Rave & Review

We love the Wummelbox craft and learning kits {Review}

Time travel is something that holds a special place in my heart.  Technically, time travel is responsible for hubby’s and my first date ever.  Okay, not actual time travel, but a theoretical discussion on the merits and limits of time travel that led to an impasse that led to a bet: declared loser buys dinner for declared winner.

I lost the bet.  But, I’m pretty sure he bought me dinner.  And, we’ve been together ever since, which I suppose we can thank time travel for.   

I was already excited when I found out we were going to get the opportunity to review a new Wummelbox craft kit through Team Mom, but even more so when I saw the theme of our package: time travel.  I was very ready to get our craft on, so as soon as our box arrived, we tore right into it to see what kinds of awesome projects we were going to be doing while we learned about time travel.   

Have you heard about Wummelbox craft kits before?  Wummelbox craft kits are monthly packages that are delivered right to your door, and each kit contains 3-4 projects.  These crafts are not only perfect for the little one who loves scissors and glue, they also make for awesome learning experiences to help teach science, math, history and more. 

As if that’s not cool enough, I also love that the Wummelbox kit is also eco-friendly and loaded with high-quality materials just like I would pick if I was doing the shopping.  And, unlike other craft kits, I adore that they also include everything you need to begin crafting – with no extra pieces to buy.

In fact, they even included a pair of easy-open scissors that help teach the proper cutting motion!

After taking everything out of the box and examining all the included projects, I was even more excited to get started.  I really liked how each project was clearly laid out with step-by-step instruction cards and with all the supplies for each project in individual bags to make it easy to grab and go.  And, I really, really appreciated the "Wummel Indicator" that shows hows much parental involvement is required for each project in the kit - so you can plan your project accordingly. 

Our kit contained everything we needed to travel back in time to the Stone Age with Wummel and Hedgy, the Wummelbox friends.  Obviously, the logical place to start is with a time machine, because you can’t go back in time without one.

So, how does one create a time machine?  It’s actually quite easy, apparently. 

Our time machine started with a thick wooden dashboard, which we painted brown with the included watercolor paints and wooden paint brush.  After we had done a few coats of paint to all sides of the wooden board, we let it dry during nap time.  When the kiddos woke up and came running to check their art project, it was almost ready for the knobs to be attached and then for the finishing touches.  Once the knobs were on and the stickers attached, we just needed a little imagination {and some improvised sound effects} and we were ready to travel back in time.  A little whirring, some beeping noises, and holding each other tight {you don't want to lose someone on the way, do you?} and we were back in the Stone Age.
Once we had traveled back to the Stone Age, we read up about how the first human beings couldn't speak, and how they painted the walls of their caves to record their experiences and stories.  The kiddos especially liked the idea of communicating in only sounds and gestures, which they realized was like their sign language they used to communicate when they were young.   

We had so much fun with our time machine and it turned into an all-day learning experience that the kids just soaked up.  I love that the kiddos are now getting a better understanding about the origins of human beings and how far we've come in terms of language, housing, and even basic communications.  We ran out of time for the cave painting project and the hunter & gather game, but that was great because it means we have another project for a rainy day. 

In the meantime, we will continue to travel back in time to the age of princesses, dinosaurs, and I can pretend we can travel back in time and tell 14-year-old me not to dye my hair jet black.  Although my daughter hasn't had any hair mishaps {yet}, we can use the time machine to learn from our mistakes and go back even just a few minutes to try again for the correct ways to ask for things, speak to her brother, and more.  And that, to me, is better than preventing any bad hair dye mishap.  

Want to try a Wummelbox for yourself?  Check out wummelbox.com or find Wummelbox on Facebook so you can learn more about the service and how to sign up for 1 month, 3 month, or 12 month subscriptions.

As a member of Child's Play PR and Team Mom, I received a complimentary box from Wummelbox to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

The legacy of Götz dolls continues with HABA {Review & Giveaway}

Some girls play with dolls; others make friends that are dolls.  My daughter is definitely in the latter category, and she treats each of her dolls like a beloved playmate.  Her dolls each have personalities of their own, which she will likely tell you all about should you ever ask.

