Scholastic's Storybook Treasures DVDs: The Night Before Christmas AND Animal Antics

Storybook Treasures: The Night Before Christmas

I love the holidays, don't you? And the holiday DVD's you can unpack from your Christmas boxes and watch every night of December (and maybe even November! lol). Before my daughter was born, I had only collected movies for adults like Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and The Santa Clause. Now I've begun my collection of children's DVDs and I'm having a blast doing it!

One of my favorites comes from Scholastic Storybook Treasures. As you can tell from the few Christmas movies for adults I mentioned I have in my collection, I'm someone who truly appreciates classics. I love classic movies, classic books, and classic storybooks for children, so the Storybook Treasures The Night Before Christmas ...and other classic holiday tales DVD set totally appealed to me!

This two-DVD set includes all of the following classic storybooks read aloud with gorgeous animated illustrations and optional read-along words at the bottom of the screen:

The Night before Christmas ♥ Seven Candles for Kwanzaa ♥ In the Month of Kislev ♥ Too Many Tamales ♥ Max's Christmas ♥ Morris's Disappearing Bag ♥ The Little Drummer Boy ♥ The Twelve Days of Christmas ♥ Great Joy ♥ The Clown of God ♥ Merry Christmas, Space Case ♥ Sam and the Lucky Money

Did you know that each story/poem/song has won at least one award? My favorites in this series are The Night Before Christmas (extremely whimsical and cheerful), Max's Christmas (about little bunnies who want to see Santa Claus come), Morris's Disappearing Act, and Merry Christmas, Space Case. Another thing I really like about these DVDs is that there is a selection of stories showing how all different people celebrate the holidays, including Kwanzaa (Seven Candles for Kwanzaa), Hannukah (In the Month of Kislev), and the celebration of Christ's birth (The Little Drummer Boy).

This set is, without a doubt, a treasure for the holidays, and one your children will want to pull out year after year. I recommend it!

Treasury of 50 Storybook Classics: Animal Antics

This set of seven DVDs is just too much fun! I'm an animal-lover, and I can tell that my daughter is already as well. She goes for the stuffed animals more than dollies, just like I did as a child. I knew she would enjoy the Animal Antics set. From puppies and kitties to horses, cows, and owls - almost every animal imaginable is in a story! This is a great learning tool for teaching the types of animals in a fun way. Some of our favorites are Harry the Dirty Dog (remember that one?) Chicken Little, The Bear Snores On, Make Way for Ducklings, and I, Crocodile. See a list of all of the stories here.

See a sample video: Harry the Dirty Dog



Eight hours of animal-related stories read by well-known voices like Sarah Jessica Parker and Meryl Streep - Another highly-recommended set of stories on DVD for your little one!

Each of these sets is for ages 2 or 3 and up, but my 19-month-old daughter enjoys them immensely. The stories are fairly short (2 hours and 4 minutes for the Christmas set and 8 hours total for the animal antics set) so she has no problem with them being too much for her short attention span. Each story is narrated by a new person and is filled with new and different illustrations and animations, so they keep her attention pretty well. We love Scholastic Storybook Treasures and love to share them with our friends!

Want to own them?

You can purchase Scholastic Storybook Treasures: The Night Before Christmas ...and other classic holiday tales for only $11.96 right now from the Scholastic Store! Use the coupon code SSHAP5 to get 15% off plus free ground shipping.

Scholastic Storybook Treasures: Animal Antics is available for $49.95 at www.newkideo.com.

I received the review product(s) free of charge from the company/manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product, and my own opinion. :-)

Growing Tree Toys ♥ Melissa and Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Review

Little girls love to copy mommy, don't they? Until I had my own little girl, I had no idea how it felt to be mimicked and echoed. It's a good feeling, isn't it? (Most of the time, lol)

I especially love to include my little one in the kitchen. She's too young to understand that she's not to touch the hot stove or oven, so I have to be extra careful, but she does have her own mini wooden kitchen and she likes to "cook" there while I'm cooking and baking.

I think one of the reasons that play food and play kitchens are so popular is because it's a child's way of copying mommy and practicing for the future. I like to encourage that, so I'm always on the lookout for quality educational toys for my little one. Kids don't need a ton of toys, but what they do get should be well-made, fun, and versatile.

