@Kenson Parenting Solutions

How is that my once sweet, lovable infant who went to bed so easily when I put him down and walked away has morphed into this tantrumming toddler, screaming at the top of his lungs who bangs the walls, shut doors in my face, then trashes his room by dumping all the books from his bookshelf on the floor? I’m mortified and horrified to think what he’ll be like as a teenager. What on god’s earth did I do to this poor child to have a 2 hour tantrum before bed that has him pushing me with two hands and screaming these words, “Go Away!” So I walk away. Then it’s “Come Back You!” “Lie Down You!” “Right there, you can see, he has no idea what it is he wants, I think he’s just over tired and just looking to control me.

Then, I proceed to scream at my husband from the top of the stairs during the whole incident that he better be “googling” how the hell to help this kid while I’m up there taking my nighttime beating physically and emotionally after working all day when I have very little left to give.

There are any number of things that may or may not have happened for us to be the recipients of Gavin’s new found ways of love these days. For sure the holidays definitely got us off our bedtime schedule out late at parties. He’s had multiple sinus infections, respiratory infections and a bout of diarrhea. A few days after Christmas, we transitioned him to a full size bed because he was climbing out of his crib like a circus act. And well, there’s the he’s just a toddler excuse. This is what toddlers do, this wonderful, I guess, thankfully normal stage of development where they are trying to become autonomous. Oh, one more. Since all his teeth are in, he’s definitely got to be growing.

So now that we’ve gotten through the excuses– I will say, parents, it’s so much easier and calmer to help someone problem solve this from the clinician side, being stuck in the trenches yourself does not allow for a lot of mental clarity, that I will say. So I called my best friend and toddler expert, another OT who works with this age group and bounced some ideas off of her to get back on track. Phone a friend people, you are not the only going through this, I promise.

Here’s the plan and though it’s not perfect, the tantrums are not 2 hours long anymore and it’s getting definitely easier. This routine may not work specifically for your child or family but it might spark an idea that will. Whatever the case, make sure to read about my reward chart secret weapon, that is the take home piece of this story.

- We needed to get back to a very structured bedtime schedule. I’ve started the bedtime routine at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to allow for more time and am trying to focus solely on him. I leave my iPhone downstairs so there are no temptations to “tweet, pin, or update my facebook status.”

- Being in winter we haven’t been doing regular baths to save time and my energy, but it’s definitely a routine with warm water and calming capabilities so we’re back to short, nightly baths.

-For safety purposes, we gated the door of his room with a First Years gate that he can not climb over. So if he’s mad I can come back and check on him without needing to go into the room.

-After bath we put on his diaper, he has a choice of his pajamas (only 2), and I’ve started a lotion routine. It helps keep his dry skin at bay and he seems to enjoy the massage effect.

-We actually go back down stairs after he’s in his pajamas, which may not be the best choice, but we bring his blanket and pacifier with us. Before, if we tried to stay in his room to do the entire bedtime routine he knew it was coming and the  behaviors escalated. I wanted to keep time in the room to a minimum, so he knows it’s bedtime and not playtime.

-Then here comes my secret weapon, the I Can Get Ready for School Chart (pictured above), which is a reward chart from Kenson Parenting Solutions. This company makes a whole host of customizable charts to help kids be rewarded with stars for their good behavior from daily routine charts, to getting ready for school charts, to potty training charts. They have different pictures that can be attached to the chart and there is a magnetic back to be placed on a refrigerator or metal door. It costs $9.95, much less than a sleep specialist.

-I pulled out several of the velcro squares. Clean Your Toys, Brush Your Hair and Teeth, 3 Blank Ones (1 for each book we read) and the Go to Bed/Stay in Bed square.

-We clean up his toys, then he removes the square and places it on the opposite side of the chart to indicate it’s finished. We brush his teeth and do the same.

-We dim the lights and sit on the couch together with his blanket. The 3 blank squares signify the 3 books we read. He has a special bag of library books and choses 1 book at a time. After each book is finished we move over the square. When we reach the time to Go to Bed square he moves it over and  we head upstairs.