According to her, some of her dolls like adventures, others prefer the peace and quiet of their stacking bunk beds, and other dolls like to do anything and everything she does.  As someone who did the same with the dolls I played with when I was her age, I completely understand this kind of love that exists between girl and doll.

So, when I got the email with the chance to review a doll from the Götz doll collection, I knew immediately how she would react.  Since she has been doing so well in school and surprising everyone with how far she has come in the past few weeks, it was also perfect timing to give her a little present to appreciate her hard work.  And, for our little doll lover, the best present is a new doll friend that she can snuggle with, play games with, and that can go anywhere with her. 

My daughter’s first introduction to Götz dolls was through my own childhood collection, which just came to live at our house when my mother downsized just recently.  Ever since that day, my daughter has been not-so-subtly hinting that she is ready to play with them and keep them as nice as I did all those years ago.  She spends hours dressing them, brushing their hair, and she is determined to someday take ownership of them all, whether I’m ready for it or not.   

Not that I blame her.  My Götz doll collection is the prized possession of my youth, and if you saw them today you would never guess that many of the dolls are over a quarter century old.  They certainly don’t show their age and you would never guess that the dolls were played with, slept with, and adored like they were.   

I’d like to take all the credit for the fact that they remain in perfect condition 25 years later, but the truth is that it probably has more to do with quality construction than it does doll upkeep.  While I did always take good care of them, keep them impeccably dressed, and nicely displayed, I also had a little sister who shared a room with me but who didn’t share my feelings on doll care. 

For instance, the time she stamped some of my doll’s hands, faces, and bodies with Hello Kitty stamps to show they were admitted to “the show” and we had to do an emergency run to the doll hospital nearby {yes, this was a real thing, and yes, they were able to fix most of the dolls for me}.  While it wasn’t funny at the time, nor was it funny the time my sister undid all of their hair ribbons from their original styles I had preserved for years, it’s truly amazing that these dolls withstood even my pest of a sister {I can say that openly now because she grew up to be pretty darn awesome and is only occasionally a pest}.   

As you can imagine, I was beyond thrilled when I got word that Götz, the beloved German doll maker that I grew up with and my mother grew up with, was returning to the U.S. this year so my daughter could continue the tradition.  Their return is courtesy of HABA, one of my absolute favorite toy brands, and it was eagerly awaited by us, as well as the many US Götz collectors and fans.    

So, what makes Götz dolls different than other dolls?  A whole lot, that’s what!  At first sight you just know that these are special dolls.  From their silky hair and sculpted, smooth skin to their detailed clothing and accessories, from head to toe they are amazingly life-like and beautiful.  But, if that wasn’t enough, here’s two more reasons to love Götz dolls. 

First, the doll’s hair is more than just beautiful; it can be washed and styled just like real hair {even with a curling iron or blow dryer on low setting!}, which is one of my daughter’s favorite features.  While other doll’s hair is fragile and would melt with styling tools or get ruined with regular brushes and combs, Götz hair can take the heat, which means you can do girl/doll matching styles depending on your mood or doll salon skills.  Just check out the many Götz doll hair styling techniques on HABA’s YouTube channel that you can try with your doll, including braids, double knot and cornrows!

And, secondly, they are completely kid-friendly!  Woohoo!  Remember my poor dolls that needed airlifted* to the doll hospital back in the 80s?  Had I known back then what I know now, I would have cleaned off what I could and then placed them in the washer in a pillowcase on delicate to deep clean along with their clothing.  After they were washed, I would have simply laid them out to air dry with their belly side down and hung their clothes to dry. 

And, since my daughter is convinced that her special new Muffin 13" doll is an adventurer at heart and should travel with us, explore with us, and play like we do, I have a feeling that we're really going to be happy we know these little tricks someday soon.  Being able to wash her hair, spot clean, and wash in the washing machine when needed is going to help keep Muffin looking as good as my Götz collection does, perhaps even a quarter of a century from now when my daughter will be passing down her beloved collection as well as mine.

