The Root Beer Float Challenge

Over the summer I received an email about a new game coming on the market from Playtacular called The Root Beer Float Challenge.

I was intrigued, but I admit I was also thinking our game closet really doesn't need another board game! I'm glad I decided to take a chance on this game (disclaimer: I received a complimentary game) because this isn't just any board game - it's not a "board" game at all. This is a get-out-of-your-seat and complete challenges game. I like that this is an active game as it puts a new spin on a traditional family game.

The object of the game is to be the first person to collect all the pieces for your root beer float: ice cream, root beer, cherry, and straw. The pieces are cards with those images. You collect the pieces by succeeding in various challenges using the ice cream "ball", cherries, straws, and tin canister that everything stores neatly inside. and the challenges are either done solo, head-to-head (you pick someone to compete against) or cooperative (you pick someone to do the challenge with).

There are 120 challenge cards and much hilarity follows! Try placing the ice cream ball between your knees/thighs and walk so many steps to squat and drop the ball in the canister! I looked so funny waddling over to the canister trying not to drop the ball and everyone was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants!

We brought this game on our road trip this summer (easy and compact to travel with) and played at my mom's house; everyone had a great time and got a lot of laughs out of it. When we were home Lucas had a couple friends over and couldn't wait to show them and play a game.

This is a great family game geared towards ages 8+ and for 2-8 players. It would be great for a birthday party!

Equate: The Board Game

I don't remember in which catalog I came across this game, but I knew it would be a great birthday gift for Lucas - and it has been.

Equate: The Equation Thinking Game is like scrabble but with math problems. It is for ages 8+ but provides a challenge for adults as well! (I also bought the Junior Tile set.)

Lucas and I played this the other day and on his very first move he used all of his tiles (bonus of 40 points for being able to do that) and he came up with this equation. He's heard me say enough times that "anything times 0 is always 0."

I was impressed with his thinking skills of not just a simple multiplication equation, but how to use all of his tiles in the equation. Then Joe came along and mentioned the 'order of operations'  ...

...and pointed out that the answer to that equation isn't actually 0, it's 8.

I wasn't even thinking of that when Lucas played his tile pieces. For this game I didn't think it would matter - that you could just do an equation and read it from left to right (especially because it's for ages 8+ and they haven't learned the order of operations and "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" yet!)

I pulled out the rule book and Joe was right - you do still have to follow the order of operations; which Lucas didn't appreciate (read: like!) but he got a quick crash course on it.

We explained to him that you multiply first so 6x84=504 and that times 0 = 0 and then you subtract 8-0 to get 8 (not 0).

He desperately wanted to make an equation that would use all his tiles (and he would be the first one of us to do so) so after looking at the problem again I moved 2 of his tiles around and came up with this equation: 8-64x0x0=8.

He scored 90 points off that and I started the game deep in the hole.

He continued to pile on the points with his next equation of 9+3-8-1=3.

You can also have two equations on each side of the equal sign as long (of course) as the equations equal each other. Example: 7+3=6+4

So Lucas took his first equation an added on a +1-1 so now it looked like this: 8-64x0x0=8+1-1.

There are also fraction tiles and you can use 2 fractions next to each other in place of a whole number. So you could have 2+1/2 1/2=3.

Again Lucas added on to that first equation by adding these tiles to the end: division symbol 1/2 1/2 to make the equation read: 8-64x0x0=8+1-1(divided by)1/2 1/2

Needless to say he kicked my butt in that game with a final score of 213-132. I just couldn't recover after his initial 90 points!

I'm so impressed that he attempts to come up with more complex math equations to use more tiles ... and I realize I need to step up my game and show no mercy to this 8 year old! Ha!

Highly recommend this for a fun, challenging game to have on hand for 'family game nights'!

Family Game Night With Spin Master Games

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Spin Master Games for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Like most households we have a closet full of board games. We don't have an established 'family game night' that we commit to every week, or even every month, but we play our fair share of board games throughout the year. Gathering around the kitchen table for a fun night of board games is a great way to disconnect from technology and reconnect with family. It's a great way to unwind and, sometimes, act like a kid again!

I'm always looking for new board games (as if our closet shelf has any more room!) and even thought there are a plethora of games available, it's not always easy to chose one that will work for our family. I have to be mindful of Kayla's abilities as I don't want to frustrate her with a game that is going to be too hard for her to process ... especially fast-paced games because she takes longer to process what is happening.

I've heard of the Hedbanz games before, and seen pictures on Facebook of friends playing the game with their families, and I was intrigued. I had an opportunity to review this game via Izea and Spin Master Games. I was supposed to purchase the original Hedbanz game, but I accidentally bought Hedbanz Act Up! instead. Truthfully I'm glad I bought that version because I think Kayla would have a harder time with the original version and the concept of asking specific/detailed questions in order to figure out what was on her head band.

Hedbanz Act Up! seems to be more easily modified to her level. The object of this game is the cards that go on your head band fall into the categories of Person, Place, or Thing. The game is similar to charades. You roll the die and person who has a head band color that matches the color rolled on the die is your 'partner' - the one who acts out what is on your card and you have 20 seconds to guess what it is.

This is a fast paced-game, but it didn't seem frustrating to Kayla because everyone had their own turn and 20 seconds to guess their card - sometimes we guessed it and sometimes we didn't. Sometimes Kayla guessed it and sometimes she didn't.