-Once in his bed, I read one final story. His absolute favorite which is the same book every night, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen. I leave only the hallway lights on when we read together, at this point I know it by heart, and he holds his special Lighting McQueen flashlight.

- He lies down on the pillow and I give him his pacifier and blanket. For some reason he started requesting months ago that I pat his bum, which I do, usually for a count of 10, then I kiss him goodnight, leave the room and shut the gate.

- I have joined the rank of every good parent and for successful diaper/dressing changes, and attempts at peeing on the potty, he gets an M&M as a positive reward.

Last night it took him almost 45 minutes to settle down and fall asleep but it was without any major tantrum incidents. I could hear him talking and he called for me a few times, but it was much better than previous nights. He is very rules oriented and structured, so the visual chart has been the best choice for us at this point.  This is the part of parenthood that is so hard, especially when you are tired and spent at the end of the day. Being consistent is the hardest thing to do, but a visual chart may help keep you both focused when you are both to frustrated for words. What ever you do, don’t weather the storm alone, because you definitely aren’t alone.

Kenson Parenting Solutions has provided these reward charts free to facilitate this review. The opinions above are my own with a little help from my best friend Debbie Beaulieu, a magnificent OT in Connecticut.

Mommy & Me Tech Segment on Better TV

Back in December I got a really fun opportunity to be part of a television segment on the Better TV show in New York City, which is hosted by Audra Lowe. The segment, sponsored by VTech Toys, discussed some concerns that moms like myself might have about introducing a young child to technology.  Brett Larson, a technology expert, was included in the segment to provide his view of what age is good to start exposing young children to technology toys.

The video itself is hosted on the Better TV site, so please view it by clicking this link:

Mommy & Me Tech with Keri Wilmot from ToyQueen.com

In case you might have older children, Tracie from Penny Pinchin Mom and Crystal from Simply Being Mommy were included in an additional segment on Better TV, that discussed how to include technology with multiple children at different age levels.

My travel expenses were paid for as part of this opportunity. I was not provided with any additional compensation. All opinions expressed in the video are my own.

Ruckus Media Group, a fabulous creator of great ipad apps for kids, has been producing a variety of children’s apps that are very interactive in nature, educational and many are based on some great traditional stories. You can read some past reviews on Tom Thumb, Pecos Bill, The Velveteen Rabbit and Chuck the Truck here.

A Present for Milo is an interactive storybook where children can follow Milo the cat on a chase after a mouse in his house. There are all sorts of interactive spaces where kids can touch different pictures in the book that come to life. Gavin’s favorite page is one of the first pages where it says, “Knock Knock Knock!” He will then start banging wildly on the iPad screen repeating it. With the flick of a finger kids figure out real early these days, they can easily turn the page. The only thing that’s hard with a toddler is that once they figure out the ability to activate different pictures their impulsive little selves rear their ugly heads and before you know it they are pushing the home button on the iPad and flipping back and forth between pages like crazy, at least driving me a little nuts. I did find this app to be a little sensitive on the page flip, but the interesting piece for me is how smart and resourceful even toddlers can be. Gavin has figured out that I can activate certain pictures on the page easier than he can and he’ll often take my index finger in his hand and guide it to a picture on the page that he wants me to help him with.

What I love about this book, which is why it’s great for toddlers and preschoolers, is that not only can it help them to learn some basic vocabulary, but it allows children to learn even more specifically about “cause and effect,” which gives them a sense of curiousity and control in their lives as they remember that by touching a certain place on the page, something happens, which causes them to do it again, again and again. There are great sound effects in this book with dozens of experiences on each page. This book is also great to teach kids about those hard to learn prepositions: in, under, across, through, and down. I won’t spoil the surprise of the story, but if you are looking for a real inexpensive birthday gift idea to share with your child on their birthday, this is a great book and app to help celebrate that special occasion. Apps are definitely way cheaper than actual cards these days, they don’t end up in the trash and can provide memorable and educational experiences for your whole family day after day.