If you are looking for a special doll for a special little girl, I would highly recommend checking out the extensive Götz collection.  Over 60 years of experience creating beautiful and detailed dolls for generations of girls has made Götz a favorite of children as well as collectors and it’s bound to become a favorite in your family as well.  With numerous soft fabric and vinyl dolls to choose from with different color eyes, hair, and skintones, you are sure to find the perfect doll for your little one.

How would you like to win an Aquini Girl 13" hard body doll, Muffin 13" doll (no hair), Muffin 13" doll (blonde hair), Maxy Muffin 16.5" doll (brunette), or the Maxy Muffin Aquini 16.5" doll (brunette)?

To Enter: tell me what Götz item you love the most

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Gotz doll giveaway {bit.ly/10UckWn} with extra credit if you tag HABA USA and Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry - Like HABA USA on Facebook

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @HABA_USA on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Subscribe to the HABA YouTube Channel

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On May 25th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

* My dolls were not actually airlifted, we drove in a car and we obeyed all traffic laws on the way to the doll hospital.  A big thank you to HABA USA for sending the Muffin Gotz Doll for review as well as for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Sound the Octo-Alert: Octonauts toys are here!

Remember my post about how much my kiddos adore the Octonauts TV show?  Well, the love they have for the show has only grown deeper in the past few weeks and it’s now the only thing my daughter wants to watch these days.  Her world has shifted from one of unicorns and rainbows to something I never saw coming: a deep fascination with the depths of the ocean. 

It may have started with a TV show and a book, but now with the addition of the new Fisher-Price Octonauts toys, I’m pretty sure we’ve lost her to the sea forever.  That’s right, the Octonauts characters she adores have landed at select toy stores nationwide and, more specifically, at our doorstep. 

We received two Octonauts playsets to review this past month and right away I knew they were going to be a hit.  For one, the articulated characters look just like the show and are utterly adorable.  Secondly, the characters all come with fun accessories, creatures, and vehicles just like the show.  Thirdly, some of these characters/vehicles/accessories can actually go in the water.  Just like the show.  

These three reasons and more are why they have officially replaced all the other toys on the play table this spring.  Since both kids adore the show and the toys, and the playsets are designed to accommodate more than one child, the Octonauts sets also do something else I love: keep the peace. 

If you’re thinking about getting your deep sea explorer some of these awesome toys, I recommend you start with the Octopod.  The Octopod playset is just like the Octonauts underwater habitat on the show and features different rooms to play in, all centered around their command center.  With two sided play that includes a working launch bay, 10 accessories {including rescue tools and some creatures from the show}, and even a miniature GUP-A to send the included Kwazii and Barnacles out to explore. 

I should note that the Octopod does make noise, which I typically am not a fan of, but I actually think the way that it’s designed is really quite brilliant.  Instead of having a battery compartment on the actual Octopod that makes noise, the only sound producing part is actually a clip on Octo-Alert that you can either connect to the top of the Octopod or you can wear on your belt. 

This removable feature is cool for a couple of reasons, the first being that it leads to active role play as your child can clip on the Octo-Alert and pretend they are an Octonaut, saving the world’s creatures.   The second reason I love that the Octo-Alert is removable is that that if you have a “no sound” policy, it’s much easier to “lose” the clip on piece than it is to hope your toy batteries die quickly.   

Once you have the Octopod and your children have fallen in love, you can now collect all the smaller Octonauts vehicles, just like they use on the show.  We got to try out the GUP-A that moves along hard surfaces and over water by cranking the propeller, but there’s also the GUP-B, GUP-C and GUP-D available that we are waiting for our Toys ‘R’ Us to get back in stock.  Each vehicle comes with a main character from the show {warning, you WILL get duplicate characters if you already have the Octopod}, a rescue tool and a creature so your kiddos can play Octonauts even with just one set, which I love. 

But, in addition to the Octopod and the vehicles, you can also buy the characters on their own and each one comes with an accessory or creature to add to the fun.  Because many of the sets are the main three Octonauts, I love that the other characters are readily available this way – and I love that they are all reasonably priced.  Since the toys have been such a hit, we have picked up a few other Octonauts friends as well and my daughter has a list of who we still need for our Octonauts playtime. 