Sometimes Kayla didn't know what the word on someones card was, or have an idea on how to act it out, but I would just take her to another room to tell her what it was/suggestions on what to do.
You're not allowed to talk or make noises while you're acting out the clues and I was worried that Kayla would say something while she was acting it out to give it away, or that she would blurt out what someone else's card was - she proved me wrong on both fronts and did great at keeping quiet (which isn't always easy with her impulsive nature).

Both of the kids really enjoyed the game and had a lot of fun. I was impressed that Lucas was able to guess his very first card within seconds of me acting this one out. His first guess was scientist quickly followed by laboratory.

However he disappointed me when he was not able to guess Spiderman after 20 seconds of me shooting webs out of my hands. Say what?! I guess my spidey moves need a little work.
I anticipate this is a game that will get played often in our household!

A couple of other games for a family game night to look for are Would You Rather and Quelf. These games can be purchased at several retailers like Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target, ToysRUs, and KMart.

Lucas enjoys when we play our version of "Would You Rather" but I'm not very creative at coming up with would you rather 'this' or 'that' - so this game might find itself under the tree this month.


 

Shoe Tying

Kayla can not yet tie her shoes.

Disclosure: Do not read this to mean all people with Down syndrome can't tie shoes. I know children with Down syndrome who are younger than Kayla and have mastered tying their shoes.

Truth is we probably haven't been as diligent about teaching Kayla to tie her shoes as we should have/could have been. It's not that we haven't tried, maybe just not hard enough.

She has tried learning to tie her shoes, but it's just not clicking yet for her brain and hands and fingers to all work together. She has shorter thumbs and the laces don't seem to stay wrapped around her thumb long enough to get the lace through it.

We tried using Youtube for videos since she's very visual that way. I stumbled on a new-to-me way to tie shoes - the "1 second way" (this isn't the video I saw the first time, but there are several out there). Lucas now ties his shoes this way. Kayla's fine motor skills just aren't there yet.

It was easier to rely on velcro shoes as a crutch. Velcro shoes gave her independence. But the issue became her obsession to pull the straps on and off multiple times before she was satisfied with how they felt -whatever it was she was looking for. The problem with that became the velcro wore off long before the sneakers wore out, but rendered the sneakers useless.

We just started using Elastolaces - No Tie Shoe Lock Laces. These were designed with the runner in mind, the elderly, and young children. These also work great for kids like Kayla, who have dexterity issues with tying shoes. It comes with the elastic laces and extra clips. Simply thread the laces into the clip and then pull the round piece to the shoe to tighten it and pull it out to loosen it. Since the laces are a bit long we do tuck it under the top lace of her shoe so it's not flopping around.

It did take Kayla several tries to figure out how to use it correctly, and if you pull too hard the clip can pop off, but Kayla can use these just fine now. Her shoelaces don't come undone and she doesn't have to ask anyone for help in tying her shoes. She seems to like using these especially since she can continue to be independent with her shoes.

I still aim to have her learn to tie her shoes, because I think learning to tie is an important skill, but while we work on that I'm glad to have this solution for her to use in the mean time!

I received this product for free from Underdown; all opinions are my own. And Kayla's. 

   

Harvestland Products Review and Giveaway

Contest is now closed; winner has been notified.

I participated in a blogger review opportunity with Moms Meet for HARVESTLAND products. I received coupons to purchase the products to facilitate my review; all opinions are my own."

HARVESTLAND is a brand of all natural chicken, turkey and pork products from fresh, to refrigerated, to frozen and and even deli.

Some of the facts about HARVESTLAND products include:

- all of the chickens are raised on family farms with strict USDA Process Verified programs; chickens are fed all-vegetarian diets with no animal by-products, raised caged-free and antibiotic free

- turkeys are also raised with the same standards with no antibiotics, steroids, or hormones

- pork is the latest addition to this brand and hogs are also raised on family farms in the Midwest, all vegetarian diet and no antibiotics

- offer USDA-certified organic chicken; raised on free-range, organic farms and vegetarian diet consists of all organic ingredients

A variety of retailers carry the HARVESTLAND brand, unfortunately (for me!) out of the 3 retailers near me only 2 carried this brand with limited product variety. I was hoping to try the kielbasa, fully cooked, uncured ham, sweet Italian turkey sausage, and also the chicken sausage. The only products I found were fresh chicken breasts, drumsticks, whole chicken, and ground turkey.

I used the chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker, the ground turkey in tacos, and the thin sliced chicken breast in a cheesy chicken cutlets roll-up recipe.

I liked knowing that these products are all-natural, antibiotic and cage-free, and fed all-vegetarian diets. All of the recipes that I made tasted great!

You can also find a variety of recipes on their website. HARVESTLAND is on Facebook and Twitter.

I have 2 coupons for $5 off (each) HARVESTLAND products to giveaway to 1 winner. Just leave a comment with whether you've tried HARVESTLAND products before, and if so, do you have a favorite product or recipe? I will use random.org to select a winner.

 

Softcard Makes Paying by Phone Easy

“I participated in an Influencer Activation (#IC) on behalf of Influence Central for #Softcard. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

It is amazing how much we are able to do with our cell phones now - think about how far technology has advanced from when cell phones were even first a new thing! You almost don't need to carry anything else with you since you can do almost anything with your cell phone and an app. You can arm your house's alarm, lock and unlock your house/garage doors, access your bank accounts to transfer money and deposit checks just by taking a picture with your phone, store all store loyalty card accounts on your phone so you don't have to carry all those key fobs with you ... and you can pay for your purchases at the register just by holding your phone up to a scanner device.

