I loved the way classic Reading Rainbow episodes featured books with few bells & whistles, and I credit the show with inspiring a lifelong love of reading. Since I’m a fan, I was delighted to learn that Reading Rainbow has returned in the form of an educational iPad app.
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
As a blogger, I get a chance to see all of the hottest holiday toys at events such as Toy Fair, Time to Play and more. Here are a few of my favorite toys….
A Day at the Beach in a Tent for Ten (or more)
I worry about sun damage. I rub plenty of physical sunblock on my older two, dress them in UV-protectorant rash guards, and put on hats (which they inevitably remove) but I also don’t like them to be in direct sunlight for the entire outing–especially my newborn who is not supposed to use any sunscreen.
A great solution is a UV-protectorant tent like the Sun Smarties Pop-up Cabana and Beach Tent…
Learn to Bike with Kazam Balance Bikes
I’m not particularly athletic or coordinated, and I remember having a hard time learning to bike as a kid. A few painful falls frightened me a bit, and I used training wheels for what seemed like an eternity. I wish balance bikes had been popular when I was a child because I’ve seen how easily my son is learning how to balance and bike — minus the traumatic falls and scrapes I had.
The Hottest Holiday Toys for 2010
We’ve been sharing our picks for the Hottest Holiday Toy Awards and offering you a chance to win some of our favorites during the 12 Days of Giveaways since 2007. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to share our 2010 selections with you and we’ll be launching the 12 Days of Giveaways very soon!
Imagination Takes Off!
My son got a special treat for his birthday in April: the Shuttle Imagination from KidsCraft Playhouses. That’s him in the photo right after he first spotted his new “spaceship.”
Since then, we’ve had lots of fun decorating his spaceship with stickers and crayons, and it has held up for many hours of
“make believe” play. My son enjoys peeking out from the shuttle windows and opening and closing the doors. Since he loves the Toy Story movie and books about space travel, we’ve had many happy hours playing astronauts or Buzz Lightyear.
Rosie Hippo Coupon Code (Deal of the Day)
We just love Rosie Hippo and mom, owner Kim.
An amazing survivor and dedicated mom, Kim left the corporate world to pursue a dream of offering beautiful toys that inspire imaginative exploration.
So, we are delighted to share a Shop Rosie Hippo for Organic, Earth Friendly Toys. Use Rosie Hippo Discount Code MAMA10 for 10% off until end of April 2010.
A Mom Amok in the Hasbro Showroom
Nicole Caccavo Kear is a college friend, a fabulous actress, and a stunning writer–plus she lives in Brooklyn and has launched a witty, honest, and insightful blog about motherhood, A Mom Amok. So, she is a natural fit for checking out New York City events for kids and parents. She visited the Hasbro Showroom and found some new twists on classic toys and games…
Gifts with Heart
One of my favorite stores is donating 25% of all Valentine’s Day purchases to Haiti. Click here to visit Rosie Hippo and to donate 25% of your purchase to Haiti use coupon code: HELPHAITI.
RosieHippo.com is the place to shop for hip, eco-friendly toys. Many of their toys are on-sale right now, so you can get a great deal and make a donation to Haiti at the same time.
Educational Toy Awards
As a mom and an educational consultant, I believe in the power of play. A few carefully chosen toys can boost creativity and problem solving–here are a few of our top picks this year. With the best educational toys, your children will not even realize how much they are learning!