That's one reason I like Growing Tree Toys. They have a super selection of quality learning toys for all age groups. You can search for toys by category, read helpful reviews, and find information on the developmental benefits for children for a specific toy. I really have a blast looking through their toys, though it gives me a bad case of the "I wants". ;-)

My Thoughts: Thanks to Growing Tree Toys, I received a Slice and Bake Cookie Set by Melissa and Doug. I have to tell you how much I LOVE Melissa and Doug toys. Everything I've purchased and reviewed that was made by them has quickly become a favorite, both of my daughter and myself. Their toys are well-made, versatile, and fun - the kinds of toys I don't plan on ever throwing out or giving away. They're "save them for the grandchildren" toys.

My Thoughts: Although the Slice and Bake Cookie set is under the "3 and 4 year old" category, my 18-month-old completely loved it. She is a very observant little girl and immediately knew that this was a toy that should never be ignored. Probably because mommy had "toys" just like it.

This play set contains 30 pieces including cookies that attach to each other (making a cookie dough roll) with velcro and can be put in the cookie tube (just like buying pre-made dough, lol), various decorative frostings that attach to the tops of the cookies, a knife and a spatula, a kitchen mitt (yay for teaching safety around hot things!), and a cookie sheet. The cookies also attach to the cookie sheet. There's really so much to do, for younger and older kids. Emma's favorite part of it right now is sticking the Velcro pieces together and then slicing them with the "knife". Everything is very well-made, as usual, and is bright and attractive. Even I love this set!

Video review:

Conclusion: Love love LOVE! No cons.

Find Growing Tree Toys online:

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I received a Slice and Bake Cookie Set courtesy of the Growing Tree Toys Blog Sponsorship Program in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product, and my own opinion. :-)

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #25} Gummy Lump (Rock and Trot Rocking Horse)

One of my favorite online toy stores, Gummy Lump, is back with a spectacular giveaway! Remember my review of the awesome Russian Building Blocks from Gummy Lump? I've had nothing but positive experiences with them and absolutely love their selection of toys. You can find puzzles, push/pull toys, doll houses, furniture, pretty much whatever your child is into, you can find there!

Other things I like about Gummy Lump:

• Easy online shopping (filter by age, category, and brand)
• Huge selection of high-quality toys
• It's easy to find the clearance, specials, and toys under $10.00
• They're very nice to work with and have great customer service
• They carry all of my favorite brands like Melissa and Doug, Haba, and Radio Flyer
  

My Thoughts/Review:

Thanks to Gummy Lump, I was able to review the Melissa and Doug Rock and Trot Plush Rocking Horse.

Check out that expression on my little one's face! That kind of exuberance is the reward every parent wants to see when they give their children gifts. I am one happy mommy. :-)

When I was first checking around online for the best deal on a quality rocking horse I could find, I thought I wanted a wooden horse. I'm a huge fan of wooden toys and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But when we received this rocking horse, I knew that it was perfect. I love the plush softness of the horse, it's so much more realistic than a wooden one would have been - and much more comfortable for my toddler. She's also really into animals right now (she is a zhu-zhu pet addict) so the realistic look really appeals to her. The horse is well-proportioned and well-made, and has a really sweet face. I love the design.

Rock out!

I thought you might like to see Emma rocking - all by herself! She's 18 months and it's the perfect size for her.* I was really relieved to see that she could do it all on her own. She's also figured out how to rock across the room, which I thought was really funny. Watch this video:



*Note that this toy is recommended for ages 2 and up.

Sound Effects:

The Rock and Trot Rocking Horse is totally adorable and a great rocking horse, but that's not where the coolness ends - squeeze this horse's ear and you'll hear a clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop and a resounding neigh! It takes two AA batteries that are not included. The battery pack is safely tucked into the horse's abdomen (it requires a screwdriver to get to the batteries, so safe from tiny prying fingers) beneath a velcro closure. I appreciated that safety measure since Emma watched me curiously and wanted to know exactly what I was doing. Thankfully she can't get to the battery pack at all.

Conclusion:

I couldn't be happier with this toy and am so glad to be able to recommend such a great product to you all! There are no negatives to it that I can find at all!

Where to buy it - and discount code!