Softcard is available as a free download for Android on Google Play for select phones, and the Windows Play Store for select carries and phones. It is an app that makes paying at the register an easy process. The app allows you to pay at the register with a tap, and then some. With Softcard you can also save with special offers and store your loyalty, membership, and reward cards. I have not had a chance to load my store reward cards on Softcard, but plan to do so as soon as I can so I can have that convenience as well.

I was a little hesitant to use my phone to pay at the register since obviously it means your bank or credit card account is connected to this app, but Softcard uses state-of-the-art technology and layers of security to protect your account information. When you first use the app and go through the set-up procedures you will pick a 4-digit PIN that you it will prompt you for every time you open the app. If your phone is lost or stolen a call to your carrier or a visit to the Softcard website will disable the app on your phone.

When you open the app and click on the drop down menu there are several options, one of which is stores, this will show you a list of stores in your area that accept Softcard as a way of payment (there are over 275,000 stores accepting Softcard). Some of the stores will also have a symbol by them to indicate deals or specials for that store.

Since this does involve bank or credit accounts the app is not ready-for-use immediately upon installation. You do have to go through a few steps to get it all set-up. I have a Droid Razr M that is a couple of years old; I did have to go to Verizon to get a newer/updated SIM card before I could use the app. The SIM card was free to get it replaced so that was no problem.

Softcard uses participating credit cards from American Express, Chase, or Wells Fargo, or you can set up an American Express Serve account that you can add money to with your preferred debit or credit card or bank account. I went through the process of setting up a Serve account, which is free and has no monthly or annual fees if set up through the Smartphone app. Once I set that up I added money to it using my preferred credit card and then I was ready to try this out for the first time.

I used Softcard for payment at Walgreens a couple of times. The first time I used the app I used the function to search for a store and found out the Walgreens right around the corner accepted this type of payment. I needed to buy a last-minute gift for a child on an Angel Tree at my hair dresser's salon and figured going to Walgreens would be an easy way to try out Softcard for the first time while buying this gift. I was pleased with the experience and had no problems with it - it was easy and convenient to use.

I switch back and forth between a couple of purses and am constantly having to remember to check the purse I'm using to be sure I have my credit card(s), license, ID, or whatever else I may need. It was so easy to stand at the register with my phone in hand and not have to worry about looking through my purse/wallet to pull out my credit card and swipe it. Instead I just held the back of my phone up to the device above the credit card machine and it beeped once to indicate it registered the payment. That was it. So easy and quick.You can touch the card and it flips to the back side to show your remaining balance.

The current promotion through Softcard also enables me to earn $1 back each time I 'tap to pay' through the end of the year.

Here is a quick video of the mascot Tappy explaining Softcard.

Rosetta Stone Kids Reading Review

"I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Rosetta Stone. I received a product and a promotional item to thank me for participating."

I am always willing to try new and different kids' reading programs to use at home with Kayla. While she has progressed in reading over the past year she still has a way to go with working on fluency and sounding out words she doesn't know. Anything to encourage her to read and practice (although I'm glad to see her more willing to pick up a book and read more so than she's done in the past.)

Rosetta Stone - well-known for their successful products teaching foreign languages - has a kids reading program called Rosetta Stone Kids Reading.

Rosetta Stone partnered with reading experts at Lexia Learning to create this Kids Reading Program. The program is geared for kids ages 3-7. It is designed to help kids develop core literacy skills in an engaging and effective way.

I like that the program is research-proven and self-paced with engaging and interactive experiences tailored for each child. Each child can have their own profile and set their account to the level that is best for them.

The lessons incorporate phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. The user can move through the different levels by completing assignments and being accompanied by Lingos. The Lingos are a lively bunch of friends that love to tell stories and kids join them on skill-building adventures such as sounding out words, matching rhyming pairs, reading comprehension, and more.

The Lingos give feedback on each correct and incorrect answer. My only complaint about this is the sound they make for correct answers gets annoying to hear (for me anyway) very quickly. I wish that when they get the answer correct they could move on to the next question or have a visual high-five. It hasn't seemed to bother my kids to hear that noise, but as a parent I could do without it.

Although Lucas is 6 and at the age this is recommended for, his reading skills are above his age and grade level. While this product isn't exactly helping him along with his reading (because he is not a beginner reader) he is enjoying using this and he told me that he does like it. He likes the accomplishment of finishing the levels and there are spelling games that he likes doing as well. If he wasn't already reading above his grade level I can see how this would be a very beneficial program to incorporate along with what a typical Kindergartner and 1st grader are learning in school. The comprehension is helpful to keep reinforcing that skill as well.

Kayla, while older, as I mentioned - is below age and grade level for reading. This is geared for kids younger than her, but she, too, is enjoying it. She likes the positive feedback she is getting and I can hear if she is getting too many answers in a row wrong and ask her what she isn't understanding or concentrating on the questions.

They each use it for about 15-20 min a day, a few days a week to encourage, supplement, and reinforce reading and comprehension skills. I like that I can also log in and see the progress they've made by seeing what levels they've completed.

Parents can get a free trial of the first level for their kids and see what this reading program is all about.

National Military Family Appreciation Month

“I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for the MetLife TRICARE Dental Program. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

November is National Military Family Appreciation Month and as my husband's military career winds down I think about the positive benefits of being in the military and things I'm thankful for.