Ruckus Media provided this app free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

A year or so ago I received a DVD with a few episodes of what was then a new show for preschool aged kids called Chuggington. Both Gavin and I were hooked. Most kids are very familiar with Thomas the Train, and I was so excited to see a fresh new take on trains with Chuggington. Chuggington is the story of 3 trainee’s, Koko, Wilson and Brewster, who are growing up and learning all the tough skills of being good train engines. The music is upbeat and catchy. The episodes are short, about 15 minutes, which makes it a perfect time filler, without feeling like I’ve stuck him in front of the television all day. The lessons are practical and geared to preschool aged children who are learning to take turns and be good friends to others.

Even more exciting, Chuggington has partnered up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.gov), to bring good traffic and safety awareness to children ages 2-7 and their family. Though Gavin’s a little young for understanding “The Safety Pledge,” their website has a lot of great interactive videos, activities and games that teach young children all about wearing their seatbelt, riding the bus, wearing helmets when using ride-on toys and crossing the street so kids can “Think Safe, Ride Safe and Be Safe!” As a parent and an educator, it’s always important to find ways to reinforce these skills to our children, without constantly feeling like we are lecturing. What better way to help them learn these skills in a fun way with some of their most familiar toys and characters. These activities provide a way for children to be able to practice and discuss these skills in a safe environment, so they can eventually learn to then generalize what they have learned into real life situations.

Here’s the PSA announcement:

Here’s a link to a review I completed on the Chuggington Die Cast Training Yard Playset with Loop from Learning Curve.

Here’s a link to the Chuggington Safety Site for more information.

We have received a free Chuggington DVD and promotional materials regarding this initiative. Any other opinions are my own.

Thomas the Train Holiday Favorites 3 DVD Gift Set Includes: 

©Amazon

• Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish – “Thomas has a special delivery for the holidays – the festive and magical Star of Knapford! From building snowmen and preparingholiday surprises to attending the Misty Island Christmas party, the more the merrier. So join the fun and celebrate the season when wishes really do come true!”
• Thomas & Friends: Ultimate Christmas- “Experience the joy and magic of the holidays with this speical collection of Christmas favorites from Thomas & Friends. From Jack Frost sightings to acts of Christmas kindness and much, much more, all of the fun arrives just in time for holiday celebrations!”
• Thomas & Friends: Holiday Express – “All aboard for an unforgettable holiday! Whe you ride the rails with your jolliest firends, you can expect exciting adventures filled with surprise parties, adorable snowmen, lucky trucks and much, much more! Join Henry, Emily, Percy and Thomas for trainloads of fun and festivities! 

©Amazon

Shaun the Sheep: We Wish Ewe A Merry Christmas – “‘Tis the season to be wooly with Shaun the Sheep and his farmyard friends. Frolic with the flock as they decorate the farmhouse for the Farmer, watch Bitzer and Pidsley batle for a spot by the fire, join a massive snowball fight and much much more in these seven hilarious episodes from an Oscar-winning creator of Wallace and Gromit.”

Barney Holiday Favorites 3 DVD Gift Set  Includes: 

©Amazon

• Barney: Night Before Christmas  - “Barney and his friends spend the most wonderful time of the year on a magical journey to the North Pole as very special guests at Santa’s Workshop. With music in the air and laughter everywhere, it’s a dream come true as Santa unveils a holiday treat – his secret toys for Christmas”
• Barney: Christmas Star – ” ‘Tis the season to be jolly with Barney and his friends! The festive fun begins with a joyful journey to find a shiny gold star for the Christmas tree and includes loads of magical, musical merriment along the way.”
• HIT Favorites: Frosty Friends - “Bundle up with your favorite preschool pals in these playful wintertime tales. Learn the true meaning of Christmas with Barney, build a snowman withBob, go sledding wiht Kipper, whistle down the snowy tracks with Thomas and laugh along as Pingu plays hilarous tricks on his winter-wonderland friends.”

