Celebrate Spring With The New Pajanimals Games & Puzzles Giveaway (US & Canada)

We just recently hosted a review and giveaway for the newest Pajanimals DVD, Playdate, which the kids absolutely loved. Not only do they have a new DVD out, but they just released some awesome games and puzzles, too, and we want to tell you all about them!

·       My Growth Chart Puzzle: ($14.99 SRP): Build your own puzzle and measure away, marking your height as you grow.  The Growth Puzzle chart includes 17 sturdy self-correcting puzzle pieces and teaches numbers, counting and easy math principals.  Ages: 3+

·My First ABC Floor Puzzle” ($14.99 SRP): ABC Floor Puzzle includes 27 jumbo self-correcting puzzle pieces to form a 6 ft. long puzzle that teaches ABC’s, matching words and visual recognition. Ages: 3+

·My First Adventure Game ($14.99 SRP):  Follow the path by matching objects and reach finish in this “path” board game designed for toddlers. Featuring two play patterns for extended play, the game develops visual discrimination, sequencing, hand-eye coordination and language skills. Ages 3+

·My First Word Game ($14.99 SRP):  Match the picture tiles and find the objects in the illustration with this matching game for toddlers with two playing levels. The game, featuring 6 double-sides playing boards, 18 picture tiles and a parent guide,develops visual discrimination, early learning word skills and hand-eye coordination. Ages 3+

Don't all of these look fun? I love that they are not only fun for kids, but educational. I wish all products were like this.

How would you like to WIN one of these awesome items?

One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader Will Win One of The New Pajanimals Games or Puzzles!! 

Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Beginner's Building Set Review & Giveaway

We our now homeschooling and, for a while, I had a tough time finding educational games, toys and supplements for the boys that are fun and stimulating, keeping them occupied and interested in learning. I'd heard some friends talk about Learning Resources and when I finally checked them out, I was in educational heaven! Learning Resources has a mission to support teachers and parents by providing unique, high-quality educational tools that enhance instruction and provide engaging learning experiences that meet children's individual needs and that is exactly what they do.

I was so excited to receive the Gears! Gears! Gears! Beginner's Set to review and thought this would be something both of my boys would enjoy immensely. The set includes 96 plastic pieces that easily snap together, including spinning gears, pillars, connectors and cranks. For children 3+ years of age, this was perfect for both Liam and Josiah. I have the hardest time keeping Liam occupied while trying to do schoolwork with Josiah and this is the perfect way to engage him and help him build on his fine motor skills.

What they loved the most about this set was setting their creations into motion. Once all the gears are in place, use a crank to set your masterpiece into motion! It's such a fun item for kids and has endless building possibilities.

I've kept this set up and bring it out for Liam to play with during school and Josiah also gets to play with it during quite play time indoors. They have so much fun that I can seriouslyfinally get my own chores and work done while they play with the Gears! Gears! Gears! set.

There are two things I love about the Gears! Gears! Gears! sets. First, they are all compatible, so you can build on to the ones you already have, making more room for your children's imagination to soar. Now that I know how much they enjoying playing with this set, I will definitely purchase other sets to add on. There is a farm set and another that lights up when in action. Both of these would be huge hits with the boys, too. Secondly, the box this set comes in is great! It's made of sturdy cardboard and has a handle on top, so the boys can not only easily put up and store their set, but they can take it around with them when we are visiting grandparents or going out of town.

The Gears!Gears!Gears! Beginner's Set retails on the Learning Resources website for only $27.99! It's a deal for all the hours of fun the kids will surely have.

Ready for your chance to win?

Thanks to Learning Resources, One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader Will Win Their Own Gears! Gears! Gears! Beginner's Set!

Holiday Gift Guide: Melissa & Doug Doorbell House Giveaway

Melissa & Doug is a favorite brand in our home. The kids love their toys, which are fun and educational. One of our favorites is the Trunki, which is a suitcase and a ride-on toy! My boys both have one and we use them on every single trip we take. For the holidays, we want to share with you another awesome toy from Melissa & Doug, the Doorbell House.