Included in those things are the health and dental benefits provided to military family members through the TRICARE Health Plan and the Metlife TRICARE Dental Program. I'm thankful for the coverage of health and dental benefits these programs provide to my family and this coverage gives me peace of mind about my family's health and well-being.

While the MetLife TRICARE Dental Program is part of the TRICARE Health Plan for military families, they are both separate enrollments that families have to elect coverage - neither program is automatic - but I can't see any reason a military family wouldn't want to be enrolled in either program.

The MetLife TRICARE Dental Program provides dental benefits to spouses and children of Active Duty personnel (the active duty member receives dental coverage at the dental clinic on their duty installation) and National Guard and Reserve members and their families.

What I like about the dental program is the convenience of the program to provide us continuous coverage despite frequent moves or deployments. An example is when a military member deploys for a year sometimes the family will move to go stay with relatives. Even if the family isn't near a military installation, or have moved away from their sponsor's duty location, they will still receive coverage from the large network of dental providers worldwide.

Another benefit to this program is the low-cost shares of the program. There is a minimal monthly premium to receive 100% coverage (no out of pocket costs) for diagnostic and preventive services; which includes two free cleanings each year. This is important to me because I believe early detection of any dental issues is key to preventing worse problems in the future. Cost-share for other services range from 20-50% so this is pretty affordable for dental coverage.

We have had positive experiences with our in-network dental providers. When we first moved here I attended a resource fair where there were several dental offices in attendance. I asked one of them two questions that are important to me when finding a new dental provider: 1) Are you a MetLife TRICARE Dental provider? and 2) Do you have experience with children with disabilities? Thankfully they could answer yes to both those questions. Finding a children's dental provider with experience in treating kids with disabilities is important since Kayla has a fear of all things medical/dental. We need a provider who is patient, thorough and will explain things to Kayla.

Military families can find more information on the dental program, to include enrollment information, at TRICARE Dental Benefits.

You can follow MetLife TDP on Twitter @MetLifeTDP and by using #MetLifeTDP; and follow on their Facebook page.


 

VTech InnoTab Review and Giveaway

Giveaway is now closed. Congrats to commenter Kristi for winning the tablet!

A giveaway just in time for the holidays! How would your child like to have a VTech InnoTab3SPlus Learning Tablet (part of the InnoTab family) under the tree this year?

My kids had the opportunity to receive one to review. Since we do have a larger tablet I wasn't sure how much they might use and enjoy the InnoTab3S, but it enjoy it they have.

Some features of the InnoTab3SPlus 5" learning tablet are:
- Rechargeable battery pack (that is a plus for me not having to hunt around the house for stray batteries!) and has Wi-Fi
- Access to more than 800 educator-endorsed cartridges, software, and apps
- Comes with 16 apps, free access to an enhanced 2nd generation of Vtech Premium Kid Connect
- Tablet-to-mobile communication app so kids and parents can exchange video/text messages and share photos and drawings
- Rotating camera with over 55 special effects and a video recorder
- Ability to import MP3s with the music player
- E-Reader with interactive e-books

I like the VTech Learning Lodge online store to search for age-appropriate educational games. The games are separated into age and grade range as well as by subject (Reading & Language Arts, Math, Science & Social Studies, and Creativity & Problem Solving).  Each category is further separated into sub-categories.

The InnoTab is durable and also comes with a stylus. Once you register your device you also get 2 free downloads.

Kayla likes creating things so one of her favorite things to do is use the Art Studio. Kayla and Lucas also both like the camera and video recorder functions. Lucas has been enjoying the math games.

Thanks to VTech I also have an InnoTab3SPlus to giveaway to a reader. Device will be sent directly to winner's address (US only please). Winner will be chosen next week by Random.org. To enter the giveaway just leave a comment (make sure I have a way to contact you) stating which software you think your child would be most interested in trying. (Santa might be bringing this one to our house).

Disclosure: VTech provided the InnoTab learning system to me for free to review. VTech is also providing another tablet, for free, to giveaway to one reader. All opinions are mine, and my children's.


 

Silk'n Blue (Review)

There are times I wish I were still a teenager - you know - not having any of those oh-so-fun adult responsibilities! But one thing from my teen years that I wish I could've left behind is acne.

Yes, I'm 41 years old and acne still bothers and frustrates me. I'm not a teen anymore, why can't I just have clear skin finally?!

I have tried a number of different facial cleanser and other products to help clear up and prevent acne, but the prevent part never seems to work for me.

I've been to a dermatologist and was on prescription medicine cream for my face as well as an antibiotic. While that did seem to help and lessen the breakouts, being on an antibiotic is not a long-term solution. After I stopped the antibiotics it was only a matter of time before the acne started again.

I don't have severe acne and I have much less than I did as a teen ... but it's still enough that these breakouts frustrate me, and at times depress me.

I had the opportunity to try Silk'n Blue for several weeks. What did I have to lose if it didn't work? It isn't prescription medication to take, or tubes of creams to try out, or chemical treatments. It is an at-home acne treatment system that destroys acne-causing bacteria and dehydrates oil-producing glands to prevent future breakouts. The Blue device starts neutralizing bacteria immediately.You'll see the results of clear skin in 3-7 weeks, sometimes sooner.

So what is Blue? It is a hand-held light device that incorporates blue-light therapy. The American Academy of Dermatology says this is the best-known  light therapy for acne treatment. It is clinically tested, FDA-approved, and recommended by dermatologists and has no harsh chemicals that dry out the skin.