Check out your local Toys 'R' Us to see these adorable toys in person, or you can order them online.  You can also like Octonauts on Facebook and visit TheOctonauts.com to get yourself ready to EXPLORE underwater worlds, RESCUE sea creatures, and PROTECT the oceans with your little one - right in the comfort of your livingroom! 

I am an Octonauts Blog Ambassador. This post is part of a sponsored campaign. I received compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are 100% my own.

What We're Playing With: Motorworks Customizable Wooden Cars

This little car-loving guy spied something fun on the counter and asked me to get it down "so he could hug it".  Clearly, he's got me all figured out.
And then he noticed a second Motorworks customizable wooden toy car on the counter and of course he wanted that one, too.  Because, you know, "they match". 
True to his word, he then stacked them one on top of the other so he could hug them.
Squeeze!
And, yes, I did finally let him open them.  I'd tell you how much he loved them, but I think that's for a whole other post.
Would your kiddos love these cars from Manhattan Toy as much as my little guy does?  Check out the DrivenByFun site where you can see how cool these little mix and match, customizable cars really are.  The collection includes three different trim levels with numerous cars and accessories in each series: Street Series, Speed Series and Extreme Series.

A big thank you to Manhattan Toy for sending two customizable cars for us to play with.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

HABA First Fun With Quantities Pegging Game

At least once a season we do a big purge on all of our toys.  We pull out everything in the toy boxes and anything that is hidden away in our game cabinet and we evaluate each item based on how often it’s played with, how much the kids like it, and how much room it takes up.  During these times we end up with bags full of donation items that the kids have outgrown or that just never get played with, which isn’t all that surprising. 

What is surprising is what never makes it into the donation bag.  This is a much shorter list and it includes all wooden toys and anything HABA.  HABA is a brand that we return to over and over again for every different stage and it never disappoints.  The kids end up loving their HABA toys so much that we can never bear to part with them even after my kids have passed the target age group, which is why we still have HABA clutching toys as part of our everyday play.

So, when I find a game from HABA that grows with your child and has multiple ways to play, I’m already a fan even before I know what it is.  Such was the case with the HABA First Fun With Quantities Pegging Game that we received this month for review.  Like all things HABA, I was already a fan of its simple, classic design and its bright and vibrant colors, but it’s when I got both kiddos playing that I realized what a great grow-with-me game it is. 

The set made entirely of wood and consists of 5 small boards, 15 pegs, 1 die, and a small booklet with instructions.  Even before we looked at the instructions, the kiddos were already hard at work playing and putting pegs into the boards.  Once they figured out that each colored board has corresponding colored pegs, the game began to match the colors with their pegs. 

And, that’s just one of 4 suggested ways to play with the set.

You can also create towers using all the boards in their numerical order with various colored pegs, which is a great way for kids to learn to count and stack in order.  This is a perfect game for my daughter {4yo} as she’s been able to count for quite some time as well as recognize her numbers, but still could stand to work on counting items and this helps her to learn what 2 peg holes look like as compared to 5. 

Alternatively, you can also have children close their eyes when counting the holes on the peg boards, which helps them recognize numbers by feeling instead of by sight.    

Add in the die and you can play more organized games by rolling either a color {take peg of that color and place it in the matching board} or star {choose any color}.  You can also play where the child that completes each game board keeps it until all the pegs are gone and the person with the most boards wins. 

Of course, you can also use the pieces to make up your own counting or color games, which we do quite frequently.  We play a variation of all the games by mixing all the peg boards up and then timing my daughter putting the boards in order from left to right, working on her speed of processing what order they go in.  Once she is done, my son {2yo} then places the colored pegs into the boards as fast as he can.  They each try and beat their own time as well as trying to get the overall fastest time together.  

Since we’re working on colors with my son, we just roll the die and have him tell us what color is rolled each time.  He can then pick a peg in that color, or he can match the color to his toy cars and set them on the peg boards, which is his favorite way to play.  Hey, whatever gets him excited to learn, right?