©Amazon

Busy Town Fire Station

A few weeks ago Gavin and I took a trip to the local library. However, taking a toddler there can be kind of a nightmare while he tries to escape out the front door and down the stairs, so I’m learning to make friends with the librarians real quickly. It just so happened that the week before we received the Busytown Playsets to review, the librarian dropped the Richard’s Scarry’s book Cars and Trucks and Things that Go into my bag when I asked for some recommendations for truck lovers. I was completely floored when at just 2, Gavin understood the silliness and humor of the illustrations, while he pointed to the Bananamobile, Broom-o-cycle, pumpkin car and apple van and giggled hysterically.

Busytown Starter Set

We received two playsets to review, the Roadway Starter Set and the Town Fire Station. These sets are suggested for kids ages 3 and up. We opened the Roadway Starter Set first. This set includes Lowly driving his apple car, 8 plastic roadway tracks arranged in an oval, a small bookstore, as well as a traffic sign and signal.  These tracks are compatible with some wooden rail tracks, and it didn’t take me long to have all sorts of trains, cars and Little People animals surrounding the tracks building our own diverse neighborhood.

However, once we opened the Town Fire Station he was absolutely in love. He’s a truck and car guy, so he was mesmerized by the fire station. This set comes with 8 plastic roadway pieces, a fire truck, fire station, and a Fireman pig. It only took me a minute or two to get the pieces of the fire station together. However, the two front doors kept falling off when he tried to open and close them on his own with his fingers, so I permanently removed them for now so he wouldn’t get frustrated. He loves pushing the button that launches the fire truck out of the fire station onto the tracks, over and over. The station and the accessories are durable plastic and well made. I’m not a huge fan of the plastic tracks, but the fact that they are compatible with the wooden ones is a big plus for me for interactivity and imaginative play.

Right now Gavin’s still a little young for pretend playsets like this. He loves the pieces of them and the mechanics of how they operate right now, but as is appropriate for his age, he is just beginning to understand how to pretend to be asleep and translate these actions when playing to characters. However, in just a few short months, I won’t doubt that given his love for the Richard Scarry characters on the page of his favorite book, he’ll soon be finding ways to bridge the gap from the book to the living room floor.

We are giving away the Busytown Starter Set and Busytown Fire Engine Set! Please see below for details!

I received these two playsets free to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

The Elf on the Shelf

All of my friends with older children have raved about The Elf on the Shelf.  Seriously, Santa is ingenious. Sending little elves to watch over our little ones throughout the holiday season as spies to report back to him on whether they are being naughty or nice, is just plain awesome. My sister bought Gavin his own elf, as well as The Elf on the Shelf book last Christmas, and recently I decided to open the box and read him the story.

All elves are uniquely different, but they can be purchased with either light skin, dark skin, black hair, brown hair, brown eyes or blue eyes. Our elf came in a large box along with a storybook. As the story goes, each house has their own elf, that the kids name themselves. During the holiday season, the elf returns every night to the North Pole to tell Santa whether the children were behaving or not. Every morning, upon his return, the elf can be found resting in a different place to watch! The children are instructed not to touch their elf, or he will lose his magic, and on Christmas Eve, the elf returns to the North Pole to help Santa until the holiday season arrives the following year.

At just 2, Gavin is a little young for the concept, but I thought I’d give it a try. When we got to the page where I asked him what we should name the elf, he said, “All done!”  So even though we’ll probably wait until next year to officially name our elf, I’m sure he’ll enjoy playing hide and seek with him in the meantime. If your kids could use a little incentive for good behavior this holiday season, The Elf on the Shelf may be a great tradition to add to your holiday preparations. To find your nearest Elf Adoption Center, visit the website, www.elfontheshelf.com.

We received The Elf on the Shelf as a gift. The opinions are my own.

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price I Can Play Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 18 months and up, this hoop is toddler friendly! There are 4 different height positions, which are very easy to change. There is an additional rim making it easier for kids to score at younger ages!