That was a biggie for me - I hate using the topical creams and after a couple of days my skin is dried out and peeling and then I'm dealing with that!

So I've used the Silk'n Blue for several weeks and I have been impressed. As I just mentioned - no dried out skin!

It is easy to use - just place on the acne breakouts for 3 minutes and then move to another section of your face for another 3 minutes. It combines the blue light with heat radiation, but the tip has a sensor so it never gets above 106 degrees. There is no burn or redness to my face at all after using this.

I have been impressed and satisfied with this product. I think I've only had 2 or 3 small pimples crop up since using this; which is much less than I would have during that same time period when not using Blue. While the pimples weren't necessarily gone the next day they were gone in a shorter amount of time and they stayed small compared to the size they usually get. Using Blue seemed to keep the pimples contained and treated them before they could get inflamed.

Highly recommend the Silk'n Blue whether you're a teen or an adult: If you're bothered by acne this product is worth a try! You can use the coupon code EXTRATWENTY to get 20% off by Sep 30, 2014.

On Twitter and FB #silknproducts, #mc #sponsored


Disclaimer: I received this product from Mom Central and Silk'n to try for free. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yoga Spinner Game Review

I'm always on the lookout for board games that both of my kids can understand and play ... and play by themselves with minimal parental involvements for those times I'm busy making dinner (or honestly, just don't feel like playing a children's board game!)

Yoga Spinner (ages 6+) by Upside Down Games is one of those games that fits those criteria. It's a fun, challenging, and active game, too.

The instructions are basic and easy to understand. You spin the spinner and draw the corresponding card and attempt the yoga pose for 10 seconds. There are some challenges on the spinner - you could land on the icon where someone gets to take one of your cards (but they have to perform that move for 10 seconds in order to keep it!), or someone else decides your category for you. One of the categories requires the move to be done with a partner. You can watch a short video clip of the game to get an idea of what poses are on some of the cards (54 poses in all).

I initially thought the game would go by fairly quickly (and it can), because the first person to collect 4 of the different colored cards wins, but it's not always as easy as it looks! Some of the yoga moves can be a little difficult to stretch and bend your body in that position if you've never done them before (I just might be speaking from experience here!) And to hold it for 10 seconds!

The first time Lucas and I played we modified it to say if you were able to attempt and hold the position for at least 5 seconds you could keep the card, but we would still try to hold for the full 10 seconds. The more we play the easier it will be to do the moves and when we are more comfortable (limber!) with the moves we will go with the full 10 seconds. This works well for Kayla too as it is harder for her to hold a position for 10 seconds.

Among some of the many benefits to yoga are better posture, enhances coordination and balance, increases physical strength and concentration, and develops greater flexibility (great for Kayla who has hypotonia, or, low muscle tone).

Yoga Spinner has won several awards including being rated for children with special needs by Able Play.

I frequently hear my kids asking each other if they want to play "the yoga game" and the answer is usually a resounding "oh yeah!"

I asked Lucas what he likes about the game and he said, "Because it's doing exercise and it's fun!"

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Passport To Imagaintion Part II

Last week I mentioned the Passport To Imagination program at Michael's. Follow up to that post after Lucas attended last Monday.

The class seats 16 kids, and 16 kids were registered, but only about 10 showed up. The parents don't have  to stay with their child(ren) either; you can sign them in and leave, and then sign them out when you pick them up.

3 other moms stayed; I stayed for a bit at the beginning, then I browsed around the store and came back near the end.

If all 16 kids had shown up and none of the moms had stayed I think it wouldn't have run as smoothly since there wouldn't have been extra hands to assist the kids when needed with their projects.

The project they made was this Perler Dolphin. After getting all the beads on the pad it had to be ironed. Since they can only use products from the store they couldn't use a regular, full-size iron. It was a small fabric type iron. Which worked fine, it did the job, but there was only one iron being used and with the smaller size of the iron it took a little longer to finish the project. While their dolphins were being ironed the kids completed their second project - a paper cut out of dolphins created to look like a 3D image. This didn't take up too much time. Thankfully not all 16 kids showed up or else I don't know how long some of the kids would've had to wait for their dolphin to be ironed. I don't think this would have been completed in the 2 hours of the class.

The at-home project that I thought they got to take home to do was actually a suggested project that you can buy the materials and do at home. It doesn't actually come with the class.

Since each week is based off a road-trip theme of going to the different museums I thought that during the class there would be a presentation or information or story about each of the museums, but there wasn't. There is a Passport to Imagination guide-type book that shows each class, the dates, the museums the projects are based off of, the projects, and activities to correspond with that day. In this guidebook there is information on each of the museums though, so even though we're not able to make it to every class we can still do the activities in the book and bookmark projects that we can do at home.

Lucas enjoyed the program and creating his dolphin. He thought it was neat how it came out after it was ironed. He has gone through the guidebook and asked me if he can go to several of the classes that he is interested in making the craft for that day.

He had a lot of fun, was excited about it, and more importantly he made a new friend. He and this other boy hit it off so well that they took it upon themselves to exchange phone numbers in hopes of getting together outside of the class.

Overall it is a fun and inexpensive activity to do during the summer and we will try to go back for a few more classes this summer.

 

Allons Danser (Let's Dance!) Review

I know there are studies that show it is easier for kids to learn a second language when they are younger; there are elementary schools that are teaching a second language, but the school my kids go to doesn't have a language class. I didn't start taking French until I was in 7th grade. I took a few years of French, but like almost anything - if you don't use it, you lose it!

