Walmart sent me a $50 gift card to see if I could buy a week’s worth of back-to-school outfits for under $50. I accepted the challenge and also received two gift cards to mail out to two readers. Last weekend, we drove over to our local Walmart in search of inexpensive back-to-school outfits for my preschooler. See what we found…
Learning to Read with LeapFrog TAG
LeapFrog makes learning products that blend innovative technology with time-tested teaching techniques for fun and educational results.
We are big fans of our LeapFrog TAG and LeapFrog just sent us a new way to enjoy it: two sets of early reader books that teach short and long vowel sounds.
My daughter knows her letters and the sounds they make and she is just about ready to make the jump from pre-literacy skills to literacy. Every day she grabs her TAG pen and reads through several of the new TAG “Learn to Read” books.
Pip, Pip and Green-You-Go
“Waste not, want not,” mom always said. So, mom entrepreneur Christina started Citizen Pip and created a complete, “muck-free”, reusable lunch system.
This stylish Soup to Nuts Kit includes everything you need to pack a meal, from the non-squishable sandwich-sized container, to the insulated soup jar. You’ll also find utensils, cloth napkins, snack-sized containers, and a water bottle. And it is all certified to be lead-free, phthalate-free and BPA-free by a CPSIA-accredited lab.
Back-to-School with Amelia Bedelia
One of the charming things about young children is their literal-mindedness.
So, just imagine our often confused but always well-meaning friend, Amelia Bedelia, as a kindergartner. In Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School, the classic character enthusiastically, and literally, jumps right into class. She takes each instruction very seriously and the results are hilarious.
And the Most Wonderful Thing About Tigger Movies…?
Tigger has always been my favorite denizen of 100 Acre Woods. My best friend in college and I used to bounce up and down the streets singing his song. So, it is no surprise that I enjoyed The Tigger Movie–although my daughter’s DVD time is usually “mommy’s work time,” I could not resist watching with her–but how did it look from a three year-old’s perspective?
Play Smart – Three Clever Puzzles from PlanToys
A kid’s work is play. And toddlers and preschoolers learn primarily through exploring the world around them. A few high quality toys, like the gorgeous sustainable, fair-trade toys available from Plan Toys, are enough to spark their imaginations. The tactile feel of real wood, the non-toxic, bright colors, and the open-ended nature of these toys make them perfect for flexible, young minds.
Plan Toys sent us three items from their catalog of Developmental Toys for Preschoolers and they have quickly become favorites in our house: Animal Domino Memory Game, 30-Piece Construction Set, and Stacking Tree.
Leap Ahead in Summer Reading
As LeapFrog Summer Reading Ambassadors, we’ve been showing off the LeapFrog TAG and TAG Junior systems at schools, libraries, and playgroups in our area.
When I reviewed the LeapFrog TAG last year, I was impressed. As an educational consultant, I believe the TAG system is a great example of technology that genuinely engages kids in learning. Download classic stories onto the reading pen and children can listen to the whole story, hear individual words, and play games. Using the TAG helps build reading comprehension and fluency.
Posh Blankets for Plush Tots
When an ordinary blanket just will not do, when you cannot find the perfect cover to match your child’s room, Posh Blankets offer a chic custom option.
Design your own blanket by selecting the size, from itty bitty and lovey for babies up to the generously-sized blankets for teens or adults. Posh Blankets even creates pillows, too. Then, select from beautiful fabric choices for the front and back. You can also choose to add monogram, patchwork, and satin ruffle border options…
Wear Your Heart on Your Wrist: Shains Customizable Bracelets for Kids
Kids love to express themselves through crafts projects, personalized products, and colorful accessories.
Shains brings all of this together in a fun, hip, eco-friendly and affordable way! Kids can easily spell out words and add icons to a variety of fun bracelets, necklaces or other accessories.
And, according to Shains, all products and packaging are made of recycled and recyclable content and everything Shains produces is certified lead free.
Take the Summer Challenge
When I’m not with my family or obsessively shopping on the Internet, I’m an educational consultant. And I was just named one of Education.com’s JustAsk Experts. Education.com has some amazing resources, including a community, articles, and plenty of activities.
My daughter and I signed up for the Summer Activities Challenge–just complete 20 activities by August 31, 2009, and you’ll get a certificate of achievement and even be entered to win some prizes.