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price Grow to Pro Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 2 and up, it grows to 4 different heights, 3 ft., 4 ft., 5 ft., and 6 ft.

©Discovery

Discovery Kids Bubble Bouncer

This is a folding trampoline for kids ages 12 months and up to work on their gross motor skills for bouncing and jumping!

©Derek Wilmot Photography

YBike Pewi

This is a ride-on toy for kids ages 12 months to 36 months. It can hold a maximum weight of 44 lbs., but it’s 4, quiet caster wheels are amazing indoor since they do not scratch, mark or damage wooden floors.

Fisher-Price provided the  I Can Play Basketball Hoop and YBike provided the YBike Pewi to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

@Sesame Workshop

Even before Gavin was born, I knew I wanted him to have a pacifier, despite many people’s contradictory opinions. Working with children who have self-regulation difficulties, or kids for some reason or another who haven’t learned to soothe themselves when they are upset, I was determined to find something for him that would help him self-calm that wouldn’t be me, the bottle or my breasts. And much to the lactation consultant’s dismay, he had a soothie pacifier the day we left the hospital, and never suffered a moment of nipple confusion. Call me crazy but my personal philosophy was simple, you can’t cut off a child’s thumb or fingers, but at some point when they are ready, you can transition them away from the binky by throwing it away, cutting the nipple or giving it away. Gavin is now 2 and his Wubbanub soothie pacifier is his best friend, and I’m not kidding.  As he has learned to talk, he has had multiple nicknames for it along the way, “ming ming, minky, my minky, binky,” and I know as well as anyone, once he named it, we were doomed. Now, like many people, here we are right in the throes of trying to figure out how to get rid of the pacifier.

@Wubbanub

We tried for a week over the summer taking it away cold turkey when he was about 20 months. For those of you familiar with Wubbanubs, which is an adorable animal, attached to a Soothie pacifier, we actually removed the pacifier from the stuffed animal and gave him the animal to sleep with. That week was the most miserable of our lives, probably more so than his. After 1 week of being pacifier free, we actually gave it back. Yes, I broke the rule and did what everyone told me not to and I went back on my word. Nap and nightime got harder and harder for him to fall asleep, or he would wake up in the middle of the night and would be crying desperately trying to find it in the crib. Being a full time working parent and blogger, I personally needed Gavin to sleep consistently because his nap time and bedtime is my work time. Though we didn’t fully transition him away from the binky forever, during that experience we did make some headway. He stopped bringing the binky to daycare for naps and at home we have tried to allow access to the pacifier only in his bed or in his room.

So now that he’s two, we are on step 2 of the plan. A few weeks ago, was national “Put Down the Pacifier Day.” I was asked about reviewing a copy of a new Sesame Street DVD, called, Bye-Bye, Pacifier! Big Kid Stories with Elmo and I jumped at the opportunity. This DVD features 3 different segments with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends that help kids make the leap to big kid things like saying good bye to the pacifier, riding a bicycle and getting a haircut. Gavin is mesmerized by the pacifier segment. What I love about it is that there are multiple strategies that Elmo proposes as ways that he tried to stop using his pacifier. He places them all in a box to give to another baby, he attempts to trade one in at Hooper’s store for another comfort item, and leaves them under his pillow for Abby Cadabby the Binky Fairy. Multiple times along the way Elmo is not successful or ready for the big transition either. That’s the message I love about this DVD, it gives kids a way to practice and plan for the big event. There’s an adorable song that Elmo sings along with Gordon called, “Bye- Bye Binky, Binky Bye -Bye,” which Gavin frequently requests that we watch together on Youtube and I hear him singing on his own when he’s playing. We don’t have a specific timeframe right now of when the big day will come that we will say goodbye to his best friend again, but in the meantime, we’ll keep watching Bye-Bye Pacifier! Big Kid Stories with Elmo hoping that our good friend Elmo will help pave the way for a successful transition, whenever it may be.

