Mission Headquarters by MatchBox

Here is a really cool product from MatchBox. The Mission Headquarters is from their Sky Busters line. This toy has some really great features. It includes one plane and several movable parts and compartments. The best part of it all however is the portability. It is the perfect grab and go toy for your little one (ages3+) and it even has a handle!

I tested it out with some 5 year olds. It was a complete success! The movable parts and compartments were a huge hit. The “secret” expanding feature was also very popular. Overall a really great toy!

We were provided with a sample toy to help facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.

POCOYO- Dance, Pocoyo, Dance DVD!

Does your child love to dance? My 20 month old son instantly starts boogying whenever music comes on. So it's no surprise he absolutely loved the new Dance, Pocoyo, Dance! DVD.

Pocoyo is a Spanish pre-school animated television series featuring a small Spanish boy who is full of curiosity. Pocoyo and his animal friends, Elly the elephant, Pato the duck, and Loula the dog, are so adorable and the music encouraged my son to continue having fun for quite some time. He clapped after every song!

The multi-award-winning animated television series Pocoyo is now featured in a new half-hour timeslot during the weekends on Nick Jr., on Saturday’s and Sunday’s at 1.00pm ET/10am PT, complementing the current weekday broadcasts at 4:25 pm Eastern/1:25 pm Pacific. Pocoyo also airs on Univision’s Planeta U on Saturday mornings at 8:30 am; and on select PBS stations nationwide(check local listings). 

Check out the interactive website for kids and parents, Pocoyo World!

Wanna learn more about Pocoyo? Check them out on facebook, youtube, twitter, and here at N Circle Entertainment.

Want to save some money? Pick up a bottle of Langers Juice to learn how to score a free dvd!

We received a copy of the Dance, Pocoyo, Dance! DVD to help facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.

Razor Pocket Pros Finger Scooter Toy

Here is a cool little Razor Pocket Pros Finger Scooter Toy we were psyched to try out with the kids! It’s made by Pocket Pros and is modeled after the Razor scooters.  It is intended for the 6+ crowds as it features lots of small parts and even a tool!

My test crew was two 7-year-old boys and they immediately recognized the Razor scooter. They loved how the scooter “folds” like the life sized Razor scooter and easily fit into their pocket. It came with changeable wheels and a little tool to change the wheels. This is an awesome feature. It also came with changeable handlebar covers too. So, each kid could “customize” their scooter to their liking.

There are quite a few really cool features to this little toy. First, the ability to customize the wheels and handlebar covers. Next, the tool made the kids feel like they were actually “working” on their scooter. Finally, the little parts all move created lots of fun! This is a cool little collectible toy that packs hours of entertainment yet still fits in a child’s pocket. A pretty cool little toy!

We received a sample of this produce to help facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.


This review was by our contributor, Gia.

Pokemon Pop N Battle : Tepig

Here is another cool toy from the Pokemon characters. The Pop N Battle comes with a launcher and attack target. It’s a great game for the 4+ crowds. My little guys loved launching the pokeman at the intended target. Once they actually hit the attack target and the little “trap” shut, they were all sold!

Play it alone or battle with friends, either way it’s a great little game!  The Pop N Battle itself is brightly colored and features a PokeMon character that is launched into “battle”. We received the Tepig character that is a very cool looking pig. This toy features some smaller pieces but we were pleased with the overall durability. This is a cool game for any child but especially for a PokeMon fan.

We received a sample of this produce to help facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.


This review was by our contributor, Gia.

Disney Pixar Cars 2 Jeff Gorvette

If you have a little one who loves the Cars movies, this will be the perfect toy for you! Disney Pixar through Mattel has released a new line of Cars toys for the Cars 2 movie. We received Disney Pixar Cars 2 Jeff Gorvette, a cool little yellow corvette with an American Flag painted on him. The detailing on this guy is awesome.

He is the size of a typical racecar and fits in small hands, so he is good for hours of racing!  Jeff Gorvette has a ton of detail, like I said before. His paint is bright and he is constructed well. I tested him out on a few kindergartners and he was a total hit! I did not even have to tell him his name, as he is easily recognizable.

They loved him and asked when we could get Jeff’s other buddies Mater, Fin McMissile, and Lightening McQueen. These guys are also available! So, collect all the Cars 2 figures for hours of enjoyment!