You can buy the Melissa and Doug Rock and Trot Rocking Horse from Gummy Lump for only $79.96 right now! It normally retails for $99.95, so this is a great deal - especially with free ground shipping! :-D Use the coupon code KS5Off to get free ground shipping and $5.00 off $100.00 or more!

Find Gummy Lump Online:

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Sign up for their Newsletter and never miss a deal!

Prize info: One very lucky commenter will win a Rock and Trot Rocking Horse! The duration is going to be only a week long so that the winner can receive their prize by Christmas! Giveaway open to US and Canada!

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Gummy Lump and tell me what else you would like to own! Please leave your email address in your comment or make sure it's in your public profile so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

Win a Melissa and Doug Rock and Trot Rocking Horse from @gummylump and @kindred_spirit - Ends 12/10, open to US and Canada! http://bit.ly/7OLQzA

Extra Gummy Lump Entries (+1 each): Become a fan of Gummy Lump on Facebook ♥ Follow them on Twitter ♥ Follow their Blog ♥ Sign up for their Newsletter

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

Get 3 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to me and a link to Gummy Lump.

Giveaway will be closed on December 10 at NOON Pacific and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #24) Boutique NRF New York

I discovered Boutique NRF New York and met Alev, the talented seamstress and designer behind it all, earlier in the year while browsing Etsy for boutique dresses for girls. Alev's creations are, simply put, breathtaking. Especially her beautiful applique dresses and "flirty tops" - they truly inspire and never fail to put a smile on my face. I follow Alev's blog faithfully and love to see her new designs when they're released... I only wish I could buy them all!

In June, I interviewed Alev and reviewed an applique dress she custom-made for Emma. I was so happy with Emma's dress, and I had her wear it for as long as possible because it was our favorite. Sadly, it's too small for her now... I can only hope that my next child is a girl so that I can dress up another little one in Emma's dress! ;-)

My sadness over having to put away Emma's Boutique NRF New York dress ended when Alev made us another dress and agreed to give one away as well! I'm sure you're just as excited as I am about someone winning a dress from this wonderful boutique!

First, my review:

Alev made this sweet owl print dress. It fits perfectly, with maybe a little room to grow - Alev is very good at sizing her dresses. Note that the undershirt is mine. This is a sleeveless dress with lacing at the edge of the sleeves and buttons closures in the back.

I really can't say enough good about Alev and her boutique - she's wonderful to work with and her clothing is very well-made.

Emma's last dress from Alev lasted through many washes and never ever came apart despite Emma's active little self. I anticipate that this dress will be the same! Another thing that I really like about Alev's dresses is their comfort level for Emma. I've bought dresses before that Emma just hated - not fitting over her head but fitting everywhere else, scratchy material, etc. I've never had a problem with Boutique NRF NY, and Emma just goes on her merry way when I put the owlie dress on. I'm really happy with the style and the way it fits.

I recommend Boutique NRF New York very highly for either pre-made or custom-made dresses and clothing. I'm sure you and your little one will be very happy with your order!

Check out Alev's 100% Positive Feedback!

Buy it!

You can buy a dress for a special little girl in your life from Boutique NRF NY for anywhere from $40.00 to $150.00. Shipping is free right now!

Holiday Deal!

FREE SHIPPING WITH ALL USA PURCHASES!!!!
BUY ONE SAVE 10% OFF OF YOUR TOTAL
BUY TWO SAVE 15% OFF OF YOUR TOTAL
BUY 3 AND MORE SAVE 20% OFF OF YOUR TOTAL

Find Alev Online:
Boutique NRF New York Etsy Store
Boutique NRF New York Ebay Store
Boutique NRF New York Blog

Giveaway Closed

Prize info: Alev of Boutique NRF New York is going to custom make a girl's dress for one lucky winner! This giveaway open to US only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Boutique NRF New York and tell me what you love! Please leave your email address in your comment or make sure it's in your public profile so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available) ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook ♥ Sign up for the Boutique NRF NY mailing list

You can use this sample tweet:

Win a toddler/girl's boutique dress from Boutique NRF New York and@kindred_spirit http://bit.ly/7uRFkB

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

Get 3 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to me and to Boutique NRF New York.

Giveaway will be closed on December 15 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #22} YourPictureBook.com Personalized Children's Book

When I was a kid, about 10, my grandma (now gone) gave me a very cool Christmas present. One of the most thoughtful she ever gave me, actually. It was a personalized adventure book starring me! I went on an adventure with Santa Claus and my sister, and I was enthralled.