My dad's side of the family traces back to French-Canadian ancestors and I'd like my kids to learn some French.

I have a couple of apps that I've used with them to introduce them to some French words and they have enjoyed using those, but we don't use it often enough so they aren't the least bit proficient - I just try to expose them to the language when I can.

I recently had the chance to review a French musical CD called Allons Danser! (Let's Dance!) from Whistlefritz. This sounded like something my kids would enjoy - they like music and dancing!

The CD is compiled with a collection of original tunes and traditional favorites. The tunes are upbeat and catchy and sung by internationally acclaimed vocalists Marie-Louise Desage and Didier Prossaird. These fun songs teach several French words and phrases such as numbers (Un, Deux et Trois), and parts of the body (La Tete, Les Epaules/Head, Shoulders).

Lucas's favorite is the rendition of Old MacDonald. The first time he listened to it he came running to find us and said, "I think this is how you say "Old MacDonald in French!" It won't be long before he learns the different words for animals too.

Whistlefritz is an award-winning (DVDs and CDs have won 54 awards!) producer of Spanish for Kids and they have now launched French for Kids.
 
When I told Lucas I needed to sit down and write a review of the "French music CD" he said, "I love it!" That sums up his review!

The Whistlefritz line of products all teach the language immersion method for learning a new language so everything on the CDs and DVDs are all in French or Spanish. Research recommends teaching with this method instead of translating back and forth - translating back and forth delays fluency.

I'm not claiming that my kids are going to become proficient in the French language from listening to a music CD, but it does expose them to some common words/phrases and they are enjoying it - and if it makes learning fun then it's a big hit with our family!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Riddle Me This

A few months ago I blogged about a fun early-reading treasure hunt game called uKloo. We have since downloaded the app, and Lucas was the lucky recipient of the new uKloo Riddle Edition sent to him for his birthday by the creator, Doreen!

While Lucas enjoys the original uKloo Early Reader Treasure Hunt game, I knew the Riddle Edition would provide more of a challenge for him.

In the early reader version the cards tell you exactly where to go for your next clue, ie, "Look in your mom's shoe." or "Look under your pillow." Lucas still had fun with that game, racing to where the card sent him wondering what the next card would say and where he would have to go next. It is great for early readers as the sentences are short and incorporate a lot of the sight words kids are learning in preschool and Kindergarten. There are 3 levels so the sentences start to increase in length.

The riddle edition has longer sentences and more than one sentence on the card. Since it is a riddle the card doesn't tell you outright where to go to find the next card; instead you have to figure out the riddle in order to know where to look for the next card. Lucas loves this challenge. There are also 3 levels in the riddle edition and blank cards to make your own riddles and cards to write out surprises (as you can do with the early reader game as well.)

Over the past few months I had been spending one weekend a month in Columbia for some training. I left Friday morning after the kids were in school and came back Saturday evening. Before I would leave I went around the house setting up the uKloo games (early reader for Kayla so she would be successful doing it on her own, and riddle for Lucas). They enjoyed coming home from school on Friday and knowing I left them something fun to do while I was gone. I would leave a note under their pillow, or a small hand-held game, or a lollipop. It was a great way to connect with them while I was gone as they knew I was thinking about them before I left.

uKloo is great for all children, including children with special needs, by working on a wide range of skills. The game has been formally tested by the National Lekotek Center and awarded and AblePlay Seal. You can see their rating in Riddle Edition category here. (5 stars in Sensory, Communicative, Social/Emotional and 3 stars in Cognitive and Physical). I'm not quite sure how the 5 star rating works, but I am curious about the 3 stars in the "Cognitive" category. I would give it 5 stars in cognitive. As you can see in the video below when Kayla is reading the cards and trying to figure out the riddle her processing is not as quick as Lucas. Kayla also tends to hear the last word(s) and focus on just that instead of the whole concept (in this case the riddle) and so she does tend to sometimes have problems with answering comprehension questions about a passage she's just read etc.

So in the first riddle Kayla reads it is asking for the favorite place to sit while watching TV. Kayla is also impulsive in her answers (in general) and blurts out "Frozen" because she is just focused on hearing "watching TV" and that's what she wants to watch. You will hear me emphasize the word "SIT" to her to bring her attention back to what the riddle is really asking.

While Kayla can't do the Riddle cards as independently as she can the early reader cards, I can mix the cards up in a round of play, throw in a riddle card to make her stop and think about it. The more we work on paying attention to the whole riddle and not focusing on the last thing she hears, the better she will get at it. That's why I think it should have 5 stars for working on cognitive skills - all that reading and processing and problem-solving!

Here is the video of Lucas and Kayla reading some of the cards to show you what the riddles are like.



My last thought on this product is that every household with young children should have this game!

Update: Ahren, from the National Lekotek Center, left a comment below explaining how the rating system works and why the Riddle Edition has 3 stars (the Early Reader does have 4 stars for cognitive). Thanks, Ahren, for the explanation!

A TwirlyGirl Dress for my TwirlyGirl

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

A TwirlyGirl dress for my TwirlyGirl girl ... could there be a better match between dress and girl?  Remember last year when Kayla was in the gala fashion show? Out of her choices of dresses she chose the dress that she could twirl in. She loves a good twirl on a dress. And most girls would love kids dresses for parties like these.