We’ve only had the First Fun With Quantities Pegging Game set for a little over a week now, but we’ve already made up new games, put a new twist on the included games, and used the set just for general playtime over and over again.  Like all of our other HABA toys, I see this becoming a favorite toy and I’m certain that it’s going to be one of those toys we just keep on coming up with uses for so we can hold onto it forever. 

You can buy the First Fun With Quantities Pegging Game for $21.99 at HABAusa.com.  Be sure to follow HABA USA on Facebook and @HABA_USA on Twitter as well! 

A big thank you to HABA for sending their peg game to be adored.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Our own backyard beach with the Step2 Play & Store Sandbox

I'm a Step2 Test Drive Blogger and I chose these awesome new Step2 sand toys to review this spring.

My kids could sit on a beach all day long.  Even when the water is freezing cold and there’s no way they will swim, they still like to sit on the beach and play in the sand with a few good sand toys.  While we spend a good deal of time at the beaches around us during the summer, right now our beaches are cold, windy, and kind of miserable to spend a day at.

So, what’s a beach loving family to do during the off season?  Build our own beach, of course!

We recently got a chance to review the Step2 Play & Store Sandbox and Sand-tastic sand toys and you would have thought we were at a beach with how much fun the kiddos had with sensory sand play right in our own backyard.  While it was only in the 50s here in Seattle and we were wearing jeans not swimsuits, we jumped at the chance to get into the sandbox to play.   

{Please ignore the long grass and the fact that we really could stand to weed - we've been much too busy building beaches, castles, kingdoms and cities to start our spring landscaping} 

Even the fact that we didn’t actually have sand wasn’t enough to deter my kiddos who loved just laying back in the sandbox and bringing all their toys in one by one.  It turns out there is a sand shortage and all the stores near us were completely sold out for the past few weeks, so we made do with a medium-sized bag of sand for now and are planning on filling the sandbox full as soon as the sand rolls into town. 

But, we certainly aren’t going to sit by and stare at the Step2 Play & Store Sandbox until then – even a little bit of sand is more fun than no sand at all! 

And, I must admit, the Step2 Play and Store Sandbox is incredibly fun.  With four molded “seats” built into the corners of the sandbox, I love that I have a place to sit and play without having to actually climb in myself.  But, even if I do climb in, I love the fact that there is plenty of room for me and my two kids, but is not so big that I feel like I’m losing my entire backyard/patio/etc. 

Since I’m always worried about safety and cleanliness with outdoor toys, I love that the lid of the sandbox fits on securely to keep weather out and keeps critters from making the sand their home.  I also love that the lid is domed so even the taller sand toys and sand castles can stand inside with the lid in place.  Knowing everything is going to be right where they left it and ready to play the next day makes it easier to get the kids inside after playtime, so I love that they can basically drop their toys and leave all sand construction as is.

And, you should see how much the kiddos wait by the backdoor for “beach time” each day, already excited about what kinds of structures they will build and what games they will play.  While digging in the little bit of sand we have is pretty fun on its own, I love that they also develop elaborate play themes as well in the Play and Store Sandbox.  One day they might be unearthing dinosaurs and digging tunnels and the next they are creating a castle fit for a king.

But, whether you have a castle builder, an explorer, or a mini construction worker, you will love the new Sand-tastic toys that take sand play to a whole new level.  With the addition of fun digging tools, sand molds, sand rollers, funnels and more as well as two characters apiece that can be placed in the vehicles as well as on the sand tools themselves, they really do have everything you need for hours of creative and open-ended play.

We received the Sand-tastic Construction Set and Sand-tastic Castle Set and I knew immediately which kid would claim which set.  But, what did surprise me is that they ended up playing well together with both sets, creating an elaborate story in which the kingdom needed to be rebuilt and they hired “the Boss” construction foreman to craft them a castle and village.

You can find the Step2 Play and Store Sandbox and these fun new sand toys by Step2 directly on the Step2 website, Toys ‘R Us, select local retailers, and on Amazon.  The Play and Store Sandbox retails for $49.99 and the Sand-tastic Playsets retail for $12.99 each.