There's nothing more fun than personalization, in my opinion. That personalized book is the only present I remember my grandma getting me, and I know she sent us something every Christmas. That tells me something - people remember special gifts that show you put some thought into it. Especially back then (waaay back then... 16 years ago), personalized books weren't that popular. I hadn't even heard of them, so it was a total treat to receive one.

When I was given the opportunity to review a personalized book from YourPictureBook.com for my daughter, I was excited. Mostly because this is so much better than the one I received as a child! Right now, there are three exciting options available, and any one of them would be good for either a little boy or girl:

Do you see yet what is so special about these books? Your child's photo is on every page, including the cover, as well as his or her name!

My Thoughts/Review:

I am very pleased with the book I received, starring my daughter, Emma. I had quite a time finding a "good" photo for YourPictureBook.com to use. I didn't realize I had so many pictures of Emma looking anywhere but at the camera! I finally found one that I thought might work of her looking at the camera while sitting on the slide. This one:

And this is how it turned out:

Brilliant, wouldn't you say? I'm very happy with the cartoon version of Emma.

I chose the You Can Count book to have personalized. Emma gets absolutely giddy when we count together and can count with her fingers, too, so this was the perfect book for her right now. I like the way the book encourages counting - each page features a new number and rhyme corresponding to something Emma sees around her. For instance:

While watching the tank
Emma sees something great
The fish have no legs
But the octopus has eight

One of the very cool things about YourPictureBook.com is that they can use your favorite photo, whether it features your child sitting or standing! Check out this example:

Click to enlarge

Or you can send a standing photo and ask them to use the second sitting style. They're very nice and helpful, so feel free to ask questions!

Educational Opportunities: Because children are especially interested in things they can relate to, personalized books like these are a great educational tool. The You Can Count book encourages both counting and reading - I anticipate it will be treasured for a long time.

Conclusion: I'm loving YourPictureBook.com! I'm completely happy with Emma's book, and love the idea and purpose behind personalized books. The only suggestion I might have is that they accept more than one photo so that there can be different photos of your child on every page. It would make it even more unique. :-) Still, I love what they have available and am hoping to get each of the books for Emma - I have my eye on the Noah's Ark adventure next!

Buy it! You can personalize your own book for only $34.95! And they also personalize posters (make your child a football star!), coloring books, and even movies with your photos! It's worth checking out - these things make wonderful Christmas gifts!

Giveaway Closed

Prize info: One of you will win a hardback personalized book of your choice! Open to US only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit YourPictureBook.com and tell me in a comment which book you would like to have personalized and who it would be for!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

Bonus Sponsor Entries (+1 each): Follow yourpicturebook.com on Twitter ♥ Fan them on Facebook

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

You can Copy/Paste this Sample Tweet:

Win a personalized children's book from yourpicturebook.com and @kindred_spirit - http://bit.ly/91qbaF #giveaway

Giveaway will be closed on December 15 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

The Super Hungry Dinosaur {Children's Book Review}

The Super Hungry Dinosaur
Written by Martin Waddell
Illustrated by Leonie Lord
Dial Books for Young Readers
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)


Are you ready for a dinosaur adventure? Well, Hal and his little dog Billy are! They take on a super hungry dinosaur with a courage that most of us would not have in the same situation.

'Grrrrrrr! I'm hungry and I've come to eat you!'

A super hungry dinosaur charges right into Hal's backyard and roars those words at Hal. And when Hal tells the dino politely that it's not fair to eat small children, the dinosaur decides he'll eat Hal's mom, dad, and dog instead. But Hal isn't going to stand by and let this happen without a fight. Despite the mouth full of shiny, sharp teeth. And piercing glare. What a brave boy!

What follows is simply hilarious. I won't give away too much of the story, but I can tell you that the ending is sweet and the read will definitely tickle your funny bone. I imagine that little boys will admire Hal and secretly wish they could have done what Hal did with that dinosaur.

Reading this book out loud is a delight, though with all the Grrrr-ing, you might find yourself going hoarse by the end. The sound effects had my little one grinning from ear to ear, what with all the growling, slurping, and dino voice changes. The story itself is one that I think any child can appreciate, boy or girl. The illustrations are simple and old-fashioned, an aspect of the book I loved.

Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book especially for little ones ages 3-7. :-)

Buy it!

You can buy The Super Hungry Dinosaur on Amazon.com for $11.55 (Retail $16.99).

This review is also published here at BookLoons.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me through BookLoons by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #18} Knee High to a Shoofly Fabric Growth Charts

What goes through your head when you think about growth charts? I have nostalgic images in my mind of notches carved into doors or slabs of wood, happy little people bounding to the measuring place and checking to see how much they've grown in the last month, two weeks, or five minutes. The pride in their faces. There's something about being able to see the growth that makes it special.

I think we did that when I was a child, but we moved around so much that there was no point in making marks on the wall or door, and any slabs of wood would have been lost in the moves. There are other alternatives, though! Paper, which won't last long... and fabric. Fabric is the option I would have chosen, but I wasn't sure how it could be done, and frankly I hadn't seen a nice fabric chart that was worth taking with us anywhere. But now? I've found it. And just in time to start marking the growth progress of my 18-month-old daughter, Emma. I am so thrilled! I don't have to wait for the annual doctor visits to find out how tall my little one is, lol.

About Knee High to a Shoofly:

I discovered Knee High to a Shoofly while browsing Etsy (something you'll notice I do often if you follow my blog) looking for growth charts. I love the idea of buying handmade, and there are some very ingenious ideas and designs to be found. But the one that stood out as a bright, shining star was a place that sold growth charts in a variety of charming animal shapes and very attractive, colorful fabrics.

These will keep as a long lasting memory that you and your child can look back on and shake your head thinking of how the times have flown by. And you can tell your Little One stories of when you yourself were only “knee high to a shoofly…”

It's All in the Details:

"Each growth chart is an original design, handmade made by me. All the fabric pieces are hand cut, pinned in place to a layer of quilters batting, and then machine stitched. From here, I do all the cording with yarn made from recycled bottles! (Each cut end is treated to reduce fraying.) Then the eyes and measuring tape are glued and hand stitched on. The backing is sewn on in a coordinating fabric, and I stitch on small metal hangers that the hanging ribbon is tied on to. A two sided tape is placed around all the edges so that the piece can hang flat and secure to the wall when it is hung. The tape is a special tape made to be permanent to the fabric, yet removable from your walls without damaging the paint! Each piece is made with care and attention to detail and will be a sweet keepsake for years to come."

Each Growth Chart Features:

• High-quality designer fabric
• Name personalization option
• Attached ribbon hanger and two-sided tape that won't ruin your walls
• Beautiful sewing work - it's essentially a quilted wall hanging
• Children 24 inches to 5 feet can use the charts
• Includes "height sticks" in your choice of color so you don't have to mark on the chart itself if you don't want to!
• So easy to take with you anywhere you move - just fold or roll it up and tuck it somewhere safe until you can put it up again!
  

My Thoughts/Review:

I received a personalized Gloria the Giraffe growth chart to review from Knee High to a Shoofly.

Gloria the Giraffe

My Giraffe

Gloria the Giraffe
Gloria Giraffe eats her greens!
No matter what tree - she loves them all!
If you eat your greens you, too, will grow OH SO TALL!

Oh. My. Word. This is such a rave-worthy product! Before I received my growth chart and got a real look at the quality of the work and the details, I thought $75.00 - 100.00 for a growth chart was a bit much for me to spend. Now, I want to tell you that it is completely worth it. I don't think anyone who ordered a growth chart from Knee High to a Shoofly could possibly be disappointed or feel like they overpaid. Seriously, mine is SO beautiful and without a doubt will be a keepsake. If anything, the lovely piece I received far surpassed my expectations. I'm beyond happy. Also, all of my correspondence with Grace has been 100% positive - she is one of the sweetest people I've ever worked with! Definitely the kind of person you want to buy from because she obviously cares about the quality of her work and she cares about her customers just as much!

Emma and I give Knee High to a Shoofly two little thumbs up (hers) and two big thumbs up (mine)! We absolutely love the purpose and design of Grace's growth charts and are thrilled to have been able to work with her!

For more details and thoughts and to get a good look at the Knee High to a Shoofly Growth Chart I received, check out my video review:

DEAL ALERT!