When I found out about the TwirlyGirl dresses and an opportunity to review a kids party dress I knew this was a dress review made for my girl. 

They have wonderful, vibrant, and colorful kid party dresses and I couldn't wait to see which design Kayla was going to receive. When the package arrived I didn't tell Kayla what it was. It was wrapped in a cute design like it was a big piece of candy. I wish I would have taken a video of Kayla opening it, but I didn't think of it at the time. Take my word for it - when she saw her new dress her face lit up. Her eyes got big and she let out a "My new dress!" exclamation. Lucas was sitting next to her so she hugged him and said, "Thank you for my new dress Lucas!" After we finished laughing about that I told her that she got the dress from my blog to do a review. Then she hugged me and said, "Thank you for your blog mom!" Ha! You're welcome kid!

I love the colors on Kayla's dress (it doesn't hurt that my favorite color is purple.) This is a nice, deep purple and pink splashed throughout the dress. Kayla happens to have a pair of purple leggings with pink sequins on it that matched the shade of purple trim on the bottom of the dress perfectly. 

So, about the dress. It exceeded my expectations. It is of a heavier quality fabric than I thought it would be made of, but it still manages to be lightweight and flowy. It has a lot of movement to it and doesn't restrict. Kayla's dress is a size 10 and they are made with extra room to grow so girls can grow into it and wear their kid party dresses for quite awhile. This dress will last Kayla for a good, long time. Which is great because she loves it. It has quickly become her favorite dress.

TwirlyGirl has a great selection of unique (and some are reversible! Two dresses in one!) kids dresses for parties. How many kid party dresses look as fun as this?

And not just for parties; these dresses are great for any occasion and everyday use. I don't have to tell Kayla that she can't run around and play outside in this dress because she can - it's made for it. It's sturdy enough to withstand outside play.

 

 So what is so special about a kids party dress from TwirlyGirl? All of their styles are in limited runs so it makes the dress seem even more special for that one-of-a-kind feel. They are machine-washable and pretty much wrinkle-free.

She can't put this dress on and not twirl in it. That's the fun of it!

So what did Kayla think of the dress? Since it's really her review as she is the one who will be wearing it! Well, see for yourself:

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To see more dresses in the collection shop here. To get 15% off your order use code JoyTG15 (case sensitive) until 4/14/2014. (Does not apply to sale items, gift certificates or Design your Own Dress).

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

K5 Learning Website

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students. I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program. If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their open invitation to write an online learning review of their program.

With one child in Kindergarten and another child in 4th grade I'm interested in trying out this educational website to see how it works for both of my kids. I'll check back in with my review after 6 weeks.

 

You What? uKloo!

uKloo (pronounced You-Clue) is a fun, engaging, early reader treasure hunt game for kids ages 4+. It was created by Doreen Dotto who has 2 boys that were reluctant readers and tried to avoid doing reading homework. She wanted to create a fun way to get them engaged in reading with a bonus of being active while doing it!

So what exactly is uKloo and how do you play it? The game comes with 4 sets of cards (3 reading levels and a set of blank dry-erase cards). You set the cards up in various locations throughout the house according to what is on the card. Once they find one card it will tell them where to find the next card and so on. The last hiding spot reveals their surprise.

The surprise can be anything you want it to be. A dollar store toy, a certificate to get ice cream, a sticker, a card from mom or dad, a lollipop, etc. It doesn't have to be complicated at all!

Examples of each level of the reading cards from early readers to more detailed readers:
1) Look beside the milk
2) Find it in your helmet
3) Search on the bed under your dad's pillow

For early readers there is also a poster of all the words that are used on the card. If a child gets stuck on a word they can refer to the poster that has a picture with each word to help them figure it out. The poster is also sorted by verbs, preposition, helper words, and nouns. The words in each category are also listed alphabetically.

My kids love this game and frequently ask to play it. Sometimes I use it as an incentive when Kayla is a bit slow getting ready for school. I'll ask her if she wants to play uKloo when she gets home and that usually perks her up! She even tried telling her aide as school about a game she was going to play at home, but he had no idea what she was talking about.

They both enjoy running around to the next spot and seeing where that card is going to take them ... and wondering when they are going to find their surprise!

Here are 2 quick videos of each of them playing the game.

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A short clip of Kayla. I had a couple more video clips of her reading her cards and finding her surprise, but they've mysteriously disappeared from my phone ... coincidentally after Kayla was looking through the videos!

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uKloo has won 9 awards (3 from Dr Toy categories), is available in Canada, US, and International, and available as a free app.

uKloo2 - Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game for ages 7+ was recently released and that is on my to-get list for Lucas's birthday. While Lucas does have fun with the Early Reader game, the Riddle Edition will be more challenging for him and I'm sure he would enjoy figuring out the riddles to find the next clue.

Disclaimer: I received a uKloo game for free to review, but all opinions on the game are mine and my children's!

We Sing 80s Review and Giveaway

A Wii video game featuring 80s music? Growing up in the 80's I say: Yes, please!

I received a bundled pack of the Nordic Games We Sing 80's (to include 2 microphones) for review. 

Since my husband is also a child of the 80's I figured this would be a fun game for us to have for the Wii. If you were a child of the 80's you know you loved the music from that decade! This game has 30 songs including 21 that were worldwide number 1 hits. There is a good variety of mixed genre including songs by Cyndi Lauper, Paula Abdul, Smokey Robinson, Cameo, Queen, Tears For Fears, Lionel Ritchie.