The Melissa & Doug Doorbell House is a wooden home with four different doors, electronic doorbell sounds and four unique locks with keys! Ring the doorbell, unlock your door and don't forget the four play people that are also included. You can pose them, let them play in the house and let your imagination soar. In addition, the house has a sturdy handle on top making it much easier for small hands to carry around everywhere. My son loves playhouses and pretend play, so I know he is going to love this Christmas gift. I just wrapped it this weekend and had to keep myself from giving it to him early.... mostly because I want to play with it, too.

Ready for a giveaway?

We are so excited to work with Melissa & Doug this holiday season and offer our readers a chance to win their very own Doorbell House ($29.99 rv)!

VTech MobiGo 2 Review - Portable Educational Fun

I love finding fun and educational toys for our children,but as my children get older, finding items that will hold attention are much harder to find. This is why I was excited to review the new VTech MobiGo 2! My niece has the MobiGo and loves it, so when I heard about the new one, we couldn't wait to try it for ourselves.

The MobiGo 2 has games and features that are great for ages 3 to 8 years of age, which is great because all the kids can get something educational from it. This great handheld learning system offers a variety of ways for children to learn and have fun while doing so! There are three games already on the MobiGo 2 and you can download many more via the Learning Lodge, which can be easily downloaded onto your computer.

The games and apps teach great skills, including math, vocabulary, spelling, reading, logic, drawing and more! These are perfect for both of my boys who are learning basic skills. Liam is about to turn three and Josiah is five, so they have really enjoyed the games we have. I think their favorite is the Hamster Highway so far, which teaches coordination and numbers.

About to play Hamster Highway!

The Shooting Gallery is one that Josiah also enjoys and it's been great since it goes along what we are learning in his studies. It teaches letters and, since the MobiGo 2 has a QWERTY keyboard, he learns the keyboard layout, too. The game starts out easy so kids can grasp the concepts and gets harder as they progress.

We have only downloaded one game so far, but there are many more games and e-books from which to choose on the Learning Lodge, all for very low prices. Plus, you can find games at stores, too. Josiah has expressed interest in the Scooby Doo and Jake and the Neverland Pirates games for Christmas. I am very excited that he is showing interest in the MobiGo 2 and think this will be a great activity for him in between studying and school. Since we are homeschooling this year, I think this will definitely add to his experience in an educational and fun way, especially when he starts reading in a month or two. I can't wait!

In addition to the games and e-books, the MobiGo 2 also has a photo album, photo viewer art studio and coloring book. Liam has particularly enjoyed the art studio and coloring book since they are easier. Using a touchscreen is also easy for him and I can tell he has enjoyed playing games just like a big boy.

Not only do the kids getting something fun and educational from the MobiGo 2. Parents can keep up with their children's progress via the Learning Lodge. When we first started, I made accounts for the children so they can play under their own names and I can see how far they have gotten on the games. This will give ma a good idea of how they are progressing with their studies, too.

So, needless to say, the MobiGo2 has been a huge hit in our house and we've already gone through several batteries. I think I am just as excited as the kids when we get new games to try out and it will be hard to wait until Christmas to buy Josiah the games he wants. I may just have to spoil him further and buy one ahead of time.

Have you tried the MobiGo 2 yet? 

This would make a great present for the upcoming holidays and/or for a birthday! 

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received product samples to facilitate my review.

Educational Insights Hot Dots Review & Giveaway

We most enjoy reviewing items that are not only fun, but educational. We recently decide to give homeschooling a try (I'll touch more on this very soon!) and now I find myself looking even more for toys with educational value. This is why I love Educational Insights so much. They have some amazing toys and products for kids that keep them entertained and learning at the same time. We had a chance to review the Hot Dots Jr. "Ace" the Talking, Teaching Dog and it was a huge hit with the boys.

About Hot Dots Jr.

All the fun of Hot Dots®, now available for younger children! Part learning companion, part magic wand, the Hot Dots Jr. Pen talks, laughs, lights up and even buzzes with excitement as children explore. Designed for little hands, this electronic pen cheers for correct answers and gently redirects children when they answer incorrectly, allowing for independent discovery.