We were provided a sample of this product for review. All opinions are our own. 


Thank you to our blog contributor Gia!

Captain Cuffs - Fisher-Price Hereo World Rescue Heroes

Recently we had the opportunity to review Fisher-Price Hero World Rescue Hereos Captain Cuffs. While Captain Cuffs is awesome, he is a bit too advanced for our little guy. He is intended for ages 3-8, so he headed to the classroom with me for some free time! I am a special education teacher and my students aged 5-7 loved him!

There are so many things as a parent/teacher that I love about him.  First, he is incredibly durable. Next, he comes with many parts/pieces that are made to actually last. Finally, he is equipped with moving parts that are easily manipulated by little hands (your little one will LOVE the actionator feature).

Overall Fisher-Price Hero World Rescue Hereos Captain Cuffs was a complete success with my crowd and I can foresee him lasting the test of time in any household.

Thanks Fisher-Price for the awesome Captain Cuffs!  

Thank you, Gia, our newest blog contributor!!!!

Aqua Doodle!!!

Aqua Doodle by Spin Master

Daddy checks out Aqua Bear!

Having a toddler in the home, we are in the artsy-crafty stage. Painting, coloring, markers, pipe cleaners, you name it. The messier the better. I am totally cool with mess and never mind letting Ava go crazy with finger paints (at the table of course), but there are times when mess just is not an option, like at Granny’s house, on vacation, or in the car.

We have discovered two toys that satisfy the greatest of artists, and please the tidiest of moms~ Aqua Doodle Bear and Aqua Doodle Mat!  These toys each come with their own marker (which can be used interchangeably) and both can be drawn on, even the bear!  

By the end of the week we were writing abc's and drawing all the

little pictures around the mat for Ava!

I have not even gotten into the best part yet--- the markers will work once they are filled with water, and! They only work on Aqua Doodle Products!!!!  Write with them on your skin, just water. Write on a chair, just water. Write on the dog, just water. Pretty dang sweet, huh?

These toys occupied my two-year-old, my husband and I, my mother-in-law (who is an artist!) and my step-father-in-law. We played with them in the car, in the cabin and on the dock.

After a few minutes, your drawing will begin to evaporate so there is no need to clean, no need to put them in the washing machine, easy-peasy. Ava was completely mesmerized by the fact that her handprints, foot tracings, and drawings would disappear after a bit. “Where are my toes?” was a common expression around the house!

Thank you to Spin Master who provided samples of these products to help facilitate this review, unknowingly to them---just in time for vacation!!! All opinions are our own.

Chuggington Playset: Wash and Fuel Set

Chuggington Playset: Wash and Fuel Set

I may have a daughter but that does not mean she is not into trains.  Give the girl a car or train set and she can play for hours. Imagine her delight when I introduced the Chuggington Wash and Fuel Playset (say that ten times fast!) by Learning Curve Brands!  This set is so up her alley- she loves doing the things that mommy and daddy do- cleaning and getting gas included!

The play set is designed for ages 3+ but as a 2+ year old, she was able to get a lot out of it with adult supervision.

She loved zooming the two cars around the track, but was also very impressed when I showed her how to control the crank which allows the trains to race around the track on their own!!!  The coolest feature by far is the fact that the trains communicate with each other! They have tons of phrases which is very impressive.

As a mom and a teacher, I am thrilled to see just how much this encouraged Ava’s social-emotional skills, her imaginative play skills are exploding these days, thanks to awesome toys like this.

Thank you to Learning Curve Brands for providing such a fun toy for us to play with this summer, it sure is getting it’s use over here! All opinions are our own.

Growums!

Remember our Growums giveaway in May? On Mother's Day, Ava and I planted our Growums seeds and have been patiently waiting for them to grow into herbs we can use while cooking.

I am happy to report, ours are still thriving! They are just about ready to be put into little pots! Ava and I are so excited to check on our plants, and to water them daily. We have been keeping them outside during the day, and inside at night, but a few times we left them out during insane storms by accident. Guess what? Our little babies are still growing!



I tend to have a very-non-green thumb, and I am so impressed! We have been following tips and our progress on-line and really appreciate the reminder emails we receive telling us what we should be doing!