Thank you to Step2 for letting me test drive these items as part of the Step2 Test Drive Blogger program.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

We love the wheelyBUG Ride-On Toy from Prince Lionheart

My son is all about anything that vrooms.  Basically, if it has wheels, he loves it.  But, if that thing with wheels happens to be something he can ride on?  Well, that’s just amazing!

Such is the case with the wheelyBUG from Prince Lionheart that we received for review.  He loves it so much that whenever we are home he basically spends all day zooming around my house on it.  While we've had other indoor riding toys in the past, the wheelyBUG holds a special place in his heart as well as in my daughter's. 

And, really, can you blame him?  Look how adorable the Mouse wheelyBUG is!

Made in two different sizes and with numerous adorable animal designs to choose from, the wheelyBUG is clearly something special.  But, even more than how cute it is, what really makes it special is the way it moves.  Designed with castor wheels instead of traditional ride-on wheels, the wheelyBUG is multi-directional and allows children to spin 180s with ease and to maneuver into spots they couldn’t reach otherwise. 

Since the wheelyBUG is an indoor riding toy, this ease of movement is my favorite feature.  Because I don’t have an indoor track set up exclusively for riding {say what?! Yeah, I know, bad mom alert!}, I love that they can get around all the obstacles {AKA furniture, walls, and fixtures} and still have fun vrooming around.   

But, all this riding wouldn’t be fun if the wheelyBUG wasn’t all-day comfortable, so I love that it has a super cushioned seat that molds to the kids.  This cushioned critter seat is made from thick sponge covered with polyurethane leatheroid which is incredibly easy to wipe clean.  It has a small sturdy handle for pushing or riding as well as ears, antennae, tails, or accessories on most models. 

Because you are not limited to moving in straight lines and all steering is done with your feet, getting moving is so much easier on a wheelyBUG than other riding toys and it’s virtually frustration-free.  In fact, the wheelyBUG is the first choice of all the little visitors we have over that have never been on a ride-on toy before. 

Really, no matter what age child hops on the wheelyBUG, they instinctively know what to do and start zooming right away.  It’s this simple and straightforward design that makes it perfect for really young kids just starting out like my little guy or bigger kids like my almost 5-year-old. 

What's really cool is that as the kiddos ride more and their skill level increases, watching them on the wheelyBUG gets even more fun.  From controlled turns to spinning out in circles, the experienced riders really know how to tear it up and it's almost as hard to pull them off of it as it is the little guys.  With no right or wrong way to ride it and endless ways to play creatively with it, this truly is a ride-on toy that will last for years and through multiple children.     

The wheelyBUG is available from Prince Lionheart in two sizes and multiple designs.  The large retails for $79.99 and the small for $69.99.

A huge thank you to Prince Lionheart for sending the beloved Wheely BUG to be reviewed.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Rainy day fun with imagine i CAN Knitting Beginnings from Manhattan Toy {Giveaway}

My daughter is constantly picking up crocheted and knit items she finds and asking me if I could possibly “yarn this” for her myself.  As much as I agree that whatever knit scarf/hat/owl/monkey that she holds up is cute, what she doesn’t understand is that I have never created anything out of yarn that I have been proud of. 

It’s not that I haven’t tried – it’s just that I never seem to get the hang of crocheting, and I am petrified to even try knitting.  Once upon a time I had this plan that I would learn how to do both by watching my grandmas making their various blankets/pot holders/dish scrubbies that they make, but I quickly realized I was out of my league as they usually lost me by the second step.

Obviously, what I need to do is take it a little slower, which is where the “learn to knit” set from Manhattan Toy comes in.  They sent me their imagine i CAN Knitting Beginnings set and I was incredibly excited to get it open.  The kit first caught my eye by how simply adorable it is and the fact that it is housed in its own retro-style lunchbox tin for easy storing and traveling, which I love.  But, once I opened it up, I knew it was going to be hours and hours of fun for me and my daughter.

