©Patch Products

The traveling season is upon us and whether we are leaving for a weekend or a week, Gavin always has his bag of toys and games. It can sometimes be a challenge to pack a lot of fun into only 1 bag though, and in all honesty, I never bring many of his absolute favorite toys with us because I don’t want to worry about replacing them if pieces get lost along the way, so I look for some fun but inexpensive additions.

Patch Products is a family owned company headquartered in Wisconsin. One of my favorite Patch Products is the Lauri Pegboard. Recently they sent 2 of their new Big Little Games for review, Spurtle Turtle and Flingin’ Frogs. These are games recommended for kids ages 3-4 and up, but I’ve had fun using them with the kids at school up through first or even second grade if multiple kids, especially different ages, are playing together. The price points of these games are around $8.99, so they are also great birthday gifts for this age group.

Flingin’ Frogs includes 12 plastic frogs, that when you push down on the back with your index finger, they will fly towards the lily pad if you can figure out how to flick your finger just right. All of the pieces of the lily pad come apart and store with the frogs in the container. There are numbers on the lily pads to keep score. There’s a little bit of a learning curve on flicking the frogs, so some kids have been initially frustrated, but have welcomed the challenge to persist. I’ve found if you place this game in front of a wall for young kids who are struggling with landing them on the lily pads, the wall is a great rebound surface and many kids have had more success that way.

Spurtle Turtle is a token matching game with cute sea creatures. All the tokens are placed inside the turtle. By pushing the button 2 tokens will fly out. The child then has to turn them over and look for a match. If they don’t get a match, they put the tokens face down on the table and it includes a memory game as well. Spurtle Turtle’s button was a little sensitive and it if it’s not pushed with just one finger, fairly quickly, the pieces often jam in the bottom stalling the game play. The kids were so excited to bang the button, pieces were flying out everywhere and on flat floor surfaces, let’s just say the memory game became hide and seek! For younger kids who need less steps, place the tokens inside the turtle picture side up and they won’t have to worry about flipping them, they can just quickly look for matches.

What games will you bring on your family vacations this year?

Patch Products provided these toys free to facilitate this review, the opinions are my own.

©LEGO

Have you thought about buying LEGO’s for your child or as a gift? I can’t believe how many kids love to construct with LEGO’s. I said it before when I reviewed the LEGO Duplo Creative Sorter, my son sits with my LEGO media kit binder, flipping through it like it’s the Bible, consuming every picture, asking questions and commenting on the characters.

Today I brought the LEGO Duplo My First Build Kit into school. LEGO Duplo’s are larger blocks, geared for younger builders ages 1 1/2 to 5. I decided I’d give it a whirl and use it with a few kids, all boys, 2 seven-year-olds and a 6-year-old. I took a chance giving it to 3 kids out of the suggested age range, but they all really enjoyed their time with the kit. I was shocked in all honesty, that I didn’t hear anything about this being for little kids or “babies.” I was more concerned with some of the comments they made about their ability to build with LEGOS.

This particular set is neat because it includes 59 multi-colored pieces, but there are 4 double-sided cards. One side has a picture of something that can be built out of the included DUPLO’s. The other side includes a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a different item. Kids can either follow the directions, or similar to the Creative Sorter, they can place the pieces on the card like a template. I’m a concrete learner, step-by-step directions and pictures are my best friends, and for some kids, this is also true. Others are imaginative and have the ability to create from scratch and wow you with their final product. So this feature alone allows 2 different types of learners or children with different skill levels to customize their experience and build at their level.

While we were building I started asking the kids questions about LEGO’s. 1 child reported he had one of the LEGO video games and that he had a Star Wars kit at home that he plays with, but that his father built for him. Another child,  stated, “I don’t have any. I’m not a good builder.”  Now my opinion might be swayed in that I was using this kit with children who are having some visual spatial skills at school. However, this got me thinking, in general, as a parent even though your child may have a specific interest prompting you to head to the store looking for pirate ships, Avengers characters, Star Wars sets, you name it, something big with loads of pieces that all their friends are asking for. But what if they don’t have the skills to build it? Meaning, what if they can’t follow the instructions, or they don’t have enough hand strength to push the pieces together? Even the kids I worked with today had poor awareness of their force, they’d push to hard, part of it would fall, bumping into another structure they had already built with a piece that would then fall off like a domino effect. Then comes the frustration and anger, turning something fun into a disaster.