Go Read: Dinosaur Train Books!

Abers and I recently had the opportunity to check out some brand-new Dinosaur Train books, in honor of Get Caught Reading Month.

Get Caught Reading Month is organized annually by the Association of American Publishers to stimulate a love of reading in people of all ages.  Sid the Science Kid and Buddy from Dinosaur Train are teaming up and are participating in a free poster campaign (flat shipping applies) that supports Get Caught Reading Month. These are great for teachers or parents, check them out here! 

 We got to review three Dinosaur Train books, all of which are aged 3-5. There is:

Buddy and Friends 

This colorful board book follows Buddy as he meets many of his friends from the TV show.  This is a fun introduction to the various species included on Dinosaur Train. We still LOVE board books around here. I like that Abes can sit in her special chair and read and read and read, and I do not have to worry about her tearing any pages- this is wonderful during laundry time!!!

 Next, we got to check out A Surprise for Mom! 

This book details a sweet adventure that Buddy takes as he searches for the perfect gift for his mommy, ya gotta love that.

Lastly, we read Tiny Learns to Fish .  Mr. Pteranodon takes the kids to the pond to learn to fish, but they encounter some difficulties when they get there. In the end, team work makes it happen!

 As a teacher and as a mom, I love these books because they're colorful and teach important life skills in a fun and exciting manner.  Since I am a teacher, I tend to support these stories with questions like, "What do you think this book is about?" 

"What do you think will happen next?"
"Where did Buddy go with his friends?"

Following up with questions like this is so important and truly does help children retain what they just learned!

If you want to purchase these books for your little reader, check them out here:

Want more information on Sid the Science Kid or Dinosaur Train? Check out these great websites:

Dinosaur Train on PBS: http://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/

The Jim Henson Company: www.henson.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hensonparents

Geocache: www.geocaching.com/dinosaurtrain

SID THE SCIENCE KID and DINOSAUR TRAIN air on PBS KIDS (check local listings for details).

We were provided with samples of these books to help facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.

MMCH: Mickey's Great Outdoors

If you have a toddler in your house then you surely can sing all the songs from Mickey Mouse Club House.  My daughter was smitten with the show with her first viewing. Now, at 2 years old, she loves following along and rocking out to "Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dogggggggg"!

Ava really enjoyed helping me test out the new dvd- Mickey's Great Outdoors.  It includes 1 Mickey Mote, a DVD, and a Digital Copy! As an avid iphone/ipad user, Ava LOVED having her very own 'mote (remote) to participate in her viewing experience.  As a mom-on-the go, I really appreciate the digital copy- and I wish we had it when we flew to Texas last month! When you have a digital copy, you can transfer a copy of the movie from itunes to your ipad. Pretty neat, huh?

Anyway, back to Mickey- just like the other movies in the series, Mickey's Great Outdoors follows Mickey Mouse and his buddies on a fun adventure.  There is lots to be learned along the way, all while providing fun entertainment for you and your child!

This DVD is available in stores TODAY!

We were provided with a sample to facilitate this reveiw. All opinions are our own.

Growums!

As I told you in a previous post, I will be posting some reviews of really fun products.  I am not really ready to post about Growums yet, but I just had to let you know what I'll be doing in the next few weeks!

Today, these showed up at my door:

When I left the Toy Expo, I was also given this:

Growums are themed garden kits, that have an interactive platform on Growums.com to teach children all about growing their own food, "from seed to harvest".  Cartoon characters represent each type of herb/veggie/fruit and really make gardening exciting for children!  I thought it would be neat to do an on-going post about these little gardens to help you get the full effect. Stay tuned!



Thank you to Growums for providing us with samples of the aforementioned gardens and for sponsoring the giveaway, I'm so psyched to test them out!

PetCakes!

PetCakes!!!

 

It's a pet! It's a cupcake!  It's both, and it's a-dor-able!  PetCakes just debuted their Series two line and that's what I got to check out. Ava girl just can't get over the fun factor with these little guys- if she's playing in the kitchen, perfect, we have cupcakes. All other times though, she's bathing them, feeding them ba-bas, and taking them for walks in the kitchen. Insanely cute, right?

These little guys are perfect for travel or for taking to daycare- they're precious and snuggly, yet they are not too big. At $14.99/PetCake, you cannot go wrong!