Inside the kit is detailed instructions on how to get started as well as 5 colorful spools of yarn, 4 wooden knitting needles, French knitter with stick, 2 pom-pom makers, scissors, crochet hook with wooden handle, measuring tape, 3 sewing needles, felt sewing kit to store the smaller accessories, and then the tin to keep everything neat and organized. 

The learn to knit kit is recommended for ages 8+, which means it’s a bit advanced for my daughter.  But, I love this because that means it will be something that she can grow with and it will be something that is still fun for me.  I figure that even better than having mama “yarn” something for her would be actually learning how to knit with her and making something together. 

Since she can’t read on her own, she’s going to need my help a lot at first while she gets the hang of it.  But I’m hoping that this can be a really great hand-eye coordination task we can work on this summer when we’re looking for a fun and quiet activity to do together.  So, on rainy days we can spend our time learning simple stitches, making pom-poms, and eventually learning the elusive art of knitting together. 

The Knitting Beginnings set is part of the new imagine i CAN series from Manhattan Toy that features 28 arts and crafts, DIY, role play and playsets that kids can do on their own.  And, just like the Knitting Beginnings set, most of these sets come in adorable tins that make them perfect for home or away.  Whether your child is into castles, fairies, bugs, or rocks, there is an imagine i CAN kit that is perfect for them – and, at $20 and under per kit, they have a great price point to match.

Check out the full line of imagine i CAN sets at Manhattan Toy and visit their YouTube page to see children playing with all of these adorable kits.  You can find out more at manhattantoy.com.

How would you like to try out one of these kits for yourself?  Well, you’re in luck, because I’m giving away one to a lucky reader!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win an imagine i CAN set of their choice!

To Enter: visit manhattantoy.com and comment below with what kit you would love if you win {mandatory}

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome imagine i CAN from Manhattan Toy giveaway {bit.ly/14xqT2j} with extra credit if you tag Manhattan Toy and Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @ManhattanToy on Twitter

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On April 19th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

Suzie Williams said...I like the Imagine I Can Crafty Eraser Creations.

A big thank you to Manhattan Toy for sending a Knitting Beginnings set to facilitate this review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet {Review - Part I}

I love teaching my daughter new things and watching her eyes light up with each newfound piece of knowledge.  Nothing can beat the feeling of watching her process something complex or advanced for her age and seeing the puzzle pieces slowly come together as she gets the concept fully.  Unfortunately for us, I am vastly under qualified to teach her anything curriculum based and I must rely on others to teach her the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic and science. 

But, even though I am envious of all the mothers who can homeschool and teach their own curriculum, I am less so now that we have discovered VINCI Early Learning Systems.  Named after the amazing Leonardo da Vinci, VINCI is a mom-invented and award-winning learning system designed to prepare kids for school success. 

We recently got to check out the VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet that works in conjunction with the VINCI curriculum and it’s been a huge hit at our house.  The VINCI Learning Devices are the only Android tablets tested and approved by the FDA for children 18 months and older and they feature educational tools to help your child succeed at any grade level. 

So now instead of starting out at square one and teaching myself everything I can about adolescent learning and childhood development, I am thankful to have a handy and fun tool on my side to help me with this process.  This means I can now help my kids learn in a very interactive way, right here at home without all the worry and stress of if I’m doing it correctly and in a way that will resonate with them.  

And, when the VINCI Tab III M 5” learning tablet arrived, I immediately knew it was going to be a hit.  Before trying it, I had mistakenly thought that all children’s electronic learning gadgets were somewhat the same, and thus I wasn’t expecting the VINCI system to be much different.  But, from the moment my daughter turned on the VINCI tablet, I’ve been a true believer in tablet-based supplemental learning.

What I found was that the “games” she plays on the VINCI Tab are different than other systems and are more fitted to her age and abilities.  She got more out of playing a 5-minute game on the VINCI than she had in hours of other systems, and there was never a time she was frustrated or bored with the games she was playing.

Part of the reason it has been frustration-free is the fact that the system is separated into three categories: The Curious, The Confident, and The Capable.  Since the system is designed to grow with your child, it’s perfect for families with multiple children and can expand all the way up to age 9 to help throughout the early learning years.