Here were some ideas I had on how you can gauge your child’s ability level with LEGO’s and help them be happy, successful constructors.

- For kids in that borderline age range like 5 or 6, they are bridging between a Duplo and the regular sized LEGO bricks. If you are purchasing the smaller LEGO’s, opt for a smaller set that has fewer pieces to save on cost and really get a sense of how much help they may or may not need with larger sets, that is unless you are a closet LEGO loving adult who is happy to build all of the structures yourself!

- A few years ago I attempted to put together LEGO Ramses’s Pyramid with another child and we way underestimated how much time it would take to build the structure nevermind learn how to play the game included, so set a reasonable time limit, and complete the project in stages

- Many would say, searching the  floor or pile for the correct brick is part of the fun of the process, but for some kids, this can be completely visually overwhelming. Pre-sort the pieces and give them only the pieces they will need to follow each instruction, guiding them with verbal clues along the way for placement

-Switch off, they place a piece, you place a piece to share in the process and build stamina, what ever the case, allow them to place the first pieces and the last pieces so they can have a sense of initiation while finishing a project to completion

Do you have any strategies that are helpful when building with LEGO’s in your family?

LEGO provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions provided are my own.

©Neat-oh

When you have a toddler, somehow everyone needs to and seems to learn a variety of clean up songs. Now I’d love to give credit where credit is due, but I have no idea who came up with these songs, so I will not take any individual credit but my favorite clean up song for kids is “Clean up, Clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up everybody do your share.”  Though I’ve also been known to sing, “This is the way we clean up our toys, clean up our toys, clean up our toys, this is the way we clean up our toys, when we’re done with playing.” Here are some great toy storage solutions to help in your clean-up process.

First things first, before you start singing, buy some Neat-Oh zip bins. These toy storage containers, zip up to form a box, but unzip to form a playmat. There’s a top cover that velcro’s the lid on and two carrying straps. Aside from some general themes like dinosaurs, princesses, farms, wild animals, they can also be purchased in a variety of licenses that include Barbie, Hot Wheels, and LEGO. It’s a great way for kids to learn to categorize and sort their toys, giving their clean-up a focus, sense of order and purpose.

Then go ahead and order yourself a Toydozer. This bucket with curved scoop allows both parents and kids a fun, fast way to clean-up. The curved handle attaches to the bucket with velcro for storage. Simply use the handle to push the small toys like blocks, cars, and lego’s into the bucket, then return them to your bins. This simple tool can help you clean up your playroom, returning all the small pieces to their respective bins much faster.

©MarchFive

Since it’s springtime, who’s reorganizing their playrooms and cleaning up and cleaning out? What are your must-have toy storage solutions?

Neat-Oh and Toydozer provided samples for review. The opinions on these products are my own.

If you would like to order a Toydozer, use the code BLOGGER20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase. There is free shipping to the US.

©LEGO

After my most recent visit to Toy Fair previewing the latest and greatest toys, I came home with a large spiral bound book of all the new LEGO toys for the year.  I’d love it if LEGO would do a research study to find out of the love and enthusiasm with these iconic construction bricks is somehow just built into people’s DNA, because my 2-year-old sits with the  press guide and looks at the pictures like he’s studying for a test.

Just due to my experience as an OT, I’m always drawn towards toys that encourage fine motor control and coordination, so when I saw the new LEGO Duplo Set, which is also a shape sorter toy, I was thrilled. However, what’s really unique about this toy for kids ages 1 1/2 to 5, is that what are also the shape sorter plates, are removable templates that teach kids how to sort by color, sort by shape and begin to build simple animals from  a step-by-step picture. I’m certainly creative, but when it comes to LEGO’s, I live and die by the directions. I’ve never been a drawer by any means, and I just am not skilled at free drawing and free building. Neither are some children, and that’s okay, we certainly all have strengths and weaknesses that make us unique individuals.

This set is great to grow with children as they develop in their thinking and problem solving skills. Small children can have the experience of stacking the blocks on top of one another, while toddlers and preschoolers who are ready for more of a challenge, but are looking for a recognizable end product or the structure of an activity that has a beginning, middle and an end, this is a great toy for that.

