and use coupon code HOLIDAY20 to receive 20% off your entire order on the LeapFrog site.  Free shipping on orders over $50.