Whether my daughter and son are working on a farm where they milk cows and manage their own market stand, or they are exploring the park, putting towers back together, or simply making music with their own band of monkeys, they have a ton of fun and really absorb each lesson.  In fact, the only problems we have had is when I forget to charge it and the battery runs out when one of them is playing.  Since you can't play while the tablet is charging, I always feel really bad when they earn tablet time only to pick it up with a few minutes of life left in it, which is why we now check it every morning and make sure it's charged enough for afternoon play.   

Whereas my daughter {age 4} is more independent and likes to play on the tablet on her own and then show me what fun games she’s been doing, my son {age 2} likes to snuggle up and play right in my lap where I can help explain what each task is he’s doing and offer pointers.  For this reason, I love that the games are all very diverse and use different ways of thinking to solve logical problems because even though they are both in the same learning category with their age difference, they both get a very different takeaway from each game.   

If you are like me and struggle with the idea of teaching from home but would like to offer supplemental learning to help your child in school, I highly recommend the VINCI system that grows with your child through many ages and stages.  Watching them play in a very open environment using all the new fun technology they love allows me to see where their skills are advanced or lacking, and help them learn in ways I have never been able to before.  And, after seeing how well they have both responded to the first set of games, I’m really excited to move on to the next set of lessons with my daughter while helping my son make the most of the first VINCI stage. 

To buy: VINCI learning tablets retail between $169-$199 and you can purchase them directly on the VINCIgenius.com site. In addition to offering two different sized tablets, they also have one that can expand to your smartphone for even greater possibilities for learning.

A big thank you to VINCI for sending the Tab III M learning tablet to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic... and so is playtime

 

It started innocently enough with one My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic video on the LeapPad, and ever since then my kiddos have been very big fans of everything Equestria.  So, it’s no surprise that they were smitten when they were introduced to the line of My Little Pony toys from Hasbro a few months ago. 

Since that day, they have been playing non-stop with their My Little Pony friends {or “Pones”, if you’re my 2 year old son}.  They set up MLP weddings, they host galas, but most of all, they play nicely... and quietly... together for hours like this:

There’s really only way to describe how much they love their Ponies and that would be BPFF {you know, Best Pony Friends Forever, if you're a MLP fan}.  Anyone who knows my unicorn and horse loving daughter would understand that My Little Pony would be a huge hit with her, but what was surprising to me was how much my son adores them as well. 

Clearly I have a Brony in the making, and I don't mind a bit.

And, really, who can blame him when our ponies come with their own RC cars and working trains?  Add in the fact that “his” pony has a mohawk and glows in the dark, and it’s a recipe for Brony love.

But, even more shocking than my son loving MLP is that I am quickly becoming a My Little Pony fan as well.  Anyone who knows me and my adversion to character toys, and especially pink ones, is likely shocked at this, and the truth is that I was, too. 

As it turns out, the show is actually pretty funny and it’s one of the few programs we have all given our stamp of approval.  I love that there are bits of humor that work for all the different age groups in our family mixed into stories that focus on friendship, loyalty, and just how to be a decent person. 

Of course, there’s also rainbows and magic along with horses, Pegasus and unicorns, so really, the show’s for everyone.   

We recently got to check out My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party, and as I expected, it did not disappoint.  Instead of a full-length feature, the movie is broken down into different episodes, which are perfect length for watching one before naptime or for watching them all in a row for our bi-weekly movie nights.  

Far and away the favorite episode is "Too Many Pinkie Pies", which my daughter absolutely loves.  Maybe this is because she actually has two Pinkie Pies {one was bought separately and another came in a playset}, or maybe it's that she loves pink, but whatever the reason, this is her favorite episode to watch next to the MLP royal wedding. 

Shout! Factory Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios is proud to release My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party.  Running time is 110 minutes, which includes 5 episodes along with bonus features like a Sing-Along and a Party Activity Kit. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party is priced at $14.97 SRP and will be available exclusively at Walmart.

A big thank you to Shout Factory and Hasbro for sending Pinkie Pie Party and Twilight Sparkle in an RC Car to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.