Get ready for a SWEET holiday deal! Grace of Knee High to a Shoofly is generously offering 20% off any of the holiday growth charts if you order by December 18th! This is an exclusive extension of her current special just for you! :-) When you order, make sure you mention in the comment space area that you saw this special discount at "A Kindred Spirit's Thoughts" and would love to take advantage of the 20% off discount!

Prize info: One very very VERY lucky winner will receive a personalized Jerome the Giraffe Growth Chart, sent to their door in a gift box with a ribbon! Any little boy or girl would love this! This giveaway open to everyone in the world!

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Knee High to a Shoofly and tell me which growth chart is your favorite! Please leave your email address in your comment or make sure it's in your public profile so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

Bonus KneeHigh Entries (+1 each):

♥ Read and comment on my exclusive interview with Grace here!

♥ Follow Grace on Twitter!

♥ Fan her on Facebook (this extra entry will be available in the next couple of days, I'll post when she's approved and has an address for us)

♥ Buy a growth chart from Knee High to a Shoofly! (5 Extra Entries! If you win, you'll get up to $75 reimbursement! Make sure you comment here five times if you order.)

♥ Tell Grace in a comment on this post which growth chart design you would like to see next from this list:

Allie the Alligator

Dan the Toucan

Shabby Chic Skunkie (really cute)

Elinor the Elephant

Rob the Robot

Lenny the Lion

Penny the Blue Penguin

DJ the Donkey

Ollie the Ostrich

Aqua and Orange Fish

Piggie Sue

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

You can Copy/Paste this Sample Tweet:

Win a gorgeous quilted Jerome the Giraffe growth chart from @kneehigh2 and @kindred_spirit - http://bit.ly/7eDjRu #giveaway

Giveaway will be closed on December 15 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)


If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It'll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)

Playskool Explore 'N Grow Busy Ball Popper Review

My 18-month-old daughter, Emma, loves balls. She always has! I think it has something to do with my basketball-playin' husband always kicking a ball around. She must be like him, you know. ;-) She even sits in her carseat in the back of our vehicle with a basketball in her lap, happy as a little lark. It was her first word, too. "Ball!" Yes, she's definitely a lover of the circular.

Playskool has a couple great lines of learning toys for babies and toddlers - Busy Basics and Explore 'N Grow. When I was offered the opportunity to review Playskool's Explore 'N Grow Busy Ball Popper, I was excited. I knew it would be the perfect toy for Emma. And I was right! Check out our thoughts...

Recommended Ages: 9 months and up.

Retail Price: $24.99

What it Does: "Get silly with poppin’, droppin’ colored balls! Pump the plunger and drop the balls onto the spiral track. When they reach the bottom, look out – the balls pop out the top! Giggles are guaranteed with 8 lively songs to help keep the fun rolling along. And later, when baby’s a bit older, there’s even more fun to be had by chasing after the bright, busy balls!"
Learning Opportunity: Encourages toddler interaction by popping balls out of the chute. A definite learning opportunity! Children will wonder how it works and enjoy placing the balls at the top of the chute and watching them roll down the tube. Too much fun and lots going on!

Video Review/Demo:

A Mom's Thoughts:

This toy is WAAAY too much fun! It's one of my favorites of Emma's toys because it's unpredictable and I love watching her expression as she plays with it. She was a little bit scared at first (it's fairly loud, a little quieter than a vacuum probably), but gradually became less afraid because it was just too fascinating to stay away from. She absolutely loves putting the balls down the chute and chasing after the balls when they pop out the top. There are five balls and every time you push the little happy head/button down, while the balls come popping out, a different tune plays. Sometimes the balls go back down the chute only to pop out the top again, and sometimes they pop out all over the place so that you have to go running for them. You'd think it would be annoying, but it's not at all! It would be totally boring if it was so perfect and predictable that the balls only went in circles. I think that this toy is well-designed and will hold interest well.

What I don't like:

This is a pretty loud toy. But it's so much fun, no one cares. :-)

Conclusion:

Emma and I give the Busy Ball Popper two little thumbs up and two big thumbs up! We love it and recommend it!

Buy it!

The Playskool Busy Ball Popper retails for $24.99 and is available at most stores like Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us.

Special Deal Alert!

You can get a $5.00 coupon off this toy and coupons off many others at the Playskool website!

If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It'll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)