Wubbanub Review at Toy Fair with ToyQueen

Pretend & Play Pro Chef Set by Learning Resources

Play kitchens are very popular to expand the social skills and pretend play skills of toddler and preschool aged children (ages 2-5). This age group is all about imitating what Mommy, Daddy, their siblings and friends do, which is why kitchen sets are a great toy for this age group. About a year ago, we received a play kitchen for Gavin which sent me on a mission to the nearest Target, searching for some pots and pans for his pretend cooking pleasure. I could not believe it, but all of the kids pots and pans available for purchase in the store were pink. You can read my rant about gender biases creating housekeeping toys to be only pink here.  When I was contacted about reviewing the Pretend & Play Pro Chef Set by Learning Resources, the moment I saw that the pans were blue I instantly fell in love. Thank God, a company that is marketing a pots and pan set for a kids kitchen set, that both boys and girls can play with!

The set includes a deluxe stock pot, saucepan, 2 lids, skillet, spatula, large spoon, oven mitt, play food (chicken leg, carrot, corn on the cob and fried egg) and a write & wipe Activity Guide.  The pots and pans are plastic and lightweight, easy for a toddler to lift up and down, as well as to place in and out of the oven and various cabinets. Many of the other sets I have viewed in the store, if they are not pink, are all sorts of bright and unrealistic colors. I like the color of these pots and pans, and feel they are more similar to what real pots and pans might look like.  The spatulas and spoons are gray and also lightweight.  The play food will give your child a few options to start, but I would still suggest purchasing some additional  play food. Amazingly, my toddler knows what the oven mitt is for and though he wears it on the opposite hand from the one that he holds the pots and pans with, it’s one of my favorite accessories. In all honesty, I haven’t seen any other sets that come with the oven mitt. We need to teach our kids about safety, especially when cooking, and this is a nice way to reinforce this concept. If you are looking for some pots and pans to purchase for your child’s kitchen set this holiday season, the Pretend & Play Pro Chef Set by Learning Resources is great for this age group and retails for about $24.99.

Other related articles you might find interesting:

Review of the Learning Resources Pretend & Play Ice Cream Shop

Video Review of the Small World Toys Fun With Fruit

Constructive Playthings Kitchen Set

Why are So Many Toy Plates, Vacuum Cleaners and Shopping Carts PINK?

Learning Resources provided this set free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

This year I got an awesome change in my schedule and I now have Mondays off from working as an occupational therapist, so I started looking for some fun, local, free activities for Gavin and I to do in the morning. Our local library has a “lap sit” toddler group in the morning where for a half hour parents, their children and the librarian sing songs, blow some bubbles and read a few stories. I can not tell you when the last time I actually went to the library was, but I dug out my old card so we could take some books home with us and off we went.

After the group when we tried to pick out books, Gavin was so excited, he ran running through the stacks of books, playing peek-a-boo on the other side. He had no interest in sitting to read any books or to play with any toys. He was more preoccupied with licking the water fountain and trying to wash his hands in the bathroom.

I had asked the librarian if one of our favorite authors, of course whose name I did not know off hand, had any other similar books to his favorite, Click Clack Moo Cows that Type.  While I was asking her, Gavin was sliding books off the shelves quicker than I could imagine and from places I could have never found on my own to return to the proper spot. I was looking for books in the actual library, by how cool the cover looked, just like I can see them in iBooks on my iPad. Except, the books are stacked in rows by their bindings and very few covers were showing. I did manage to grab a few books before we then sat waiting at the check out area. After a few minutes the librarian looked at me and said, “Can I help you?” I said I wanted to check out my books. She then pointed me to the self-checkout line and then had to give me a tutorial. Yes, just like the grocery store, our library has a self checkout area. After I tried to scan the UPC code of the book, just like I would do at the supermarket, she had to point out that there was an entirely different sku area. I couldn’t have been more happier to get out of there feeling horribly guilty that Gavin the tornado had left his mark on the place. Can I just ask, when did the library actually come close to being hip with the times, and where have I been during this transformation?