In terms of storage, all of the 23 pieces are stored inside the green bucket and all 3 templates stack on top of themselves and fit on the top of the box.  If you are using the templates, they are definitely best used on a hard, flat surface like a floor or a tabletop. Different than a traditional puzzle, the pieces will fit into the template on their sides which took my son a little getting used to. With a SRP of $19.99, it’s a great price point for birthday party and holiday gifts.

Do any of you have budding LEGO lovers at a young age at home to? For those of you with older children, when did their love for LEGO’s begin?

LEGO provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@TribePlay

These days it never ceases to amaze me how quickly my 2-year-old navigates our iPad 2. We’ve created a folder for him with all of the apps appropriate for his age, and he can already flip through multiple pages to locate it. I also can’t believe how “in-tune” he is to the icons on the screen, despite not being able to read, the “kid-friendy” apps seem to jump off the screen at him and his memory for them is incredible.

The Dr. Panda, Teach Me! app, developed by TribePlay, is an educational app for preschoolers (kids ages 2-5), that is compatible with the iPad and iPhone.  It is available in the iTunes store as both a full version ($1.99), and a free lite version.  After entering the app, the child is able to either chose a learning game or they can explore the different animal habitats (meadow, jungle, farm or arctic) by touching different animals or items in the environment, then wait for their unique animated response. Dr. Panda is a spunky and cute panda bear wearing a graduation hat who narrates the directions and provides positive reinforcement to kids by clapping repeatedly when they choose correct answers, while also letting them know they chose the incorrect response. Aside from English, the language of this app can be changed exposing children to other languages such as German, Dutch, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The educational activities encourage children to learn about various concepts such as same, different, colors, 1:1 correspondence when counting, memory, matching and spatial skills with puzzles.

The few times that I tried to encourage my 2 1/2 year old to play with the app, he touched a few of the animals watched their responses, then promptly told me that he was finished, returning back to his folder in search of his favorite car and truck related books and apps. When I tried to encourage him to participate in some of the educational games, the concepts got challenging quickly and I think this was why, in part, he chose to move onto another app. Which is also expected for his age, he was randomly picking answers with trial and error, not always understanding the directions. One of my favorite features of this app though for young children, is that there are dozens of simple cause and effect responses children can see by just tapping the various animals and elements in each habitat. Though he is on the early end of the age range for this app, I think it is something that with time he will enjoy more as he is ready for more challenging academic concepts.

During the day I also work in a school system with children who are developmentally delayed and have various learning disabilities. Often times as rewards or when I need a minute to prep our next activity, it’s not uncommon for me to hand over my iPhone for children to access an educational app for just a few minutes. Two children at school played with this app and though they were older than the target age group, because of their learning challenges, the activities were very appropriate for their academic abilities. Both children were able to navigate the app and quickly identify where the game activities were positioned. One of the children loved the clapping and positive response that Dr. Panda provides after choosing the correct answer. When he returned the following week he asked for my phone to see the panda and began clapping in imitation, just like Dr. Panda.

What I like about this app in general is that the content is basic yet educational. Once you load the app within seconds the child can activate the content and the games are relatively short so it could be a great app to encourage kids to play to pass the time in waiting areas, car pool lines, etc.

I participated in this sponsored post campaign through Boston Parent Bloggers and was provided with the Dr. Panda, Teach Me! app for free as part of this opportunity. Though I have received compensation for my time, all opinions represented are my own.

©WOW

There aren’t many toy companies that you meet along the way that boast a ten year satisfaction guarantee with their toys, and that is the first “WOW” we learned about WOW brand toys at Toy Fair. Originally from the UK, these toy vehicles and playsets geared for kids ages 18 months to 5 years are now available here in the United States and distributed by the well known German puzzle company, Ravensburger. WOW brand toys are designed using classic themes, that will last through pretend play with multiple siblings and possibly even passed on from one generation to the next.