Thank you to PetCakes for providing us with samples of PetCakes and for sponsoring the giveaway.

Go See: HOP

HOP is the story of E.B., the teenage son of the Easter Bunny, who does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps but rather be a rock and roll  drummer. So he travels to Hollywood  to pursue his dream. 

While there, he meets Fred (James Marsden), an unemployed slacker who just got kicked out of his house. The story follows E.B. and Fred on their adventures as they attempt to be successful.

I took my 10-year-old son to see HOP.  The characters and animation in the movie were really good. Despite it being a kids movie there were some jokes that I would have considered “over the head” of most children under 12 but my son still liked it. I enjoyed  Russell Brand, the voice of E.B..
Brand brings both comedy and sweetness to the character. E.B. was so adorable you just wanted to grab him off the screen and hug him! James Marsden, as Fred, gave an OK performance.  I could have done without the appearance of David Hasselhoff. He added nothing to the movie whatsoever. 

The music was very cute and had everyone bopping in their seats.

It was nice to see a different type of holiday movie (Easter).  Overall I would give the movie 4 starts out of five.

The film is helmed by Tim Hill, director of the blockbuster Alvin & the Chipmunks and produced by Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me).  HOP opened in theaters everywhere April 1.

http://www.iwantcandy.com/

Thank you to HOP for providing our blog contributor Gina with a set of tickets to help facilitate this review!

Oneida Stainless Flatware for Toddlers

I had the extreme pleasure of trying out Oneida's Paul Revere Child and Baby Flatware 6 Piece Progress Set.  I am currently in the process of weeding out plastics whenever I can, so this couldn't have arrived at a better time.

The set comes with six pieces in a lovely box, which is just perfect to give as a gift.

There is a set of flatware for babies, and one for toddlers/big kids. My daughter is totally digging her new flatware. They look just like mommy and daddy's, but they fit her tiny hands!

The flatware is dishwasher safe, and is 18/8 stainless steel with a brushed finish.  Ava LOVES that she is allowed to use a knife- it's little and not very sharp, but is perfect for exploring and strengthening her cutting skills.


This particular set is currently on sale~ regularly $30, it's available for $24.99, check it out today!


Thank you to Oneida for providing my daughter and I with a sample of this set to help facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% our own.

That's a Wrap! by Cutey Baby Diapers

I use cloth diapers on my daughter. Yup. I do.

Yes, it's VERY clean.  No, it's not icky.  Why, yes, it is INSANELY CUTE and fashionable!!

One of my favorite cloth diaper companies was started by a mom like me, just a few short years ago. The brand is called Cutey Baby and the diapers are functional and as their name suggests, CUTE!

My daughter and I got to check out their brand new diaper~ "That's a Wrap!" and their biodegradable flushable liners.

These diapers are so easy to use, just place the soaker inside the shell of the diaper, and place on baby. We like to use the flushable liners for a quick and easy clean up.  You can check out a video right here that explains this further:

The diaper kept my girly-girl and her clothing dry.  Clean up was a snap.  I LOVE the new patterns in this collection, they are unique and trendy.  I also really like the fact that these diapers are sized (S, M, L) so they do not carry extra bulk and fit nicely with my daughter's outfits.

Check out Cutey Baby's website here.
Follow Cutey Baby on Facebook!
Locate a store near you.

 Thank you to Cutey Baby, we loved testing the sample you sent. All opinions are 100% our own.

Dinosaur Train Make a Match Game

My love of Dinosaur Train by the Jim Henson Company is growing and growing. I love their brightly colored, well-thought-out toys and games.  As you all know by now, my daughter and I love watching Dinosaur Train together. Imagine our delight when we got to test out their new game, based on an old classic,  Dinosaur Train Make a Match.  As a teacher and a parent, I love games that foster learning in a way that is fun! 

In the Dinosaur Train Make A Match game, Buddy and his friends sharpen children’s memory skills in this special matching game that features a Buddy figure! The game features “Take Buddy” cards, “Wild Cards” and “Lose a Pair” cards to add to the excitement. Players count their matching card sets at the end and add extra points for the player holding Buddy to determine who wins.  

The Dinosaur Train Make A Match Game is for 2 to 4 players, ages 3 to 6, and is available at Toys “R” Us stores nationwide for just $9.99.