So in retrospect here were some simple ideas I had so when we make our return trip next week life me be just a little easier. Simple I know, but they would have made my quality of life, that much easier this morning.

- I will bring one of those re-useable shopping bags to carry the books in. I hardly carry a purse or a diaper bag anymore, so I walked in with Gavin empty handed. A flailing toddler and 5 books up and down a flight of stairs was not fun.

- Next time I will plan ahead, days ahead. These days with the addition of the ability to find books and hold them online, from the comfort of my computer I will reserve to my heart’s content without having to try to find something I think Gavin will like, in the moment of insanity. Maybe we’ll hunt for one book when we are there, instead of trying to locate an entire stack!

©Spinmaster

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am a huge lover of Aquadoodle, especially when working with toddlers, because I think it’s one of the safest ways to teach kids about coloring without the worries or fears of damaging any walls or furniture. Using the water filled pen, kids draw on the large white mat, and their lines magically appear. In older versions of this toy, the lines drawn were always blue. Now, with Aquadoodle Color, colors magically appear when the child uses the pen to draw on the mat! Then, once the water dries on the mat, the drawings disappear. This is a great toy that can be used repeatedly, involves no mess other than water, and it folds up easily, so it’s perfect to take on an outing to grandparents’ houses, to the park or to playdates.

The mat itself has a variety of drawings on the side paired with their corresponding letter of the alphabet. The drawings are comprised of simple curves and shapes, making them easy for older elementary school aged kids, as well as adults to recreate. My toddler loves watching us draw the pictures and likes to guess what the picture is, which is a way to also build his vocabulary. Thankfully, I can actually use the drawings to create something he can identify, because drawing is definitely not my strong suit! We also like to draw a big race track on the mat, he loves zooming his cars on the path.

If you are looking for an even smaller travel alternative, Aquadoodle Doodle Buddy comes as either a bear, bunny or penguin, which children can use the pen to draw accessories onto the face or tummy.  The toy’s hand includes an elastic attachment which stores the small pen.

Spinmaster provided Aquadoodle Color and an Aquadoodle Doodle Buddy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Storyland is a deceivingly large, family friendly, amusement park geared mostly for kids ages 2-12. Children (3 and over) as well as adults are currently $27.99 per person, but the price of the admission ticket includes all rides, shows and attractions. Children 2 and under enter free. Our trip and experience was based on two adults visiting with a 20 month old toddler, so there were many rides and attractions we did not personally experience during this particular trip simply because of his age, size and attention span. Though children grow so fast and because of the wide array of rides and attractions, there was  a little something for everyone, so I could see how a family could have a totally different experience with each visit to the park.

Even though we were only in the park for a total of 5 hours, we rode about 7 different rides (some more than once), took a boat trip on the Storyland Queen, visited Cinderella in her castle, had a showdown with Humpty Dumpty, sat with Mother Goose and spent a lot of time playing in the Little Dreamers section of the park that included a ball pit and other activities with cute photo opportunities perfectly sized for a toddler. We were busy every moment we were inside the park, and because the park was so large, it never felt crowded.

The park has are over 21 different rides, which are clearly marked for each age group. Kids taller than 36 inches can ride every ride in the park, with an adult accompanying them; while children taller than 48 inches can ride alone.  There is a rider exchange program where a parent can wait behind to care for a child who doesn’t meet the ride requirements and then switch off. We ate our lunch before we entered the park, but inside bought an ice cream and a few drinks, which were about $3 each. I personally feel like anytime you buy food at a place like this it is always going to be more on the expensive side, so I didn’t really have sticker shock. On the day of our trip I thought the park was very clean. There were bathrooms centrally located in multiple areas of the park. There was also many baby changing and nursing areas for mothers, which came in handy to do several quick diaper change.