We received the Jurassic Jimmy toy vehicle (pictured left) for review. My son was “WOW”ed so much by this toy, he took it to bed with him for the first few days.  Jurassic Jimmy the caveman, drives his off-road vehicle, trailer and 2 baby dinosaur friends. There is even a large dinosaur egg that the dinosaurs fit inside and rests on the back of the trailer. The egg can can be hatched or opened and closed repeatedly. The trailer attaches to the truck using a magnet, so it was easy for my 2 1/2 year old to attach without any frustration. There were absolutely no stickers to attach on this product, which I loved. Once it’s out of the box it’s ready to roll. The car itself has a “push and go” friction motor, so it is a little loud when it drives, but it doesn’t take a lot of strength for it to drive far on carpet or wood surfaces.

The price tag did WOW me a little given that these toys generally MSRP for about $30.99 – $49.99, but they are well made, built on classic themes that won’t go out of style, and they do come with a 10 year guarantee.  One piece of feedback I have is that I wish the dinosaurs would fit in the driver seat of the car to expand imaginative play themes even further. Cavemen didn’t really drive cars in that era, so I don’t think it’s that far off base that the dinosaur could drive the car, too!

©WOW

©WOW

Additional WOW brand toys in this line include Ryan’s Road Trip (a 7 piece vehicle with towable tent), Casey Camper Van (an RV that pops open), Cupcake Chloe (Chloe’s bakeshop, delivery car, and removable cupcake), Whiz-Around Amy (5 piece play set that includes a pink motorcycle and sidecar), and Mario’s Pizzeria (8 piece playset that has 3 pizzas, vehicle and special oven).

Ravensburger provided this toy free to facilitate this product review. The opinions are my own. Click here for additional information on WOW Brand playsets.

©Charisma

At Toy Fair this year, for the first time, we met with Adora Dolls. Adora dolls include some of the most beautifully handcrafted baby dolls that for boys and girls of all ages and races. The video highlights some of the different types of Adora dolls including the new Adora Giggle Time baby doll who arrives with a magnetic pacifier and baby carrier, as well as the Talking Dorothy Doll inspired by the Wizard of Oz, who is interactive, speaks 35 phrases and sings the Wizard of Oz songs.

Adora dolls provided a free Giggle Time doll to facilitate additional reviews. See my review of the Adora Giggle Time doll on the About.com Toys site.

©Neat-Oh

My 2-year-old, like many other boys I know, is a car nut. Maybe it’s because when we take a trip to Target, small cars make the best impulse buys for this age group because you can purchase them for $1.00. I never worry about losing them and because they are small enough to fit in Gavin’s coat pocket, they provide entertainment anywhere.  On several occasions I’ve  even found Gavin placing 4 or 5 of them in my purse before we leave the house. When we go for day trips to his grandparent’s house or on long weekends to other relatives these cars must come with us and he ends up filling his own bag to take along.

At Toy Fair, I met up with an amazing company, Neat-Oh, that designs some of the most innovative toy storage solutions for kids I have ever seen. Not only do these back packs, toy boxes, lunch boxes and travel totes functionally make it easy  to store and transport toys, many of them, like the Zip Bin Full Throttle Backpack unzip to make on-the-go play mats. Genius. This backpack was easily adjustable to fit my toddler with the two straps. It’s also not as bulky as most traditional backpacks, and the material is durable and sturdy so it doesn’t sag or become awkward to carry as some of the other custom cloth bags do. It’s also easy to wipe clean with a disinfectant wipe. There’s a great carrying handle strap at the top of the bag. There are two zippers located on the backpack, that make it easy to zip and unzip quickly. We have been able to fit several small cars (at least 10), a few diapers, a travel wipes container and a sippy cup in this backpack, it’s a fantastic diaper bag alternative and Gavin can carry it all on his own, making it a great toddler back pack.

©Neat-Oh

Neat-Oh also partners with several companies with regard to licensing, so if you child has a personal attachment to all things Barbie, LEGO, Hot Wheels, Dinosaurs, Cars, Farm Animals or Princesses please check out their very cool line of products at Neat-Oh.com.

Neat-Oh provided this backpack free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

©HIT Entertainment

I have a 2-year-old-son who has a crush on Angelina Ballerina. I’m not kidding. He loves this show and actually prefers to watch these DVD’s more than Thomas the Train or Barney. It honestly doesn’t make me sad, because it’s the only opportunity to watch something a little more girly that isn’t focused on trucks and trains, so I’m not worried or upset in the least. Aside from appealing to young girls who love to dance,  Angelina Ballerina and the rest of the characters in this show have very cute English accents and the music and dancing incorporated into each show is very sweet and catchy.