There are a couple of big names not on the list - Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson - but maybe there are copyright issues and they couldn't use their songs.

I thought I knew a good amount of 80's songs, but there were several songs I didn't know.

I figured this would be a game that only Joe and I would enjoy ... not our kids. Of course we couldn't try it out after they went to bed because they probably would have woken up from our singing!

Even though my kids know nothing of 80's music they were very anxious and excited for us to break out the game ... and they wanted to play it too ... even though we kept telling them these are EIGHTIES songs and you DON'T KNOW THESE SONGS!

That didn't matter to them. They wanted the microphones and they wanted to sing. They had a blast. Since they lyrics scroll through on the bottom of the screen this is also a great way to increase reading skills and reading fluency. It's so funny to hear Lucas trying to keep up with the lyrics of the song as he's reading the words scrolling through the screen.

Kayla's favorite song seems to be "Boys (Summertime Love)" by Sabrina (one of those songs that I didn't know). It's not easy for her to keep up with the flow of singing the lyrics, so this one she can easily sing "Boys, boys, boys" over and over!

They've asked to play this several times and Lucas has told me that his favorite songs are "True Colors" and "Smooth Operator"! Another day we were driving and he hears on the radio station "the best hits on" whatever radio station it was and he says, "No, that's not right! The best hits aren't on that station. The best hits We Sing 80's!" I guess he's turning in to an 80's music fan?

You can play up with up to 4 microphones and there are several ways to play - solo, party, karaoke, 8 multiplayer modes, original artist with video plays on the screen. There are singing lessons, replay features, and 3 difficulty levels.

I already know that I have no musical talent and should only be singing when I'm driving (ha!) and this confirms that, but it also made me realize how many of the lyrics I actually don't know! I find it much harder to sing along as I'm trying to read the lyrics.

All in all my family has been having fun with this game and enjoying 'singing' together ... but I won't embarrass my kids (or myself!) with a video showing our non-singing skills. You can watch a trailer for the We Sing 80's game here.

Giveaway! You can win your own copy of We Sing 80's by leaving a comment stating what your favorite 80s song/musician/group is. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you're the winner. Winner will be chosen by random.org

 

Put Some Wiggle in That Ziggle

Thanks to House Party's Chatterbox feature my kids received an early Christmas present.

The Radio Flyer Ziggle is the fun way to get the wiggles out and provides for outdoor (and even indoor!) fun activities. 

When I first pulled it out of the box I sighed thinking it was going to be cumbersome to put together. By the time Joe got off the couch to help me, I pretty much had it all done. It really was pretty easy to assemble! The seat is adjustable to grow with your child, but unless I missed something, the only way I could see to adjust it was to unscrew it and put it on the next setting. It would be nice if there was something you could click together to move the seat forward/backward instead of having to unscrew it ... but other than that ... no complaints!

The suggested age is 3-8, but since Kayla is a little on the smaller size for a 10 year old she is able to comfortably use this too. Her legs are a little bit long for it, but for now she can still fit without her knees hitting the handlebars.

It doesn't take much for kids to figure out how to use it - you just move the handlebars back and forth and just wiggle!

It glides smoothly and easily and when you can gain some speed you can drift into 360 degree spins.

Joe and I both commented, as we were watching Kayla and Lucas try this out, that we wished there was one for bigger 'kids' because we wanted to try it out too!

Lucas' review, "That was amazing!" Kayla thought it was pretty easy to use and she liked it too.

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America's ToothFairy and SparX Candy Giveaway

America's ToothFairy and Xlear have teamed up to provide a SparX candy giveaway just in time for Halloween.

America's ToothFairy mission is to eliminate children's preventable suffering from pediatric dental disease by providing programs and resources to communities including preventative, educational, and treatment services.

Trick or Treat with America's ToothFairy and find an activity calendar, and a word search among other ideas for fundraising to provide funds for kids to receive dental care and preventative services.

You can also sign up for the Kids Club where your child can receive personalized letters from the tooth fairy.

The giveaway is for a 30-pack bag of Halloween SparX candy. SparX is naturally sweetened candy dots made with Xylitol. Years of clinical testing shows that xylitol may reduce the risk of tooth decay and six national dental associations have officially endorsed sugar-free gums and candies made with xylitol.

This candy comes in 3 flavors: Berry, Citrus, and Fruit. To enter the giveaway leave a comment with which flavor you think you would like the best. Contest ends on Oct 23; winner will be chosen by random.org.

Speaking of dental health and preventative services; America's ToothFairy and Oral-B provided Kayla with a Pro Health For Me Rechargeable toothbrush for review. This toothbrush comes with 2 brush heads and a rechargeable battery that can't be overcharged. It has a waterproof handle and is compatible with multiple brush heads.

I like the timer on the brush that is set for the recommended 2 minutes of brushing time. Kayla will know when she's finished brushing instead of constantly asking me, "Can I be done now?" while she's brushing her teeth.

She also has a tendency to hold the toothbrush in her mouth and chew on it instead of brushing. The Pro Health for Me toothbrush has a rotating-oscillating brush head which is better at plaque removal than a manual toothbrush. So now while Kayla might still be holding the toothbrush in her mouth, it is doing all the work for her since the round shape of the brush head surrounds each tooth for individual tooth cleaning. I might have to still remind her to move the tooth brush all around her mouth, but at least now if she's not doing the actual brushing motion I know her teeth are getting well-cleaned by the electric brush doing it's job.