• Engages your youngest learners with easy–to–use technology—simply press the pen down on the cards to answer and receive feedback
• Allows independent, self–paced reinforcement and review of key early learning topics
• Provides opportunity for students to prepare for school, or catch up where they need support
• Activity Card Sets (available separately) include 36 colorfully illustrated double–sided cards providing 72 early learning activities plus an answer key all stored in a handled carrying case
• Ace unit requires 2 AAA batteries (not included) and measures 6"L

My Thoughts

As soon as the kids saw what was in the Educational Insights box, they had to play with it immediately. I love that the card sets come in a carrying case, which means we can store them (aka- keep up with them!!!), which is a major plus since everything gets lost with kids around. This way we can play with this over and over again without cards going missing.

We luckily had the AAA batteries and got Ace working right away. I choose Beginning Numbers & Counting and Beginning Science for the boys and thought this was something they would enjoy and would be age-appropriate. Josiah and Liam sat on the floor and I explained what to do with the first set of cards, which was Beginning Science. These cards ended up being a huge hit. The Hot Dots Jr. kits are for ages 3-5 and since Liam is about to be 3 next month, both boys fall under this age-range and love it! Both were able to easily complete the tasks and clapped for each other every time they got an answer correct. The Beginning Numbers & Counting was a little over Liam's head for now, but something Josiah was learning in school at pre-K, so he liked showing off his math skills. I think Liam will be able to do these in only a few months or so.

The kids still enjoy playing with Ace, so this is definitely given high marks as a great educational and entertaining item for kids. Plus, when Josiah outgrows this one, I can move him up to the next level of cards with the Hot Dots sets. This will be very helpful with homeschooling and a fun activity for him to do between working and studying.

Do you have a child who would love their own Hot Dots set? 

Thanks to Educational Insights, One Lucky CTM Reader Will Receive Their Choice of Hot Dots Pens (Hot Dots Jr. Ace the Talking, Teaching Dog Pen, Kat the Talking Kitty Pen (both for ages 3-5) or the Hot Dots Pen (Ages 6-10)! PLUS, the Winner Can Also Choose A Card Set to Go Along with the Pen!!

Educational Insights GeoSafari Plankton Net #Giveaway

With summer here, we spend a great deal of time outdoors. We live up in the mountains and have a creek right in the backyard, so when we aren't vacationing at the beach, we can usually be found at the creek! This is why we were so excited to try out the new Plankton Net from Educational Insights. We love all the great educational products from Educational Insights and the GeoSafari Plankton Net is no exception!

About the Educational Insights Plankton Net

Millions of plankton live in ponds, lakes, and oceans. Take a closer look with the GeoSafari® Plankton Net! Toss the net into any natural body of water and sweep back and forth to collect plankton. Lift the net to examine them in the transparent bottle underneath or remove the bottle and attach the lid to share your finds with friends! Ages 8+

• Includes mesh plankton net with removable, transparent, magnified bottle with attached cap and laminated (waterproof) guide with plankton-identification chart
• Can be used in ANY natural body of water—fresh or salt
• Interactive activity encourages exploration and discovery
• Can be held with hands or used with rope for docks and boats

My Thoughts
This is the perfect item for kids who love exploring the outdoors! My kids love being in the water and they also love seeing what they can dig up from the sand and in their nets. The Plankton Net is so much better than the cheap nets we bought for them at the beach and they absolutely love it. The handle is just the right size for kids, so they can hold it and sweep back and forth through the water. You can easily attach the bottle to the net, catch some water and other items, remove it and explore your finds.

The boys and Ry were so excited to give the net a try in our river. Josiah actually found a tadpole that we kept for a day as a pet. Since they love digging in the sand, catching minnows and finding other little sea creatures at the beach, this is right up their alley! I can't imagine anything better for a day on the beach, at the lake or river. It's fun and helps kids easily explore the environment around them!

You can purchase the GeoSafari Plankton Net on the Educational Insights website for only $24.95! Their are also many other GeoSafari products that are amazing. We will be reviewing the GeoSafari Ant Factory!

Would you like a chance to win?