Check out this link to play a fun counting game called Flying with Buddy.

Connect with the Jim Henson Company and Pressman Toy Company here: 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hensonparents
 Geocache: www.geocaching.com/dinosaurtrain

Pressman Toy: www.pressmantoy.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pressmantoy

Twitter: @pressmantoy

Thank you to Dinosaur Train for sending my daughter and I a copy of Dinosaur Train Make a Match to review. All opinions are 100% our own.

Moon Dough Magic Zoo

As you may remember from the fall, we LOVE Moon Dough! My toddler loves to smash it, to build with it, and to make shapes with it. As a teacher, I love using it with my students who all have special needs- it's perfect for strengthening fine motor skills, which in turn, strengthens a student's pre-writing skills.  With both my daughter and my students, we use Moon Dough to make letters, numbers, and shapes.  Best of all, Moon Dough never dries out, it lasts forever!

I thought my love of Moon Dough could not get any stronger, until a box mysteriously showed up at my door- the Moon Dough Magic Zoo! The box contains:

• 1 Magic Molding Zoo
• 2 Winder Walkers
• 3 Animal Molds
• 1 Fence Mold
• 3 Colors of Moon Dough

Not only can you make animals, you can set them on top of the winder walkers so they move around by themselves!  No matter how many times she sees it, my toddler thinks the moving animals are just hilarious. She loves it!

Moon Dough provides hours of creative fun with my daughter, we are fans for life! 

Thank you to Moon Dough for providing us with the Moon Dough Magic Zoo to review. All opinions are our own.

Dinosaur Train Footy Pajamas

As you all know, by now my daughter is no longer a baby, but is totally in a whirlwind of approaching-two-toddler-talking all the time-running-climbing-coloring-dress ups- Tinkerbell- Yo Gabba Gabba goodness! She is tons of fun and totally nuts. One of her favorite things at Christmastime was the train under our tree. Every once and while, she looks at me and says, "Oh no, TRAIN!?" or "SANTA?" (who rode the train). It was around Christmastime that she really started getting into trains and train-related shows. This is also the time she started loving Land Before Time (I LOVED that as a kid!). Imagine her excitement when she discovered the show Dinosaur Train on PBS! It's a Jim Henson creation and combines little kids' two favorite things: dinosaurs and trains!!! Their new episodes just returned and debuted on January 17 and we have been loving them (you can view it here!)!

I was thrilled when I received an email asking me if I would like to review a set of Dinosaur Train PJs!!!! The package arrived and I couldn't wait to get them on Ava. As so as they were washed ready to go, I presented her with them...."OH BOYYYYYYYYY! RAWR!!!!!!!" she squealed and she grabbed at the Buddy the Dinosaur heads on her feet!

These sweet Dinosaur Train™ Striped Footed Pajamas are available at Kohl’s. The dinosaur appliques and striped pattern on these footed pajamas offer timeless touches, and the footed design keep toes toasty. SRP is $26.00, available in sizes 2T-5T.

Pretty cute, right? When I say these jams are warm, I wish I could let you reach through the computer and feel them. They are border-line fuzzy! Delish!!!! Plus, who doesn't love a gorgeous little toddler in footy pajamas?

You can follow The Henson Company in two different ways:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hensoncompany

Thank you to The Henson Company for providing us with a pair of these pajamas to review. All opinions are our own.

Dinosaur Train- Dinosaurs in the Snow DVD

By now you know we love PBS Kids and the wonderfully entertaining shows they have. One of our newer favorites is Dinosaur Train----Dinos+Trains=Happy Toddler!!!! Add in there the fact that the show is created by Jim Henson, you now have happy parents!

Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs in the Snow follows Buddy and his dino family on a trip to the North Pole.  Your children will love riding along with Buddy as he learns all about the North Pole.  The show presents Life Science in an age-appropriate manner so children can understand and not feel confused or overwhelmed and I love that!

The DVD runs 120 minutes long and includes several other episodes such as Night Train and Fossil Fred- 8 total episodes.  The DVD also has an interactive game, coloring pages, a Dinosaur Reference Guide, and information for parents.

PBS graciously provided us with a copy of this DVD to help facilitate this review.  All opinions are our own.