The new DVD, Angelina Ballerina: Ballerina Princess will be available March 6, 2012 with a MSRP of $14.98. It will also be available on Digital Download and On Demand. The DVD is 61 minutes in length and is in English, Spanish and French languages.

Here is a synopsis of the DVD: Join Angelina Balleria and her friends for enchanting adventures filled with princesses, princes, kings and queens. Dancing their way through Chipping Cheddar, Angelina encounters a bad fairy, uncovers a Cinderella-like mystery, treats the king and queen to a regal performance and brings an epic tale to life on stage. 

The DVD has 5 short episodes. It  also includes a bonus feature, Agelina’s Stupendous Dress Up Game.

Aside from reviewing other Angelina Ballerina DVD’s, I also had the opportunity to review Angelina Ballerina Dance With Me Game, which young girls can practice isolated ballet moves and put a show on with their friends.

HIT Entertainment provided this DVD free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Being a full-time working mom, yogurt in general has been a godsend in my life, not only for my own lunches, but those small individualized cups are so quick and easy to pack for my son’s lunch for daycare . Being that I work in several different school systems and over the course of the week can eat my lunch with dozens of professionals, based on my observations, Chobani greek yogurt has become quite popular and often a topic of lunchtime conversation because of the significant amount of protein packed in each and every 6 oz. cup.

In all honesty, I tried to buy the regular Chobani yogurt on a few occasions several years ago. Though I preferred the thicker texture, it was a sharper, more bitter taste than I could become accustomed to, making it difficult to finish the entire cup. We often resorted to using it as our yogurt of choice though in homemade smoothies simply because of the protein. When I was pregnant with Gavin three years ago, I also found it difficult to consume the daily amounts of protein suggested for growing a healthy baby. At the time greek yogurt was not as popular, but it probably would have been a great way to meet the protein guidelines.

Several months ago on a trip to a local BJ’s Wholesale, I noticed one week there was a case of Chobani greek yogurt for kids, Chobani Champions. Inside there were two flavors, Honey Banana and Very Berry. At almost $10 for the case, each week I passed it up, waiting for one of these yogurt coupons to magically appear in the monthly circular. I was skeptical and didn’t want to end up with a whole case of yogurt our family wouldn’t eat, so I didn’t buy it.

Until one week Gavin and I happened to shop on “Sample Saturday.” We were able to try both of the varieties of the Chobani Champions yogurt, and from that point on it has become a staple in our refrigerator. The cups are smaller (3.5 ounces vs. 6 ounces), but the yogurt is definitely sweeter, and 8 grams of protein are packed into 1 – 3.5 ounce cup! We really like to also add Kashi Go Lean Crunch granola cereal to the yogurt for even more protein.

When Chobani asked if I would like to help them spread the word about their 2 new flavors, Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and Orange Vanilla, I couldn’t wait for them to arrive. The Vanilla Chocolate Chunk is yummy, though I wouldn’t call the chocolate pieces inside chunks. To me a chunk is similar to a chocolate chip, but in reality these chunks were more like shavings.  Though I am honestly not overjoyed giving my toddler yogurt with chocolate, I would prefer a fruit based flavor, being an occupational therapist who works with children who have feeding disorders or who are very picky eaters, we often look for transitional foods to help kids ease their way into a new texture or flavor. Yogurts are great as dips for graham crackers and believe me I can tell you the parents of significantly picky eater will be thrilled their child even attempted a new food. So if the chocolate variety allows kids to get some vitamins, consume the protein they need to learn at school and expand their food repertoire, I’m all for it in moderation.

The new Orange Vanilla flavor is also delicious, though it does have very small bits of orange that are present in the yogurt and could pose a challenge for texture sensitive kids. Both my husband and son have enjoyed both of the new varieties of the Chobani Champions yogurt. Though the Honey Banana and Very Berry are still my most favorite, flavors appeal to people’s taste buds differently, what ever you prefer, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Interested in trying a case for yourself? We are giving away a case of yogurt! 2 winners will be chosen to each receive their own case!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chobani provided a free case of this yogurt (Orange Vanilla & Vanilla Chocolate Chunk) to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@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: 

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• 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! 

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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: 

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• 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