Our favorite experience in the whole park was the Egg-stroardinary Farm Tractors.  This ride was definitely worth the almost 10 minute wait to see Gavin quickly figure out how to “drive” the tractor. I had a flash forward to 15 years from now, as my husband and I sat in the back, while he drove the tractor, quickly figuring out how to drive with one hand and change the station with the other, faster than I could ever anticipate. The fun he had in those few minutes was totally worth the tantrum he had when the ride was over, and the family picture we purchased for $12 was priceless.

If you ever take a visit to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, be sure to add this family friendly amusement park to your list.

Storyland provided my family with 3 free tickets to the park to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Despite actually being a really sweet and cute movie, this was the first movie that my family got to see together, so just because of this sentimental fact, it will always hold a special place in my heart.  Yes, we were the crazy ones who decided that we’d try to take a 20 month old toddler to the movies at 7:00 p.m. at night, for the first time. Could have been a disaster, but thankfully it wasn’t and to any of you who were there, Gavin was one of the many little voices chirping throughout the theater, who could also be heard clapping and yelling “Yeah” and “Bear” after some of the adorably silly scenes and musical scores.

The movie itself was short, only 68 minutes, and with a toddler in tow, it was still a bit long for him. He was great for the first 30 minutes, but the moment that there was even the hint of a pause, he was trying to engage the kids in front of him and behind him in a game of peek-a-boo. Though I can’t remember the last time I actually watched Winnie the Pooh, it had a nice pace, with several great, but not overpowering musical sound effects that thankfully kept drawing Gavin’s attention and interest back to the big screen. In case you might be bored at the thought of attending this movie with your kids, there was plenty of adult humor to go around. I found myself laughing out-loud on several occasions, especially when Winnie the Pooh’s tumbly gets all rumbly.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends, Christopher Robin, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Tigger, Kanga and Roo all work together to help find Eeyore’s lost tail, all for the reward of a one, gigantic, sweet pot of honey. There is also a lot of drama that ensues as the crew worries that Christopher Robin has been taken by a monster, called a “Backson.”

Overall, I really enjoyed the soothing sound of the character’s voices and accents throughout the movie and it was definitely one, “sweet” and memorable performance, our family enjoyed together.

Here’s a little clip of all of the cute ideas that were suggested to replace Eeyore’s old tail:

Here’s the official movie trailer:

Will you and your family see the Winnie the Pooh movie?

Disney provided our family with a free showing for Winnie the Pooh. All opinions are my own.

A few months ago we received a new tricycle for my 1 1/2 year old son, so I went on the search for a new toddler bike helmet. Some people might wonder why I would be so diligent about getting a helmet for my toddler; considering he’s in a 5 point harness and I’m pushing the tricycle with one of those large extension handles. Not only do I have a job because children suffer from brain injuries that are often the cause of freak accidents, but just like the dentist tells you brushing a child’s teeth at a young age is more about forming a good habit, I thought the same for my toddler. If he’s always known to wear a helmet when he rides his bike, I’m hoping there shouldn’t be any issues around wearing one when he gets older. Not to mention, though he might not be the one falling off yet, if we are pushing him on the road near cars and other bikes, I’d rather be more safe than sorry.

The Giro helmet is pretty stylish for the little guy, he absolutely has no problem wearing it, and it sits squarely on the top of his head, nice and snug. This particular helmet has a pinch-free buckle, visor, bug netting and two blinking red lights that are battery operated to help warn oncoming traffic.

In our family, helmets will be a must-wear, with no if’s, and’s or but’s allowed. The same goes for you parents, if you don’t wear a helmet, I would expect an argument from your children. Practice what you preach and make sure the entire family gets outfitted for a sturdy helmet. Giro has an extensive line of bike helmets for adults and children for both cycling, skating and snowboarding, and on their website they have a nice video that will instruct you how to measure the head appropriately for proper fit. We need to make sure those little noggins are protected in any way we can.

Need to personalize your helmets, also check out an interview I did with my friend Gregg from Helmtops last summer!

Giro provided this helmet free to facilitate the review. All opinions are my own.

Photo courtesy of Derek Wilmot Photography.